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Repsol and Ibereólica Renovables ship nacelles for Chile wind farm
Report: High carbon prices have little effect on the pace of technological change
Total pays $2.5bn for 20% stake in Adani Green Energy
Avangrid's NECEC cross-border transmission project receives permits
Mainstream finalises financial deal for South African windfarms
7 June 2018	(Last Updated June 7th, 2018 11:35)
Mainstream Renewable Power has reached a $520m financial close for two South African windfarms.
The Kangnas and Perdekraal East Wind Farms have a combined production capacity of 250MW.
South Africa's Department of Energy (DoE) awarded the windfarms contracts to a consortium led by Mainstream under the fourth round of the 'Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme' (REIPPPP)
Construction works on the two windfarms are expected to begin this month at the sites in South Africa's Northern Cape and Western Cape.
"Construction works on the two windfarms are expected to begin this month at the respective sites in South Africa's Northern Cape and Western Cape."
Mainstream Africa general manager Hein Reyneke said: "Our team here in South Africa is really excited to reach financial close and start constructing these projects, which will bring an $87m community investment over 20 years once they start operating in 2020.
"We look forward to the results of the expedited fourth round of the REIPPPP, as well as further rounds, which are vital to securing a sustainable long-term, least-cost energy plan for the country."
Since 2011, Mainstream has been awarded a total of 848MW of wind and solar projects under the REIPPPP programme.
Mainstream is said to have already delivered five wind and solar PV plants into operation under the programme, with a combined generation capacity of 600MW.
Reyneke said: "Mainstream has been investing and building a local team in South Africa for almost a decade and with a portfolio of more than 3,000MW of wind and solar projects under development here, we are delighted to be making a significant contribution to building South Africa's low-cost and low-carbon power system whilst boosting rural communities."
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Equinor and BP win 2.49GW offshore wind contracts in US auction


text:
New report questions government's 2030 ban
Currently reading: New report questions government's 2030 ban
With backing from manufacturers, the document proposes different methods to ensure transport becomes carbon-neutral
A new report commissioned by a number of car firms has questioned the UK government's decision to ban new petrol and diesel vehicles from 2030, calling for a broader approach to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Commissioned by manufacturers as diverse as Honda, McLaren and Bosch, 'Decarbonising Road Transport: There is no silver bullet 2020' contains a number of recommendations, from decarbonising the legacy fleet to greater transparency on the part of OEMs with regard to their whole vehicle CO2 output.
It stresses that a one-size-fits-all approach is unlikely to work. With 40 million vehicles on the road at an average age of 8.3 years, it flags up a concern that the emissions from the UK's huge legacy fleet will need to be addressed in order to achieve net zero by 2050.
While it acknowledges that tailpipe emissions are part of the problem, the report's authors from Decarbonising Road Transport suggest that the government should focus on the wider aspect of 'well to wheel' in order to deliver a zero carbon transport network. It states that recent research shows that the process of manufacturing electric cars produces 63% more CO2 emissions than a petrol or diesel equivalent.
Polestar and Volkswagen come in for praise for their recent honesty. Both firms have published figures as to how much carbon is generated in the process of building their electric cars and then how much is saved by driving them. In the case of the Polestar 2, depending on energy mix it could need to drive for over 48,000 miles before its carbon footprint dropped below that of a Volvo XC40.
That figure has been questioned by some, with analysis by EV advocate Auke Hoekstra putting the 'crossover' point at which an electric vehicle's carbon footprint drops below a regular one as low as 20,000 miles. The broad range of estimates is based, in part, on assumptions about the carbon used both in vehicle and energy production.
Decarbonising Road Transport is calling for all manufacturers to follow the lead of Polestar in releasing details of crabon created in their vehicle production. "We need to do more than just electrify the fleet," said Andy Eastlake, managing director of the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership. "We are still selling diesel and petrol cars, the engines of which could play out until 2050, so we have to look at decarbonising fuel."
Synthetic fuels and hydrogen feature as potential solutions, especially when it comes to both the legacy fleet and also HGVs. The latter has grown by 12.6% over the past year and, while the latest Euro 6 diesel engines emit 95% less NOx than a Euro 5 equivalent, the weight of batteries means electric lorries aren't a practical solution as current technology stands.
The report also suggests that synthetic fuels offer a solution for the comparatively small number of sports cars, something that companies such as Porsche are already investing heavily in.
The overarching theme is that industry should be allowed to take the lead with support from the government, allowing countries' innovators to design and develop the way to a cleaner future for transport. The report calls this a "technology-neutral approach". Because no one size fits all with regards to transport, it believes the government shouldn't be focused on a single solution to the problem. Matt Western, chair of the All Party Parliamentary Motor Group and one of the contributors to the report, said: "The UK is home to some incredibly innovative companies and research institutions. We should foster their creativity by taking a technology-neutral approach to our emissions-reduction ambitions, allowing the industry to do what it does best: innovate."
Updated: Although the report mentions Aston Martin as being involved with the publication, senior figures at Aston have indicated it does not represent the company's policy. Aston's chairman, Lawrence Stroll, told Autocar that: "I was shocked by the report. I don't know the individual who wrote it. We support EV. It was an employee I was unaware of until I read this report. I was shocked." CEO Tobias Moers has also issued an equally strong statement.
Official: Government to ban new petrol and diesel car sales in 2030
Analysis: Polestar lifts the lid on lifetime EV emissions
Analysis: How car production will become CO2-neutral
Strider 30 November 2020
Do try to not be so wildely inacurate. They are not banning petrol and diesel vehicles from 2030 - you are delivering the PR guff that BoJo wants you to make credible for him - they are banning petrol and diesl cars that can't drive an as yet to be determined distance on electric power only. That means that we'll be able to buy new petrol and diesel cars until 2035, not 2030. They may not even be full hybrids. With mild hybrid 48V systems currently in development, if the electric drive range isn't too ambitious, they might be just regular electrifies petrol or diesel powertrains. At worst, they'll be plug-in hybrids, which we all know are more than capable of being driven purely on petrol or diesel and never plugged in. So, why do you keep saying the Government will 'ban petrol and diesel vehicles from 2030'? And that's without discussing why you say 'vehicles' - also deeply misleading as most vehicle classes aren't even mentioned in the plan.
RobNeill 29 November 2020
Multiple Governments over the years have shown themselves to be incapable of making good choices on technology. Their role should be to establish clearly articulated objectives but not how these objectives should be achieved. By specifying electric vehicles as the sole technology allowed to achieve CO2 reduction objectives is risking UK Manufacturing on the whims of what is essentially a tax avoidance measure. And worse, one that fails to take into account the complexity of the myriad of options available to suit multifarious transport needs therby reducing the UK's ability to innovate and compete with the World.
HiPo 289 27 November 2020
A report from outmoded manufacturers trying to protect their fossilised business model Most people will take this report with a pinch of salt thanks Autocar. It's a bit like tobacco companies trying to say that their cigarettes aren't bad for you. Of course there is an environmental cost to any manufacturing process, but there is a bigger cost with digging up, transporting, refining and burning fossil fuels than there is with using electricity. Also you can recycle a battery, but you can't recycle diesel! You can only burn it and create a foul smell once. No amount of bleating by incumbent industries is going to change any of this. Mclaren would be better off developing an answer to the next Tesla Roadster instead of publishing pointless reports. They are walking backwards into the future.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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The North Shore Hospice & Palliative Project gratefully acknowledges the generous assistance of our community supporters.
It's people like you who make a difference.


text:
Colin Kaepernick got contact lenses this offseason to correct his vision
Colin Kaepernick is hoping to undergo a career rebirth this season after losing his starting job last year. The San Francisco 49ers quarterback had offseason surgeries on his thumb, non-throwing shoulder and knee, but that might not be his most important enhancement.
Kaepernick was fitted for contact lenses this offseason to help his short vision. He was seen wearing a visor in practice last week to help keep his contact lenses in place and reduce sunlight hitting his eyes.
"For me, it was something I need to protect my eyes," Kaepernick told the Sacramento Bee. "Been doing a lot of things to make sure my vision's correct. So the visor's been there to help with that."
Kaepernick, who publicly requested a trade this offseason, was benched in favor of Blaine Gabbert after the 49ers went 2-6 in Kaepernick's starts. He threw for 1,615 yards with six touchdowns and five interceptions in 2015.
Kaepernick could have a bounce-back season in 2016 if new head coach Chip Kelly can revitalize the sixth-year quarterback. Kelly's up-tempo offense might help recapture the magic that made Kaepernick one of the most lethal dual-threat QBs in 2013.
49ers-Packers: NFC divisional round By The Numbers
NFL odds: How to bet 49ers-Packers, point spread, more
Packers claim top spot in Herd Playoff Hierarchy heading into divisional round


The Hörmann Vertical is a solid timber door which is made from carefully selected Cedar wood, with its finely figured grain and variation in colour. Cedar wood is unlike other timber – it keeps its shape well and does not warp easily, making it the perfect material for a solid and secure garage door. Finished with a choice of 9 different wood stains before fitting, the wood can breathe without being exposed enough to let moisture in.
The framed slats of the Vertical Timber show off the beauty of the wood very well, and no two doors are the same, meaning that your property will include a truly unique piece of craftsmanship should you choose this door.
The Vertical Timber is a simple yet beautiful design which would suit many different styles of property. Available in both tracked and canopy opening mechanisms, the Vertical Timber may require more maintenance than other doors made from different materials, but many would argue that the beauty of timber is worth it.


To prepare a panel valid for two years.
How to Apply : Candidates can apply ONLINE only and no other means/mode of application will be accepted. The online registration of applications will be available on SCTIMST web site www.sctimst.ac.in from 02.02.2017 to 20.02.2017.


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上海桑拿论坛
Head of Instagram agrees to testify as Congress probes app's effects on young people
Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, has agreed for the first time to testify before Congress, as bipartisan anger mounts over harms to young people from the app.
Mosseri is expected to appear before a Senate panel during the week of Dec. 6 as part of a series of hearings on protecting children online, said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., who will lead the hearing.
Mosseri's appearance follows hearings this year with Antigone Davis, global head of safety for Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, and with Frances Haugen, a former Facebook employee turned whistleblower. Haugen's revelations about the social networking company, particularly those about Facebook and Instagram's research into its effects on some teenagers and young girls, have spurred criticism, inquiries from politicians, and investigations by regulators.
In September, Davis told Congress the company disputed the premise that Instagram was harmful for teenagers and noted that the leaked research did not have causal data. But after Haugen's testimony last month, Blumenthal wrote a letter to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg suggesting that his company had "provided false or inaccurate testimony to me regarding attempts to internally conceal its research."
Blumenthal asked that Zuckerberg or Mosseri testify in front of the consumer protection subcommittee of the Senate's Commerce Committee to set the record straight.
"He's the top guy at Instagram, and the whole nation is asking about why Instagram and other tech platforms have created so much danger and damage by driving toxic content to children with these immensely powerful algorithms," said Blumenthal, who chairs the subcommittee. "The hearing will be critically significant in guiding us to develop laws that can have an impact on making platforms safer."
Dani Lever, a Meta spokesperson, said in a statement: "We continue to work with the committee to find a date for Adam to testify on the important steps Instagram is taking."
Blumenthal said he would question Mosseri about how Instagram's algorithms can send children into dangerous rabbit holes. Since the subcommittee began its series of hearings, lawmakers have heard from hundreds of parents and children who have shared personal anecdotes, including stories of how posts on fitness devolved into recommendations for content related to extreme dieting, eating disorders and self-harm.
Blumenthal said he would seek a commitment from Mosseri to make Instagram's ranking and recommendation decisions transparent to the public and to experts who can study how the app amplifies harmful content. Blumenthal said that executives at Snap, TikTok and YouTube who testified in a previous hearing have committed to algorithmic transparency.
While Zuckerberg has become accustomed to being hauled in front of US lawmakers, this will be the first time Mosseri will testify to them under oath. A trusted lieutenant to Zuckerberg who was chosen to lead Instagram in 2018, Mosseri has become the photo-sharing app's public face, hosting regular video announcements about new features and appearing on morning television shows.
In September, before Davis' Senate hearing, Mosseri appeared on NBC's Today Show to announce that Instagram would pause the development of a version of the app designed for children following public backlash and renewed lawmaker interest sparked by Haugen's leaks. BuzzFeed News first reported in March that the company was working on a version of Instagram for children under 13.
Mosseri's scheduled appearance is the latest fallout from Haugen's leaked files, which were first reported by The Wall Street Journal. Those documents, called The Facebook Papers, have formed the basis for multiple complaints to the Securities and Exchange Commission that Meta misled investors about its efforts to protect users.
Last week, a bipartisan group of 11 state attorneys general announced that it had opened an investigation into whether Meta had failed to protect the mental well-being of young people on its platforms, including Instagram.
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.


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Photo Essay - Historically Black Colleges and Universities
This photo series takes a look at an assortment of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). An HBCU, according to the Higher Education Act of 1965 , is "any historically black college or university that was established prior to 1964, whose principal mission was, and is, the education of black Americans, and that is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or association. " Many HBCUs were founded following the Civil War when former slaves lobbied for educational funding and the creation of black schools. Today HBCUs boast eminent graduates in a wide array of fields, including politics, entertainment, and aerospace.
The following entries have been selected from our archives to help guide readers learn more about Historically Black Colleges and Universities. (Access to the following articles is available only to subscribers.)
Historically Black Colleges and Universities & Women
Colleges and Universities, Historically Black, in the United States
Educators, Modern
Wilburforce University
Bethune-Cookman College
Prairie View A&M University
Lincoln University (Pennsylvania)
Notable Alumni of HBCUs
Fred D Gray
Alice Malsenior Walker
Marcelite Jordon Harris
Ralph Ellison
Amelia Boynton Robinson
A. Philip Randolph
John Chaney
Carter G. Woodson
Andrew Jackson Young Jr.
Ralph Bunche
Vashti Murphy McKenzie
Elijah E. Cummings
Inez Beverly Prosser
W. E. B. Du Bois
John Hope Franklin
Nnamdi Azikiwe
Kwame Nkrumah
Madie Hall Xuma
Louis Abdul Farrakhan
Executive Order 13256: Advisors for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (2002)
Executive Order 12320 (1981)
Grutter v. Bollinger (2003)


Just another forum game that I thought would be nice to have here.
Basically post the post count of the poster above you. So whoever is next, would post mine, and so on.
Tags: disneyhead, GUYYYY, fanofdorks, toetapping.


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Q: iphone app now is Pending Contract will it be removed from the itunes store? I've developed an iPhone app for the company I work for. At the moment there is no need to update or bring out any new apps.
So I thought I could let my apple developer license expire and extend the license when we need it again.
But now I've got a message from apple saying "The status for the following app has changed to Pending Contract." while it was perviously "approved" or something like that.
Is my app gonna be removed from the store with this status?

A: From this Apple FAQ :

What happens if I do not renew my iOS Developer Program membership?
Once your membership expires, your apps will no longer be available on
  the App Store and you will lose the ability to submit new apps. You
  will lose access to pre-release software, the Apple Developer Forums,
  Developer Technical Support, and the Certificate Utility. In addition,
  your existing iOS Distribution certificates will be revoked and
  invalidated. Finally, if you enrolled in the program as a company, you
  will lose the ability to manage your development team.
You will, however, retain your status as a Registered Apple Developer
  and will have access to free development resources.

In order to conserve your app on the AppStore, you must renew your iOS Developer Program.
Hope this helps !

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


2011-02-09 21:09 Daniel K Ed, are Italians considered caucasian?
"whos who in the ZOO"
Ed, what was the title of that Constitution? The constitutions FOR the united States?
2011-02-09 21:51 Daniel K but who is "us"?
2011-02-09 21:54 Daniel K I know!
2011-02-09 21:55 Daniel K "one people", "perpetual union"
2011-02-09 21:55 Daniel K what did the all have in common?
2011-02-09 21:56 Guest 5 Why do you worship a scrap of toilet paper passed by a bunch of lawyers and masons and interpreted now by jews?
Plenty of nations don't have CONstipations.
The Soviet Union had a CONstitution of 1936 'guaranteed' by Joseph Stalin. Wonderful document promising freedom and rule of law.
2011-02-09 22:00 Guest 5 Yes, there was a Bank of the US under Alexander Hamilton.
2011-02-09 22:01 Guest 5 Hamilton centralized the banking system during George Washington's first administration.
2011-02-09 22:01 Guest 5 The CONstipation was a dead herring less than a decade of the bogus ratification.
The Federalist Papers were a pack of lies from the start.
You sound like one of the paytriotards 'thinking' that you are going to change the CONstipation.
an amendment is a legislative enactment...... and therefore must be in pursuance of the original const.
2011-02-09 22:24 Daniel K who?
2011-02-09 22:24 Daniel K the law says "free white"
what does "posterity" "perpetual Union" "one people"....all tell you?
I mean...aside from what the actual law says literally?
2011-02-09 22:27 Daniel K right, ALL of the "posterity"
2011-02-09 22:27 Daniel K who were the "one people"?
2011-02-09 22:28 Daniel K posterity means "all future generations"
i don't agree........ i rule me.
2011-02-09 22:30 Daniel K who said they rule you?
adn what does that mean?
2011-02-09 22:31 billduff do i have to be white to own my own bady?
2011-02-09 22:31 Daniel K and it says ONLY a "free white person"
2011-02-09 22:32 billduff if only white mean can make law ,,,,,,,, isn't everyone else owned?
2011-02-09 22:32 Daniel K it was to be for the "one people"
2011-02-09 22:33 Daniel K with what?
2011-02-09 22:34 Daniel K why would you believe it was set up for everyone? All the founders had slaves?
in this country, it DOES!
2011-02-09 22:37 Daniel K right NOT all whites were free!!!
which is why our people did this for us!
2011-02-09 22:42 Daniel K what is a radio music?
2011-02-09 22:47 Guest 9 If it had not been for the Brits we would have not had slaves.
2011-02-09 22:48 Daniel K you want ed to tell you how to play a radio?
2011-02-09 22:50 Daniel K your always acting like a retard!
2011-02-09 22:56 Guest 10 ed you have eight people on your call how you gonna enforce this philosphy?
2011-02-09 23:02 Guest 9 when yu're paying taxes on your land you are not the owner.
2011-02-09 23:07 Guest 9 where do you get it from.
2011-02-10 00:02 Guest 18 Hi Ed, this is Bear. I emailed you earlier about buying that land without being forced into the escrow and closing. I just got off a long day at work!
I hooked up my headset but the request to talk button is greyed out and non-functional.
2011-02-10 00:11 Guest 18 10-4 bossman. I'm gonna hop out for now. I emailed my phone number to you as well.
Excellent gem on the CANDID WORLD! Praise Yahweh!
take up much space on portable devices.
2011-02-10 00:39 bank4monty Bruce G. McCarthy on money is a 4 hour masterpiece, in my opinion.
2011-02-10 01:02 bank4monty www.ecclesia.org/truth/maxims.html hyperlinked collection of maxims. outstanding.
http://www.lawfulpath.com/ref/bouvier/maxims.shtml. Bouvier's 1856 Law Dictionary is the only Dictionary used by Congress, and the Supreme Court.
2011-02-10 01:36 Guest 22 a company filled with purim blooddrinkers that knew about 9/11, putting in $11 safety parts...lol!!!!!!!!!!


Everyone calls me Jhoel... I was 23 when i migrated here in japan to be with my mom and sisters.. shy and quiet person but can be very funny and crybaby sometimes..hahaha..
I can speak tagalog, english and japanese (^_^) BE MY FRIEND AND I'LL TELL U THE REST, OK?
First of all i would like to thanks to the staff of subarashi cargo most specially to Mam Cris for being so nice to the customer and to the excellent service satisfaction regarding balik bayan box and cargo services its very past and very affordable price honto ni tatsu karimashita ありがとう!! これからよろしく!!
This is the best delivery company to the Philippines.
Hello Sir Joel, Welcome to Subarashi site, just enjoy staying here, feel free to post in our forum/discussion.


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Following up from my last post in the series 5 Investing Lessons From Chris Sacca, I came across this article that Jeff Bussgang wrote on lessons for startup entrepreneurs. Reading the article, there were a few key points that Jeff points out as important for startup entrepreneurs. These are great for the MBAs Fred was speaking to and entrepreneurs, but it is interesting the insight that Fred is providing into his thoughts on investing and how relevant they are to investors in public companies.
Let's look at each of the key points and how they are relevant to retail investment decisions.
This is less of a lesson in what to invest in and more of a lesson on being a good investor. Every good investor that I know has suffered from a loss or failure. I have my stories of failure and loss in the markets as I'm sure any other great investor you talk to does. This holds true for traders and investors alike, the world can not be perfectly calculated easily, despite what economists attempt to tell you. Making investments with failure and loss in mind does make you more hungry, it does make you define success more clearly, and it does teach you to manage risk in a more manageable way. Entrepreneur, investor, whatever – the process of trying really hard at something and getting it wrong teaches more lessons than most universities will be able to.
He repeated a comment that we drew out from last year's conversation, which I particularly like: "Start-ups should be hunch-driven early on and data-driven as they scale." What was interesting was discussing the profile of the entrepreneur that has good hunches—often they come from outside the domain, yet are obsessed with the opportunity to disrupt the new field with a fresh perspective.
As I read this advice, I thought back on the many investment opportunities I missed because I didn't execute on my hunches. I wrote a bit about one of them in The Difficulty of Pursuing Your Ideas. In that article I didn't talk much about the hunches I had on investing in RIMM when the stock was trading at $4… in 2002. At the time the benefit of the product was so amazingly obvious to me (I was rolling out Blackberry Server at Washington Mutual Bank). One weekend the service was up, two weeks later everyone had a blackberry – there was no way this was not going to be a hit. At the time, I thought I would capitalize on being really smart at knowing how to configure the server… the real money would have been made investing in the stock (even selling today I would be up 230%). Your watchlist or the list of 10-K's on your desk should be your list of hunches, not some list of stocks on MSN.
This is a good piece of advice, where gate-keepers exist, there is money to be made. Most importantly for investors are the gate-keepers around the investment vehicles. If you invest in a stock that is under $5 that is going to soon go over $5 as a result of growth you are going to take advantage of the gate-keeper that institutional investors have. Remember, they aren't looking at those stocks that are priced under $5. When they do look at those companies when they become valued in a range that is acceptable – and if the like what they see – the results for you can be amazing. Similarly, most retail investors are not investing in options (even covered calls in an ESPP) or warrants. Understanding how these work and how to invest in them is a great skill to take advantage of the fact that most retail investors aren't in these markets.
As we learned from Chris Sacca, the team matters! I don't care who you are, an investor, an entrepreneur, an employee – the team that is making the magic happen needs to be a great team. I talked about Ron Johnson in my last post, he is brilliant! The same is true for all of my investments. Just listen to Benmoshe over at AIG talk about the insurance industry – the guys is an insurance industry oracle. He is turning around that company, paying back the investors, and going back home to deal with his cancer – I'm in!
If you haven't been at a startup – you should try it. This advice was to a bunch of MBA students, but as investors there is no better way to learn how businesses are run than to join a startup and see how businesses grow. When you are in a 50 person startup you hear and see everything. You get to learn the difficulties of office space, leasing vs. buying, debt vs. equity, etc. You gain an insight into running a business that extends into any industry and market that you want to invest in. I have been at a couple in my time – as well as large companies. Fred doesn't talk about this much, but it is equally important for investors to understand just how screwed up the internals of large companies are and what drives management. I can tell you from experience, what drives management at startups is not the same as what drives management at large companies. This matters when you are making an investment decision as the insight into what is driving decisions in that business are critical to understanding what the management is going to do with your money.
Keep your eye on the Investing Lessons From Venture Capitalists tag for more lessons!


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Home World Released
Home World, the prequel novella in my Triple Stars trilogy, is released today!
The unfolding mystery
Three warring worlds attempt to resolve their differences over a disputed planet, but the peace talks upon the central Nexus world of Coronade are thrown into chaos when one of the delegates is brutally murdered. Conciliator Magdi, an empath from Periarch, pursues the killer in a desperate attempt to keep the peace talks alive.
Meanwhile, confused rumours circulate about the discoveries made by the Magellanic Cloud, a ship thought lost in the galactic core. The whispers warn of a biological or technological discovery that threatens the very existence of interstellar civilisation.
Magdi sees an opportunity to use the rumours as a way to encourage the three worlds back to the table. But has she underestimated the risks she faces?
And has she made the mistake of not taking the troubling rumours seriously enough?
Full details of the book are here.


text:
Home » Daily » Rosemary sales surge during exam season
Rosemary sales surge during exam season
May 17, 2017 by British Broadcasting Corporation
A High Street health food chain says it has had to order extra stocks of rosemary after research claimed the scent of the herb could improve the memory of students revising for exams.
Holland & Barrett says there has been a 187% increase in sales of rosemary essential oil compared with last year.
A Northumbria University study showed pupils in a room scented with rosemary performed better in memory tests.
It supported the traditional links between rosemary and memory.
A spokeswoman for Holland & Barrett said that after the research about rosemary was published "we saw a sharp rise in customer demand".
"As the exam season continues, we have increased provision in store to meet demand," she said.
Highly sensitive
The rush for rosemary saw almost a doubling in sales compared with the same time last year and a trebling compared with the previous week.
Hundreds of thousands of pupils are revising and taking GCSEs and A-levels – with the suggestion that the spike in rosemary sales has been driven by anxious parents trying to find a way to help their children.
The research from Northumbria University, presented at the British Psychological Society's annual conference, backed up historical associations between rosemary and memory.
It suggested that pupils who worked in a classroom with the aroma of rosemary oil achieved 5% to 7% better results in memory tests.
Researcher Mark Moss said the human sense of smell was highly sensitive and sent messages to the brain, setting off reactions and responses.
"It could be that aromas affect electrical activity in the brain or that pharmacologically active compounds can be absorbed," he said.
Rosemary has been connected with memory for centuries.
In ancient Greece, students wore garlands of rosemary in exams and in Shakespeare's Hamlet, Ophelia says: "There's rosemary, that's for remembrance."
Source: Rosemary sales surge during exam season – BBC News


text:
require 'spec_helper'

describe Seth::Resource::AptPackage, "initialize" do

  before(:each) do
    @resource = Seth::Resource::AptPackage.new("foo")
  end

  it "should return a Seth::Resource::AptPackage" do
    @resource.should be_a_kind_of(Seth::Resource::AptPackage)
  end

  it "should set the resource_name to :apt_package" do
    @resource.resource_name.should eql(:apt_package)
  end

  it "should set the provider to Seth::Provider::Package::Apt" do
    @resource.provider.should eql(Seth::Provider::Package::Apt)
  end

  it "should support default_release" do
    @resource.default_release("lenny-backports")
    @resource.default_release.should eql("lenny-backports")
  end

  # String, Integer
  [ "600", 600 ].each do |val|
    it "supports setting a timeout as a #{val.class}" do
      @resource.timeout(val)
      expect(@resource.timeout).to eql(val)
    end
  end
end

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Q: Converting pixel grid to contours? I have a pixel grid, which can be any kind of 2D array (numpy array for instance) with each value representing a color (max 5 different colors). I'm looking to display it in an OpenGL context, but drawing pixel by pixel is both inefficient and stupid. What I'd like to do is to regroup all adjacent pixel of the same color into one shape, so I can draw those shapes.
Basically, I want to be able to do this:

Going from a 2D array of points to a list of shapes (a shape being a list of vertices).
I have no idea how to proceed, so I'm looking for anything that can do the job, like any algorithm in any language or any Python Library that can do that.

A: I know you're asking for a vector solution, but I believe that the simple and obvious approach could work just fine for you, and will likely perform better.
I would load your color data into a texture, using a call sequence like (sorry about the C notation, but you should be able to translate this to python bindings easily):
GLuint texId = 0;
glGenTexture(1, &texId);
glBindTexture(GL_TEXTURE_2D, texId);
glTexImage2D(GL_TEXTURE_2D, 0, GL_RGBA8, width, height, 0, GL_RGB, GL_UNSIGNED_BYTE, colorData);

where width and height are the number of squares in horizontal and vertical direction, and colorData an array with the color for each square in RGB format.
Then it's important to choose the right sampling parameters. Since sharp edges between texels are desirable here, we want "nearest" sampling, instead of the "linear" that is more commonly used for image type textures. This will result in a sharp transition between the squares, instead of interpolating the colors between them:
glTexParameteri(GL_TEXTURE_2D, GL_TEXTURE_MIN_FILTER, GL_NEAREST);
glTexParameteri(GL_TEXTURE_2D, GL_TEXTURE_MAG_FILTER, GL_NEAREST);
glTexParameteri(GL_TEXTURE_2D, GL_TEXTURE_WRAP_S, GL_CLAMP_TO_EDGE);
glTexParameteri(GL_TEXTURE_2D, GL_TEXTURE_WRAP_T, GL_CLAMP_TO_EDGE);

Then, to render your grid, you render one single textured quad using this texture.
The only advantage I can think of that a vector solution would have over this is if you want to use multisampled anti-aliasing (aka MSAA). Since MSAA only does anti-aliasing on primitive edges, it would not help for the "edges" where you have color transitions between two squares. With a vector based solution, where you render each region as a separate primitive, you would get anti-aliasing for those edges.
As long as you just scale the image during display, the aliasing should not be a problem, though. That would only really come into play if you also wanted to rotate it.

A: I suggest you to use np.extract function in numpy i think it can be helpful ! this is an example of it :
import numpy as np
arr = np.arange(12).reshape((3, 4))
condition = np.mod(arr, 3)==0 # base on this condition the function extract the special arrays
print np.extract(condition, arr)

and this is result :
[0 3 6 9]

then you can concatenate this array with numpy.concatenate((a1, a2, ...), axis=0) function ! read more at : http://docs.scipy.org/doc/numpy/reference/index.html


text:
<?php

namespace spec\Eadrax\Core\Usecase\Update\Prepare;

use PhpSpec\ObjectBehavior;

class PasteSpec extends ObjectBehavior
{
    /**
     * @param Eadrax\Core\Data\Paste $paste
     * @param Eadrax\Core\Data\Project $project
     * @param Eadrax\Core\Tool\Validator $validator
     */
    function let($paste, $project, $validator)
    {
        $project->id = 'project_id';
        $paste->project = $project;
        $paste->private = 'update_private';
        $paste->text = 'text';
        $paste->syntax = 'syntax';
        $this->beConstructedWith($paste, $validator);
    }

    function it_should_be_initializable()
    {
        $this->shouldHaveType('Eadrax\Core\Usecase\Update\Prepare\Paste');
    }

    function it_should_be_a_paste()
    {
        $this->shouldHaveType('Eadrax\Core\Data\Paste');
    }

    function it_should_be_a_proposal()
    {
        $this->shouldHaveType('Eadrax\Core\Usecase\Update\Prepare\Proposal');
    }

    function it_validates_paste_updates($validator)
    {
        $validator->setup(array(
            'text' => 'text',
            'syntax' => 'syntax'
        ))->shouldBeCalled();
        $validator->rule('content', 'not_empty')->shouldBeCalled();
        $validator->rule('syntax', 'not_empty')->shouldBeCalled();
        $validator->callback('syntax', array($this, 'validate_syntax'), array('syntax'))->shouldBeCalled();
        $validator->check()->shouldBeCalled()->willReturn(FALSE);
        $validator->errors()->shouldBeCalled()->willReturn(array('content'));
        $this->shouldThrow('Eadrax\Core\Exception\Validation')
            ->duringValidate();
    }

    function it_validates_syntax()
    {
        $this->validate_syntax('bash')->shouldReturn(TRUE);
        $this->validate_syntax('english')->shouldReturn(FALSE);
    }
}


Despite massive disruption of flight schedules due to heavy fog enveloping Bangalore's Kempegowda International Airport, which delayed dozens of outstation arrivals, EducationWorld's 9th Early Childhood Education National Conference 2019 convened in the garden city on January 19, was a resounding success. Over 350 early childhood care and education (ECCE) professionals, academics, principals and teachers from 70 cities across India congregated in the packed ballroom of the gleaming new, upscale Shangri-la Hotel to discuss and debate best practices in early years education and on ways and means to draw government and public attention to the importance of providing professionally administered ECCE to all of India's 164 million children in the 0-5 age group.
In his welcome address, Dilip Thakore, publisher-editor of EducationWorld (estb.1999), urged the representatives of India's top-ranked pre-primaries to exert pressure on the Central and state governments to increase budgetary outlays for the country's 1.4 million government anganwadis — nutritional centres for new-borns and lactating mothers which are also mandated to provide early years education to bottom-of-pyramid households — which grudgingly accommodate 84 million children. "Most industrially advanced OECD countries and China are allocating ever greater resources for early childhood education. Unfortunately, within India's Central and state governments there's very little awareness about the critical importance of professionally administered ECCE. For the past two decades, national expenditure for all education has averaged a mere 3.5 percent of GDP, leaving little for ECCE. This is unacceptable. I appeal to all of you to become evangelists for human capital development beginning with early childhood education," said Thakore, while applauding the efforts of the country's 300,000 private pre-primaries for providing enabling early years education to 10 million middle and higher income household children countrywide.
The live broadcast from America was followed by an interactive workshop on the theme 'Igniting the senses, using the aesthetic power of drama in pre-primary classrooms' by Jehan Manekshaw, an alumnus of Wesleyan University (USA) and University of London, and co-founder and managing director of Theatre Professionals Pvt. Ltd and the Drama School, Mumbai.
The post-lunch session featured five expert lectures on issues critical for universalisation of professionally administered ECCE to the nation's neglected 164 million children in the 0-5 age group. They included: 'Secrets of successful preschool franchisees management' by Lina Ashar, Mumbai-based founder-chairperson of Kangaroo Kids Education Ltd which owns and franchises 116 preschools and K-12 schools in India and abroad; 'Progress and differentiated instruction in early childhood' by Dr. Amrita Vohra, a Gurgaon-based senior education specialist of Opportunity International (India); 'Addressing the teacher training crisis in early childhood education' by Maya Menon, founder-director of the Teacher Foundation, Bangalore; 'Can public-private partnerships revive India's 1.4 million anganwadis?' by Swati Popat Vats, founder-president of the Early Childhood Association of India, and 'Developing literacy in early childhood' by Ezette Grauf, head of teaching and learning at the Heritage Xperiential Learning School, Gurgaon.
Moreover, interspersed between the interactive workshop and experts' lectures were the EW India Preschool Rankings Awards 2018-19 ceremony during which the country's best pre-primaries which topped the EW India Preschool Rankings 2018-19 (see EW December 2018), were presented trophies and certificates (see p.68). This was followed by the second EducationWorld Promising 21st Century India Preschool Awards 2018-19 (p.86).
Brilliantly orchestrated by EducationWorld's events manager Poonam Shah, former events manager of Mindframe Events, Bangalore, notwithstanding the delayed arrival of dozens of delegates and awardees, the national conference and awards ceremony flowed smoothly with almost all delegates showering praise on EducationWorld on site and on social media.


Castle Hills Park is home to some iconic outdoor scenery, including the remains of an ancient motte and bailey castle.
One of the largest parks in Doncaster, Sandall Park is home to beautiful scenery, a variety of facilities and a fantastic volunteer group.
Campsall Country Park is home to beautiful scenery and a variety of things to see and do.
Bentley Park is a fantastic outdoor space steeped in history, renowned for its beautiful pavilion and the borough's only water play area.
This wood and country park is a great space to get outdoors and enjoy a walk in some beautiful scenery.
Based in the northern part of the borough, Howell Wood Country Park is the perfect place to take a stroll and enjoy being in the outdoors.


text:
Pandemic marries World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King is coming
Deepak GuptaJuly 22, 2021
What happens when one of the most famous series of board games, Pandemic, marries one of the most important fantasy universes, that of World of Warcraft? We will find out in the new World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King, the title just announced by Asmodee and arriving within a few months.
But let's take a closer look at the horde advancing towards us through the Pandemic System.
World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King, a new board game that uses the Pandemic System
But what is the Pandemic System? This is Matt Leacock's mind-born mechanic for his Pandemics, which features a map upon which plagues can spread (we've seen diseases, barbarians, floods, and even Lovecraftian Great Ancients) that players must keep at bay, under penalty of defeat.
By taking this system and applying it to the world of WoW, World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King was born. In this title it is the plague of the undead that must be stemmed, and it will be the task of some of the most beloved heroes of the Warcraft universe to keep the Lich King and his ranks at bay.
We will be able to play as Thrall, Varian Wrynn, Sylvanas Windrunner and many others, each with its own powers but with the imperative of collaboration, because only in this way can the threat to the world of the living be stopped. Northrend will gradually populate itself with ghouls, and when we fail to thin the ranks enough, they will evoke powerful abominations, capable of putting us in great difficulty. But that's just the beginning – the game won't be won until we destroy the Lich King on his throne in Icecrown Keep.
In short, the conditions for a title capable of capturing attention are all there. World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King will come out with Asmodee by the end of 2021.
Rockstar Games patents the development of very realistic NPC's
New Pokémon Snap increases the hype with new trailer and final date
New games added to the PlayStation Now catalog
Mobile Betting Is Attracting The Attention Of Millions Of People
Tabannusi, the Giochistarter campaign begins
LEGO: Here is the new, huge, Republic Gunship
Brass: Birmingham available on Steam
Halo Infinite loses the co-op campaign and the Forge mode at launch
Res Arcana – Wizards competing for supreme power!
The Medium: PS5 launch trailer for the horror game is online
Enjoy 100GB for less than €13 with Bouygues Telecom
20 years later, Second Life wants to become the first Metaverse
Samsung Galaxy A02s, now for only 111 euros


text:
St. Benedict's Catholic School is a historic school building located at 524 1st Street West in Roundup, Montana. The school was built in 1920-21 to serve the children of Roundup's Catholic immigrant community. Coal production, an oil boom, and homesteading all drove economic and population growth in Roundup during the 1910s, and many of the city's new residents were European immigrants. The city's newly established Catholic community built the school toward the end of Roundup's building boom. Architect John H. Grant, who served as the city's only resident architect, designed the two-story brick building. Various groups of nuns served as the school's teachers, with different orders replacing the previous one every few years; when a new order could not be found to replace a departing order in 1950, the school closed for good.

The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on July 21, 1988. It is currently being used as the Musselshell Valley Historical Museum.

References

School buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Montana
National Register of Historic Places in Musselshell County, Montana
Neoclassical architecture in Montana
1921 establishments in Montana
History museums in Montana
School buildings completed in 1921
Catholic schools in Montana

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Q: Adding a button into Datatables // Open button to open another layout I hope you are all safe during this time.
I am using DataTables in my web application. I have added an action column with a button Open that when clicked will open the Employee profile of that row. I have also added the JS but something is wrong as it does not open the route.
JS
Function
Route
Result

A: In the click event of class .openEmployee change the format of passing the user id in the $.get() method as below :
{{ route('employee.profile', user_id) }}

A: Error was when writing the action of the button at controller.
Below is how i got it to open the user profile when clicked.
$btn


Kindly confirm your transaction below.
Please note that your donation are charged in Philippine Peso. As such, your giving may slightly differ due to the prevailing rate of your issuing bank. Proceed to give?


text:
Home Science Geography Country England
Changes in the Land: Indians, Colonists, and the Ecology of New England By William Cronon
Changes in the Land: Indians, Colonists, and the Ecology of New England
By William Cronon
William Cronon is a scholar from Rhodes who has a doctorate in philosophy from Oxford. He taught history of the American West and American urban history at Yale.
The main argument forwarded by Cronon in the book "Changes in the Land: Indians, Colonists, and the Ecology of New England" are the following: first, that the way cultures conceptualize property and ownership is a major factor in the economies and ecosystems. The second was that the Indians were active intervenors in and shapers of the ecosystems in the environment they revolved in.
Changes in the Land by William Cronon focuses on the history of New England, specifically the colonists relations with the environment. Cronon aims to write an "ecological history" of colonial New England in this book. He also makes it clear that it "is not a history of New England Indians, or of colonial relations, or of the transformation of English colonists from Puritans to Yankees." All throughout the book, Cronon talks about the natural and human influences on the natural ecosystem.
Before the colonists came, the American Indian were surprisingly adept in taking care of the and and increasing its productivity without sacrificing its welfare. They plant beans with corn and set fires to forest every year in order to clear the underbrush and produce crops of strawberries, blackberries and other berries.
However, when the Europeans came, new farming methods were introduced. Instead of working with nature, they worked against it by burning out the entire forest. They also ignore acidic or sandy soils, choosing to cultivate instead the rich soils under the trees when it is apparent that trees make the soil rich the same way that the soil helps the trees.
The first chapter talks about inconsistencies in history records. He states that it is "tempting to believe that when Europeans arrived in the New World they confronted Virgin Land, the Forest Primeval, a wilderness which had existed for eons uninfluenced by human hands," but "nothing could be further from the truth."
Too often historians paint an idyllic picture of New England of old. It is easy to believe that the natural world in the olden times was unchanged. "There has been no timeless wilderness in a state of perfect changelessness, no climax forest in permanent stasis."
All cultures make use of their environment therefore, control of environment was unavoidable. The "Noble Redman" was a myth. The Native Americans could have utilized the environment in a different way but that did not make them better than the European colonists. Both the Native Americans and the European explorers used the environment in their own way which led to different results. "The choice is not between two landscapes, one with and one without a human influence; it is between two human ways of living, two ways of belonging to an ecosystem."
The book is persuasive as it explores the differences of their ways of living and the effects on New England environment. Chapters two and three paint the environment of New England when the Europeans arrived. Cronon used a number of sources to recreate a better picture particularly the accounts by European settlers on New England environment before colonial times. Cronon left out erroneous and vague accounts, mentioning only the certain and the common impressions of the many.
Chapter four is about the colonists' use of the environment such as dividing the land. This act according to Cronon stemmed from capitalism and the growing number of inhabitants in the land. Chapter five covers the fur trade, practiced by the colonists and Native Americans alike, but was mainly the responsibility of the European colonists.
The succeeding chapters talk about deforestation, "one of the most sweeping transformations wrought by European settlement," primarily done to establish a "new" England separate from "mother" England. Cronon believes that the most important changes in land use were domesticated animals, particularly the swine and the plow, which destroyed native vegetation and allowed foreign weeds to spread in New England. This, in turn, enticed a growing number of "animal weeds" such as the Hessian fly to inhabit the place.
The last chapter tackles a very interesting point regarding the influence of capitalism on the European colonist. He believes that there is direct correlation between the deterioration of the environment in New England to the spread of capitalism because "English property systems encouraged colonists to regard the products of the land—not to mention the land itself—as commodities." Due to this mentality of the Europeans, Cronon says "they assumed the limitless availability of more land to exploit, and in the long run that was impossible," and concludes that "the people of plenty were a people of waste."
From the book, one can glean that Capitalism both has positive and negative effects to the environment. That land is not a commodity. It is not a renewable resource that one can use over and over again without negative effects. It is imperative therefore that each of us should take care of our lands and environment. That, we should instill in each and every person the need to protect the environment so we can all enjoy a sustainable future.
This sentiment of preserving the environment echoes not only during colonists time but more so today. The need to make our environment sustainable by promoting environmentally-friendly practices are getting more pronounced than ever. With the threats of global warming and climate change plaguing our generation, learning how to take care of the environment is certainly a predominant issue in our times.
The ecology underwent 400 years of devastation under the hands of the colonists. How to revert the environment to its natural state is now a question our generation faces. Replanting trees would be a good way for us to start.
Changes in the Land: Indians, Colonists and the Ecology of New England. Eco Books
website. 2008. Accessed 26 May 2009 <http://www.ecobooks.com/books/changes.htm>
"Changes in the Land: Indians, Colonists and the Ecology of New England." Wikipedia.com.
2008. Accessed 26 May 2009
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Changes_in_the_Land:_Indians,_Colonists,_and_the_Ecology_of_New_England>
"Changes in the Land." Pacific Views. 2005. Accessed 26 May 2009
<http://www.pacificviews.org/weblog/archives/001623.html>
"Changes in the Land." Newsvine website. 2007. Accessed 26 May 2009
<http://minnieapolis.newsvine.com/_news/2007/08/26/921418-changes-in-the-land-indians-colonists-and-the-ecology-of-new-england-by-william-cronon-book-review>
"Cronon-Changes in the Land." US History Wikispaces. Accessed 26 May 2009
<http://ushistory.wikispaces.com/Cronon+-+Changes+in+the+Land>
Symington, Justin. "Changes in the Land by William Cronon." Religious Studies in
Secondary Schools website. 2003. Accessed 26 May 2009 <http://www.rsiss.net/ecology/changesinland.html>
"William Cronon." Wikipedia.com. 2008. Accessed 26 May 2009
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Cronon>
Puritans and their Impact on New England Colony
The Thirteen Colonies
Changes in the Land: Indians, Colonists, and the Ecology of New England By William Cronon. (2016, Nov 13). Retrieved from https://graduateway.com/changes-in-the-land-indians-colonists-and-the-ecology-of-new-england-by-william-cronon/
American Indians and European Colonists
This Land Is Your Land, Woody Guthrie
Land Reclamation Increases Land Area
Literature On Land Use And Land Cover Environmental Sciences
Why Did So Many Colonists Die At Jamestown
Advantages and Disadvantages of English and American Colonists
Jamestown: Why did so many colonists die?
Why Did So Many Jamestown Colonists Die?
Colonists' Sense of Identity and Unity as Americans


text:
Islamic Group gives FALZ Seven days to withdraw Video
The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has asked singer, Folarin 'Falz' Falana, to withdraw his 'This is Nigeria' video and apologise to Nigerians, or face legal action.
The group said this in a statement signed by its director, Ishaq Akintola, and made available to PREMIUM TIMES that in the recently released video , some girls dressed in hijab were seen dancing the "shaku shaku" dance.
Responding to criticisms that trailed the video, Falz explained that the girls were a representation of the abducted Chibok girls still in Boko Haram captivity. .
But MURIC, said the dancers in the video in no way depict the situation of the girls. .
The group also condemned "a character that dressed like a Fulani man, who suddenly abandoned his traditional guitar and beheaded a man" featured in the video.
Describing the video as "thoughtless, insensitive and highly provocative," MURIC said it could brew religious and ethnic crisis. It also said the video is spiteful and intended to denigrate Islam and Muslims.
"MURIC rejects Falz' explanation that the girls in hijab in his 'Shaku Shaku' dance symbolise the Chibok girls because nothing in the videoindicates that the girls represent the Chibok girls," the statement read.
At least none of the Chibok girls have been seen dancing like a drunkard. They are always in pensive mood. Do they have any cause to be dancing? Are they happy? .
"The video manifests ethnic bias against Fulanis while it ignored the criminal activities of ethnic militia of the Middle Belt who have also massacred Fulanis and rustled their cattle in their thousands.
"It is a hate video. This video has the potential of causing religious crisis of unprecedented dimension. It is an assault on the self-dignity of every Muslim. It is freedom of expression gone haywire.
"We therefore demand its withdrawal and an apology to Nigerian Muslims within seven days or the authors and their agents will face legal action if they fail to comply."
The group called on security agencies and the National Film And Video Censors Board to clamp down on the video.
The group also said, 'We therefore give notice of impending legal action against the artist behind the 'Shaku Shaku' video unless the latter is withdrawn and an apology is widely published within seven days."
The press reached out to Femi Soro, a member of Falz's management team on Tuesday, for his reaction to the threat.
"We have nothing to say. We are not withdrawing the video neither are we commenting on their claims. If they have any grievance they can head to court and we will meet them," he said.
P/T.
Labels: Entertainment News
3 Ways To Have A Good Conversation With Another Person
APC Defeats PDP In Obasanjo's Polling Unit As Ambode Delivers For Buhari


What happens to my family and me, if I can't work?
It's a very worrying thought, but accidental injuries and long-term illness do happen. Without any warning, an employee can lose the ability to work and to earn money. An employer can help for a while, but few companies can afford to pay people for long when they can't work. That's where Group Income Protection comes in.
Group Income Protection is an insurance product, paid for by the employer. When an employee is off work for a long time because they are ill or injured, the insurance company pays part of their salary to the employer. The employer then pays the employee, normally at the reduced rate. The payment is made through payroll, collecting tax and National Insurance at the appropriate rates.
This is one of the decisions the employer needs to make when setting up a scheme. This will affect the premium the employer needs to pay. In all cases, the cover will end when the employee recovers and is able to return to work. In most cases, cover would also end if the employee becomes able to do a different job. Some illnesses and injuries are so serious that the employee will never be able to work again. More generous schemes will continue to pay until the employee reaches State Pension Age. Other schemes may define a shorter period. A five year period is not uncommon.
When does Group Income Protection start to pay?
This is another key decision for the employer and it will affect the cost of the insurance. When applying for Group Income Protection, the employer will be asked to specify how soon payments will start. Employers are obliged to pay employees for a time when they are off work due to illness or injury. Contracts of employment normally set out a fixed period that will be paid at normal rates. After that the employer is obliged to pay Statutory Sick Pay ("SSP") for up to 28 weeks. SSP, currently set at £88.45 a week, is typically much less that the employee's normal earnings. Find out more about SSP on the UK government website: GOV.UK. Employers can feel morally obliged to help with this gap. A shorter gap will reduce the cost to the employer at the time, but it will increase the premium for the insurance.
Insurers offer deferred periods ranging from 13 weeks up to 1 year. When making this decision, it is worth considering for how long you, as the employer, will be happy to pay an employee on long-term sick leave. It could be financially disastrous for an employee to slip into a gap between your payroll and the insurance support where they receive only SSP.


€783 /mth on a typical mortgage. Talk to us about arranging this mortgage.
Online Estate are proud to introduce No. 8 The Pines to the Dublin property Market. This amazing two-bedroom apartment is presented in immaculate condition throughout and would suit first time buyers or investors alike as the property is in walk-in condition. This wonderful apartment provides bright and spacious accommodation throughout.
A spacious first floor 2 bed apartment this property is ideally located close to Tyrrelstown shopping Plaza, bus terminals to Dublin City Centre & Blanchardstown Shopping Centre. The Pines benefits from a most convenient location with a host of amenities on its doorstep.
- Lidl, SuperValu, Restaurants, a local park with a playground and great walking area only 2 minute walk from the apartment.


Outside the Akali Lake Weapon X facility (the "snow level") you'll follow a narrow path. Look for a log leading up to a cave. Inside you'll find a sword and with a peculiar inscription. You will unlock the "WoW!" Achievement by finding this hidden area.
In the first level, just after you crash the Jeep, you'll have to climb some rocks and fight off a wave of baddies. Look for a boarded doorway. Slice and dice the boards and follow the passage to a hidden area with a hatch which may be familiar to Lost fans. This unlocks the "Found!" Achievement. Wonder what Desmond's up to down there?
In the Sentinel Factory you'll have to lower your body temperature to avoid a heat sensor. When you have to move the teleporter, move it to the far right. It will reveal a secret room through the wall. And there will be cake. Celebrate your triumph with "The Cake" Achievement.
Collect all three figurines in each level to unlock additional costumes. You'll have to fight a version of Wolvie in the costume (in a bonus level) before it becomes available to select at the beginning of a level.
Insert an Xbox 360 controller. While playing the game, press X, A(2), X, Y(2), X, B(2), X, click Right Analog-stick. If you entered the code correctly, you will hear a sound. Although you will lose health you cannot die.
Insert an Xbox 360 controller. While playing the game, press Y, X(2), Y, B(2), Y, A(2), Y, click Right Analog-stick. If you entered the code correctly, you will hear a sound.
A(2), X(2), Y(2), B(2), Y(2), X(2), A(2), click Right Analog-stick. If you entered the code correctly, you will hear a sound. You will gain double reflex with every kill.
A, X, B, X, A, Y, A, Y, A, X, B(2), X, click Right Analog-stick to unlock Wolverine's classic blue and yellow costume. If you entered the code correctly, you will hear a sound. Then, exit to the main menu, and switch costumes.
Collect the two action figures of Legendary Wolverine. Then, defeat Legendary Wolverine in his challenge.
Collect the two action figures of X-Force Wolverine. Then, defeat X-Force Wolverine in his challenge.
In the X-Men Origins - Wolverine(TM)\WGame\Config folder look for the DefaultGame.ini Look for the line that says mCombatHeroIsGod=False and change false to true. That will turn on God Mode. Now look for the line that says mCheatTalentsMax=False and, again change false to true. When you start, or restart your game the cheats you turned on will take effect.


text:
El Desktop Linux Consortium (DLC) és una organització no lucrativa que apunta cap a realçar i promoure l'ús del sistema operatiu de GNU/Linux a la taula de treball.

Fundat el 4 de febrer, del 2003, és portat per font oberta Bruce Perens activista com a director executiu i Jeremy White, CEO de CodeWeavers, com a president.

Membres
 ArkLinux
 Codeweavers
 Debian
*DesktopLinux.com
 KDE
 Linux Professional Institute (LPI)
 Lycoris
 EL Linux Terminal Server Project (LTSP)
 Mandrakesoft
 NeTraverse
 OpenOffice.org
 Questnet
 Samba
 theKompany
 openSUSE
 TransGaming Technologies
 TrustCommerce
 Xandros
 Ximian

Enllaços externs

GNU/Linux


text:
The Rehoboth Beach Reads Short Story Contest
Winners of the 2021 Rehoboth Beach Reads Short Story Contest
1st Place: "Driftwood Days," Steve Saulsbury
2nd Place: "Oma," Kim DeCicco
3rd Place: "The Summer Jar," Donald Challenger
Judges' Awards:
"The Attic," Ellen Krawczak
"Bug Spray and a Ponytail," Tony Houck
"The Companion," Nancy Walker
"Grease Monkey Baby," Nina Phillips
"Independence Day," Renee Rocheleau
"Secrets in the Attic," MaryAlice Meli
Other Stories Selected:
"At the Water's Edge," Carly Tagen-Dye
"Beach Misses," Lonn Braender
"Billy's Night Out," Elizabeth Ellers
"Chance Encounters," Sarah Barnett
"Loose Lips," Peter Keeble
"Lucky the Chicken," David Cooper
"Out of the Blue," Justin Stoeckel
"Posturing," Fran Grote
"Rock Star," Jeanie Blair
"Say Yes," Renee Rocheleau
"Secret Message," Carl Frey
"The Cruciverbalist," Katherine Melvin
"The Merrifield Affair," Linda Budzinski
"Undercover Daughter," Doug Harrell
"Where Do I Begin?" Phil Giunta
The Rehoboth Beach Reads Short Story Contest is sponsored by Browseabout Books, Rehoboth Beach, DE.
The goal of the Rehoboth Beach Reads contest is to showcase good writing while creating a great book for summer reading. One of the most popular activities for residents and visitors is reading on the beach, and the contest seeks to collect the kinds of short, engaging stories that help readers relax, escape, and enjoy their time at the beach.
Each story must incorporate the chosen theme and also have a strong connection to Rehoboth Beach (writers do not have to live in Rehoboth). A panel of judges select the best entries, which are published in a professionally designed and edited paperback book.
Submission must fit the annual theme.
Submission may be fiction or nonfiction, but must be plausible as a "beach read" (engaging, entertaining, and/or humorous).
No poetry, erotica, children's literature, or religious material.
All work must be original, unpublished, and free from libelous material (a signed release will be required).
Length must be 500–3,500 words.
Work must be submitted via email, preferably in Microsoft Word.
Work should be publication-ready (in final form and free from grammatical, spelling, and structural mistakes).
Writers retain copyright but must grant first publication rights if their work is selected.
There is no guarantee of publication.
Limit of three entries per person.
Publisher reserves right to edit for grammar and spelling; writers will be given an opportunity to review changes before publication.
No entries will be accepted after the deadline: midnight, July 1 (entries received at or after 12:01am July 2 will be disqualified).
Each entry must be accompanied by a $10 fee.
Writers do not have to reside in Rehoboth, but the written piece must include a substantive connection to the area.
Work will be judged on creativity, quality of writing, suitability as a beach read, and fit with the theme.
Email the story (include your name and phone number) to: nancy@catandmousepress.com
Pay the $10 fee by either:
Mailing a check payable to "Cat & Mouse Press" to 33289 W. Edgemoor St., Lewes, DE, 19958, or
Paying via PayPal:
Click Here to Read the Contest Tips
Tyler Antoine
Tyler Antoine is a writer and librarian from New Castle, DE. His work has been featured in Bedfellows Magazine, Madhouse, and the Painted Bride Quarterly.
Lois Hoffman
Lois Hoffman is the owner of The Happy Self-Publisher and award-winning author of Write a Book, Grow Your Business, along with The Self-Publishing Roadmap, and Barriers. She helps new and experienced writers confidently share their voice to make a difference in their lives and the lives of others through personalized writing, publishing, and book marketing services. She values a diversity of people, thoughts, and ideas to promote more knowledge and greater understanding in the world. And, because she believes in the power of words to change lives, a portion of course, workshop, and book sales are donated to organizations that support current and future writers. You can find her playing with her words at happyselfpublisher.com.
Pat Marinelli
Pat Marinelli has taught multi-genre fiction writing classes at two local colleges for nine years. She's published nonfiction articles, short stories, essays, and recipes both locally and nationally. Short story genres include mystery, romance, romantic suspense, and children. Pat has judged writing contests for romance writers both in NJ and for RWA in romance and romantic suspense, for NJ Horror Writers, and the Derringer Awards for short stories. She's edited several anthologies for NJ Romance Writers and the Central Jersey Sisters in Crime. Though retired, Pat still edits for former students and judges contests when time permits. She lives in Central Jersey with her husband and Tuxedo the cat.
Mary Pauer
Mary Pauer received her MFA in creative writing in 2010 from Stonecoast, at the University of Southern Maine. Pauer publishes short fiction, essays, poetry, and prose locally, nationally, and internationally. She has published in The Delmarva Review, Southern Women's Review, and Foxchase Review, among others. Her work can also be read in anthologies featuring Delaware writers. She judges writing nationally, as well as locally, and works with individual clients as a developmental editor. Her latest collection, Traveling Moons, is a compilation of nature writing. Donations from sales help the Kent County SPCA equine rescue center. Pauer was awarded the 2019 Delaware Division of the Arts Literary Fellow in Creative Nonfiction. This is her third literary fellowship from the DDoA.
Ron Sauder
Ron Sauder is the owner of Secant Publishing, LLC, an independent publishing company based in Salisbury, Maryland, that has been publishing award-winning fiction and nonfiction books with a largely regional focus since 2014. Prior to moving to Delmarva with his wife Debbie, a chemistry professor, he spent his career in newspaper journalism and university public relations in Richmond, Baltimore, and Atlanta. He is a past president of the Eastern Shore Writers Association. See www.secantpublishing.com and linkedin.com/in/ron-sauder-005186.
Candace Vessella
Candace Vessella is the President of the Friends of the Lewes Public Library and an avid reader and passionate about libraries. She began her career as an intelligence analyst with the Defense Intelligence Agency and retired in 2009 from her position as the Vice President for Government Relations with BAE Systems Inc. In parallel with her civilian career, she served 25 years as an intelligence officer in the United States Navy Reserve, retiring as a Navy Captain. She received her undergraduate degree in communications from Southern Connecticut State University and her Master's in International Relations and African studies from The American University in Washington, DC. You will find her most days at the Lewes Public Library.
Learn how to write the kinds of stories that get noticed by the judges.
Buy from Cat & Mouse Press
Buy from Amazon (print)
Buy from Amazon (Kindle)
And the Companion Workbook
Top 5 Reasons to Enter the Contest
If you are a beginning/emerging writer, it's a chance to be published. And just the act of getting a story down on paper and entering the contest will help you experience the writing and submission process and give you a sense of accomplishment.
If you are an established writer, it's an opportunity for publicity (each story includes an author bio and mention of other publications, author websites/blogs, etc.). If your story is accepted, you will have an additional publication credit while still retaining the rights to your story.
It's a great learning experience. The process of entering will force you to write, revise, and edit. If your story is accepted, you will have the opportunity to work with a developmental editor to make the story the best it can be. You will also learn a little about copy editing, proofreading, book design, and the publishing process along the way.
The odds of getting in the book are actually pretty good. Unlike with national competitions, our pool of entries is small, so you have a much better chance of having your work accepted. The judging process is blind–the judges don't know whether you are 18 or 80, whether you have a high school diploma or an MFA in creative writing, whether you are a successful author or have never published a word.
It's a lot of fun! We have launch parties to which you can bring family and friends. We promote our authors and their work. Once you are a Rehoboth Beach Reads author, we consider you part of our community.
We prefer Word, but the manuscript can be in any editable format (not a pdf).
We prefer Times New Roman 12pt, double-spaced, no headers or footers.
Attach the document to an email message and include your name, address, and phone number in the message. Send to nancy@catandmousepress.com.
Pay $10 per entry, either through PayPal or cash/check (payable to Cat & Mouse Press) mailed to 33289 W. Edgemoor St., Lewes DE 19958.
Do not place contact info on the manuscript. Any identifying info, including headers, will be removed.
We go by our own word count, so don't bother putting the count on the document and don't risk disqualification by cutting it too close.
You will get an email response within a few days. If you don't receive a response, please confirm that we received your entry.
The deadline is absolute. Those who wait until the last minute have no margin for error (email problems, word count over by a word, etc.). To be fair to all entrants, we make no exceptions.
How do I enter?
Between 3/1/21 and 7/1/21, email your story (as an attachment in Microsoft Word or comparable) to nancy@catandmousepress.com. Entry fee is $10 per story, paid via cash or check payable to Cat & Mouse Press, mailed to 33289 W. Edgemoor St., Lewes, DE 19958 or via PayPal.
What do I submit?
Stories (up to three per writer) of 500-3,500 words that are fun, relate to the theme "Beach Secrets," and have a connection to Rehoboth Beach.
Do I have to live in Rehoboth?
No! Writers can live anywhere.
Is there an age minimum for the writer?
No, but the writing should be of adult level.
What kinds of stories do you accept?
Stories can be fiction or nonfiction, take place in any time period, and can be any genre except poetry, erotica, children's literature, or religious material.
Will I get a critique of my story?
No, we are not able to provide individual feedback at this time.
Can I do horror, science fiction, steampunk, fantasy…?
The only genres that are specifically off-limits are children's literature, erotica, poetry, and religious material, but keep in mind these are supposed to be beach reads. Keep it light, keep it in (or around) Rehoboth, and connect with the theme.
How does the contest work?
Judges choose the top entries, which will be printed in Beach Secrets, a paperback book to be published by Cat & Mouse Press in late 2021. The top three entries will also receive prizes ($500 for 1st place, $250 for 2nd place, $100 for 3rd place), and each of the judges will give an award for a story with special merit. Authors receive one free book, can participate in launch events and signing parties, and can purchase books at a 30% discount (there is no requirement for ANY purchase and no fees beyond the $10 entry fee).
Why is there a theme?
The theme is designed to spark ideas without being too confining and provides a thread of consistency for the final book. You can interpret the theme any way you like, but fit with the theme is one of the judging criteria.
Does the story have to take place entirely in Rehoboth?
No, but part of the fun for readers is recognizing places and activities around Rehoboth.
What are the judges looking for?
Creativity and good writing! Pick up a copy of The Beach House, The Boardwalk, Beach Days, Beach Nights, Beach Life or Beach Mysteries and read the stories that won in previous years to get an idea. You will also find How to Write Winning Short Stories and its companion workbook helpful.
Anything I should avoid?
Be careful with actual people and places to avoid legal issues. We like references to real places, but please keep them positive. Do not use song lyrics or large quotations from other sources (our budget is small and rights are expensive!)
What are the manuscript requirements? We prefer Times New Roman, 12pt, double-spaced, no headers or footers.
How do I put my name on the story if judging is blind?
You do not need to put your name on the manuscript (we just take it off anyway). Include your name and contact info (including phone number) in the email that accompanies your entry. We will log in your entry so we can connect it with you, but the judges will see only your story and its title.
Should I include other contact information, or is the email address sufficient?
A phone number is nice, because we like to call the prizewinners!
Is the deadline firm?
The deadline is rock solid: midnight, July 1, for the emailed manuscript (it's OK if the check arrives a day or so later). No entries will be accepted after the deadline. No, you can't pay more; no, you can't change our minds; no, your crying won't help. No. No. No. Get your entry in on time, preferably ahead of time.
How do I know you received my entry?
All entries are acknowledged via email within a few days. If you have not received an email within that time, please contact us to confirm we received your submission.
How will I know if I win/don't win?
We will notify winners (usually by phone) by August 1. Those whose entries were not chosen will be notified via email by August 1. If you do not receive an email, please check your spam folder.
How do I know the judging is fair/What if I know one of the judges?
We do everything in our power to ensure a fair process. All identifying information is stripped from the submission when it is received (including the embedded file origin information and any mentions of the author's name in the story itself). The first round of judging is done in teams of two judges, who are intentionally paired to represent different backgrounds and geographic areas. They choose the stories individually and do not consult each other. Judges recuse themselves from any stories they recognize or that they suspect is the work of a writer they know. If you know one of the judges, you can mention that in the email and we will make sure your work is not sent to that judge. In the second round, all of the judges read all of the semifinalist entries and again choose stories without consulting each other. The top prizewinners are chosen by a consensus of all six judges, making it nearly impossible for one judge to unfairly influence the outcome. Any entrant who attempts to interfere with the judging process will be disqualified. We take fairness very seriously.
Contest Updates
2020 Rehoboth Beach Reads Short Story Contest Winners
July 28, 2020 July 30, 2020 Cat & Mouse Press
The results are in! Here are the stories selected for Beach Mysteries: Thalassotherapy, Carolyn Eichhorn (1st Place) A Stitch in
Short Story Contest Opens
March 1, 2020 Cat & Mouse Press
"Beach Dreams" is Theme for Contest
"Beach Fun" is Theme for 2018 Short Story Contest
January 27, 2018 February 28, 2018 Cat & Mouse Press
Connect with Cat & Mouse Press
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Clay Nesler, vice president of global energy and sustainability for building efficiency at Johnson Controls, tells attendees at the fourth Georgetown University Energy Prize workshop that energy use can be further reduced through efficiency. Picture courtesy of Johnson Controls.
Buildings that make productive use of natural, human and financial resources are crucial to achieving sustainable development and creating triple-bottom-line benefits, according to Clay Nesler, Johnson Controls' vice president of global energy and sustainability for building efficiency.
Nesler was the keynote speaker at the fourth Georgetown University Energy Prize workshop, an initiative that challenges towns, cities and counties to rethink their energy use, at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In his address, titled "Accelerating Building Efficiency," Nesler cited a recent report from the World Resource Institute's Ross Center for Sustainable Cities, which outlines eight actions leaders can take to improve energy efficiency in buildings, such as efficiency improvement targets and building efficiency codes. Johnson Controls has been working closely with local governments and organizations to implement these actions.
Attendees also heard presentations from university faculty members, such as Faramarz Vakili, director of campus sustainability operations at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Vakili discussed the college's We Conserve campaign, which he said has reduced energy consumption by more than 25 percent and eliminated 287,000 metric tons of carbon-dioxide emissions since 2006.
Collectively, communities, colleges and universities competing for the Georgetown prize have saved more than $64 million with their energy-efficiency plans and have cut carbon-dioxide emissions by more than 330,000 metric tons — the equivalent of permanently taking one car off the street every five minutes, officials said.


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I just wrapped up with a couple of customer briefings this morning that reinforced a trend I have been seeing over the last few months. For the last couple of years, most of the customers I talked to were in sponge mode–they were absorbing info and trying to wrap their minds around things like unified fabric and virtualization–all while battling things like immediate challenges such as regulatory compliance and infrastructure sprawl.
These days, I find our customers much more opinionated–they are asking very pointed questions, pushing back, and generally expressing a more fully formed vision of where they want to go with their data centers. To be honest, this makes for much more interesting conversations and is generally a positive development.
So, while we see some consistent goals across our customer base such as unified fabric deployment or broader use of server virtualization, the conversations around how they want to get there are all over the map, which is a great lead-in to Data Center 3.0. One of the strengths of DC 3.0 it is less a rigid architecture and more of a flexible framework. Our approach is to give you multiple on-ramps to next-gen technologies such as 10GbE or FCoE. The goal for customers is allow them to maintain control of both their architecture and pace at which they adopt adopt new technologies. By the way, over the next few weeks, you will see more on that theme of "choices".
Interestingly, that theme of choice extends to how we partner in the data center. Our goal is to work with the folks that are probably already in your data center and find ways to make the data center simpler, cheaper, etc. For example, while we offer the Cisco UCS as our integrated compute platform, we also worked with IBM to bring the Nexus 4000, which brings 10GbE and FCoE capabilities, to IBM's BladeCenter. Along those same lines, last week we announced a partnership with industry leaders NetApp and VMware to help customers design and build out the next generation of dynamic data centers. Built around an end-to-end, secure, multi-tenancy design architecture, the three companies have done much of the heavy lifting around design, testing and validation to allow customers to start virtualizing their data center infrastructure with a much lower level of risk. For more info on the joint offering, check out the website. Even if this isn't on your to-do list right now, the design docs make some interesting reading on the "hows" and "whys" of designing a virtualized data center.
From my perspective, this is the ideal kind of partnership–for folks that like the design, it saves them a lot of work and mitigates much of the risk; without taking away any of the options available to customers who want to do something else.


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A major attempt to eliminate President Trump is about to be triggered.
The criminals and fraudsters operating in the government are NEVER held accountable for their crimes and frauds.
Ever wonder where snowflake children come from? Pathetic parents! And then they grow up to become libtards.
Yes, the Democrats have reached a whole new level of insanity when it comes to elections.


The Afghan government was keen for Beckham to also travel north to spend time in the capital Kabul – which would have been a considerable coup for the administration, given that his celebrity extends to the Islamic Republic. However, the plan was vetoed at an early stage.
I found it a bit snobbish and naive. Everyone knows that Afghanistan is grappling with its insecurity and series of other problems and his visit as a soccer player have nothing to do with Afghan situation. Bechkahm is famous in UK and other European countries that soccer is considered a major sport in their lives but not in Afghanistan. I'm having doubts that if you could find a few people knowing Beckham in Afghanistan, let alone the government.
It is funny that the writer insistingly says that it would have been a considerable coup for the administration that his celebrity extends to the Islamic Republic. What a funny joke I ever heard of. Sometime, lying to make things important is too hard, like this one that brings a disgusting feeling to you.
Anyway, my cousin and I were a big fun of him in 2002 World Cup when we were in Dubai but when we moved to Afghanistan, due to lack of electricity that we had to light a candle at night, it was hard to remain a fan of Beckham, Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos and other Brazlian soccer players.


text:
Q: While loop to check for valid user input? Python newbie here so sorry for what I'm sure is a stupid question, but I can't seem to solve the following challenge in a tutorial that is asking me to use a while loop to check for valid user input.
(using Python2.7)
Here's my code, but it's not working properly:
choice = raw_input('Enjoying the course? (y/n)')
student_surveyPromptOn = True
while student_surveyPromptOn:
    if choice != raw_input('Enjoying the course? (y/n)'):
        print("Sorry, I didn't catch that. Enter again: ")
    else:
        student_surveyPromptOn = False

The above prints out to the console:
Enjoying the course? (y/n) y
Enjoying the course? (y/n) n
Sorry, I didn't catch that. Enter again:
Enjoying the course? (y/n) x
Sorry, I didn't catch that. Enter again:
Enjoying the course? (y/n)

Which obviously isn't correct — the loop should end when the user enters either 'y' or 'n' but I'm not sure how to do this. What am I doing wrong here?
Note: the challenge requires me to use both the != operator and the loop_condition

A: You can use the condition
while choice not in ('y', 'n'):
    choice = raw_input('Enjoying the course? (y/n)')
    if not choice:
        print("Sorry, I didn't catch that. Enter again: ")

A: A shorter solution
while raw_input("Enjoying the course? (y/n) ") not in ('y', 'n'):
    print("Sorry, I didn't catch that. Enter again:")

What your code is doing wrong
With regard to your code, you can add some print as follow:
choice = raw_input("Enjoying the course? (y/n) ")
print("choice = " + choice)
student_surveyPromptOn = True
while student_surveyPromptOn:
    input = raw_input("Enjoying the course? (y/n) ")
    print("input = " + input)
    if choice != input:
        print("Sorry, I didn't catch that. Enter again:")
    else:
        student_surveyPromptOn = False

The above prints out:
Enjoying the course? (y/n) y
choice = y
Enjoying the course? (y/n) n
choice = y
input = n
Sorry, I didn't catch that. Enter again:
Enjoying the course? (y/n) x
choice = y
input = x
Sorry, I didn't catch that. Enter again:
Enjoying the course? (y/n)

As you can see, there is a first step in your code where the question appears and your answer initializes the value of choice. This is what you are doing wrong.
A solution with != and loop_condition
If you have to use both the != operator and the loop_condition then you should code:
student_surveyPromptOn = True
while student_surveyPromptOn:
    choice = raw_input("Enjoying the course? (y/n) ")
    if choice != 'y' and choice != 'n':
        print("Sorry, I didn't catch that. Enter again:")
    else:
        student_surveyPromptOn = False

However, it seems to me that both Cyber's solution and my shorter solution  are more elegant (i.e. more pythonic).

A: The very simple solution for this is to initialize some variable at the before  the loop kicks in:
choice=''

#This means that choice is False now

while not choice:
    choice=input("Enjoying the course? (y/n)")
        if choice in ("yn")
            #any set of instructions
        else:
            print("Sorry, I didn't catch that. Enter again: ")
            choice=""

What this while conditional statement means is that as long as choice variable is false--doesn't have any value means choice=''-- ,then proceeds #with the loop
If the choice have any value then proceed with enters the loop body and check
the value for specific input, if the input doesn't fulfill the required value
then reset the choice variable to False value again to continue prompts user
until a correct input is supplied


Chosen because: Murtaugh, who left General Motors in 2005 after having his responsibilities in China diluted in a reorganization, is back where he likes to be: in charge. And though Murtaugh, 57, comes from a traditional car background, he has embraced the brave new world of electrification.
When Murtaugh became CEO of electric car maker Coda Holdings in January 2011, he said his job at Coda was the same situation he faced in China in 1996: to launch a new car. The difference, said Murtaugh, was that he didn't have to negotiate a joint venture agreement.
Leading a tiny start-up company selling EVs, batteries and EV drivetrains is a bit different from being a top executive at one of the world's largest automakers. But it is similar to his job establishing GM's China presence in that Murtaugh once again is entering territory where few have gone before.
Quote: "Our markets are cities, not states. For the next several years, I think electric vehicle sales will be focused in cities."