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Admission Tools
Statement of Purpose Guidelines
The SOP must focus on forthcoming career plans, reasons for picking a particular course and past study of the applicant. It should give an overview about the applicant&his/her mindset usingqualified English.
This statement forms a vital part of the application and helps the University assess it. It must include:
The reason why one wishes to study the chosen subject
Any experience one has related to the chosen field.
Any employment experience
The reasons one wishes to study in the UK
Applicant's ambitions / goals / expectations
Personal and other areas of interest (Hobbies, sports, social or leisure)
Any other information which can support the application
The SOP should comprise of 350 words approximately & thewriting should be clear and natural. One must do a thorough check over spelling and grammaticalerrors before submitting the application.
In brief, steps are mentioned below that one can use to draft a good statement of purpose. Though it must be noted that these are only guidelines and not intended to throttleone's creativity. The intention is to provide a sense of direction to the applicant regarding the content required.
The first paragraph should consist of the name, personal philosophy/motto, personality description, area of strength &personal interests (hobbies/sports) of the applicant. Acknowledging family as a source of motivation&vital support would add beauty in the SOP.
In addition justifications must be given for taking the spouse or children along or leaving them behind.
Academic achievements must be mentioned in chronological order with respective dates. Also the language used in the respective institution (College, University, etc.) must be stated&the projects, researches, internships and training undertaken during the period of study connected to proposed area of education must be included in the application. One must also mention the academic strengths, highlighting achievements and receipt of any awards, rank and scholarships in the relevant field if applicable.
One must justify shifts in education interests, weak academic performance, repeated failures, and consistent low score and breaks in education, if any. If there is a similar course being offered in another country, for instance: India, then onemust elaborate the reasons for not wanting to enroll in India. Concrete and considerable links must be established, between the previous academic background and proposed course of study.
In case of pertinent work experience, a connection must be established with the proposed course of study. In the incidents of break/s in employment, one must mention and provide justification for the same. If one is working with the family business, then the scope and application of the proposed course of study in relation to the family's business interests must be highlighted.
Highlight Purpose for Proposed Course of Study
It is essential to provide the actual reasons for taking the proposed course, appropriately indicating wish to specialize in the particular field as applicable. Also the reasons for choosing UK as well as the particular institution of study must be highlighted.
It is to be explicitly explained why one wants to followthe chosen course of study (including an outline of the course) in the Institution in UK and how its accomplishment can help the applicant in the desired career pathways. This point is absolutely essential and therefore must be presented very clearly.
Remarks must be made on one's career aspirations, both short-term and long-term and how the UK qualification can help one achieve them. Also the plans upon return to the homeland must be stated, i.e. whether one has a family business to return to or if they wish to join a firm or set up in their business concern. One must remember that their goals should be concrete and genuine, based on sound interpretations.
Finally one can write how they came to know about the programme at the university they are applying for and any special reasons in choosing the same .The applicant can conclude the application by requesting the Institution to admit him/her into their desired program.
Name of Student:
Statement of Purpose-DO's & Dont's
Strategies for success -the personal statement:
The personal statement provides one with the opportunity to distinguish oneself from all the other highly qualified people and is of major significance.
Aneffective Statement of Purpose is a very vital part of the application since it gives the School Admissions Committee the best opportunity to evaluate the full range of the Experience and knowledge one brings in his/her pursuit of a professional degree and the pertinence of their school to one's objectives. The Statement of Purpose should be concise, well-written essay covering three diverse areas relating to the person:
One must begin with a summary statement of their preparation, then describe their background, education, and community and mention reasons they were attracted to that particular profession. Next comes the brief discussion on the academic preparation (including lab or Research), relevant work, and other experiences, i.e., volunteer work. It must be assured that the reader gets the idea what one has attained from these experiences – what qualities they have developed.
Applicants must further discuss how the school will help them meet their educational and career goals. They must state their skills, strengths, and uniqueness. Though this must be made sure that they adopt a positive tone & not seem contrite. Howeverany majorlapse in the academic record must be justified. The copy must be given to family, friends & career center for proofreading in order to avoid errors.
SOP Do's & Dont's
Dont's:
Don't underestimate the importance of the essay (A very common mistake).
Don't undervalue the length of time it will take to write the statement of Purpose.
Don't have someone else write the SOP! There are ethical issues involved though, but one is the best spokesperson for own self.
Don't list everything that hasbeen done. There is usually a place on the application to list the activities. Avoid giving unnecessary details. The statement should read smoothly.
Don't mention interest for one particular school in a general application that is being sent to many schools and vice a versa.
Do's:
Keep a journal of work and volunteer experience.
Get an early start. This cannot be stressed enough.
Be honest, consistent and straightforward.
Be specific, not general.
Be comfortable with the self-image that you're presenting.
Pay attention to detail – absolutely no spelling or grammatical errors.
Statement must be neat and error free. No excuses . . . you must make a good impression.
A summary of accomplishments first
Background information – people and events that influenced your decision.
Learning experience(s) serving as a choice for foundation career
The source of getting first-hand knowledge of the field
Leadership role activities
Career objectives and goals
Let your personality and individuality come through. Give personal insight on hopes, goals, motivations and dedication. Be interesting and unique. Do not be afraid to let your passion and commitment to a career come through.
Take the opportunity to elucidateanything you feel might raise questions (e.g., a weak academic quarter . . . Explain what was going on in your life, if a personal or academic issue posed an effect on you).
Be responsible for own background. Don't discuss or compare yourself to the application standards or other students.
Have someone else read your statement but be careful of advice. Get two or three different opinions. Remember, it is your personal statement but other opinions and professional advice can make the difference in gaining acceptance.
Write a draft, edit, and re-writes many times as needed.
Make the essay look reading-worthy. Follow the guidelines for length, margins, and do not use too small a font. You can squeeze more on a page that way, but readers see hundreds of statements and don't have time to deal with small font.
Keep a photocopy of each essay written. You need to keep a copy of every single piece of your application. It is imperative to have copies of everything, both for own reference before going to an interview and as documentation in case someone else loses or misplaces your application. This has happened to students so it's better to be cautious. Keep paper copies in addition to disc copies.
Read the essay before an interview. Make sure you know what you wrote.
Be prepared to discuss and defend essay points during the interview.
Schools prefer unique essays so avoid copying any others
Junaid Siddiqui
FL-4.14, 2nd Floor, Block-5, Gulshan-e-Iqbal
junaid.siddiqui@gmail.com
Accounts student seeking a position as a Trainee Accountant. Reliable, trustworthy, conscientious. Worked for a firm of chartered accountants last summer and gained a good understanding of what is required of an accountant. Able to work on own initiative or as part of a team and can deal with administrative duties competently.
Bachelor of Commerce, The University of Karachi, Year- 2007, Second Division.
Subjects studied: Business Studies, Computer Studies, Calculus, Financial Mathematics, Auditing.
Administrative Assistant, Akbar & Sons, 2006
Assisted the Senior Partner who was conducting audits on major companies in the area.
Handled incoming telephone calls to the Senior Partner from other companies and members of the public.
Organized and maintained the Senior Partner's filing system.
Typed reports on an IBM Compatible PC using the WordPerfect word-processor.
Devised a new filing system to maintain the files held by the department.
Solved users PC problems including sorting out spreadsheets, explaining how to use complex features in word-processing packages.
Coordinator, Memon Community Center, 2005
Organized a local advertising drive that increased the number of elderly people coming to the center by 20%.
Organized games for people attending in the afternoons.
Escorted some of the elderly people to and from the center.
COMPUTER SKILLS:
Microsoft Windows XP, Microsoft Office XP (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access).
Awards and accomplishment: (if any)
Professional memberships: (if any)
• Interests at university included organizing a charity quiz, which raised RS 15000. Movies and theater.
Academic Recommendation Letter
General Recommendation Letter:
Guidelines for Writing Recommendations for Academic Graduate School
The recommendation letter should clearly state the time period for which the person has known the applicant and in what way.
A recommendation that comes from professors who know the applicant and his/her academic work is of special interest and priority for Graduate schools, closely followed by recommendations from employers. Graduate schools are give more importance to faculty members' summary estimates of the candidate's general promise as a graduate student.
Higher number of recommendations reflects factual knowledge of the applicant and his/her performance. Hence, the more positive the letter is to the graduate school admissions committees the better advantage for the applicant.
Key Features of a Recommendation Letter:
Intellectual characteristics: How is the applicant being rated in overall intellect? What is the grasping power of the applicant, in terms of acquiring and retaining information? What are the applicant's skill in analysis and logic? How does the applicant approach conceptually to deal with a complex problem? Is the applicant creative? Does the candidate show evidence of creativity? Have factors such as work, unusual circumstances, social or academic background affected the applicant's academic record?
Knowledge of field of study: What is the level of applicant's knowledge in his chosen field of study? Is he/she aware of methods in the field of study? Do they have any prior experience in research? Does the applicant have the mandatory laboratory techniques?
Ability to communicate: Is the candidate good in effective writing skills? Does the written work submitted reflect a mastery of the convention of English? Is the written material clear, well-organized and persuasive? Is there fluidity of expression in Oral communication?
Industry and self-discipline: Is the applicant consistent, efficient and motivated? Does the applicant possess the ability to work independently? Are there any reasons to question the integrity of the student towards his/her commitment to education?
Personal effectiveness: Is the applicant mature enough? What about the ability to adjust to surroundings? Would the recommender choose the applicant for graduate study under his/her auspices? Is the contender reliable enough to enjoy the trust and respect of fellow students?
Potential for graduate study: What is the projected forecast of the recommends concerning the applicant's possible performance in graduate school?
This test is for people who intend to study or work where English is the language of communication. It measures ability to communicate in English across all four language skills – listening, reading, writing and speaking. IELTS is jointly managed by British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia and the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations (Cambridge ESOL) through more than 350 locations in 120 countries.
Why IELTS
It opens doors for you to more than 2000 educational institutions, government agencies and professional organizations across 120 countries where IELTS scores are recognized as a trusted and valid explaination of ability to communicate in English. IELTS is an English Language skill test that is required to be taken by non-native students for study in countries where the medium of instruction is English. Among the popular study destinations IELTS is accepted by universities in UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and USA.
Types of IELTS Tests
IELTS is offered as 2 types of tests. One, General Test, that is required to be taken by applicants who wish to seek permanent residence or employment in countries like Australia. Two, the Academic Test, to be taken by students who wish to Study Abroad.
Test Fees
Fees for IELTS Academic Test is Rs. 15,000/- for The Australian Education Council Test or Rs. 14,000/- for British Council Test. For additional score reporting, students have to pay Rs. 1,000/- per university, if the report has been sent by courier.
IELTS Test Structure
Listening:-
Duration and format
The Listening Module takes around 30 – 35 minutes. There are40 questions. There are four sections. The Listening Module is recorded on a CD and is played ONCE only. During the test, time is given for candidates to read the questions and write down and check their answers. Answers are written on the Question Paper as candidates listen. When the recording ends ten minutes are allowed for candidates to transfer their answers to an Answer Sheet.
Marking and Assessment
One mark is awarded for each correct answer in the 40 item test. A private band score conversion table is produced for each version of the Listening Module, which translates scores out of 40 into the IELTS 9-band scale. Scores are reported as a whole band or a half band. Care should be taken when writing answers on the Answer Sheet as poor spelling and grammar are penalized.
Reading:-
The Reading Module takes 60 minutes. There are 40 questions, based on three reading passages with a total of 2,000 to 2,750 words. Texts and questions appear on a Question Paper which candidates can write on but not remove from the test room. All answers must be entered on an Answer Sheet during the 60-minute test. No extra time is allowed to transfer answers.
One mark is awarded for each correct answer in the 40 item test. A Band Score conversion table is produced for each version of the Reading Module which translates scores out of 40 into the IELTS 9-band scale. Scores are reported as a whole band or a half band. Care should be taken when writing answers on the Answer Sheet as poor spelling and grammar are penalized.
Writing:-
The Writing Module takes 60 minutes. There are two tasks to complete. It is suggested that about 20 minutes is spent on Task 1 which requires candidates to write at least 150 words. Task 2 requires at least 250 words and should take about 40 minutes. Candidates may write on the Question Paper but this cannot be taken from the test room and will not be seen by the examiner. Answers must be given on the Answer Sheet and must be written in full. Notes are not acceptable as answers.
Each task is assessed independently. The assessment of Task 2 carries more weight in marking than Task 1.
Writing scripts are marked by trained and certificated IELTS examiners. IELTS examiners all hold relevant teaching qualifications and are recruited as examiners by the test centres and approved by British Council or IDP: IELTS Australia. Scores are currently reported as whole bands. Detailed performance descriptors have been developed which describe written performance at the 9 IELTS bands. These descriptors are confidential and apply to both the Academic and General Training Modules.
Task 1 scripts are assessed on the following criteria:
Task Achievement
Coherence and Cohesion
Lexical Resource
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Task Response
Scripts under the required minimum word limit will be penalized.
Speaking:-
The Speaking Module takes between 11 and 14 minutes and consists of an oral interview between the candidate and an examiner. All interviews are recorded. The overall structure of the test is summarized below.
There are three main parts. Each part fulfils a specific function in terms of interaction pattern, task input and candidate output.
In Part 1 candidate answers general questions about themselves, their homes/families, their jobs/studies, their interests, and a range of familiar topic areas. This part lasts between four and five minutes.
In Part 2 the candidate is given a verbal prompt on a card and is asked to talk on a particular topic. The candidate has one minute to prepare before speaking at length, for between one and two minutes. The examiner then asks one or two rounding-off questions.
In Part 3 the examiner and candidate engage in a discussion of more abstract issues and concepts which are thematically linked to the topic prompt in Part 2. The discussion lasts between four and five minutes.
The Speaking Module assesses how effectively candidates can communicate in English.
Part Nature of interaction Timing
Part 1: Introduction: Examiner introduces himself/herself and confirms candidate's identity. Examiner interviews candidate using verbal questions selected from familiar topic frames.
Part 2:Individual Long Turn: Examiner asks candidate to speak for 1–2 minutes on a particular topic. Preparation time of 1 minute is given to make notes. Examiner asks one or two questions to round off the long turn.
Part 3:Two-way Discussion: Examiner invites candidate to participate in discussion of a more abstract nature, based on verbal questions thematically linked to Part 2 topic.
IELTS exam involves technicalities, you must prepare for IELTS exam like any other exam even you have mastery over usage of English. On one hand, the fee for IELTS test is high. A person who achieves a low band score in IELTS has to wait for a month before he or she can appear for the test again. Thus, even you have a good level of English, you must prepare for at least 2-3 weeks for IELTS exam.
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is a compulsory English test conducted for every student from non-English speaking country looking for overseas education in English speaking countries like, USA, UK, etc. It is a test conducted for assessing the fundamental abilities in English and is accepted by over 6000 colleges and universities in 110 countries. This is over 3 times the number of any other English-language skill test. The test is administered in 180 countries at more than 1275 test sites. A TOEFL score is valid for two years and then is deleted from the official database. The maximum score for Internet based TOEFL (Computer Based TOEFL) is 120.
Why TOEFL test?
Performing TOEFL test provides several benefits that help you to assists for your abroad education. Some of them are:
Regardless to the place where you want to study, TOEFL test enables you to reach your desired goal. Depending on the test score will be eligible for getting admission in college or university in the world.
There is much flexibility in performing a TOEFL test whenever you want to take. You will be offered practice tools and feedback, and more alternatives to study abroad than any other English-language test in the world
TOEFL enables you various services such as, listening to lectures, view films, attend seminars, read textbooks, perform online research, speak with professors and other students, write academic papers, reports, e-mails and more
Test Modules
TOEFL test consists of four distinct modules, each determining the essential language skill that is used in the atmosphere of the academic.
This module determines the ability of understanding intellectual reading issues. The Reading module consists of 3-5 comprehensive passages (long passages and questions asked about them). They are chosen from the academic topics, which are found in student university textbooks.
This module determines the ability of understanding the English since it is used in the colleges and universities. Listening module consists of 6 comprehensive passages, two passages will be the conversations of the students and the other four will be academic lectures or discussions. Students have to understand the conversations and answer for the passage questions.
This module determines the ability of speaking in English. Speaking module consists of 6 tasks, two independent tasks and four integrated tasks. In the independent tasks, students have to answer opinion questions concerning to the academic life. In two of the included tasks, students have to read a passage, listen to a passage and speak about how the ideas in the two passages are related. In the other two integrated tasks, students have to listen to long passages, review them and speak about the information in the passages.
This module determines the ability of writing that is relevant for colleges and universities assignments. This module consists of two tasks, one independent task where students have to read an academic passage, listen to an academic passage and write their reviews about the two passages. Another is the included task where students have to write an own essay.
Structure of the TOEFL iBT Test
Section Description Testing Time Questions Score Scale
Reading 3-5 passages from academic texts; approximately 700 words long; 12-14 questions per passage. 60-100 minutes 36-70 questions 0-30
Listening 4-6 lectures, some with classroom discussion; each
3-5 minutes long; 6 questions each. 2-3 conversations; each 3 minutes long; 5 questions each. 60-90 minutes 34-51 questions 0-30
Break 10 minutes
Speaking 2 tasks to express an opinion on a familiar topic;
4 tasks to speak based on what is read and listened to. 20 minutes 6 tasks 0-4 points converted to 0-30 score scale
Writing 1 task to write based on what is read and listened to; 1 task to support an opinion on a topic. 50 minutes 2 tasks 0-5 points converted to 0-30 score scale
Total Score 0-120
Variations in Different TOEFL Tests iBT / CBT / PBT
Post Secondary Level TOEFL @ iBT
Maximum Score 120
Graduate Programs 100
Maximum Undergraduate 92
Minimum Undergraduate 86
Community College 61
Fee $ 165
Additional Score Reporting Fee $ 17
Time Length 4:30 hrs
PTE ACADEMIC OVERVIEW
The Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic) is an English Language test designed to assess the willingness of non-native English speakers to participate in a university-level English language instruction program. PTE Academic is accepted by universities in USA, UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, amongst others.
It was created by Pearson Language Tests part of the Pearson PLC group and endorsed by GMAC® (Graduate Management Admission Council), owners of GMAT® (Graduate Management Admission Test).
It is a computer-based exam which focuses on real-life English used in academic surroundings. Throughout the test, students will listen to a variety of accents and academic language encountered at higher education institutions in English speaking countries.
In Pakistan the registration fees for PTE Academic Test is Rs. 14,800./-. The test scores can be sent to any number of institutions for free.
SPEAKING and WRITING – These modules assess all communications skills of a test taker.
Module includes:
Reading a Text Aloud
Repeating a sentence
Describing an Image
Re-telling a Lecture
Answering short questions
Summarizing a text
READING – This module assesses reading skills of the test taker.
Re-ordering Paragraphs
Filling Blanks in a text
LISTENING– This module assesses listening of the test taker.
Summarizing spoken text
Multiple Choice Questions based on recording
Fill blanks in a transcript based on recording
Writing a dictation.
PTE ACADEMIC STRUCTURE
The test is administered in a single 3 hours test session. The test is divided into 3 timed sections, 1 short un-timed introduction and an optional 10 minute break.
Introduction Un-timed
Speaking and Writing 77-93 minutes
Reading 32-41 minutes
Optional Break 10 minutes
Listening 45-57 minutes
Test Scores are available online usually within 5 business days from taking the test. Test taker can report scores to any number of institutions for free. Selected institutions can retrieve scores online usually within 48 hours.
It is a computer based standardized test that assesses the aptitude abilities in a person for accomplishing the academic of business curriculum. Students from different backgrounds belonging to different countries in the world can take the GMAT test. This test is a decisive part for admissions in more than 4000 graduate programs in 1800 schools around the world. Presently, several leading Business Schools in India also require GMAT scores for admission.
The GMAT test consists of following three modules that determines fundamental verbal, mathematical and analytical writing skills in the test taker. The maximum score for GMAT is 800 and the mean score is 533 in 2005-06. The test score is valid for 5 years.
Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA)
In this module test taker has to prevail two writing tasks, Analysis of an Issue and Analysis of an Argument. The maximum time limit will be 30 minutes for writing each essay. The range of test score in AWA range from 0-60 points, representing the average ratings of two essays.
Quantitative section
This module consists of 37 multiple choice questions, which has to be completed within 75 minutes. The test evaluates the competence of arithmetic, elementary algebra, and common geometry which are categorized into two types of tasks: Data Sufficiency and Problem Solving. The range of test score in Quantitative section range from 0-60 points
Verbal section
This module consists of 41 multiple choice questions, which are categorized into three tasks – reading comprehension, critical reasoning, and sentence correction. The maximum time limit for completing this module is of 75 minutes. The range of test score in verbal section range from 0-60 points. Moreover, there will be few pretest questions (they are not scored) assorted in verbal and quantitative sections, which cannot be identified. Therefore you have to answer all the questions in the test.
Maximum Time Limit : 3 hours and 45 mts
Maximum Test Score : 800
Mean Score (2005-06) : 533
Test Fee : U.S. $ 250 Worldwide
Additional Test score Reporting
Structure of the GMAT Test
Analysis of an Argument (30 minutes)
Analysis of an Issue (30 minutes)
2 Essays
Optional 5 Minutes Break
Problem Solving (23 to 24 questions)
Data Sufficiency (13 to 14 questions)
Critical Reasoning (14-15 questions)
Sentence Correction (14-15 questions)
(4passages with 12-14 questions)
GMAT Changes
With an addition of 300 new questions (within the question bank) in two of the three sections of GMAT, the test has become tougher for students to crack. Altogether about 33% questions have been added, which brings in a change of more than one third to the test. These changes have been announced in May 2009.
Following are the changes made:
Verbal Section:
Sentence Correction type – More questions emphasizing on pronoun and modifier rules. Lesser focus on comparisons and idioms-related questions. A total of 57 new questions have been added to the question bank.
Reading Comprehension type – Two Biology related passages have been replaced with one on Social Science and the other on Business.43 questions have been introduced.
Critical Reading type – 50 old questions have been replaced with 50 new questions.
Quantitative Section:
Problem Solving type – 19 questions have been removed in this section and 56 questions have been added.
Data Sufficiency type – Reduction of questions related to fractions, decimals and percentages. Questions related to Algebra have also been reduced. Also, 75 old problems have been replaced with 94 new problems in the question bank.
Data Sufficiency question type within this test has got more new questions introduced than other sections.
No changes have been made to the Analytical Written Assessment (AWA) Section.
The GRE General Test measures verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, critical thinking, and analytical writing skills that have been acquired over a long period of time and that are not related to any specific field of study. The GRE General Test is required by many graduate and professional schools in the U.S and is an important criterion for admission to their graduate programmes. Applicants must submit their GRE scores together with certain other records/requirements as part of the process of admission to graduate schools. The GRE is administered by Educational Testing Services (ETS). ETS is responsible for conducting the GRE test under the guidance of the college education board of the U.S. GRE is a multiple-choice Computer Adaptive test and it is a mandatory for students seeking Masters Degree or PhD degrees in the USA for most of the Universities.
The skills measured include the test taker's ability to analyze and evaluate written material and synthesize information obtained from it analyze relationships among component parts of sentences recognize relationships between words and concepts.
30 questions in 30 mins
Score range: 200 – 800 Analogies, Antonyms, Sentence Completion, Reading Comprehension
The skills measured include the test taker's ability to understand basic concepts of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and data analysis reason quantitatively solve problems in a quantitative setting
Score range: 200 – 800
Quantitative Comparison, Discrete Math, Data Interpretation
The skills measured include the test taker's ability to articulate complex ideas clearly and effectively examine claims and accompanying evidence support ideas with relevant reasons and examples sustain a well-focused, coherent discussion control the elements of standard written English
Analysis of an Issue (45 mins.)
Analysis of an Argument (30 mins.)
Total score range for the test: 400 – 1600 (Verbal + Quantitative); 0 – 6 (AWA)
The GRE scores are technically valid for five years However, most of the top universities do not consider scores more than two years old .Being a Computer Adaptive Test, it is conducted throughout the year, on all weekdays you can register for the test online at www.gre.org OR by post/ telephone/ fax.
Test fees is US$180 This includes reporting your scores to 4 universities of your choice, on the day of the test If you want to report your scores to additional universities (or if you do not report your scores to any university on your test day, and would like to do so later), the fee is US$20 per university.
The GRE is a computer-adaptive test, which means your performance on previous questions determines which question you'll be asked next. The change to GRE has been cancelled.
Computer Adaptive Test
The GRE Test is a CAT (Computer Adaptive Test). This means that the computer adapts the level of the questions to the test-taker's ability. Initially questions of medium difficulty level are administered to test – taker. If he / she answers these questions correctly, a more difficult question is given. Otherwise, an easier question is administered. So, at every stage, the computer tailors the test to the examinee's level. In this examination, the score depends both on the number of questions attempted and the number of correct responses.
Some points which you must know about the Computer Adaptive Test
In verbal section each question has five answer choices and you must select one choice as your answer
In the quantitative ability section each problem solving and data interpretation question has five answer choices. However, quantitative comparison questions have only 4 answer choices.
Only one question appears at a time. To move to the next question, you have to mark an answer to the question that is currently on your screen
Once you have confirmed your answer to a question you can't go back to a question and change your answer
The questions are graded into 5 categories ranging from the easy to the hard category
More points are awarded for getting the harder questions right
You are penalized for not completing the test. Hence, your score depends on your accuracy, the difficulty level of the questions and the number of questions you attempted. At the beginning of the test, every candidate gets a question of average difficulty level (level 2 or 3)
Questions in the verbal and the quantitative sections need not always be administered in groups. For example, if the first question that appears in the verbal section is an antonym, then you need not necessarily get a series of questions on antonyms alone. Two questions on antonyms may be followed by one question on analogies, followed by one on sentence completion. In other words, questions can appear in any particular order. Similarly, in the quantitative section, one question on problem solving may be followed by one question on quantitative comparison. This may be followed by one question on problem solving. Hence, the type of question that will come next cannot be predicted
Scholastic Aptitude Test
SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test/ SAT-I) is a precondition Reasoning Test conducted for the admissions of undergraduate programs in United States. It is a 3 hour test that determines the skill of the students in verbal, mathematical and reasoning skills that are required to evaluate the skills needed to complete the academic successfully. The test is administered several times a year. Many universities also require SAT-II test score along with the SAT-I score for admission. Every year around 2 million students take SAT. Many colleges and universities finds SAT as a more credible test for predicting the student's skill. The test scores are valid up to 5 years of the test date.
Test Modules in SAT
Typically, SAT logic test are categorized into three major sections, Critical Reading, Writing and Mathematics, with a total of 10 sub-sections including a dummy section. These sections are discussed below:
SAT exam begins with Critical reading questions that determine various reading comprehension skills. It includes two 25-minute sections and one 20-minute section with 48 reading comprehension questions and 19 sentence completion questions. The scores are scaled on a 200-800 point scale with the total time limit of 70 minutes. This module consists of the following subsections:
Sentence Completion: It measures the vocabulary of the applicants and understanding the sentence structure i.e., how the different parts of a sentence fit logically together. Here each sentence has one or two blank space which has to be filled correctly with the given multiple choices
Passage-based Reading: This section comprises of two types of passage reading, Vocabulary in Context and Literal Comprehension. It measures the reading abilities of the students and thinking carefully about different passages ranging from 100 to 850 words approximately. These passages will be extracted from a variety of fields like, humanities, social studies, natural sciences, and literary fiction
Writing Section
The writing section of SAT is based on the old SAT-II subject test in writing. The total time limit of writing section is 60 minutes. It includes multiple choice questions and a brief essay. The essay score accounts to be around 30% of the writing score and the multiple choice component accounts to be around 70%.
The multiple choice questions include, Error Identification, Sentence Improvement questions that tests for grammar knowledge and Paragraph Improvement questions that test for student's understanding of logical organization of ideas.
The essay section is administered as the first part of the test, which has 25 minutes of time limit. They have to be written in response to the specified prompt, which are typically thoughtful and are designed to be accessible to students despite of their educational and social backgrounds.
This section is also known as Quantitative Section determines important skills like, estimation and number sense using multiple choice questions and student response questions. Mathematics section includes topics like, exponential growth, absolute value, and functional notation. It consisting of three scored sections:
A 25 minutes section – It contains 20 multiple choice (problem solving) questions to be completed in 25 minutes
Another 25-minute section – It contains 8 multiple choice (problem solving) questions and 10 grid-in questions, within the time limit of 25 minutes
A shorter section of 16 multiple choice (problem solving) questions to be completed in 20 minutes of time
In addition there will be a dummy section formally called as Variable or Equation section with the time limitation of 20 minutes. However this section does not count towards the individual score and they cannot be recognized in the test so as to not skipping those questions. They are only used for the future edition of SAT
Structure of SAT Test
Sections Mathematics Section Critical Reading Section Writing Section
Time 70 Minutes 70 Minutes 60 minutes
Sections 25-min. sections (2) &
20-min. section (1) 25-min. sections (2) &
20-min. section (1) Multiple Choices – 35 min. &
Essays section – 25 min
Content – Number & operations;
– Algebra & Functions;
– Geometry;
– Statistics,
– Probability, &
– Data Analysis – Critical Reading
– Reading comprehension,
– Sentence completions, & paragraph-length Grammar, usage, and word choice
Marks 800 800 800
The three parts of SAT are scored separately as reading score, a writing score, and a math score that range from 200 to 800 each. The average score of each section will be about 500. This average score is acceptable by almost all the colleges and universities. Yet few top colleges/universities expect for above average SAT scores of above 2100, which would puts in the 90 percentile.
A good SAT score will certainly increase your chances of secure admission in better colleges/universities. Your SAT subject score is measured on a scale of 200 to 800. Usually a SAT score of about 500 in every section (Mathematics, Writing and Critical Reading) is considered as a good score to get admission in good colleges/universities.
Below table gives the requirements of SAT score for some popular colleges
College SAT Math SAT Critical Reading SAT Writing
Auburn (Main Campus)
MIT, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
With this Information, you will be able to analyze the requirement of SAT score in your preferred colleges. Good SAT score even helps in seeking scholarships and financial aids for the entire study program
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"When justices abuse their authority, we are all victims."
When you're controlling the ball, the compulsion is irresistible, but getting away with it is a gamble.
fixing far more serious than that leveled against Ronald Bodenheimer.
King (see enclosure) thought this conduct was improper.
others.  No wonder the public is so cynical about the American system of justice.


text:
CFP: The Real and the Known. Comparative Perspectives on Ancient and Modern Philosophy
Submission deadline: October 31, 2022
The Real and the Known.
Comparative Perspectives on Ancient and Modern Philosophy Submission deadline: October 31, 2022
Vol. 11, Issue 1, 2023 [https://www.thaumazein.it/]
Silvia De Bianchi
(Università degli Studi di Milano / Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona)
Lorenzo Giovannetti
(Università di Roma Tor Vergata / Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen)
Confirmed contributors:
Klaus Corcilius – Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen
Fiona Leigh – University College London
Nicholas D. Smith – Lewis & Clark College
The Real and the Known aims at hosting comparative studies on Ancient and Modern Philosophy to investigate the roots of the reflection upon knowledge, its meaning and purposes throughout history. In analyzing a variety of significantly distinct approaches, this special issue sheds light on the modification of the debate on the notion of knowledge and its full or partial capacity of grasping what is identified as "the real". At some stages of its long history, the question concerning knowledge has met with crucial turning points and this special issue aims at identifying those that can be found in ancient Greek and early modern philosophy.
The nature of knowledge is nowadays discussed with respect to the object-based / subject-based dichotomy. This means assuming two things when debating the nature of knowledge: (i) the extent to which some theories of knowledge rely on ontological views; (ii) the extent to which some theories of knowledge require the subject to work in some given way quite independently of what there actually is. In relying on these two core ideas, the special issue will also shed new light on what kinds of textual and theoretical contacts early modern philosophers had with ancient philosophy. This will produce at least two scholarly remarkable results: (i) a new way to understand the influence of ancient philosophers on (early) modern ones; (ii) potentially innovative insights into the relation between what is real and what is known.
The proposed volume aims to address the following issues, but also submissions that are not limited to them are welcome:
1) The view that in ancient philosophy one is faced only with object-dependent knowledge while the early modern tradition is exclusively concerned with subject-dependent knowledge is too simplistic and should be put into question. This means, among other things, highlighting the co-presence of, and possibly interrelations between, the two approaches. Some hybrid theories regarding the nature of knowledge should then be considered.
2) In deepening the analysis of the ontological and epistemological underpinning of the notion of reality from a comparative perspective, it is natural to address the question of the character of the notion of fundamentality. What did it mean "fundamental" in the ancient world and what is meant to be fundamental in the early modern period? The meaning attributed to ontology is clearly different, this has an impact on the notion of what exists, and what is real for instance. This in turn offered different variations of how to take what is fundamental either from an ontological or an epistemological perspective or both of them.
Full articles will be subject to double-blind peer review. Articles must be submitted in English and should not exceed 40.000 characters (including spaces) or 10,000 words including references.
Please follow the formatting guidelines for authors:
https://www.thaumazein.it/la-rivista/about-the-journal/formatting-guidelines/
and submit the paper on the following page:
https://rivista.thaumazein.it/index.php/thaum/about/submissions
The special issue will be published in early 2023.
https://www.thaumazein.it/current-call-for-papers-2/#the-real-and-the-known
Contacting: Guido Cusinato
Report ""

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


COLORESSENTIAL has a unique formula that adapts to your own lipcolor- making every COLORESSENTIAL your personal shade . It delivers on every level a rich, moisurizing lipcolor collection that complements every woman's skin tone. COLORESSENTIAL perfectly combines the finest natural ingredients with cutting edge technology for a lipstick rich in color but with the texture of a lip balm.


The health care policy world is bracing for the Supreme Court's decision in King v. Burwell, which will determine the validity of health insurance subsidies for policies purchased through federal exchanges. A ruling could come as early as this Thursday.
Looking ahead to the decision, the Department of Health and Human Services recently granted conditional approval to Arkansas, Delaware, and Pennsylvania to switch from federally facilitated to state-run exchanges. While these three states plan to switch to state run exchanges, its unlikely most of the remaining 31 states with federal exchanges will make the same move.
A decision either way will influence the heath care policy agenda in Congress.
If the court ends the subsidies, Republican leaders are expected to quickly propose legislation to temporarily extend the subsidies (absent a Court order that does the same). The measure is also expected to include major ACA changes – such as repeal of the individual and employer mandates – sure to draw stiff opposition from Senate Democrats and President Obama. Whether Republicans could unite behind a single proposal and reach a deal with the president, or what changes affecting employers could land in a legislative "fix" would be major unknowns.
Should the court uphold the subsidies, Republicans will likely continue to push for changes, and Congress and the president could agree to targeted reforms this year. The looming 2016 elections will make that difficult, but employer-backed reforms with bipartisan support – including repeal or revision of the 40% excise tax on "high-cost" plans, eased employer reporting requirements, and enhancements to health savings accounts – will remain in the mix and stand a chance of becoming law as part of a bigger legislative package.
Eased employer reporting rules would likely be modeled on bipartisan legislation (HR 2712) that would, among other things, ease compliance with Internal Revenue Code Sections 6055 and 6056 by allowing employers to certify the type of health care coverage available to full-time employees before the beginning of the calendar year, eliminating – in most cases – the need to provide highly detailed statements to the IRS and the full-time employees.


text:
from django import forms
from a_ppl_e.models import EnduserNotification

class EnduserNotificationForm(forms.ModelForm):
    class Meta:
        model = EnduserNotification
        fields = ('incident', 'message', 'users', 'resources')

        widgets = {
                   'incident': forms.HiddenInput(),
                   'users': forms.HiddenInput(),
                   'resources': forms.HiddenInput(),
                   }

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
The Last Camellia
A Miss Book Lovers joint review
Addison is trying to outrun her past. However, it's keeping pace with her and threatening to be her unraveling. Flora is desperate to help her family. But her plans come undone when a family's secrets no longer stay secret.
Once again, Sarah Jio has written a book that sucks you in from page one. We both were glued from the very start. We couldn't wait to see what new story twist was going to unfold before our eyes- and there were many. By the time you have read the last word, you have gone through every emotion.
Flora is the beloved daughter of parents who are struggling with their own bakery. The 1940s are a tough time with World War II running it's path of destruction. Being the family oriented daughter that she is, Flora is willing to do anything to guarantee her parents' future financially. When her father is roughed up in an alley over money, Flora reaches the "desperate times call for desperate measures" point, so she accepts a rather dangerous assignment: pose as the nanny to a family who's vast property is rumored to house the last of the rare Middlebury Pink camellia stolen from royalty. Telling her family she's going to attend school overseas, she boards a ship for England.
As firm as Flora's plan seems to be for her, there are a few things she doesn't expect. One, is meeting the handsome Desmond on her trip overseas. They feel an instant connection, but she never expects to see him again. Flora is stunned when she does see him again and learns he's the black sheep brother to the children she cares for. Another thing Flora doesn't expect is have the maternal feelings for the children she's to be the nanny for.
Flora steps into a mourning family environment that comes with a mystery. The mother mysteriously died the year before. Also, women from the nearby village are going missing. It isn't long before Flora realizes there's a connection between the mother's death and the village disappearances.
Addison is a woman who has survived a tortured childhood that no child should have to endure. (We both had a hard time with the abuse scenes, but were thankful there weren't many of them.) Thinking she was finally free from Sean, the one responsible for her young life of sorrow and abuse, she does what she can to forge a new life for herself. Her real name, Amanda, is traded in for a new one- Addison. Sean is sent to prison, but what Addison didn't know was that he spent his sentence planning his revenge. When Sean is paroled, he begins contacting her with threats of destroying her new life. Addison never told her husband, Rex, about her childhood. and Sean is threatening to do it for her.
The chance of fleeing to the new mansion Rex's parents just bought in England is the opportunity to get away from Sean. While there, she explores the rooms and finds various things left behind from the previous residents. She learns of the missing village women, and before long, she's unraveling the mystery Flora stumbled upon. While learning what happened, Addison's own nightmare has followed her.
We are under the firm belief that Sarah Jio cannot write a bad book. With every one of her books, you are gripped from start to finish. You get thrown for a loop with every plot twist she throws at you. She writes stories full of characters you can't help but bond with. We rooted for Desmond and Flora to have a happy ending. We were excited when Sean got his in the end. We were floored when you read how Flora took matters into her own brave hands during a cab ride. The way everything ties together in the end is nothing short of breathtaking.
We hope you read The Last Camellia and love it every bit as much as we did. We hope you find the story one of strength and inspiration. We hope you read the book with a glass of wine handy and some chocolate.
Thank you, Sarah Jio, for writing books that forever stay with us. It is our honor and privilege to read your novels. We can't wait for the next one!
Labels: Historical Fiction, Joint Reviews
Rose Harbor In Bloom
The Murders at Astaire Castle by Lauren Carr
The Lavender Garden by Lucinda Riley


I opened my PT practice a little over a year ago, and the Strata team was a critical resource in so many ways. They are knowledgeable, responsive, friendly, and always willing to work with me through questions I have or changes I want to make. I am so grateful for their expertise. Thank you!
MPT, CLT, Owner of Physical Therapy Professional Center, Inc.
We have worked with StrataPT for over 4 years now and customer service has been excellent. Our account manager has always been quick to answer questions and taken the time to thoroughly explain the billing process. We enjoy working with them.


This year, Thanksgiving celebrations might be cut short for Macy's employees as some stores consider opening that night to get a head start on the Black Friday rush.
"Let the shareholders work instead," wrote an employee in the Chicago area, asking that her name and store location not be used. "This country has lost all regard for family values and tradition."
Macy's executive office at Westfarms Mall couldn't say whether or not that store would be open the night of Thanksgiving.
There are 10 Macy's stores in Connecticut.
Macy's isn't the only retailer to consider opening its doors on the holiday. Last year, Walmart stores opened on Thanksgiving, despite petitions in which employees asked to keep their holiday. Target and Toys"R"Us stores opened that night. Kmart has long been open on Thanksgiving day, offering employees split shifts so they can spend some time at home.
According to an employee, Macy's has offered her a split shift for Thanksgiving night, with a return Friday afternoon, as well as a shift beginning at 7:30 pm.
Many Connecticut residents say retailers should continue to honor the holiday and give employees the time off.
"That's horrible," said Manchester resident Olga Talavera. "Thanksgiving should be sacred."
"They need to make money and everything has gone commercial," said Dee Calabrese, also of Manchester. "It's just about the money."


The early studies of homeless children took place in contexts in which the problem of family homelessness had recently emerged and where communities had not had sufficient time nor had marshaled adequate resources to address the needs of this new homeless subgroup. While difficult to document, it is likely that shelter conditions for families have improved in most cities between the mid-1980s and mid-1990s. What a typical child who was homeless in Washington, DC, in 1985 experienced versus what a child who was homeless in Worcester, Massachusetts, encountered in 1995 are very likely quite different. The contrast to 1985 is probably even greater now. The Stewart B. McKinney Act, which was passed in the late 1980s, has funneled hundreds of millions of dollars each year to communities to use in improving housing options and services available to homeless single adults, families, and unaccompanied youths. Legal changes and funding to reduce educational obstacles for homeless children could have made a difference in some communities as evidenced by findings in Worcester (Buckner et al., 2001) and more broadly (Anderson et al., 1995). It is safe to say that, were it not for Federal, state, and local funding to address the needs of homeless individuals and families, their plight would clearly be much worse.
One can make a bit more sense out of the inconsistencies across studies of homeless children by recognizing that the time span between some of these investigations was long enough that what investigators were observing in the later studies entailed a much greater societal response to the issue of homelessness that what the earliest studies had witnessed. For instance, it is probable that the "null" findings regarding school and education-related outcomes for homeless children in Worcester in the mid-1990s (Buckner et al., 2001) would not have emerged had the same investigation in the same city been conducted a decade earlier, before implementation of the McKinney Act and other responses, which began to rectify difficulties that homeless children were having in attending school.


Since the deregulation of the retail electricity industry in 2002 by the Texas legislature, millions of Texans have opted to compare electricity rates and switch electricity providers. Giving the power of choice back to Texans has been popular with roughly 90% of residents switching their own electricity plans. Many Texans have made significant electricity savings as a result. But Texas state legislation requires consumers in deregulated areas to buy electricity plans from electricity providers only. This is in contrast to other states with deregulation where consumers can buy from either their utility or a provider.
It's impossible for residents to choose the TDSP, though they can choose their desired REP.
Texans have the privilege of choosing from among dozens of competing electricity providers. They all offer various rates, contract lengths, and discounts. Each provider comes with own website laced with confusing offers, overlooked fine print and introductory rates. The legal terms and narrow usage level bill credits used for marketing purposes often confuse consumers. In the end, you may get unexpected fees and miss out on potential savings on your power bills.
When searching for an electricity provider, it's important to choose a provider that best suits your needs. Due diligence will ensure you make the correct switch and avoid regrets later.
Price Structure – Is the price fixed or variable? The Electricity Provider should provide the pricing structure information directly on the contract.
Supply Price – Providers offer different rates for each electricity plan. These rates represent the average rate you would pay for 500, 1,000 or 2,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per month. Texas electricity providers are required to display these three rates for each electricity plan. This gives the customers an idea of the rates for a specific usage level.
Length of Contract – Texas energy providers offer a wide range of contract lengths. They include month to month variable versions of long-term fixed-rate contracts that can last years. Besides, you could also choose prepaid electricity plans to avoid credit checks and deposits. The type and length of your contract will depend on the time spent at home and your specific budget.
Rate timing – Electricity providers' change their energy rates monthly. This is to reflect their own costs for procuring electricity. Thus electricity rates follow a predictable pattern of rising and falling according to the seasons. Extreme weather and emergencies can sometimes change this.
Evol Power has done the hard work for you. By shopping with us to compare electricity rates, we can help you find the features of a plan that suit your needs. We have also partnered with some of the respected, reputable retail electricity providers in Texas. Our partnership provides us with a wide variety of excellent plans that help us maintain the highest levels of customer service.


A privatised city is easier to build because it removes power from people and communities and centralises it into the hands of one person or corporation.
Four years after the Narendra Modi government launched the Rs 20,000-crore Namami Gange project, Scroll.in investigates how it is progressing.
In Delhi and other cities in the north, the homeless suffer the most as temperatures plummet while in the eastern metropolis of Kolkata, clean air remains elusive. News from these and other cities in this week's edition of City Buzz.
Will the rains bring relief to water-starved Chennai? What's the latest news from Marina? Can you find your neighbourhood temple online now? A quick recap of important news from your city this week.
The mountain range is a rare green lung in Haryana, acts as a barrier to the Thar desert eating into habited areas and facilitates groundwater recharge.
Days after BJP President Amit Shah made a pro-Karnataka comment on the Mhadei inter-state water dispute, Union Minister of State for AYUSH Shripad Naik on Saturday denied that Shah had made any commitment to divert water from the Mhadei river to Karnataka and resolve dispute within six months.
DUBAI (Reuters) - The Iranian rial plunged to a record low against the U.S. dollar in the free market on Wednesday after U.S. President Donald Trump decided to withdraw from a deal on Tehran's nuclear programme, fuelling fears of an economic crisis in Iran.
DUBAI (Reuters) - School buildings and desalination facilities producing fresh water will feature in some of the first deals as Saudi Arabia transfers a quarter of its economy to private hands, an official overseeing the process said on Wednesday.
RIYADH (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia aims to generate 35 billion to 40 billion riyals ($9 billion to $11 billion) in non-oil revenues from its privatisation programme by 2020 and create up to 12,000 jobs, according to a document published by the official Saudi Press Agency on Tuesday.
RIYADH (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia aims to generate 35 to 40 billion riyals ($9-11 billion) in non-oil revenues from its privatisation programme by 2020 and create up to 12,000 jobs, according to a document published by the official news agency on Tuesday.
Teachers and students of various universities on Wednesday held a march here to protest against the government decision to accord 'autonomy' to institutions of higer education, calling it a "ruse to privatise government-funded higher education".


text:
Plexippus niccensis är en spindelart som beskrevs av Bösenberg, Strand 1906. Plexippus niccensis ingår i släktet Plexippus och familjen hoppspindlar. Inga underarter finns listade i Catalogue of Life.

Källor

Externa länkar

Hoppspindlar
niccensis

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


"The new ŠKODA Rapid Spaceback is a milestone for ŠKODA: it means that we are entering the strategically important segment of compact hatchback models," says ŠKODA's CEO Winfried Vahland. "The Rapid Spaceback is a great addition to this class in that it combines ŠKODA's good practical characteristics with the popular hatchback shape. Sporting the new ŠKODA design, the Rapid Spaceback has a fresh, dynamic and individual appearance. It is a compact car with a sporty chic, spacious and practical, ideal for young people and families," says Vahland.
The new ŠKODA Rapid Spaceback has a clear, independent appearance with a special chic. It is a car which exudes sporty freshness and dynamic elegance, making it attractive and appealing at first sight. The side view offers special accents. Compared with conventional hatchback models, it looks sportier and stretched, almost like a coupe, letting it stand out visually from the competition.
The ŠKODA Rapid Spaceback's dynamic silhouette is marked by clear lines, a long wheelbase (2,602 millimeters) and the sharp, high tornado line. The Rapid Spaceback has a 'C' and a 'D' column with a third side window.
Individualization is a focus area in this car, one of the highlights of the new Rapid Spaceback being the huge panoramic glass roof available as an option. This tinted glass roof reaches all the way from the windscreen to the rear window, offering passengers an unobstructed view of the sky. Combined with the panoramic glass roof, the optional prolong rear window constitutes an additional design accent. In this solution, the tinted glass of the rear window reaches about ten centimetres further down the rear door than in the normal rear window. In connection with the panoramic glass roof, the dark tint of the glass surface reaches from the windscreen all across the roof and deep into the rear door. A black spoiler at the upper end of the rear window emphasizes the dynamic impression.
The tail end of the car emphasizes the sporty character of the ŠKODA Spaceback. It features clear lines and creates a balanced and uncluttered impression. A black diffuser element equally underlines the horizontal orientation as well as the broad tail lights in brand-typical 'C' design.
Up to the B-pillar, the design of the front of the ŠKODA Rapid Spaceback is based on the Rapid sedan. The core elements are: a prominent grille with 19 vertical ribs and a chrome frame, the new logo on the rounded front end of the hood, the cloverleaf arrangement of the headlights and fog lights.
The interior of the new Rapid Spaceback impresses with sporty three-spoke steering wheels, stylish trim lines and fresh designs for the seat covers. As is typical of ŠKODA, the interior of the new ŠKODA Rapid Spaceback offers a lot of space: though the exterior of the new model measures 18 centimeters less than the Rapid saloon, passenger space is just as generous as in the car's 'big brother'. The rear of the Rapid Spaceback offers the largest legroom (64 millimeters) and the largest headroom (980 millimeters) in its segment. Likewise, the trunk volumes are among the best figures in the segment, measuring 415 liters or 1,380 liters when the rear bench is folded down.
This generous space is complemented by numerous 'Simply Clever' solutions. For example, the new Rapid Spaceback has an optional double cargo floor in the trunk, permitting the trunk to be divided into two horizontal levels providing double utility. And there is no need to leave the double floor behind when using maximum trunk space as it can simply be moved into the lower position. Furthermore, the Rapid Spaceback offers all the practical features familiar with from the Rapid including the ice scraper in the fuel filler flap and the holder for the safety vest under the driver seat, the double-sided floor cover in the trunk or the waste bin in the side door. Other examples include the parking ticket holder, the multimedia holder, the cup holders in the front and rear or the parcel shelf that can be stowed behind the rear seats.
The new ŠKODA Rapid Spaceback offers the high safety that has come to be expected of ŠKODA. An extensive safety package protects passengers in case of an accident. In particular, it includes front, side and head airbags, height-adjustable three-point safety belts with pre-tensioners and height-adjustable head restraints. In EU countries, the ABS and ESC systems are standard. Other active safety features are optional xenon headlights, tire pressure control, fog-lights with corner function or the 'hill-hold control' assistant.
In Europe, the new ŠKODA Rapid Spaceback is available with four petrol and two diesel engines. These advanced power plants put out between 55 and 90 kW, the 1.6 TDI/66 kW celebrating its premiere in the Rapid model series. In the GreenLine version with this engine, the Rapid Spaceback consumes a mere 3.8 l per 100 km, CO2 emissions amounting to 99 g/km.
The ŠKODA Rapid Spaceback is the latest innovation as part of the largest model offensive in ŠKODA's 118-year history as a company. Over the coming years, the brand is set to overhaul its entire model range and expand it into additional segments. On average, one new or re-engineered ŠKODA model will be introduced onto the market every six months. This model offensive is the core of the ŠKODA Growth Strategy 2018, by which time ŠKODA sales are to rise to at least 1.5 million per year.
The Rapid range features three petrol engines and one diesel with various power outputs, all compliant to Euro 5 standards. All engines are four-cylinder, except the base 1.2 petrol which is a three-cylinder unit.
Its a superb Model more like a SUV and Sedan at the same time,You have posted quite useful thing and i am really liking the Article shows your knowledge and how goodly you have talked about it.
This is what makes Skoda very special the way everything is here in this place appreciate you guys.
My bluetooth stop to work on my Rapid Spaceback. It's finding devices but all the time connection is failed. Any solutions?


The 181-room Renaissance Santiago will be the brand's first Chilean property when it debuts in 2013, the hotel company announced this week. The property will open in the upscale residential Vitacura district, across the street from a mall and as part of a larger office complex. A restaurant, a coffee bar and a terrace lounge will be on-site, as will a fitness center, a swimming pool and four large meeting spaces, including a ballroom.


text:
Read the emotional speech LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner gave employees after the Microsoft deal
Chris O'Brien@obrien
LinkedIn signage in the lobby of its San Francisco office.
Image Credit: Ken Yeung/VentureBeat
No doubt the news that LinkedIn had agreed to be acquired by Microsoft for $26 billion hit every employee of the social networking company like a thunderbolt.
Remarkably, word of the mega deal wasn't leaked before the announcement. Employees found out along with the rest of the world that CEO Jeff Weiner and chairman Reid Hoffman had engineered the shocking transaction.
Not long after learning of their twist of fate, employees gathered for an all-hands meeting to hear directly from Weiner and Hoffman. After shouldering the drama internally for weeks, Weiner stood before his employees and immediately found himself overwhelmed with emotion, according to a transcript filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
"So let's start with the facts of that email I sent this morning, I'm going to be touching on many of the same points and just a little preface — if I get a little emotional as I go through the content, please don't misinterpret it, it is not coming from a place of sadness. I promise you, it's not," Weiner said. "Not that there's anything wrong with that. It is coming from a place of deep appreciation and gratitude to all of you. You know how much — it's happening already, Jesus, two minutes in. It's going to be a long all hands."
"You know how I feel about this company, you know how I feel about all of you, but it is beyond a privilege to be working alongside of you to build what we have built, and we will keep building. If I do get a little verklempt, my team has instructions as always to lob in a really bad joke to reel me back in, hopefully that will work. Speaking of emotion and feeling a little verklempt, some of you in the audience here today are probably going through your own emotional roller coaster. I want you to know it is completely normal and natural."
Just a moment later:
"With that, let's get started, I want to start by saying thank you. Don't need the joke yet. Thank you for the best job I've ever had. We may need a joke now. No, I'm okay."
After finally collecting himself, Weiner praised employees for how far the company had come. And he explained why he felt their work was still in early stages: A work revolution was at hand that would make LinkedIn more vital than ever.
In essence, Weiner said technology, and robotics in particular, was accelerating in a way that millions of workers would be displaced from their jobs. These employees would need new opportunities and new connections to reinvent themselves, and LinkedIn was perfectly positioned to help them do that — with Microsoft's help.
"That dystopian future where robots replace people, that has been predicted in science fiction for decades, it's happening," he said. "It has begun. And what amounted to headlines over a three-week period at some point will turn into a torrent of daily news. Whether it is the displacement of individuals and people by virtue of new technologies, whether it is the widening skills gap, whether it is the growing problem with youth-based unemployment, or record levels of socioeconomic stratification, creating economic opportunity will be the defining issue of our time."
He also talked about his pride in the company's culture. And as an example of employees' fidelity, he pointed to the fact that actually quite a few LinkedIn employees had been aware of the negotiations with Microsoft but hadn't blabbed about it. Weiner didn't say exactly how many had known about the talks, but he said:
I will give you a shining example, something Satya and I have both been fielding today because repeatedly we get the question, how in the world did this not leak? One of the largest internet and technology deals in history, how did it not leak? And what I didn't provide them details of was the number of people who have been brought over the wall…When we originally were talking about the number of people, I thought it would be appropriate to bring over the wall, consistent with our culture and values of transparency, open, honest and constructive, I was told you can't do that, it will leak. It is an inevitability. You bring a certain critical mass of people over the wall, it will leak. And that is the same playing down to the lowest common denominator that we are trying to defy, and sure enough, look at what happened. That is such a special quality. That is a competitive advantage. So we've got the what in terms of our mission and vision, the how in terms of culture and values.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly to me, a Duke University alumnus, he explained his business motto, which came from a sports hero of his. Remembering the day of LinkedIn's all-hands meeting after its IPO, Weiner said:
At the end of that meeting we finished with two words that became our unofficial mantra, you guys remember what was? Next play. For those of you less familiar with the expression, it is a turn of phrase I picked up from Mike Krzyzewski, arguably one of the great coaches in American sports history, I'm not suggesting I endorse the Duke Blue Devils, so please no hissing and booing from people who went to other schools, but I'm a huge fan of coach K, I think the guy is extraordinary, and it turns out unbeknownst to most people, every time the Duke Blue Devils finish a play on either the offensive or defensive end of the court, no matter what happens, he says the exact same thing, next play. Next play. Don't linger too long on celebrating an amazing 360 dunk, and don't linger too long on messing up and having the opposing team steal the ball and get an easy lay-up on the other end. Spend one moment to reflect on it and then turn to the next play. This idea of next play, it served us very well then, and it will serve us very well now. So here's to the next stepping stone. Next Play. Thank you.


Each year the Nonny Milne Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Arts is awarded to a Comox Valley creative. This year's recipient is artist Robert Moon. Images of his work can be seen by going to Approaching Painting exhibition and project room studio at CVAG.
Games Night at the Summernight Market!


Hold this thought: There are real golden nuggets of data that many organisations are oblivious to. But first let's look at business process management.
Business process management, what is there not to like. It has revolutionised the way we organise and do business. Right?
Your business is applying, measuring and managing the process, right?
The process is king, it's a great process, and your organisation loves it, right?
There is no process other than the known, approved, socialised and proven process, right?
You may think that your best data is in the enterprise data warehouse (Bill or Ralph). I will not argue with that.
You may consider that the gold rush starts and ends in the exploitation of Big Data (what I like to call All Data). You may have a point, or not.
You may speculate that your best data may come from external social media sources? Well, that's a commonly held view, and who am I to challenge a commonly held view, for as erroneous and popularly acclaimed as it may be.
But, if you thought all this were true, would you be right?
In companies, good, mediocre and bad, people follow processes, they follow these processes as best as they can until they work out how to do something better, faster, cheaper and easier. They may even skip process points completely or simply rearrange them, and in ways that business analysts never thought of. You see, processes can be clever, but people are really smart. But we knew that already.
People can be astute, honestly and innovatively so, and businesses function as well as they do, not only because of the assets, systems or the processes, or even due to the capital of the business, but because of the people who work for them, and conspire together to make things run effectively.
This fact now stated opens up the whole world of hidden data and knowledge, the real data gems of the business world. I mean 'business world' in the widest sense of all the businesses all around the world, whether for profit, non-profit or public.
From the top to the bottom of the organisation, in the matrix, left to the right, there is a wealth of data that refuses to be digitised, evades formal capture and defies measurement.
In my precocious youth I used to refer to this data as the "data that falls between the cracks", and would got weird looks from my management as a result.
My first encounter with "data that falls between the cracks" was with Fred's Book.
Fred's Book was the mother of parallel processes, and then some. In my youth I was asked to model an industrial process in a factory. My focus was on logistics, production and distribution. In the course of my investigations I discovered some glaring anomalies between the senior management views of the process and the actual interpretation of that process. I dug deeper. Formally, I was told nothing that really veered from the official business operating model. Of course, it was different story after a couple of beers on a Friday night.
It turned out there was a whole sub-process in play, and that it was all being coordinated through Fred's Book, an almanac of all things related to the off-book business process, curated by Fred, a shop-steward and supervisor of one of the departments at the core of the process.
I interviewed Fred to find out more of the fascinating process that he was curating, but at the end of a long session he asked me not to reveal his 'book' to senior management.
Fred's book was the glue that held part of the business process together, it was the data, information and knowledge that kept things working in spite of inadequacies and contradictions in the formal process. But later I found out there were more 'books'. There was Tommy's book in distribution, Lily's book in production, Maria's book in quality, and Harry's factory floor management cookbook. The whole business was running on an efficient and effective parallel process, documented in living notebooks (the paper kind), notebooks that underpinned and provided a workable framework for CRM, MIS and ERP.
Over the years I have encountered various artefacts of the Fred's Book kind in many organisations. Not only that, sometimes Fred's Book is virtual and codified, making it even less tangible to the digital data twitchers and information botherers. But it still has unmeasured value. We know it has value, but we might not be sure as to how much value. Which in general is more than can be said for faddish Big Data. The personal knowledge, experience and wisdom that people bring to bear in their working and private lives is one of the most valuable assets that a business potentially has access to, even if they don't know it or incapable of appreciating what they have and of then encouraging people to share and apply that knowledge and experience, wisely.
So, how do we ensure we don't lose Fred's knowledge and experience? How do we stop the good sense from leaking out of organisations? How do we ensure that we don't throw out the knowledge baby and keep the Big Data bath water?
Driving business agility, competitiveness and strength requires far more than Data Warehousing, Big Data, Business Intelligence, Machine Learning, or Analytics and Data Science. It takes far more than supervision by numbers, shapes and colours; decisions based on sophisticated coin flipping; or, the voodoo analytics of the causation-free data bodgers. It needs the data, information and knowledge that resides in people's heads and the wisdom needed to know when, where and how to apply that knowledge. That's where the real golden nuggets are.
This is why I am so sceptical of the claims of Big Data "gurus" and other assorted charlatans, who seem to believe in their Homeric powers to move whole armies across the Alps with the click of a mouse, and just backed up with the invisible safety-net of the promised benefits accruable from exabytes of trashy social media feeds and bloated internet logs.
Historian Paul Kennedy, while acknowledging that no single variable can explain success, maintains the metanarrative that wars are ultimately won by a superior organization imbued with a culture of innovation that actively encourages inquiry, experimentation, and interdisciplinary problem solving.
This to me means that an organisation must focus on what is important, what it is good at, and what it has that is really important, and then apply it.
For many companies diverting the corporate attention from the important to the peripheral is a bad idea, that comes with many risks, and if that marginal and peripheral shiny-thing turns out to be large volumes, varieties and velocities of data with little or no value, then even more reason not to get caught up in the facile, superficial and peripheral issues of little or no value.
I like football, many people do. I support two teams, Real Madrid and Cordoba. When Real Madrid play FC Barcelona what preparations are made in advance? What is the focus of the preparation? Some people say that fan motivation helps the team to perform better, so maybe we should analyse the entire global fan base of Barcelona, Big Data style, in order to work out how to influence the influencers. But would I suggest such a tactic to any of the big clubs? Of course not, they would tell me to go away, and quite rightly so.
Don Revie had a dossier on all referees.
He used to make his teams study the referee for the upcoming game, so they could ask about his family, his hobbies, etc.
Most teams get 50% of decisions go their way.
Leeds used to get 80% of decisions go their way.
No Big Data Kool-Aid, no Data Science, no voodoo analytics, just good old fashioned knowledge, experience and street smarts.


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Six arrested for allegedly laundering criminal cash in Japan
Japanese police have arrested a Nigerian man and five Japanese over an alleged money laundering racket involving transfers of around 700 million yen (US$6.03 million; EUR4.4 million) via suspected crime syndicates abroad.
Police in Saitama prefecture near Tokyo detained Nigerian restaurant operator Felix Steve Asabor, 40, his Japanese wife Eriko, 42, and four other Japanese on suspicion of defrauding financial institutions, a police official said on customary condition of anonymity.
The arrests on Sunday came after a team of investigators went to the U.S. where they confirmed with the FBI that the transferred money represented "profits from crimes," the official said.
The amount involved is believed to have been the largest ever identified by Japanese police in connection with money laundering, he said, and was obtained through forged checks and fake investment swindles.
Since 2005 the gang had opened about 40 accounts with several financial institutions in Saitama and Tokyo, the police official said. Asabor is suspected of later withdrawing the money deposited in the accounts and transferring most of it to suspected crime syndicates in several countries, including Canada, China and the United States, via another Nigerian in Japan, the official said.
Japanese financial institutions have stepped up their monitoring of international and domestic fund transfers in recent years, checking the identities of people shifting even relatively small amounts of money as part of a broad effort to stop the flow of money to terrorists.


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Newark MP Mr Robert Jenrick and Sherwood MP Mr Mark Spencer vote against government Brexit motion to extend Article 50
By Emily Gill
e.gill@newarkadvertiser.co.uk
Published: 13:38, 15 March 2019
| Updated: 13:42, 15 March 2019
Local MPs voted against the government motion for an extension of Article 50 last night.
For the third day in a row, MPs voted on a series of Brexit motions in the House of Commons, which saw a government motion to extend Article 50 beyond March 29 pass by 413 votes to 202.
Newark MP Mr Robert Jenrick and Sherwood MP Mr Mark Spencer were among the 202 MPs who voted against the motion.
Mr Jenrick said: "I have always supported leaving the EU in an orderly manner, with a deal.
"I have voted for the only deal available, that of the Prime Minister, but it has not yet been supported by a majority in Parliament.
"I promised that I would do all I could to secure our departure on March 29 and if no deal were agreed, to leave regardless, and so I voted for that and against an extension to the process.
"I would prefer a deal, but the country voted to leave and we need to get on with it."


You take the small percentage of illegal aliens who are criminals and paint the entire group with that stigma. There are always criminals who've come in with any demographic wave. The Irish brought their's, the Italians brought theirs (a little organization called the Mafia - maybe you've heard of them). Are you claiming that all Americans of Italian descent are members of the mob? That's essentially what you are doing with your statement above. You are making the same mistake folks did during earlier waves of immigration. Back then locals wanted to round up and throw out all those Italians, Irish etc and send them back where they came from too - but that didn't happen, the immigrants stayed, and somehow America went on to not only survive but to prosper - thanks to a large degree to the efforts of the newcomers.
The list of famous and success immigrants to America is huge and include such familiar names as Bob Hope, Albert Einstein, Henry Kissenger, Arnold Schwarzenegger, John Muir, Joseph Pulitzer, Irving Berlin, Gloria Estefan, and Levi Strauss. In fact whole industries have been started by immigrants. The motion picture industry (and all the millions of US jobs it provides) wouldn't exist if not for the ambitions of immigrants such as Louis B. Mayer and Samual Goldwyn.
While I think that immigration controls are needed, the types of folks coming in are likely no worse (overall) than in previous immigration waves - meaning that they are in general hard-working and ambitious, so who knows what kind of achievements and contributions they are likely to make in the long run.
Last edited by LordBalfor; 11-07-2007 at 09:17 AM..
Show me where I said anything about 'criminals'. Criminal illegal aliens are another issue entirely.
First of all, let's separate LEGAL immigrants from ILLEGAL immigrants because the two groups represent entirely different subsets of the population. LEGAL immigrants are people who have complied with US immigration law and come here the right way. They have filed the required paperwork, undergone the health screenings, etc. and I think it is fair to say that many are well educated and will benefit US society. No one argues against LEGAL immigrants. You are free to name call all you want (let's see what have we got so far?- Nazis, racist, KKK, fat, lazy) it does not change the fact that the overwhelming majority of people here do not have a problem with legal immigration.
I, and others on the forum, do have a problem with ILLEGAL immigrants.
Here are two of the many reasons why.
1. During the Great Wave of immigration early in the 20th century, the population of the US was less than 1/3 of what it is now. 1900=76 million, now we have around 300 million people. In 1900, there was a need to increase our population numbers. Today there is not. IMO, the US is at full capacity and we simply cannot continue to add tens of millions more people without serious resource depletion and a diminished quality of life.
2. Illegal immigrants are overwhelmingly impoverished and poorly educated. Many have not even completed HS. During immigrations heyday of in the late 19th-early 20th centuries, having an education was not crucial to succeeding in the US. At that time, decent paying jobs were available in mills and factories. The only requirement was a strong back and a willingness to work. It did not matter if you had not completed HS. This is what lifted so many immigrant families out of poverty and into the middle class. These jobs are no longer here and they will not be back. What is happening with illegal immgration now is that there are millions of uneducated, unskilled people in the US who will never move out of poverty. Yes, some will. The majority won't. By allowing illegal immigration to continue we are importing a new underclass.
I bet every last one of these people came here legally.
While I think, that immigration controls are needed, the types of folks coming in are likely no worse (overall) than in previous immigration waves - meaning that they are in general hard-working and ambitious, so who knows what kind of achievements and contributions they are likely to make in the long run.
You just keep on waiting for those achievements and contributions to society.
1. Report on the Legalized Alien Population, Immigration and Naturalization Service, M-375, March 1992.
New immigrants did NOT make this country what it is. Immigrants of my grandparent's generation--parents of the Greatest Generation, made this country what it is.
According to Stephen McNamee and Robert K. Miller, Jr., authors of "The Meritocracy Myth," 49.7% of America's wealth is spread out amongst 1/5 of its population.
The remaining 4/5 of us are working our a**es off to survive.
Your blatant denial of the American work ethic and attitude of derision towards Americans in general, devalues any judgement you might have to offer.
That's right - IMMIGRANTS made this country what it is. Your own words.
And people thought little of them at the time too.
You need to differentiate legal from illegal immigrants. The two groups differ in very significant ways, not the least of which is that one is in compliance with the law while the other is not.
The immigrants who made this country what is today came here legally. They were in compliance with the laws at that time.
That's right - IMMIGRANTS made this country what it is.
I'm so sick of this tired old line.
Everyone made this country what it is, native born and immigrants alike.
The word "immigrant" describes a person's place of birth. It says nothing of his character. "Immigrant" is not a class of people. An immigrant can be completely uneducated or possess multiple doctorates; can be honest or a cheat; can be a hard worker or lazy; sane or crazy. That someone is an immigrant does not make him special. That past immigrants have served to populate a sparsely populated nation does not mean we need more immigrants today. That Chinese built the railroads does not mean we need Mexicans to hang drywall.
Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, et. al., made this country what it is. Neither were immigrants.
Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, et. al., made this country what it is.
No, they made a country that tolerated institutionalized slavery and denied the vote to women. Progressive for their time but still a product of that time. They set a great foundation - best the world had ever seen - but it was everyone who came later (either by birth or by immigration) that made America what it is.
Our forefathers made this country what it is today, not all the immigrants, including my own ancestors who came in the 1600's.
And, even if we are a "land of immigrants" (which I guess every country is, except Africa if you believe in evolution), it doesn't mean that people should come here illegally - there are legal ways. We are the most welcoming country on the globe, and we take in more immigrants than anyone else. Why should we put up with lawbreakers and, in fact, reward them?
Good. I'd like to dispel with the tired buzzwords and catch-phrases.
The bold is what I was referring to. Without this foundation, the US would be drastically different.
Geez, you just can't get past that tired old trope of yours. You seem to believe that today's illegal immigrants contribute on the same scale as those of the past. As I've stated previously (and you obviously failed to grasp) unless a person is 100% Native American Indian, then immigrant stock must be in their ancestry somewhere down the line.
This country was great long before the current invasion of illegal immigrants. Mexico is dumping its poor and uneducated into the United States in greater numbers than any other country simply by virtue of their proximity to our southern border. Unlike immigration waves of the past, we are not receiving many of the best and the brightest from various countries, the explorers and the innovators--we are receiving the flotsam and jetsam that Mexico's corrupt government cannot be bothered to assist. The first generations of immigrants didn't come here to dump their anchor babies, bleed social services dry and send billions of illegally earned dollars to their home countries every year. They came to be Americans. They came to work hard and to raise their children in the greatest country on Earth. They came to contribute to this land and when called upon, they sent their children off to die in defense of this country.
How dare you even compare people who flagrantly and blatantly disregard sovereign U.S. law to come to this country at the expense of her own citizens to the immigrants who built this country?


text:
Department of Italian Studies
Home > Calendar > Annual Festival of New Italian Cinema
Annual Festival of New Italian Cinema
Saturday, April 22, 2023 - 7:30pm
Sunday, April 23, 2023 - 1:00pm
Auditorium See map
53 Wall Street
The 16th Annual Festival of New Italian Cinema will take place
Thursday, April 20 - Sunday, April 23, 2023, 53 Wall Street Auditorium.
Professor Marcus along with the students are screening films and will announce this years line up soon.
We're looking forward to seeing you in the Spring.
ann.delauro@yale.edu


[EAN: 9781606599365], New book, [PU: Phaze Books], Language: English . Brand New Book ***** Print on Demand *****. Crossroads: Handsome ex-cop Frank McGuire is on a quest to locate his dead partner s missing son. Rand Brennan has an identity issue, exacerbated due to the death of his father. Hoping to find himself, Rand drops out of college, takes to the streets, and doesn t realize he s embroiled in duplicity and murder. In order to save Rand, Frank must confront the nefarious killers and.confront his long-suppressed feelings for Rand. Crossroads Revisited: Frank McGuire is beginning to think the City has become a melting pot for serial killers. Another maniac is stalking the streets, only this time the deviant isn t tracking Goth girls, but gay college students. Rumors surface that put Frank s life in jeopardy, and somehow he must protect Rand from the carnage about to unfold. What he didn t count on was Rand becoming the killer s next victim. Crossroads Showdown: Tough PI, Frank McGuire, attempts to help the FBI locate three abducted children from a small town in West Virginia. While channeling his inner spirit for assistance, he mistakenly calls forth a ghost. As Frank races against time to locate the missing girls, he receives help from the most unlikely of sources. To complicate matters, Rand has decided it s time Frank commit to their relationship -- or run the risk of Rand being gone when he returns.
Crossroads: Handsome ex-cop Frank McGuire is on a quest to locate his dead partner's missing son. Rand Brennan has an identity issue, exacerbated due to the death of his father. Hoping to find himself, Rand drops out of college, takes to the streets, and doesn't realize he's embroiled in duplicity and murder. In order to save Rand, Frank must confront the nefarious killers and...confront his long-suppressed feelings for Rand. Crossroads Revisited: Frank McGuire is beginning to think the City has become a melting pot for serial killers. Another maniac is stalking the streets, only this time the deviant isn't tracking Goth girls, but gay college students. Rumors surface that put Frank's life in jeopardy, and somehow he must protect Rand from the carnage about to unfold. What he didn't count on was Rand becoming the killer's next victim. Crossroads Showdown: Tough PI, Frank McGuire, attempts to help the FBI locate three abducted children from a small town in West Virginia. While channeling his inner spirit for assistance, he mistakenly calls forth a ghost. As Frank races against time to locate the missing girls, he receives help from the most unlikely of sources. To complicate matters, Rand has decided it's time Frank commit to their relationship -- or run the risk of Rand being gone when he returns.


text:
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