Step Ahead Aberdeen is a local charity affiliated to Chest Heart and Stroke, which provides exercise after stroke at Aberdeen Sports Village. Group members participate in evidence based exercise led by SPEARs Neurophysiotherapists.
Professional. Following referral an introductory visit is arranged to confirm suitability for the classes, to orientate to the exercise environment, and to provide information on class structure and format.
All classes are 60 minutes long.
Step Ahead Aberdeen is the best thing that's happened to my husband and I since he had his stroke last year.
The classes have offered the best exercise, fun and friendship for us both. Lynn, Sarah and Linda have been fantastic. It's been a life line and I don't know where we would have been without it!


text:
Barbero nominated to head IED defeat office
Experience in theater seen as key factor in selection
By William Welsh
An Army officer with an appreciation for the continuing challenges U.S. ground forces face fighting insurgents in Southwest Asia has been nominated to lead the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization (JIEDDO), reports Irene Smith at Army News Service.
Lt. Gen. Michael Barbero, deputy commander for advising and training, United States Forces-Iraq, was nominated Nov. 10 by President Barrack Obama to lead JIEDDO. If confirmed by the Senate, he would replace Lt. Gen. Michael Oates as JIEDDO director at an unspecified date in 2011.
Barbero's experience in theater was a key factor in his selection to lead the organization in its mission to rapidly deliver new and advanced counter-IED capability to combat commanders, Army officials said.
JIEDDO focuses on how to defeat the devices in the field and also how to disrupt insurgent networks that plant the devices.
William Welsh is a freelance writer covering IT and defense technology.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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text:
Науеліто (El Nahuelito) — невідома водна істота (криптид), що, згідно з місцевими повір'ями, нібито мешкає в озері Науель-Уапі, розташованому в аргентинській Патагонії. Як і багато «озерних чудовиськ», своє прізвисько істота отримала за аналогією з найбільш відомим з озерних криптидів, Нессі — від назви озера. Можливі очевидці описують Науеліто як «величезну змію», дивні «горби» на воді або як плезіозавра, що теж нагадує описи багатьох інших подібних криптидів. Як і в інших випадках, існування цієї тварини не має вартих довіри підтверджень, незважаючи на її систематичні пошуки. Існують фотографії і навіть відеозапис, на яких, начебто, зображено Науеліто, але їхнє походження сумнівне, і що саме на них зображено, зрозуміти важко. Втім, легенда про Науеліто добре відома в Аргентині і згадується у класичних книгах і статтях з криптозоології.

Історія
Вважається, що легенда про Науеліто існувала серед корінних мешканців ще до часів завоювання Америки — в цих краях взагалі поширені історії про існування того чи іншого водного монстру практично будь-де з річок або озер Патагонії. Представники місцевих племен розповідали про випадкові зустрічі з подібними істотами ще першим дослідникам цієї місцевості.

З 1897 року доктор Клементе Онеллі, директор зоопарку Буенос-Айреса, почав отримувати спорадичні повідомлення про дивну істоту, яка, можливо, мешкає в патагонських озерах. Особливу увагу привернула історія Джорджа Гаррета — у 1910 році цей чоловік, працюючи поблизу Науель-Уапі, побачив у воді невизначену тварину на відстані приблизно 400 м від себе. Видима частина істоти мала довжину 5-7 м і виступала над водою приблизно на 2 м. Обговоривши цю зустріч з місцевими мешканцями, він дізнався і інші історії про подібні випадки. Втім, про свою зустріч з невідомим створінням Гаррет розповів лише у 1922 році у газеті «Торонто Глоуб». Цей випадок поширився у міжнародній пресі і викликав ідею організувати експедицію для пошуку Науеліто.

В тому ж році американський золотошукач Мартін Шеффілд повідомив доктору Онеллі про те, що теж бачив у цьому озері невідому тварину з довгою шиєю і тілом, схожим на крокодиляче, а також що виявив на березі озера сліди великих лап. Онеллі вирішив організувати пошукову групу. Її очолив наглядач зоопарку Хосе Чіагі, також до групи входили відомі мисливці, озброєні рушницями для полювання на слонів і динамітом для мінування озера. Подібне обладнання експедиції обурило місцевих мешканців, а Асоціація з захисту тварин подала до міністра внутрішніх справ прохання про скасування пошуків, оскільки полювання на екзотичних тварин у цій місцевості заборонено законом. Втім, дозвіл на проведення експедиції все ж було отримано, але вона не знайшла ніяких доказів існування Науеліто.

У 1960 році з'явилися чутки, нібито ВМС Аргентини протягом 18 днів висліджували помічений в озері непізнаний об'єкт (припускалося, що це підводний човен), але так нічого і не знайшли. Туристичний розвиток розташованого на березі озера Науель-Уапі міста Сан-Карлос-де-Барілоче призвів до зростання кількості повідомлень про спостереження Науеліто, але переконливих фото- або відеозображень істоти на 2022 рік отримано не було. В 1988 році у газеті Ріо-Негро було опубліковано фотографії, на яких начебто зображено цю істоту (посилання на одну з цих світлин). Анонімний автор фотографій у доданому листі стверджував, що впевнений, ніби об'єкт на них являє з себе саме Науеліто, а не щось інше, але якість зображень не дозволяє зрозуміти, що це насправді таке.

У 2020 році двоє рибалок зафільмували на озері Науель-Уапі невизначений предмет, що швидко рухався у воді. Відео доступне на Youtube, але що на ньому відбувається, не зрозуміло.

Опис і гіпотези
Вражає те, що Науеліто за більшістю описів нагадує чудовисько озера Лох-Несс, розташованого у Шотландії, тобто доволі далеко від Патагонії. Схожість викликає блискуча шкіра, два горби, довжина (10-15 метрів), а також довга шия, яку порівнюють з шиєю лебедя. Жителі місцевостей навколо Науель-Уапі розповідають при цих істот, яких вони називають el sueiro, що вони мають тіло розміром з корову, виходять з озер вночі і залишають великі сліди, формою схожі на качині. Крім того, стверджується, ніби чудовисько є хижаком і час від часу нападає на корів.

Через такий вигляд частина криптозоологів схильна вважати Науеліто представником доісторичного виду, що якимось чином дожив до сучасності. Найчастіше цю істоту, як і багатьох з інших подібних криптидів, вважають твариною, подібною до плезіозаврів через їхню загальну зовнішню схожість з гіпотетичним виглядом плезіозавра (і одне з одним, хоча ці озерні чудовиська нібито мешкають у різних районах Землі). Згідно з іншою версією, ця істота може буде подібним до іхтіозавра — скам'янілих решток цих тварин багато в даному регіоні, хоча ствердження про довгу шию Науеліто не збігаються з тим, що палеонтологія знає про зовнішність іхтіозаврів. Так чи інакше, патагонські озера утворилися набагато пізніше, ніж як плезіозаври, так і іхтіозаври вимерли. Ще одне припущення стверджує, ніби Науеліто — це представник виду давніх ссавців мілодонів, які теж водилися у цих краях, але ці тварини навряд вели водний образ життя.

Окрім палеонтологічних теорій, висловлювалася думка, ніби загадкова істота може являти з себе якусь тварину, що зазнала мутації через ядерні випробування Аргентини у 1970-х — 1980-х роках. Найбільше ж екзотична теорія, яку навіть можна назвати нетиповою для звичайних пояснень того, який об'єкт насправді приймають за тварину, полягає в тім, що «Науеліто» насправді є субмариною, але щодо того, ким вона виготовлена і що робить в озері, нічого не відомо.

Раціональні ж пояснення того, що насправді представляє собою «Науеліто», типові для інших «озерних монстрів» — дрейфуючі колоди, підняті з дна бульбашки газу, навіть наземні ссавці, які перепливають озеро, тощо.

Примітки

Криптиди

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
const EventEmitter = require('events');
const fetch = require('node-fetch');
const WebSocket = require('ws');

const ThrottleSender = require('./ThrottleSender');

class SlackBot extends EventEmitter {

  constructor(logger, token) {
    super();

    this.logger = logger;
    this._token = token;

    this._ims = null;
    this._users = null;
    this._self = null;

    this._ws = null;
    this._sender = null;
  }

  async connect() {
    const response = await fetch(
      `https://slack.com/api/rtm.start?token=${this._token}`
    );

    const slackData = await response.json();

    if (!slackData.ok) {
      this.logger.info('Failed Slack connection initilization.', slackData);
      process.exit(1);
    }

    this._ims = slackData.ims;
    this._users = slackData.users;
    this._self = slackData.self;

    const url = slackData.url;
    this._ws = new WebSocket(url);

    this._sender = new ThrottleSender(this.logger, this._ws, this._token);

    this._ws.on('open', () => {
      this.logger.info('Slack WebSocket connection opened.');
    });

    this._ws.on('message', (data) => {
      const message = JSON.parse(data);
      this._onMessage(message);
    });

    this._ws.on('close', () => {
      this.logger.error('Slack WebSocket connection closed, exiting.');
      process.exit(1);
    });
  }

  sendMessage(username, text, attachments) {
    const user = this._users.find(u => u.name === username);
    if (!user) {
      this.logger.error(
        `Tried to send a message to non-existing user ${username}.`
      );
      return;
    }

    const imChannel = this._ims.find(im => im.user === user.id);

    if (!imChannel) {
      this.logger.error(
        'Tried to send a message to an unknown IM channel.', { username }
      );
      return;
    }

    this._sender.sendMessage(imChannel, text, attachments);
  }

  _onMessage(message) {
    if (message.type === 'team_join') {
      this._users.push(message.user);
      this.logger.info('New team member joined');
    }

    if (message.type === 'im_created') {
      this._ims.push(message.channel);
      this.logger.info('New direct message channel created');
    }

    if (message.type !== 'message') return;
    if (!message.user) return;
    if (message.hidden) return;
    if (message.user === this._self.id) return;

    const imChannel = this._ims.find(im => im.id === message.channel);
    if (!imChannel) return;

    const user = this._users.find(u => u.id === message.user);
    const username = user.name;

    this.emit('private', { username, text: message.text });
  }

}

module.exports = SlackBot;

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Латинський квартал () — традиційний студентський квартал в 5-му та 6-му округах Парижа на лівому березі Сени побіля університету Сорбонна.

Назва походить від латинської мови, якою в Середньовіччя а також в епоху раннього Відродження, викладали в університеті Сорбонна, (розміщеного саме у цьому кварталі), і яку вжив вперше по відношенню до кварталу, як студентського та університетського осередку ще Еразм Роттердамський, навчаючись у 1495-99 рр. у Сорбонні. Квартал означає не один з 80-ти паризьких адміністративних кварталів (), а є історично-культурологічним терміном, що охоплює район Парижа, розташований на схилах пагорба Сент-Женев'єв.

Зараз у Латинському кварталі розташована не тільки Сорбонна, але й кілька інших вищих навчальних закладів: Колеж де Франс, Вища нормальна школа, Паризька вища національна школа гірничої справи (École des Mines de Paris), Університет Париж II, Університет імені П'єра і Марії Кюрі та інші.

Латинський квартал знаменитий своїми вузькими старовинними вуличками, бістро, книгарнями й затишними кафе. Тут розташована найстаріша кав'ярня Парижа «Прокоп». Завдяки великій кількості туристичних об'єктів, таких як Пантеон, Люксембурзький сад, Терми Клюні та Музей середньовіччя, Латинський квартал є улюбленим місцем туристів. Тож з часом квартирна плата тут значно зросла і лише поодинокі сучасні студенти можуть дозволити собі жити в Латинському кварталі.

Назва поширилося і на студентські квартали інших європейських міст (наприклад, Кельна).

Примітки

Посилання
 Інформаційний сайт Латинського кварталу
 Фотографії Латинського кварталу (1900 рр..)

Квартали Парижа
V округ Парижа
VI округ Парижа


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text:
November 19, 2021 Newswires No comments
– America's Health Insurance Plans Board of Directors Elects David L. Holmberg, President and CEO of Highmark Health, Chair for 2022
Targeted News Service (Press Releases)
WASHINGTON, Nov. 19 (TNSPer) -- America's Health Insurance Plans issued the following news release:
AHIP's Board of Directors has elected David L. Holmberg, President and CEO of Highmark Health, Board Chair for the association, effective January 1, 2022. Holmberg will take the helm from Bruce D. Broussard, President and CEO of Humana Inc., who is serving as AHIP Board Chair through 2021.
"Americans are clear: They are looking for collaboration across health care for better experiences, better outcomes, and lower costs," Holmberg said. "AHIP is committed to solutions that increase value, improve equity, and result in better overall health. I am looking forward to engaging as Board Chair as we look ahead to 2022."
As president and CEO of Highmark Health, Holmberg leads a $21 billion health insurance provider and regional hospital and physician network. Holmberg is a thought leader in improving affordability, access, and value in health care, including improving the whole patient experience, introducing innovation that improves the patient and consumer experience, and collaborating across the industry to align incentives and deliver greater value.
"When patients have more control over their coverage and care choices, they are better able to get what they need, when they need it, at a price they can afford," said Matt Eyles, AHIP President and CEO. "We greatly appreciate Bruce's leadership through the continuing COVID-19 pandemic as we continued to deliver on our vision to guide greater health for Americans. We are very excited to have David as next year's Chair as we continue to advocate for competitive, private-market solutions to improve health care for everyone that health insurance providers serve."
The AHIP Board also welcomed the following new members:
* Cain A. Hayes, President and CEO, Point32Health
* Eric C. Hunter, President and CEO, CareOregon
"AHIP is fortunate to have many talented leaders representing health insurance providers of all sizes, structures, and strategies, who are all united in their commitment to improving health care," Eyles said. "Together, we will continue to support policy solutions that result in better care and access for every American."
Car Insurance Market To Explore Excellent Growth In Future | AXA, Allstate Insurance, Berkshire Hathaway, Allianz
Cornerstone Healthcare Consulting and Azeros Health Plans Partner to Introduce Health Plan Innovation


This Resort is a beautiful historic estate surrounded by miles of unspoilt natural landscapes. The property lies in the heart of Tuscany, in the Val d'Orcia, and is made up of two complementary parts. The estate proper, with its orchards and cultivated land, includes a fully operational organic farm, with organic olive oil as its most regarded product. A large resort, made up of six luxury apartments and several hospitality facilities, is the ideal backdrop for weddings, receptions and business-related meetings. It's built around a charming pebble-paved square and it includes six spacious apartments, a reception with a wine cellar and a local product shop, a light-filled hall for meetings and events, a restaurant with vaulted ceilings, a swimming pool and a lovely chapel.
Religious ceremonies can be celebrated in the charming little chapel. Civil ceremonies can be held in nearby city halls (5 km). Symbolic ceremonies can be celebrated around the Resort: by the lawn in front of the church or in the meeting room inside the main building.
The Resort is built around a central square or piazza, paved with the finest Cortona stone pebbles interspersed with green grass. Perfect for the staging of dinners and wedding receptions, the square is also an ideal space for shows, meetings and any kind of gathering. The paved central square is suitable to host lunches and dinners for up to 200 people seated.
The restaurant is situated on the ground floor of the building. The beautiful ribbed vaults and the soft torch-lit setting evoke the rustic country inns of times gone by. The area is tastefully furnished and decorated and can accommodate up to 120 people - up to 100 more if the upstairs hall is included.
Maximum number of guests inside: 120 in the same room, 220 if the upstairs hall is include.
There are 6 apartments (for a total of 11 rooms) to sleep 22 people, divided between Family Apartments (Apartment for 4 + 2), Junior Suites (Room plus sitting-room for 2+2), and Double Rooms.
Every apartment displays typically Tuscan architectural features, with each apartment having a unique and individual layout. Some of them extend over two levels, so that guests can enjoy a higher degree of privacy.
The Resort is nestled in a Nature Reserve, offering stunning views of the lake and the surrounding hills, patterned with groves and orchards. This venue guarantees an experience of total privacy and quiet, and offers the perfect backdrop for a cozy and intimate wedding.


Taiji Quan has important features of practicing in postures. So, if you want to master the marrow of Taiji Quan, you should master the postures systematically and use it flexibly. Take the 24-form Simplified Taiji Quan for example, it is divided into several regular combinations. It illustrates the treating features, the effect and the matters needing attention of every combination. It especially gives detailed demonstration to some adaptive factors of the regular movements. In the eight regular movements, there are neat illustrations to the practicing features of the Life Enhancement Taiji Quan to different diseases. It is very easy for the beginners of life enhancement to learn.


Keeping a promise, it made last year, Sony is finally providing PlayStation 4 players the option to change their username. This means you can get rid of the now-annoying usernames you might have thought of as funny in high school.
Although this is a piece of great news for the users, despondently, changing your PlayStation username is not as simple as it seems. It is not just about typing in a new name and getting back to your favorite game. Due to a number of software technicalities, the process gets a bit more complicated depending on the games you still play.
Firstly, you are going to either need your PlayStation 4 console or access to a web browser. The process of changing your PlayStation Network ID, also known as a PSN ID can only be executed by the aforementioned options.
You should not expect every game to support a change in PSN ID.
While a majority of popular PlayStation games support changing your username, not every title will play nice with your revised handle.
According to Sony, games released after April 1, 2018, are humble enough of handling your new identity. "However, since they have not all been specifically tested with the feature, we cannot guarantee that they will support it," Sony said in its announcement of the update.
Due to the unsupported change, you might have to give up playing your favorite title. Fortunately, Sony has a list of tested games to peruse. If your game of choice is one of the titles with critical issues, Sony recommends you not change your username if you want to continue enjoying it.


I have a few hundred Facebook friends. Out of all of them there are maybe thirty or forty who have any semblance of an interest in writing or literature. Fewer still actively write, and I would only consider sharing my early drafts with a handful of them. These 'writing friends' are not only writers whose work and opinions on craft I admire, but they have also helped me in many ways. They've pushed me through drafts I thought were dead in the water, broadened my reading horizions with books I never would have picked up on my own, and helped me improve my writing as a whole. I'm always happy to look at a manuscript they might be working on, or to be a sounding board for their new ideas for novels or short stories. These kind of relationships are the ones that have gotten me through the more difficult times of being a writer. Not that family and loved ones aren't great, but there's no substitute for a friend who is right there with you in the thick of it.
I met most of my close writing friends through my MFA program. Sharing the same deadlines gives a powerful sense of camaraderie, since we're all working against the same clock. Of course, not all writing relationships are formed in the classroom (though it is certainly one of the main ways). I've met other writers at readings, library-sponsored events, and even online. If you are looking for ways to meet new writers, check for events in your community. And if you already have an established circle of writer friends, it can't hurt to go to those events anway. You just might meet that shy, new writer and open up his or her world.
So nourish your writing relationships, and let them change you for the better. Find another writer (or two) whose work you enjoy and keep in touch with them. Read each other's work, hash out new story ideas, or even start a project together. Writing is by its nature a lonely craft, but don't let that stop you from forging meaningful relationships with others who are enduring the same trials and tribulations that you are. At the end of the day, we all get by with a little help from our friends.


The Spring Sports Season starts March 4th, 2019!!
Want to tryout out for an Athletic Team?
Please check out the Tryout Check List!!!!!!
Learn some great tips on injury prevention.
Go to the Daily Sports Update page to check on results and upcoming games for all of the Hatters Varsity Teams!!!!


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'As it happened …' report
No class today because Bethlehem is on strike and we are in mourning because during a raid on the Daisha Refugee Camp (also in Bethlehem) early this morning Israeli soldiers used live ammunition when firing on a group of stone throwing children, causing the death of 15 year old Arkan Thaer Mezher.
I've decided to dedicate our production of 'As it happened, 5 micro plays of the ongoing Palestinian Nakba' to his memory. He is yet another Palestinian martyr.
The full report of the atrocity, from the Ma'an News Agency, follows:
BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) — A 15-year-old Palestinian child was killed while dozens of others were wounded by Israeli forces during violent clashes in the Dheisheh refugee camp in the southern occupied West Bank district of Bethlehem predawn Monday.
According to local sources, large numbers of Israeli forces raided the Dheisheh refugee camp, causing clashes to break out among Palestinian youths and Israeli forces.
Sources added that the Israeli forces fired live ammunition and tear gas at the Palestinian youths, killing a 15-year-old Palestinian child who was identified as Arkan Thaer Mezher.
Dozens of others were reported to have suffered from suffocation.
The Israeli army said in a statement that it will hold an internal investigation into the death of the Palestinian child.
Oh yeah? How often have they said this and either done nothing or acquitted the guilty party? And of course, what use is an 'internal' investigation? Such atrocities should be tried in the full open public court system.


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Home E CGI Russia News E The Role of the Banking Industry in Facilitating Climate Change Mitigation and the Transition to a Low-Carbon Global Economy
The Role of the Banking Industry in Facilitating Climate Change Mitigation and the Transition to a Low-Carbon Global Economy
May 14, 2021 | CGI Russia News
On May 13, 2021, CGI Russia, together with the general partner PJSC Sberbank held a round table for board members and senior management on the topic "The role of the banking sector in climate transformation and transition to a low-carbon economy on a global scale ".
Presentations were made by Tatyana Zavyalova, Senior Vice President for ESG, Sberbank; Andrey Yakushin, Head of the Corporate Relations Development Division, Bank of Russia; Natalia Tretyak, First Vice President of Gazprombank; Regina von Flemming, Member of the Supervisory Board, Sovcombank; member of the Board of Directors, MTS, member of the Board of Directors of Inteko; Ekaterina Trofimova, Partner of the Risk Management Department and Head of Financial Institutions Services in Russia and the CIS, Deloitte, CIS; Mikhail Chaikin, General Director, ING Bank (Eurasia), JSC.
The discussion was moderated by Olga Pascault Founder and Chair of the Governing Board, and Elena Haykin (Sapozhnikova), Founder and Member of the Governing Board (CGI Russia).
Speakers shared their views on how banking and climate change are related, based on three main pillars in banking: risk management, financing activities and participation in sales\purchase deals.
All participants have agreed that only the concerted efforts of banks and companies can bring the necessary effect for the successful implementation of climate policy on a global scale, where banks, being the life support system for business, play a leading role.
We express gratitude to our general partner Sberbank for technical support of this event!


In the next 26 to 29 October 2016, Casa das Artes, in Oporto, hosts the XII International Congress on Pathology and Rehabilitation of Structures (CINPAR 2016). This is one of the most important conferences in the structures' engineering domain.
The One Vanderbilt skyscraper construction works have started so that, in 2020, it will be New York´s second highest tower with 58 floors and 427 meters high.
The Portuguese real estate market is a safe and profitable value in terms of investment. So says an international ranking that places Portugal as the 3rd best country in the world to invest in properties in the luxury segment.
Copyright © 2017 AES. All rights reserved.


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Wild Turkeys are 'Terrorizing' Huron Residents
by Colton Faull
Photo via Twitter
It's currently wild turkey hunting season in Northeast Ohio, and it appears some of the birds are trying to turn the tables by terrorizing the community of Huron. In the last month, local police have received three calls complaining about turkeys running wild in the town.
"There are three or four turkeys that have taken up a residence in a wooded area of the city," Huron police Chief Robert Lippert told the Sandusky Register.
One Huron resident even tried to retaliate by shooting at a turkey with an arrow, but, naturally, the huge bird survived the encounter. But Lippert assured the community not to worry about the turkeys' presence saying:
"If people encounter the turkeys where they feel threatened, they can call the police. They are aggressive in the sense that they don't want to be bothered. I have a feeling someone is feeding them and making them feel comfortable. But they are wild animals, and you shouldn't be feeding wild animals. They are a nuisance. Other than them pecking at you, they can't seriously injure somebody."
Local authorities are working with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife to solve the turkey situation by trapping and relocating the wild birds. Spring wild turkey hunting season ends May 28.
Scene & Heard Turkey Huron bizarre


Three Culturefly GameStop Exclusive Boxes Available Now – Stranger Things, PlayStation, & Fallout!
GameStop has three exclusive CultureFly boxes available now!
CultureFly is the team behind the Pusheen Box, The Nick Box, DC Comics World's Finest: The Collection, and Supernatural Box.
Those talented employees at Vault-Tec have done it again! You'll sure be able to brag to your neighbor about all the awesome and exclusive items you got in the Fallout Collector's Box! This collection is only available at GameStop and comes packed with over $100 worth of collectibles, wearables, accessories, more!
Grab your walkie talkie and get ready to battle the monsters from the Upside Down! Get the ultimate Stranger Things experience with this limited-edition GameStop exclusive collector's box! The Stranger Things Collector's Box comes packed with 7 EXCLUSIVE items including a light up tote bag, D20 coin bank, Hawkins Police socks, comic book with exclusive Tomm Cocker variant cover, a mystery vinyl figurine, and more!
Here he is! It's Conan O'Brien! Get the ultimate Conan experience with this limited-edition GameStop exclusive collector's box! The Conan Collector's Box comes packed with 6 EXCLUSIVE items including a collector's pin, socks, playing cards, puzzle cube, and 2 mystery items with a combined valued over $50!
Get the ultimate Spider-Man experience with the limited-edition GameStop exclusive Marvel's Spider-Man Collector Box. The Collector's Box is packed with 7 EXCLUSIVE items including home goods, wearables, accessories, and more with a combined valued over $100!
Get the ultimate Call of Duty experience with the limited-edition GameStop exclusive. The Collector's Box is packed with 6 EXCLUSIVE items including licensed fashioned apparel, bag, accessories, and more with a combined valued over $60!
Are you going to grab any of the GameStop boxes?
I want all of them except the Conan one!!


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Simone Leigh, Sculptor with a Focus on 'Black Female Subjectivity,' Heads to Hauser & Wirth
Liverpool Biennial Names Fatos Üstek Director
By Claire Selvin
Claire Selvin
Associate Editor, ARTnews
More Stories by Claire
Louvre Forced to Close as Pension Strike Continues Across France
Collector Jaime Botín Sentenced to Jail for Smuggling $27.4 M. Picasso Painting Out of Spain
$700 M. Macklowe Art Collection Could Head to Auction in Spring 2020: Report
Fatoş Üstek.
CHRISTA HOLKA
Fatoş Üstek, who currently works as director and chief curator of the David Roberts Art Foundation, will join the Liverpool Biennial as director in May. She will succeed Sally Tallant, who was named executive director of the Queens Museum in New York in November.
Üstek served as associate curator of the tenth Gwangju Biennale in South Korea in 2014, and she curated the "fig-2: 50 projects in 50 weeks" exhibition in London in 2015. She organized the 2017 edition of the Art Night festival in the English capital and recently oversaw Do Ho Suh's largest work in the U.K., which was co-commissioned by Art Night and Sculpture in the City in 2018. Alongside her curatorial work, Üstek is an external member of the acquisitions committee for the Arts Council Collection, a national loan collection of modern and contemporary and British art.
Üstek said in a statement, "Through ten editions, Liverpool Biennial has gained a reputation for being one of the most important contemporary art events accessible to the large national and international public. In my new role I will be taking Liverpool as my point of reference, while reflecting on current global discourses and developments in the international arena."
Kathleen Soriano, chair of the board of trustees of Liverpool Biennial, added, "Üstek's rich experience across different art forms, and her international connections will enable us to build confidently on the achievements of our two previous directors, Lewis Biggs and Sally Tallant. We are excited at the prospect of working with Üstek and are confident that she will lead with energy and artistic integrity on the delivery of future, ambitious biennials in Liverpool for our local, national and global audiences."
Fatoş Üstek
Liverpool Biennial
Sally Tallant
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« How Cardinals nearly traded Bob Gibson to Senators
Whitey Herzog's advice worked well for Ken Oberkfell »
Cardinals' trade of J.D. Drew proved bold, brilliant
December 13, 2010 by retrosimba
(Updated Dec. 13, 2018)
The Cardinals made a bold trade in dealing outfielder J.D. Drew and it turned out to be one of their best.
On Dec. 13, 2003, St. Louis sent Drew and catcher Eli Marrero to the Braves for pitchers Jason Marquis, Ray King and Adam Wainwright.
"We felt that without pitching we weren't going to have a chance to improve in the standings next year," manager Tony La Russa told the Associated Press.
Said general manager Walt Jocketty: "There were a couple deals we could have done. We just felt this was the best overall for us."
The trade helped the Cardinals improve from 85 wins and a third-place finish in 2003 to 105 wins and a first-place finish in 2004. With Marquis contributing 15 wins as a starter and King appearing in 86 games as a left-handed relief specialist, St. Louis won the pennant in 2004 for the first time in 17 years.
Marquis posted 13 or more wins in each of his three seasons with St. Louis, helping the Cardinals to the postseason each time.
King pitched in 163 games in two seasons for St. Louis.
Wainwright emerged as the Cardinals' postseason closer in their run to the 2006 World Series championship before transforming into one of the elite starting pitchers in the National League.
When the deal was made, there was concern the Cardinals were giving up a player with superstar potential. Drew was 28, entering the prime of his career. In six years with St. Louis, he had a .282 batting average and .377 on-base percentage, but he also had been injury-prone and was eligible for free agency after the 2004 season.
"For him, it's just about staying healthy," La Russa told Sports Illustrated in March 2004. "We saw signs from him that made you say, 'This kid is unbelievable.' But teammates ultimately respect guys who go to the post the most. When something keeps happening that prevents you from going out there, they're not very forgiving."
Drew never became a superstar (he was named an all-star once, in 2008), but he played for winning teams at every stop in his big-league career.
While Drew's major-league totals are solid (.278 batting average and.384 on-base percentage), he still has the look of an underachiever. Examples:
_ He never had as many as 160 hits in a season.
_ Only once did he reach triple digits in RBI (100, in 2006).
_ Only once did he hit as many as 30 home runs (31, in 2004).
_ Only once did he score as many as 100 runs (118, in 2004).
Yet Drew played for eight teams that reached the playoffs (2000, 2001, 2002 Cardinals; 2004 Braves; 2006 Dodgers; 2007, 2008, 2009 Red Sox). He hit .333 in Boston's World Series sweep of the Rockies in 2007.
Posted in Hitters, Pitchers, Trades | 2 Comments
on December 13, 2010 at 1:39 pm | Reply Erika
Excellent post! It's nice to be reminded of trades-gone-right.
on December 13, 2010 at 7:39 pm | Reply retrosimba
Thank you for reading my blog. I appreciate your comment.


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De 350cc-klasse is een voormalig wegraceklasse in de motorsport. In deze klasse werd gestreden om de wereldtitel in het FIM wereldkampioenschap wegrace, maar ook in het Europees kampioenschap wegrace en de Junior TT.

Geschiedenis

Net als de andere op cilinderinhoud gebaseerde klassen (50-, 80-, 125-, 250- en 500 cc) diende de inhoudsklasse om wegraces eerlijker te maken. Toen rond 1904 de eerste motorraces werden georganiseerd was daar nog geen sprake van. Elke organisatie hanteerde eigen reglementen en zelfs de oprichting van de Fédération Internationale des Clubs Motocyclistes eind 1904 bracht daar geen verandering in. Dat had twee oorzaken: deze FICM was in het begin nog te zwak en de ontwikkelingen van de motorfietsen gingen te snel. Ook vermeldden motorfabrikanten in het begin van de 20e eeuw de cilinderinhoud helemaal niet: men leverde motorfietsen met een bepaald vermogen en dat werd dan ook in advertenties vermeld. Zo vond men reglementen gebaseerd op het brandstofverbruik, het gewicht, het aantal cilinders of combinaties daarvan. Als een bepaalde motorfiets te snel bleek werden reglementen soms jaarlijks aangepast.

Isle of Man TT
De TT van Man werd al snel een van de belangrijkste races in Europa, maar ook de organiserende Auto-Cycle Union worstelde met de reglementering. Zij begon in 1907 met twee klassen: één- en tweecilinders met een beperkt brandstofverbruik. De tweecilinders waren in die tijd nog in het nadeel, omdat ze veel trager waren dan de eencilinders. De beperking van het brandstofverbruik was nodig om de Fransen met hun speciale maar dorstige racemotoren buiten de deur te houden. In 1909 werd voor het eerst de cilinderinhoud gereglementeerd, maar er was maar één klasse, die bestond uit eencilinders tot 500 cc en tweecilinders tot 750 cc.

350cc-klasse
In 1912 ging men voor het eerst over tot cilinderinhoudsklassen zonder het aantal cilinders in aanmerking te nemen. De TT van Man kreeg nu haar Senior TT met motoren tot 500 cc en haar Junior TT met motoren tot 350 cc. Daarmee was de 350cc-klasse geboren. Toen de ACU samen met de Nederlandsche Motorwielrijders Vereeniging in 1912 de FICM nieuw leven inblies werd dit al snel een sterke, internationale organisatie, die internationale wedstrijden onder vergelijkbare reglementen kon organiseren, maar door het uitbreken van de Eerste Wereldoorlog moest men daarmee wachten tot de eerste helft van de jaren twintig. De TT van Man kende intussen naast de Senior- en de Junior TT ook nog de Lightweight TT met motoren tot 250 cc.

Europees kampioenschap wegrace
Toen het in 1924 eindelijk tot een Europees kampioenschap kwam, omarmde de FICM de reglementen van de Isle of Man TT en werd er gereden in de klassen 250-, 350- en 500 cc. De eerste Europees kampioen in de 350cc-klasse werd Jimmie Simpson met een AJS.

Fabrikanten speelden in op de bestaande klassenindeling door speciale racemachines met kopklepmotoren te ontwikkelen, zoals de AJS G6 "Big Port", de Norton CJ1, de Rudge Ulster en de Bianchi Freccia Celeste, waarmee Tazio Nuvolari in 1926 Europees kampioen werd.

In de jaren dertig veranderden de 350cc-racers niet veel. Over het algemeen waren het eenvoudige, lichte eencilinderviertaktmotoren met kopkleppen, soms met bovenliggende nokkenasssen die aangestuurd werden door een koningsas. De 350- en de 500cc-klassen kregen vergelijkbare machines, waarbij de beste in het Verenigd Koninkrijk door Norton, AJS, Rudge en Velocette werden gebouwd. Pas in 1939 werd er een tweetaktmotor Europees kampioen: Heiner Fleischmann met een DKW.

Europese Kampioenen

Wereldkampioenschap wegrace
In de jaren veertig had de racerij door de Tweede Wereldoorlog grotendeels stilgelegen en dat gold ook voor de ontwikkelingen aan de motorfietsen. Men pakte de draad weer op met vooroorlogse machines, maar toen in de jaren vijftig de ontwikkeling van racemotoren weer serieuzer werd aangepakt, bleef die beperkt tot 250- en 500cc-machines. Snelle 350cc-motoren waren toen al grotere versies van de 250cc-machines of verkleinde 500cc-racers. De Britse eencilinders maakten de dienst uit tot de Italianen met de Moto Guzzi Monocilindrica 350 (een grotere versie van de Moto Guzzi Bialbero 250) en de MV Agusta 350 4C (een kleinere versie van de MV Agusta 500 4C) kwamen, maar voor privérijders was de eencilinder AJS 7R de beste keus. Door de invoering van het wereldkampioenschap wegrace in 1949 was er voorlopig geen behoefte meer aan een Europees kampioenschap. Freddie Frith werd met zijn Velocette KTT Mk VIII de eerste wereldkampioen in de 350 cc klasse. In het seizoen 1962 kwam Honda met haar viercilinder RC 170 en in het seizoen 1967 zelfs met de zescilinder RC 174. Met die machines domineerde het merk de 350cc-klasse in de jaren zestig. Toen waren de belangrijkste machines al opgeboorde 250cc-modellen: de Honda mat slechts 297 cc, er waren tot 251 cc opgeboorde MZ RE 250's en Phil Read kon al in 1965 goed meekomen met een 254cc-Yamaha RD 05. Toen Honda in 1967 stopte met racen nam MV Agusta het stokje weer over tot de Yamaha TZ 350-tweetaktracers in het seizoen 1974 te sterk werden.

Intussen vonden de fabrikanten het aantal klasse waarvoor ze racemotoren moesten ontwikkelen te groot, en aan het einde van de jaren zeventig waren 350cc-modellen uit de mode geraakt. Van de Japanse Grote Vier maakte alleen Yamaha nog de Yamaha RD 350, gebaseerd op de TZ 350-racer. De extra klasse drukte ook de startgelden per klasse, waardoor privérijders om uit de kosten te komen noodgedwongen zowel in de 250- als de 350cc-klasse moesten starten, meestal met twee aparte motorfietsen, maar soms ook met een extra set zuigers en cilinders om tussendoor hun 250cc-machine een iets grotere cilinderinhoud te geven.

De 350cc-klasse boette aan belang in ten gunste van de 250cc- en de 500cc-klasse en de FIM besloot om de 350cc-klasse in 1983 af te schaffen. De TT van Man was haar daarin al voorgegaan: in 1976 ging de cilinderinhoud van de Junior TT naar 250 cc.

Wereldkampioenen

350 cc
350 cc


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The Enemy Within and Without
America is under siege.
Wednesday, President Trump signed an executive order declaring a national emergency regarding foreign interference in our election system---putting foreign countries on notice---there will be real consequences.
Text messages reviewed Wednesday further reveal that former FBI Special Agent Peter Strzok was in contact with the New York Times and Washington Post regarding stories they published regarding alleged collusion between Trump and Russia.
The enemy is within and without.
President Trump responds to the enemy without.
CNS News said yesterday :
In an executive order signed Wednesday, President Trump declared a national emergency to deal with the threat of "foreign interference" in the nation's "free and open political system."
The order says people located outside the U.S. increasingly are able to "interfere or undermine public confidence" in U.S. elections by hacking into election and campaign infrastructure -- or by distributing propaganda and disinformation.
The situation "constitutes an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States," the order said.
"Although there has been no evidence of a foreign power altering the outcome or vote tabulation in any United States election, foreign powers have historically sought to exploit America's free and open political system. In recent years, the proliferation of digital devices and internet-based communications has created significant vulnerabilities and magnified the scope and intensity of the threat of foreign interference, as illustrated in the 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment.
"I hereby declare a national emergency to deal with this threat," said the order signed by Trump.
The executive order explains that any country caught attempting to undermine or exploit our election system will face sanctions "appropriated" to the interference discovered.
The Enemy within our own government.
Yesterday, investigative reporter Sara A. Carter reported that a series of text messages released Wednesday reveal that former FBI Special Agent Peter Strzok was in contact with reporters at the New York Times and Washington Post regarding stories they published about the FBI's investigation into alleged collusion between Russia and President Trump's campaign during the spring of 2017.
The text messages reveal that Strzok, along with his mistress, former FBI Attorney Lisa Page, had been in contact with reporters from both papers, leaking what was supposed to be FBI confidential information in an obvious attempt to bring down President Trump.
Both Strzok and Page mention two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times writer Michael Schmidt.
Strzok wrote to Page:
"Also, apparently Times is angry with us about the WP ( Washington Post) scoop and earlier discussion we had about the Schmidt piece that had too many inaccuracies. Too much to detail here, but told Mike and Andy they need to understand we were absolutely dealing in good faith with them."
In another text from Strzok to Page, he referenced another "news" story he and Page were parenting through leaks: "The FISA one, coupled with the Guardian piece from yesterday."
Mike Huckabee wrote an excellent article yesterday outlining the collusion between the FBI, DOJ and the news media, including the most recent revelation this week.
He explains how the FBI leaked information to the press, then used the press stories to obtain a FISA warrant.
The flow of highly classified information being passed between the FBI and very likely the DOJ and the anti-Trump newspapers was so prolific that the New York Times got mad at the FBI for giving a scoop to the Post, instead of them on one of the stories.
"The whole system of checks and balances has been turned on its head, as has the concept of equal justice under the law, with the president's hands essentially being tied by lawyers and Congress, but it was, and Congress is supposed to have oversight. If this were a science fiction movie, the FBI would be the robot monster that took control of its inventor."
Mike says this new information underscores the fact that "we're being lied to at the highest levels of law enforcement, and it has to stop for our system of government to continue. This is how serious this is."
What should the righteous do when the foundations are shaken?
First, the president has got to take action. Trusted people in Washington DC are saying President Trump is considering declassifying all the materials related to this disaster, but is wanting to stay focused on Hurricane Florence over the next few days.
Should he do so, the Left will probably accuse him of treason, but they are already consumed with impeaching him anyway. Although difficult, that is probably the best thing he could do for the country.
In following all this, I would not be surprised to see the president fire Mueller and end his ever-expanding "investigation" very soon---maybe within days. We may also see A/G Sessions dismissed as well. It pains me personally, but I think he has failed in his responsibilities during these trying times. Other top-level people may also be fired in the coming days.
The president, in my opinion, needs to take some very strong and consequential steps.
Secondly, and most importantly, Psalm 11 speaks to such a time as this.
(v2) "For behold, the wicked bend their bows; they set their arrow on the string to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart."
(v3) "If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?"
The following verses instruct us to not flee to the mountains like a bird, but know that the eyes of the Lord are watching closely.
Take refuge in the Lord, don't run from the issue. Stand strong. Advocate that people turn to the old paths referenced by the Prophet Jeremiah.
He said (6: 16ff) "Stand in the ways and see, And ask for the old paths, where the good way is, And walk in it; Then you will find rest for your souls."
(v17) "Listen to the sound of the trumpet" as the watchmen instruct us to turn back to God's eternal Truth.
In his day, the people refused to return to the "old ways" of trusting God. They said "no." Calamity came.
The secular Left, sadly affirmed and enabled by the religious Left, are obsessed with "remaking America" into something our Founders did not intend. And something that does not please the God the Left claims to worship.
In the name of "progressivism," the secular Left and the religious Left have come together to refuse the "old paths" of our Founding wisdom.
Scripture says there is a time for everything under the sun.
This is a time to stand for the old path, Judeo-Christian values and principles upon which this nation was founded---and the only foundation upon which it can be sustained.
Be Informed. Be Vigilant. Be Faithful. Be Bold.
Anonymous 7:27 AM, September 14, 2018
Everyone is saying Jeff Sessions is not his usual self. My thoughts are he is being threatened by the left and that's why he is doing this. This should be investigated.
Yet we heard nothing about President Trump's Executive Order in the mainstream media. I read the news a lot, and this is the first mention I have seen of it. Thank you for keeping us informed Gary, so we may stay vigilant.
It has now been repeatedly that lies, sedition, and violations of the law are not prosecuted by the government when the "favored and privileged" elite commit the violations. The western press is now included in the club of elites who are above the law.
This happens when the government by and for the people becomes a government by the government for the government, no longer serving the people but rather those who provide the most money and power to the elites.
The American people have failed to hold these people accountable because they have been pitted against each other by that same system using "political correctness" and "privileged classes" as tools to keep us busy coming against each other.k
The evil ones are the puppeteers preparing the world for the "new world order". Our president is their enemy, as are conservatives, as are Christians. Clearly those three are targeted by the corrupt groups. Americans have been taught to support the elites that give them free money and services they have not earned.
In truth, this Nation cannot survive unless a courageous and moral people hold their elected accountable. When truth becomes irrelevant and indefinable, then the only hope is an America who is prayerful, courageous to fight for change and accountability of the elites. It will require sacrifice, determination, and hardship. A people unwilling to embrace this for the welfare of their Nation (instead of the welfare of themselves) is a nation that cannot survive the self-destruction of a secular powerful elite.
G>T>
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How to Overcome the Social Influences That Affect a Person's Ability to Decide
This is a copyright free article. You may publish this article on your own website as content, provided you retain the author credit, bio and link back to www.generativenlp.com contained at the bottom of the article.
Effective decision-making is the key to an effective life. If we can't overcome the forces of inertia that set in prior to some decisions, then we'll either end up on a path of avoidance, repeating similar life struggles over and over and never getting anywhere, or we'll lack the resolution we need to deal with the thousand practical consequences of any decision, whether it's for or against what we really want.
The result of the process of growing up is the legacy of social influence. Many of us, having felt pain as a result of people reacting poorly to our decisions, have a high degree of sensitivity to others' reactions well into our adult life. And so, when we're faced with tough decisions, we still think in terms of how our friends, family, or other significant adults and peers in our past will think about them. We might have an opportunity to invest in a promising start-up business, but turn it down because we're worried about what our parents will say. We might want to explore a new skill, hobby, or creative outlet, but decide against it because a former teacher told us we were no good. Or we might be interested in beginning a new relationship, but ultimately avoid pursuing it because we don't want to "test" the other person's feelings.
We have a choice in how we respond to this legacy of influence. We can tell ourselves that we're victims of our pasts, that it's really not our fault that we can't make a decision about our lives, or that no one can really expect anything better out of us. Or - more effectively - we can ignore the past and overcome the legacy of influence, overcome the social influences that affect our ability to decide.
But that's easier said than done, right? Wrong. One of the biggest obstacles people face when trying to learn to decide independently - without relying on negative social influences - is the tendency to over think their decisions. Once we start thinking too much about a decision - or, in other words, once we start saying rather than just doing - our minds begin to slip back into old reaction patterns, the very socially-influenced patterns of thought that we ultimately want to escape. If we try to think our way out of every possible risk we might face, one of two things will happen: either we'll decide on the "safe" outcome - which may not be the best outcome for us - or we'll refrain from deciding at all - which is never the best outcome.
Avoidant patterns of thinking also play into the other major obstacle we face when trying to decide independently: negatively formed outcomes. According to the theory of neuro-linguistic programming (NLP), all of our intentions are ultimately positive intentions. This isn't normally a problem, but problems can result if we avoid thinking of our intentions as positive, and instead couch them in negative terms. For example, we may ultimately desire a stable relationship, but we say to ourselves: "I don't want to be hurt by relationships again." NLP's account of the mind asserts that we have a difficult time processing negative statements like this: instead of processing them as a single negative goal, we focus our attention on the one positive term in the statement, which is the thing we're trying to avoid. When we think that we don't want to be hurt by relationships, we're really only thinking of being hurt by relationships: we're focusing on where we don't want to be, instead of where we're going.
How do we get out of this negative trap? By making sure that all of our intentions are well-formed, positive intentions. Instead of thinking that we don't want to be hurt, we need to think about what kind of relationship we want instead. Instead of wishing to avoid unhappiness, we need to think about what'll make us happy. When we work out a maze in a puzzle book, we might start from the center of the maze - the outcome - and work our way back to the starting point. Similarly, when we think of positive goals, we know where we want to be, and we can start thinking - but not for too long - about what kinds of decisions will lead us there.
Ultimately, all of this boils down to one idea: we need to think of our decisions as actions that lead us to results, not as markers of our personality, our failings, or anything else about us. When we think about decisions as markers of personality - and we'll start to think that, if we hesitate too much in our decisions - we start to think about social influences, and we're drawn back into our old quicksand patterns of thought. Instead, think quickly, think positively, and think about decisions as actions. If we do this, then we're well on our way to overcoming the social influences that stand in the path of our decision-making.
Generative NLP are a refreshingly plain spoken resource and training centre for the MythoSelf® Process that is based in South West London and was founded in 2001 by Charles Moore who is one of only a handful of people who has the privilege of being in a close mentoring relationship with the models creator, Joseph Riggio Ph.D. from the beginning.
For more articles or information visit
www.generativenlp.com
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On land or in the pool - soft, safe play!
An exercise and recreation favorite.
Great for obstacle courses or safe sparring.
Bend to create tossing targets or jump-throughs!
We use noodles for a variety of games. These are worth the money as they are solid and will not bend out of shape like the cheaper models tend to do. We even use them to play noodle hockey with smaller beachballs.
We use these for all types of games in PE class. Best game noodle hockey with a beach ball.
Will be buying these again again.
We use these at times when installing car seats. These are good quality and good priced noodles for this purpose.
My senior Aqua Aerobics class uses these aqua noodles to assist with buoyancy during exercise classes.
These are exactly what I have been looking for. They are another prop that has a million and one uses on our ropes course. These seem to be pretty durable. Time will tell as there are few things that get more use...and abuse...around here.


About 30,000 years in the future.
Most likely in a hotel room across the street from some bank, looking out the window and memorizing the security guards' routines.
A large assortment of weapons and gadgets, prefers the .75 Recoilless Handgun. Hardly ever uses it, though.
Forgery, lock picking, code breaking, safe cracking, hand-to-hand combat, marksmanship.
Greed. Pure and simple. And occasionally a disturbing need to help the helpless.
James Bolivar diGriz - AKA "Slippery Jim", AKA "The Stainless Steel Rat" - was a master criminal. He robbed banks, armoured cars, large corporations, anything that carried cash. He'd never been caught, never even been seen, until the day the Special Corps took an interest in him. But they didn't arrest him: they offered him a job.
DiGriz' first case brought him into contact with the beautiful but psychopathic Angelina, whom he later married (after she was cured of her killer tendencies).
Jim and Angelina still work, occasionally, for the Special Corps, who have long since given up trying to stop them from robbing banks. Their twin sons, James and Bolivar, have inherited their parents' interest in other people's money.
The Stainless Steel Rat was created by top SF author Harry Harrison, and first appeared in a short story in 1957. That story was later expanded into a novel and published in 1961. To date, the series consists of ten novels, a gamebook and three short stories. The most recent novel is The Stainless Steel Rat Joins the Circus (1999).
Three of the Rat's adventures were serialised in 2000 AD: The Stainless Steel Rat (1961), The Stainless Steel Rat Saves the World (1972) and The Stainless Steel Rat for President (1982), all adapted by Kelvin Gosnell and drawn by Carlos Ezquerra. A big-budget movie based on the first novel is currently in pre-production, to be directed by Jan De Bont (Speed).


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Dudley Noble, who started at the Rover Company in 1911 as a motorcycle tester and competition rider, became one of the British automobile industry's pioneering publicists.

He arranged one of the first ever promotional films to be shot, in 1912, of the Rover motorcycle production and testing, ending with a sequence of him accidentally falling off his motorbike in the middle of Kenilworth ford! Many of his Rover publicity exercises, such as racing the Blue Train, passed into motoring legend.

In January 1930, the Rover name hit the world press when a Rover tried to take on Le Train Bleu on its 750-mile run between Calais and Cannes. The idea of racing the Blue Train was very popular with motor enthusiasts, and each new attempt was received with varying expectations of success. Many had already failed on this mammoth challenge. The act to promote the new Rover Light Six in a headline-grabbing campaign was the brainchild of former motorcycle tester and pioneer publicist Dudley Noble, in which a Light Six was to race the Blue Train across France from Calais to St Raphael on the Côte d'Azur. It was a moderately shameless stunt of him, being safe in the knowledge that the average speed of the famous express was no more than about 40 mph once all its stops and detours were taken into account. To beat the train, Noble had to drive more or less non-stop from Calais to the French Riviera. The Rover Light Six averaged 38 mph on its 750 miles journey to beat the train's expected time of just over 20 hours, which gave the Rover team a 20-minute lead over the train. It had been beaten for the first time and the Rover team became celebrities through the Daily Express.

In March 1930, Bentley Boy Woolf Barnato raised the stakes on Rover and its Rover Light Six having raced and beat Le Train Bleu for the first time, to better that record with his 6½ Litre Bentley Speed Six on a bet of 100 Pound Sterling. He drove against the train from Cannes to Calais, then by ferry to Dover and finally London, travelling on public highways, and won; the H. J. Mulliner-bodied formal saloon he drove during the race as well as a streamlined fastback "Sportsman Coupe" by Gurney Nutting he took delivery of on 21 May 1930 became known as the Blue Train Bentleys; the latter is regularly mistaken for or erroneously referred to as being the car that raced the Blue Train, while in fact Barnato named it in memory of his race.

References

British public relations people
Rover Company
Year of birth missing
Year of death missing


Cake stalls can be a fabulous way to raise money for good causes. Pippa, Kiri, Sefa, Ashok, Jack and Sun decide to team up and bake their favourite cakes to help raise funds for their school.
Includes discussion points and a follow up activity.


Nepean Pools operating as an independent and not as a franchise lead us to explore the variety of fibreglass pools manufactured here in Australia. We ultimately chose the Aqua Technics range of inground fibreglass swimming pools, so strong in advantages they are exported to countries all over the world. Take a look beyond the surface and discover a superior level of quality that is only available in Sydney through Nepean Pools.
All pools are made to suit local conditions here in NSW, delivered from the Aqua Technics manufacturing facility, the largest and most technologically advanced pool production premises in WA.
Every Aqua Technics fibreglass swimming pool is created by applying specialised layers to a precisely engineered mould.
An optional Ceramic Composite Core can also be added for thermal insulation and stiffness, giving 7 layers of exceptional structural strength and rigidity resulting in a pool that is thicker and stronger that lasts longer.
A carefully engineered wall structure with extra step reinforcements to prevent step drop or flex upon installation and a built in bond beam for keeping straight edges.


Let's talk approximately 30-40% of your electricity bill. That's how much it costs the average homeowner or classified ad building owner to present proper heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC). A good HVAC system is the key to maintaining a comfortable, healthy and interior environment. Through the years, I have been asked by many owners for a strategy to shorten their cost of moving picture and HVAC. They don't want to sacrifice the interior environmental conditions, but they complete want a point-by-point plan to follow. The engaging business that often happens is that moving picture bills are lowered substantially and the HVAC system be active is improved. This is a welcome be active of any mechanical engineer specializing in moving picture and HVAC.
The information on this page will back up homeowners, building owners and building operators create informed decisions approximately existing HVAC systems or cutting edge upgrades.
Tighten the building shell and accumulate other insulation. addendum insulation in existing buildings may not be achievable in some instances, consequently more consideration should be aimed at the exterior shell, especially windows and doors.
Installing energy-efficient windows. This is a huge item on some buildings that yet have single pane windows. The installation of double pane windows with a thermal fracture is a good compensation on investment. create sure they are moving picture STAR attributed windows. Tinting or Low-E coatings will even be better.
Upgrading lighting systems. The average classified ad building has a lighting density of 2-3 watts per square foot which maintains proper lighting levels. This is a significant ration of the HVAC load and more or less any efforts in this meting out will lower the cooling requirement for the building. Accent lighting (sometimes called architectural lighting) are not always moving picture efficient and should not be considered if you want to shorten moving picture and HVAC costs. Energy-efficient lighting systems emit less heat into conditioned spread than older incandescent technology. If you have a compensation let breathe plenum instead of compensation let breathe ductwork, consider spacious troffers consequently that some of the heat from the lights is returned to the HVAC system instead of going into the occupied area.
Selecting efficient equipment and electronic devices that have a talent stasher substitute will shorten the sensible heat gain in the space. Items to consider enlarge copy machines, kitchen equipment, computers and refrigerators.
Control airing by having your outside let breathe balanced. Most building owners have drawings of the native HVAC system installation. Have the drawings reviewed by a mechanical engineer to acknowledge your outside let breathe flow rates conform to the latest code requirements. If no drawings are available, your mechanical engineer should yet be nimble to create recommendations for improvement.
The second step to accomplish moving picture and HVAC system optimization is knowing your system. Your HVAC system is valuable to your interior environment, but it with represents a large component of your relief expenses. while it is greater than the scope of this article to discuss every system, a few recommendations can be addressed. every HVAC system component has increased in efficiency greater than the years. If your system is more than 13 years old, it's epoch to start planning for an revolutionize to other equipment. without difficulty maintained residential systems have a moving picture expectancy of approximately 15 years or consequently but seem to fail at the worse times. Have a replacement plan ready for the daylight your equipment fails.
Commercial systems vary, but if your building is using packaged equipment or split systems, the thesame lifetime can be expected. For larger classified ad systems and industrial applications, the HVAC system may be more perplexing and require an individual analysis by a mechanical engineer. As I said, HVAC systems adjust and no one-size-fits-all analysis works for larger systems. What every these systems have in common is they are normally fueled by electricity. Electricity cost money, consequently any efforts in the meting out of increased efficiency is a plus.
Find a attributed consultant you trust. If you are a house owner or little classified ad building owner, find a good HVAC company or mechanic to consider and preserve your system. If you are a large classified ad building owner, find a classified ad HVAC company for usual child support and a good mechanical engineer for specific guidance. I complete not recommend using a mechanical engineer employed by the HVAC Company; find a third party engineer for unbiased information.
Verify your HVAC system load. house owners should use ACCA's manual J calculation method and every others should have a load conducted by a mechanical engineer. classified ad buildings have more requirements similar to code conformance, minimum airing rates, etc and are individual to each building.
Select equipment sized for your load. NEVER OVERSIZE! More-is-better does not apply for HVAC systems. It will cost more to buy the equipment as without difficulty as be active it. acquire the load and the equipment selection right the first time.
Purchase tall efficiency or moving picture Star equipment. Many of the other systems enlarge variable rapidity drives for fans and compressors. greater than the years of ownership this will be paid back up many epoch over. Compare welcome efficiency equipment to tall efficiency equipment in terms of initial cost and moving picture cycle costs. Any good HVAC company or mechanical engineer can gain this information.
Consider some form of moving picture recovery for any let breathe exhausted from the building and use it to condition the incoming spacious air. This is let breathe you have paid to condition, consequently extracting some of the moving picture past exhausting it should be a priority.
For large classified ad buildings, consider conditioning the outside let breathe with a dedicated outside let breathe unit. This will eliminate any problems similar to humidity rule in most instances. It will with growth occupant comfort and permit for other downsizing of equipment.
Commercial buildings should consider economizers on their equipment. Most current codes require economizers on equipment greater than 15 tons in size. Often genial at a low incremental cost, these units fascination in spacious let breathe from the outside with the temperature (sometimes humidity) outside is lower than the temperature inside.
Home owners and little classified ad building owners should install programmable thermostats. classified ad building owners should install a speak to Digital rule (DDC) system. The investment in either of these will pay back up more than the cost in a little amount of time. gate more below.
The third step to accomplish moving picture and HVAC system optimization is controlling your system.
Programmable Thermostats-The age of digital controls has made saving moving picture easy. One of the best investments for the homeowner or little classified ad building owner is a programmable thermostat. These are simple to use and incorporate strategies based on epoch scheduling. Most manufacturers present 7 daylight programs and setback/setup programs which will point of view the HVAC system on and off to compliment your schedule and desired indoor temperature. This is a good quirk to ensure HVAC systems are used lonesome with necessary.
DDC Systems-For the large classified ad building, I consider this as a must have system. Installation costs have steadily decreased and the be active reliability has steadily increased. They can be integrated into any system and expanded as required. Some of the more popular features of these systems are optimized start/stop of the HVAC system, multiple zone control, multiple temperature sensor locations and airing control. The best ration of these systems is their attainment to be scaled happening to the largest of classified ad applications. This means you can install a simple system and accumulate more controls cutting edge to incorporate your total HVAC system. Again, the payback is hasty and without difficulty worth the investment.
The fourth and last step to accomplish moving picture and HVAC system optimization is operation and maintenance. The most efficient HVAC systems are without difficulty maintained. Ensure reliability, efficiency and a long moving picture for your HVAC system by with these tips.
Find a attributed consultant you trust. If you are a house owner or little classified ad building owner, find a good HVAC company or mechanic to consider and preserve your system. If you are a large classified ad building owner, find a classified ad HVAC company for usual maintenance. create sure you cassette and document every servicing with dates, epoch and names of the servicing person.
Home owners should always acquire a seasonal song up. The operation of your system will adjust with the seasons of the year.
Replace your let breathe filters regularly. Don't use anything less subsequently a MERV 5 filter to assure dust and fibers are removed. clean filters will save fan energy.
Related Post "Erv Hvac Definition"


We possess years of experience in organic farming and production – composting of organic fertilizer. This happens in our eco-farm located in an ecologically clean area Buzovgrad village located in the foothills of the Central Mountain near the town of Kazanlak.
We VermiMix produce and sell biohumus / Vermicompost, humus / from red Californian worm, 100% pure product and high quality. Suitable for Seedlings, fruit, vegetables, wine, for indoor and garden flowers.
Of our refined humus is environmentally friendly product with a complex action, rich in macro / micro elements essential for plant development. Hummus is the best organic fertilizer for all plants, contains all the elements needed by plants in concentrated form. When fertilizing with organic humus improves the quality and quantity of vegetables and fruits as they become larger, more juicy and delicious.
Vermicompost can be used in your home garden as well as in organic farming.


A few weeks ago I was asked to give a talk in church for Mothers day. I hate giving talks in church, which is why I have not done it in almost 8 years. I get very nervous, I never feel like I can work the audience like I can in a smaller setting and, lets face it, some of my stories would make anyone listing blush of demand my head on a platter.
So I avoid it at all costs.
When I was asked to give the talk, the man who asked me said,"we want it to be a message of hope"
You want ME to give hope to mothers??? hope that what, one day we (as women) will be dead and actually get a full nights sleep??
Hope that if you keep working yourself to the bone you will win a trip to a rubber room with a pretty white jacket that ties in the back??
Honestly, I could not for the life of me think of what I might say to women on this very special day that would make them feel hopeful. Mostly because right now I am not too sure I feel very hopeful, so I declined the request for a talk.
Then I got to thinking about what I might say to a small group of women. The women in the group I was imaging was a diverse group, all in very different stages and seasons of life. I thought about the different seasons I myself have been in and what I might have loved or desperately needed to hear then.
So although I am not going to give my talk in church, I thought I would share my thoughts anyway.
Any minute now you are about to embark on the most horrible and wonderful day of your life: the day you give birth to a baby boy and become a mother.
Don't panic about leaking from everywhere. In a few days you are going to feel like a sprinkler and everything is going to be sore. Even places you would never have imagined could be sore will be. Don't worry. Just take the Tylenol the nurses give you and don't be a martyr.
Ask for help with the breastfeeding thing. For something so "natural" it is going to be the single hardest thing you have ever done. But you will get it, and you'll be good at it. So just relax.
Be patient with yourself. There is no need to be able to do everything "right".
Get lots of sleep, the laundry will always be there.
Order in pizza, no one cares if you made dinner, neither do they expect you to.
Its OK to cry, and if you cry alot that is OK too. This is new.
Don't worry about how you look right now, you just made a little person.
In a few months you are going to find out you are expecting again (close your mouth dear...ya, I could hardly believe it when I lived through it either) Its okay.
having two is really hard, but you'll make it through.
Then number 4, this one does not make it, so allow yourself to cry. Its ok. You don't need to be strong for anyone.
Soon the years will be almost 10 and you will be a very different woman.
Be kind to every mom you meet, some might be having a really rough time of it.
I would give myself a hug, and maybe cry a bit. I know what she is in for and it is not going to be easy for her.
But I would tell her she will do great, and that it is the best job she has ever had.
And one day when you just had your yearly pap, and your daughter opened the door half way through and everyone see's....then she dumps out all your nail polish....and gets you escorted out of a play place for stealing ice cream, and you want to pull your hair out and cry...she will sing you are my sunshine, and your boys will tell you that you look beautiful to them and your heart will melt and you will keep going.
I would also like to wish all my friends who are not mothers themselves a very Happy Mothers Day. It takes a village and I do not believe you need to conceive a child to be a mother, there is a little crew of babies I did not push out, but love just like my own, so to you ladies I am blowing you a kiss too!
I am grateful for a wonderful weekend away with good friends!
I am grateful for a fantastic family. I have great kids!
I am grateful for feeling clearheaded, and a little more sure then yesterday!
This is beautiful...I would say that underneath it all it does give a message of hope. You really should write a book you know!
Amen to the book idea - especially on this topic. You have so much empathy, Joelle, and compassion and humour - things us mothers need desperately. Thank you for your blog - please don't stop.
Wow Joe, I don't know how I missed this one... Well done my friend, I love this one!


1. At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-5 level in the Federal service. Examples of such experience include researching, analyzing and reporting to higher level staff on research topics, assisting higher level staff in conducting analyses and evaluations of information; observing or participating in routine investigation interviews; assisting in planning, organizing meetings or events; assisting higher level staff in researching laws, regulations, policies and procedures.
3. A Bachelor's degree with Superior Academic Achievement - that is one of the following: In the upper one-third of your graduating class; OR a GPA of 3.0 or higher out of 4.0 as recorded on your official transcript, or based on courses completed during your final 2 years.
4. A combination of post high school education and experience that combined meet the qualification requirements for this position.
SELECTIVE FACTOR: I have the ability to read and speak Chinese, preferably in the Mandarin or Cantonese dialect at an advance level.


MEXICO CITY, Mexico (CNN) — A vicious turf war between drug cartels and Mexican authorities that has left as many as 4,300 dead so far this year may have caused a breach in the internal security systems of Interpol, the international police organization.
Interpol, which is based in France, announced Wednesday it is sending a team of investigators to Mexico to investigate the possibility that its communications systems and databases are not being used for legitimate law enforcement purposes. The prospect was raised after the arrest of the top official working with the agency in the country.
Ricardo Gutierrez Vargas, director for International Police Affairs at Mexico's Federal Investigative Agency and the head of Mexico's Interpol office, was placed under house arrest Sunday, the attorney general's office said Tuesday.
More than 30 officials have been arrested since July in connection with the anti-corruption Operation Limpieza, an ongoing investigation into information leaks by law enforcement officials to drug traffickers, said Niverda Amado, a government press secretary in Mexico City.
Gutierrez can be held for up to 40 days while authorities "obtain sufficient evidence to determine his probable responsibility," the attorney general's office said in a news release.
Rodolfo de la Guardia Garcia, a former top official at the Federal Investigative Agency, also is under 40-day house arrest. He was arrested October 29.
Mexico's Interpol office, or National Central Bureau, is staffed and run by the Federal Investigative Agency.
Interpol said in a news release Wednesday it needs to make sure the agency's information remains secure.
After the investigation, Interpol said, the agency will determine whether proper security steps have been taken.
"An assessment can then be made of the procedures put in place by the attorney general's office, which is responsible for the Interpol office in Mexico, to ensure that Interpol's rules and regulations are being followed," the agency said.
The arrests came amid "a war of master proportions" between authorities and narcotics traffickers that has left more than 4,300 dead so far this year, according to the Council on Hemispheric Affairs, an independent research and information organization. By comparison, the council said in a report Tuesday, there were 2,700 drug-related deaths in 2007.
Mexican leaders have been trying to tamp down the violence by tightening controls on money-laundering and cracking down on corruption among local and municipal police forces infiltrated by drug traffickers. It may not be enough.
"Due to pervasive corruption at the highest levels of the Mexican government, and the almost effortless infiltration of the porous security forces by the cartel, an ultimate victory by the state is far from certain," the Hemispheric Council concludes.
Drug trafficking in Mexico is a $20 billion- to $50 billion-a-year industry, as much as the nation earns from tourism or remittances from Mexicans living in the United States, said Robert Pastor, a former national security adviser to President Jimmy Carter and now a professor of international relations at American University in Washington. He has been studying Latin America for more than four decades.
"This is a huge industry with an extraordinary capacity to corrupt and intimidate the country. And they're doing both right now," said Pastor, also a former director of the Carter Center's Latin American and Caribbean Program.
The drug cartels are paying some Mexican officials bribes of $150,000 to $450,000 a month, authorities have said. The payment is far beyond the per capita income of $12,500 a year in Mexico, where one of every seven Mexicans lives in poverty, according to the CIA World Factbook.
Pastor believes that Mexican President Felipe Calderon, who took office in December 2006, made a correct assessment that he needs to fight the drug cartels as hard as he can.
"You have to obviously escalate the cost of violating the law," he said.
The United States also could help more, he said.
And while the war may never be completely won, the government can make vast gains, as happened in Colombia, he said.
Pastor was in Mexico giving a speech last week when Colombian President Alvaro Uribe met with Mexico's Calderon. Mexicans were quite taken with Uribe's message on how to fight drug traffickers, Pastor said.
The first step that Uribe took, he said, was to take the fight to the paramilitary forces, the drug traffickers and the leftist guerrillas known as FARC, who often work in collaboration with the traffickers.
Despite the gains, he said, the ultimate answer may have to come from the political arena, not from law enforcement.
"There's no easy solution to it unless you put an end to the criminalization drugs, and that's not going to happen," Pastor said.


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What To Expect From Startups In 2021
Startup Tech, Startup / By MVP.dev / December 1, 2020 June 9, 2022
There's quite a handful of household brands that started as tech startups; Uber, Shutterstock, and GitHub are prime examples. But with the novel coronavirus around, it's hard to imagine traditional business-as-usual ideas when the pandemic has shifted so much of how we approach work today.
Moving forward, this only means that startup founders will have to be sensitive to new normal adjustments to better curate a business model that thrives post-pandemic. Here are the top trends tech startups should watch out for:
1. Increased premium on customer support services
When it comes to remaining relevant to consumers, customer service is critical. For instance, a study notes that travel startups in Europe worked twice as hard when this year's lockdowns were just being implemented. Back-office support had to accommodate endless emails and phone calls to assist and meet customers' needs adequately.
Next year, customers are forecasted to expect the same level of flexibility and agility from the businesses they support. The pandemic has forced organizations to redefine the level of accommodation they extend to their markets. As such, businesses—startups and corporations alike—are expected to retain the same level of attentiveness to consumers in the post-covid context.
2. Increased expectation of businesses to create social impact
With all that continues to contribute to current events, businesses are finding it essential to participate in social causes. As the need for brands to be humanized is more evident by the day, startups, in particular, are anticipated to gravitate toward progressive principles in the name of inclusivity. In other words, startups are expected to roll out social and responsibility programs to help better communities and causes around them.
Now that more people are actively vocal about their stances, the urgency for startups to create a positive impact and engage in current events is warranted. Outside sustainability, people now put irreversible importance on company ethics and practices, too.
3. Increased welcome of AI
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been around for years, but its incorporation into existing CRMs and other business software will be more significant in the coming year. Although many businesses are still quite hesitant to embrace the technology, experts say that AI and Machine Learning (ML) are crucial to helping startups compete with big industry players.
4. Regular remote work arrangements
The novel coronavirus has taught businesses many things: productivity and efficiency are still achievable practices despite restrictions and lockdowns.
No lifetime has ever celebrated remote work the way we have today. To add, numerous studies support that employees now prefer work-from-home set-ups, at least once or twice a week. And because remote employment also helps employers save on office expenses, it's hard to imagine modern businesses retaining traditional in-person office arrangements.
5. Improved mental health and employee well-being programs
Humans comprise organizations, so it only makes perfect sense that employees are demanding more mental health and well-being programs from their employers. Corporate stresses are already overwhelming on their own. That said, the pandemic has only doubled the anxiety and emotional turmoil people experience daily. As such, more companies are seeing the value in giving more meaningful breaks and incentives to their workforce.
Furthermore, many tech startups are expected to roll out innovative well-being programs to promote work-life balance. Activities such as yoga sessions, movie nights, mental health days, and virtual icebreakers are anticipated to find their way into regular office practices.
Moreover, keeping employees engaged and fulfilled are vital takeaways to more substantial organizations.
6. Heightened demand for agility and resilience
The need for people to be resilient has long been expressed, but never have we been put to the test with a global health crisis until today. That mentioned, businesses are seeing how crucial being resilient is when all else is in shambles. From economic recessions to political regressions, entrepreneurs have played an integral role in bridging gaps and offering solutions to consumers.
While industries haven't been easy oceans to sail in the last couple of months, businesses that have learned to reconcile necessary adjustments have seen a rewarding turnover. And while setbacks aren't avoidable, what matters most is the ability to bounce back.
Outside people management and company perspective shifts, resiliency also tackles a business' capacity to re-approach technology. If startups are serious about increasing customer engagement, then a resilient IT program is needed to help keep processes and systems afloat.
There is hope in no-code
It may not be 2021 yet, but these six tech startup trends are beginning to be more apparent by the day. To ensure sustainability, efficiency, and brilliant market reception, embracing trends and adjusting practices where applicable is essential.
In all of these, no-code platforms like bubble.io can play a fundamental part in realizing improved business practices. Because Bubble is the leading drag-and-drop web app editor in the market today, citizen developers will find that their brands become much more effective players when a stunning web application backs them up.
Have startup ideas in mind you'd like to share? Give us a call, and we'll make it happen!