text:
Comics & Toys
VamersEMBRACE YOUR INNER GEEK
VAMERS
EMBRACE YOUR INNER GEEK
Win a Gears of War 3: Epic Edition & GoW Swag
Hans Haupt
Paid Partnership
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CONGRATULATIONS TO THE MAIN PRIZE WINNER
JASON BRIDGES
and the two runner-up winners
JODY WILLIAMS and RAFAEL DE ABREU
[This competition is now closed]
Gears of War 3, the grueling third and final chapter of one of the best selling video game franchises in the world, is emerging on Tuesday 20th of September 2011. The game will launch in three flavours: a Standard Edition, a Limited Edition and an Epic Edition. Alas, it was revealed that South Africa would not be receiving the incredibly limited Epic Edition of Gears of War 3 (pictured above). As gamers, the Vamers staff felt cheated and disappointment at the news and wondered "what could we do to help ease the pain"?
The answer was simple: "import one and give it away"!
[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5AVJXw–IQ']
To celebrate the glorious release of Gears of War 3, the staff at Vamers have painfully sourced a Gears of War 3: Epic Edition to giveaway along with a variety of awesome Gears of War 3 swag. We have done this for you, the passionate gamer. In addition to the main prize and the two runner-up prizes, we also have four sets of metal Gears of War themed COG tags to give away – each week to one random Twitter follower or Facebook fan until the final prize is drawn.
The Gears of War 3: Epic Edition is the ultimate collection for hardcore fans who cannot get enough of the Gears of War experience. The Win With Vamers Gears of War Main Prize consists of the seriously awesome Epic Edition of Gears of War 3 as well as some pretty exclusive Gears of War swag:
A Limited Edition Marcus Fenix Statue – Designed by Epic Games Art Director Chris Perna and expertly crafted by the artisans at Triforce, this fine PVC statue collectible makes the ultimate living room centerpiece for any true "Gears" fan.
The Art and Design of Gears of War by Tom Bissell – Through unprecedented access to the Epic Games team, acclaimed author Tom Bissell (Extra Lives) gives readers an incisive behind-the-scenes glimpse into one of the most celebrated sagas in video game history with 96 pages of interviews, photos, concept artwork and more.
Infected Omen Weapon Pack — Custom multiplayer skins for the game's five starting weapons; Lancer, Retro Lancer, Hammerburst, Sawed-off Shotgun, and Gnasher Shotgun.
An Octus Award Box and Octus Service Medal – Replicas of the honours bestowed on professor and retired major Adam Jonathon Fenix, Marcus' father, for his work on the Hammer of Dawn.
Exclusive Unlockable Adam Fenix Multiplayer Character – Each Octus Service Medal replica is engraved with a unique Xbox LIVE code that is the only way to unlock Adam Fenix in multiplayer.
A fabric COG Flag – Proud colors that once flew above the House of Sovereigns.
The personal effects of Adam Fenix, including his "Last Will and Testament," the initial Hammer of Dawn schematic, and other Fenix family mementos.
Bonus Vamers Exclusive — A pair of wearable COG tags, replicas of the ones your favourite character wears in the Gears of War game, imprinted with "PROPERTY OF THE COALITION OF ORDERED GOVERNMENT"!
Bonus Vamers Exclusive — A wearable Gears of War 3 black 'Locust Face' bandanna, imprinted with the face of a locust.
Bonus Vamers Exclusive — A wearable Gears of War 3 black 'Blood Omen' baseball cap, emblazoned with the Gears of War 3 logo.
Bonus Vamers Exclusive — A wearable Gears of War 3 grey 'sack bag' adorned with an image of Marcus Fenix.
Bonus Vamers Exclusive — A metal Gears of War Lancer keychain.
With production values worthy of the most discerning fans, the Gears of War 3: Epic Edition is one of the only ways to obtain these high-end collectibles and downloadable content. The complete Gears of War 3: Epic Edition main prize, including the Gears of War swag, is valued at well over R3 000. The Gears of War 3: Epic Edition is only available in very limited quantities – this competition is one of the very few ways of getting the Epic Edition in South Africa, as our region is reportedly not getting this version of the game.
In addition to the 'epic' main prize, there are two additional runner-up prize packages valued at over R1 000 each. Each runner-up prize includes the following Gears of War 3 themed swag:
A pair of wearable Gears of War 3 dog tags, decorated with the Gears of War 3 logo on the front and imprinted with "BROTHERS TO THE END" on the back!
A wearable Gears of War 3 black 'Locust Face' bandanna, imprinted with the face of a locust!
A wearable Gears of War 3 black 'Vein Omen' beanie, emblazoned with the Gears of War 3 logo!
A wearable Gears of War 3 black 'sack bag' adorned with the Gears of War 3 logo!
A sturdy metal Gears of War Lancer themed keychain.
[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRq4tDeSOe8′]
Each working day, from Monday 12 September 2011 until Friday 30 September 2011, we will reveal a question on both our Facebook and Twitter streams. Your job is to search for the answers to each of the proposed questions. There will be a total of 15 questions that need to be answered. Please keep a list of your answers. Once you have answered all 15 questions, or as many questions as you can answer, you will then be required to e-mail your list of answers to Vamers by 17:00 on Friday 30 September 2011. Please do not @Reply your answers to the Vamers Twitter or post them on the Vamers Facebook page – unless you want to share your answers. Please see the break down of the competition details below for additional clarity:
Each working day, from Monday 12 September 2011 until Friday 30 September 2011, we will reveal a new Gears of War related question for you to answer.
Pay close attention to our Facebook page and our Twitter streams because that is where the Gears of War related questions will be revealed.
A total of 15 Gears of War related questions will be revealed. You need to try and answer them all.
Please do not directly respond to our questions via Facebook or Twitter. This means that you should not @Reply your answers to our Twitter account or write your answers on our Facebook page wall/photos. Doing so will not gain you entry into this competition.
Please compile a note, either digitally or on paper, of the questions and your answers to the questions.
Questions may be tracked on Facebook by viewing this album, on Twitter by viewing our favourited tweets or in the image gallery below.
Once the final Gears of War question has been revealed, you will be requested to send your complete list of answers, in order from 1 – 15, to [email protected]. Please use the subject line: Win With Vamers GoW3.
Entries for this competition will close at 17:00 on Friday 30 September 2011. No late entries will be accepted.
Valid entries with the most correct answers will be placed into a pool from which a main prize winner and two runner-up prize winners will be drawn.
WIN WITH VAMERS COMPETITION TERMS AND CONDITIONS
The Gears of War 3: Epic Edition competition closes at 17:00 on Friday the 30th of September 2011. The person who provides the best submission, as judged by the Vamers staff, and who follows the competition instructions properly will be declared the winner of this competition. The judges' decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. The winner will be announced within 48 hours after the competition closes. Vamers will endeavour to deliver the prize within 2-6 weeks as described, however, cannot accept responsibility if the prize differs from advertisement in presentation or value. This competition is only open to residents of South Africa. Entrants under 18 years of age must seek permission from a parent or guardian before entering this competition. Entrants must be over 18 years of age or have parental consent to enter this competition. The main prize consists of: one single copy of the complete Gears of War 3: Epic Edition video game for the Xbox 360 videogame console from Microsoft with a single pair of metal COG tags, a single Gears of War 3 black 'Locust Face' bandanna, a single Gears of War 3 black 'Blood Omen' baseball cap, a single wearable Gears of War 3 grey 'sack bag' and a single metal Gears of War Lancer keychain for a single primary winner. Two runner-up winners will each receive: a single pair of Gears of War 3 dog tags, a single black Gears of War 3 'Locust Face' bandanna, a single black Gears of War 3 'Vein Omen' beanie, a single black Gears of War 3 'sack bag' a and a single Gears of War Lancer themed keychain. There is no cash or prize alternative and all prizes are non-transferable. Only one grand prize winner per competition unless otherwise specified. Entrants are free to enter as many of the other competitions as they would like, however only one entry per person will be accepted in each competition. Winners use and accept prizes at their own risk. Vamers and the prize sponsors, if any, cannot be held responsible for any injury, accident or loss of property as a result of accepting and/or using the prize. Winners could be required to have their details disclosed for publication on radio, television, printed media and Internet publications. Vamers and the prize sponsors, if any, reserve the right to cancel the competition at any time and shall not be liable to entrants for any action whatsoever. Vamers reserves the right to alter competition rules or prizes at their own discretion. Alterations become effective immediately and entrants shall not have recourse against Vamers or the prize sponsors. This competition is not open to staff (or members of their immediate families) who may be associated with the Vamers website or prize sponsors. Please note: the Gears of War 3: Epic Edition is being sourced from the United States of America (USA). The game may or may not be region free. If not, we will supply the prize winner with a localised version of the standard edition version of the Gears of War 3 game along with the Gears of War 3: Epic Edition main prize, at no extra charge. The Gears of War 3: Epic Edition downloadable content may or may not be region locked. A United States of America based Xbox Live account may or may not be needed to download Gears of War 3: Epic Edition downloadable content.
(Sources: Epic Games, YouTube)
Managing Director / Editor-in-Chief at Vamers | View Author Profile
Owner, founder, editor and contributor at Vamers, Hans has a vested interest in geek culture and the interactive entertainment industry. With a Masters degree in Communications and Ludology, he is well read and versed in matters relating to video games and communication media, among many other topics of interest.
https://vamers.com/author/hanshaupt/
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Unboxing Cyberpunk 2077 Collector's Edition & Reviewers Kit
Win Cyberpunk 2077 T-Shirts & augment your wardrobe!
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Moshi Otto Q - Fast, Functional & Stylish
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Practice of the Week 7: Jan 28 to Feb 2, 2019.
For further explanations, please see BASICS.
2 sets of 4x 25, push off and swim all out, do not breathe until 6 strokes, and then swim easy to the 25. In E & K 6 strokes are 12 digs, in Y & T 6 extensions to the front.
Repeat broken 800's until 36' are finished. Rest 30" between the 200's, 20" between the 100's and 10" between the 50's; rest 45" every 800 after counting A to P. Freestyle is the stroke of choice, IM'rs can swim 4 styles.
3 sets of 4 repetitions – dive-in 25s all out, no breath if possible. Work on start, break, and maximum acceleration. Swim easy to the 50 and restart on prescribed send-off.
Swim a pyramid, start at 8x 100 and keep going to 1x 100, take 40" rest after the 8x 100, take 35" after the 7x 100, rest 30" after the 6x 100, rest 25" after the 5x 100, and so on till you get to the 200 with 10", and finish with a 100. Maintain a steady pace.
Loosen with 150 easy after #1, #2, #3, and 200 after #4.
Swim 3 sets of 4x 50 go easy until six strokes out of the finish, then sprint all out no breath and touch, not "grab" the wall. Swim a 50 drill after 4. Choose a different stroke each set.
100, 2x 100, 3x 100, and 4x 100. Please observe the resting intervals. Restart until the 35' are finished.
200's broken backstroke, 1x 100's, 1x 50's, work on the 15 yards under water dolphin kick on every wall, use fins if you want to.


text:
Q: How do I set the launch image to landscape on iPad in Xcode 6? I am making an iOS 8 app written in Swift using Xcode 6. The app is going to run only in landscape mode. The only issue I am having is the launch image file 'storyboard' (.xib) is launching in portrait mode and the rest of the app is fine. I only have the problem on iPad, the iPhone launches the launch image file fine. I even have Landscape selected in the right pane:

A: Click on your project in the project navigation and go in the general tab and in Device orientation choose landscape

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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text:
STRUCTURE REFINEMENT OF K-EXCHANGED NATROLITE BY RIETVELD METHOD.
Atsushi Yamazaki*, Kunikazu Kamioka, Hiroto Matsumoto, Ryohei Otsuka
School of Creative Science and Engineering
The crystal structure of K-exchanged natrolite is refined by the Rietveld analysis of X-ray powder diffraction data. The K-exchanged form is obtained by the treatment of natural natrolite (Yanai, Aichi Pref. , Japan) with KCl solution at 130 degree C for 7 days. The degree of K-exchange is 98. 6%, and its chemical composition and lattice parameters are; K//1//5//. //8Na//0//. //2(Al//1//5//. //7Si//2//4//. //2O//8//0) multiplied by (times) 20. 6H//2O, a equals 19. 3137 (2) Angstrom, b equals 19. 7672 (2) Angstrom, c equals 6. 48206 (6) Angstrom. In the K-form, the rotation angle psi of the framework projected along c is 13 degree , being 11 degree smaller than that of natrolite ( psi equals 24 degree ). This causes about 6% increase in both a and b parameters. On the other hand, c parameter becomes shorter by about 2% due to the twisting of the framework by the rotation of the tetrahedra around an axis normal to c. In the K-form K atoms and H//2O molecules are situated near the sites of H//2O molecules and Na atoms in natrolite.
Waseda Daigaku Rikogaku Kenkyusho Hokoku/Bulletin of Science and Engineering Research Laboratory,
Engineering(all)
Dive into the research topics of 'STRUCTURE REFINEMENT OF K-EXCHANGED NATROLITE BY RIETVELD METHOD.'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.
Rietveld method Engineering & Materials Science 100%
Atoms Engineering & Materials Science 54%
Molecules Engineering & Materials Science 51%
Rietveld analysis Engineering & Materials Science 49%
X ray powder diffraction Engineering & Materials Science 39%
Lattice constants Engineering & Materials Science 39%
Potassium chloride Engineering & Materials Science 35%
Crystal structure Engineering & Materials Science 33%
Yamazaki, A., Kamioka, K., Matsumoto, H., & Otsuka, R. (1987). STRUCTURE REFINEMENT OF K-EXCHANGED NATROLITE BY RIETVELD METHOD. Waseda Daigaku Rikogaku Kenkyusho Hokoku/Bulletin of Science and Engineering Research Laboratory, (118), 40-44.
STRUCTURE REFINEMENT OF K-EXCHANGED NATROLITE BY RIETVELD METHOD. / Yamazaki, Atsushi; Kamioka, Kunikazu; Matsumoto, Hiroto; Otsuka, Ryohei.
In: Waseda Daigaku Rikogaku Kenkyusho Hokoku/Bulletin of Science and Engineering Research Laboratory, No. 118, 01.12.1987, p. 40-44.
Yamazaki, A, Kamioka, K, Matsumoto, H & Otsuka, R 1987, 'STRUCTURE REFINEMENT OF K-EXCHANGED NATROLITE BY RIETVELD METHOD.', Waseda Daigaku Rikogaku Kenkyusho Hokoku/Bulletin of Science and Engineering Research Laboratory, no. 118, pp. 40-44.
Yamazaki A, Kamioka K, Matsumoto H, Otsuka R. STRUCTURE REFINEMENT OF K-EXCHANGED NATROLITE BY RIETVELD METHOD. Waseda Daigaku Rikogaku Kenkyusho Hokoku/Bulletin of Science and Engineering Research Laboratory,. 1987 Dec 1;(118):40-44.
Yamazaki, Atsushi ; Kamioka, Kunikazu ; Matsumoto, Hiroto ; Otsuka, Ryohei. / STRUCTURE REFINEMENT OF K-EXCHANGED NATROLITE BY RIETVELD METHOD. In: Waseda Daigaku Rikogaku Kenkyusho Hokoku/Bulletin of Science and Engineering Research Laboratory,. 1987 ; No. 118. pp. 40-44.
@article{e1cac5b42754421bb16ecb8ebc7400e2,
title = "STRUCTURE REFINEMENT OF K-EXCHANGED NATROLITE BY RIETVELD METHOD.",
abstract = "The crystal structure of K-exchanged natrolite is refined by the Rietveld analysis of X-ray powder diffraction data. The K-exchanged form is obtained by the treatment of natural natrolite (Yanai, Aichi Pref. , Japan) with KCl solution at 130 degree C for 7 days. The degree of K-exchange is 98. 6%, and its chemical composition and lattice parameters are; K//1//5//. //8Na//0//. //2(Al//1//5//. //7Si//2//4//. //2O//8//0) multiplied by (times) 20. 6H//2O, a equals 19. 3137 (2) Angstrom, b equals 19. 7672 (2) Angstrom, c equals 6. 48206 (6) Angstrom. In the K-form, the rotation angle psi of the framework projected along c is 13 degree , being 11 degree smaller than that of natrolite ( psi equals 24 degree ). This causes about 6% increase in both a and b parameters. On the other hand, c parameter becomes shorter by about 2% due to the twisting of the framework by the rotation of the tetrahedra around an axis normal to c. In the K-form K atoms and H//2O molecules are situated near the sites of H//2O molecules and Na atoms in natrolite.",
author = "Atsushi Yamazaki and Kunikazu Kamioka and Hiroto Matsumoto and Ryohei Otsuka",
journal = "Waseda Daigaku Rikogaku Kenkyusho Hokoku/Bulletin of Science and Engineering Research Laboratory, Waseda University",
T1 - STRUCTURE REFINEMENT OF K-EXCHANGED NATROLITE BY RIETVELD METHOD.
AU - Yamazaki, Atsushi
AU - Kamioka, Kunikazu
AU - Matsumoto, Hiroto
AU - Otsuka, Ryohei
N2 - The crystal structure of K-exchanged natrolite is refined by the Rietveld analysis of X-ray powder diffraction data. The K-exchanged form is obtained by the treatment of natural natrolite (Yanai, Aichi Pref. , Japan) with KCl solution at 130 degree C for 7 days. The degree of K-exchange is 98. 6%, and its chemical composition and lattice parameters are; K//1//5//. //8Na//0//. //2(Al//1//5//. //7Si//2//4//. //2O//8//0) multiplied by (times) 20. 6H//2O, a equals 19. 3137 (2) Angstrom, b equals 19. 7672 (2) Angstrom, c equals 6. 48206 (6) Angstrom. In the K-form, the rotation angle psi of the framework projected along c is 13 degree , being 11 degree smaller than that of natrolite ( psi equals 24 degree ). This causes about 6% increase in both a and b parameters. On the other hand, c parameter becomes shorter by about 2% due to the twisting of the framework by the rotation of the tetrahedra around an axis normal to c. In the K-form K atoms and H//2O molecules are situated near the sites of H//2O molecules and Na atoms in natrolite.
AB - The crystal structure of K-exchanged natrolite is refined by the Rietveld analysis of X-ray powder diffraction data. The K-exchanged form is obtained by the treatment of natural natrolite (Yanai, Aichi Pref. , Japan) with KCl solution at 130 degree C for 7 days. The degree of K-exchange is 98. 6%, and its chemical composition and lattice parameters are; K//1//5//. //8Na//0//. //2(Al//1//5//. //7Si//2//4//. //2O//8//0) multiplied by (times) 20. 6H//2O, a equals 19. 3137 (2) Angstrom, b equals 19. 7672 (2) Angstrom, c equals 6. 48206 (6) Angstrom. In the K-form, the rotation angle psi of the framework projected along c is 13 degree , being 11 degree smaller than that of natrolite ( psi equals 24 degree ). This causes about 6% increase in both a and b parameters. On the other hand, c parameter becomes shorter by about 2% due to the twisting of the framework by the rotation of the tetrahedra around an axis normal to c. In the K-form K atoms and H//2O molecules are situated near the sites of H//2O molecules and Na atoms in natrolite.
JO - Waseda Daigaku Rikogaku Kenkyusho Hokoku/Bulletin of Science and Engineering Research Laboratory, Waseda University
JF - Waseda Daigaku Rikogaku Kenkyusho Hokoku/Bulletin of Science and Engineering Research Laboratory, Waseda University


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text:
This node 569137 is published parle_debug=field_parle_speak boolean = FALSE (unchecked or not configured)
Financial Statements for the period ended March 31, 2019
Statement of Management Responsibility Including Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
Responsibility for the integrity and objectivity of the accompanying financial statements for the year ended March 31, 2019, and all information contained in these financial statements rests with the management of the Canadian Transportation Agency (the CTA). These financial statements have been prepared by management using the Government of Canada's accounting policies, which are based on Canadian public sector accounting standards.
Management is responsible for the integrity and objectivity of the information in these financial statements. Some of the information in the financial statements is based on management's best estimates and judgment, and gives due consideration to materiality. To fulfill its accounting and reporting responsibilities, management maintains a set of accounts that provides a centralized record of the CTA's financial transactions. Financial information submitted in the preparation of the Public Accounts of Canada, and included in the CTA's Departmental Results Report, is consistent with these financial statements.
Management is also responsible for maintaining an effective system of internal control over financial reporting (ICFR) designed to provide reasonable assurance that financial information is reliable, that assets are safeguarded and that transactions are properly authorized and recorded in accordance with the Financial Administration Act and other applicable legislation, regulations, authorities and policies.
Management seeks to ensure the objectivity and integrity of data in its financial statements through careful selection, training and development of qualified staff; through organizational arrangements that provide appropriate divisions of responsibility; through communication programs aimed at ensuring that regulations, policies, standards, and managerial authorities are understood throughout the CTA and through conducting an annual risk-based assessment of the effectiveness of the system of ICFR.
The system of ICFR is designed to mitigate risks to a reasonable level based on an on-going process to identify key risks, to assess effectiveness of associated key controls, and to make any necessary adjustments.
The CTA is subject to periodic Core Control Audits performed by the Office of the Comptroller General (OCG) and uses the results of such audits to comply with the Treasury Board Policy on Financial Management.
A Core Control Audit was performed in 2014-2015 by the OCG for transactions completed in 2013-2014. The Audit Report and related Management Action Plan are posted on the CTA's web site at https://www.otc-cta.gc.ca/eng/corporate-reports.
The financial statements of the CTA have not been audited.
Scott Streiner
Chair and Chief Executive Officer
Gatineau, Canada
Mireille Drouin
A/ Chief Financial Officer
Statement of Financial Position (Unaudited) As at March 31 (in dollars)
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities (Note 4)
Vacation pay and compensatory leave
Employee future benefits (Note 5)
Due from Consolidated Revenue Fund
Accounts receivable and advances (Note 6)
Total gross financial assets
Financial assets held on behalf of Government
(53,346) (85,596)
Total financial assets held on behalf of Government
Total net financial assets
Agency net debt
Non-financial assets
Prepaid expenses
Tangible capital assets (Note 7)
859,713 886 389
Total non-financial assets
Agency net financial position
$ (1,062,865) $ (1,362,234)
Contractual obligations (Note 8)
The accompanying notes form an integral part of these financial statements.
Statement of Operations and Agency Net Financial Position (Unaudited) For the Year Ended March 31 (in dollars)
Independent regulatory and dispute-resolution
services for transportation providers and users
$ 23,304,785 $ 26,975,940 $ 24,583,800
8,593,807 10,086,399 8,829,931
31,898,592 37,062,339 33,413,731
Revenues from fines
161,090 131,235 317,750
Sales of goods and services
Gain on disposal of assets
Miscellaneous revenues
75 1,196 323
Revenues earned on behalf of Government
(161,230) (132,351) (318,163)
Total revenues
- 326 10
Net cost of operations before government funding and transfers
Government funding and transfers
Net cash provided by Government of Canada
Change in due from Consolidated Revenue Fund
Services provided without charge by other government departments (Note 9)
Other transfers of assets and liabilities (to) / from other government departments
Net cost of operations after government funding and transfers
(299,369) 32,115
Agency net financial position – Beginning of year
(1,362,234) (1,330,119)
Agency net financial position – End of year
Segmented information (Note 10)
Statement of Change in Agency Net Debt (Unaudited) For the Year Ended March 31 (in dollars)
$ (299,369) $ 32,115
Change due to tangible capital assets
Acquisition of tangible capital assets
Amortization of tangible capital assets
(314,925) (175,451)
Total change due to tangible capital assets
(26,676) 357,735
Change due to inventory
Change due to prepaid expenses
Net increase (decrease) in Agency net debt
(202,143) 411,679
Agency net debt – Beginning of year
Agency net debt – End of year
Statement of Cash Flows (Unaudited) For the Year Ended March 31 (in dollars)
Non-cash items:
Services provided without charge by other government departments
Net transfer of salary overpayments to (from) other government departments
Variations in Statement of Financial Position:
Increase (decrease) in accounts receivable and advances
Increase (decrease) in prepaid expenses
Increase (decrease) in inventory
Decrease (increase) in accounts payable and accrued liabilities
(1,709,464) (376,959)
Decrease (increase) in vacation pay and compensatory leave
4,303 (338,086)
Decrease (increase) in employee future benefits
Cash used in operating activities
Capital investment activities:
Acquisitions of tangible capital assets
Cash used in capital investment activities
Notes to the Financial Statements (Unaudited) For the Year Ended March 31 (in dollars)
1. Authority and objectives
The CTA was established on July 1st, 1996, under the Canada Transportation Act (the Act), (S.C. 1996, c. 10), as the continuation of the National Transportation Agency. Under the Act and related legislation, it has various powers to help implement the federal government's transportation policy.
The CTA is an independent, quasi-judicial tribunal and regulator that has, with respect to all matters necessary for the exercise of its jurisdiction, all the powers of a superior court. The CTA has three mandates:
It helps ensure that the national transportation system runs efficiently and smoothly in the interests of all Canadians: those who work and invest in it; the producers, shippers, travellers and businesses who rely on it; and the communities where it operates.
It protects the human right of persons with disabilities to an accessible transportation network.
It provides consumer protection for air passengers.
In delivering its mandates, the CTA operates under the following core responsibilities:
Independent regulatory and dispute-resolution services for transportation providers and users. This core responsibility is supported by the following three key programs:
Determinations and Compliance: This program provides analysis and recommendations when industry needs a determination from the CTA to proceed with an activity in the marketplace (e.g. an air carrier licence). It also monitors compliance with legislation and regulations, as well as CTA decisions, orders and determinations and initiates enforcement actions in cases of non-compliance.
Dispute Resolution: This program provides dispute resolution services, upon application, for air, rail, marine and accessibility disputes within the CTA's jurisdiction. It does this using a range of approaches from relatively informal facilitation and mediation to more formal arbitration and adjudication.
Analysis and Outreach: This program leads CTA regulatory modernization and provides strategic research, analysis and legislative advice regarding the national transportation system and key issues. It enhances the accessibility of the federal transportation network. It also leads the CTA's external partnerships, communications and outreach.
Internal Services: Internal Services are those groups of related activities and resources that the Federal Government considers to be services in support of programs and/or required to meet corporate obligations of an organization. Internal services refer to the activities and resources that support program delivery in the organization, such as human resources management, financial management, information management and information technology.
These financial statements are prepared using the CTA's accounting policies stated below, which are based on Canadian public sector accounting standards. The presentation and results using the stated accounting policies do not result in any significant differences from Canadian public sector accounting standards.
Significant accounting policies are as follows:
Parliamentary authorities
The CTA is financed by the Government of Canada through Parliamentary authorities. Financial reporting of authorities provided to the CTA do not parallel financial reporting according to generally accepted accounting principles since authorities are primarily based on cash flow requirements. Consequently, items recognized in the Statement of Operations and Agency Net Financial Position and in the Statement of Financial Position are not necessarily the same as those provided through authorities from Parliament. Note 3 provides a reconciliation between the bases of reporting. The planned results amounts in the "Expenses" and "Revenues" sections of the Statement of Operations and Agency Net Financial Position are the amounts reported in the Future-oriented Statement of Operations included in the 2018-2019 Departmental Plan . Planned results are not presented in the "Government funding and transfers" section of the Statement of Operations and Agency Net Financial Position and in the Statement of Change in Agency Net Debt because these amounts were not included in the 2018-2019 Departmental Plan.
Net Cash Provided by Government
The CTA operates within the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF), which is administered by the Receiver General for Canada. All cash received by the CTA is deposited to the CRF, and all cash disbursements made by the CTA are paid from the CRF. The net cash provided by Government is the difference between all cash receipts and all cash disbursements, including transactions between departments of the Government.
Amounts due from or to the CRF
Amounts due from or to the CRF are the result of timing differences at year-end between when a transaction affects authorities and when it is processed through the CRF. Amounts due from the CRF represent the net amount of cash that the CTA is entitled to draw from the CRF without further appropriations to discharge its liabilities.
Revenues from regulatory fees are recognized based on the services provided in the year.
All other revenues, including revenues from fines, are recognized in the period in which the underlying transaction or event that gave rise to the revenue takes place.
Revenues that are non-respendable are not available to discharge the CTA's liabilities. While the Chair and CEO is expected to maintain accounting control, he has no authority regarding the disposition of non-respendable revenues. As a result, non-respendable revenues are considered to be earned on behalf of the Government of Canada and are therefore presented in reduction of the entity's gross revenues.
Expenses are recorded on the accrual basis:
Vacation pay and compensatory leave are accrued as the benefits are earned by employees under their respective terms of employment.
Services provided without charge by other government departments for accommodation, employer contributions to the health and dental insurance plans, legal services and workers' compensation are recorded as operating expenses at their estimated cost.
Employee future benefits
Pension benefits: Eligible employees participate in the Public Service Pension Plan (the Plan), a multiemployer pension plan administered by the Government. The CTA's contributions to the Plan are charged to expenses in the year incurred and represent the total CTA obligation to the Plan. The CTA's responsibility with regard to the Plan is limited to its contributions. Actuarial surpluses or deficiencies are recognised in the financial statements of the Government of Canada, as the Plan's sponsor.
Severance benefits: The accumulation of severance benefits for voluntary departures ceased for applicable employee groups. The remaining obligation for employees who did not withdraw benefits is calculated using information derived from the results of the actuarially determined liability for employee severance benefits for the Government as a whole.
Accounts receivable are stated at the lower of cost and net recoverable value. When necessary, an allowance for valuation is recorded to reduce the carrying value of accounts receivable to amounts that approximate their net recoverable value.
Inventory is valued at cost using the average cost method and consists of brochures held for future program delivery and is not intended for resale. Inventory that no longer has service potential is deemed obsolete and is written off.
Tangible capital assets
The costs of acquiring equipment and other capital property are capitalized as tangible capital assets. All tangible capital assets having an initial cost of $10,000 or more are recorded at their acquisition cost. Amortization of tangible capital assets is done on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful life of the asset as follows:
Assets under construction are recorded in the applicable asset class in the year they are put into service and are not amortized until they are put into service.
Contingent Liabilities
Contingent liabilities are potential liabilities which may become actual liabilities when one or more future events occur or fail to occur. If the future event is likely to occur or fail to occur, and a reasonable estimate of the loss can be made, a provision is accrued and an expense recorded to other expenses. If the likelihood is not determinable or an amount cannot be reasonably estimated, the contingency is disclosed in the notes to the financial statements.
Contingent assets
Contingent assets are possible assets which may become actual assets when one or more future events occur or fail to occur. If the future event is likely to occur or fail to occur, the contingent asset is disclosed in the notes to the financial statements.
The preparation of these financial statements requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported and disclosed amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes as at March 31. The estimates are based on facts and circumstances, historical experience, general economic conditions and reflect the Government's best estimate of the related amount at the end of the reporting period. The most significant items where estimates are used are the liability for employee future benefits and the useful life of tangible capital assets. Actual results could significantly differ from those estimated. Management's estimates are reviewed periodically and, as adjustments become necessary, they are recorded in the financial statements in the year they become known.
Inter-entity transactions are transactions between commonly controlled entities. Inter-entity transactions, other than restructuring transactions, are recorded on a gross basis and are measured at the carrying amount, except for the following:
Services provided on a recovery basis are recognized as revenues and expenses on a gross basis and measured at the exchange amount.
Certain services received on a without charge basis are recorded for departmental financial statement purposes at the carrying amount.
3.Parliamentary authorities
The CTA receives most of its funding through annual parliamentary authorities. Items recognized in the Statement of Operations and Agency Net Financial Position and the Statement of Financial Position in one year may be funded through parliamentary authorities in prior, current or future years. Accordingly, the CTA has different net results of operations for the year on a government funding basis than on an accrual accounting basis. The differences are reconciled in the following tables:
a) Reconciliation of net cost of operations to current year authorities used
Adjustments for items affecting net cost of operations but not affecting authorities:
Refunds of prior years' expenditures
Other expenditures not affecting authorities
3,221 -
Total items affecting net cost of operations but not affecting authorities
Adjustment for items not affecting net cost of operations but affecting authorities:
Increase (decrease) in other receivables and advances
Total items not affecting net cost of operations but affecting authorities
Current year authorities used
b) Authorities provided and used
Authorities provided:
Vote 25: Operating expenditures
Statutory amounts
Lapsed: Operating
4. Accounts payable and accrued liabilities
The following table presents details of the CTA's accounts payable and accrued liabilities:
Accounts payable – Other government departments and agencies
$ 752,474 $ 154,985
Accounts payable – External parties
Total accounts payable
Accrued liabilities
Total accounts payable and accrued liabilities
5.Employee future benefits
a) Pension benefits
The CTA's employees participate in the Public Service Pension Plan (the "Plan"), which is sponsored and administered by the Government of Canada. Pension benefits accrue up to a maximum period of 35 years at a rate of 2 percent per year of pensionable service, times the average of the best five consecutive years of earnings. The benefits are integrated with Canada/Québec Pension Plan benefits and are indexed to inflation.
Both the employees and the CTA contribute to the cost of the Plan. Due to the amendment of the Public Service Superannuation Act following the implementation of provisions related to Economic Action Plan 2012, employee contributors have been divided into two groups – Group 1 relates to existing plan members as of December 31, 2012 and Group 2 relates to members joining the Plan as of January 1, 2013. Each group has a distinct contribution rate.
The 2018-2019 expense amounts to $2,412,179 ($2,151,896 in 2017-2018). For Group 1 members, the expense represents approximately 1.01 times (1.01 times in 2017-2018) the employee contributions and, for Group 2 members, approximately 1.00 times (1.00 times in 2017-2018) the employee contributions.
The CTA's responsibility with regard to the Plan is limited to its contributions. Actuarial surpluses or deficiencies are recognized in the Consolidated Financial Statements of the Government of Canada, as the Plan's sponsor.
b) Severance benefits
Severance benefits provided to the CTA's employees were previously based on an employee's eligibility, years of service and salary at termination of employment. However, since 2011 the accumulation of severance benefits for voluntary departures progressively ceased for substantially all employees. Employees subject to these changes were given the option to be paid the full or partial value of benefits earned to date or collect the full or remaining value of benefits upon departure from the public service. By March 31, 2019, substantially all settlements for immediate cash out were completed. Severance benefits are unfunded and, consequently, the outstanding obligation will be paid from future authorities.
The changes in the obligations during the year were as follows:
Accrued benefit obligation – Beginning of year
Expense for the year
Benefits paid during the year
Accrued benefit obligation – End of year
6. Accounts receivable and advances
The following table presents details of the CTA's accounts receivable and advances balances:
Receivables – Other government departments and agencies
Receivables – External parties
Employee advances
Gross accounts receivable
Accounts receivable held on behalf of Government
Net accounts receivable
7. Tangible capital assets
Capital Asset Class
Disposals and
$ 105,746 $ - $ - $ - $ 105,746
1,749,289 229,568 400,869 - 2,379,726
4,038,405 - - - 4,038,405
665,441 - - - 665,441
24,285 - - - 24,285
Assets under construction
342,188 58,681 (400,869) - -
$ 6,925,354 $ 288,249 $ - $ - $ 7,213,603
Accumulated Amortization
1,390,513 188,122 - - 1,578,635
3,953,321 85,084 - - 4,038,405
575,508 38,250 - - 613,758
13,877 3,469 - - 17,346
Net Book Value
- 85,084
8. Contractual obligations
The nature of the CTA's activities can result in some large multi-year contracts and obligations whereby the CTA will be obligated to make future payments when the services/goods are received. Significant contractual obligations that can be reasonably estimated are summarized as follows:
2023 and
Professional and special services
$ 728,023 $ 74,041 $ 105,308 $ - $ 907,372
Software maintenance agreements
85,288 95,610 95,610 382,439 658,947
Other goods and services
123,788 69,108 38,250 - 231,146
Operating leases and rental of storage
51,099 45,000 - - 96,099
$ 988,198 $ 283,759 $ 239,168 $ 382,439 $ 1,893,564
9. Related party transactions
The CTA is related, as a result of common ownership, to all government departments, agencies, and Crown corporations. Related parties also include individuals who are members of key management personnel or close family members of those individuals, and entities controlled by, or under shared control of, a member of key management personnel or a close family member of that individual.
The CTA enters into transactions with these entities in the normal course of business and on normal trade terms.
a) Common services provided without charge by other government departments
During the year, the CTA received services without charge from certain common service organizations, related to accommodation, the employer's contribution to the health and dental insurance plans, and workers' compensation coverage. These services provided without charge have been recorded in the Statement of Operations and Agency Net Financial Position as follows: :
Employer's contribution to the health and dental insurance plans
$ 4,216,967 4,227,253
The Government has centralized some of its administrative activities for efficiency, cost-effectiveness purposes and economic delivery of programs to the public. As a result, the Government uses central agencies and common service organizations so that one department performs services for all other departments and agencies without charge. The costs of these services, such as the payroll and cheque issuance services provided by Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) and audit services provided by the Office of the Auditor General are not included in the CTA's Statement of Operations and Agency Net Financial Position.
b) Other transactions with other government departments and agencies
Expenses and revenues disclosed in (b) exclude common services provided without charges, which are already disclosed in (a).
10. Segmented information
Presentation by segment is based on the Department's core responsibility. The presentation by segment is based on the same accounting policies as described in the Summary of significant accounting policies in note 2. The following table presents the expenses incurred and revenues generated for the main core responsibility, by major object of expense and by major type of revenue. The segment results for the period are as follows:
Independent regulatory and dispute-resolution services for transportation and users
$ 23,120,249 $ 6,576,191 $ 29,696,440 $ 28,099,491
1,643,480 494,331 2,137,811 2,156,169
718,352 887,540 1,605,892 1,007,953
26,026 902,968 928,994 338,820
Transportation and telecommunication
Utilities, materials and supplies
114,391 35,064 149,455 106,095
16,232 112,479 128,711 54,162
$ 26,975,940 $ 10,086,399 $ 37,062,339 $ 33,413,731
131,235 - 131,235 317,750
- 80 80 100
- 166 166 -
326 870 1,196 323
(131,235) (1,116) (132,351) (318,163)
Available in multiple formats.


I refer to Justice (retd) J.L. Gupta's article, "Jessica Lall case: Tell the truth fearlessly" (Perspective, March 5), He has rightly pointed out that justice cannot be a reality till we, the people, become conscientious and conscious of duty. But why should we have this expectation only from the common man? The article is merely an attempt to defend the image of the judiciary and cover up its shortcomings.
I understand that a judge has to decide on the basis of what he hears in court. However, how can the Judge, who is expected to be a juristic person, remain a mute spectator when one witness after another turns hostile? The blame game being played by the court is no excuse for such collapse of the criminal justice system.
If the police are bent upon saving the culprits, it becomes the judge's duty to play an active role and ferret out the truth. The circumstantial evidence which could have secured the conviction of Manu Sharma and other accused despite the hostile witnesses and contradictory forensic report, was purposely ignored by the trial court. Surprisingly, the trial court judge has been elevated to the Delhi High Court.
Everyone knows that the real culprit has managed to escape through inducements and threats to the witnesses. Justice Gupta has very rightly put the whole issue in the correct perspective. It is the duty of the witnesses present at the time of murder to tell the truth without any fear so that justice may prevail.
The witnesses must be protected through special security arrangements. Retrial in this case is fully justified and it will give relief to the entire nation and help restore people's faith in the judiciary.
The writer's views merit respect and attention but my own experience as a layman litigant in the courts, particularly pursuing the cases on behalf of the government, gives an impression that the scales are heavily loaded against the meek and the weak. And the Jessica Lall case cannot be any exception.
The conduct of recording evidence in a case depends upon the presiding officer of the court. Otherwise too, when statistics show that acquittal is almost universal, why should any witness confront the high and the mighty?
I am inspired by the writer's concluding remark that somebody need to stand up to tell the truth fearlessly. But who will do that?
This refers to "RIN mutiny gave a jolt to the British" (Spectrum, Feb 12). Various writers including the late Rear Admiral Satyinder Singh, Tirlochan Singh Trewn and now Dhananjaya Bhat have written about the RIN mutiny (Feb 18-23, 1946) that gave a jolt to the British.
The views of all these writers about the mutiny are almost identical in information, though independent in nature.
It gave me immense satisfaction that the Indian Navy and the nation have finally recognised the rare contribution of RIN mutineers by building a majestic memorial in the busy Colaba area of Mumbai.
This reminds me of an inscription on the massive monument at Kohima in the memory of those who died while fighting for the British in some of the toughest battles in Burma.
The inscription reads: When you go home, tell them we have given our today for their tomorrow.
This has reference to "Mahatma's pivotal failure" by Gurpreet Maini (Spectrum, Feb 26). It is childish and naive to say that Hindu-Muslim relations nosedived only right from the Lucknow Pact of 1916. The relations were never good; they had deteriorated during the reign of Aurangzeb. Gandhiji appeased Muslim communalism (read barbarity) through and through.
By using the Ram Rajya slogan, Gandhiji implied an ideal rajya where values of justice, equality, idealism, renunciation and sacrifice are practised. A moderate Communist and a learned Pakistani friend of mine, Dr Naseer Akhtar, asked me this question while I was working in Iran in 1984.
I explained to him the meaning of Ram Rajya and put a question to him that should Gandhiji have asked for a kingdom like that of Aurangzeb. I further told him that if he relied on Marxism to bring equality, what was wrong in Gandhiji invoking the name of Ram, the ideal king?
This has reference to Narinder Singh Jallo's letter (Perspective, March 5). Neither Gurpreet nor he is objective in accusing Gandhiji of refusing special concessions to Muslims. Even after Partition, they did not accept Jinnah's proposal for exchange of population. Rather Gandhiji exhorted Hindu-Sikh refugees to go back and live in Pakistan and took pains to ensure that Muslims are protected.


While 7-year-old Olin said he was most excited about a playground zipline feature, Alexis Kuklenski said the heated restrooms are something she really appreciates. The family lives about a half mile from the new park location.
"This would be our closest park, and our closest park with a bathroom," Kuklenski said. Her children love McCrum Park, but it lacks that amenity.
Prairie Village City Administrator Wes Jordan and Ward 1 City Councilman Chad Herring agreed that heated restrooms are more in demand as new parks come on line.
The site will also include picnic shelters, playground areas suitable for infants and children up to age 12, an open grassy area large enough for informal soccer games, plus a 40-space parking lot.
Kyle Warta brought his 2-year-old daughter Delaney to Tuesday night's meeting to see what's on tap. They live just two blocks from the site.
For adults, there will be bocce ball courts and a formal garden with annuals and perennials that will be maintained by Johnson County Extension Office gardeners.
"We are really excited about this opportunity to partner with the Master Gardeners," said Scott Bingham, a landscape architect with BBN Architects, the design firm on the project.
The city bought the church property for $1.1 million and the structure was demolished this summer. The city had hoped to incorporate the church steeple into the park features, but after the rest of the church was torn down, the steeple was deemed to be too unstable and also had to be removed.
However, the design calls for a historical marker and plaque, with nearby seating, to commemorate the church.
Some residents have expressed concerns about a drainage channel behind the property that can fill with water in heavy rains and possibly pose a hazard if children wander into the area.
Herring, who represents the ward where the park will be located, said plans currently call for using barrier plants to keep people away from the channel, although fencing is also an option. City staffers are still reviewing the best approach, he said.
The project, including church demolition and park construction, is budgeted to cost about $1 million. The design is expected to meet that budget.
City officials hope construction can begin early next spring and be completed by late summer.


…why people like butterflies, especially people who are creeped out by insects, I mean they are creepy big bugs but everyone loves them because they have big colourful wings. To me wings do not make a butterfly pretty, they enable it to fly at my face.
…why people eat butter and/or margarine. I know I'm a total minority on this, a total weirdo. But if I'm the weirdo because I don't spread salted fat on my sandwiches then I can live with that.
…why men are not catered to in the realm of shopping. If you think about the number of shops on the highstreet aimed at women and the number aimed at men you will understand what I mean. Plus in shops that cater to both sexes,it's often the case that women's stuff takes up like 90% of the shop and the guys only get some small space in the corner. Don't even get me started on sales, we girls get them all the time but guys don't, no wonder so many guys don't like shopping.
…why those of us in the UK sit back meekly and accept the TV licence, yes it funds quality programming on the BBC, but I don't watch the BBC, I pay money to Sky because they show programmes that I actually want to watch. It could at least be moved to a subscription service. I don't care whether or not they have advertisements or product placements, I just care about them taking £145 out of my bank account every year because I dare to watch TV. Stop robbing me!


text:
2016 Subaru Forester review: 2016 Subaru Forester conquers dirt roads and the lone highway
With standard all-wheel drive and X-mode traction control, the 2016 Subaru Forester handles the dirt, while its EyeSight adaptive cruise control make for comfortable road trips.
Sept. 3, 2015 2:16 p.m. PT
Subarus have a reputation as hardy vehicles, favored by mountain climbers and snowboarders, but that doesn't mean they have to be spartan. Driving the 2016 Subaru Forester 2.5i Limited, I enjoyed Internet-sourced weather and news in the dashboard, an adaptive cruise control system that let me go for miles and miles without touching brake or accelerator pedals and even a liftgate that opened at the touch of a button.
All-wheel-drive, X-mode traction control and 8.7-inches of ground clearance get the 2016 Subaru Forester off the beaten path. Its adaptive cruise control system takes stress off long highway miles, and high-20s average fuel economy is good for a five-passenger SUV.
The 2.5-liter engine and continuously variable transmission combo sound rough under hard acceleration. The collision warning system shows enough false positives to become annoying.
Although boxy in styling, the 2016 Subaru Forester exhibits many practical characteristics, such as a roomy interior and decent fuel economy, then adds extras with its standard all-wheel-drive and adaptive cruise control, making it a good all-around car for non-aggressive drivers.
The Forester is a relatively small SUV, although it still has seating for five, with looks that echo its original boxy design from the late '90s. The design looks more function than form, as the roofline holds its height all the way to the rear liftgate, improving cargo and interior space. With the sunroof option, as in the model I drove, there is only 31.5 cubic feet of cargo area, taller than it is deep. But put the rear seats down, and that opens up to 68.5 cubic feet, plenty of room for camping gear or flea market finds.
Following the Subaru tradition, the Forester is a very capable car, suitable for the urban environment or the dirt road crawl. Wayne Cunningham/CNET
The base Forester, with a 2.5-liter engine, manual transmission, and all-wheel drive, goes for $23,245, but you won't find the high-tech convenience features I mentioned above available in it. At the Limited trim model, with a base price of $29,645, you can add the navigation and Eyesight package for an additional $2,145. That put the total for the one I drove at $31,790.
In the UK, you find the base Forester model, powered by a 2-liter diesel engine, for £24,995. In Australia, the starting price for a Forester is AU$28,990, and that's with a 2-liter gasoline engine.
Dorky 2016 Subaru Forester contains high-tech practicality (pictures)
Traffic-ready
The optioned-up dashboard in the example I drove had a 7-inch touchscreen showing Subaru's StarLink system, bundling navigation, stereo, hands-free phone, and app integration. Soft-touch buttons on either side of the display give quick access to a home screen, navigation, apps and satellite radio data services. It seemed odd there wasn't an audio button, although buttons on the steering wheel let me cycle through sources, skip tracks and change volume.
Maps in the navigation system look modern and show street names as easy-to-read pop-up labels. With the destination set and a long trip on the freeway ahead of me, the nav system gave me plenty of detour suggestions for slow traffic ahead. While I like a system that aggressively tries to keep me out of traffic, these suggestions would probably become annoyingly frequent in a place like Los Angeles. Destination input options included address entry, points of interest and browsing the map, all of which worked well, but there isn't an online destination search option.
Onboard navigation is nice to have when far away from cell towers. Wayne Cunningham/CNET
App integration worked with my iPhone plugged into the car's USB port, and supported Pandora, Aha and Subaru's own StarLink. Aha does have limited online destination services, but not a free-form search. StarLink included a news feed, weather, and its own interface for playing music from my phone. MirrorLink-enabled phones aren't common in the US, but the Forester supports that phone-mirroring technology.
The range of audio sources offered Bluetooth streaming, HD radio and a USB port for drives and iOS devices. The same package that gave this Forester adaptive cruise control and navigation also brought in a Harman Kardon audio system with 440 watts. The sound comes through nice and clean, but falls short of audiophile quality.
Modest power
These dashboard conveniences suit the Forester nicely, especially the onboard navigation, as this car makes a good companion for road trips well out of data coverage areas. The Forester has almost plush seats, leather-covered in the example I drove, and a reasonably soft suspension allowing for many miles of driving comfort.
A continuously variable transmission, which helps fuel economy, comes standard in the Limited trim Forester. Wayne Cunningham/CNET
The standard engine, a 2.5-liter four-cylinder, in a flat or boxer-style configuration, delivers a modest 170 horsepower and 174 pound-feet of torque. Coupled with the continuously variable transmission (CVT), standard in Limited trim, I could put it at half throttle and maintain good, steady speed up steep San Francisco hills. Under hard acceleration, the engine sounds rough, but the engine note smooths out at a constant rate of speed.
With that CVT, the Forester is a get-in-and-go type of car, with a very easy driving character suitable to just about any driving situation. And the fuel economy, at 24 mpg city and 32 mpg highway, won't be too painful for road trips and the daily commute. Even with San Francisco's tortuous traffic and hills, I turned in an average of 26.4 mpg after a week of driving on everything from freeways to city streets to a little bit of dirt road crawling.
Dirt roads and harsh weather make for one of the Forester's selling points, as it come standard with all-wheel drive. And rather than the front-wheel-drive biased systems of most other cars, Subaru's all-wheel drive is designed for a 60:40 front/rear torque split by default, with the differential shifting torque as needed to the wheels with the most grip. Adding to this, the Limited trim Forester comes with a special traction control program called X-mode, which better manages torque for more seriously slippery roads.
I took the Forester up a rocky and rutted dirt road, a moderately steep ascent, then back down again. Even with its all-season road tires, the Forester pulled the hill smoothly and easily. Taking it back down, I used its hill descent control and steered carefully around the ruts, the car managing the braking for me. The Forester's suspension doesn't have huge articulation, but the 8.7-inch ground clearance made for an easy crawl down.
The Forester has the ground clearance and all-wheel drive to easily handle a dirt road descent. Wayne Cunningham/CNET
Another bit of driving where I didn't need to touch the brake, or even the accelerator, was during long stretches on the freeway, using the Forester's adaptive cruise control system. I've raved about this system, called EyeSight, in other Subaru vehicles. It uses two cameras at the top of the windshield and a computer that analyzes the dual imagery, recognizing cars or obstacles ahead and figuring out distance and relative speed.
With the cruise control set to my preferred speed, the Forester automatically braked for slower traffic ahead, even coming to a full stop if needed. This feature worked very smoothly, generally not engaging abrupt braking or acceleration, and the instrument cluster display, showing set speed and following distance, proved easy to understand.
EyeSight also enables collision warning, but this feature was hyperreactive. Its red light and associated audio warning came on when I was merely pointed down a steep hill, or taking a tight turn on a forested road. This feature can help prevent nasty accidents for distracted drivers, especially in urban areas, so it might be worth the false alerts.
The Subaru Forester bolsters its practical features with high-tech convenience. Wayne Cunningham/CNET
Road tripper
The 2016 Subaru Forester 2.5i Limited makes for a good road tripper, weekend ski tripper, daily commuter and errand runner due to its comfortable cabin area, ride quality, all-wheel-drive and adaptive cruise control. Although it comes with Subaru's rally-proven all-wheel-drive, don't expect sports car handling. Its height and suspension suggest taking it easy in the turns.
The few complaints I have about the Forester aren't dealer killers. The engine sounds a bit rough at times and the collision warning shows many false positives, all things most people can live with. The power is modest, but it gets most jobs done.
Dashboard electronics are about average for the industry, with a usable interface and solid features for navigation, stereo and hands-free phone. I would like online destination search included with app integration, but cars in this price class are only beginning to see wide adoption of that feature.
Subaru also offers a 2-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 250 horsepower, for those who crave more response at the throttle. Highway fuel economy goes down significantly with that engine, but it comes with a similar CVT to that used in the new WRX model, which means more modes and shift points for greater control.
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2015 Nissan Murano: New style and Google, too
2.5i Limited CVT
2.5-liter boxer-style four-cylinder engine, continuously variable transmission
EPA fuel economy
24 mpg city/32 mpg highway
Observed fuel economy
Optional, with live traffic
Bluetooth phone support
Digital audio sources
Internet streaming, Bluetooth streaming, iOS integration, USB drive, satellite radio, HD radio
Harman Kardon 440-watt 8-speaker audio system
Driver assistance
Adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, collision warning, rear-view camera
Price as tested
Performance 7Features 8Design 8Media 5
See full specs Engine 4 Cylinder EngineDrivetrain All Wheel DriveMPG 25 MPGPassenger Capacity 5Body Type Crossovers, SUVs


Mastering scares a lot of people. Throughout history, professional mastering has always been an advanced skill that only the most experienced engineers would take up. The classic assumption is that you need perfectly trained ears and an expertly treated room to even attempt mastering.
Thanks to modern plugins and software, it's perfectly possible to master music at home to a high standard. Although a track that is mastered outside of a professional mastering studio will never be as translatable or pristine as a properly mastered track, you can still get great results at home with the equipment you already have.
If you are producing an important album or single, I recommend sending your mixes off for professional mastering. But when you are on a budget, working with demo tracks or need a quick turnaround, home mastering is the ideal solution.
You might think the term mastering only refers to the processing the final stereo file after the mix is finished, but this is a misconception. Mastering is much more than that. It is the process of finalising and album or EP. The mastering engineer is the last person to check everything over before printing it to CD and other formats.
It might even be your job to decide on the order of the tracks. The artist, producer or label probably have an idea in what order they want the tracks to appear, but when mastering an album you need to think about the flow of the tracks.
Consider if the album starts with a bang, or the track order builds to a crescendo. Order the in a way that is exciting. Songs with a similar key may appear next to each other to help the flow of the album. Give consideration to factors such as these.
Once a track order has been decided, it's time to start processing the individual tracks. This generally involves six core phases: noise reduction, surgical equalisation, compression, tonal equalisation, limiting and dithering.
You'll also need to ensure the sound is consistent between the tracks. If certain songs were recorded or mixed by different engineers, it's your job to use equalisation and compression to make them sound more similar and cohesive.
Looking at the processing phases in more detail, this is by no means a definitive order, and sometimes it works best to apply these processes in different stages. Nevertheless, this is the order that I use the most.
Noise reduction is especially important when re-mastering old analogue recordings. Hums, hisses, clicks and pops must all be removed from the track before it can be further processed. Dedicated noise removal tools such as iZotope RX 5 are perfect for this job.
Surgical EQ can then be used to remove any nasty elements of the sound. Filters can also be used here to roll off any unnecessary bottom end (below 20-30Hz).
Next, compression is used to squeeze some more volume out of the track. By adjusting the attack time it's possible to add more punchiness (slow attack time) or thickness (fast attack time) to the sound.
Adjusting the release time can also add more apparent volume (fast release time) or make the compression sound more musical (slow release time). It's not unusual to use several compressors in series, with each compressor applying 1-3dB of gain reduction.
You can use multiband compression if you want more control over the individual frequency ranges. For example, if you have been sent a track where the hi-hat is particularly loud, you could compress the frequency range of the hi-hat rather than just removing with EQ.
You can also use multiband compression to tighten up the low end of the mix without affecting the entire frequency spectrum.
Now that you've removed any nasty elements and compressed what is left, shape the sound of the track with EQ. If the mix is too bass heavy, or too bright, EQ can be applied to correct these issues.
The track needs to translate well onto as many systems as possible, so compromises are made to make sure the track will sound good anywhere. You could use any form of equaliser here.
Linear phase equalisers are great for mastering and are less likely to cause phase issues, but only when subtle changes are applied. Analogue EQs and plugins modelled on analogue EQs also work well here for adding character.
A limiter is then used to increase the volume of the track. Again, several limiters can be used in series. Using a good limiter is a vital part of mastering. This is the phase when everything can quite easily go wrong and you can ruin the mix.
Be subtle with limiting, and always choose musicality over volume.
Finally, if you have been working at 24-bits, or higher, the track needs dithering down to 16-bit, ready for exporting.
Dithering should only be applied once at the very end of the mastering process. If you don't dither your tracks, and simply export them as 16-bit, some distortion could occur. Applying downward bit conversion with dithering is an important final step.
Of course, this is a very basic outline of the various mastering processes. There are many more tools and techniques that could be used, including stereo widening, mid/side processing and numerous other process. But, for the sake of this series, I'll focus on those six key processes.
All of these processes can be applied in the DAW, using stock or premium plugins. There are also numerous dedicated mastering plugins that cover every processing step.
The listening setup is the most important aspect here. Acoustic treatment will improve the sound of the room and make equalisation much easier. If possible, use absorptive panels at the first reflection points—where the sound from your speakers would bounce off the wall and into your ears—and use bass traps to control the low end in the room.
Use a professionally mastered reference track to help you with your decisions. Constantly compare your master to the reference. You can also check the tracks on headphones and other speakers systems to make sure they translate well.
In part two of this series on home mastering, I'll explain dynamic processing in more depth. You can look over my shoulder as I apply gain staging, compression and limiting to a finished mix. Then, in part three, I'll explain all about EQ and the other important processes.
dope content, i learned some cool tips!


text:
Q: Connecting SQL to dreamweaver php project: SQLSTATE[HY000] [2002] Connection refused I am new to PHP/SQL and am trying to implement it on a project based in Adobe dreamweaver (DW).
From what I've worked out so far: it seems DW is not the ideal platform to integrate PHP/SQL functionality as they do not keep their documentation up to date and seem to be phasing out PHP functionality.
However, I'm persevering as there are a lot of CSS/Html support functions that are useful in DW. My challenge now is to make sure I can still adequately integrate PHP so that I can make more dynamic sites. In this instance, I need to pull database information through to the html to show the status of a gift registry.
I've been following this great resource on how to set up my very first PHP CRUD. I tried to adapt their example to match my own database credentials and came across an error that I'm having trouble resolving.
The theory is that the PHP code snippet connects to mySQL database 'registry_list_baby' in my PHP test environment (I'm using the default MAMP setup where localhost is on port 8889).
However, the data returned on the website is "SQLSTATE[HY000] [2002] Connection refused"
Any pointers on things to try next?
<?php
class Database
{
    private static $dbName = 'registry_list_baby' ;
    private static $dbHost = 'localhost:8889' ;
    private static $dbUsername = 'private';
    private static $dbUserPassword = 'private';

    private static $cont  = null;

    public function __construct() {
        die('Init function is not allowed');
    }

    public static function connect()
    {
       // One connection through whole application
       if ( null == self::$cont )
       {
        try
        {
          self::$cont =  new PDO( "mysql:host=".self::$dbHost.";"."dbname=".self::$dbName, self::$dbUsername, self::$dbUserPassword);
        }
        catch(PDOException $e)
        {
          die($e->getMessage());
        }
       }
       return self::$cont;
    }

    public static function disconnect()
    {
        self::$cont = null;
    }
}
?>

RELATED HTML SNIPPET

PHP CRUD Grid

          Taken "Claim this gift"
          Gifter "This gift has been claimed by XYZ"

<?php
   include 'database.php';
   $pdo = Database::connect();
   $sql = 'SELECT * FROM registry ORDER BY id DESC';
   foreach ($pdo->query($sql) as $row) {
            echo '
';
            echo ''. $row['taken'] . '	';
            echo ''. $row['gifter'] . '	';
            echo '
';
   }
   Database::disconnect();
  ?>

A: The SQLSTATE[HY000] [2002] Connection refused error means that:

*

*you do not have the rights or privileges to access the database with that user,

*your database parameters are either not correct, or

*the sever where you have your database is not accessible; it may be offline.

Try checking dbUsername user privileges.
and check What Port is your Mysql is listening.