well, Morrison's don't sell paneer, and someone had bought up all the stock in Asda, so I got a pint of organic whole milk, and I made paneer. I was surprised to remember how easy and quick it is, but I had forgotten how little is made from a pint.
I do love the whey tho, the liquid that is strained off the solid cheese curd, and recall a sort of barley water flavour from my childhood, and so there wasn't really any wastage.
The milk is brought to the boil and as it starts bubbling, a tablespoon of yoghurt or lemon juice is stirred in and then you watch the magic as the milk separates.
I then lined a small strainer with a clean baby muslin and poured the contents of the pan gently through. I caught the whey in a bowl, and bundled up and pressed the excess muslin against the curds.
Half an hour later I had a lovely soft crumbly block of fresh paneer.
This I put into my curry at the last minute, crumbled up.
The curry was a very simple potato, onion, turmeric, sweetcorn, cumin thing; dryish and fragrant. I served the dish with bought chapattis and some pickles and poppadoms.


Beistle 00912 Stairway, Window and Torch Props. The package includes 9 different designs of props. The designs include a stairway, windows and torches. They are printed on thin clear plastic. The props range in size from 18 inches to 60 inches. Props are not free-standing. They are printed on thin plastic material to be cut apart and attached to walls. Great to go along with the plastic backdrops.


Comprised of a 1.9 inch wire with plug the UCOB-FES30 Mating Festoon Base features a female socket connector and quick connector plug. This quick connector plug can be easily removed for direct wiring. The 30mm festoon size cross references with DE3021, DE3022, DE3175, 6428 and 7065. Price for each.


The shape of the 6s orbital.
For any atom there is just one 6s orbital. The image on the left is deceptively simple as the interesting features are buried within the orbital. That on the right is sliced in half to show that there are five spherical nodes in the 6s orbital.
While still spherical, higher s-orbitals (such as the 7s orbital) are more complex still since they have still more spherical nodes.


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text:
De Grand Prix-wegrace van Zweden 1989 was de dertiende Grand Prix van het wereldkampioenschap wegrace-seizoen 1989. De races werden verreden op 13 augustus 1989 op de Scandinavian Raceway nabij Anderstorp (Jönköpings län). In deze Grand Prix kwamen de 125cc-, 250cc-, 500cc-klasse en de zijspanklasse aan de start. De wereldtitel in de 250cc-klasse was bij aanvang al beslist.

Algemeen
Na vele jaren van klachten over de onderkomen toestand van zowel het circuit als de andere faciliteiten hadden de Zweden nu eindelijk gezorgd voor nieuw asfalt en verbeterde persvoorzieningen. Toch was er nog veel aan te merken: het asfalt was hobbelig, de parkeerplaats een modderpoel, er was geen afwatering in het rennerskwartier, waar zich bovendien grote aantallen onbevoegden bevonden en de pitstraat lag nog steeds een halve ronde van start/finish. Bovendien was er nauwelijk interesse van de Zweedse televisie. De weersomstandigheden wisselden vooral tijdens de trainingen sterk. Dat was vervelend voor coureurs die in de eerste droge sessie niet snel genoeg waren geweest. Zo konden Domenico Brigaglia, Stefan Dörflinger en Luis Miguel Reyes zich in de regen niet meer kwalificeren en Egbert Streuer/Geral de Haas moesten zich tevreden stellen met de achttiende startplaats. Jacques Cornu kreeg een aanbod om een van de 500cc-ROC-Honda's van Dominique Sarron te rijden, maar paste om zich te concentreren op de 250cc-race. Dat deed ook Luca Cadalora, die op de 500cc-Yamaha van Freddie Spencer mocht rijden.

Twee koplopers in het wereldkampioenschap zagen hun kansen grotendeels verdampen. Zowel Wayne Rainey (500 cc) als Ezio Gianola (125 cc) verloren hun leidende positie door valpartijen.

500cc-klasse

De training
Wayne Gardner ging met een nieuwe, experimentele Honda NSR 500 onderuit na een botsing met Niggi Schmassmann en reed de veertiende tijd. Die reed hij op vrijdag met een defect ATAC-systeem. Wayne Rainey was bijna een seconde sneller dan Kevin Schwantz en Eddie Lawson.

Trainingstijden

De race
Nadat hij drie GP's op rij door Eddie Lawson verslagen was, wist Wayne Rainey dat het tijd werd om zijn voorsprong van slechts 6,5 punt in het WK verder uit te bouwen. Hij startte dan ook als snelste en bouwde een kleine voorsprong op op Lawson en Kevin Schwantz. Halverwege de race nam Lawson de leiding over, maar Rainey volgde hem en wist dat hij in de doorlopende bocht sneller was. Daar wilde hij Lawson in de laatste ronde passeren. Twee ronden voor het einde gaf hij echter te veel gas en werd hij van zijn machine geslingerd. Lawson had het niet gemerkt, hij ontdekte pas dat Rainey gevallen was toen hij pitsignalen kreeg om het rustig aan te doen. Kevin Schwantz was door een defecte zuiger ook uitgevallen en Lawson had bijna zes seconden voorsprong op Christian Sarron. Wayne Gardner kwam voor het eerst sinds April weer eens op het podium. Adrien Morillas werd achtste en evenaarde daarmee het beste seizoensresultaat van Dominique Sarron, waarvoor hij inviel.

250cc-klasse

De training
Nog steeds waren de Honda's de sterkste in de kwalificatie, maar Luca Cadalora, die er een start in de 500cc-race voor had laten schieten, zette zijn Yamaha toch op de eerste startrij. Sito Pons, toch al niet vaak snel in de kwalificatie, werd vierde, maar hij had de wereldtitel al binnen.

Trainingstijden

De race
Ondanks zijn twaalfde startpositie nam Toshihiko Honma twee ronden lang de leiding. Toen werd hij overrompeld door een hele stoet Honda's: Carlos Cardús, Sito Pons, Reinhold Roth en Jacques Cornu. Honma zakte terug in de achtervolgende groep met Masahiro Shimizu, Martin Wimmer, Didier de Radiguès en Luca Cadalora. Cardús en Roth mochten enkele ronden lang leiden, maar daarna nam Pons het initiatief over en hij reed weg van de groep. Roth werd tweede voor Cornu en Cardús.

125cc-klasse

De training
Àlex Crivillé was de snelste in de trainingen, bijna twee seconden sneller dan Ezio Gianola, die slechts de achtste tijd reed. Dat was belangrijk, want Gianola stond in het WK slechts twee punten voor op Crivillé en kon zich dus niet veroorloven achter hem te finishen. Hans Spaan, die van twee motorblokken één had moeten maken, reed de tweede tijd. Ook hij was nog in de race voor de titel, maar moest daarvoor hopen op pech van zijn concurrenten.

Trainingstijden

De race
Àlex Crivillé nam meteen de leiding voor Ezio Gianola. Hans Spaan, Koji Takada en Jorge Martínez. Zowel Gianola als Spaan passeerden Crivillé, maar in de vierde ronde remde Gianola duidelijk te laat aan het einde van het rechte stuk en hij eindigde in de grindbak. Spaan kwam zo aan de leiding. Hij kon profiteren van de hoge topsnelheid van zijn Honda RS 125 op het rechte stuk, maar in de bochten stuurde de machine slecht en ook de voorvork functioneerde niet goed. Het was duidelijk dat Crivillé makkelijk kon volgen en in de achtste ronde nam hij de leiding over. Hij won makkelijk, maar Spaan moest nog veel moeite doen om Koji Takada van de tweede plaats af te houden. Crivillé was vooral dankzij de val van Gianola spekkoper: hij hoefde in de GP van Tsjecho-Slowakije slechts zesde te worden om de wereldtitel te grijpen.

Zijspanklasse

De training
In de zijspankwalificatie stonden de meeste gebruikelijke combinaties op de eerste startrijen: Steve Webster/Tony Hewitt, Rolf Biland/Kurt Waltisperg en Alain Michel/Jean-Marc Fresc. Men miste daar Egbert Streuer en Geral de Haas. Tijdens de droge training was een van Streuer's kniesteunen afgebroken en in de latere natte trainingen kon hij zijn achttiende startplaats niet meer verbeteren. Het leek wat dat betreft op de Zweedse GP van 1988, toen Streuer exact hetzelfde meemaakte door een gebroken versnellingsbakas en als twintigste moest starten. Hij werd toen nog derde in de race.

Trainingstijden

De race
Na de start ontstond er meteen een kleine kopgroep met Steve Webster, Rolf Biland en Alain Michel, maar de als achttiende gestarte Egbert Streuer lag na een ronde al op de zesde plaats. Na acht ronden begon zijn combinatie echter al te trillen door de grote blaren op de achterband. Hierdoor kon hij zijn aanval op de kopgroep niet doorzetten en moest hij zich tevreden stellen met de vierde plaats. De drie leiders bleven intussen bij elkaar, ook Michel die het in de rest van het seizoen niet had kunnen volgen. Na veertien ronden nam Biland de leiding over en Webster liet ook Michel gaan omdat ook hij zijn banden wilde sparen en zag dat Streuer niet dichterbij kon komen.

Top tien tussenstand zijspanklasse

Trivia

Bandenperikelen
Bij de solorijders was er concurrentie tussen Dunlop en Michelin, waarbij geen duidelijk voordeel bestond. In de zijlijn acteerde Pirelli, dat nog niet op hetzelfde niveau was, waarvan de enige gebruiker Pierfrancesco Chili het slachtoffer was. De zijspanrijders hadden echter wel een probleem. Voor hen werden geen speciale banden ontwikkeld. Ze waren afhankelijk van banden voor de Formule 3-autoraces, van Avon Rubber en Yokohama. Daar lag het probleem van Egbert Streuer: Steve Webster kreeg zijn banden van Avon en Rolf Biland en Egbert Streuer van Yokohama. Biland had echter 14 inch velgen, waarvoor Yokohama de Compound C voor warm en droog asfalt maakte. Streuer had 13 inch velgen en in die maat had Yokohama deze compound uit productie genomen. Dat was ook de reden dat Streuer na de race werd aangesproken door een functionaris van Avon met het aanbod "eens te komen praten".

Marco Gentile
Na afloop van de Zweedse Grand Prix raakten Marco Gentile en zijn teambaas Claude Fior betrokken bij een ernstig auto-ongeluk. Gentile werd met inwendige verwondingen opgenomen in het ziekenhuis van Värnamo en Fior liep rugletsel op. Gentile herstelde van deze verwondingen, maar toch was dit zijn laatste race geweest. Op 19 november verongelukte hij toen hij op het Circuit Paul Armagnac een door Fior gebouwde kart testte.

Steve Webster/Egbert Streuer
Na deze Grand Prix had Steve Webster aan één punt in de GP van Tsjecho-Slowakije genoeg om wereldkampioen te worden. Toch was hij er niet gerust op. In het seizoen 1988 had Rolf Biland aan twee punten genoeg gehad, maar toen was hij uitgevallen en was Webster alsnog wereldkampioen geworden. Dat zou nu ook met Webster en Streuer kunnen gebeuren.

1989
Zweden
Sport in Jönköpings län

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Buckingham Palace race row 'inexcusable disaster' for Prince William
Prince William is facing a 'disaster' back in the UK after his godmother was accused of making racist remarks
file footage
Prince William is facing a 'disaster' back home in the UK after his godmother was accused of making racist remarks at a Buckingham Palace event, as per a royal expert.
The Prince of Wales, and wife Kate Middleton, kicked off their first US trip in eight years for the Earthshot Prize on Wednesday, November 30, just as news of Lady Susan Hussey being accused of racism broke.
Lady Hussey subsequently resigned, and Prince William was also forced to issue an official statement, but royal commentator Jennie Bond thinks the issue is far from over for the Prince of Wales.
Talking to GB News, Bond revealed that she had met Lady Hussey many times, and that she always found her to be 'very kind'.
"I've always found her to be courteous and to be kind. But clearly this is a disaster. This was a showcase event at Buckingham Palace about violence against women, and a woman who was invited to be there to celebrate the work that she has done has been made to feel violated," Bond said.
She went on to reiterate, saying: "It is an absolute disaster and inexcusable as the palace has made clear."
This comes as Prince William's US trip is already being tipped to be a 'disaster', with the Lady Hussey race scandal closely followed by the release of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's trailer for their Netflix docuseries.
Meghan Markle, Prince Harry's brand founded on 'never-ending royal family misery'
harry and Meghan gave around 40 hours of interviews since they relocated to the US
Kate Middleton looks ethereal in green dress as she launches a new campaign
Prince William's sweetheart Kate Middleton puts on a stylish display during her latest outing

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
package org.xdi.oxauth.ws.rs.fido.u2f;

import javax.ws.rs.FormParam;
import javax.ws.rs.GET;
import javax.ws.rs.POST;
import javax.ws.rs.Path;
import javax.ws.rs.Produces;
import javax.ws.rs.QueryParam;
import javax.ws.rs.WebApplicationException;
import javax.ws.rs.core.Response;

import org.jboss.seam.annotations.In;
import org.jboss.seam.annotations.Logger;
import org.jboss.seam.annotations.Name;
import org.jboss.seam.log.Log;
import org.xdi.oxauth.exception.fido.u2f.DeviceCompromisedException;
import org.xdi.oxauth.exception.fido.u2f.NoEligableDevicesException;
import org.xdi.oxauth.model.config.Constants;
import org.xdi.oxauth.model.error.ErrorResponseFactory;
import org.xdi.oxauth.model.fido.u2f.AuthenticateRequestMessageLdap;
import org.xdi.oxauth.model.fido.u2f.U2fErrorResponseType;
import org.xdi.oxauth.model.fido.u2f.exception.BadInputException;
import org.xdi.oxauth.model.fido.u2f.protocol.AuthenticateRequestMessage;
import org.xdi.oxauth.model.fido.u2f.protocol.AuthenticateResponse;
import org.xdi.oxauth.model.fido.u2f.protocol.AuthenticateStatus;
import org.xdi.oxauth.service.fido.u2f.AuthenticationService;
import org.xdi.oxauth.service.fido.u2f.DeviceRegistrationService;
import org.xdi.oxauth.util.ServerUtil;

import com.wordnik.swagger.annotations.Api;

/**
 * The endpoint allows to start and finish U2F authentication process
 *
 * @author Yuriy Movchan Date: 05/14/2015
 */
@Path("/fido/u2f/authentication")
@Api(value = "/fido/u2f/registration", description = "The endpoint at which the application U2F device start registration process.")
@Name("u2fAuthenticationRestWebService")
public class U2fAuthenticationWS {

	@Logger
	private Log log;

	@In
	private ErrorResponseFactory errorResponseFactory;

	@In
	private AuthenticationService u2fAuthenticationService;

	@In
	private DeviceRegistrationService deviceRegistrationService;

	@GET
	@Produces({ "application/json" })
	public Response startAuthentication(@QueryParam("username") String userName, @QueryParam("application") String appId) {
		try {
			AuthenticateRequestMessage authenticateRequestMessage = u2fAuthenticationService.buildAuthenticateRequestMessage(appId, userName);
			u2fAuthenticationService.storeAuthenticationRequestMessage(authenticateRequestMessage);

			// convert manually to avoid possible conflict between resteasy
			// providers, e.g. jettison, jackson
			final String entity = ServerUtil.asJson(authenticateRequestMessage);

			return Response.status(Response.Status.OK).entity(entity).cacheControl(ServerUtil.cacheControl(true)).build();
		} catch (Exception ex) {
			log.error("Exception happened", ex);
			if (ex instanceof WebApplicationException) {
				throw (WebApplicationException) ex;
			}

			if (ex instanceof NoEligableDevicesException) {
				throw new WebApplicationException(Response.status(Response.Status.NOT_FOUND)
						.entity(errorResponseFactory.getErrorResponse(U2fErrorResponseType.NO_ELIGABLE_DEVICES)).build());
			}

			throw new WebApplicationException(Response.status(Response.Status.INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR)
					.entity(errorResponseFactory.getJsonErrorResponse(U2fErrorResponseType.SERVER_ERROR)).build());
		}
	}

	@POST
	@Produces({ "application/json" })
	public Response finishAuthentication(@FormParam("username") String userName, @FormParam("tokenResponse") String authenticateResponseString) {
		try {
			AuthenticateResponse authenticateResponse = ServerUtil.jsonMapperWithWrapRoot().readValue(authenticateResponseString, AuthenticateResponse.class);

			String requestId = authenticateResponse.getRequestId();
			AuthenticateRequestMessageLdap authenticateRequestMessageLdap = u2fAuthenticationService.getAuthenticationRequestMessageByRequestId(requestId);
			if (authenticateRequestMessageLdap == null) {
				throw new WebApplicationException(Response.status(Response.Status.FORBIDDEN)
						.entity(errorResponseFactory.getJsonErrorResponse(U2fErrorResponseType.SESSION_EXPIRED)).build());
			}
			u2fAuthenticationService.removeAuthenticationRequestMessage(authenticateRequestMessageLdap);

			AuthenticateRequestMessage authenticateRequestMessage = authenticateRequestMessageLdap.getAuthenticateRequestMessage();
			u2fAuthenticationService.finishAuthentication(authenticateRequestMessage, authenticateResponse, userName);

			AuthenticateStatus authenticationStatus = new AuthenticateStatus(Constants.RESULT_SUCCESS, requestId);

			// convert manually to avoid possible conflict between resteasy
			// providers, e.g. jettison, jackson
			final String entity = ServerUtil.asJson(authenticationStatus);

			return Response.status(Response.Status.OK).entity(entity).cacheControl(ServerUtil.cacheControl(true)).build();
		} catch (Exception ex) {
			log.error("Exception happened", ex);
			if (ex instanceof WebApplicationException) {
				throw (WebApplicationException) ex;
			}

			if (ex instanceof BadInputException) {
				throw new WebApplicationException(Response.status(Response.Status.FORBIDDEN)
						.entity(errorResponseFactory.getErrorResponse(U2fErrorResponseType.INVALID_REQUEST)).build());
			}

			if (ex instanceof DeviceCompromisedException) {
				throw new WebApplicationException(Response.status(Response.Status.FORBIDDEN)
						.entity(errorResponseFactory.getErrorResponse(U2fErrorResponseType.DEVICE_COMPROMISED)).build());
			}

			throw new WebApplicationException(Response.status(Response.Status.INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR)
					.entity(errorResponseFactory.getJsonErrorResponse(U2fErrorResponseType.SERVER_ERROR)).build());
		}
	}
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Home/Headlines/Lassa Fever: NCDC has managed 365 cases — DG
Lassa Fever: NCDC has managed 365 cases — DG
Chief Executive Officer, NCDC, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu
By Abujah Racheal
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has continued to work closely with state governments where cases of Lassa Fever are reported to effectively manage confirmed cases across the country.
The Director General of the centre, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, said this in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja while giving an update on the outbreak of the disease in the country.
He said "since the beginning of the year 2020, there has been a total of 365 confirmed cases and 47 deaths reported from 23 states as at Feb. 2, 2020.
"The good news is that in spite of the increase in the number of confirmed cases announced on Jan. 26, 2020, which stood at 258 with 41 deaths from 19 states, the overall Case Fatality Rate (CFR) for 2020 is lower at 12.9 per cent compared with the same period in 2019 which was 17.7 per cent.
"Our goal is to have a single digit CFR in Nigeria and we are on the right track."
According to Ihekweazu, NCDC situation report of all confirmed cases, which is 76 per cent are from Edo (35 per cent), Ondo (35 per cent) and Ebonyi (six per cent).
He said NCDC would continue to support affected states through deployment of inter-disciplinary Rapid Response Teams and medical supplies, including Ribavirin tablet for treatment of Lassa fever patients.
The NCDC boss urged Nigerians to keep their environments clean and store food in tight containers to avoid contact with rats.
He, however, called on health workers to maintain high index of suspicion for the disease.
Ihekweazu stated that Lassa fever could be treated if reported early.
He added that "if a patient does not respond to treatment for malaria or other febrile illnesses after 48 hours, it is important to immediately test for Lassa fever." (NAN)
APC crisis deepens as chieftain seeks nullification of congress
Gov. Lalong approves housing layouts for servicemen
Lagos to lockdown on Thursday-Gov Sanwo-Olu
DSS confirms pre-dawn invasion of Sunday Igboho's house
Killings: Leave us alone – Okhide family beg media


The Virtual Lands contain 3d digital art related items by Olivier Ffrench : a 3d gallery with images made with Bryce, Vue Infinite, the plant Factory, Poser, Hexagon and 3d resources: models to download, tutorials, textures and links.
Currently playing a lot with Megascans and Octane Render for C4d.
I unsed to complain about the quality of antialiasing in Vue compared to the one you can get in Bryce. As I wanted to see if Bryce-like quality could be obtained in Vue, I set up a similar scene in both programs and rendered it to have a fair comparison. As I have been using Octane Render lately, I have added it to the test.
My greetings card for 2019. A small doodle made with Cinema 4d and Rendered in Octane.


text:
Duhok film fest to highlight work of renowned Tunisian female activist, filmmaker
Salma Baccar is considered the "pioneer of feminism in Tunisian cinema."
Kurdistan 24 2019/09/03 13:44
kurdistan Duhok IFF Duhok International Film Festival Kurdistan Cinema Salma Baccar
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The 2019 Duhok International Film Festival will highlight the work of Salma Baccar, a female activist and filmmaker from Tunisia, the event's press office said on Tuesday.
Baccar is considered the "pioneer of feminism in Tunisian cinema." She is a rights activist, politician, producer, and filmmaker who "uses her cinematic prowess to draw attention on the fight for women's liberties and empowerment," a statement by the film festival read.
Her first feature and feminist essay-film "FATMA 75" (1976) is the first documentary in Tunisia by a woman and is considered one of the most significant films from North Africa.
"By showcasing FATMA 75 within this year's 'Retrospective on Arab Cinema," the 7thh Duhok International Film Festival is glad to shine light on the work of an inspiring woman," the statement noted.
The upcoming Duhok film festival is set to take place from Sept. 9 to 16 in the Kurdistan Region's Duhok province with several Kurdish and foreign filmmakers participating in the event.
The event features a host of different programs and competitions, including a five-day panel to explore the progress of Kurdish cinema in the autonomous Kurdistan Region.
Related Article: Work of acclaimed Egyptian director will be presented at Duhok film festival
The Duhok IFF wants to establish a podium for cinematic work in all four parts of the Greater Kurdistan, and link Kurdish cinematic work to the international community.
The event will be held under the title "Tolerance," and will feature Kurdish, Arabic, and foreign films that focus on coexistence and acceptance, particularly in the Middle East.
Kurdistan 24 is this year's media sponsor.
UK congratulates KRG, PM Barzani for successful export of pomegranates
Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom praises religious coexistence in the Kurdistan Region


text:
Because Leah Flies
15 Things to do in London for Free
January 24, 2017 January 24, 2017 becauseleahflies
London can be expensive. In fact, I've heard it called the most expensive city in the world. However, there are countless things to do/see in London without spending huge amounts of money and still managing to make the most of the city. One couldn't possibly put together a list of everything to do in this vast and magnificent city, but you have to start somewhere. So, without further ado, here are 15 things you can do for free in London!
15. St. Dunstan-in-the-East
St. Dunstan-in-the-East, a cathedral built in approximately 1100 A.D., has seen its fair share of turmoil. Throughout numerous repairs and rebuilds, the church survived the Great Fire of London in 1666 A.D. only to be nearly destroyed in the WWII Blitz of 1941. Only the north and south walls remained in addition to Christopher Wren's tower and steeple. Rather than rebuilding yet again, the City of London made the brilliant decision to turn the cathedral ruins into a garden with a fountain in the center of the Nave. This site is one of the most striking and peaceful areas in the city and serves as a reminder that beauty can endure even after such destruction.
Cathedral Window at St. Dunstan-in-the-East, 2016. c. Leah Putz
Sample Global Foods at the Camden Market
Exploring the numerous shops, restaurants, and markets of Camden Town is an adventure in and of itself. The market is open every day, and there are countless food stands featuring food and drinks from all over the world. A lot of the small stalls offer samples as you stroll along, and it easy to end up feeling like you've eaten a full meal for free after meandering through the markets.
Explore Greenwich
The borough of Greenwich is renowned for its maritime history and its location on the Meridian line at 0 longitude. This area in the eastern half of London south of the Thames has a lot to offer. The National Maritime museum, established in 1934 offers free entrance and sits on the edge of the beautiful Greenwich park. At the top of the hill in the park is the Royal Observatory and marks the Meridian line. From this vantage point, you can see a wonderful view of Greenwich Park and the skyline of London.
View from the top of the hill at Greenwich Park, 2016. c. Leah Putz
Located near Soho, London's Chinatown is jampacked with authentic shops, restaurants, and culture. Grabbing a bubble tea and strolling through this area is a wonderful way to see a historical and rich part of the city, complete with a Chinese gates and a pavilion.
Chinatown, 2014. c. Leah Putz
A good way to describe Piccadilly Circus is to say that it's like the Times Square of London- complete with giant advertisements and an insane amount of tourists. Near this area is a plethora of tourist shops where you are sure you find the perfect souvenir to commemorate your time in London.
Visit the many parks
London is full of green space. No matter where you are in the city, you're probably within walking distance of a public park or garden, which can't be said for many large cities in the world. Some of the most popular of these parks are Hyde Park, Regent's Park, St. James Park, and Green Park. All of these parks, and many more, provide natural beauty and scenery to contrast the city landscape.
Hyde Park, 2014. c. Leah Putz
While it costs money to go inside Buckingham palace, it is free to admire the face of the Queen's home, complete with a magnificent fountain and palace guards. I would recommend planning your visit to coincide with the changing of the guard, which takes place daily at 11:30 am during the summer months and on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday between 10:15 and 11:45 am during the winter. This is spectacular to witness.
Buckingham Palace fountain, 2014. c. Leah Putz
Southbank is one of my favorite parts of London. Complete with music, pubs and history, a lot of what is amazing about London can be found in this area beside the river. One of the most well-known staples of Southbank is Shakespeare's Globe Theater. The theater is unmistakable as it is the only thatched-roof building in the city after the Great fire of London. The theater is still active and you can see shows performed there in the traditional Renaissance style if you're willing to pay the ticket prices!
Delight in one of the many museums
One of the things London does best is its museums. There are too many to count, and almost all offer free admission. My favorite is the Victoria and Albert Museum, which is full of fantastic art and historical artifacts. The British Museum is also incredible and houses the Rosetta Stone and statues from the Parthenon in Greece among others. Some other honorable mentions are the National Gallery, the National History Museum, and the Museum of London.
Natural History Museum, 2015. c. Leah Putz
Trafalgar Square sits in the City of Westminster and is a tourist must-see. No matter which direction you face when in the center of this square you'll be looking towards a major monument. In the center of the square stands Nelson's Column complete with four guarding lion statues and a large nearby fountain. There are also four pillars that mark the corners of Trafalgar, each with a statue of a figure from British history, with the exception of the fourth pillar which is reserved for commissioned pieces.
Sitting on the fountain in Trafalgar Square, 2014. c. Leah Putz
Like Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey also costs money to enter. However, the exterior is a romantic mixture of Romanesque and Gothic architecture and, quite honestly, breathtaking. The architecture of the Abbey is incredible and worth visiting even if you decide not to pay the ticket price to go inside.
Westminster Abbey, 2014. c. Leah Putz
Stroll along one of the city walks
London has countless paths that make for fantastic city walks. My favorite is the walk along the Mall stretching from Buckingham Palace through to Trafalgar Square. Another great walk is along Fleet Street, which is one of the oldest streets in London and makes its way to St. Paul's Cathedral. As I said, there is a plethora of these walks to choose from, and they all offer a great way to see and explore the city.
The Gardens of Kensington Palace
Kensington Palace is most well known for being the London home of Prince William, Duchess Kate Middleton, and their two adorable tots. The palace is also known for its beautiful front gardens. The Sunken Garden was inspired by a similar garden at Hampton Court Palace and is complete with numerous flower beds and a pond. Surrounding the Sunken Garden is what's called the Cradle Walk, which is a shaded arched walkway with window-like cutouts that allow you to admire the beauty of the colorful Sunken Garden.
Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace, 2016. c. Leah Putz
Parliament and 'Big Ben'
The Houses of Parliament and the Elizabeth Tower (known incorrectly as Big Ben, which is actually just the name of the bell inside the tower) are possibly the most recognizable landmarks of London. If you've ever seen a movie taking place in London, or a poster of the city, or a photograph, the majority of the time you'll see these picturesque buildings. Visiting this area is a good way to pinch yourself and allow it to really sink in that you're in London!
'Big Ben' and the Houses of Parliament, 2016. c. Leah Putz
Admire the city
Stop a minute and really take in the sites, sounds, and culture of the capital of the United Kingdom. London is one of the oldest and richest cities in the world, and it's a privilege to be able to meander its ancient streets, see the sites, and discover what makes this spectacular city so amazing.
Posted in travel, UncategorizedTagged big ben, buckingham palace, budget travel, camden market, chinatown, england, europe, general travel, great britain, greenwich, hyde park, kensington palace, london, must do, natural history museum, parliament, personal travel, southbank, st dunstan in the east, things to do for free, trafalgar square, travel, travel bug, travel photographs, travel photography, travel tips, travel writing, united kingdom, wanderlust, westminster abbey
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Heritage Events Podcast
National Education Survey Results: Civics Education and 1619
The Heritage Foundation recently commissioned a nationally representative survey of parents across the country, along with a corresponding survey of school board members, to gauge their attitudes toward the state of civics education and the New York Times' 1619 Project. The foundational essay of this project, recently awarded the Pulitzer Prize, seeks to "reframe the country's history" by changing our founding date from 1776 to 1619, the year the first enslaved Africans arrived in America.
The Pulitzer Center estimates that 4,500 classrooms across the country have now adopted the 1619 Project and its associated curriculum, which states, "our democracy's founding ideals were false when they were written." Civics education has never been more important.
Why America Needs the Long Range Standoff Weapon
America has embarked on a long-overdue effort to modernize its nuclear deterrent, most of which is decades oldandbecoming obsolete.Acritical partofthis effort is theAir Force'sdevelopmentoftheLong Range Standoff weapon (LRSO), anew generation ofthe current nuclear-armed air-launched cruise missile (ALCM), which isquickly aging out.As argued in anewly-released Heritage Foundation report, the LRSO will be critical tomaintainingthe air leg of the nuclear triad, enablingbombers tohold at riskwell-defended targets for decades to come. Yet as with any major nuclear acquisition program, the LRSO facesroadblocks, including decreasingdefense budgets, acquisition challenges, and strident anti-nuclear opposition.Tomake LRSO a reality, we shouldbe prepared toanswer tough questions. Dobombersreally needcruisemissiles?Whatcapabilitieswill LRSO provide? How willthis weaponimpact strategic stability?Join us as ourexpertpanel takes onthese questionsand more.
One Year Later: Lessons from the Early COVID-19 Response
Secretary Azar reflects on the Trump Administration's early actions on COVID-19 and what lessons can be drawn from the response, including travel restrictions that slowed the spread, pressure for transparency from China, bringing Americans home safely from abroad, rapidly formed partnerships with the private sector, and educating the American people with the best science available at the time.
State-Sponsored Human Trafficking and How to Fight It
Human trafficking in all forms is abhorrent, but when governments enslave and sell their own people, it takes on an even more pernicious edge. 2020 marked the first year that the State Department designated state sponsors of human trafficking, with ten nations earning the dubious distinction. These designations were an important step in raising awareness about how regimes exploit their own citizens for profit and serve as a vital mechanism to hold them accountable. Join us to commemorate National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, as we spotlight this concerning trend and identify solutions.


I have also updated the patches and documentation in both http://reviewboard.kde.org/r/3769 and http://reviewboard.kde.org/r/3778.
Before someone from usability team criticises the screenshot above, I only did that to test my changes in solid. Knm already has some code that allowed me to add my test code so I did it. That screen will get much more ugly until I finish my changes in solid, after that I plan to move some things (like the preference technology combo box above) to a better place.
As some people asked me, my changes to solid can be used in networkmanagement plasma applet too or any oher KDE program. I hope to finish my patch to solid by Akademy date since I am going to Akademy this year.
Great. Do you plan to support USSD queries ?
Do you plan to support change DNS servers default?
@Zayed, I am going to implement the API in solid, but my MD300 modem does not support USSD, so I cannot test it. For that same reason it will be last thinkg I am going to implement.
@NL, as far as I know knm already supports that. Go to "Manage Connections" and pick one in one of the tabs -> Edit -> IP Address -> Automatic (DHCP) addresses only or Manual. Then you can edit the DNS server addresses.
>SVN switched from KNM to the Plasma Widget … It also means that the autostart file for knetworkmanager is not installed anymore, since we're using the Plasmoid now. If you're compiling from SVN trunk, you can use cmake -DINSTALL_KNM_AUTOSTART=ON to get it back. … Alternatively, tell us why you prefer knm above the Plasmoid and we'll try to fix it.


"The best performance we have done of Karl Jenkin's music", "fantastic", "exciting" – these were comments from the Chorale and audience alike. The Chorale was bolstered once again by some very competent guest singers that we invite to sing with us for the Bridgewater concerts. The sound we made was glorious and clearly impressed composer/conductor Sir Karl.
In the first half, we sang The Healer: a Cantata for St. Luke. Some of the tunes and phrases are still stuck in this writer's head – an 'earworm' is a clear indication that the composer has a knack of writing good melodies, dare one say 'catchy'. Not a man for extravagant gestures, Sir Karl gave us a nod and a single thumbs-up at the end – he liked our performance.
The Requiem was the main work of the afternoon and this would be very familiar to most of the 2000-plus audience. It's a work of very varied moods and emotions: from the driving 'Dies Irae'; to the peaceful, calm Japanese haikus that the Chorale's ladies sang beautifully; to the final 'In Paradisum', which disappeared into nothing with every chorister's eye on Sir Karl's baton. A double thumbs-up from the conductor to us before he turned to take his bow and we knew we had pleased him.
Even though we had a rehearsal with Sir Karl and the Manchester Concert Orchestra on the day, most of our work for the concert had been done in advance. We had a day's workshop in Stockport Grammar School, as well as several evening rehearsals dedicated to perfecting the pieces.
At the start of the concert, Chorale Chairman John Eaden addressed the audience and dedicated the concert to the memory of Michael Carter, a sorely missed second bass for over 30 years with the Chorale, who passed away recently.


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Jürgen Rüttgers (Keulen, 26 juni 1951) is een Duitse politicus van de CDU en van 2005 tot 2010 de minister-president  van Noordrijn-Westfalen. Hij was van 1994 tot 1998 minister van onderwijs, wetenschap, onderzoek en technologie in de Duitse bondsregering. Ook zat hij in de Bondsdag.

Publicaties
 Jürgen Rüttgers: Worum es heute geht. Bastei Lübbe Verlag, 2005, ISBN 3404605578
 Jürgen Rüttgers: Zeitenwende, Wendezeiten. Siedler Verlag, 1999, ISBN 3886806782
 Siegfried Honert, Jürgen Rüttgers, Joachim Sanden: Landeswassergesetz Nordrhein-Westfalen. Deutscher Gemeindeverlag, 1996, ISBN 3555303775
 Jürgen Rüttgers: Dinosaurier der Demokratie. Wege aus der Parteienkrise und Politikverdrossenheit. Hoffmann und Cie. Hamburg 1996, ISBN 3455084745
 André Leysen, Jürgen Rüttgers: Wege aus der blockierten Gesellschaft – Perspektiven für die Gestaltung der Zukunft : 110. Gesprächskreis. Körber-Stiftung, ISBN 389684220X
 Siegfried Honert und Jürgen Rüttgers: Landeswassergesetz Nordrhein-Westfalen. Kommentar. 1990, ISBN 3555302841
 Jürgen Rüttgers: Europas Wege in den Weltraum. Umschau Verlag, 1989, ISBN 352469084X
 Siegfried Honert und Jürgen Rüttgers: ABC der Abwasserabgabe. Dtsch. Gem.-Vlg., Köln 1983, ISBN 3555004875

Externe links
 Homepage van Jürgen Rüttgers
 Leverkusen who's who

Bondsdaglid
CDU-politicus (Bondsrepubliek)
Duits minister van Onderwijs
Minister-president van Noordrijn-Westfalen
Duits minister van Technologie
Duits minister
Minister van Wetenschap


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Lynn wonders "Wouldn't It Be Great"
Thursday, April 13, 2017 – The latest Volume of Loretta's Cash Cabin Sessions, "Wouldn't It Be Great," will be out Aug. 18 on Sony Legacy.
The set was produced by Lynn's daughter, Patsy Lynn Russell, and John Carter Cash. The set includes new songs and re-recordings of classics including "Coal Miner's Daughter." Lynn, who turns 85 on Friday, wrote or co-wrote every song.
The new release follows on the heels of "Full Circle," which dropped in March 2016. Tht was her first release of new material in more than a decade.
"Wouldn't It Be Great" debuts new songs -"Ruby's Stool," "Ain't No Time To Go," "I'm Dying For Someone To Live For"- alongside newly recorded renditions of recent compositions ("God Makes No Mistakes," from Lynn's 2004 Grammy-winning Jack White-produced "Van Lear Rose") and classics like "Don't Come Home A' Drinkin' (With Lovin' On Your Mind)," her first of 16 career number1 country singles.
"I think you try to do better with every record you put out," Lynn said. "It's just everyday living--and everybody wants to know, 'Well, what is it about your songs that people like?' I think you've got to tell your stories. I just think it hits everybody, you know, the songs."
The track list is:
1. Wouldn't It Be Great - (Loretta Lynn)
2. Ruby's Stool - (Loretta Lynn, Shawn Camp)
3. I'm Dying for Someone to Live For - (Loretta Lynn, Shawn Camp)
4. Another Bridge to Burn - (Loretta Lynn, Lola Jean Dillon)
5. Ain't No Time to Go - (Loretta Lynn, Patsy Lynn Russell)
6. God Makes No Mistakes - (Loretta Lynn)
7. These Ole Blues (Loretta Lynn, Patsy Lynn Russell)
8. My Angel Mother - (Loretta Lynn)
9. Don't Come Home a Drinkin' - (Loretta Lynn, Peggy Sue Wells)
10. The Big Man - (Loretta Lynn, Shawn Camp)
11. Lulie Vars - (Traditional, arrangement by Loretta Lynn)
12. Darkest Day - (Loretta Lynn)
13. Coal Miner's Daughter - (Loretta Lynn)
Upcoming concerts are:
April 14-15 Ryman Auditorium Nashville, TN Sold Out
April 21 Tilles Center Concert Hall Brookville, NY
April 22 The Tarrytown Music Hall Tarrytown, NY
May 5 Carolina Theatre Durham, NC
May 6 Alabama Theater North Myrtle Beach, SC
May 12 Penn's Peak Jim Thorpe, PA
May 13 Beacon Theatre Richmond, VA
May 27 Loretta Lynn Ranch Hurricane Mills, TN
June 9 Packard Music Hall Warren, OH
June 10 Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort Mt. Pleasant, MI
June 23 The Joint at Hard Rock Tulsa, OK
June 24 Sugar Creek Casino Hinton, OK
July 1 Loretta Lynn Ranch Hurricane Mills, TN
July 7 Hoyt Sherman Place Des Moines, IA
July 8 Washington Pavilion Sioux Falls, SD
July 22 Treasure Island Resort & Casino Welch, MN
Aug. 25 Ryman Auditorium Nashville, TN**
Sept. 2 Loretta Lynn Ranch Hurricane Mills, TN
Sept. 8 Rialto Square Theatre Joliet, IL
Sept. 9 Shipshewana Event Center Shipshewana, IN
Sept. 23 Ovens Auditorium Charlotte, NC
Oct. 14-15 Andy Williams Theatre Branson, MO
Oct. 27 Tower Theatre Philadelphia, PA
Oct. 28 Seneca Allegany Casino Salamanca, NY
Nov. 3 The Mahaffey Theater Saint Petersburg, FL
Nov. 4 Broward Center Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Nov. 18 Renfro Valley Entertainment Center Mount Vernon, KY
More news for Loretta Lynn
01/14/19: Lynn receives birthday tribute from Strait, Brooks, Musgraves
09/28/18: Lynn, Earls of Leicester out with new sounds
08/22/18: "Wouldn't It Be Great" if Lynn released a new album
10/23/17: Lynn returns, appears at hall of fame inductions
07/12/17: Lynn postpones album release
05/06/17: Lynn hospitalized with stroke
11/04/16: Lynn lends her voice to CMA Christmas show
10/07/16: Lynn, Beathard offer new sounds
CD reviews for Loretta Lynn
White Christmas Blue
There are some "country" stars that can't seem to make true country music. Then there are artists like Loretta Lynn that can't not create pure country music. Lynn's "White Christmas Blue" album may feel like a Christmas miracle to many traditional country fans. Take Lynn's version of "Away in a Manger," for which Lynn is listed as arranger, for example. It features a lovely Paul Franklin steel guitar solo. "Blue Christmas" is best »»»
Loretta Lynn shows no signs of slowing down at 83. "Full Circle" is her first album since her extremely well-received Jack White-produced "Van Lear Rose," a 2004 masterpiece. Some of the 14 songs on "Full Circle" are new recordings, while a few ("Fist City," "Secret Love" and "Everybody Wants to Go to Heaven") are new versions. Others are old songs ("Black Jack David, "Always On My Mind," "In the Pines") that Lynn »»»
Van Lear Rose
Johnny Cash had his Rick Rubin, and it seems that Loretta Lynn has hers in the form of Jack White of the White Stripes. And that means an album of lots of excellent music with all 13 songs penned by Lynn. Lynn looks to her family past and her own career for inspiration for several songs (the title track, "High on a Mountain Top" about working the coal mines and the "folks know what they've got" and "Story of My Life"). She also isn't afraid to tell off a woman who interfered with her family's »»»
Too Late to Pray: Defiant Chicago Roots
The first time we encountered the term 'insurgent country,' we were in the mid-90s. The roots-rock music world was quickly evolving, and a Chicago-based upstart called Bloodshot Records was putting out compilations featuring groups »»»
Play the Hits
When The Mavericks call an album "Play The Hits," It really should be qualified as "Play The Selective Hits" because this band has never been especially interested in performing only what's commercially viable. »»»


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Richmond police shoot and kill father who they say was trying to stab family, break into house
By Rob Roth, KTVU
RICHMOND, Calif. (KTVU) - Richmond police officers on Thursday killed a father who they say was armed with a knife and had stabbed his estranged wife and teenage son.
Authorities have identified the man as 55-year-old Luc Ciel.
The woman ended up suffering from a laceration to her stomach and the boy had a cut to his face, police said. No other family members were harmed; there was a sister in the house as well.
Lt. Matt Stonebraker said police were "relieved" that they were able to save the family members from this "vicious attack."
"She's the real hero of the story. She was able to call," said Stonebraker.
He said officers were dispatched to Wilson Avenue about 2:30 a.m., after a girl told police her father had broken a back window to their house and had entered their home. She said family was trapped inside the home and couldn't get out.
Police arrived on scene and shot the man, who they say was armed, while he was physically assaulting one of his family members.
"As they interrupted the attack, the suspect advanced toward the officers and ignored their commands, when the officers fired upon him. He was pronounced dead at the scene," said Stonebraker.
The man was pronounced dead at the scene. Police said there was an active domestic violence restraining order against him.
The woman and boy were taken to a local hospital where they are currently being treated for non-life threatening injuries. Police said the father had also bitten the teenage girl in her arm.
One neighbor who lives across the street said he never saw or heard of any trouble within the family.
"They looked like a normal family to me. I never saw them fight. Sometimes you can see someone not get along good. But we didn't see anything," said Bulberto Bustamante.
It is unclear from police how many shots officers fired and how many officers were involved.
As is customary, the police officers involved in the shooting will remain on administrative leave, pending investigations by Richmond police and the Contra Costa County District Attorney.


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2021 Don Clifton Strengths-Based Culture Award Winners
Don Clifton's legacy is built on his mission to study "what's right with people." In this spirit, we introduce the Don Clifton Strengths-Based Culture Award. This award recognizes organizations with workplace cultures that put the strengths of leaders, managers and employees at the core of how they work every day.
These organizations drive performance by helping employees focus on what they do best, maximizing the potential within teams, and integrating strengths-based development into their mission, vision, and values.
(two-time winner)
For the second year in a row, Accenture has won the Don Clifton Strengths-Based Culture Award. The global professional services company with leading capabilities in digital, cloud and security has made applying strengths one of the key actions in its approach to people development: Performance Achievement. Accenture's goal is enabling its 537,000 employees to receive coaching and development based on their CliftonStrengths assessments and providing a framework for focusing their greatest talents on accomplishing key priorities.
By weaving a strengths-based approach into meaningful career conversations, Accenture reimagined performance management through personalized experiences and talent growth. The resulting culture of coaching based on strengths centers around continuous feedback, enabled by a global network of approximately 300 strengths coaches. Their focus on collaboration and shared success helps fuel high performance and greater inclusion. Since the launch of Performance Achievement and strengths-based feedback, more than 530,000 Accenture employees have completed the CliftonStrengths assessment, and more than 430,000 Accenture employees have participated in a Q12 team engagement survey.
Atlanta Public Schools
Serving more than 52,000 students throughout the greater Atlanta metropolitan area, Atlanta Public Schools (APS) focuses on the culture of its school district to help bring out the best in students. As part of its philosophy, APS focuses on individual gifts, talents and strengths -- starting with all employees. APS believes that to bring out the best in children, staff and leadership need to bring out the best in themselves by unleashing natural ways of thinking, feeling and behaving. APS focused on strengthening its culture by engaging, supporting and encouraging students and staff, creating trust with community leaders, and putting children first.
PTC Therapeutics
Founded in 1998, PTC Therapeutics is a global commercial, diversified biopharmaceutical company with a footprint in more than 50 countries. It focuses on therapies for rare genetic disorders and emerging treatments for serious diseases. PTC Therapeutics is committed to sustaining employee engagement and embeds CliftonStrengths throughout the organization. All employees, managers and leaders leverage strengths in their roles. PTC Therapeutics invests in developing the natural talents of employees, helping managers individualize their approach and creating a common language throughout the organization.
Regions Bank is one of the nation's largest full-service providers of consumer and commercial banking, wealth management, and mortgage products and services. Focused on the future, Regions has committed to making strengths an integral part of the organization's DNA. CliftonStrengths is embedded throughout the organization, including manager development training, performance, wellbeing and culture. To ensure continuity in maintaining an engaged workforce and strong organizational culture, Regions embarked on its leadership development initiative, Leading the Regions Way, which entailed a commitment to developing the strengths of each associate, growing great managers through targeted leadership capability building and driving business performance through an engaged workforce.
Growing talent has always been a part of Stryker's DNA. To deliver on its mission every day, this global medical technology company is driven by a set of values that includes helping its approximately 43,000 employees discover their strengths and follow their passions. From hiring to development, talent is woven into the fabric of Stryker's organizational culture.
Keeping people at the heart of everything they do, Stryker is continually focused on providing talent solutions to their workforce. Strengths are an integral part of the company's culture, and Stryker uses the CliftonStrengths assessment to help employees understand their natural abilities. The company also leverages an internal coaching community of 240+ Gallup-certified strengths coaches to further drive the power of understanding one's strengths through individual and team coaching. When people can do what they do best, they look forward to coming to work and, in turn, will deliver great business results.
View 2020 winners.
We're celebrating organizations that are making a difference in people's lives.
From work to education, Gallup's Exceptional Workplace Awards recognize organizations doing exceptional work transforming culture, improving engagement and putting strengths first.
Gallup Exceptional Workplace Award
Don Clifton Strengths For Students Award
Gallup Culture Transformation Award


BRB, buying 10 of these. The Champion Women's Long Hooded Full Zip Sweatshirt is made from a lightweight cotton blend fabrication, with a roomy hood, working drawcords, long sleeves, and a full zip thru front. Finished with ribbed paneling at the sides, a split kangaroo pocket at the front, ribbed trim, and an extended long length. Step your athleisure game up.


This is the 30 episode of Let's Learn English. Anna plans to have a dinner party. She needs to buy seafood, so she goes to the waterfront. She gets a surprise at the fish market.
Anna Hello! Washington, D.C. sits on the Potomac River. This river is important to the history and culture of the city. Today, I am at an outdoor seafood market near the Potomac River. Some say it is the oldest outdoor seafood market in the United States! I am here to buy seafood. Let's see what they have!
Anna Excuse me. Can you help me?
Pete Sure! What do you need?
Anna What are you doing here?
Pete I work here. You know, it's not easy to be a writer.
Anna Yeah, I heard that. Sorry.
Pete But this job is great. I work outside by the river. And I can eat all the free seafood I want!
Anna That is great, Pete. In fact, I am here to buy some seafood for my dinner party.
Pete You came to the right place. They have the freshest seafood in town. How much money can you spend?
Anna I can only spend $50.
Pete Okay. What do you want?
Anna First, I want to buy some shrimp.
Pete Sure thing. Follow me. How much shrimp do you want?
Anna How much do I need for five people?
Pete (yells to co-worker) Give her a pound of shrimp!
Anna Ok, now I want to buy some crabs.
Pete The crabs here are delicious! They are the best because they come from the nearby Chesapeake Bay! Walk this way.
Pete How many crabs do you want?
Anna I want a dozen crabs.
Pete You should get the larger crabs. They have the most meat.
Anna Then I want a dozen large crabs, please!
Pete Is that everything you need?
Anna Let's see … I have shrimp and crabs. And a friend is bringing a salad and many ears of corn-on-the-cob.
Pete Is that all the seafood that you need?
Pete That'll be $49.95. Cash or credit?
Pete Anna, you love to eat seafood. Did you grow up on the water?
Anna No, I didn't. But I love the water. And I love being on the water.
Pete You know how to sail?
Anna Well … this afternoon I am going on a boat.
Pete You are full of surprises. What kind of boat? Is it a motorboat or a sailboat?
Anna It's a special boat, Pete. Well, thanks for your help. See you later!
Pete See you, Anna! Wow, Anna's a sailor! Who knew?
Anna Yes, rivers are important to the history and culture of Washington, D.C. And now I am part of this city's interesting waterfront culture. Until next time!


My answer: Before you ask for investor money.
It shows you're actually committed. If someone approaches me without going full-time, I ask myself "Why should I bet on this venture when the founder isn't willing to do the same?"
You can get traction prior to fundraising. If you're not working, you can go try to pre-sell some customers or run experiments in the market to validate your beliefs. Getting more traction can result in better terms from investors.
You can determine if you're actually committed. If you're not willing to dip into personal savings for six months, are you and your family really ready for start-up life?
It's a positive signal about your decision-making. At early stages, startup success is most dependent upon the execution ability of the founders. If you've lived your life such that you're able to live for a year without income, an investor will know you've got self-discipline and a willingness to sacrifice short-term pleasure for long-term success.
If you're not willing to plan for and take a little personal risk to start a business, don't ask investors to take that risk for you.


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Retired Marine Philip Ricardo Jr. Continues Training to Be Service Fit
The personal trainer and bodybuilder encourages others to do the same.
by Roger Lockridge
Courtesy of Philip Ricardo Jr.
When you see a picture of Philip Ricardo Jr., or if you see him in person, you're not only looking at a longtime bodybuilder, you're looking at a retired United States Marine. There have been some people who saw him and may have questioned whether he's still active. That's because of the shape he has kept himself in for the stage and life.
"I take pride that I was in the Marines. So, I don't want anybody asking 'you were in the Marines?' I want them to still see that Marine in me."
Ricardo grew up in Brooklyn, New York, but he would eventually move to Chicago, Illinois. Throughout his childhood, he admired bodybuilders and he was a big fan of Lou Ferrigno as the Incredible Hulk.
"I always loved watching Bruce Banner transform into the Incredible Hulk," he said. "I was in awe of Lou Ferrigno. I was in awe of him competing against Arnold Schwarzenegger."
He also played football with high hopes of making it to a college team. Unfortunately, that didn't happen for him. After speaking with his father, they came to the decision that joining the US Armed Forces would be in his best interest.
"A Marine Corps recruiter came to our house. We talked, and we came to the conclusion that joining would be the best route for me to go," he recalled. "For me being a physically active guy, I think that was the best challenge for me."
On December 28, 1989 the 18-year-old Ricardo reported to his first day of boot camp, and that would be the start of a 21-year career as a Marine. Even though he felt like he was disciplined and structured at a young age, the first generation service member credited his time in service for helping him grow and evolve even more because of how he had to rise to challenges such as running 25-mile rucks and working various jobs throughout his time in service. He would be stationed in Japan at one point, and it would be there that he would make his way onto a bodybuilding state for the first time.
"On the base I was at, they had a competition that they called a Friendship Day competition. Friendship Day was when the Japanese nationals would come on base and see some of the equipment and things that were there. At the same time, they would host this bodybuilding show."
Ricardo had already been training hard while he was there. So, he would enter that show after a show put his name in it, and he won the middleweight class. He said he lost the overall to someone who was shredded and had more stage presence. Nonetheless, Ricardo got bit by the bodybuilding bug.
"It was nice to get an individual trophy for what I did," he shared.
As for Ricardo's military career, he went over 17 years without being deployed overseas, but eventually Ricardo would be sent to Iraq in 2007, It was by choice, though, because he actually went in place of a co-worker who was an expecting father.
"I actually volunteered to take his spot and go over there," he explained. "For me, that was a big deal because I had my own family obviously. I just felt like I had to do that and volunteer so he could be there for his family."
A post shared by Philip Ricardo Jr. (@ricardos_legend)
Ricardo worked as a Special Operations chief on that mission, and he would be a part of two deployments before his career ended in 2011. While he was no longer on active duty, he continued to compete in bodybuilding competitions, and he would eventually get cast to be a part of a movie, "Generation Iron: Natty 4 Life." Now, like Ferrigno who was in Pumping Iron, Ricardo was a part of a bodybuilding movie.
"I grew up with Pumping Iron. Every single movie that had anything to do with bodybuilding, I was watching it," he explained. Generation Iron: Natty 4 Life featured former M&F cover model Mike O'Hearn and chronicled several bodybuilders throughout their prep for contests. For Ricardo, it was a highlight in a career that has spanned several years.
"I never thought in a million years that I would've had the career I've had, and it took until later in my career to have it. But God works in mysterious ways."
Aside from training himself, Ricardo also works as a personal trainer. He sees himself as an advocate for fitness not only to his clients, but also to other veterans. He wants to be an example to show others that they need to focus on self-improvement for themselves as well as their families and friends.
"If it weren't for bodybuilding, I would probably have more health issues," said Ricardo. "This lifestyle has really helped me with my health, which I take seriously because I have family and kids. The last thing I want is to leave them early. I think those that served should take that same kind of mindset."
Ricardo hopes that his story could be a positive example for the generation coming up as well. Teenagers coming out of high school have many options, but there is also a lot of issues they face that other generations may not have. Ricardo feels that a career in service would be beneficial for young adults now and well into the future. Aside from commitment to their homeland, it would be in their personal best interests.
"The Marine Corps truly changed my life. I got to go in and learn a trade that a lot of people just don't get. I have friends in both New York and Chicago, and they're in the same situations, just older now. They may not have decent jobs, but they aren't as worldly or accomplished as you could be in the military. The military will teach you so much more that nothing else out there can."
Follow Philip Ricardo Jr. on Facebook and on Instagram @ricardos_legend.
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