Showing all posts tagged: coffee
For a hard boiled brew try deep fried coffee beans
3 December 2022
Instead of roasting some coffee beans, the more usual process for preparing beans for brewing, British coffee connoisseur James Hoffmann decided to deep fry a batch.
Like Hoffmann, I was unsure why anyone would actually, or ever want to, deep dry coffee beans, but his experiment is purely in the name of curiosity. After the beans have been fried, Hoffmann prepared two brews to sample. One by filter, the other by shot. All very interesting I’m sure, but I might stick to drinking roasted bean coffee…
Anthony Douglas barista of the year World Coffee Championships
6 October 2022
The 2022 World Coffee Championships were held in Melbourne, Australia, during the last week of September, and local coffee-brewer Anthony Douglas was named Barista of the Year.
Here’s some video footage of Douglas in action. But whoever thought that coffee making could be a spectator event?
Dumpster diving, finding food when prices are rising
27 July 2022
Inflation is back. Prices are rising — sharply in some cases — adding to the cost of living. My go-to — highly anecdotal of course — inflation indicator is the price of a large sized takeaway cappuccino. While rises in the price of coffee have been on the cards for some time, I paid A$5.20 for a cup in Kogarah, a southern suburb of Sydney the other week, the first time I’ve seen the cost exceed five dollars.
But the price of household staples, not just coffee, have also been rising steadily in recent months, imposing financial hardship on many people. Despite this, some Australian supermarkets are engaging in what is surely the unconscionable practice of disposing of food products before their use by date, or fruit and vegetables that simply don’t look saleable, without even offering them at a reduced price beforehand.
But savvy consumers, including Sydneysider Brenden Rikihana, are countering this wasteful process by taking to dumpster diving. That is, going around to the dumpster bin area at a supermarket, and sifting through them for food that is still safe to eat. And if Rikihana’s Facebook page is anything to go by, dumpster divers are truly spoilt for choice at the moment. In fact Rikihana collects so much usable food, he gives a lot away to others.
Dumpster diving can’t be without its hazards. There’s obviously a danger to sifting through waste bins. Broken glass, other sharp objects, not to mention who knows exactly what’s been put in the dumpster. Then there’s the legalities. Some of the bins are probably on private property, so trespass may be a factor. I doubt few people rummage through dumpsters out of choice though. And that’s the problem at the moment. For many it’s not about choice, it’s about necessity.
Coffee grounds go full circle being reborn as the Kreis Cup
12 July 2022
Our insatiable appetite for coffee leaves a few superfluous by-products in its wake. Disposable coffee cups are one. Coffee grounds, being what remains of the beans used to brew the cup of coffee you bought, are another. And, as with the disposable cups, coffee grounds tend to build up. It’s estimated two billion cups of coffee are made daily globally, which adds up to a lot of coffee grounds.
And given just about all these dregs end up in the waste bin, our caffeine addiction is hardly environmentally friendly, nor particularly sustainable. While some people make an effort to recycle discarded grounds, they can be repurposed as household deodorisers, compost, and even insect repellent in the garden, among other things, most end up in landfills.
The people at Coffee Kreis are hoping to change that though. They’d like to see coffee grounds come full circle, as it were, by turning them into reusable coffee cups, which is quite apt as kreis is the German word for circle, or circuit.
Kreis means circle, resembling our circular economy model based on the regeneration of natural materials into a sustainable product. The Kreis Cup is an alternative to disposable paper cups and aims to replace the end-of-life concept of used coffee grounds.
coffee, environment, sustainability
Espresso, Lady J Cafe, Bondi Junction, Sydney
1 July 2022
For Flash Back Friday. Espresso at the sadly long closed Lady J Cafe at Bondi Junction in Sydney, a snap I took several years ago. At the moment I’m using part of the image for the header on my Twitter page.
Lady J was an institution in its day, and I think it’s telling that a number of cafes and restaurants that have occupied Lady J’s old retail premises since, have struggled to make a go of it. They last a short time and close. The store space is along the bustling Oxford Street, so it’s not as if there’s a shortage of foot-traffic, or the place is hidden away.
Interesting, I was searching for the Lady J Instagram page, and found another IG page for a cafe with the same name and a similar logo, opening “soon”, somewhere in Texas. If it’s operated by the same people, and the similar logo certainly seem to suggest that, then Texans are in for a treat.
Used disposable coffee cups could be a concrete ingredient
11 June 2022
This might be the breakthrough coffee drinkers have been waiting for. Yanni Bouras, a Melbourne based structural engineer, thinks there might be a way to recycle the single-use takeaway coffee cups that Australians can’t seem to live without. Bouras has devised a method of replacing some of the sand used in concrete mix, with used, broken down, disposable coffee cups:
The cups are ground up and mixed in as a substitute for a proportion of the sand that goes into a typical concrete mix. So far, testing has found the material is weaker than standard concrete but has a higher thermal performance. That means it could be useful for non-structural purposes, like footpaths or even insulation. If 10 per cent of sand was replaced by takeaway coffee cups, there could be up to 700 coffee cups used per cubic metre of concrete.
Could your morning cup of coffee reduce your risk of death?
11 June 2022
I’ve always heard drinking too many cups of coffee could be a health risk. But “too many” must be defined. One hundred cups a day might pose a risk, in the same way excessive consumption of anything can be detrimental to our health. Recent research though has found drinking coffee in moderation, about four cups a day, may have health benefits for some people.
Compared to people who didn’t report drinking coffee, the researchers found, people who drank coffee (up to and above 4.5 cups a day) were less likely to die of any cause over a seven-year follow-up period. This pattern held true after accounting for other factors like a person’s lifestyle, and even when people reported drinking sugar-sweetened coffee. “Moderate consumption of unsweetened and sugar-sweetened coffee was associated with lower risk for death,” the study authors wrote.
NSW bans a bevy of single-use plastic items from 1 June 2022
4 May 2022
Big changes are coming up for people who buy takeaway food and beverages in NSW.
Lightweight plastic bags, single-use plastic straws, stirrers and cutlery, single-use plastic bowls and plates, expanded polystyrene food service items, and single-use plastic cotton buds and microbeads in certain personal care products, are among single-use items the NSW Government is banning from Wednesday 1 June 2022.
It’s all part of the NSW Government’s plan to phase out single-use plastics and reduce the harmful impact these items have on our environment. These bans apply to all businesses, organisations and anyone holding an activity for charitable, sporting, education or community purposes in NSW.
Takeaway coffee cups, along with their profligate plastic lids — of which Australia chews through one billion of per year — look to remain for the time being, but it is the NSW Government’s intention to do away with these by 2025.
The City of Sydney has put together a guide to assist consumers to find reusable alternatives.
coffee, environment, sustainability
Coffee at $7 a cup? One of many price rises coming
21 March 2022
Crop shortages in Brazil, the rising price of oil, and surging freight costs, could see a cup of coffee setting you back as much as seven-dollars by the end the year, says David Parnham, of the Cafe Owners and Baristas Association of Australia. Speaking to the ABC, Parnham said the price of a cup of coffee was long overdue for an adjustment, having remained relatively stable for some years:
The pain will be felt from the cities to the outback, but Mr Parnham said the increase was well overdue, with the average $4 price for a standard latte, cappuccino and flat white remaining stable for years. “The reality is it should be $6-7. It’s just that cafes are holding back on passing that pricing on per cup to the consumer,” he said.
How things have changed. About four years ago a well-run cafe’s cost to produce a cup of coffee was less than a third of the price they charged. To maintain a profit of at least two-dollars per cup, based on a selling price of say six-dollars (can you imagine it?), means the cost of making that cuppa will have risen to four-dollars.
The markup on coffee is higher than most food items. In fact, it’s only rivalled by the markup on craft beer. An average cup of coffee costs less than a dollar to produce, yet it usually sells for around $3.50. Other items on the menu have a much smaller profit margin. Coffee sales alone should constitute 25-35% of your gross.
The average price of a coffee in the areas I’m in and out of is about $4.50. They might have been about $3 ten years ago, and price rises to date — at the cafes I frequent — have usually been in twenty to fifty cent increments, maybe every few years. To think we might be seeing possibly two one-dollar increases in the next nine months is incredible.
We’re a nation of coffee devotees, but I wonder at what point cafe customers might decide a cup of coffee costs too much, and decide to look at alternatives, or simply cut back their consumption. I’m all for small businesses making a go of it, I’m one myself, but I think cafes will need to tread carefully — somehow — when it comes to passing on costs.
Bondi says: break up with the cup
3 December 2021
BYO Cup Week is an initiative by bru coffee, a cafe at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, and Australian journalist and blogger Sarah Wilson, to bring about a reduction in the use of disposable takeaway coffee cups. Between now – 1 December actually – and Friday 10 December 2021, coffee drinkers across Sydney are being urged to switch to re-usable cups, sometimes known as keep-cups, for their caffeine fix. Contrary to what many of us might think, disposable coffee cups are an environmental nuisance:
Although disposable cups look like they are made of paper and recyclable, the majority contain plastics that don’t break down and are damaging to the environment. According to the NSW Environment Protection Authority, 1 billion disposable coffee cups end up in landfill sites across Australia each year. It is estimated that Bondi contributes 75,000 cups a week to that annual total.


text:
Health benefits to be found in a cuppa
INTERNATIONAL Coffee Day fell on Oct 1. Here we round up some of the ways coffee can boost health, giving you a good reason to say yes to another cup of joe.
Coffee is good for the heart South Korean researchers have found that coffee may boost heart health, with those who drink three to five cups of coffee a day benefiting from a lower risk of clogged arteries that could lead to serious heart problems.
Coffee lower risk of diabetes A 2014 study found that those who increased their daily caffeine intake by about 1.5 cups of coffee a day over a four-year period had an 11% lower risk for adult-onset diabetes than those whose intake remained the same.
The findings also showed that those who made moderate to large decreases in intake (about two cups a day) had an 18% higher risk of developing the disease, suggesting that coffee could have a short-term effect.
Coffee reduces risk of multiple sclerosis The findings of a US and Swedish study which compared more than 1,000 patients with multiple sclerosis to a similar number of healthy people, suggested that individuals who drink four to six cups of coffee daily may be less likely to develop the disease.
Coffee can improve erectile dysfunction A study by the University of Texas Health Science Centre found that men who drank two to three cups of coffee a day were less likely to have erectile dysfunction (ED).
Published in 2015 in the journal PLOS ONE, the findings showed that men who consumed 85-170mg of caffeine a day were 42% less likely to report ED, while those who drank 171-303mg daily were 39% less likely, when compared to those who only drank 0-7mg a day. – AFP-Relaxnews organising the contest for our loyal customers who keep coming back for our delicious menu of signature ribs, world-famous onion loaf and other flame-grilled entrées.”
For more on the contest, visit Tony Roma’s Malaysia website.

domain: news


text:
MILWAUKEE -- Midwest Retail Group LLC, 7-Eleven's largest U.S. franchise group, has sold its 14 convenience stores in southeastern Wisconsin to a new franchisee, CSP Daily News has learned.
The new franchise owner is Greg Evans, who previously owned the Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard c-store chain. In early 2010, 7-Eleven purchased 16 c-stores from Rock Island, Ill.-based MHC Convenience LLC, parent company of the chain of 20 Mother Hubbard's Cupboard locations in Illinois and Iowa.
Now, James Fiene, president and CEO of Midwest Retail Group (MRG), said it was the right time for him and partner Paul Reuter to sell their 14 stores. “We grew the company to the largest franchise group, and we're very proud of that," Fiene said. "We were the first ones to get to that level. We just found it to be the opportune time [to sell], and the best move for us was to transition them all at one time. It worked out very smoothly. 7-Eleven was a great partner in the process.”
He said that there are a lot of challenges in the marketplace for a company when it gets to be a certain size, including with the Affordable Care Act. “We had a lot of decisions to make—either grow or go,” said Fiene.
Previously, Fiene was COO of Open Pantry Food Marts of Wisconsin Inc., Pleasant Prairie, Wis., and vice president of retail sales for Thorntons Inc., Louisville, Ky.
The locations sold were once Open Pantry c-stores that 7-Eleven took over in 2012 in a deal that Fiene helped facilitate. Midwest Retail franchised its first six stores in 2013. “We were the first franchise group to start with six locations right up front,” Fiene said. “That was a pretty significant change from 7-Eleven's typical operational mode. They gave us the privilege to do that. After operating the first six for about a year and a half, the idea came to try to take it to the next level, so we acquired the other eight locations in 2015.”
When 7-Eleven bought the stores, the people in Wisconsin didn't know what a 7-Eleven was beyond TV and other pop-culture references, Fiene said. There hadn't been 7-Elevens in the Badger State since the 1980s. “It was a brand that we really got an opportunity to introduce over the last four years and maintain a very strong presence and a very strong image,” he said.
Fiene and Reuter, Midwest Retail’s chairman and partner, knew each other for more than 20 years in the c-store industry. Fiene was a retailer for more than 30 years, and Reuter was the founder and owner of CSP Information Group, a publishing company that he started in the 1980s, and which is now Winsight LLC. When the opportunity came up to franchise the former Open Pantry stores, they went into business together.
“I have had the unique experience to interview and meet so many of retailing’s greats and so many more over the life of my career,” said Reuter. “My partnership in MRG only added to my valuable learning. Although exiting MRG, I continue to be an active partner along with David Nelson and Kay Segal in the Business Accelerator Team LLC, as senior adviser with NRC Realty assisting with industry M&A activity and as owner of Kreative Collaborations LLC. My motto is clear: The R word is not retirement; it’s refresh. You rest, you rust.”
With no plans to retire, Fiene said, “I'm trying to figure out what my next steps might be. I love the industry and plan on being in the industry the rest of my life. I've gotten so much out of the franchise side of the business and the large brand side of the business. From a business ownership standpoint, working with the largest convenience-store chain in the world has been a real eye-opening and exciting experience. I'm hoping to take some of that experience to the marketplace and see what I can do to help other people. I'm certainly looking at all options—from retailers to suppliers.”
Midwest Retail Group, based in Milwaukee, is a privately owned operations and marketing organization with expertise in convenience-store and gas-station management.
Irving, Texas-based 7 Eleven operates, franchises or licenses more than 65,000 c-stores in 18 countries, including approximately 9,700 locations in the United States and Canada. It ranked No. 1 in CSP's 2017 Top 202 list of the largest c-store chains in the United States.

domain: geography


text:
2D Styled 3D Motion Graphics in CINEMA 4D and After Effects | 2.40 GB
Software used: CINEMA 4D R15, After Effects CC 126.96.36.199 | Resolution: 1280x720(.flv) | Audio: mp3 92 Kbps | Completion Time: 3h 9m Genre: eLearning | Difficulty: Intermediate | Language: English | Instructor: Pierre Derenoncourt | December 23, 2013
In this series of tutorials, we will learn how to create a 2D looking motion graphics piece that is created primarily in CINEMA 4D.The style of motion graphics with very flat textures is easy to achieve in a 2D software like After Effects. However, if you want 3D deformations and complex camera animation in 3D space, After Effects is nearly impossible to use. We will use CINEMA 4D to achieve the motions that we want, and overcome those 2D constraints. Using CINEMA 4D for this process takes the guess-work out of trying to achieve this look in a 2D application.

domain: artistic


Chancellor George Osborne has set out plans to spend £73bn on roads and rail over the six years to April 2021 - but slashed the Department for Transport’s revenue budget by more than a third.
Osborne said in last week’s Spending Review announcement that investing in long-term infrastructure was one of four key objectives for the government.
He allocated £34.5bn for Network Rail, £15.2bn for the roads investment strategy, £15.8bn for High Speed 2 (HS2), £6.9bn for highways maintenance and £500M each for “local sustainable transport” and “large local roads”.
Department for Transport capital spending will soar from £6.1bn in 2015/16 to £11.4bn in 2019/20.
But its day-to-day spending pot will plummet from £2.6bn to just £1.8bn over the same timeframe. After inflation, this works out at a 37% revenue cut.
Osborne hailed what he described as the biggest increase in transport capital spending in a generation.
“That funds the largest road investment programme since the 1970s,” he said.
“It means the construction of HS2 can begin. The electrification of lines like the Trans-Pennine, Midland Main Line and Great Western can go ahead.
“We’ll fund our new Transport for the North body to get it up and running.
London will get an £11bn investment in its transport infrastructure,” said Osborne.
There will be £250M for roadworks to relieve the pressure on roads in Kent from Operation Stack, and £300M to boost cycling.
Osborne also announced £5bn for roads maintenance, including a permanent pothole fund.
Contractors welcomed the announcement. “Today’s announcements are good news for the construction sector, formally committing funds to vital infrastructure projects such as HS2, the Northern Powerhouse and London-wide transport,” said Civil Engineering Contractors Association chief executive Alasdair Reisner.
“The confirmation of funding for key projects will enable the construction industry to plan for the future to deliver strategic projects in an innovative and efficient manner.”
But Aecom director John Hicks, was sceptical about the announcements.
“The chancellor’s rhetoric of ‘We are the builders’ didn’t appear to be accompanied by significant new money across the board,” he said
“With transport at the sharp end of departmental revenue cuts, the challenge now is for the government to play its part in delivery as the number of public servants further erodes.
“Are the right people with the right skills, governance and procurement tools in the right place within the public sector to allow the builders to move in?”
Read more on the spending review here


From The Daniel Island News
Cub Scouts install bat houses
Jan 16, 2013 - 9:05:22 AM
Some new, “multi-family housing” has gone up around Daniel Island, and it might just mean fewer mosquito bites for you and your family. About 24 handmade bat houses have been installed in various Daniel Island neighborhoods and parks as part of a local cub scout project to help cut down the island’s troublesome mosquito population while protecting the environment. Last May, Troop 519 submitted an entry in the Daniel Island Community Improvement Contest. As part of the contest, residents were encouraged to propose a project that would improve the quality of life on Daniel Island, producing a specific result that can be enjoyed by island residents. The cub scouts’ idea was one of three selected by the judges for the competition, which was sponsored by the Rotary Club of Daniel Island, the Daniel Island Community Fund, and The Daniel Island News. Cub scouts, parents and other helpers gathered on the grounds of Church of the Holy Cross on Daniel Island last fall to construct the houses, which can accommodate up to 20 bats. The thin, square-shaped structures were installed in November about 10 to 15 feet up in various tree lines. Recognizing that a typical brown bat can consume 1000 mosquitoes in an hour, the scouts estimate that there could be a potential 20,000 mosquitoes eliminated per bat house per night --- what a great way to take the bite out of summer! As part of the project, the scouts will continue to monitor the houses.
© Copyright The Daniel Island News


text:
First, trisect m(a) and m(b). Click here if you need help trisecting a segment. We know the centroid is 2/3 of the length of m(a) away from vertex A. Also, the centroid is 1/3 of the distance of m(b) away from the midpoint of side b. Thus, the centroid (point X below) is at the intersection of the two circles centered at A and the midpoint of b with a radius of 2/3 of m(a) and 1/3 of m(b), respectively. So, to start the construction, we draw side b and the two circles.
Because both medians must go through the centroid, we can now draw both medians. Further, by definition, the endpoint of m(b) must be the vertex B. Therefore, we can construct the triangle.
Click here for a GSP sketch.

domain: design


Meat Import to Azerbaijan from Great Britain not affected by Foot-and-Mouth Disease
Azerbaijan, Baku /corr. Trend S.Babayeva / The spread of foot-and-mouth disease in Great Britain does not present a threat to Azerbaijan, said the Press Secretary of the State Veterinary Service of the Agriculture Ministry of Azerbaijan, Yolchu Khanveli, on 7 August.
According to him, Azerbaijan does not purchase meat or meat products from Great Britain. "We have never purchased meat from Great Britain and therefore the disease does not impose any threat in the territory of Azerbaijan," Khanveli said.
Currently Azerbaijan has imposed a ban on the import of pork from Georgia due to the spread of the African plague in the Country.


text:
Long-term care cost increases have slowed in recent years, but they started to speed up this year.
The average increase for six types of care rose 4.5% this year, according to CareScout, an arm of Richmond, Virginia-based Genworth Financial Inc.
The average rate of increase for 2017 is up from just 1.1% in 2016, and it’s up from a five-year average of 3%.
In 2016, changes in national median prices ranged from a decrease of 1.2%, for adult day care, to an increase of 2.6%, for homemakers, or aides who help people with tasks such as cooking and shopping.
This year, changes ranged from a 3% increase, for adult day care, to an increase of 6.2% for home health aide services.
A home health aide helps people with activities such as bathing, or transferring from a bed to a wheelchair.
The median national cost of the services of a home health aide is now $22 per hour.
CareScout bases the data in the report, which is available here, on a survey of 47,000 long-term care providers.
Long-Term Care Planning Strategies
Fifteen years ago, issuers of long-term care insurance typically encouraged clients to buy coverage with 5% compound annual inflation protection, or at least 5% simple inflation protection.
In recent years, low interest rates and high long-term care insurance claim rates have reduced insurers’ ability to offer policies with 5% inflation protection at an affordable price. The insurers that still offer new stand-alone long-term care insurance policies have been encouraging consumers to buy policies with 3% inflation protection.
The 4.5% increase in long-term care services costs for 2017 means that, for many long-term care insurance benefits users, increases in care costs may have outstripped growth in policy benefits for the first time in several years.
Genworth is using the long-term care cost report to draw consumers’ attention to the fact that Medicare does not pay for long-term care, and that Medicaid pays for nursing home care only for people who meet strict income limits.
Genworth is encouraging consumers to consider buying stand-alone long-term care insurance and single-premium immediate annuities.
— Read John Hancock’s best and worst cities for LTC costs on ThinkAdvisor.

domain: health


text:
Leatherhead have turned to former Aldershot Town goalkeeping star Nikki Bull to lead them as their new player/manager.
Following the departure of Sammy Moore from Fetcham Grove, 36-year-old Bull has been quickly installed by chairman Richard Brady and his board of directors.
Brady had gone on record to say there had been some high-profile applicants for the job, the number of which had surprised him.
And Bull falls into that category, signing a two-year deal, indicating Brady wants some stability at the helm.
In a club statement, Brady said: "The club are delighted to announce the appointment of Nikki Bull as player/manager on a two-year contract. With the high quality of applicants the club have taken the necessary time to make the right decision to move the club forwards.
The statement continued: "Nikki displays an enthusiasm and clear planned approach to continuing the success the club have achieved in the past couple of seasons. His vision for the club is aligned with our own thoughts linked to continuity and moving the club forward in a professional manner.
"His past playing and managerial career was at a high level and also shows his commitment to clubs he has represented."
"We will look to support him in his endeavours wherever possible to create the best environment possible within our means.
"I would like to encourage the fantastic support from last year to get behind Nikki from the start. I am in absolutely no doubt the Tanners fans will do so."


text:
Does A GE-3D Systems Acquisition Make Sense?
Editor's note: This article was first published May 19 and is being re-published below.
In early morning trading, market chatter regarding General Electric Company (NYSE: GE) possibly acquiring 3D Systems Corporation (NYSE: DDD) surfaced. This rumor came in wake of a few interesting news items regarding 3D Systems over the past week.
On Friday, May 15, CFO Ted Hull left 3D Systems after only six months.
Longbow Analyst Joe Wittine
Longbow Research analyst Joe Wittine mentions in his impromptu report that Hull joined Fusion-io prior to his 3D Systems stint.
Wittine suggests, “Some had informally viewed Hull as a caretaker CFO that could suggest a potential sale of DDD.” With his departure, Wittine thought a sale would be less likely, but hedged that statement saying that the board of directors could “throw in the towel and DDD [could be] acquired.”
In an exclusive Benzinga phone interview, Wittine said the key risk to his bearish view on the stock has always been an acquisition scenario such as GE acquiring 3D Systems.
“GE’s strong managerial presence could convince the board of directors to sell given recent internal management struggles," he added, before noting that CEO Abraham Reichental acquired 6,000 additional shares following Hull’s departure on May 15 in a Form-4 filing. That means discussions could not have happened if they were in talks.
Wittine summarized the market chatter saying, “The bottom line is these GE/DDD discussions always randomly surface, and it’s doubtful there is any substance behind them.”
While these events are moving the 3D’s stock, especially with promising 3D printing surveys recently, this rumor is still speculation.
At its intra-day peak, 3D Systems came close to the $24 mark on Tuesday morning. Shares are now down on the day.
Wittine has an Underperform rating with an $18 price target for the stock.
Latest Ratings for DDD
|Nov 2016||Gabelli & Co.||Upgrades||Hold||Buy|
|Oct 2016||FBR Capital||Assumes||Market Perform|
© 2017 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.


text:
1862 - USS Monitor founders in a storm off Cape Hatteras, NC. 1941 - Admiral Chester W. Nimitz assumes command of U.S. Pacific Fleet. 1942 - Commissioning of USS Essex (CV-9), first of new class of aircraft carriers, at Norfolk, VA 1948 - Last annual report by a Secretary of the Navy to Congress and the President filed by SECNAV John L. Sullivan. Thereafter the Secretary of Defense would report annually to Congress. (Source: Navy News Service)
DRS Technologies, Inc. has been awarded a contract to continue to design advanced propulsion steam turbines for the U.S. Navy's next-generation CVN-78 class of aircraft carriers. The $5.6 million award was received by DRS from Dresser-Rand Company in Wellsville, New York, a unit of Ingersoll-Rand Company Limited (NYSE:IR). The design effort for this contract will be performed by the company's DRS Power Technology unit in Fitchburg, Massachusetts
Royal Caribbean said on Wednesday it has extended for 13 months options on building two $500 million ships to add to its 21-vessel fleet. The Miami-based operator of the Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity lines said in a news release that it had agreed with the Meyer Werft shipyard of Papenburg, Germany, to extend the options to July 26, 2002, on the so-called Radiance-class ships. Both options on the 2,100-passenger ships were due to expire on June 27
Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, The Duclos Corporation, is building a new class of pilot boats. The Virginia, Maryland, and Tampa pilots will be the first to operate the shipyard’s new Chesapeake class of 53-ft. launches. The first two boats will be delivered to the Virginia Pilot Boat Corporation and Association of Maryland Pilots next October. The Tampa Pilots’ boat and a sister ship for the Maryland pilots will be delivered in 2003.
Huntington Ingalls Industries (NYSE:HII) received a $504 million cost-plus-incentive-fee contract extension to continue engineering work associated with construction of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78). The company's Newport News Shipbuilding division is the prime contractor. Work performed under the contract includes the continuation of design-related activities and integration and system analysis for non-propulsion plant work.
CWind, a provider of services to the offshore wind industry, has announced a second of its vessels, the CWind Resolution due to be named later today in Brightlingsea, has gained the new class notation ‘Wind Farm Service Ships’ introduced by Bureau Veritas earlier this year. The CWind Resolution is only the second ever vessel to be classed under this notation to date, joining its sister vessel the CWind Challenger on the register
The U.S. Navy awarded a Lockheed Martin-led team $188.2 million to commence detail design and construction of the first Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), a revolutionary new class of naval combatant designed to dominate the world’s coastal waters. The option was exercised under the LCS final system design contract, awarded to the Lockheed Martin team in May 2004. The Lockheed Martin team will begin construction of the lead ship at Marinette Marine in Marinette, WI
Glasgow Shipyard Inaugurates Its Saving Grace Glasgow's Govan shipyard celebrated a welcome but rare sight on Friday as a new ship slipped into the dark waters of the Clyde - the first since the once-mighty yard's shaky future was guaranteed last year. The 643 ft. (196-m) Wave Ruler, the second of a new class of oilers for Britain's Royal Fleet Auxiliary, will be used primarily to provide Royal Navy and NATO ships with fuel and fresh water at sea.
A new Launch and Recovery System (L&RS) developed by Supacat for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution’s (RNLI) new class of all-weather lifeboat (ALB) has undergone a two year trials program. These trials tested the system in demanding conditions and were held at Hayle, . The new L&RS design met all the requirements of the prototype specification and exceeded expectations during the trials; lifeboat crew feedback is now being used by the RNLI and Supacat to refine the
Northrop Grumman selected to provide turbine generator units for U.S. Navy's Ohio Replacement Submarine Program Northrop Grumman Corporation announced it has been awarded a contract by shipbuilder General Dynamics Electric Boat to complete detailed design and subsequent manufacturing, assembly, qualification and delivery of the first turbine generator units for the Ohio Replacement Program (ORP), the U.S. Navy's next-generation ballistic nuclear submarine.
Earlier this year, an old refrigerator ship called the Georgiy Agafonov, built to transport fruit and vegetables for the Soviet Union, was quietly gathering rust in the Ukrainian port of Izmail where the Danube flows into the Black Sea.
A new safety initiative at the world’s largest proprietary container terminal, APM Terminals Pier 400 Los Angeles, has resulted in the implementation of revised yard layout and procedures to enhance the safety of the 2,000 to 3
The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Dependable returned home to Virginia Beach, Virginia, Jan. 14 following a 40-day fisheries enforcement patrol focusing on offshore areas in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. Dependable operated in support of Coast Guard 5th District’s Operation Grouper
Kongsberg Maritime has announced that it has been selected by L-3 MAPPS to provide the CCTV system for the Royal Canadian Navy’s (RCN) new class of Arctic Offshore Patrol Ships (AOPS). L-3 MAPPS is one of the Tier 1 suppliers to Irving Shipbuilding
Austal’s U.S. operation consists of more than 4,000 employees supporting the design, construction and sustainment of two U.S. Navy programs, the 127-meter, trimaran Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) and the 103-meter, catamaran high-speed troop and equipment transport known as
Pettit Marine Paint, leading manufacturer of high performance marine coatings, announced today the release of the all-new superyacht antifouling system, the Pettit XL line. Consisting of the top-selling antifouling products in Pettit’s line
Press release - Italy-based classification society RINA has launched a series of new services and standards aimed at helping the growing global yacht industry to grow efficiencies and reduce its environmental footprint. The five new services being rolled out in the last quarter of 2015 are a
Southwest Shipyard awarded contract to build new generation of EBDG-designed ferries for Port Aransas, Texas Southwest Shipyard of Houston, partner of Elliott Bay Design Group (EBDG), has been selected by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to build the third vessel in a new
The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Diligence is scheduled to return to their homeport in Wilmington Saturday following a 45-day patrol in the Caribbean Sea. During their patrol, the Diligence crew conducted search and rescue operations off the west coast of Cuba and conducted drug
New class notation recognizes vessels designed with SOx Scrubber ready features to facilitate cost-effective and time-efficient retrofit. (Houston) ABS, a leading provider of classification and technical services to the global marine and offshore industry
MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company today took delivery of the MSC Silvia, the latest of a brand new class of 9,400 TEU container ships from the leading ocean carrier. Following today’s inauguration ceremony in Shanghai, MSC Silvia will join the Empire service between the Far East and US
The delivery of Alya McCall is significant in that it is the first vessel in a fleet of new class monohull Fast Support Vessels (FSV) for SEACOR Marine. Alya McCall is the first vessel in the SEACOR Express Plus class and features striking lines not ordinarily found in traditional monohull
Marine safety products manufacturer Vesper Marine has released a new Class B Automatic Identification System (AIS), the XB-6000. The black box transponder includes a built-in NMEA 2000 gateway and GPS antenna that integrates AIS, GPS and NMEA instrument data to display vital safety information on
Purpose-built oceanographic research and survey vessel New Horizon has been sold from the Scripps Institute of Oceanography to private interests, announced ship broker Marcon International, Inc. New Horizon will continue to work under her new ownership as a U.S
Lloyd’s Register (LR) has developed a new notation for low-flashpoint fuels (LFPF), allowing owners and shipyards to demonstrate that their design and construction meet requirements.The notation will come into effect as of January 1, 2016, as part of LR’s and Regulations.


text:
- Is TikTok ban permanent?
- Which country has most TikTok users?
- Why is TikTok banned in China?
- Which country banned TikTok?
- How old is Charli Amelio?
- Who owns TikTok?
- Who is the most famous Tik Toker in the world?
- Can you use TikTok in China?
- Who is the CEO of TikTok?
- What is wrong with TikTok?
- Who really owns TikTok?
Is TikTok ban permanent?
In other words, TikTok and the other apps which have been banned for the while will be permanently prohibited in the country if the companies do not reply to the Centre within three weeks.
The replies from these app companies will be sent to a special committee, specifically constituted for further examination..
Which country has most TikTok users?
IndiaIndia still leads by some distance, logging 190.6 million downloads. The US, in second, logs 41 million TikTok downloads. This puts it someway ahead of the cluster of Turkey (23.2 million), Russia (19.9 million), and Pakistan (19.5 million). A total of 44 countries are covered by these stats.
Why is TikTok banned in China?
Trump to ban US downloads of TikTok and WeChat The United States made the moves against the two Chinese apps on Friday, citing national security grounds and escalating a fight with Beijing over digital technology.
Which country banned TikTok?
Then, on June 29, India suddenly banned TikTok. The app, which is owned by a Chinese company, was one of dozens banned in the country days after a violent border clash between India and China left at least 20 Indian soldiers dead.
How old is Charli Amelio?
16 years (May 1, 2004)Charli D’Amelio/Age
Who owns TikTok?
Zhang YimingByteDance CEO and founder Zhang Yiming. Following the weekend’s announcement that Oracle will take a 12.5% stake in TikTok and run cloud services and security for the app, President Donald Trump characterized the deal as a win for the U.S. by making TikTok a company that’s owned and controlled by Americans.
Who is the most famous Tik Toker in the world?
Charli D’AmelioThe most-followed individual on the platform is Charli D’Amelio, with over 90 million followers. She surpassed the previous most-followed account, Loren Gray, on 25 March 2020.
Can you use TikTok in China?
Well yes, even though TikTok is a 100% Chinese app (the “original” name is Douyin, 抖音), it is blocked in China. … If you find yourself in China you can download and use the Chinese version, Douyin without a problem, but it is in no way interconnected with the international version, which you won’t be able to download.
Who is the CEO of TikTok?
Vanessa PappasVanessa Pappas is the CEO of TikTok following the resignation of Kevin Mayer on 27 August, 2020.
What is wrong with TikTok?
The app has been downloaded a reported 123 million times in the United States alone. Recently TikTok has been heavily criticized for its lack of privacy protection and possible connection to authoritarian governments.
Who really owns TikTok?
In an attempt to get Trump to cool his jets, ByteDance made a tentative deal over the weekend to create a US subsidiary called TikTok Global, part-owned by the US entities Oracle and Walmart. Four of the company’s five board members would be American, and the fifth likely to be the ByteDance founder, Zhang Yiming.

domain: politics


Cox’s Bazar is home to Bangladesh’s main tourist attraction, the world’s longest natural sea beach. Dhaka Cox’s Bazar rail link will connect Bangladesh’s capital, Dhaka with the city of Cox’s Bazar. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurates the Dohazari- Cox’s Bazar rail line of Dhaka Cox’s Bazar rail link today, November 11, 2023. She reached the Cox’s Bazar railway station at 11:35 am. The rail link will be opened to traffic on December 1, 2023.
Bangladesh Railway is implementing the Tk 1,852.35 crore project to build the 102km rail line from Chattogram’s Dohazari to Cox’s Bazar. This train service project has been funded by an Asian Development Bank (ADB) funding of $1.5 billion million and will reduce travel time.
In this article, we will provide readers with information about the benefits of this project as well as discuss any obstacles that may have delayed its completion. We will also share exciting features including iconic station designs, double-line dual-gauge rails, and more!
So, prepare for an informative ride on what promises to be Bangladesh’s most captivating railway journey yet!
- The Dhaka – Cox’s Bazar Rail Link is a 102km train service project funded by an Asian Development Bank (ADB) loan.
- It will reduce travel time from Dhaka to Cox’s Bazar and provide commuters with faster routes at a low cost compared to road transportation.
- Progress on the project has been hindered by financing constraints, payment delinquency disputes between contractors and Bangladesh Railway as well as delayed equipment delivery.
- The rail link features double gauge tracks for efficient mixed traffic, an 82km track with an iconic station, a parallel highway for accessibility, and eco-friendly electric locomotives, contributing to the Belt & Road Initiative.
History of Dhaka Cox’s Bazar Rail Link
The construction of a railway link between Dhaka and Cox’s Bazar was first proposed in April 2010. However, it wasn’t until 2018 that the project indeed came to life as construction and implementation efforts got underway, representing a significant milestone in the realization of this ambitious transportation initiative.
The government’s initial allocation of Tk6,034 crore was vital in supporting the project’s early stages and infrastructure development. As the project progressed and various factors were considered, the estimated project cost underwent a revision, resulting in an adjusted budget of Tk1,852.35 crore to accommodate changes and additional requirements.
The substantial financial backing of $1.5 billion from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in September 2016 was pivotal in advancing the project’s objectives. This ambitious endeavor involved laying down a 102-kilometer Dohazari- Cox’s Bazar railway track, designed as a dual gauge system, offering the flexibility to accommodate different trains and enhancing overall versatility in its operations.
Moreover, the project foresaw the construction of nine strategically placed stations along the rail route, serving as crucial points for passengers to embark and disembark, thereby significantly improving accessibility and convenience for travelers and tourists throughout the region. Additionally, you can also read about the Padma Bridge Rail Link Project.
Trial run on Dohazari-Cox’s Bazar
Bangladesh Railway (BR) conducted a trial run on the Dohazari-Cox’s Bazar rail line on October 15, 2023.
During a visit to the old Kalurghat Bridge in the port city, Railways Minister Nurul Islam Sujan confirmed this development. He mentioned that the installation of the rail track on the bridge has been successfully completed.
At present, six inter-city trains operate between Dhaka and Chittagong, and they could be extended to Cox’s Bazar with the new route. As the required manpower, engines, and carriages are unavailable, it may take a few years to reap the full benefits of the Tk15,000 crore project.
Potential Benefits of Dhaka-Cox’s Bazar Rail Link
The Dhaka Cox’s Bazar rail link has the potential to promote economic growth and improved transportation in Bangladesh.
The rapid construction of the Dhaka-Cox’s Bazar Rail Link is expected to benefit Bangladesh’s economy significantly. The economic development of Cox’s Bazar relies heavily on its tourism industry, and this region is now one step closer to becoming a fully connected transport hub with improved connectivity between production, service delivery, and consumption centers in Bangladesh.
Safety, reliability, and convenience are all priorities for the railway link that will provide low-cost travel options compared to road transportation while connecting coastal destinations along Bangladesh’s Bay of Bengal coast.
This enhanced access to marketplaces could open up new opportunities for business sector growth and job creation within the area and broaden the appeal of leisure activities, such as beach trips or visits to local attractions.
The completion of the Dhaka Cox’s Bazar rail link will significantly improve transportation in Bangladesh, bringing numerous benefits to both locals and travelers. With stiff competition from heavily congested roads, a dual-gauge double-line railway running alongside roadways will enable quicker travel between cities that would otherwise take much longer to reach.
This improved train system is expected to reduce traffic congestion on highways throughout Bangladesh and ensure smooth accessibility between destinations with more frequent departures than the current system can offer.
Improved transport infrastructure has been observed worldwide to have positive results on economic development as well as journey times for commuters, allowing citizens greater opportunities by opening up new job markets or giving them access to education opportunities they may not have had previously.
Additionally, people nationwide can easily make day trips throughout regions near Dhaka thanks to faster travel options provided by rail links at an affordable price additionally, if you want to read an article on Dhaka Elevated Expressway.
Latest Updates on the Rail Link’s Completion
The project is 100% complete, with all the 102-kilometer railway tracks visible, and 7 of 9 new stations are built. This signifies a significant step toward improving accessibility and convenience for passengers and tourists. The addition of these stations enhances the overall infrastructure of the rail network.
The project envisions an initial fleet of 10 trains, which will soon be operational, providing a crucial mode of transportation for the region. The travel time from Dhaka to Cox’s Bazar is estimated to be approximately 8 Hours, significantly reducing the time required for this journey.
With a daily passenger capacity of 100,000 people, the rail link promises to be a pivotal transportation option for many travelers, contributing to enhanced connectivity and tourism opportunities.
Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the Dhaka Cox’s Bazar rail link project today, but it will officially open for the general people on December 1, 2023. The rail link is well on its way to becoming a crucial component of Bangladesh’s railway system, opening new avenues for travel, trade, and tourism.
Challenges and Obstacles Faced
Construction on the rail link was delayed due to financing constraints and technical issues.
Construction of the Dhaka Cox’s Bazar Rail Link has been marred by unforeseen delays, caused primarily by financial concerns, payment delinquency disputes between contractors and Bangladesh Railway (BR) as well as obstructions to equipment delivery.
These issues have disrupted train services in the region leading to container congestion at Chittagong port; resulting in up to 30 days delay for some consignees. The road deck is also incomplete due to the delayed arrival of machinery parts.
BR submitted a new Detailed Project Proposal (DPP) with updated timelines arranged within this month, which should help resolve these issues going forward. In addition, PM Hasina’s government pledged over 3,000 crore BDT towards infrastructure projects such as national highways and metros continuously emphasizing improvement in railway connectivity due to dampened revenue from air traffic amid Covid lockdowns.
Features of the Dhaka-Cox’s Bazar Rail Link
|Project Approval Year
|Construction Start Year
|Government Allocation (Initial)
|Revised Project Cost
|Asian Development Bank (ADB) Funding
|Rail Line Type
|Number of Stations
|183 (39 bridges, 144 culverts)
|Visible Track Length
|Proposed Train Count
|Dhaka to Cox’s Bazar Travel Time
|Approximately 8 hours
|Proposed Daily Passenger Capacity
Table: Dhaka – Cox’s Bazar Rail Link Project Details
Double-Line Dual-Gauge Rail Lines
Double-line dual gauge is an effective solution for improving networks of railway systems. This is due to their innovative design which allows them to utilize two tracks instead of a single one while also allowing for mixed traffic, such as passenger and freight.
Consequently, this eliminates the bottleneck issue associated with traditional single-track solutions as dual-gauge lines allow trains of different sizes and loading capacities to pass without changing gauge or waiting time.
In the Dhaka Cox’s Bazar rail link project, a double-line dual-gauge rails system connects Bangladesh’s capital city of Dhaka through Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar District in southeastern Bangladesh covering a total distance of 327km.
Installing these dual gauge rails has immensely increased overall efficiency by providing a track suitable for both passengers & heavy cargo transports simultaneously within the same space.’ With continuous maintenance on roadways, plains drainage structures, and railway bridges, the cost of constructing a double line has been estimated at around Tk 18,034 crore, connecting Southern districts with improved faster movement using dedicated express services.
The Double-Lane Road on the Same Deck
The Dhaka-Cox’s Bazar Rail Link will feature a double-lane road on the same deck as the rail lines, which allows for efficient and convenient transportation for both road users and rail passengers.
This innovative design feature enhances safety through improved vehicle and train visibility in opposite directions. Also, it reduces vehicle crossing times due to two lanes available instead of one.
Another advantage is that it decreases traffic congestion since there now are two tracks operating simultaneously rather than just one when both railway lines are handling single-direction traffic.
Route and Stations
The Dhaka Cox’s Bazar rail link will include a double-line and dual-gauge line system from Dohazari to Cox’s Bazar that includes an iconic station at the destination.
The railway project between Dohazari and Cox’s Bazar is a significant transportation initiative that promises to connect these regions efficiently. As for the route and stations, here’s an overview:
The railway route extends from Dohazari in Chittagong to Cox’s Bazar and has been further expanded to the Ghumdhum border near Myanmar. However, it’s essential to note that the current construction phase focuses exclusively on the Dohazari-Cox’s Bazar section, with the 28-kilometer stretch from Cox’s Bazar to Myanmar not currently under construction.
Along the 102-kilometer route, nine stations are planned to enhance accessibility and transportation in the region. The following stations have been strategically located:
- Cox’s Bazar Sadar
As of the latest updates, the construction of 7 stations has been successfully completed, and the remaining 2 stations are scheduled to be finished by next December. Work on these stations is progressing rapidly, bringing this essential infrastructure closer to full operation.
Electric Train Service on the Dhaka-Chittagong Route
The Dhaka-Chittagong electric train is planned to be a key component of the country’s transportation infrastructure, improving connectivity between major cities and increasing access to railway services for rural communities.
The operation of this electric train will impact other projects such as the Dhaka-Cox’s Bazar rail link by providing travelers with easier and more reliable access to that region, boosting tourism in Bangladesh.
Installing a fully electrified double line dual gauge rail system would drastically reduce travel time and help connect 9 new stations along the 102 km route from Dohazari to Cox’s Bazar.
International Cooperation and Recognition
The Dhaka-Cox’s Bazar Rail Link has received international recognition, with the Asian Development Bank providing funding for rural road improvement and Bangladeshi Prime Minister Hasina leading efforts to implement a metro rail network.
ADB’s Funding for Rural Road Improvement
The Bangladesh government has entered into a $1.5 billion funding agreement with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to aid the development of a new railway line. This funding represents the third installment of a $1.5 billion funding provided by ADB for the Chattogram-Cox’s Bazar Railway Project under the South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation.
On top of that, due importance is also given to climate resilience and safety measures such as bridge construction and rehabilitation works while undertaking this project. This aims not only at improving connectivity but also to make commuting safer throughout these areas by transforming them into well-interconnected urban routes equipped with adaptive storm systems.
Such efforts are crucial both from an economic perspective as well as international recognition associated with Dhaka-Cox’s Bazar Rail Link completion scheduled for 2023. If you’re interested you can also read on Dhaka Metro Rail.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Now, let’s explore some frequently asked questions about Dhaka Cox’s Bazar Rail Link.
1. What is the Dhaka Cox’s Bazar Rail Link?
The Dhaka-Cox’s Bazar Rail Link is a proposed railway route that will run between Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, and Cox’s Bazar, a popular beach destination in the Chittagong Division.
2. Where will the Dhaka-Cox’s Bazar Rail Link connect?
The Dhaka Cox’s Bazar Rail Link will connect Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, to Cox’s Bazar, a popular tourist destination and city along the southeastern coast.
3. What is the significance of the Cox’s Bazar station building?
The Cox’s Bazar station building is an iconic structure, symbolizing the significance of this railway station in the project.
The Dhaka-Cox’s Bazar Rail Link is an important project not just for Bangladesh, but the whole South Asian region. This rail link will reduce travel time between Dhaka and Cox’s Bazar to just four hours, offering a faster alternative means of transportation and boosting economic growth in the area.
Additionally, it is likely to revolutionize transport as we know it by providing high-speed commuting options that have never been seen before in Bangladesh. The completion of this project will also improve its connectivity beyond borders – stimulating regional trade and commerce as well as facilitating international relations with other countries.
All things considered, the opening of the Dhaka-Cox’s Bazar Rail Link promises to bring enormous benefits and have lasting impacts on local communities and organizations across different sectors.


The Virgin Islands Waste Management Authority (VIWMA) advises the community of the temporary closure of the Brookman Bin Site. VIWMA and the V.I. Department of Public Works are working to clean the area of illegally dumped motor and cooking oil.
The authority is requesting residential users of that bin site to utilize the Nadir, Thomasville or Bolongo Bin sites and the Bovoni Landfill pending completion of clean-up.
The authority reminds businesses that it is illegal to dispose of motor and cooking oil at residential bin sites. Virgin Islands law requires businesses to contract a licensed and approved hauler to dispose of their waste oil. Violators are subject to a fine of not less than $1,000 and/or 180 days imprisonment.
Illegal dumping is harmful to human health and the environment.
To report a solid waste or wastewater emergency, call the VIWMA 24-Hour Hotline at 844-WMA-USVI (844-962-8784).
For more information, contact the Education and Communications Management Division at 643-0410 or email email@example.com. Also, follow VIWMA on Facebook, LinkedIn and/or Twitter.


text:
prof. Stephen Darwall (Yale University): Attitudes of the Will and Attitudes of the Heart
The reactive attitudes through which we hold people accountable (resentment, guilt, and blame) have been much studied. But P. F. Strawson gave other examples – love, gratitude, and "hurt feelings." I present an analysis of these attitudes as "second-personal attitudes of the heart." Whereas the deontic moral attitudes are attitudes of the will – expressing demands from one will to another – second-personal attitudes of the heart open one's heart to another's in the hope that theirs will be open to one's heart in return. In the process we arrive at a perfectly general account of attitudes as "reciprocating attitudes."

domain: library


text:
Modern Rugs LA
COMING FALL 2023
PRE STOCK AVAILABLE
Charles “Chaz” Bojórquez is a Chicano graffiti artist and painter who is known for his work in Cholo-style calligraphy. He is credited with bringing the Chicano and Cholo graffiti style into the established art scene.
Sizes in stock: 9'x12' available on order


Xolo, an Indian manufacturer has surprised me by launching a windows 8.1 tablet for the price tag of just Rs 19990. While the tablet surely packs some of the best in the class features and hardware, it will be interesting to see how it will perform in the day to day life. Here is the Xolo Win tablet review that you should refer in order to understand the in-depth features and specifications.
This article is aimed at giving you a quick overview of what this tablet is capable of doing. With this article, we have aimed to give you a quick preview about the Xolo tablet and what you should expect from it, both hardware and software-wise. We hope that you will like the article. So let us begin with the article about Xolo Win tablet.
Xolo Win Tablet – Quick Preview
The Xolo Win tablet has a 10.1 inch LED display with 1366×768 pixels resolution. The display also supports 10 point multi-touch which is very handy. Though the resolution might seem like little low, the overall quality of the display of this tablet is satisfying. It is in line with the most of the notebooks and laptops that are being offered in this price range.
Moving on to the hardware section where most of the power lies, this tablet comes up with the 1 GHz dual core AMD Temash A4-1200 with a Radeon HD 8180 graphics processor. Additionally, the device has 2 GB of RAM which can be very helpful in managing multi-tasking. The graphics performance is bit lower that my expectations but the overall performance was quite satisfying.
What shall we talk about the software? You’re quite familiar with the windows experience and this window 8.1 is quite similar to the windows 8 with small changes here and there. You get all the desktop glory in your hands which include the licensed copy of the Microsoft Office suite. You can create, edit all of your office work documents, excel sheets and PowerPoint presentations without much efforts.
The camera on this tablet is below average. The back camera is 2 megapixels which produces low quality images while the front camera is also not that good. I strongly believe that front camera should have been much better as it comes quite handy in video calling.
The tablet comes up with the 32 GB of onboard internal storage out of which 25 GB is used by the operating system itself. Surprisingly, you have the option of expanding the storage by adding a micro SD card in your shopping cart.
The Xolo Win tablet is capable of giving 5 to 6 hours of battery power which isn’t that great. That is almost in line with what the most of the laptops and notebooks offer.
Do let us know what you thought about the article. If you liked the post, then hit the share button to spread the article on social networking sites and tell others about the overview post of Xolo Win tablet.


text:
Synthesis and Immunological Evaluation of Self-Assembling and Self-Adjuvanting Tricomponent Glycopeptide Cancer-Vaccine Candidates
Version of Record online: 22 OCT 2012
Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim
Chemistry - A European Journal
Volume 18, Issue 51, pages 16540–16548, December 14, 2012
How to Cite
Wilkinson, B. L., Day, S., Chapman, R., Perrier, S., Apostolopoulos, V. and Payne, R. J. (2012), Synthesis and Immunological Evaluation of Self-Assembling and Self-Adjuvanting Tricomponent Glycopeptide Cancer-Vaccine Candidates. Chem. Eur. J., 18: 16540–16548. doi: 10.1002/chem.201202629
- Issue online: 7 DEC 2012
- Version of Record online: 22 OCT 2012
- Manuscript Revised: 4 SEP 2012
- Manuscript Received: 24 JUL 2012
- Australian Research Council. Grant Number: DP120100194
Detailed facts of importance to specialist readers are published as ”Supporting Information”. Such documents are peer-reviewed, but not copy-edited or typeset. They are made available as submitted by the authors.
Please note: Wiley Blackwell is not responsible for the content or functionality of any supporting information supplied by the authors. Any queries (other than missing content) should be directed to the corresponding author for the article.

domain: literature


text:
I am self employed and on medicare. I want to deduct medicare parts B,C & D on line 29, form 1040. The only way I found to do this was to override line 29. Now I cannot E-file. How do I fix this problem?
You will not be able to e-file if you have an Override on your income tax return. Delete what you've entered and see the instructions below.
TurboTax will automatically take the difference not allowed per your Schedule C and carry it to your Schedule A, Itemized Deductions.
TurboTax will check to see if you qualify for one or both of the deductions after you enter your premiums in the self-employed business expense section or the Health Insurance section if you received a 1095-A.
To enter your health insurance premiums, including Medicare, in the self-employed section of TurboTax:
- Type self-employed health insurance deduction in the search bar.
- Click Jump to self-employed health insurance deduction. See the screenshot below.
- Continue the onscreen interview until you get to the Enter Your Business Expenses, choose Self-Employed Health Insurance Premiums.
Self-employed health insurance deduction, Form 1040, line 29
- The deduction is generally limited to your net profit from your self-employment (or your self-employed earnings as a partner or your paid wages as a shareholder in an S corporation).
- You can't include premiums for any month you were also eligible to participate in any subsidized health plan maintained by any employer of you, your spouse, your dependent or your child who was under age 27 at the end of the tax year.
- Your child (under age 27 at the end of the tax year) can be included even if they aren’t your dependent.
Medical and Dental Expenses on Schedule A, Itemized Deductions
- Premium amount is reduced by any self-employed health insurance deduction you claimed.
- You can't deduct insurance premiums paid with pretax or tax-free dollars.
I.have problem. Turbotax allowing medical insurance premium deduction as it should for self-employed but also takes same mefical premium deduction on itemized deductions (Schudule A medical expense area).
Override corrects problem but not sure I can e-file with override in place? Even if I can, is it an audit risk? HELP!
How are you entering it? Only enter it once under self employment. Don't enter it again under Deductions. It's possible for some to show up on schedule A too. Is it from a Marketplace plan?
If you enter the 1095-A and select the "Self-employed and bought a Marketplace plan" box, it will automatically include those premiums in the SE Health Insurance section. So you shouldn't enter it again on schedule C.
Self-employed health insurance deduction goes on Form 1040 schedule 1 line 16, as long as the expense is not greater than your net self-employment income. If it does exceed your net self-employment income it gets split automatically. An amount equal to your net self-employment income goes on Form 1040 Schedule 1 line 16, and the remainder gets added in to medical expenses on Schedule A.
Medicare plan B payments are qualified as Self-employed medical insurance premiums and should be entered under Business instead of in the Social Security Benefits entry area. So go back and take it off your SSA-1099 entry.

domain: economics


A recent rash of copper thefts has swept the Bay Area, leaving many local governments literally struggling to keep the lights on.
In the North Bay town of Vallejo, city officials say that thieves have stolen the copper wiring from 77 of the city's streetlights and five stoplights in the past six months alone.
The economically troubled city, which just emerged from an historic period of bankruptcy stemming from the closure of a nearby naval shipyard and the increasingly expensive pension benefits granted to its police and firefighters, has been unable to replace all of the stolen wiring.
As a result, Vallejo has had to leave some streets dark and some intersections without signals. City officials have taken to posting signs under the broken infrastructure reading, "Signal lights are non functioning due to copper wire theft."
Similar thefts have been occurring throughout the Bay Area. BART has reported a distressing number of incidents in just the past week.
The Bay Area Rapid Transit police were called Sunday after a driver operating a moving train spotted a man on the tracks. The man escaped but left behind damaged equipment, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
Two days earlier, a transit police officer was patrolling a station at 2 a.m. when he noticed a suspicious pickup truck. The officer questioned two people nearby in connection with possible copper theft, but they denied any wrongdoing.
"We have had a spike in metal thefts," BART Deputy Police Chief Ben Farrow told Bay City News. "It's not new and it's definitely a safety issue for the people stealing it and for the public when they cut the fences."
Earlier this year, copper thieves hit a series of public schools in San Francisco and Vallejo--including four consecutive days of thefts at the same Sunset District elementary school.
The thefts cost the cash-strapped Vallejo City Unified School District over $10,000 and put the school year's on-time start in jeopardy. In total, the city has spent $220,000 combating copper theft since January.
"[For] each one of those traffic signals...[copper thieves] probably get less than $25 worth of wire," Vallejo Public Works Director David Kleinschmidt told the Vallejo Times-Herald. "And it sometimes costs up to $20,000 to repair those signals."
While the price of copper is down about a dollar from its 2010 high of $4.50 per pound, the price has quadruped since 2008. That can be good money in an anemic job market with high unemployment.
Under a 2009 California law designed to curb metal theft, all sellers of scrap metal have to be photographed, thumbprinted, have their goods documented and undergo a three-day waiting period before receiving payment.
The San Francisco Chronicle reports that the problem largely lies with scrap metal buyers who aren't following the law and neglect to report suspicious sellers to the authorities:
Brandon Kooi, who authored a guide last year on metal theft for the U.S. Department of Justice, said there needs to be more collaboration between "stakeholders" in metal theft, including public agencies, businesses, insurers and scrap dealers.
"Like in most crimes, the offender wants anonymity," said Kooi, an associate professor of criminal justice at Aurora University in Aurora, Ill. "The trick is developing a system where that anonymity is reduced. This type of initiative calls for police to be involved in the prevention end."


text:
Three conferences are represented in spots six through 10 in the preseason rankings. It is global in reach and introduces a new, broader definition of what personalRead more
24 During World War II, almost all actors depended only on stage shows on most major Manila movie theaters as livelihood. 355 On June 12, 2008, the.S.Read more
The Act of Violent Behavior from a Police Officers
juveniles in the United States during the late 1980s and early 1990s was entirely firearm-related. The idea that behaviors are linked to physical characteristics also drove some of the first criminological efforts to understand the etiology of violence. A young child wants a toy, but his playmate will not relinquish. The notice of the date of hearing shall be given by the magistrate to the protection officer who shall get it served to the respondent. Since there is no single cause of violence, there is no one simple solution. Compensation orders edit Magistrate may pass order directing the respondent to pay compensation to the petitioner for injuries including mental torture and emotional distress caused by the acts of domestic violence committed by the respondent. Access to or fascination with weapons, especially guns.
The act of violent behavior from a police officers
Not only does the social environment serve as a trigger for biological development, it also provides a context for learning appropriate behaviors. People who watch a lot of televised violence also show exaggerated fears of violence, perhaps making them more hypervigilant and susceptible to reactive outbursts. 3 7 Renuka Chowdhury, the Indian Minister for Women and Child Development, agreed in a Hindustan Times article that "an equal gender law would be ideal. Make your goal to defeat the problem, not the other person. The project was launched with the airing of a 30-minute MTV special, called "Warning Signs" on April 22, 1999. The Act goes on, through the section. The media that market the violent acts of television, the video games that the makers argue are safe for its users, and the responsibility of parents to control or limit what their children watch or play. Early childhood abuse or neglect, having witnessed violence at home, family or parent condones use of violence. At any stage of the application, the magistrate may order, counselling of the respondent or aggrieved person either singly or jointly with any member of service provider. As violence becomes more legitimate in a social group, it is slavery and Freedom in the Atlantic World more likely that members will conform to these emerging group norms. Do not resort to violence or use a weapon to protect yourself. Many parents ignore children's efforts at solving conflicts peacefully or managing frustration.
The Acts of Parliament of England and Britain

domain: sociology


text:
Are you tired of feeling like you're not reaching your full potential as an entrepreneur? Do you struggle to align with your authentic self and find strategies that work for your unique brain? Then this episode is perfect for you! Join us in today's Mastermind Your Life podcast episode as we share how to unlock your full potential as an entrepreneur by aligning with your authentic self.
Welcome to Mastermind Your Life podcast, hosted by the brilliant Tolu Owoyemi!
In this podcast episode, we sit down with Tough Love coach, Alexis Renee McCloskey!In addition to redefining what tough love means, Alex is a mindset direction coach who specializes in helping ADHD entrepreneurs find strategies that fit their unique brains, so they can make more money and have more freedom.
Alexis Renee McCloskey's life journey began in Delaware, where she had dreams of becoming a high school teacher and having a traditional family. However, after a quarter-life crisis during her senior year of college, she realized teaching was not her passion. She moved to the West Coast with her abusive boyfriend, only to find herself homeless and struggling with depression, self-harm, and eating disorders.
In 2013, she was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, which inspired her to take her health seriously and change her life. She became a holistic health coach, and after several years of helping others with their health and wellness, she discovered her true calling - helping people get unstuck and align with their authentic selves.
THIS EPISODE'S GEMS:
In this episode, Alexis shares her own journey of going from being depressed to becoming a powerful business coach. She also dives into the common excuses people use that hold them back, and the frameworks and methods she uses to help her clients get to the deeper level of who they are.
Alexis also discusses the big breakthroughs her clients have experienced and the benefits of being in a group coaching program. Plus, she shares some of the things she does to keep herself charged and motivated so she can continue to impact the lives of others.
Tune in to this episode to learn from Alexis about how to overcome the challenges of ADHD as an entrepreneur, and how to unlock your full potential in your business and personal life!
If you’re interested in Alexis' services, feel free to reach out to him!
Check out the Services she offers: https://msha.ke/alexisreneelinks
Do you want to be a successful entrepreneur like our guests? Do you want to become our next guest?
Message Me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tolu.owoyemi/
Don't forget to tune in next time for more exciting conversations and expert advice from our next guest and Tolu. Stay tuned!

domain: psychology


What you need to know
Taiwan re-opened its Kuan Hung visa program for Vietnamese nationals this week, but the rules have been tightened following a high-profile case of missing Vietnamese tourists.
Beginning Mar. 20, Vietnamese are again able to travel to Taiwan under the Kuan Hung, or Quan Hồng in Vietnamese, visa.
On Mar. 3, Ho Chi Minh City tourism authorities announced that later this month, Taiwan will reinstate the special Kuan Hung visa application process for tourists from Vietnam, albeit with stricter requirements. The policy was suspended at the end of 2018 following a high-profile case involving the vanishing of 152 Vietnamese tourists during their stay on the island.
Taiwan first introduced the Kuan Hung policy in 2015 as an effort to strengthen ties with several South and Southeast Asia nations. It allows Vietnamese travelers to apply online and enter the country for 30 days, which was then reduced to 14. After the scandal, Taiwan's tourism authorities suspended the process for Vietnam, but now have reopened it.
The new changes will reduce the number of Vietnamese tourism agencies that tourists can use to obtain the visa after a re-screening and there will be an increase in the processing time to accommodate more thorough evaluations.
If more than three visitors overstay their visas or flee, the travel agency coordinating their trip will be banned for three months. If such incidences happen more than six times, they will be permanently unable to secure visas on behalf of clients. Moreover, additional representatives from the agencies will be required to travel with large groups.
Taiwan acknowledged that, when the program was abruptly stopped last year, it caused confusion and ruined travel plans while citing the need to more effectively crack down on people using false names or identities.
Regarding the missing tourists that triggered the changes, on Mar. 7, 2019, VnExpress reports that four people, two Taiwanese and two Vietnamese, have been charged with forging travel documents, breaching the Employment Service Act and violating the Human Trafficking Prevention law. They worked to illegally bring in the Vietnamese to allegedly work. In 2018, 65,000 Vietnamese traveled legally to Taiwan to work, accounting to nearly half the nation's overseas workforce.
The News Lens has been authorized to republish this article from Saigoneer, an English-language digital platform covering urban development, history, food, culture and the arts in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) and throughout Vietnam. The original can be found here.
TNL Editor: Nick Aspinwall (@Nick1Aspinwall)
If you enjoyed this article and want to receive more like it in your news feed, please be sure to like our Facebook page below.


text:
When you heart hurts with grief, you can heal.
Has someone you love passed away to the Spirit World? Are you trying to overcome the feeling of grief but struggling? Is your heart broken?
The feeling of grief is painful, and mixed with this emotion can be guilt, shame, worry, anxiety, depression. Are you questioning yourself as to whether you could have handled situations better. Are your thoughts going back in time going over and over the same old scenes, even though you know this has no value in your healing process.
Has someone you love passed away? I learned about automatic writing soon after my parents passed away, and as soon as I said the invocation and put my pen on the page, I knew they were with me. You too can connect with those you love who have passed.
Or is your heart broken? If so, Automatic Writing can help you with your grief and pain by communicating with your higher self to find out ways to help you heal. Ask your higher self the questions you need answering, for example 'What steps can I do to soothe my broken heart?', 'What practical and easy things can I do to heal?' 'How can I stop my thoughts and focus on creating my life ahead while I feel this way?'
Allow yourself to go through the emotions and surrender to the process. You will find yourself shifting, and these words will come to you, just like normal thoughts, nourishing words, kind words on how to love and look after you.
Anytime you need help with guidance, or trying to overcome something, not just grief, anything, including writers block - use this technique to help you work out how best to move forward.
I know you can do this. This article will show you how.
Automatic Writing Process
Give yourself permission to relax as best you can.
Have a pen, plenty of paper and a box of tissues on hand.
- Say the invocation below.
- Write how you are feeling, or a question to ask, and wait for the response.
- The very first words which come to mind is either from your higher self, or your loved one who has passed away. Write it down and ask another question.
- When you are finished, remember to thank your higher self, guides, angels and great beings of light for joining you.
Choose someone you would love to speak with who has passed away, or have questions ready for your higher self to answer.
Automatic Writing Invocation
I ask the Source of all Creation to please create for me a crystalline temple of radiant light around me. I ask that you clear and cleanse all energies which are not of the light, and that this temple be filled with the highest and brightest, most radiant light and the raised vibrations needed for my healing and my growth. I invite all of my high level guides, all of my masters, angels, and great beings of light to join me.
Please watch over this automatic writing session and ensure that anyone who comes through is a positive and loving being. I am calling upon the highest, brightest and clearest response. Please boost my ability to clearly hear, see, conceptualize and feel your divine communication, and help me accurately receive these messages which carry blessings to me and to anyone who may read them.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
You are protected and surrounded by love. Breathe deeply, relax and allow yourself to receive the love you are about to experience.
I first discovered this process soon after both my parents had passed away. I had moved beyond the initial stages of grief, but had the doubts as to how I had handled my role as a daughter in a complex and challenging situation our family found ourselves in. My heart hurt and was heavy with many questionable emotions. So I decided to try to write to mum and dad and ask for their guidance, forgiveness and whatever my needs were to heal.
The very moment the pen touched the paper I knew my mother was with me, and my father was standing back (always the gentleman). The tears flowed and flowed. The page got all wet. My mum was with me at last. This magnificent, incredible, beautiful, amazing Being - my mum. I poured out my heart to my mum and she had all the right words to help with my healing in return. I then asked her whether she is considering returning to a human experience and she responded with "Well, the break is good!" So I guess that means no.
In the middle of the conversation with my mum, I knew I had to stop and answer the mobile which had rang. It was my dear girlfriend calling and in tears because she knew the IVF had failed and it was her last chance of ever having a baby. After giving her all the love as a friend I could possible give and the conversation ended, I returned back to my mum.
Hi mum, that was my friend, the IVF failed and she so wants a baby. Mum reassured me that there is a baby coming and it is a boy! It seemed impossible at the time, but as I write this, she now has a 5 year old boy - through a surrogate! Our little man figured a way to come through. Mum was right, even though it seemed impossible!
Then it was over to dad. "Are you there dad?" "I've been waiting for your mother!" I knew I had my dad with me, a very typical response from him. Shane and I were travelling at the time and were having amazing adventures in the Kimberley in Western Australia and living in Broome at the time in a caravan. I asked dad (who was an adventurer himself having taken me on heaps of wonderful trips as a little girl) "Are you on the adventures with me dad? He said he was with me all the way. He could hear my calls to him to join me. Poor dad he was listening to me scream in my mind DAD, DAD, DAD, DAD...... He also mentioned he visits other planets as well.
I told him he was a show off! 🙂
Client Case Study: Brad
Brad in his late 60's came to me for a Reiki healing because he had pain in his back. I had no idea of his history, but intuitively knew he needed kindness and love. Using the Reiki energy with him facing downwards so he felt safe I poured kindness and love into his body. The Reiki removed an emotional block in which Brad could not hold back his tears. Reassuring him it was safe to cry, it was clear there was more than just a sore back as the core of his problem.
When brad surfaced he mentioned to me he had lost his wife two years prior and was having difficulty handling his grief. He shared he was unable to be happy because his beautiful wife was not by his side. He had made changes in his life, but was unable to enjoy them. He said he felt dead inside.
I shared with him that he could contact his wife by using the Automatic Writing Process and gave him the invocation and a few instructions. I mentioned that if he spoke with his wife he would find that she would want him to be happy, to have fun and enjoy his new home.
Two weeks had passed and Brad had made another appointment with me and he walked in with the biggest grin. He said he had spoken to his wife, and as I had expected, he had been given her blessing to have fun and enjoy his life. He added "... and guess what?!" "I've just been on a date!" He was so excited. The difference in him was extreme.
He had a question for me as he was about to leave, but then he stopped and said "It's OK, I'll ask my wife tonight!"
Eight months have passed since then and he has recently shared with me that he has travelled to Europe and had the most amazing time away and only just returned. He said he would never have done that without having received a healing from me, but really, it was the prayer and the fact that he embraced a concept most unusual for a man his age and acted on it.
He has since met another very special lady he is really excited to be with and he knows he has his wife's blessing.
How cool is that!
Give yourself permission to heal, and be happy
It doesn't matter if for some reason it doesn't feel logical, or doesn't make sense. What ever it takes to help you overcome the pain you are experiencing and ease your heart.
It helps to forgive, either yourself, or others
The Automatic Writing Process is also an opportunity to express what you need to express and receive responses which will allow you to forgive. Forgiveness doesn't mean the other person deserves forgiveness. It's just that you deserve peace. When you forgive, you release and feel free of the heavy darkness you may be carrying. The Forgiveness Meditation on Higher Communications will help you with reaching forgivenes if you find this is difficult without help.
Receive written guidance at any time
Automatic writing can be called upon to receive wise guidance at any time. When I have a list of questions I feel I need help in answering, the Automatic Writing Prayer Process is the BEST. You can be assured of the most perfect guidance because your invocation is reaching high levels. Who better to ask?!
Eliminate 'writers block'
When I discovered automatic writing could also help me in my work, writing immediately became an easier task for me. I would say an invocation the night before asking for guidance on the subject I would like to write about, thanking them for downloading the information to me whilst I'm sleeping. The reason I did this, is whilst we are sleep, we are the most relaxed and open to allow the wisdom we need.
Evening Invocation to download the information
"Thank you Source of All Creation for showing me clearly and specifically what steps to take, I wish to write about <the subject, and what message you would like to get across.> When I awaken tomorrow, I will confidently know what to do. Thank you to the highest, brightest and clearest answers you give to me whilest I'm sleeping tonight."
When I was ready to write the next day, I would meditate to get me into the zone, say the Automatic Writing Invocation and write, type, or verbally record. At first it wouldn't necessarily make sense, but I'd stay in the listening flow, and all of a sudden it would all come together.
When this flow is happening, don't stop to make alterations or corrections until you've finished. You can always go back and sort out the grammar and tweek your words later. Just allow yourself to listen to the flow of words which come and record them, even if at first they don't make sense.
Meditate before any important action
In Quantum Hypnotherapy, through my clients quantum selves, we are given consistent advice to meditate as a way to help overcome challenges, connect confidently with our intuition and experience the feeling of spiritual bliss. Spiritual bliss only ever happens in the present moment and meditation is the path which can take you there.
It is for this reason that I invite you to experience the visual guided meditations in the program Higher Communications. Each meditation is less than 10 minutes long. Higher Communications is a very comfortable and soft introduction to meditation. There are 17 visual guided meditations which create a flow and a building of self-awareness and love as you let go of what is unhealthy for you to carry, healing and growing in a spiritual way with your higher self by your side.
The first five meditations in the Module Align which are available on this web site are free.
Through these first 5 meditations, you will peel away burdens you have been carrying and gain confidence in reaching your higher self. Your higher self will help guide you in seeking the wisest words, the perfect timing, and the courage to speak or take the best course of action to your challenges.
- Relax, breathe deeply
- Practice Automatic Writing to help ease your heart and receive guidance.
- Use the process to receive wise guidance at any time - solutions at your finger tips.
- Meditate to help you feel balanced, allow wise guidance from your higher self and create confidence in your direction with your inner being prompting you to take wise action at the perfect timing.
- How to create harmony in your relationships - how to speak on the level of soul to help with communicating sensitive subjects, particularly with those you love.
- How to uplift your thoughts to feel better - powerful techniques to help improve the way you feel by changing your thoughts to ones which make you feel better inside.
It is my full intention to make a difference in peoples lives. I hope to have helped you too.
Robyn E Gibson
Quantum Hypnotherapist, Spiritual Empowerment Coach, Author and Co-Founder of Higher Communications
Are you ready to become a Master Healer and Teacher?
Hi, my name is Robyn.
I'm determined to empower others, so they are strong for their higher purpose, creating a huge, heart healing impact all around the world.
My only question,
is one of them you?
Conscious Light - System of Natural Healing
Online healing energy program from
Beginner to Master Teacher
Techniques and tools to promote heart healing, emotional awareness and
intelligence which are needed on earth right now.
Also serving the hard of hearing and deaf community with
all meditations created in a visual way and subtitles on all video instructions.
'Guide for Empaths - navigating life
with more ease and grace'
with techniques, invocations,
personal stories and the
first five visual guided meditations in
Clear toxic emotions from the past easing the feelings of anxiety, worry and grief.
Everything you need to
build your power base.
Sign up below to start your journey FREE
HELP OTHERS HEAL
'Conscious Light - healing energy
program for the beginner'
with 9 subtitled videos and written instructions with personal stories, techniques and invocations.
Build your energy,
heal emotions by soothing auric fields, deeply, clearing and
carrying away toxic energies.
Everything you need to
begin your healing energy practice.
Sign up below for FREE access
'Conscious Light - awaken the master within' with advanced healing energy practices, with 8 subtitled videos and written instructions with personal stories, techniques, invocations, 6 swipe files, 12 workshop worksheets and the remaining 12 visual guided meditations in 'Higher Communications'.
Deeply clear, cleanse, heal, seal and energise auric shields and energy centres, creating life changing shifts from trauma of the past.
Everything you need to hold advanced healing energy practices, workshops/retreats and become a Master Healer and Teacher of Conscious Light.
CONSCIOUS LIGHT MASTER CLASS
Introductory offer $97
Try the first FIVE visual guided meditations and TWO ebooks FREE
and join our mailing list to receive the latest offers and updates.


Released to manufacturing in October, Microsoft’s System Center Virtual Machine Manager (SCVMM) 2008 gives IT managers the capacity to manage their virtual infrastructures centrally.
Using SCVMM 2008, users can manage Hyper-V installed virtual machines, as well as VMs created with Virtual Server 2005 R2 and VMware VMs running on its ESX infrastructure.
Although currently Hyper-V has no support for moving live VMs across virtual hosts, it can use VMware’s Virtual Infrastructure 3 system to do this. Microsoft has addressed this problem in the next release of its flagship server, the R2 version of Windows Server 2008 (WS 2008), but users will have to wait until 2010 for this feature.
We installed SCVMM 2008 on a Dell PowerEdge R900 Server running the 64-bit edition of Windows Server 2008 Enterprise Edition. Firstly the VMM Server was installed and then the local administrator console. It didn't take long for the install to complete, the most time-consuming part being the install of a SQL Server database which stores the VM configurations. Users can attach to an already installed database or create a new one.
It was easy to pick up virtual machines we had installed earlier, and also point to another host system running Virtual Server 2005 R2 under Windows Server 2003 and manage those VMs.
SCVMM 2008 also provides integration for WS 2008’s new clustering support, and can be used to set up fault-tolerant VMs, as well as VMs which will preferentially attach to hosts which are part of a cluster. SCVMM 2008 can also now manage a set of clustered VMs together as a single unit.
Apart from the expanded feature set, the GUI has been slightly enhanced, but still looks pretty similar to SCVMM 2007. Because Microsoft has written the 2008 version around its PowerShell (PS) command shell and scripting language, scripts and command files containing scripts can be executed to speed up tasks like migrating a VMware VM using VMotion.
We could use PS scripting to shortcut a lot of tasks, although one problem was how SCVMM 2008 would deal with VMs that needed patching. Currently the only method is to fire up the VM, patch and then restart. It would be nice to see Microsoft introduce a feature where VMs could be patched offline.
One of the key additions in SCVMM 2008 is an integrated performance and resource optimisation tool allowing alerts to be configured warning of specific VM hardware problems which could cause failure of that VM. SCVMM 2008 can be configured to react in real time to the alert and, for example, increase system memory or disk space allocated to the problem VM automatically.
Other minor improvements include the ability to create 'delegated administrators', who can work on a subset of the VMs in the virtual infrastructure with full administrator rights to those particular VMs. Updated network permissions have also been introduced allowing SCVMM 2008 to manage virtual infrastructure not part of a trusted domain.
Overall SCVMM 2008 significantly cuts down time spent by system administrators managing VMs, but the package won't be the 'full deal' until Microsoft's own Live Migration feature appears courtesy of WS 2008 R2 sometime in 2010.


Photo by Rachelle Caplan
Art-punk cello-rock. Just from reading that description, you know if you're going to want to listen to the latest from Lung. One surprising aspect of "Sun God" is how much the song leans into the rock part of that description. "Sun God" is a surprisingly heavy song. It's definitely art, punk, and includes cello, but more than anything else it's a rock song. The first band that's going to come to mind with cello rock is Rasputina, and while those comparisons are fair, and Lung does share some of their theatricality, Lung is going to land slightly more mainstream than their cello brethren. But just barely.
Singer/celloist Kate Wakefield says of the upcoming album:
“The record is indirectly or perhaps directly influenced by books I was reading. I read poetry daily over the past year. I love the poets Joy Harjo and Ellen Bass. I’m also into buddhist and consciousness literature, and was able to really dive into a lot of beautiful books that helped to keep me sane. There was an interesting divide between what I was reading and how I was feeling. It all just comes back to trying to practice what you preach, failing, and trying again, and the record reflects that. There is a lot of brutal honesty in this album: anger, sadness, the highs and insecurities of new love, and the realization that although we think we can control our lives, ultimately that is an illusion.”
You can watch the video for "Sun God" below. Come Clean Right Now is due out August 20 on Sofaburn Records. For more on Lung, check out the band's website.


Kansas City's Best Blogger Meesha V. has challenged readers to a Hardship-Off at his blog.
I was in the process of responding, letting everyone know how difficult it was to be me growing up, when my comment just became too long. So I decided to post it here for the sake of not uglifying his comments section too much.
Read it if you want, but be warned. It's a sad, sad story and those with fragile mental states should probably steer clear.
But if you do proceed, you should know that Meesha and his commenters were lamenting the primitive plumbing they had do deal with growing up.
Well, that's nothing. When I was growing up I had to share the top floor of our house with my brother. HE got the bigger room, and we had to share the bathroom. Get this, the bathroom didn't even have a bathtub. Just a shower. And the shower didn't even have a variable massage shower head.
And, I didn't even have a TV in my bedroom. We all had to share the 40-inch television in the family room in the west wing of our house. I remember one summer the remote control broke and my dad didn't want to buy a new one, so whenever we wanted to watch a different program, we had to get up and WALK to the TV to change the channel.
I know. But it gets worse. When I was in junior high our Olympic-size heated swimming pool developed a crack and half of the water drained out. It was a mess, and we ended up having to drain the whole thing to have it patched. We essentially lost the use of the pool for half the summer. The horror.
Then there was the time when I was in high school and I had to drive a hand-me-down two-year-old BMW while all my friends were driving Lexuses and Mercedeses. I was humiliated every time I parked in the covered parking garage at my high school.
Well, there's more, but I can sense how depressed you are all getting. I doubt any of you can come up with sadder stories, but if you dare, leave it in the comments at Meesha's place.
tagged: hardship, humor, Lexus, BMW, Mercedes, swimming pool