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The European parliamentary election is the second largest democratic exercise in the world.Europe Newsread more
Buybacks have gotten a bad rap from both Republicans and Democrats. But stocks would be trading at a massive discount without them.Marketsread more
Fiat Chrysler and France's Renault could soon partner up to take on the sweeping changes to the global auto industry, according to a report in the Financial Times. The...Autosread more
Microsoft shares have gained 133% since November 2015, outperforming a tech "basket of unicorns" over that stretch.Technologyread more
The president's state visit comes amid tensions with carmaker Toyota over potential auto tariffs. Trump has repeatedly threatened Japanese and European carmakers with tariffs.Traderead more
When commercial real estate investor Manny Khoshbin spent $2.2 million on the fastest production car in the world, he had no idea it would very quickly also become the...Autosread more
The IRS is about to release a new draft of Form W-4, which will more closely reflect the changes stemming from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. For workers, that means they'll need...Personal Financeread more
The Mega Millions jackpot has spilled over $400 million. It would be the ninth largest winning since the game began in 2002.Personal Financeread more
Trump was speaking at a meeting of Japanese business leaders in Tokyo during his state visit to Japan on Saturday.Marketsread more
The biggest U.S. gasoline price surge in years is running out of steam just in time for the start of the summer driving season.Energyread more
The federal minimum wage has remained $7.25 per hour since 2009. But several states, and even some companies, have since taken matters into their own hands to pay employees a...Workread more
Check out the companies making headlines before the bell:
Delta Air Lines — The airline reported adjusted quarterly profit of 96 cents per share, 6 cents a share above estimates. Revenue also topped forecasts and the company said it planned to keep capacity stable during the summer travel season.
Levi Strauss — Levi Strauss reported quarterly profit of 37 cents per share and revenue of $1.44 billion in its first quarterly report since its March initial public offering. Revenue was up 7% compared to the year-ago quarter.
Procter & Gamble — P&G raised its quarterly dividend by 4% to 75 cents per share, marking the 63rd consecutive year that the consumer products giant has increased its quarterly payout.
Walt Disney — BMO Capital upgraded Disney to "outperform" from "market perform," seeing a number of positive catalysts on the near-term horizon. Among them: Thursday's planned investor day, Star Wars-themed areas opening this summer in Disney parks, and the launch of the Disney+ streaming service.
Netflix — Netflix is in talks to buy Hollywood's Egyptian Theater, according to the Los Angeles Times. The venue is best known for hosting special screenings and events, and some see the talks as Netflix's attempt to endear itself to the more traditional side of the movie industry.
JetBlue — JetBlue may announce as early as today that it will begin transatlantic service. The airline called an "all hands" meeting with staff at JFK Airport in New York as well as viewing parties at some of its main hubs, according to a company invitation obtained by CNBC. Separately, JetBlue said it now expected revenue per available seat mile to drop 3.1 percent this quarter, compared to a prior projected drop of 1.5 percent to 3.5 percent. The airline said the change was due to the negative impact of a higher "completion factor," the percentage of scheduled flights that are completed and not canceled.
AT&T — AT&T is exploring the sale of its HBO Europe unit in order to pay down debt, according to a report in the Financial Times. The report said Sky, which is owned by NBCUniversal and CNBC parent Comcast, would be an "obvious buyer."
PG&E — A bankruptcy judge has deferred a ruling on whether the California utility can pay up to $350 million in bonuses to 10,000 employees. The judge said he wanted more details on the company's plans to prevent future California wildfires.
Boeing — Boeing was accused of defrauding shareholders by concealing safety deficiencies in its 737 Max jets before the two fatal crashes that led to their grounding. The accusations came in a proposed class action suit filed in Chicago.
Foot Locker — Citi downgraded the athletic footwear and apparel retailer to "neutral" from "buy," acknowledging its strong finish to 2018 but expressing concerns about Nike's direct-to-consumer ambitions among other factors.
Nordstrom — The retailer's stock was upgraded to "overweight" from "sector weight" at KeyBanc, with the firm citing several factors including valuation, and a view that demand weakness is "transient."
Novartis — Novartis was downgraded to "underweight" from "equal-weight" at Morgan Stanley, which said the drug maker faces challenges in its pharmaceutical business following its spin-off of eye care unit Alcon.
JD.com — The company denied reports that it plans to cut up to eight percent of Its workforce. The Information had reported plans for the China e-commerce company to cut up to 12,000 jobs.
WD-40 — WD-40 reported quarterly profit of $1.14 per share, beating estimates by 2 cents a share. The lubricant maker's revenue came in short of Wall Street forecasts.


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SA senators partner on legislation to create oral communications courses
Student Association senators have teamed up to spearhead an initiative on creating disciplinary oral communications courses for undergraduates. Martel College sophomore Neethi Nayak and McMurtry College sophomore Madhuri Venkateswar co-authored the legislation, which passed at the SA Senate meeting on Nov. 5.
“In today’s world, it’s becoming increasingly important to have the communication skills in addition to the technical skills,” Venkateswar said. “You cannot get past a certain point if you cannot communicate orally and through writing. I saw that through my experience and I thought that it was extremely important that Rice students have that knowledge because it puts them above other students from other institutions.”
According to Nayak and Venkateswar, peer institutions like Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Stanford University offer resources to undergraduates including mandatory annual communications courses. Venkateswar said Rice is behind, but currently on the right trajectory.
“There are classes that really emphasize [public speaking], like [BIOE] 252 with problem-based learning, but that was one semester — it wasn’t a consistent way for students to grow,” Venkateswar said. “Especially with oral communication, you need consistent feedback in order to fix the things that you were doing wrong.”
Venkateswar said the team collaborated with Tracy Volz, director of the Program for Writing and Communication, to identify areas in which oral communications classes are necessary. The legislation proposes an introduction to communications course as well as departmental architecture, medical, technical and legal courses.
Nayak said the high number of students enrolling in BUSI 296: Business Communications is evidence of the need for more specific communications courses. Venkateswar said the high demand for enrollment in HUMA 201: Public Speaking, also indicates interest.
“The university has a deficiency in these areas and some courses, like BUSI 296, are oversubscribed when they shouldn’t be,” Venkateswar said. “People are taking that class to gain some oral communication skills but might be better suited in a more nuanced communications class.”
Nayak said her own experience in courses involving communication led her to believe Rice had the need for more emphasis on oral communication.
“Several of my classes require presenting information to an audience that may not have experience with a particular topic that you’re discussing,” Nayak said. “You have to be able to communicate things that may seem very technical to an audience that doesn’t know what you’re necessarily talking about.”
The legislation also recommends greater emphasis on oral communication within FWIS courses. According to Nayak and Venkateswar, FWIS courses currently require only one oral presentation and do not guarantee consistent feedback with skills.
During the presentation of the legislation at the SA Senate meeting, some raised concerns about the necessity of communications courses when they may be repeated in graduate school.
“The response to that is that I’m an engineer, I’m not planning to go to law school, but I still want to learn how to deal with argumentative communication or with confrontational communication,” Venkateswar said. “Legal communication doesn’t have to be just if you’re going to law school. These skills are applicable across the board.”
Venkateswar said the communications courses are not necessarily specific to individual majors.
“I can be a pre-med and still want to learn technical communication,” Venkateswar said. “You can take what you want to take depending on what your professional/personal sinterests are, but you may not be [learning more about] that in the future.
According to Nayak, the timeline for the availability of these courses for undergraduates is in the hands of the Committee for Undergraduate Curriculum and the Faculty Senate.
More from The Rice Thresher
A task force on slavery, segregation and racial injustice has been established by the university, according to an email sent by President David Leebron and Provost Marie Lynn Miranda. In the email, sent out on Tuesday, Leebron said that the task force was created to learn about instances of racial injustice in Rice’s past and examine ways to promote diversity and inclusion in its future.
Provost Marie Lynn Miranda announced that she will be stepping down from her role as provost, a position she has held for the last four years, at the end of June, in an email sent last Sunday. Miranda will go on sabbatical for the 2019-2020 academic year, after which she plans on reassuming her faculty position in the department of statistics, according to Miranda’s email. Her decision follows the diagnosis of her youngest child with cancer last year.
“The broader university has a strategic plan — the V2C2 — and then each of the different schools are tasked with coming up with their own strategic plan,” Karlgaard said. “So I think there is a question about, ‘Should the general student body be involved in each of those strategic plans? If you are an English major, should you have input in the engineering strategic plan? If you are a non student-athlete, should you have input into the athletics strategic plan?’“

domain: news


Today we present the names of the projects in the Bars & Restaurants and Landscape Design and Open Space categories selected to take part in the 2017 ARCHMARATHON Selections@MADE EXPO. The international jury of Luca Molinari, Francisco Mangado and Vincenzo Latina chose the following studios: Lissoni Associati, Lpoffice, B + ABR and Luis Machuca & Asociados.
La Mantia’s Restaurant – Lissoni Associati
Filippo La Mantia’s Restaurant is a modern space that harks back to Sicilian tradition. The architect and friend Piero Lissoni has harmoniously combined the Palermo cook’s passions for music, photography and motorcycles.
The space covers 1,800 square metres divided into two levels and enhanced by a multi-ethnic atmosphere with a Mediterranean flavour. Valuable porcelains, historical design icons and musical instruments all rubs shoulders inside the restaurant: La Mantia wants to be a place that can make anyone feel at home.
Mohammad Kebab branch in foodcourt – Lpoffice
The Mohammad Kebab restaurant is located in the Dorche district near the city of Isfahan. The space was designed within the food court of “City Center” as part of a modern shopping mall while still keeping its original spirit as a kebab restaurant. The project covers two parts of the kitchen and a section dedicated to orders. Bearing the limitations of the structure in mind, the studio maintained the originality of Mohammad Kebab’s identity by creating harmonic and dynamic spaces distinguished by immaculate spherical arches that give light and elegance to the design.
Re-opening the historic centre of Rio de Janeiro – B+ABR
In a unique historical setting, the city of Rio de Janeiro is making numerous efforts to revitalize and offer new scenarios in a strategic area located between the city centre and the port. The reopening of the historic centre of Rio de Janeiro is a large scale operation which not only aims to solve the inherent problems caused by degradation but which is also intended to be a pretext for creating a new reference point both for the city and the rest of the metropolis. Maua Square is a cultural agorà that is becoming a new focal point not only for the neighbouring districts but also for those who want to rediscover the centre of Rio de Janeiro while at the same time aiming to redevelop the relationship between the old city and Guanabara Bay.
Refurbishment of the Caminito del Rey – Luis Machuca & Asociados
Renovation of the Caminito del Rey required the combination of an environmental project, a development and spatial planning project and technical creation of the design regarding the construction of the walkways, the control booths and the visitors reception centre. The area is located between Ardales, Antequera and Alora, three towns located in the heart of the province of Malaga. El Caminito del Rey is a narrow walkway that was built in the early twentieth century.
Preservation of the old infrastructure was maintained by the Studio as an example of industrial and archeological heritage and the construction system for the new walkway demonstrates both respect for the environment and this outstanding location.


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â€¦as he tests the Amapiano genre under a new name
Heavyweight rapper Yemba Shangu has now taken a swing into the current wave of the Amapiano genre as Manyathela Jersey Number 10. This the rapper did when he released his first offering in the genre through a song titled â€˜Monnâ€™a hau o stinchâ€™ released on February 26, 2022.
The single was produced by one of the talented Amapiano producers, Redix Beats who has in the past worked with Lesotho hip hop-cum Amapiano muso Kaytee Fresh.
He unpacked his decision to release the song under the name Manyathela Jersey number 10 in an interview with Newsday Arts.
Yemba Shungu clarified that he has not changed his name but has gone with an alter ego. He explained that his name as â€œYemba Shunguâ€ holds a lot of weight and has a legacy behind it which is entrenched in hip hop.
â€œI just did not feel like it made sense to use the same name when it comes to releasing Amapiano and other genres,â€ he said.
The Hope rapper indicated that he was always keen on using the alter ego Manyathela but did not think it would be under a new genre because he did not see himself venturing into another genre.
â€œFor people who have been following Yemba Shungu, the hardcore fans, they would know that I had always mentioned the name here and there, even on my lyrics Manyathela jersey number 10 would appear,â€ he said.
He said music lovers can expect a number of fireworks in the form of musical aces he has up his sleeve in the Amapiano genre set to be released soon. He mentioned that he already has a song with South African Amapiano singer Jobe London.
â€œI already have a lot of Amapiano songs that have been recorded and we are just working on a few logistics before they can be released. I could possibly be having another song with Ntate Stunna since he was meant to be on this one.
â€œI have a lot of acquaintances in the genre and most of the amapiano cats are very humble so it is quite easy to make music with them,â€ he said.
The artist is set to test his abilities under the genre with a 5 track EP set for release before winter this year and has mentioned that he will still be performing as Yemba Shungu when required to and Manyathela Jersey number 10 where required to.
â€œI am not in any way abandoning hip hop, as things stand I will also be working on a hip hop project later on this year featuring a number of big names such as L-Tore, Blitzman and Ntate Stunna.
â€œAt the end of the day music is business so we go where the money is. Letâ€™s go with the flow in order to grow and improve the music industry,â€ he said.

domain: entertainment


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Sheffield Wednesday fans can pick up an eight-page preview pullout of The Owls play-off bid in tomorrow's edition of the Star.
Carlos Carvalhal's men take on Huddersfield Town on Sunday in the first leg of their play-off semi final in a bid to reach the Premier League.
Wednesday fans can pick up the perfect play-off preview pullout in tomorrow's Sheffield Star to properly prepare for the pivotal clashes.
Fans can read exclusive interviews with Carvalhal, Sam Hutchinson, Jack Hunt, Daniel Pudil and Adam Reach.
Owls fans can also get their hands on a free clapper if they buy their copy at Crystal Peaks shopping centre tomorrow from 10am-4pm.


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If you're adding a concrete structure to your property, one of the things you should think about is how you can reinforce it. Adding reinforcement will help the structure stand up against weathering and crumbling. One of the best things you can use for reinforcing concrete is wire mesh. Whether you're pouring a patio, walkway or even a vertical structure, wire mesh may help you add a little bit of structural support. Here's a look at what you should know about wire mesh and how it can help you.
Understanding Gauge And Grid
Wire mesh comes in many different gauges. Those ratings indicate how thick the wire is that's used for the mesh. The thicker the wire, the stronger the mesh should be. You can also find the mesh in many different patterns, also called grids. These different structures will enhance the strength of the mesh, too. The tighter the grid, the stronger the mesh will be. Your concrete contractor can help you find the right balance of gauge and grid for the project you're working on.
Choosing Rolls or Flat
Wire mesh is available in both large rolls and flat sheets. For large vertical projects that need an inner core, this is often the best choice. Some contractors prefer flat sheets instead. They don't curl when you install them like the rolled mesh can. These sheets come in squares and rectangles, both in large sizes. You can cut them to fit your project or use them as-is if you're doing large jobs.
Cut wire mesh to fit the space you're working in or to fit the shape you're trying to support. Hold it up with metal slats to keep it elevated so that it ends up in the middle of the concrete, not sitting on the bottom. Slowly pour concrete into the space until it fills in to the level of the mesh. Let the concrete set up partially, then remove the slats. It's important that the concrete is partially set first, because that's what ensures that the mesh stays in place when you pull the supports out.
Using mesh to support your concrete structure will help you to reinforce the design and add a bit of stability. This helps to reduce the risk of structural loss due to soil erosion or other problems. Ask your concrete contractor about the availability of wire mesh when you schedule your ready mix concrete delivery for the job.

domain: design


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Budding music directors Shivam Sengupta & Anuj Danait collaborate on the series’ thrilling soundtrack.
The much anticipated genre bending series, Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein which releases on Netflix come Jan 14, 2022 features a range of diverse tracks. Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein is an ode to the classic and pulpy Indian thrillers of the 90s and even the title itself has been inspired from the popular Baazigar song.
The soundtrack for the series has been composed by the young music director duo, Shivam Sengupta and Anuj Danait who are both mates from their time together at the Berklee College of Music in the US.
The maverick young duo bring a fresh new vibe to the series’ soundtrack with songs like the title track – ‘Yeh Kaali Kaali Aankhein’ which brings the modern foot tapping rendition of our favourite 90s song in a new avatar with elements of Latin/ Spanish arrangements and dark eerie vocals. ‘Bheega Bheega’ – a soulful romantic number which features heartwarming lyrics and uses conventional Western Instruments along with Indian folk melodies and a powerful action packed song like ‘Teri Baari Hai’ to name a few.
Speaking about the soundtrack, Director of Yeh Kaali Kaali Aankhein, Sidharth Sengupta said, “The series is truly elevated with the compelling soundtrack created by Shivam and Anuj, which adds a unique flavour and soul to the story as a whole. We are elated with the initial response to the music of the show and hope the audience will enjoy it and find themselves humming and singing it as well.”
Music Director, Shivam Sengupta said, We wanted the music to tell this twisted and fierce love story in our own way and it was an immense honour to recreate the timeless classic that is ‘Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein’ and give it a modern twist as an homage to the legendary anthem.”
“The themes of the soundtrack explore classic 90s nostalgia and fuse it with a modern vibe. It was an exhilarating experience to work with Shivam on the diverse set of songs which delve into many genres like Romance, Classical, Bollywood, Jazz, Rap and much more.” added Anuj Danait.
The official soundtrack of Yeh Kaali Kaali Aankhein features 11 songs, which are available to stream on Spotify, Apple Music, JioSaavn & Gaana.


Haleem Stringz Rasul discovered his passion for the arts at an early age. Growing up in Detroit came with its own unique challenges that served as motivators manifesting into his creative and business ventures following graduating from Western Michigan University in 2001. He established Hardcore Detroit as a brand dance company and fashion label. His motto hardcore, represents success after struggle and overcoming hardships to achieve victory. By 2010, Hardcore Detroit was voted best dance company in the Real Detroit Reader's Poll.
He has instructed dance workshops internationally, judged and participated in dance tournaments throughout the nation gaining international respect, organized dance-related events in his hometown and produced relevant merchandising materials. Full CV


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It’s the one that got away!
Hopes of luring top fishermen to an international shark fishing competition off east Cork have been sunk, despite a €250,000 prize fund.
Organisers of what was hoped would be the first Ballycotton Big Fish event in September have confirmed it is not going ahead due to “circumstances outside their control”.
“It is a great disappointment for all involved,” said a spokesperson for the man behind the venture, Ballycotton-born businessman Pearse Flynn.
“In the meantime, Pearse and his team will be concentrating on the multiple other tourism projects that he has undertaken for Ballycotton.”
Mr Flynn, who heads up British debt solution company, Creditfix, is funding several projects in his native village, including two restaurants, a craft shop, gallery, a community arts venue, a children’s playground and a watersports venture.
Meanwhile, Cork’s Long Table event has been shelved this summer but only in favour of a three-hour culinary walking tour of the restaurants involved.
The people behind the sit-down dining experience said it will “lie fallow this season” as the team “replenishes and rejuvenates” for 2020.
Instead, 10 restaurants will present a ‘Walk the Long Table’ event in June, led by chef Trisha Lewis of Jacob’s on the Mall, and Ali Honour of Ali’s Kitchen on Paul St.
They will take food lovers on a walking trail to meet the chefs involved in the Long Table event, including Ali’s Kitchen, Crawford and Co, Dockland, Electric, Isaac’s, Jacobs, Nash 19, The Farmgate Café, and The Imperial Hotel who will each showcase seasonal produce in their top dishes and beverages.
“We celebrate the season daily in our restaurants and Walk the Long Table is such a fantastic opportunity for us to continue to work together, showcasing the food in our region and highlighting how important food tourism is to us while we continue to work on Cork’s Long Table Dinner 2020,” Claire Nash, of Nash 19 said.
The ‘Walk the Long Table’ event will take place twice daily, at 2.30pm and 3pm, from June 12-14 and June 19-21 as part of the Cork Midsummer Festival. Tickets priced €85, for eight courses and drinks, go on sale on www.corkmidsummer.com.


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Combine flour and baking soda. Beat next 4 ingredients in large bowl with mixer until blended. Gradually add flour mixture, mixing well after each addition. Divide dough into 3 equal portions.
Place 1 portion of dough in separate bowl; tint with blue food coloring. Wrap in plastic wrap. Repeat in separate bowl with second portion of dough and red food coloring. Wrap remaining (untinted) dough with plastic wrap. Refrigerate all dough 1 hour.
Roll out uncolored dough between 2 lightly floured sheets of waxed paper into 10x7-inch rectangle. Repeat with red dough; place over uncolored dough rectangle. Repeat with blue dough, stacking on top of red dough. Starting at 1 long side of rectangle, roll up dough tightly into log. Wrap in plastic wrap. Freeze 1 hour.
Heat oven to 350ºF. Unwrap dough; cut into 42 slices, each about 1/4 inch thick. Place, 2 inches apart, on parchment-covered baking sheets.
Bake 8 to 10 min. or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on baking sheets 2 min. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.
Spoon scant 1/3 cup ice cream onto bottom side of each of 21 cookies; cover each with second cookie, top side up, to make sandwich. Freeze 2 hours or until firm.
Roll edges of cookie sandwiches in colored sprinkles before freezing.
Substitute thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping for the ice cream.
Calories From Fat
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 13g
Saturated Fat 8g
Trans Fat 0g
Total Carbohydrates 32g
Dietary Fibers 1g
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
21 servings, 1 cookie sandwich each
* Nutrition information is estimated based on the ingredients and cooking instructions as described in each recipe and is intended to be used for informational purposes only. Please note that nutrition details may vary based on methods of preparation, origin and freshness of ingredients used.

domain: food


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Corbyn slaps female politician's chest in botched high-five
14 Juin, 2017, 12:09 | Author: Lucrece Courtet
LONDON - Jeremy Corbyn's former critics within the parliamentary Labour Party are now "prepared to serve" in his shadow cabinet, a leading moderate in the party said today.
The results of the election last week saw Labour gain 30 seats in the House of Commons, winning 262 seats in total.
But Corbyn was able to score unexpected points against May during the bitterly fought campaign, casting her as cold and uncaring on social welfare reforms and reckless on police funding cuts during her tenure as interior minister.
But bizarrely Ms Thornberry insisted that Labour had not lost the election, despite having far fewer MPs than the Tories;. And here's just some of the unbelievable responses on Twitter.
And you can't get much more of a gloriously terribly high five fail than a high five attempt that was both ignored and turned into accidental groping. "I'll be eternally grateful".
Ed Gillespie wins GOP nomination, will face Northam
Terry McAulliffe, the man who hopes to be replaced by Northam when his term ends in January, endorsed him past year . Pemberton Township native Ed Gillespie has won the Republican nomination in Virginia's race for governor.
His parents say he's in a coma . " Mr Warmbier is en route to the United States where he will be reunited with his family". A Wyoming man held prisoner in North Korea for over a year is returning to OH tonight, but the news isn't all happy.
When Ruben Neves started captaining Porto at the age of 18, it seemed like he had everything to become a star at the club. Porto midfielder Ruben Neves has emerged as a target for Premier League sides Liverpool and Chelsea .
Rendez-vous le 14 juin dans votre collecte la plus proche de chez vous! Le geste peut effrayer, voire rebuter. Pour l'occasion, l'Etablissement Français du Sang rappelle que la mobilisation est nécessaire au quotidien.
Tillerson added that discussions are still ongoing with North Korea "regarding three other USA citizens reported detained". His entourage includes Joseph Terwilliger, a professor who has accompanied Rodman on previous trips to North Korea.
Officials could not immediately confirm United States media reports that Warmbier had fallen into a coma during his incarceration. But State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert told reporters Rodman had nothing to do with Warmbier's release.
Fred and Cindy Warmbier said in a statement to The Associated Press that their son is in a coma and flying home. A person who answered the phone at Warmbier's family's OH residence said: "No comment, thank you" and hung up.
Donald Trump's Attorney General has denied colluding with Russian Federation to influence the US Presidential election . In March he acknowledged he met twice past year with Russia's ambassador to Washington , Sergei Kislyak.
Everyone is about to find out how good. "Today is all about celebrating our championship", the Warriors told Business Insider . They came close, dropping a game to Milwaukee in the Eastern Conference finals but then sweeping the Lakers in the Finals.
Bill Cosby jury wants police testimony read back
Constand, under the influence of the drugs and who briefly lost consciousness, could not and did not give consent, he said. In those interviews, Cosby admitted to sexual contact with Constand and said they had previously had a romantic encounter.
Trump makes case for apprenticeships to fill jobs gap
The shortages for specifically trained workers cut across multiple job sectors beyond Trump's beloved construction trades. Participants get on-the-job training while going to school, sometimes with companies footing the bill.
Stream Playstation's E3 press conference
Shenmue 3 won't be present during this Sony PlayStation party, but Kingdom Hearts 3 and Final Fantasy 7 Remake might pop up. There were plenty to talk about too, with headliners like Uncharted: The Lost Legacy , God of War , and Days Gone .
US college student released by North Korea arrives in Ohio
They said: "We want the world to know how we and our son have been brutalized and terrorized by the pariah regime" in North Korea. USA college student Otto Warmbier was flown from North Korea to Cincinnati, Ohio on Tuesday, and quickly brought to a hospital.
Paris crowd pays tribute to Manchester, London victims
We need to see the reality of where we are, to test yourself against the best, so you don't mask where you are in terms of a team. Heaton stopped Dembele's brilliant shot, but failed to finish another save on right back Djibril Sidibe's shot on the rebound.


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beautiful colors - a truly beautiful picture - congratulations
I love this picture - beautiful setting!
Wonderful, colorful, windy shot of palms and sand! LIKE/FAVORITE :)
Prett ,lovely houses at the foot of the ,green and prettily shaped sloped of Jura!
Very beautiful! Like!
Trés , Beau - Merçi..
Image.** , Surprenante.. et " Originale " - j'aime bien..
Actually Navajo Dam, New Mexico

domain: artistic


Prices incl. VAT plus shipping costs
Immediately available for delivery, delivery time approx. 1-3 working days - NOTE: Different delays apply to deliveries abroad!
- Order number: T719-2-8301
- Shipping Weight 0.3 kg
High-quality, adjustable windscreen risers by ALTRIDER, custom-made for the Yamaha Tenere 700 model from MY 2019.
The Yamaha Tenere 700 is a great all around bike for both on- and off-road riding. However, most riders find that the windscreen is just not tall enough, and are hit with wind buffeting, bugs to the visor and excess noise. To alleviate these issues, ALTRIDER designed an adjustable windscreen riser for the Yamaha Tenere 700, with a minimum 10mm rise over stock at the lowest setting and a 90mm adjustment range, for a total 100mm increase at the highest setting over the stock windscreen.
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- Laser-etched ALTRIDER "A" and "T7" logos
- Compatible with the ALTRIDER T7 Cowl Support (available separately) as well as any GPS mounts and handlebar risers
- Anodized black finish
NOTE: Delivery does NOT include any windscreens!


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Chuka Umunna told he is taking rubbish
Mr Umunna, chairman of Vote Leave Watch, has said there is a “whole swathe” of workers’ rights which could be at risk as Britain prepares to leave the EU.
The Labour MP warned the entitlement to annual paid leave could be removed by Brexit.
But the 37-year-old, who was a key campaigner for Remain during the EU referendum, was lambasted by LBC presenter Iain Dale over his doom mongering.
“The way you’re talking,” Dale said. “British workers had no employment rights – or very few employment rights – before we joined the EU. That is simply fantasy.”
Chuka Umunna (r) clashed with Iain Dale on LBC
When Mr Umunna denied he had made such a claim, Dale replied: “That’s the implication of what you’ve been saying.
“That it is all down to the EU that we have these rights, that is complete and utter rubbish.”
The MP for Streatham told Dale: “I am not saying that all your rights at work rely on EU law. That would be wrong. I know that is a fantasy.
“What I am saying is that there are some very important rights you have at work which do.
“So please don’t misinterpret what I said earlier in this interview.”
There are concerns leaving the EU may harm workers' rights
The Labour MP has written to the Prime Minister to voice his concerns
That it is all down to the EU that we have these rights, that is complete and utter rubbish
In a letter to Theresa May, Mr Umunna tells the Prime Minister: “You owe it to the working people of Britain to make clear that the pledges made by your cabinet colleagues to retain EU legislation on workers’ rights will be delivered.”
John Hannett, patron of Vote Leave Watch and general secretary of the USDAW trade union, said: "Being part of the EU has protected British workers, my members among them, from discrimination, unscrupulous bosses, and the worst excesses of Tory governments.
"The Prime Minister came to office talking a good game about standing up for working people.
“She now has to walk the walk – and the first part of that should be guaranteeing that every single right for workers delivered by the European Union will stay in place.
"Anything less would be a betrayal of British workers, especially given the promises that were made on employment rights by members of the Vote Leave campaign.
“Every worker and trade unionist in Britain urgently needs clarity on this vital issue."
A Downing Street spokesman said: "Britain voted decisively to leave the EU – and this Government will deliver the people's verdict. In every step we will work to ensure the best possible outcome for the British people.
"We don't need to be part of the EU to have strong protections for workers' rights."

domain: sociology


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Every Day, Except Wednesday:
Old Town Hot Pot is a Chinese hot pot restaurant founded in Aurora, Colorado. Chinese hot pot, also known as Chinese fondue, consists of various raw meats, vegetables, noodles, tofu, seafood and dumplings, which are dropped into a shared or individual pot of hot flavored broth using chopsticks in order to cook the items. As the biggest hot pot restaurant in Colorado, we provide healthy food choices, comfortable seating, and exquisite service.
Former Mr. Super Panda Buffet
Opened May 2021
On Havana Improvement District:
Aurora, CO Restaurants & Fast Food


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Why campaigns that stigmatize smokers can make them want to quit even less
…Yet, little is known about how those who smoke cope with smoking-related stigma that may stem from these strategies and the negative consequences of smoking-related stigma on those who smoke. Of particular concern are the potential consequences of internalizing public stigma which is referred to as self-stigma or internalized stigma as they are likely to vary for individuals. For example, the public stigma of smoking could result in four potential outcomes for smokers. The desired outcome and the one often assumed by public health practitioners is that smokers will internalize the stigma and quit smoking in order to feel better. However, there are at least three other potential outcomes which can be detrimental: (1) the smoker internalizes the smoking stigma, loses self-esteem and self-efficacy, and fails to quit smoking, (2) the smoker resists internalizing the smoking stigma remaining indifferent and fails to quit smoking, or (3) the smoker resists smoking stigma internalization, may become angry and defensive at the public for stigmatizing smoking, fails to quit smoking and may even increase their self-esteem and self-efficacy regarding smoking.
I’ve never internalised the smoking stigma, but I’ve encountered a few people who did. Most smokers I encounter seem to fall into category (2). They don’t think less of themselves for smoking, and remain indifferent to the stigma, and carry on smoking.
I suppose that of the four responses on offer, my own is nearest to (3). I don’t internalise the stigma, and have lost no self-esteem. Instead I’ve got angry.
But not angry at “the public”. The general public don’t stigmatise smokers. In the 8 years since the introduction of the UK smoking ban, I’ve never once had anyone show the slightest sign of disapproval at seeing me smoking in a pub garden, or on the street, or in my car.
It’s not the public that’s doing the stigmatising. The people who are doing that are the people in Tobacco Control: the Deborah Arnotts and Linda Baulds and Ian Gilmores and Stanton Glantzes, who’ve somehow managed to get unrestricted access to the media to peddle their antismoking message. They’re the stigmatisers.
So the people I’m angry with are the people in Tobacco Control. And I’m not defensive about it. I’m on the attack. I’m always trying to think up ways of undermining and destroying them. Because that’s what I want to do. And I must have been a little bit effective because I’ve got my own page on the Tobaccotactics website. I’m not the only one who’s got their own page.
So really I should have a missing category (4), which would be something like:
(4) the smoker doesn’t want to quit smoking at all, is determined to carry on, resists smoking stigma internalisation, becomes very angry (“all-out F U anger” as Walt put it) at Tobacco Control for stigmatising smoking, goes on the attack with his blog, and plans to destroy the bastards.
The article is clearly written by a thoughtful antismoker (or is that an oxymoron?), because her ‘desired outcome’ is what I would regard as the ‘detrimental’ outcome. I think it’s detrimental to anybody to internalise a stigma that has been placed upon them. Stigmatising smokers is no different from stigmatising blacks, Jews, homosexuals, women, or anyone else. Even if the result of being stigmatised results in someone stopping smoking, it has been done by reducing their status, removing their dignity, and in a profound sense breaking them. The ex-smokers who have been made to stop smoking this way are broken people.
But I’m not at all sure that it’s the stigma placed on smoking that makes smokers stop smoking. Nor do I think that most smokers want to give up smoking. It’s one of the dogmas of Tobacco Control that “70% of smokers want to stop smoking”. But my impression is that 95% of them don’t want to stop smoking, or stop doing anything else they enjoy doing (drinking, eating). Why on earth should they want to stop doing something that they enjoy doing?
What happens instead, I think, is that insistent Smoking Kills messages gradually magnify smokers’ fears about disease and death, and these fears gradually come to outweigh the pleasure they take in smoking. And this is the point where their cost-benefit analysis tells them they should try to quit smoking. I think that pretty much all the smokers I’ve ever known gave up because they got worried about their health. They didn’t give up because they’d been stigmatised, because for the last 70+ years – apart from the last 10 years or so – there has been no stigma at all attached to smoking. Smokers give up smoking because they succumb to health fears promulgated by Tobacco Control, against which they have no defences. They have no defences against the massed ranks of doctors, authorities, experts, and the general consensus of opinion. They’re unable to swim against the tide.
I could say more, but that’ll do for now.

domain: psychology


Auction of gifts received by Narendra Modi fetches Rs. 2.04 croreFebruary 02, 2012
Ahmedabad, 2 February 2012
The much-awaited auction of the gifts received by Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi has fetched a sum of Rs. 2.04 crore. The auction was organized during January 27 to 29, at Ravishankar Rawal Kala Bhawan in Ahmedabad.
Mr. Modi has made it a practice to deposit the gifts received by him to the government toshakhana. These gifts are then auctioned and the proceeds go to a special fund called Kanya Kelavani Nidhi and used for the girl child education in the state. In total, 1399 of such gifts, with the upset price of Rs.41.60 lakh, were auctioned this time.
The auction received a great response from the people. The highest sum fetcher was a photo of the Chief Minister at the premises of Mahatma Mandir which received Rs.2,51,000 with the upset price of Rs.41,000.
The auction was inaugurated by Ahmedabad Mayor in the presence of the Collector.
- Rahul fires salvo of 'repeated' allegations against BJP and Modi in Gujarat again, empty chairs witnessed in Dalit event
- Hardik & Gang Youtube channel uploades five new videos
- Massive crowd gathers at public meeting ahead of Shankar Chaudhary's nomination filling for Vav seat
- After decision to Y-category security, central team conducts survey at Hardik's Ahmedabad residence
- Rahul only expert in posing questions never bothers to reply one: Sitharaman in Gujarat
- RIL closes recently announced sale of assets in Pennsylvania


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John Reischman, on mandolin, and John Miller, on guitar, have been playing together for more than 20 years, performing classic and original choros, sambas, bossa novas, Latin jazz, jazz standards, and unclassifiable world music.
They will play at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 28, at the YWCA ballroom, 1027 N. Forest St. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Admission is $15.
Digital Access for only $0.99
For the most comprehensive local coverage, subscribe today.


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Very well done!
Welcome back great shit!!
I saw the thumbnail and had to check this out omg its kick ass! Great sculpting work
Beautiful pencil work; I particularly love the shading with the noses. Very well done.
Thank you! c:
newgrounds.com — Your #1 online entertainment & artist community! All your base are belong to us.


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Fraudulent Mail Sneaks through the Cracks
Foreign lottery promoters continue to target Americans with illegal lotteries by using new ways to avoid legal regulations. The latest scheme con artists are using is to send lottery letters in boxes shipped and labeled as cargo in anticipation of inspection by customs officials.
New Lottery Scam Fraudulently Claims to Be From Council of Better Business Bureaus
Better Business Bureau warns that a new scam is fraudulently using the organization's name in order to steal tens of thousands of dollars from victims who are led to believe they have won a lottery. BBB has been notified an individual was contacted over the phone by someone claiming they were with the Council of Better Business Bureaus (CBBB). The caller used the name Jacob Chasen and offered his phone number, however, it is not a BBB number. The caller indicated the individual had won a BBB lottery, but to receive the winnings, taxes and fees must be paid in advance.


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Globalization & popular culture in M’sia
View blog reactions
Here is the outline of my masters research thesis on globalization and popular culture in Malaysia.
GLOBALIZATION, POPULAR CULTURE AND THE MALAYSIAN SOCIETY: SPINNING GASING
The topic above is suggested for ICOM 818 research module and it has to be noted that the issue above (as known to the author) has not been tackled in Malaysia mainly because of political and social reasons. Therefore official research (books and research papers) on the issue is limited and ideas here are based on general popular consensus as well as observations made by the author as a Malaysian citizen and resident. The theories and hypothesis made is based on observations of the structure of Malaysian society and culture, keeping in mind that these structures are reflected in the film Spinning Gasing.
Since the turn of the century, the world has become smaller with the advent of modern communication technologies and the invention of flight. With exploration becoming easier and ultimately, transformed into tourism, culture can easily be exported and imported. As we can observe in our every day lives, culture has been exported through other ways than just tourism. It is through the globalized media than we consume certain cultures more than others.
Globalization is a relatively difficult term to describe as it involves a multitude of transformations that occur around the globe. Globalization, Albrow states, refers to the multiple processes that allow the people of the world to be incorporated into a single society and ultimately, the ‘global society’ (Albrow, 1990 in Cohen, 2000). These processes can occur in many different places regardless of the geography, individuals and situations. They do however share one thing in common: their increase in scope and intensity as is evident in current changing trends in one region or country that have a global effect.
Therefore, globalization can be best understood as a set of reinforcing changes that occurring simultaneously or at slightly differing intervals of time. It has to be taken into consideration that individually, these changes are not more significant than the other (Cohen, 2000). Globalization can be examined in six different components (Cohen, 2000):
- Changing concepts of space and time
- An increasing volume of cultural interactions
- The commonality of problems facing all the world’s inhabitants
- Growing interconnections and interdependencies
- A network of increasingly powerful transnational actors and organization
- The synchronization of all the dimensions involved in globalization
Each different component is a vital factor in the process of globalization but this thesis will only concentrate on the factor relevant to the spread of mass or popular culture: the increasing volume of cultural interactions.
The Macquarie Budget Dictionary defines culture as “skills, arts, customs, etc., of a people passed from generation to generation” (1998). Sociologists define culture as a word that is broadly used to describe or depict all train of throught, behaviour and “artefacts that are transmitted from generation to generation by example, education or the public record” (Cohen, 2000). In our every day lives, the things around us are richly saturated with remnants of our culture as culture itself is “rich in imagery, metaphors, signs and symbols”.
As cultural interactions increases from the rising rates of interaction between people of different cultures, so too the exposure and expansion of “cultural meanings and knowledge” (Cohen, 2000). It is through the mass media that we are exposed to cultures that our forefathers would have never experienced in the past. Communication has become more ‘fast’ with the invention of the telephone, the Internet and satellite telecommunications. As such, we have come to live in a world that is increasingly exposed. Nevertheless, despite its seemingly perfect outlook, such increasedof cultural interaction has generated several consequences (Cohen, 2000):
- Cultural meanings have been lifted out of its original context and transplanted into other societies.
- The ability to access greater quantities of cultural meaning rapidly and from a variety of sources has now increased.
- Visual images obtained from the audiovisual media have given individuals an insight into the ‘naturalized’ world of other cultures.
- The knowledge obtained about other cultures has become essential to our own cultural survival. The risk of exclusion occurs when individuals feign ignorance.
- The exposure to mass media and new technologies have tied individuals to the single experience called the ‘global village’ (McLuhan, 1962 in Cohen, 2000).
- Individuals are constantly bombarded with messages of global multiculturalism, pluralism with invitations to partake in the varied cultural customs.
- The dominance of Western and especially American culture is evident in the flow of cultural knowledge.
Because of the dominance of Western and especially American culture in the mass media, many countries with differing cultures find themselves and their cultural identity challenged. The increased in “hybrid identities and overlapping communities” as well as the formation of a collective identity has been linked to globalization (Scholte, 2000). It is argued that globalization has “promoted the growth of alternative frameworks of communities” and this in some ways, have compromised the current government systems in countries where traditional structures are being challenged daily (Scholte, 2000).
In Malaysia where the state used to own majority of the telecommunication networks, the culture formed reflected the state’s ideology on what the Malaysian culture was – predominantly Asian beliefs. It is difficult to classify what exactly is the Malaysian culture as the country is made up of three key races – Malays, Chinese and Indians – with smaller ethnic groups like the Iban, Dayak and Eurasians. It is observed that the Malaysian culture is a reflection of the society – multicultural, tolerant, peace-loving and Asian at heart. This has meant that issues such as homosexuality, divorce, cohabitation, gender equality, sexuality and other more ‘liberal’ views on such taboo issues were swept under a carpet of ignorance or nonchalant outlooks.
At the turn of the twentieth century, when the term globalization began to hit countries world-wide, it was observed that the Malaysian premier, Dr Mahathir Mohamad – has time and time again – launched an attack on globalization. He correlated it to being the Western tool to dominate developing countries through cultural and economic values. He had every cause to be worried, since Malaysian society were being exposure to more Western cultures that were deemed unsuitable for an Asian multicultural society. Cable television with series such as Ally McBeal, Sex in the City and Dawson’s Creek were available for viewing to the masses. Apart from that, Malaysian students who were educated abroad, brought back with them certain Western values which were deemed unsuitable for an Asian community.
More pressure was added to the mechanics behind the formation of culture – the state controlled boards such as the Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, the Ministry of Education, and the Film Censorship Board. Famed in Malaysia for its hardcore traditional unchanging outlook, the film censorship board deemed physical contact as innocent as a hug explicit for viewing. It would also have seen any underlying political and social messages as disturbing and ‘unsuitable’ for public screening, hence the ‘scissors’ would be applied to the film. In its aim to resist certain aspects of popular culture, such measures have been taken to ensure that Asian values to have its core in Malaysian society.
Since it has been said that films and television portrayed realism in a certain manner, Spinning Gasing would then be a portrayal of the real-life battle between traditional and modern structures of Malaysian society. Directed and written by an Australian-educated Malaysian, it is the epitome of the struggle faced by many young and modern Malaysians who are striving to find an identity in a community that is constantly bombarded with messages of change. It also provides an insight to the changing relationships between the three predominant races in Malaysia and an insight into the changing identity of the Malaysian society. It has to be noted that Spinning Gasing had trouble getting approval for distribution and public viewing from the Censorship Board mainly because of its underlying political, religious and cultural notes. Certain scenes were taken out and when the movie was finally released in mid to late 2001, the director had lamented that those scenes were crucial to the understanding of the movie and ultimately, Malaysian society. It would seem that the role of the Censorship Board still has not changed much after observation of its treatment of the film Spinning Gasing.
The film Spinning Gasing attempts to give an understanding into factors that affect a multicultural nation such as Malaysia. In the film, Harry Lee, an overseas educated Chinese returns to Malaysia without any academic success stories. Deemed a failure by his father who chants the motto ‘money is king’, Harry leaves with dreams of achieving success in the music industry. He teams up with old childhood friend, Yati, a Malay girl who is the epitome of the traditional rural Muslim girl torn between her own identity and her love for Harry. Together with JJ, an regular Joe who thinks that the world is against him for being Indian; Arif, the Muslim homosexual who hopes to step out of the closet; and Chantal, the Eurasian who is viewed upon as liberal and loose; the band of friends travel from the city to the rural area. Along their way, they run in with the gangsters of Chinatown and the religious department in Northern Malaysia. Ultimately, the tribulations that they face transcends more than their current financial and business problems. The issues tackled in the film involve religious, political and cultural undertones, reminders of the fact that the Malaysian society is striving to find its identity amidst a globalized and multicultural surrounding.
At the end of the day, several questions need to be asked and examined. Are Asian values still the core in Malaysian society? Has popular culture really affected Malaysian communities in the urban and rural areas? What are the dynamics and consequences of the relationships change between the three races predominant in Malaysia? Ultimately, the question that needs to be answered is this: what is the Malaysian identity and culture?
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
By looking at the issues challenging the structure and culture of Malaysian society (and ultimately, its identity) through the theories of globalization, media, culture, and identity, this dissertation would provide an understanding of the dynamics of change in a multicultural environment. It would also provide an insight into the changing relationships between the races in Malaysia and how the media naturalizes certain aspects of these relationships through stereotypes.
KEY RESEARCH QUESTION
- What are the issues challenging the structure and culture of Malaysian society pertinent to mass spread of popular culture and globalization as depicted by the film ‘Spinning Gasing’?
- How did the film ‘The Spinning Gasing’ present the stereotypes of various cultures of Malaysian society?
- What are the effects of popular culture and globalization on the relationship between the various races in Malaysia?
- To examine the issues challenging the structure and culture of Malaysian society as depicted by ‘The Spinning Gasing’.
- To analyse the way the film ‘The Spinning Gasing’ presented stereotypes of the various cultures of Malaysian society.
- To examine the effects of popular culture and globalization on the relationship between the various races in Malaysia.
- The issues challenging the structure and culture of Malaysian society depicted in the film ‘The Spinning Gasing’ revolves around cultural and religious values. Homosexuality, pre-marital sex, conversion of religions and the very essence of difference in the three predominant cultures are the issues that challenge the traditional structure and culture of Malaysian society.
- The stereotypes presented are not the typical general perceptions although they do exist in the film (the bitch, the mob, the damsel and others). These stereotypes are unique to the Malaysian society – the laidback, traditional and religious Malay, the uneducated, ignorant Indian, the cunning, resourceful and contemporary Chinese, and lastly, the Pan-Asian who is does not fit anywhere.
- Popular culture does affect the relationship between the three predominant races in Malaysia as well as the culture of each race itself. Mixed marriages, cohabitation, religious conversion are some of the by-products of the effects of popular culture on the relationship between these races.
- The film ‘The Spinning Gasing’ brings a new definition to political, social, economical and cultural aspects of the Malaysian society.
Cohen, Robin, and Kennedy, Paul, 2000, Global Sociology, New York: New York University Press.
Scholte, J.A., 2000, Globalisation: A Critical Introduction, Hampshire: Palgrave.
The Budget Macquarie Dictionary, 1998, Australia: The Macquarie Library Pty Ltd.
This entry was posted on Sunday, April 30th, 2006 at 10:59 am and is filed under Prose. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.


STEP Electronics were proud to be part of the 2017 and 2019 World Solar Challenge supporting the Winning Solar Car Teams.
This colossal feat covered a 3000km race using solar powered cars from Darwin through the centre of Australia to Adelaide. With such a huge distance through vast remote areas with no reliable terrestrial mobile reception, it was imperative that the team had internet connectivity throughout the race a capability that could only be achieved with a Satellite On The Move (SOTM)solution.
The Satellite Solution
The ubiquitous capability afforded by satellites enables connectivity anywhere, even in the most remote locations. Satellite was the only choice for the Vatternfall and Agoria Solar Teams.
The STEP Electronics team designed a solution utilising the Thinkom ThinSat 300 antenna system, mounting it to the top of the teams’ command vehicles in Darwin. Av-Comm provided the teleport and internet backhaul via its Sydney earth station, utilising satellite capacity provided by Intelsat’s newest High Throughput Satellite (HTS) Horizons 3e.
The Thinkom ThinSat 300 provided an ideal solution leveraging its 40W integrated BUC and innovative “VICTS” phased-array technology that combines the benefits of mechanically steered and electronically scanned arrays do deliver a high efficiency, low latency connection throughout the event.
A Winning Solution
The Vattenfall and Agoria Solar Car teams used the continuous connectivity afforded by the ThinSat 300 Satellite On The Move solution to give them a competitive advantage over other teams and for the Agoria team’s victory in 2019.
The teams used the ThinSat 300 Satellite On The Move system to receive weather and data updates of critical sun exposure and cloud formations in real-time while en-route, ensuring the optimal driving strategy could be implemented balancing factors such as vehicle speed, charge times, and driver fatigue.
Real Time Streaming
The Vattenfall Solar Team was able to access live IP streaming every night regardless of location. Amazingly the team were able to live stream video interviews and backhaul action video clips to its thousands of followers – sharing every moment of their journey with their sponsors and their online audience.
As part of the journey, Pacific Live Media also followed the team from Darwin to Adelaide utilising the satellite connectivity for their media coverage of the race, capturing live video and streaming it across the global stage.
In 2017 Pacific Live Media broadcast the race around the world and, most importantly, the moment the Vattenfall Solar Team crossed the finish line in first place winning the Challenger Class category.
STEP Electronics is proud to have been a part of both teams’ successes in 2017 and 2019, and look forward to supporting them again in the future.


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The burger brand was recognized for its commitment to diversity and inclusion communication practices.
McDonald’s has joined the Healthy Dining initiative, and customers can now find and research 15 Healthy Dining-approved McDonald’s items at HealthyDiningFinder.com.
The burger chain wants to make the quick-service meal experience healthier by using all-natural food prepared without preservatives.
New value-menu items start at just $2 at the full-service chain.
First franchise location for burger chain and third storefront overall set to open at 470 West 23rd Street in New York, near new Highline Park entrance.
The independent real estate firm has found a new site for the second New York City-based BRGR location.
New store will feature the Utah-special Beehive Smashburger, with Angus beef, honey BBQ sauce, applewood smoked bacon, cheddar cheese, and Haystack Onions on an artisan egg bun.
BK Breakfast Muffin sandwich added to Breakfast Value Menu, while BK Breakfast Bowl is offered for $2.79.
QSR Automations’ technology solution rolls out at all Hardee’s, tests at Carl’s Jr.
BOHAN Advertising | Marketing named the agency of record for burger chain.
Papa Gino’s brings back its burger line, this time with Classic, Mushroom Swiss, and Bacon Cheddar Angus burgers.
McDonald’s will announce the winners of its Ray Kroc Award, which honors the best operators in the system.
Burger chain uses Market Selection program to draw customers and test ingredients it hopes to add to the permanent menu.
One of the company’s newest Hall of Fame inductees does regularly. Meet the other die hard fans of the brand.
Fatburger plans openings in Dubai and China this month.
Global comparable sales were up 4.8 percent in February, with U.S. comparable sales up 0.6 percent.
Johnny Rockets has been in Mexico for nearly 20 years, and this month brings new ventures.
At its March 8 grand opening, the Florence, Kentucky, Red Robin will host a fundraiser for the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.
Cheeseburger Bobby’s launches online contest to promote Twinkie Milkshake.
Founders and owners of the Smashburger fast-casual chain believe San Diego, California, residents will enjoy their newest burger joint option, which is set to open in late March.
More than 50 Boardwalk Fresh Burgers & Fries are set to open in multiple Middle East locations.
Acquisition by Thomas H. Lee Partners includes the assumption of approximately $309 million of net debt.
Largest double drive-thru chain in the U.S. opens at 4380 National Road East in Richmond, Virginia.
One opens at 61 Broad Street in the Fairlie-Poplar District, the other at 231 Peachtree Street N.E. in the Peachtree Center.
Following its success with The Twilight Saga: New Moon promotion, Burger King will promote third installment of the film series as well.
New line of Burger King broilers allows for new menu options, including the Steakhouse XT burger line.
Fuddruckers will be serving its Fudds Prime burgers and other menu items during the 2010 SXSW Auditorium Shores Stage, a famous music and entertainment festival, on March 18-20.


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With ace Jose Fernandez ticketed for the 15-day disabled list, the Miami Marlins will take a look at some of their other young arms to fill out an already-strapped rotation.
Rookie left-hander Justin Nicolino will be promoted from Triple-A New Orleans to start Tuesday's opener of a three-game series at the Boston Red Sox. Another rookie southpaw, Adam Conley, is expected to get the nod in Wednesday's game.
Nicolino and Conley have made a combined three career starts between them, but the Marlins have few options following the injury to Fernandez and the trade deadline deals that sent right-handers Mat Latos and Dan Haren packing.
More from FoxSports
The Marlins were relieved when an MRI exam on Saturday revealed a biceps strain for Fernandez (4-0, 2.30 ERA), who was coming off his seventh start since returning from Tommy John surgery.
There is no timetable for Fernandez's return and manager Dan Jennings admitted "there's no need to push it" given the team's place in the standings.
(h/t Miami Herald)

domain: sports


Unlike the current GPU market, it's quite an exciting time to be on the hunt for a new CPU. With 12th Gen arriving just days ago, topping charts and retaking the gaming throne, the battle between Intel and AMD hasn't been this lively for years. But with this refreshing clash of the titans comes some tricky decisions to be made if you're in the market for a new gaming processor.
The benchmarks have been pretty close in some cases, and with both 10th Gen Intel barely a year old, and 11th Gen launching just 8 months ago, there's a wealth of options available offering some seriously good value.
Today then, we'll be going through our top picks for the best gaming processor based on several factors, including performance, value proposition, availability, and potential motherboard costs.
That said though, for fairness we'll be ignoring the new Z600 DDR5 series motherboards for now. Besides being a new platform, the DDR5 versions come with a cutting-edge feature set, including the ultra-high bandwidth of PCIe 5.0. As such, the pricing reflects this and so would unfairly skew our picks by hiking the associated costs of 12th Gen processors well above any of the other processors in our list.
You could argue that's the whole point, especially when talking about value proposition, however it doesn't make sense for most people to be investing in one of these motherboards; the performance uplift on offer from DDR5 memory is negligeable compared to the much more affordable and mature DDR4 memory, and we've yet to see the limits of PCIe 4.0 surpassed by currently available hardware. So, for the intents and purposes of this article, we'll be assuming that any 12th Gen processors are going to be paired with the more sensible, and more reasonably priced DDR4 platform, keeping them in line with previous Intel generations, as well as AMD's offerings too.
Considerations and criteria aside, without further ado, let's dive in...
First up on our list, and by far one of the best budget gaming CPUs on the market, we have Intel's Core i5-10400F.
Starting its launch on the backfoot, the 10400F was previously contested by the far more attractive AMD processors which sat either side of its flanks. There was the R3 3300X, an almost £50 cheaper quad-core CPU with remarkable processing power, and the R5 3600, another six-core CPU with on par performance and a slightly cheaper price tag. Adding to the contest was the fact that AM4 motherboards were markedly cheaper than Intel's then new 500 series chipsets, and it made what was otherwise a fantastic processor incredibly hard to justify.
However, jump forward a few months and the 3300X supply had quickly vanished, seemingly never to be replaced. Jump ahead a few months more and Ryzen 5000 hit the market, dominating Intel 10th Gen and quickly finding demand outstripping supply, resulting in the inflation of both the new and previous generation AMD processors. And yet, all the while, the price of the 10400F and 500 series motherboards were falling. Throw in the sooner-than-anticipated arrival of Intel 11th Gen, imminently followed by the recent launch of 12th Gen, and prices came down a pinch further - which is where we are now.
This fantastic six-core processor with boost clocks of up to 4.3GHz delivers astonishingly good performance in games, whilst coming in at as little as £130. Unlike many of the higher-end processors from Intel's 10th Gen line-up, the 10400F offers far better efficiency with a TDP rating of just 65W, making it easier to keep cool, and thus allowing it to boost to those higher clock speeds.
With the absence of AMD's CPUs at this price point, and no sign yet of lower-end 12th Gen SKUs, this really is the best budget CPU for gaming right now.
Despite those lower-end 12th Gens still being hidden away, there's a pleasant déjà vu awaiting us in the ranks of an otherwise underwhelming and disappointing 11th Gen. And that would just so happen to be our pick for the best processor in this next category: Intel's Core i5-11400F.
Similarly to its previous generation counterpart, the 11400F was arguably one of, if not the best gaming processor to come out of the Rocket Lake line-up. Punching well above its weight and brushing shoulders with the i7-10700K, as well as the more than lacklustre i9-11900K, this excellent six-core CPU wasn't just giving AMD chips a run for their money.
Coming in at anywhere between £130-£150 (now stabilising at that £150 mark), it was even tussling with the i5-10400F, offering around 2.5% more performance in gaming, and as much as 25% more performance in productivity.
Better yet, the i5-11400F was (and still is) readily available for purchase, unlike AMD's nearest competitor chips, namely the R5 5600X, and R5 3600 - both of which were (and still are) difficult to justify. The 5600X is around £270-£300 on average with only an 11% increase in gaming performance, and the R5 3600 sits anywhere between £150-£200 whilst being 12.5% slower. Meanwhile, the i5-10600KF offers nigh identical performance to the 11400F and only sits at around £180, making it a far better choice (excluding the 10400F of course) in the rare event that the 11th Gen part isn't anywhere to be found.
The most exciting implication here though is just around the corner - with the top half of the Alder Lake line-up now available, we'll soon get to see the i5-12400F. Given how much of an improvement 12th Gen has been over 11th Gen, I for one can't wait to see how it performs. And hopefully whilst remaining as near as possible to this £150 price bracket... For now though, our pick for the best gaming processor at this price point has to go to the i5-11400F.
Next up we have our best mid-range gaming CPU, the Intel Core i5-12600KF.
Quietly arriving barely half a year after their previous generation, Intel's new Alder Lake processors have done a fantastic job so far at either meeting or beating AMD's Ryzen processors. Besides IPC gains, this is in part thanks to a new architecture featuring their so-called "Power" cores and "Efficient" cores (or P-cores and E-cores respectively).
It also seems to be thanks to these additional E-cores that the i5-12600KF does so well compared to AMD's competing processors, with the 12600KF having 6 P-cores, plus 4 more E-cores, giving the chip a total of 10 cores and 16 threads (since E-cores don't support hyperthreading).
Granted, this does mean that the P-cores likely aren't as powerful on their own compared to AMD's cores in a "1-on-1" scenario, not to mention they still require more power. But ultimately, it's irrelevant; the 6p+4e combo places the CPU almost perfectly between the R5 5600X and R7 5800X with just a 1-2% performance margin on either side. But it only costs around £240-£260.
With the 5600X costing closer to the £300 mark and the 5800X being more in the region of £350-£400, it's a hard sell to choose an AMD part over Intel here.
That said, with all three processors offering remarkably similar performance, this one really is entirely down to pricing and availability - whichever you can get at the cheapest price is going to be the best choice. And in my books, that's not necessarily the worst predicament to be in. Speaking of which...
As we climb towards the top of the gaming CPU stack, the gap really is starting to close between contenders. In this case, we had to opt for a tie, with both the i7-12700KF and R7 5800X similarly offering some superb performance. Capable of racking up an average of 190+ fps at 1080p high-settings when paired with a suitably powerful graphics card, these two processors will do a sure-fire job of keeping you GPU-bottlenecked for quite a while.
If we were to talk productivity however, the story would be slightly different, with the 12700KF taking a definitive lead over the 5800X. That in itself would be enough to give us a clear winner, but our focus here was always on gaming, and seeing as the 12700KF is only 1.5% faster on average, that's hardly enough to call it.
Much like in our previous category, with both processors offering almost identical performance, the clincher here comes down to price once more, and it seems that currently that choice could be made on a coin flip - the Intel and AMD part can be found for as little as £360, or as much as £390, and stock still seems to be plentiful for both. So we'll let you be the judge on which you'd prefer in your own rig.
Although it's been a while since we've had a list so predominantly in favour of Team Blue, for our final category Team Red still manages to come out on top.
Even though it's by no means the fastest gaming processor on the market, with both the R9 5950X and Intel Core i9-12900K outperforming the 5900X, they only do so by a margin of 1% and 3% respectively. What's more, you'll be shelling out some serious cash for the privilege, with both CPUs retailing anywhere upwards of £580-£600, and in some cases even approaching the £700 mark. The 5900X, however, comes in at a comparatively cool £480.
That said, as mentioned previously, differences in gaming performance at this price point are nigh unnoticeable outside of benchmarks, with anything upwards of the 5800X offering almost identical performance. Once again, this is perfect proof that what we really need when it comes to gaming is powerful GPUs. As such, if you've got the cash spare to spend on a CPU in this price bracket, I'd be inclined to dissuade you from doing so, and would instead recommend saving the money for upgrading other parts of your system.
With so many different processors available right now, all spanning multiple generations, picking the best CPU for gaming is indeed tricky business. But hopefully this article has helped in clearing up some of that confusion, and has helped you to find where the best value and performance is for you and your budget.
But to round things off, and with everything compared and considered, we thought we'd leave you with our pick for the best of these processors overall.
For us, that trophy would have to go to the i5-12600KF. With performance almost on par with Core i7 and R7 processors, and only a few percent behind the i9 and R9 parts, it's pretty hard to argue with its ~£250 price point. With that said, and as mentioned earlier, we're still pretty excited to see how the 12400F turns out, and well, if it does manage to hit that £150 mark whilst delivering performance just shy of the 12600KF... we may just have to review this article...
If you enjoy posts like this one, or want to see more of them, then please do like, share, and join the discussion in the comments below!
Posted in Tech
Published on 18 Nov 2021
Last updated on 19 Nov 2021
08 Jun 2022
As a newbie to the world of custom-building, things can be a tad overwhelming at first. If this happens to be you, then fear not, as today we're starting a short series covering the basics of custom-building, discussing all you need to know when it comes to components, specs and all the relevant jargon...


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It’s a wake-up call morning in America.
How else would you characterize the series of sudden jolting events that have slapped us upside our collective heads and forced us to face the harsh light of a new game-changing day?
First came the 2017 Women’s March, which drew more than 4 million participants across the U.S. Then came the post-Harvey Weinstein sexual harassment reckoning, when women in Hollywood and beyond began speaking up about harassment, assault and gender-inequality and some very powerful men lost their jobs.
Then there was the 2018 Women’s March, where estimated crowds of 1.6 million to 2.5 million gathered to prove that this renewed interest in women’s rights was not a passing thing, and people were not going away quietly.
Which brings us to the latest alarm bell. This one is scheduled to toll on Wednesday, when students in San Diego and around the country will participate in the National School Walkout to protest the government’s inaction on gun violence.
Technically, the National School Walkout is in response to the Feb. 14 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., where a former student fatally shot 17 people with a legally purchased AR-15 rifle. The Parkland students and their growing #NeverAgain movement are also the driving force behind March For Our Lives, the March 24 protest that will take the call for gun-violence legislation to the streets of Washington, D.C., and beyond.
But like the women-powered #MeToo movement, the #NeverAgain young-people awakening did not come out of nowhere. It came after four mass shootings in less than two years, and it reflects a growing outrage that has turned yet another overlooked, chronically underestimated population into a force for change.
When the grief-stricken Parkland students started holding news conferences and lobbying politicians, they became the subject of skepticism and ridicule. What gives these kids the right to protest? Who made them the gun-control experts? Why should we listen to them?
Here are some of the reasons why.
Young people are becoming increasingly outraged about gun violence because they are some of the most frequent victims of gun violence. Three of our country’s deadliest mass shootings — Virginia Tech in 2007, Sandy Hook Elementary in 2012 and Parkland — have happened at schools.
Then there are just the daily gun-related deaths that are responsible for giving the United States the highest rate of murder or manslaughter by firearm in the developed world. According to the Centers for Disease Control, seven Americans age 19 and younger are killed by a gun on an average day in the U.S.
So one reason young people make good, passionate spokespeople for gun control is because they have a vested interest in keeping guns out of the hands of their friends and classmates. And for the survivors of the Parkland shooting, their passion and their social-media skills have given them the ability to call out America’s gun culture for the insane and deadly thing it is.
And they have plenty of alarming facts at their disposal.
According to a study by researchers at Harvard and Northeastern universities, violent crime is in steep decline in the U.S., but Americans have purchased 70 million firearms in the past two decades. Half of the country’s 265 million guns are owned by just 3 percent of the population.
A recent Quinnipiac University National Poll found that 66 percent of Americans support stricter gun laws, the highest level of support ever measured by the poll. And yet, the White House just released a gun-control proposal that includes arming some teachers and establishing a Federal Commission on School Safety, but backs off of President Trump’s initial support for banning bump stocks and raising the minimum age to purchase assault weapons from 18 to 21.
It’s a good thing they’re young and energetic, because the members of the #NeverAgain brigade have a long and frustrating march ahead. But another sign that they are the right warriors at the right time is an impressive string of early successes.
Last week, Florida Gov. Rick Scott broke with the National Rifle Association and signed a new set of gun regulations into law. In the wake of the Parkland shooting, Walmart, Dick’s Sporting Goods and L.L. Bean raised the minimum age for gun sales to 21, and Kroger and Dick’s said they would no longer sell assault-style rifles.
The National School Walkout is supposed to last just 17 minutes, in honor of the 17 people killed in Parkland. But the ramifications of the #NeverAgain movement could last a life-saving lifetime, and that is something worth standing up for.


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Appartements Cannes Centre Ville
Appartements Cannes Centre Ville is an apartment in Cannes within short distance of Musee National Picasso La Guerre et La Paix, Chateau de la Napoule and Palais des Festivals.
It takes about 20 minutes' drive to get to Nice, which is 27 km away. The property stands close to a port and just about 100 meters from Caveau 30, le.
The apartment comprises 2 rooms. Room facilities include free Wi-Fi, climate control, LCD TV, a balcony and a microwave. A private bathroom is at guests' disposal.
A kitchenette is provided.
A short drive from Côte d'Azur airport.

domain: travel


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"It meant somebody's going into a Cabela's or a Bass Pro Shop would have to wait," he said. "That was a practical issue with it."
Reh also said Beretta was concerned that, after the December massacre in Newtown, Conn., Manchin aligned himself with Sen. Chuck Schumer, "one of the most anti-gun senators in the history of the country."
"The fact that he had portrayed himself as a traditional pro-Second Amendment politician before and appeared to switch so quickly...is what caused me to second guess the credibility of his convictions," Reh said.
Beretta announced in February it was considering moving its operations elsewhere, after the Maryland General Assembly began considering an assault weapons ban.
West Virginia lawmakers soon began courting the gun maker. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Rick Thompson, who was then Speaker of the House of Delegates, sent a letter to Beretta.
Speaker Tim Miley, who was then House Judiciary Chairman, urged Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin to also reach out to the company.
"As we both know, the citizens of this great state overwhelmingly support the 2nd Amendment right to keep and bear arms," Miley said in his letter to Tomblin.
Reh said he knows West Virginia is a pro-gun state, but Manchin's actions are "an issue that we couldn't ignore."

domain: law


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Stay Safe, be bright, be seen!!
The Serfas Trident front light delivers reliable, versatile brightness plus a sleek, low-profile mounting system
Water-resistant silicone body with flexible mounting straps is easy to attach to your trucks.
4 modes provide a range of lighting options
Nondirectional beam covers a wider area
Max lumens: 100 (3 LED bulbs)
Charge Time: 3.5 hours
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USB rechargeable with Lithium Polymer battery
High performance motor belt by Gates - made in the UK. One of the best quality belts on the market providing fantastic power while running very quietly. These belts wear in beautifully actually making them better with age!
Your Evolve board already comes standard with this belt.
Our new super fast battery charger (with automatic shut down when charging is complete) will get you back on the road in approx. 80 minutes for a full recharge of our Bamboo Series boards or approx. 120 minutes for a full recharge of our Carbon Series boards.
Charge times will vary from board to board depending on battery capacity.
NOTE - This charger can only be used with the carbon series boards and the Gen2 bamboo series board (not the snub nose or pintail bamboo boards)
Safety first! A must for all rides. Low profile and light-weight helmet in dark grey. Protect your head in style. One size fits most.

domain: hobby


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STUART'S BUSES WORLDWIDE
For a full index of site contents click homepage. Thousands of photographs just a click away.
John Sinclair's Alexander Northern
When the massive Alexander & Sons Limited split up into three more manageable divisions in 1964 Alexander Northern became the operator for the East Coast, Aberdeen and the North Coast - Elgin, Banff and Nairnshire - along towards Inverness. This wonderful period of takeover, changeover and amalgamation was recorded by John.Read More

domain: history


The landscape of employee noncompetition agreements is in flux: most states allow such agreements and many states have enacted legislation that governs them. In Massachusetts, the legislature has considered proposed noncompete bills in each of the past eight years, but has yet to enact any such legislation. On January 20, 2017, a new noncompete bill was filed in the Massachusetts Senate, so it is clear that this issue remains active and that the Massachusetts legislature will continue to consider significant regulation of noncompete agreements in 2017. Additional regulation is being contemplated at the federal level. Employers need to ensure that any noncompete agreements they are using or considering are enforceable and effective, and be confident in their assessment of the impact of any such agreement applicable to a prospective employee. A noncompete agreement is a contract between an employee and his or her employer in which the employee promises not to compete with the employer for a specific period of time and usually within a prescribed geographical area if/when the employment relationship terminates. A noncompete agreement also may restrict an employee from soliciting or accepting business from clients of the former employer for a period of time after termination of employment. In most cases, the employer requires the employee to sign the noncompete agreement when the employee is first hired or receives a promotion, and it is a condition of employment.
Click here for the full article.


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Hey Nick, for those reading tell us a little about yourself...
Hello my name is Nick Pumphrey and at the moment i am based in St Ives, Cornwall... this could change at any given moment as I have twitchy feet and love adventures! Next week it could be my van parked up on some cliff in Portugal. Since I was 16 years old and at Art and Photography college my love for the simple act of composing a photograph has stayed very close to my heart. I have been fortunate to work with brands that I'm amped on like 'Rhythm',to supply images to the good hearts at 'Take 3 for the Sea' and 'The Seabin Project' for visual awareness on plastic pollution and to float around on a wedding day getting creative angles of a day that means so much to the couple. It has been 22 years since I put a black and white film into my Pentax, it has always been a pursuit of joy, and today it is a job of sorts that offers many different experiences, something that my ever curious soul can identify with.
Describe your photography style in 5 words.
Artistic. Moody. Movement. Documentary. Real.
What are some of your passions that influence your photography?
My passions that directly influence my photography would have to be the Sea, those that play in the Sea, and Travel to the Sea. Safe to say that I love the Sea!
Where is your favourite place to shoot?
I don't think that i have a favourite place in particular. As I said I do like to be around the ocean, for some reason that will always be my source of inspiration wherever I am in the world. More than anything, light is my favourite, that is when photography can become magic, those 2 hours either side of sunrise and sunset, the blue hour.
Have you any trips or exciting projects coming up?
At the moment it is a lot of weddings for work. I will use those to fund more creative and personal projects. I want to get photographs printed...big beautiful prints, not Instagram images that are forgotten after a swipe. Apart from that hopefully some adventures with some interesting folk, time to get emailing!
What is your preferred equipment to shoot on?
Well I shoot primarily with Canon and use Aquatech water housings. I have been falling in love recently with the Canon 85mm f1.2 when shooting in the water. So much light comes into the lens, it gets better and better as the day gets darker and darker. Really moody results, and as sharp as your eye sees.
What would you like viewers to take away from your work?
Photography for me is a very positive movement. In a way my photos have my character in them. They showcase the places I have been to, time spent with characters, and my personal style in which I have tried to expose them. If my photography inspires someone to surf, travel, pick up a camera or pursue a dream, if that resonates with them and they can take a bit of that positivity away into their life, then that is a cool thought.
Who are some photographers that you admire and respect?
Mickey Smith; even though today he is a busy musician (the man is a creative hub), his photography was always stellar and inspiring. He documented with heart over money. Check out 'Dark Side of the Lens' if you have not already!
Chris Burkard; all his photos make me want to pack my van and drive south or hop on a plane to discover and experience the beauty that our planet has to offer. He sparks adventure and captures frames from all corners of the planet.
Clark Little; who can't appreciate his angles under some of the heaviest shore break waves on the planet? A good example of playing to your strengths and thinking outside the box. I bet he is one of the most successful 'Surf Photographers' out there.
Woody Gooch; an Artist with a camera instead of a paint brush. Always inspired by his work, he is on another level altogether! Pushes me to think about what I do more.
What tips or advice would you give to someone wanting to get into photography?
Just to enjoy it for what it is. Whatever you do in life the best case is if it is done with love. Stay true to your style and passion but at the same time be smart and realise that you may have to do a couple of jobs that pay you your 'bread and butter'. This will allow you to be able to develop your path. Hopefully then as you progress you end up doing just the kind of photography that you were dreaming of. Always take photos, even if it is not paid work, it's always good to shoot and to treat everything with a positive mindset. It's amazing where one photo can lead to.
If you could shoot with one person, dead or alive, who would it be?
That is a hard one. Maybe an assignment to do a portrait of Will Ferrell. He is such a funny dude. I reckon i would be losing it with giggle fits!
Check out some of Nick's favourite shots and the story behind them
The daydream was crystal clear seas and manta rays, the reality was this man-made nightmare. Nusa Lembongan with my friend Michelle Van Dijk after the rain
This is my friend Diogo Appleton (@birdscandoit). He is becoming a great little board shaper. He surfs Thrusters,Twins,Singles,Logs and Finless with a style that most would envy
A snap of my first bikini shoot for 'Rhythm Girls' with Inka Williams. Of course the priority here is to see the bikini design, but for me i like the way the sea is moving around her, it gives the photo a little something more
The midday sun and small waves were boring to shoot. Once underwater the story was completely different
The colours or early summer and one last check of the waves before night falls
My home break Porthmeor Beach, St Ives. This part of the beach is where most of my youth was spent surfing and learning from the elders. I like the simple focus on the wave
Mike Lay and the hour after sunset
It's not always bigger waves that are interesting. Sometimes it's good to look down and close up!
Elsie taking time out from running 'Neon' wetsuits and 'Gilmores' cafe with a side order of Galician solitude
A commission for 'The Seabin Project' with Jessica Bouvier, to raise awareness of ocean plastic pollution in a more light hearted way


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The Coconino County Treasurer’s Office has now printed and mailed out tax bills for 2017.
While some of us might grudgingly pay taxes, most of us probably understand that taxes are the price of living in our society. We know taxes pay for roads, public education, law enforcement, safe buildings, fair elections and much more. And we expect that taxes will be assessed and collected in a fair and equal way.
What might be a surprise to you is to know how much work, time and expertise went into the creation of your tax bill, and what it takes to ensure fairness. Here is how that process works:

domain: finance


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What: Nevada state insect contest
Who: Open to all fourth-grade and Gifted and Talented Education classrooms
When: Essays are due at or before 5 p.m. Feb. 20
Where: Mail nominations to Judy Myers, School-Community Partnership Program Office, 5450 W. Sahara Ave., Suite 250, Las Vegas, NV 89146; e-mail to NevadaInsect@ccsd.net or fax to 702-799-6570
Details: State Sen. Joyce Woodhouse at firstname.lastname@example.org or 775-684-1481, or visit http://www.ccsd.net/partnership
After being one of eight states to have never chosen a state insect or butterfly, the state of Nevada will officially designate one in 2009 at the culmination of a school contest hosted by Truly Nolen of America, a pest control company with an office in North Las Vegas.
"I write a column that appears in a weekly newspaper in New Mexico, and while doing some research, we discovered the New Mexico state legislature adopted the tarantula hawk wasp as its official state insect in 1989," said Barry Murray, the company's spokesman. "We also discovered that selection of the insect was prompted by a group of Edgewood, New Mexico elementary school children doing research on states which had adopted state insects."
Armed with that knowledge, Murray discovered that Nevada was the one place where the company had an office without a state insect.
The selection is open to Nevada fourth-grade and Gifted and Talented Education classes. To participate, each class will need to submit a typed, one page, research-based essay supporting the nomination of an insect found in Nevada and the rationale for why that insect would be a good symbol for the state. The nominations must meet the scientific definition of an insect.
Entries will be reviewed by a panel of judges including an entomologist, representatives from the Nevada Department of Education, Truly Nolen's branch manager Stan Parris and other educational specialists, who will select the winning essay.
The Truly Nolen company will provide transportation to Carson City for select students and their teachers to testify in front of the appropriate legislative committees.
For more information about the contest, including downloadable forms with the contest's rules, visit http://www.ccsd.net/partnership
Truly Nolen was founded in 1938 and is based in Tucson, Ariz.


24V input to 14V@6A, Non Sync Buck LED Driver
It is a High current Non Synchronous buck DC-DC LED driver. The LM3409 uses Constant Off-Time (COFT) control to regulate an accurate constant current without the need for external control loop compensation. Analog and PWM dimming are easy to implement and result in a highly linear dimming range with excellent achievable contrast ratios. Programmable UVLO, low-power shutdown, and thermal shutdown complete the feature set.