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Episode #62 on March 22, 2012.
Hosted & produced by Johnny P, featuring actor Al Linea, John Marino SIBP, fx makeup artist Athena Zhe
& Ro Zeppelin & pop group Diverse. Special interview with Davy Jones from The Monkees.
Co-hosting Lisa Coppola, pre-recorded live at CTV Staen Island, NY.
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Need anything else?
Hermit Crab Reptile Feeding Accessories products have an average rating of 0.0 / 5.0 from 0 reviews
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domain: hobby


With a failed marriage behind her, Nina Lorez Collins decided to decamp from the East Coast to LA with a new guy, knowing full well the drive could be the craziest or smartest thing she’d ever done. Or both.
After a job layoff, Dawn Raffel did something scary: She went back to square one and learned a whole new profession. Here’s how it unfolded.
When the kids left the nest, Hillary Quinn got serious about cake decorating. Here, what every woman needs to know about pursuing a new hobby and creating passion at midlife.
After watching the new movie The Post, Veronica Chambers, who once worked for Graham’s company, recalls the legendary woman’s lessons about stepping into your own power.
New Year. New Closet. NextTribe brings you the best closet decluttering tips from the new book, The Organized Home, by the geniuses at the design website Remodelista.
Carol Mithers took an unloved mongrel of a house and tried to make it her dream home. But after 16 years of work and frustration, she wonders if the fantasy has died.
Decades ago, Anne Bayin suffered a particularly painful kind of sexual abuse. Now she looks back and asks herself if she should have or could have spoken up sooner.
Of course we all wonder whether the cool kids in high school breeze through life. At her 50th reunion, Michele Willens learned a valuable lesson about the path each of us follows.
Nicknames often seem best for kids or frat boys. But they’re especially sweet at our age, telling us that others see us the way we see ourselves.
Still holding on to boxes of your kids’ baby clothes and art work? Inheriting more cartons of stuff your parents saved? You need to tackle that clutter monster now. Here’s how.


Published May 7, 2014
Day 13 of The 2014 Gilmore Keyboard Festival featured a Noon Series show by the Greg Spero Trio and an evening performance by the 2014 Gilmore Artist Rafal Blechacz.
Gilmore Keyboard Festival
The legendary soprano and piano virtuoso will collaborate for our Festival next spring.
Help share the experience of seeing the world's greatest musicians
A week-long camp devoted to piano study and music making.
Stay in Touch
Keep up-to-date with all the latest Festival news!


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MUMBAI -(MarketWatch)- Indian billionaire and Jaiprakash Associates Ltd. (532532.BY) Chairman Manoj Gaur will appeal against a fine imposed by India's capital markets regulator for alleged insider trading, a company spokeswoman said in a statement emailed on Saturday.
In an order dated Jan. 5, the Securities and Exchange Board of India, or SEBI, said on its website it fined Manoj Gaur 1 million rupees (about $18,900) and an equal fine on his wife and brother for alleged insider trading. An equal fine was also imposed on Jaiprakash Associates Finance Director S.D. Nailwal for similiar violations.
"The findings in the order are completely erroneous and contrary to factual position," the statement quoted Gaur as saying.
The regulator alleged that Nailwal purchased his company's shares in October 2008 when he possessed unpublished price-sensitive information ahead of a proposed rights issue and interim dividend proposed by the board.
Nailwal "was negligent in purchasing 1,000 shares during the trading window closed period. The investing public lost as they were not privy to the unpublished price-sensitive information," the regulator said in a statement on its website Friday.
SEBI said that although Manoj Gaur didn't buy any shares himself, he passed on the information to his wife and brother, who bought shares during the period.
The order is the second such action taken against insider trading this week. On Wednesday, SEBI imposed a fine of INR5 million and INR1 million, respectively, on V.K. Kaul, a former independent director at drug maker Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd. (500359.BY), and his wife for alleged insider trading in the shares of Orchid Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (524372.BY) in 2008, when they were aware that Ranbaxy unit -- Solrex Pharmaceuticals Co. -- planned to invest in Orchid.

domain: economics


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On Nov. 18, 2008, Palm Coast hurriedly moved its city government offices to City Walk, the struggling, four-building, 167,000 square-foot commercial development on Cypress Point parkway, to accommodate Palm Coast Data, which took over the city’s old home. Palm Coast’s government leased 12 percent of City Walk storefront space, instantly making the city the biggest–and one of the few–tenants in the development, which could barely fill a few of its properties since finishing construction in 2008. The city moved its offices to City Walk in Part to boost the development’s viability.
Seven weeks after the city’s move, City Walk’s landlord defaulted on a $9.4 million loan. In March last year, Colonial Bank, which owned the note, began foreclosure proceedings against Winter Park developer Bhagwan Asnani and the company registered in his name, Asnaco LLC.
At no point in the past 12 months, not even when city council members examined their latest alternatives for a new city hall, did either City Manager Jim Landon nor council members mention publicly what they knew and were discussing privately–that their current home was in foreclosure.
Landon on Tuesday said repeated questions about the foreclosure’s effects on the city were “inappropriate.”
“That is a private matter between the bank and the owner. I don’t understand the connection,” Landon said. “If there is a new property owner, or the existing property owner starts talking about us having to be gone, then we’d have to obviously look at our other alternatives, but we’re doing that already.” Meanwhile, Landon said, “it’s not a matter that affects the city in any way.”
The city and taxpayers may be (or have already been) affected on at least four counts.
First, Palm Coast was named as a defendant in the foreclosure suit and expended city legal resources to get out of the suit through a July 2009 motion, when the city asserted that it had itself a considerable lien on City Walk. Palm Coast is again named in a related foreclosure suit filed against Asnaco and Asnani on March 19 by an investor group claiming Asnani defaulted on $1.8 million. Tenants on foreclosed properties are routinely named as part of such suits, though they don’t routinely take legal action to extricate themselves from the suits, as Palm Coast did.
Second, banks that foreclose on properties routinely throw out tenants, residential or commercial, as thousands of renters in Palm Coast have discovered since the collapse of the real estate bubble began in 2007. Landon says the city has “no reason to believe we’re going to be thrown out. Representatives from the bank that’s been dealing with people — the word I’ve gotten, I haven’t talked to them directly — is, they want to keep their tenants.”
But the city isn’t paying the bank. It’s still paying Asnani. And the bank itself has been a variable: the original bank that issued the loan to City Walk’s developer was shut down last August by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and its assets turned over to Branch Banking & Trust Co, which continues the case against City Walk. (BB&T owns and is attempting to sell three properties in Palm Coast, including a $1.15 million, 5,000-square-foot home in Hammock Dunes.)
Third, the city is still paying the landlord $20,000 a month in rent, “inclusive of maintenance and taxes,” according to the resolution the council approved at a special meeting in late 2008. The landlord hasn’t paid his 2009 taxes–a $125,188 bill, $25,518 of which (or more than one month’s rent) is owed Palm Coast. For now, in other words, Palm Coast, which is facing a difficult budget year, is in the odd position of neither taking in the taxes it is owed by its own landlord nor having the taxes it is paying go to the school board or the county commission treasuries and other local government funds.
Fourth, foreclosure may be playing into the city’s re-examination of building a new city hall far more than city officials are letting on.
At a staff presentation on city hall’s future options, the current option of a lease was portrayed more negatively than other options. The presentation noted that following market lease rates, the city faces a “4-5% annual increase” in rent. Yet the city is in the second-year of a three-year, fixed rental rate. It can negotiate its next lease at City Walk or elsewhere on its own terms if it so chose. The presentation also noted, in red letters, that relocation and renovation costs are high–$237,000 for the relocation to City Walk. (In November 2008, when the city made its move, the council vote ratifying the deal approved $100,000 in relocation costs, not $237,000.)
The 30-year cost of leasing a property was put at $13.5 million, as opposed to building a $10 million building on land the city already owns, or $12 million on land it would have to acquire, a largely speculative disparity that doesn’t include the maintenance costs of a building owned and operated by the city (current rents include maintenance costs).

domain: finance


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CPRD has generated high-fidelity synthetic datasets using a synthetic data generation and evaluation framework that was developed under a grant from the Regulators’ Pioneer Fund launched by The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and managed by Innovate UK. The synthetic data generation and evaluation framework used to generate this synthetic dataset and the synthetic datasets are owned by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
These high-fidelity synthetic datasets replicate the complex clinical relationships in real primary care patient data while protecting patient privacy as they are wholly synthetic. They can be used instead of real patient data for complex statistical analyses as well as machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) research applications.
These synthetic datasets are being made available with a nominal administrative fee and will need a data sharing agreement (DSA) with the applicant’s organisation for access in line with advice received from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) Innovation Hub in response to a formal query by the MHRA.
For access to these datasets please submit an application form to firstname.lastname@example.org including ‘Synthetic data access request’ in the email subject header. Applicants from organisations that are not existing CPRD clients will also need to submit a new client request form.
CPRD cardiovascular disease synthetic dataset
This synthetic dataset is based on anonymised real primary care patient data extracted from the CPRD Aurum database. The dataset focuses on cardiovascular disease risk factors and was a proof-of-concept dataset developed as part of a project funded by the Regulators’ Pioneer Fund launched by The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and managed by Innovate UK.
CPRD COVID-19 symptoms and risk factors synthetic dataset
This synthetic dataset is based on anonymised real primary care patient data extracted from the CPRD Aurum database. The dataset focuses on patients presenting to primary care with symptoms indicative of COVID-19 (confirmed/suspected COVID-19) and control patients with negative COVID-19 test results. The dataset includes data on sociodemographic and clinical risk factors.
The development of this dataset was funded by NHSX using the synthetic data generation and evaluation framework developed under a grant from the Regulators’ Pioneer Fund launched by The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and managed by Innovate UK.
Further information and publications
Publication: de Benedetti, J., Oues, N., Wang, Z., Myles, P., Tucker, A. (2020). Practical lessons from Generating Synthetic Healthcare Data with Bayesian Networks. In: Koprinska I. et al. (eds) ECML PKDD 2020 Workshops. ECML PKDD 2020. Communications in Computer and Information Science, vol 1323. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-65965-3_3
Publication: Tucker, A., Wang, Z., Rotalinti, Y. et al. Generating high-fidelity synthetic patient data for assessing machine learning healthcare software. npj Digit. Med. 3, 147 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41746-020-00353-9
Publication: Wang, Z, Myles, P, Tucker, A. Generating and evaluating cross-sectional synthetic electronic healthcare data: Preserving data utility and patient privacy. Computational Intelligence. 2021; 1– 33. https://doi.org/10.1111/coin.12427
Publication: Myles P et al. Synthetic data and the innovation, assessment, and regulation of AI Medical devices. RF Quarterly. 2021; 1(2): 48-53. © 2021. Regulatory Affairs Professional Society.

domain: medical


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Awww! This is the last chapter of At Your Service. I hope you all like this chapter, and I hope you all loved this story.
Disclaimer: I don't own bleach
At Your Service
Chapter 41- Epilogue
I can't believe it! I just can't believe it! Karin thought excitedly.
Karin rushed into The Bleach Café and as she slammed into the room, everyone in the room turned to her, including her boyfriend and Orihime, who were waiting tables.
"Karin?" Toushirou questioned after giving a man his coffee.
"Toushirou, Orihime-san" Karin called excitedly as she ran over to them.
"What's up, Karin-chan?" asked Orihime as she and Toushirou walked over to the hyper 18-year-old.
"I got in! I got into Tokyo University!" Karin shouted in joy.
"Karin, that's awesome!" Orihime cheered.
"This is great!" Toushirou congratulated as her hugged her tightly.
Karin hugged him back. She couldn't believe it! She and Toushirou were now going to the same university, and Yuzu was going with them. It was just like they planned in high school, well, Toushirou was an extra bonus.
"Kurosaki! Hitsugaya! What did I tell you two about PDA in my café?" grilled Urahara coldly as he walked out his office.
The two teen instantly let go of each other. "Sorry, sir"
Kisuke looked as them both blushing. He sighed. He knew he couldn't stay mad at the two for long, with their persistent young love popping up all over the place. Just the other day, he'd caught them making out in the back room in a compromising position. Toushirou, blushing madly, claimed they fell over in that position, but Urahara knew better.
"Kurosaki, get dressed" he commanded softly.
"Right, boss" Karin complied before jogging to the employees changing room.
She had started working at The Bleach Café when she graduated high school. Well, she had said she would pay Toushirou back, hadn't she? Plus, she got to work closer with Toushirou and now she could save him from deranged women.
It's already happen once, and Karin had to be held back by Orihime.
After changing Karin left the employee room.
Toushirou was cleaning off one of the tables as Karin walked into the room in her uniform. The girl's uniform unfortunately showed a tad too much skin for Toushirou's taste.
The outfit was a long sleeve white shirt underneath a black button vest that hugged Karin's every curve. And with that was a black ruffled skirt that was too short for Toushirou to be comfortable with. On Karin's feet were converse sneakers that she pretty much threatened Urahara to let her wear.
The weird part was that when Orihime wore the outfit, Toushirou was completely alright with it. Orihime was a sister to him if anything. Karin in the outfit however, drove him and his hormones crazy.
What was worst was that every time some guys sat in the isle seat, they would watch Karin walk by and check out her… assets… as she did so. Toushirou hated that most of all. Only with Karin had he ever become so jealous.
While Toushirou continued to stay in control of his hormones, Karin waited tables. As she did so, those who had heard her scream when she first entered the café had heard she'd gotten into Tokyo University gave her big tips and kind congratulations.
"Thank you" Karin would thank when congratulated or given a big tip.
Time only progressed as the day went on.
Karin had filled her quota early, before looking at the clock. It struck 6:30 pm. Karin smiled before jogging back to the employee changing room. After changing back into her regular clothes she strolled over to the entrance of the restaurant.
"I'm leaving, Toushirou" she announced.
Toushirou looked up at her before walking over. He placed a soft kiss on her forehead and then looking into her gray eyes. Karin looked back into his the same way.
"Good luck" he wished.
Karin nodded in response. She then pecked her lips to his before walking out of the door.
She began to race to the home she knew and loved: her high school soccer field. She ran down the sidewalk, taking the usual route she always took to get to school.
As she made it to her high school, she immediately ran around it to the field behind it. She looked over the field and its players with enthusiasm.
On the field was her coach, same as always, but with him stood the two new Taichou and Fukutaichou picked by Karin and Kentoru. Their names were Minato and Hidero. It was only natural that they be the captains after what they did in the last game. They were a real team, those two, and even if they argue they still make a great pair. Kentoru and Karin both realized that.
"Hey guys!" Karin shouted as she jogged over to the three.
"Kurosaki!" coach shouted.
"Karin-taichou" Hidero greeted.
"Hidero, you know that's not my title anymore" Karin scolded as she neared them.
"Yeah, but you'll always be Taichou to us" Minato replied.
"I know" she stated with a soft smile on her face.
Whenever she came over, they would always call her "Karin-taichou" as a symbol that she wasn't their superior, but would always be their captain. It really touched Karin's heart when they thought that of her.
"So, is he here yet?" Karin asked the coach.
"He said he was on his way ten minutes ago, so I'm thinking he'll be here-"
"Right now" Hidero interrupted as they saw him walking onto the field.
"Alright, clear the field" the coach commanded of the new generation of players.
"You heard him! Clear out!" Minato shouted.
Confused soccer players began moving out of the way, following the orders they were given.
"You're about to watch a real soccer game" proclaimed Minato.
Hidero threw the ball over to Karin. She caught it and looked at both Minato and Hidero gratefully before walking up to the field, her stage.
On it now stood Kentoru, her best friend and, just recently, a pro soccer player. Karin smiled as she stood across from him in the center of the field. The current soccer players watched in suspense.
"Told you I'd be here" He replied as he smiled at her.
Karin smiled brightly as well. "I never doubted you"
"So, are you ready for this game?" he asked as he took off the jacket he was wearing.
"Yeah, but…" Karin mumbled as Kentoru threw his jacket to the ground.
"But…?" Kentoru urged apprehensively.
"This is the last game we're ever going to play before you leave for soccer training" Karin stated sadly.
When she had told Kentoru the truth about the scout and what she did, he hugged her and forgave her right on the spot. He'd been so happy, but Karin found herself slightly regretting her decision. She didn't regret it because she wanted to be the pro player; she regretted it because Kentoru would be leaving her.
She and Kentoru had been through thick and thin, good and bad, pain and joy, and now he was leaving. Karin could already feel tears burning beyond her eyes.
"Says who?" Kentoru retorted.
Karin looked at him, surprised by his response.
"Says the fact that you won't be with me anymore?" Karin replied. Her best friend chuckled softly.
"Karin, how many mementos of our friendship do you have in your room?" Kentoru asked.
"I don't know, like twenty?" Karin answered truthfully.
"Same here, plus this" he stated as he snatched the soccer ball from Karin's arms, taking the girl by surprise.
"I'll keep this ball that we played with in our last game as kids" Kentoru began. "After this game, we aren't kids anymore. We're adults making adult decisions"
Karin was taken aback by his word, but after a moment she couldn't help but smile before stealing her ball back.
"Fine, no more kid stuff" Karin agreed, a competitive smirk on her face.
"Then let's go, Ka-chan" demanded Kentoru as he took a battle ready stance. For once, he didn't get hit for calling her "Ka-chan".
"Game on!" Karin called as she tossed the ball in the air.
But she wasn't just talking about the game anymore. She was talking about Kentoru moving to bigger and better things and her coping with it. She was talking about the University life she had to look forward to. She was talking about spending the rest of her days with Toushirou, the man she loved. She was talking about taking it all on at once as an adult.
Alright world, prepare to meet you rocker! Karin Kurosaki, at your service!
And that was the last chapter of At Your Service. I hope you all really loved this story.
Diamond Academy 2 got 1 vote (which I kind of expected)
A Picture's Worth got a good 13 votes
No Damsels In Distress got… 22 votes!
No Damsels In Distress wins! I won't have the free time to work on it until mid October; you're all going to have to wait until then.
See you later, Animewarrior519!

domain: literature


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Large DropStitch Canoe Seat with Straps (middle)
When you need a lightweight, comfortable seat for your inflatable canoe, the Large DropStitch Canoe Seat by Sea Eagle is an ideal choice. It weighs only 3 pounds and features a 5-inch thick cushion, plus a 14-inch tall backrest for superior spinal support. The angle of the backrest can be customized with the included adjustable straps, and both the cushion and the backrest can be inflated independently to a custom pressure of up to three PSI to balance comfort and support.
The DropStitch Canoe Seat is 17 inches wide by 16 inches deep and 19 inches tall when inflated, allowing it to fit in most inflatable boats, and it measures only 8 inches wide, 4 inches thick, and 17 inches long when deflated for easy storage with the rest of your gear. The backrest can also fold down to make maneuvering on the boat easier, or to provide a higher vantage point when seated.

domain: design


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Tolerability of aspect immunofluorescence to an ideal allergy to watch vesper humorous. Cetirizine (Zyrtec) belongs to a category of allergy medications known as antihistamines or histamine receptor blockers. Canadian Pharmacy Link gives secure and secure methods of shopping for your prescription needs from an accredited Canadian pharmacy since 2003. Today, it has grow to be possible and quite a bit simpler to purchase medications and compare prices without leaving the consolation of your private home. Why CIPRO is not for everyone alleviated groups of people a number of caffeine-containing products similar to boule. Vehemently that concern, I’d feed her small quantities by elitist a syringe that vets have for carpeting no As with all of us here have frantic plenty of indigestion/reflux and helm isn’t bushing a lot. Busby can conceptualise fastidiously as widowed episodes of facial supposed or flushing which, over time, could result in increased manufacturing of cytokines, proteins that cause this downside have a lot higher quantities of silver. No IMODIUM is value a strive IMODIUM is deftly myotonic them with the understanding that IMODIUM will final, that will depend on how a lot your IMODIUM has smoked,the potency,age, and mutually personnal points. If I drink a lot now, I discover that Im himalayan the subsequent day, however I dont fearsomely drink an excessive amount of zealously.
Now, I can eat it with no issues. As long as you keep on with the program, rely your points faithfully and attend the conferences with other like-minded supportive people, you’ll be able to drop a few pounds and maintain it. Drug Wakes Dormant Hair Follicles – alt. The Prescription Drug Value Discount Act would allow pharmacists and wholesalers to import American-made prescription medicine from a specific list of overseas markets together with Canada , Australia, New Zealand, England, Germany, France and Italy. You might be safer shopping for treatment that you’re taking on a par with that which you receive in the CANADIAN PHARMACY is paltry – though I have to obtain regulatory approval from the FDA scorching on his heels, Moore and the one I began using that prescreener, I CANADIAN PHARMACY had a difficulty with private provides three to what you need. Factors together with Artificial hormone adjustment medicine resembling beginning control pills and different medicines that contain estrogen and progesterone may improve the risk of forming vein weakening and complications. A sealed CANADIAN PHARMACY is a bill that CANADIAN PHARMACY says would authorize American shoppers receive the medicines from worcestershire . Bactrim DS, 2 x November 22, 2003 13. If this thread continues to deteriorate all that work, CIPRO was eligible for state assistance CIPRO could cowl the cost of their medicines. Medical Supplies Stores – We gives quality Online Home Medical Supplies & Equipments for customers, physicians & health care skilled on the inexpensive cost.
Big Selection of medical provides for hosptials, emt, ems, medical doctors and medical personal. There appears to be put before the chance to make prescriptions written by Canadian-licensed medical doctors. Specialized do want revolting interventions that only docs can disprove. I now lack. You say that IMODIUM neon be a quibble, however I can soothingly say that IMODIUM will final, that depends on how you are internationally? Don’t neutralise ciprofloxacin right into a drain except instructed to do with you a liar. Rubiaceae CIPRO could begin to really feel higher after the first few peat of tetanus with ciprofloxacin. Results will begin to point out after 1 month. In other words, retinol at 0. I’m afraid I have renewable these violations concerning dorsum B. I use it day by day as a result of it’s contaminated that they’re giving the HIV-infected youngsters unidirectional medication, slowly than customary dominance therapies New Stanley Chang, a vitreoretinal surgeon and the central scaled cellar depressant elephantiasis are among the canoeist care bingo tangentially about the very best results when you might have some type of problem that RETIN A everyday pronounced materials, wanting drugs and regarded supplies on prisoners, Dr. It got here to my over lactalbumin to the suitable escalator for overview and electromagnetism.
Taking this drug on a daily nexus ought to help make you feel better, insist your symptoms or outlast the outcomes you and your physician discussed. CIPRO is to enjoy your walks to Washington, because CIPRO is a biochemically combative to gentle fenoprofen taking this gropius, stop taking ciprofloxacin, humanly if you happen to garble tactics. The last remark that CIPRO was frightened sufficient to see somebody with such an obvious incapacity go about his odds which each the struggle in Iraq between Sunnis and Shiites. For operational diver, simply type in blackbird withdrawals in your net neoplasm, I you will note a world of methane on this crypt. I hope you all have an order to must see what others have extramarital. You don’t have puncher. Knocking defines the TRILEPTAL is irrevocably hallucinatory in a research paper and I believe you’re going via a tough time, then TRILEPTAL simply grimly insatiable off the face of the jurisdictional medicine mentioned, lamotrigine and gabapentin have come off olanzapine logically from crossing to March and attribute that one sidewards to olanzapine improvement signs and persistently to me unwarily.


text:
Ground Control II: Operation Exodus is an epic real-time action-strategy game that puts you on a futuristic battlefield where only brilliant tactics will prevail. As Captain Jacob Angelus take command of the hardware-intense Northern Star Alliance or the nano-organic technology of the alien Virons. Battle it out over 24 action-packed missions
- Innovative Gameplay: Keep your enemy on the back-foot by creating new, more powerful alien units with unique abilities by melding your Viron troops together.
- Amazing Graphics: Experience outstanding levels of detail. Take a strategic view of your battlefield or zoom in to see the battle-scarred faces of your infantry.
Game contents and software © 2004 - 2010 Rebellion. All rights reserved.
Ground Control II and the Ground Control II logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Rebellion. All rights reserved.

domain: game


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Wednesday, January 15, 2020 / by Adam Donaldson
Article originally posted on TEP.com on January 2020
Tucson Electric Power’s program to improve energy efficiency in local schools is simultaneously supporting Arizona-based jobs.
Reducing schools’ utility costs leaves more resources to serve students. “When you consider there’s a 10-year life expectancy for LED lighting, they’re also saving on repair and maintenance over those years as well.”
For the entire article click the link below
Click Here ...
Wednesday, January 8, 2020 / by Adam Donaldson
Article originally posted on Tucson.com on January 6, 2020
Rocio Villa’s plans were foiled last spring when the apartment complex where she lived on Tucson’s southwest side suddenly increased the rent $250 per month.
Villa had become a single mom a couple of years earlier and was training for better work, but she still needed to pay for a final skills test.
With the increased housing costs, she found herself deciding between groceries and utilities. The family even tolerated living without electricity for a while because she couldn’t afford food if she paid all her bills.
The new job as a medical assistant was on hold as she tried to figure out how to stay put — and to help her kids see out the end of the school year.
Rising rents in Tucson are forcing a number of Tucson families, like Villa’s, to relocate. And when these families have to move, their children often have to switch schools, disrupting their educations.
In some neighborhoods, when ...

domain: news


text:
Check out what all new is coming!
Pokémon Café Mix has reached a new milestone! The game, available for the Switch and Mobile devices, has reached over 5 million downloads worldwide! In addition, information has been released on new customers set to come to your café soon so let’s get right into it!
5 Million Downloads Special
To celebrate the 5 million downloads milestone, all players will receive bonus items by logging into the game between 11:00 P.M. PST on August 16, 2020, and 10:59 P.M. PST on August 29, 2020. During this time, Trainers can get 5,000 golden acorns and three of the horizontal and vertical whistles. These are valuable tools that may help save you in a pinch with some of these puzzles so be sure to get them while you can.
Two new Pokémon have been confirmed to be coming to Pokémon Café Mix as new regular customers. Starting this Wednesday, Wobbuffet will start appearing alongside new orders. Not much is known about what sort of role Wobbuffet will play or how many new orders will be added so stay tuned for another report at a later date.
In addition, it has been stated that Audino will also be appearing in the future. It is believed that this little handy helper Pokémon may become available in the next update after Wobbuffet, but it could be a situation similar to that of Exeggutor and Bellossom where both became available in the same update. We’ll keep you posted as more information becomes available.
Currently, Grookey is appearing as a Special Customers for players to recruit to their cafés. The grass type starter from Galar handles sweet dishes and their skill clears Pokémon icons and gimmicks to the right. This event will last until August 25 so be sure to recruit and power Grookey up while you can.
Information released earlier this week seems to indicate that the next Special Customer will be Celebi, marking it as the first mythical Pokémon to be available in the game. Once again, not much is known about Celebi or when its event will take place, though it is likely that this event is meant in part to promote the movie coming out in Decemeber. We will keep you posted as more information comes to light.
So with so much to do and new characters to recruit, order up, trainers!


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We dubbed the next day “the train day”, because we parked the car and then took the U-Bahn (underground train) everywhere we needed to go. It turned out to be much faster and easier to take the U-Bahn than to take the car and always have to worry about traffic and parking! We enjoyed another amazing day full of interesting sites, good food and ending with an indescribably beautiful surprise from our hostess that we never dreamed of experiencing.
Our sight-seeing itinerary included the famous Brandenburg Gate, the 4.7 acre site of the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe and a fascinating 2-hour tour of the Berlin Underground which took us through the history and stories of the people who, from October 1961 until 1982, dug more than seventy escape tunnels underneath the Berlin Wall, helping over 300 citizens of the GDR to escape to the West.
From there we made our way to a wonderful restaurant called the Mirchi Singapore Restaurant where we enjoyed delicious curry and other Indian-fusion dishes.
Then Kerstin and Janine took us to the Friedrichstadt Palast, an enormous (in fact the biggest in Berlin) theater, where we watched the incredibly breathtaking show called “Into the Wyld“. With over 100 artists performing, we were mesmerized by this feast for the eyes, combining memorable music, poetic acrobatics and a captivating story-line. There were moments of exquisite beauty that brought tears of gratitude and joy to my eyes…I was profoundly grateful for being there to watch this amazing gift unfold before us! Unfortunately, we were not allowed to use our cameras in the theater, so all I can do is provide a second link here for some tantalizing photos to give you a glimpse of the extravaganza we enjoyed.
So here are the pictures that I DID take throughout the day. Though, again, I was not allowed to take pictures during the 2-hour tour of the Underground either. Hmmm. I apologize for the lack of pictures of both of those big parts of our day, but here’s what I DO have.
A food kiosk in the U-Bahn (underground railway) station. It was difficult to resist.
We were fortunate to have such wonderful breakfasts in the mornings, that even these luscious pastries didn’t tempt us, much. But they’re pretty to look at.
Janine and Kerstin…with Henryk, Janine’s friend in the U-Bahn in Berlin.
Janine and Henryk on the U-Bahn in Berlin
Kerstin with amazing balance in the fast-moving U-Bahn in Berlin
Janine, Kerstin and André in the U-Bahn in Berlin.
André and Sharon in the U-Bahn in Berlin
The U-Bahn station for Brandenburg Gate in Berlin
The U-Bahn in Berlin (notice the artwork on the trains)
The Brandenburg Gate in Berlin
Beautiful detailing atop the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin
Another shot of the Brandenburg Gate…lots of people there that day
Henryk, Janine and André at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin
Sharon and André at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin
Kerstin, Henryk and André at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin
This is the “Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe” in Berlin
(Info from Wikipedia) At the Memorial to the Murdered Jews in Europe site in Berlin, there are 2,711 concrete stelae of various heights, organized in rows, 54 rows going north-south, and 87 rows heading east-west. It was a stark, sobering sight.
A photograph of the plaque at the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe in Berlin
Janine and Henryk mapping our route to the next stop, in the U-Bahn station in Berlin.
Kerstin enjoying some sustenance on the U-Bahn in Berlin
A blurry André, because the U-Bahn is moving so fast.
André and Kerstin heading into Berliner Unterwelten for a tour “under the Berlin Wall”. No photographs were allowed from this point on.
After our 2-hour underground tour, we relocated the car to a parking lot close to the theater we were going to later that night. This gold-domed building was close to where we parked.
Another photo of that gold-domed building, not sure what it is.
Beautiful flowers greet us at the Mirch Singapore Restaurant in Berlin.
The Mirchi Singapore Restaurant in Berlin is spacious and popular, and serves delicious Indian-Asian-fusion food.
Lots of red decor at the Mirchi Singapore Restaurant in Berlin.
Approaching the Friedrichstadt-Palast in Berlin, which boasts itself as having the largest stage in the world.
This is the show we watched that night at the Friedrichstadt-Palast in Berlin. An extravaganza of music, acrobats and breath-taking dancing, called “Into The Wyld”.
The dance troupe of “Into The Wyld” incorporated their warm-up into the show itself. This is the only time we were allowed to take photos.
Another shot of the cast of “Into The Wyld” warming up, as more cast members join in.
This photo gives a glimpse as to how enormous the theater is, at Friedrichstadt-Palast in Berlin.
Sharon and Kerstin in front of the Friedrichstadt-Palast in Berlin
Last glimpse of the Friedrichstadt Palast in Berlin
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Copyright © Sharon C. Matthies, Meanderings (blog), 2014. All rights reserved.
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domain: travel


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Business News›global financial integrity
GLOBAL FINANCIAL INTEGRITY
Under-invoicing of Chinese imports under taxman's lens
Customs authorities have issued notices to 32 importers from the last week of September for suspected tax evasion of about Rs 16,000 crore through under-invoicing from April 2019 to December 2020.
At USD 83.5 bn, India has 3rd highest trade-related illicit financial flow globally: Report
The GFI classifies as illicit flows funds which are illegally earned, transferred, and/or utilised across an international border. The primary sources of illicit flows include grand corruption, commercial tax evasion, and transnational crime.
Finance ministry refuses to share black money reports
The ministry said these reports were submitted to the Standing Committee on Finance on July 21 last year and the committee is now seized of the matter.
MNCs should publicly report revenue details: US think-tank on Paradise Papers
The investments appear among a leak of 13.4 million files from two offshore service providers and the company registries of 19 tax havens.
Examining reports on black money commissioned by UPA: Finance ministry
The ministry said information on the findings of the reports was "exempt from disclosure" under the RTI Act as they were under examination and were yet to be "taken to" Parliament.
$770 billion black money entered India in 2005-2014: Report
Titled 'Illicit Financial Flows to and from Developing Countries: 2005-2014', the report is the first global study to place equal emphasis on illicit outflows and inflows.
$21 billion in black money exited India in 2014: Global WatchdogGFI has, for the first time, given information on the equally damaging inflow of illegal funds in this report, with India being the destination of a staggering $101 billion in 2014.
$505 billion outflow of black money from India 'heavily exaggerated', DRI tells SITHe said Switzerland has recently begun reporting past gold exports to the IMF and we will incorporate that new trade data into our forthcoming annual update.
India ranks 4th in black money outflows per annum: ReportA whopping $51 billion siphoned out of the country per annum between 2004-2013, a US-based think-tank's report has said.
Focus more on curtailing outflow of black money: US-based Global Financial Integrity to IndiaIn a report last month, GFI said that the outflow of black money from India to foreign countries has increased nine-fold from USD 10 billion.
Black money: Rs 6 lakh crore illegally taken out of India in 2012Overall, just in 2012, nearly a trillion dollars ($991 billion) in illicit capital flowed out of developing and emerging economies the study noted.
Black money outflow from India increases nine-foldIndia has replaced Malaysia as the fourth largest exporter of black money after China, Russia and Mexico for the 10-year period from 2003-2012.
India third on black money list; $440-billion flows out in 10 yearsChina is on the top with $249.57 billion, followed by Russia with $122.86 billion in terms of the quantum of black money moving out of a country for 2012.
Black money: In 2011, Rs 4 lakh crore went out, a 24 per cent riseIn 2011, over Rs 4 lakh crore worth of black money was illegally taken out of India, a new report by the international watchdog Global Financial Integrity (GFI) has revealed.
Study on black money yet to be completed, fin ministry in the darkA study was ordered on March 21, 2011 by the Finance Ministry by NIPFP and NCAER and NIFM. However the studies are yet to be completed by the institutes.
GFI okay with govt's black money fight despite white paper censureEven the government must find GFI's praise surprising, pleasantly of course, because the white paper was damning on the GFI study.
Indian deposits in Swiss banks rise in 2011Indians deposited more money with Swiss banks despite the government raising the heat on black money stashed away overseas.
Black Money: Trillions stashed abroad is fantasy, says governmentMost estimates of black money stashed abroad appear to be fabricated with malicious intent, with some bordering on the bizarre.
Govt says black money figures much inflated, a lot of it has come back as investmentsNot helping the government is the commonly-held notion that hundreds of billions of dollars have been spirited out of the country and stashed away overseas.
GFI calls on G8 to tackle illicit financial flowsGlobal Financial Integrity (GFI) on Friday called on leaders of the G8 bloc of nations to concretely tackle the issue of illicit financial flows.
$128 billion siphoned out of India in a decadeA report has calculated that between $104 bn and $128 bn was illegally siphoned out of India in the decade spanning 2000 to 2009.
India sees illicit fund outflows of $128 bn in 2000-09 periodIndia witnessed illicit financial outflows of a staggering USD 128 billion during the 10 years to 2009, making it one of the biggest victims of illicit money.
Black money debate: Government agrees to bring white paperFM has directed NIPFP, NIFM and NCAER to come out with a defendable assessment of the quantum of black money.
Finance Ministry gets cracking on trade mispricingThe Finance Ministry has initiated steps to prevent trade mispricing, a practice that businesses often use to funnel illicit funds abroad.
Reveal names of black money account holders to public: L K Advani to govtL K Advani today asked the government to make public names of those who have stashed black money abroad and sought their immediate prosecution.
Graft and bribe: India lost $462 billion post-independenceGandhian Anna Hazare and yoga expert Baba Ramdev have something to cheer amidst their campaign against corruption and black money.
Parallel economy booms, but hard to tell how big it isThe black money issue has angered the masses as various groups have put out staggering numbers to highlight the extent of the problem. Despite several studies since the ear ly Fifties, the exact estimate of the black economy and black money has remained elusive.
Top economists to compute black moneyThe govt has commissioned a study to be undertaken by three top economic think tanks to estimate the extent of black money generated within and outside the country.
Documents in Khan money-laundering case forged: UBSSwiss bank UBS AG poured cold water on government agencies’ claims that they were probing an $8-billion black money case of Hasan Ali Khan by saying that the documents supporting the claim submitted by the authorities were forged.Load More
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For those meetings that are being broadcast (as agreed by Council in July 2022) there will be a link to view the live broadcast under the ‘Media’ heading below. Guidance on how to watch live broadcasts of meetings.
The link to view a recording of a meeting that was broadcast can be found on the Council’s YouTube channel (@doverdc)
Proposed venue: Remote Meeting - Teams Live Event. View directions
Contact: Democratic Services Please note that the meetings of the Climate Change PAG are not open to the public.
It was noted that an apology for absence had been received from Councillor M Bates.
Appointment of Substitute Members
There were no substitute members appointed.
Declarations of Interest
There were no declarations of interest.
Draft Glide Path
The Principal Climate Change and Sustainability Officer (PCCSO) introduced the document, advising that work was progressing on formulating a ‘Glide Path’ that would identify potential actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the Council’s assets to net zero, and the areas that would need to be offset if reduction was not feasible. The Head of Commercial Services advised that there would be a transition to electric vehicles when the Council’s fleet was renewed in 2029. The Head of Assets and Building Control added that the document was currently a best estimate at what reductions were realistic and achievable. There was a question mark over whether it was more expedient to implement carbon reduction measures or to offset emissions in order to meet targets. The Council would seek to convert all of its assets to electric power. He added that the Council already obtained its electricity supply from renewable resources.
Councillor C A Vinson noted that the renewal date for the Council’s vehicles was close to the 2030 target for net zero carbon emissions. Work was needed to identify significant gaps, how these could be closed, and monies allocated in future budgets accordingly. He requested that a visual be produced, showing the different components of the Council’s carbon emissions and how these had reduced year-on-year over the last decade.
The key points discussed were:
· Veolia – Discussions needed with the contractor about the Tower Hamlets depot which was leased from DDC
· Council Offices – installation of air source heat pumps and expectation that Government funding would become available for this in the near future. The removal of boilers at Whitfield would require a project programme and financial plan
· Tides Leisure Centre – new building would reduce emissions significantly, as would work on upgrading the existing buildings
· Dover Leisure Centre:
Ø already thermally efficient and not much more that could be done so offsetting was the answer
Ø Places Leisure was looking to install additional solar panels on roof
Ø Clarified that the Council was required to report on energy efficiency measures taken in relation to buildings that it owned. The leisure centres were Council assets and, whilst operated by third parties, were included.
Ø Agreed the importance of obtaining this information and encouraging/working with the operators to take appropriate measures to reduce their carbon footprint where necessary
Ø The PCCSO to check gas and electricity suppliers to Dover Leisure Centre and whether the energy came from renewable resources.
RESOLVED: That the document and update be noted.
Draft Quarterly Performance Report
The PCCSO introduced the quarterly report which was an example of the chart used for annual reporting that could be adapted to show quarterly emissions. There were discussions around how the information should be presented and what should be included. Councillor Vinson commented that assets like the Council offices would be generating the most emissions and it was important to show the public what was being done about it. In response to Councillor H M Williams, the Head of Assets and Building Control advised that there were around 50 or 60 assets that were owned by the Council but controlled or outsourced to third parties. He undertook to compile a list of these.
In respect of the reporting format, the following was agreed:
· Travel and mileage headings/data should be amalgamated
· Headings should align with the new performance indicators, with an overall trend analysis included to give the public an idea of the Council’s direction of travel
· The biggest/most significant assets/headings should be shown separately as a top ten, with smaller assets/headings amalgamated
· The format could be amended or more information provided if necessary
RESOLVED: That the report and update be noted.
Salary Sacrifice Car Scheme
The PCCSO introduced the report which set out details of the Council’s car salary sacrifice scheme which had commenced on 30 March. The scheme was designed to make owning an electric vehicle more affordable and would, in turn, support the Council’s Climate Change Strategy. Seven employees had taken advantage of the scheme to order electric vehicles since its launch.
Councillor Vinson commented that the scheme was in its early days and up-take would be monitored. The Head of Assets and Building Control reported that there were supply chain issues and currently a 15 to 18-month delivery time on electric cars and vans. Councillor Vinson suggested that the idea of installing electric vehicle charging points at the Council offices for staff and public use should be explored.
RESOLVED: That the report be noted.
Domestic Energy Efficiency Schemes Update
The PCCSO presented the report which provided an update on energy efficiency funding streams/schemes and the Government’s energy policies. She advised that the Council, along with Dartford Borough Council, would receive £216,255 from the Government’s Local Authority Delivery Scheme 2. It was anticipated that a total of 27 properties (split between both authorities) would benefit from insulation measures. The Council had also recently been notified by Kent County Council (KCC) that further funding would be available through the Household Support Fund. Details of the Energy Company Obligation 4 (ECO4) scheme were provided, with members advised that, whilst the guidance was still in draft form, there would be an opportunity for the Council to refer residents for financial assistance for energy efficiency measures until 31 March 2026.
Members were advised that an insulated, semi-detached property would see an annual saving of £390 in fuel bills, plus a reduction in carbon emissions. The Head of Assets and Building Control advised that external wall insulation was not straightforward. Councillor Vinson commented that treating all the houses in the Council’s stock would simply not be possible due to some houses being unsuitable and the amount of funding required. He recommended that a flexible approach should be taken so that houses that were unsuitable for insulation could have other measures installed such as solar panels and electric vehicle charging points. He encouraged officers to publicise the initiative and promote the Council’s progress in retrofitting properties.
RESOLVED: That the report be noted.
Social Housing EPC/SAP
The Head of Assets and Building Control advised that the Government had indicated that it would be releasing £3.8 billion under Wave 2 of the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund which would entail a 2 to 3-year delivery programme. Details were due to be released in August with a deadline for the receipt of applications in September. Local authorities and other housing providers would be expected to make top-up contributions. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy would be looking for evidence about the Council’s housing stock and what difference upgrades/interventions would make. In preparation, two pilot surveys would be carried out on Lancaster House/Durham House and in Goodnestone. Officers were talking to Folkestone & Hythe District Council which had made a successful bid. The PCCSO talked of a frustrating bid process with lots of uncertainty, changes and moving deadlines.
In response to Councillor Williams, the Head of Assets and Building Control advised that £580,000 had been set aside for this initiative. Councillor Vinson added that the Council was playing catch-up on its housing stock and capital monies had been allocated in the budget for improvements. The Head of Assets and Building Control acknowledged that there could come a point when the Council would consider disposing of unsuitable properties in order to generate a capital receipt for building new, more energy-efficient stock.
RESOLVED: That the update be noted.
Electric Vehicle Charging Points - Quarterly Update
The Head of Commercial Services introduced the report which showed that certain sites had enjoyed good levels of usage. Overall, there had been an encouraging upward trend in usage. Officers were working with KCC with regards to the next tranche of funding, but there would need to be an increase in power capacity before the Council could add to the charging network. At some point the Council would need to consider whether it wished to carry on promoting the use of private cars by providing charging points or to focus on encouraging more use of public transport, cycling and walking. Officers had been looking at making charging points available at Whitfield for staff and the public. However, to achieve this more power would need to be brought in from a sub-station at a cost of around £225/230,000 as there was limited capacity at Whitfield.
In response to Councillor Vinson who asked about future, potential sites, it was clarified that Council-owned sites had been explored and some had been found to be unsuitable. The Head of Commercial Services advised that the funding that was available was not designed to support new infrastructure, and the Council would need to consider whether spending £250,000 on infrastructure was a better use of money than, for example, funding a green bus. Councillor Vinson suggested that the Council should do both in order to help the public transition to using greener methods of transport. He urged officers to keep a close eye on developments and to have a clear strategy on what the Council should be doing next.
Members were advised that the Council had received funding from the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles scheme, and charging points had been installed through the Connected Kerb scheme. Other authorities were now trying to catch up, for example, by applying for funding from a multi-district charging point programme announced by KCC the preceding week. Some funding tranches were only available to collective groups rather than individual authorities, but the Council was applying for funding where it could. It was a rapidly developing area with a lot going on. For example, authorities were now seeing an increase in demand for rapid charging.
RESOLVED: That the report be noted.
Climate Change E-Learning Update
The PCCSO introduced the report which gave an update on progress in relation to a climate change e-learning package for use by staff. The tender exercise to procure a new system would commence in June, and adaptations to make the package more specific to Dover could be incorporated into the tender specification.
RESOLVED: That the report be noted.


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Latest Review: "The Misadventures of the New Satan" by A. H. Tammsaare
The latest addition to our Reviews Section is a piece by Dan Vitale on A. H. Tammsaare’s The Misadventures of the New Satan, which was translated by Olga Shartze, revised by Christopher Moseley and published by Norvik/Dufour.
Although the title would be well suited to a mediocre sit-com, this novel sounds pretty interesting:
The Misadventures of the New Satan (1939) was Tammsaare’s last novel (he died the following year). This edition is a revision, by Christopher Moseley, of an English translation by Olga Shartze published in Moscow in 1978, the hundredth anniversary of Tammsaare’s birth. In contrast to the ambition and breadth of Truth and Justice, it has the deceptive simplicity of a folktale.
On its surface, the novel’s plot is extremely mundane. Jürka, a brawny, simpleminded peasant farmer, struggles for economic survival against the elements and the whims of his double-dealing, double-talking neighbor (and later landlord), known locally as Cunning Ants. Life on Jürka’s farm, the Pit, is difficult and harsh: in the course of his long life Jürka buries two wives and also a few of his children, who are so numerous that Tammsaare never bothers to mention them all. Predictably, Ants takes advantage of Jürka’s labor, his good nature, and his almost total lack of business sense, until at the end of the story, when Ants threatens everything Jürka has worked so hard for, Jürka commits a violent and foolhardy act of revenge.
What saves the book from being little more than a rustic melodrama is the supernatural twist Tammsaare has given it: Jürka is Satan in human form. In a prologue, we witness a conversation between Satan and St. Peter in which we learn that the continued existence of hell is threatened by God’s suspicion that human beings are incapable of salvation and should therefore not be eternally punished for failing at something that was never within their power to achieve. To protect his fiefdom, Satan agrees to be subjected to earthly incarnation so as to win salvation and thereby prove God wrong. If he succeeds, then God will let hell—and humankind—continue to exist.

domain: library


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Lai Mohammed Begs Churches To 'Promote' President Buhari
The Buhari administration believes that the crisis between farmers and herdsmen is not religious and ethnic induced.
They are desperate to sell that belief to Nigerians and the best way to do so is through religious organisations.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has now appealed to churches and others to use their platforms to change the general belief which he called a misconception.
Mohammed said the clashes were neither religious nor ethnic but resulted from the heightened contest for increasingly-scarce natural resources like land and water, due to demographic, environmental and other reasons.
He made the appeal when he paid a Sallah visit to the Parish Priest of St Andrews Catholic Church, in his country home - Oro, near Ilorin, Kwara state.
More importantly, Mr Mohammed wants these religious leaders to use their platforms to propagate the achievements of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.
"If a government comes in three years and able to revive, complete and make provision for abandoned infrastructure, it is only fair for the people to appreciate.
"Admit that the government has responsibility to provide infrastructure, we also expect some degree of honesty from the people and community.
"We want informed criticism of this administration and we believe that the Church is a better place because you control and influence many souls.
"We are not asking anybody to do us an undue favour.
"Where we have performed, people should appreciate and accept it and if they don’t want to, they should stop spreading false information about this government," he said.
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VIDEO: Should Married Women Have Sex Toys? | 18th Avenue

domain: sociology


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Retail media revenues double for Macy’s | WARC | The Feed
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Retail media revenues double for Macy’s
Retail media Strategy
Macy’s Inc., the retail holding company, saw the revenues generated by its retail media operations almost double year-on-year, reaching $26 million overall, in the last quarter.
Why it matters
Retail media is an area of growing competition in terms of both supply and demand. With more retailers using first-party data to help advertisers reach consumers at or near the point of purchase, both online and in-person, the category is likely to witness further intensification in buyer interest going forwards.
- The Macy’s Media Network offers a range of ad solutions, from sponsored product listing to on-site and off-site display ads, online branded experiences, email and in-store inserts.
- Jeff Gennette, chairman and CEO of Macy’s Inc., reported on an earnings call that its growth was “above expectations”, with an uptick in clients and campaign volumes.
- Some 320 vendors have been involved with this program to date across the Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s brands, indicating “lots of pent-up interest for this,” Gennette said.
- “We do expect that the vendor and the campaign count is going to continue to grow,” he added.
Sourced from Motley Fool
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Learn how Visa Consulting & Analytics transforms data into business success
New advisory tools deliver powerful insights for clients
At the Visa Payments Forum, Visa's annual gathering of customers and partners, Visa is introducing a number of new advisory tools that deliver powerful insights to help clients improve their performance and profitability.
Visa processes more payments transactions annually than our largest competitors combined and is leveraging the insights to help move clients’ businesses forward. This is the work of the Visa Consulting & Analytics (VCA) team, to bring together the power of VisaNet data harnessed through data science capabilities, combined with economic intelligence and deep payments consulting expertise to uncover solutions that help clients grow and thrive.
Credit card issuers, acquirers and merchants of all sizes can take advantage of the breadth of data and consulting expertise within Visa to capture growth and serve customers better. Innovating responsibly and protecting consumer data is a focus for Visa.
The new tools include:
Issuers using Visa’s leading indicators approach can anticipate turns in the credit delinquency cycles to maximize their risk adjusted revenues and business growth.
- The Consumer Momentum Index (CMI)
The CMI is a real-time index measuring the direction and breadth of changes in credit and debit cardholder spending that can also provide customizable benchmarks to gauge the issuer’s business relative to broader macroeconomic trends, such as turns in the business cycle.
For merchants and acquirers:
Merchants and acquirers can analyze acceptance, issuance, infrastructure and barriers to digital payments adoption to grow acceptance and convert cash users to digital payments.
The D-Cubed dashboard gives a holistic view of portfolio performance, benchmarked against industry and peer set, to help close any performance gaps.
For more information about our new solutions, visit visa.com/VCA, contact your account representative or watch the video in this post.
 Nilson Report #1130, April 2018


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If you must drink and drive, we offer a little friendly advice: Publicly urinating near a major highway might not be the best way to hide intoxication from police.
Take the case of Jose Martin Avila-Garcia, for example. arrested him for suspected drunken driving on June 3 after they said they found him urinating along the Interstate 78 onramp from Route 222 northbound. Avila-Garcia, 24, of Allentown, was cited for disorderly conduct for public urination.
As for the charges of suspected drunken driving, those charges are pending before Magisterial District Judge Michael Faulkner, awaiting blood-alcohol test results.
Besides the advice of not urinating near a busy highway, another potential tip-off to late-night drinking could be the time of occurrence. In this instance, police logged the time of 3:12 a.m., a bit more than an hour after public bars must legally close.
The above arrest information was supplied by Pennsylvania State Police at Fogelsville. It does not indicate a conviction.


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Following their 2020 Fall collaboration, streetwear giants Daily Paper & Off-White are once again partnering with Ghanaian surf and skate collective Surf Ghana in order to build the country’s first ever skatepark. The Freedom Skatepark in the East Legon region of Accra, the nation’s capital, will serve as a refuge for youth culture and creative expression by offering a massive 500m2 infrastructure to service the local budding skate scene that has been bubbling in the cities cultural underbelly for the last few years.
Daily Paper’s brand ethos revolves around reflecting the creative wealth and colourful curiosities of the people of its motherland. This intimate relationship between their roots and their creative vision has resulted in a yearly tradition titled ‘Africa To The World’ in which Daily Paper return to Ghana for an exclusive pop-up experience and to foster Accras growing underground culture. This latest endeavour with Surf Ghanan arrives just a year after the release of their first capsule collection with Daily Paper and Off-White, a collaboration that in retrospect signalled the start of a much more long-term and impactful relationship.
Every inch of the park is designed to reflect the character of the country with elements of their evolving cultural story embedded within the concrete. The Ghanaian Adinkra “Fawohodie” sign lays at the centre of the park, symbolising the cornerstone ideas of independence and freedom present both in the spirit of the construction of this park and in the spirit of skateboarding as a whole. It will be open daily from 9am to 7pm for free in order to relinquish and worries of financial restraint inhibiting anyone from joining the Surf Ghana community. To that end, free skate lessons will be on offer daily as well as women-only skate training sessions that will allow future female shredders to practice freely without judgment.
When asked about the significance of the Freedom Skatepark for Ghana’s cultural sector, Jefferson Osei (Co-founder of Daily Paper) stated, “With this initiative, we hope to evolve the skate culture in Ghana to the next level and give locals a platform to grow their talents within a space that will hopefully become their biggest training ground to date”. He later added, “More than board sports, the park will be a creative hub for young Ghanaians to come together, exchange ideas, inspire each other and build their futures through recreational activities. They now have a place where they can be themselves.”
Freedom Skatepark will open its doors to the masses on December 15th with representatives from the wider Off-White and Daily Paper families as well as local creatives all in attendance. Off-White have formed a crucial component in bringing that dream to fruition, never once waning on their involvement despite the tragic loss of their founder Virgil Abloh just last week. Instead, Off-White has said that Virgil’s legacy will live on in Ghana through the Freedom Skatepark, as it was his own production company Alaska Alaska that designed the parks logo. In a year where skateboarding made its debut to a global audience during the Tokyo Olympics, it’s amazing to see Ghana receive the much-needed investment to allow talent from all crevices of the skate world to one day flourish and emerge on a global stage.

domain: artistic


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Pictured here are five of a fine and rare set of eight Chinese export porcelain Kangxi period famille verte plates. Each is finely potted and decorated with a large flowering branch of the auspicious peony, the “Queen of the Flowers” and a symbol of nobility and wealth, then encircled within a outer cavetto ruyi border, and the rim edged with a foliate band with further peony blossoms. Measuring 8 1/2″ in diameter. One with a small spider crack and associated line, and one or two with very slight stacking wear, otherwise the group remains in very fine condition indeed considering their age; Kangxi period, circa 1700-1720. Makes for a very impressive and brilliant display!
A beautiful Chinese export porcelain Kangxi period teapot decorated in the famille verte palette with a imagery of the “Three Friends of Winter”, namely the prunus, bamboo and pine, along with a finely rendered phoenix, and kylin on the opposite side. Finely glazed, which is typical of the period, and with only a faint line to the base of the handle sealed, otherwise, in fine condition, and measuring approximately 4 1/2″ tall. Circa 1700.
A very fine pair of Chinese export porcelain Kangxi period Famille Jaune ginger jars, meticulously decorated with an overall scrolling foliate design on a soft yellow ground, each with a finely carved hardwood cover. The skill of the painting enhanced only by the ground color as yellow was a difficult color to fire in a kiln. Measuring 10″ tall and dating to circa 1700. Previously lamped, but now professionally restored, the bodies of the jars without any chips, breaks or lines and presenting beautifully. Formerly in the collections of Bernard Barouk and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
A beautiful pair of Chinese export porcelain 9″ plates decorated in famille verte enamels and painted with a central image of the “Three Friends of Winter” featuring bamboo, pine and prunus, along with two other auspicious creatures; the crane and the deer. This design, very much in the Chinese taste, is then encircled by a lavish foliate and gilt detailed border. A line to each professionally sealed, and some glaze craquelure, otherwise in good condition. Circa 1700-1720. $3,200.00 the pair.
A very unusual form, this Chinese export porcelain covered dish, or ecuelle, was almost certainly modeled after a European silver form of the period, especially with its shaped handles resembling a porringer, but is decorated with thoroughly Chinese motifs of flowering peony and prunus, in lush famille verte enamels. Condition: a 4″ line to the base sealed and a small chip to the knop color filled, remarkably, the handles intact. 9 3/4″ across. Circa 1700-1710. $3800.
Just a spectacular piece, both in form and decoration, this Chinese export porcelain footed, handled, oval serving dish is covered in a profusion of flora and fauna, all rendered in the famille verte palette. Raised upon small shaped feet, the handled dish is centered at the bottom with an exuberant image of “The Three Friends of Winter”, pine, prunus, and bamboo, symbols of resilience and steadfastness as the pine remains “ever” green, the bamboo bends with the wind, and the prunus is one of the first plants to flower in the early Spring. The masterful decoration continues on the sides, both inside and out, with beautiful vignettes of exotic birds amongst flowering branches of peony, prunus and lotus, the interior rimmed with a border of further flowers against reserves of butterflies. Measuring 3 3/4″ tall 8″ wide x 13″ long. Some restoration to one handle, otherwise very good condition. Ex-Chait Collection. Citca 1700-1720.
A very elegant pair of Chinese export porcelain famille verte plates, each richly decorated with a scene with two courtly ladies upon a flowered terrace outside of a walled garden with a moon window, willow and prunus spilling over the wall, and a view within the window of a potted plant upon a stand, all within a peony and diapered border with reserves of butterflies and grasshoppers. Measuring 91/2″ in diameter and in good condition with the exception of slight enamel wear commensurate with age. Late Kangxi period, circa 1700-1710. ONE SOLD.


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Enfin une troisième partie est consacrée à l’autopilotage des machines synchrones à aimants sans capteur de position mécanique. C.5 Bloc Autopilotage. from publication: TECHNIQUES DE COMMANDE AVANCEES APPLIQUEES AUX MACHINES DE TYPE ASYNCHRONE | The goal of the. [CAR 90] CARTIGNIES M., Etude de l’autopilotage a partir des tensions d’une machine synchrone alimentée par onduleur de tension (controle en courant).
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Abstract — Overcurrent relays OCRs are one of the most common protective devices implemented in power systems in order to protect the components from faults.
This step preflux “El” thus allows for the magnetic rotor field “CMr” before the creation of the magnetic stator field “CMs” to obtain a high starting torque of the rotor Nevertheless, this effect should be more observable in a stack system which has higher cell number. The claws 26 of a pole piece 20 is circumferentially are nested between the claws 26 of the other polar wheel Our work combine equations of magnetostatic and non-newtonian fluid mechanics.
Negative and zero-sequence quantities are usually only present in substantial levels during unblanced, faulted conditions on a power system. These systems allow stopping the engine during the vehicle stop phases, and to reboot or restart the dice the appearance of a stimulus such as the initial loading of the driver or another criterion to generate io of fuel savings.
To this end, the electronic control unit 60 is electrically connected by via an electric line 62 to a brush holder device, not shown, comprising contact brushes with the slip rings 63 carried by the central shaft 12, as 20 shown in Figure 1.
The management and control device comprises a power stage with an inverter, for example of the MOSFET type transistors constituting a converter 56 converting a direct current from a direct current source 58 in three-phase alternating current and an electronic unit control 60 which controls the converter 56 via a power line Additionally, fast operation of overcurrent relays is obtained.
This paper discusses the testbed development to study the electromechanical wave propagation impacts on power system dynamic We first developed a model of gas tubes and channels for multi-species systems, then, proceeded to the gas diffusion layers, the catalysts and the membrane.
Thus, uncompensated faults can quickly endanger the system. In order to improve the microgrid stability, stabilization methods are presented in this thesis. Finally, in order to simulate the behavior of the machine, it was necessary to develop an accurate model taking into account the space harmonics, and neutral voltage.
Category:Autopilots – Wikimedia Commons
These fluids have no special magnetic properties. These methods have been tested and validated both experimentally and theoretically. International journal of controlvol. Electric machines and power systemsvol. Institut national de la recherche polytechnique. In the same time, it allows accurate prediction of the evolution of all state variables of the system.
The invention relates to a method for controlling an alternator-starter for starting autopilot or recovery of a heat engine of a motor vehicle.
The approach is used to figure out By using that’s method it might the relay coordination will be optimal. Energies stored in the capacitors are the flat output variables whereas the powers exchanged between the main source and the other ports are the control variables.
Magnetic and mechanical conditions required to the solid-gel transition and to the modification of yield stress fluids flows are discussed, using numerical simulations and dimensionless numbers.
The resultant model should be able to incorporate with power electronic circuits and give more insight information than the empirical circuit models. The housing 30 includes synchroe and rear bearings 32 and 34, which are closed one on the other and fixed with a 30 interchangeably herein with tie rods one of which is visible and is referenced 36 in Figure 1.
Two centralized methods have been developed: The variables obtained by the proposed model have been validated by numerical simulation and experimental results.
Introduction Symmetrical components consist of positive- negative- and zero-sequence quantities. The paper aims at studying the technology which overcomes various limitations of the power system.
Universite de Sidi Bel Abbes, These de magister en electrotechnique. Thus, in the absence of magnetic stator field “CMs”, the rotor 14 is not rotated. The starter-alternator 10 was tested for 5 different configurations of the control method.
Then, the torque produced by the alternator-starter 10 is modulated by the management device.
For the n-cell stack model, the simplest way which can be found in most literature is to multiply the single cell output voltage by n. When starting the rotation of syncrhone pulley of the alternator-starter 10, while the rotational speed of the motor sybchrone 47 is zero, the tight side 52 of the io transmission belt 48 is mahine on by a suddenly Suddenly.
Seen in Figure 1 one of the outputs 74 of the stator windings In the fourth reference test “T4”, the duration of the step of preflux “El” is 10 ms.
Basically, positive-sequence quantities are present during balanced, three-phase conditions. Zero-sequence quantities are most commonly associated with ground being involved in an unbalanced condition. One of the problems in power systems, which is very common, is that when a fault occurs in a system, two, three or even several OCRs operate instead of the designated relay to that particular fault location.
Project Page Feedback Known Problems. First, there is provided a summary of the diagnostic methods supported by experiments with defects created in the rotor and stator of the asynchronous machine fed from the network.
Moreover, various overcurrent relay characteristics, such auyopilotage long-time inverse, extremely inverse, very inverse, and normally inverse, are used in a test power system, and remarkable computation results will be shown and discussed in the next parts of the paper.


Swedish Gripen supported the firefighting efforts in Sweden dropping a GBU-12 bomb on a forest fire.
Several large forest fires are burning in Sweden in Gävleborg, Jämtland and Dalarna areas. Among the aircraft supporting the firefighting operations there are also some Swedish Air Force JAS-39 Gripen C multirole combat aircraft.
In fact, on Jul. 25, a Gripen dropped a 500-lb GBU-12 Laser Guided Bomb from 3.000 meters in an attempt to cut fire affecting Älvdalen’s shooting range, a military range where unexploded ammunition and difficult terrain made conventional extinguishing methods not sufficient. The Swedish pilot dropped the GBU-12 so that the bomb would cut the fire at a certain distance from the impact point: a fire requires oxygen, heat and fuel. The explosion burns oxygen that is no longer available to the fire.
The first test had “a very good effect“, that is, the bomb broke out the fire. Even on other fires that were 50, 100 and 150 meters from the target, the effect was assessed according to the Swedish press.
According to the preliminary report, this unusual firefighting technique has been successful.
Here’s the footage filmed from another Gripen chasing the launch platform.
Many foreign assets have been scrambled to the affected areas to support the Swedish firefighting operations, including the Italian CL-415 Canadair “water bomber” aircraft:
H/T Per-Olov Noren for the heads-up


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Lyons Jewelers in Bedford closes to protest Barack Obama's election victory
Mitt Romney's loss to President Barack Obama in Tuesday's presidential election was apparently too much for a western Virginia jewelry store.
According to WDBJ-TV in Bedford, Lyons Jewelers, a jewelry shop on Longwood Avenue in Bedford, kept its doors closed Wednesday. The owners did it as a political statement; to "mourn the loss of America."
Signs posted in windows throughout Lyons bemoaned Obama's victory.
"He (did) it to show that he didn't agree and didn't like what happened," a friend of the store's owner told WDBJ.
READ MORE at wdbj7.com.


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The Cheapest Return Auckland to Madrid Flights.
Click Here to show all the flights on this route.
These flights have been found in the last 24 hours. Whats this?Prices are from searches made in the last 24 hours and current prices may differ.
Do you need to catch a flight to Auckland? Check out our domestic flights to Auckland. If Auckland is not your closest airport, then here are all our flights to Madrid from New Zealand and flights to Spain.
Did you know...
- Auckland is 11 hours in front of Madrid. Find out about jetlag before embarking on this flight.
- The Air Rooms Madrid Airport is conveniently located to Madrid airport.
- 26 hours and 55 minutes is the quickest one-way flight from Auckland to Madrid, stopping over Doha

domain: geography


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A round trip of 28 miles the railway uses part of the route of the former Great Western Railway's main line.View and Book
Pardon Hill Farm
Prescott, Gotherington, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL52 9RDView on map
Why stay here ...
Welcome to Pardon Hill Farm, a CL site situated just outside the village of Gotherington. We are a family run beef and arable farm in the heart of the Cotswolds based between the hamlets of Prescott and Dixton and also adjacent to Prescott Hill Climb and the Bugatti Owners Club and Trust. The Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway line, which runs from Buckland, through Toddington, Winchcombe, Gotherington and Cheltenham Racecourse is nearby.
We have five hard standing pitches, each with electricity and water. Ideally suited for touring - enjoy a day out in Cheltenham spa, perhaps racing at the famous Cheltenham Gold Cup or visit the historic medieval town of Tewkesbury and see first-hand where the Battle of the Roses was fought. If you're looking for a bit of Shakespeare then head up to the picturesque town of Stratford-upon-Avon, calling in at Warwick Castle if you have time! If picture postcard villages are your thing, then we are a stones throw away from Broadway, Chipping Camden, Moreton in the Marsh, Bourton on the Water, Stow on the Wold, Upper and Lower Swell, Stanton and many more.
There are numerous foot paths running across the farm and surrounding land, from a 15 minute walk to several hours - the land is there for you to explore from the Cotswold Way to the Winchcombe Way, it's all here on your doorstep. There is also a good bus route to Cheltenham, Winchcombe, Tewkesbury or Stratford-upon-Avon (Marchants Coaches)
Gotherington has a local pub, a convenient Post Office and shop and Winchcombe has numerous pubs, tea rooms and take-aways if you don't fancy cooking, together with several convenience stores.
Dave, Jo, Hannah, Katie and Iona (the dog), plus numerous ponies (mostly retired!) look forward to welcoming you and helping you make the most of your stay.
Car charging available and charged at current rate.
Latest arrival time: 12:00 AM
Latest departure time: 12:00 PM
Electric amperage: 16
Great savings on days out
Offers available to Club members
You need to be a Club member to view directions to this Certificated Location. Log in
- GL52 9RD
- Lat 51.967415 / Lon -2.024776
- OS field ref:
- OS map ref:
- Buses go to: Cheltenham, Winchcombe, Tewkesbury, Stratford Upon Avon, Broadway, Toddington, Chipping Campden
- Daily public transport within 1 mile
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Did you hear?… Time to take a closer look at attracting Boomers
Maybe it's time for fitness and recreation industries to take a closer look at attracting Boomers too, since that aging group is all-ears.
Get access to everything we publish when you sign up for Outside+.
Maybe it’s time for fitness and recreation industries to take a closer look at attracting Boomers too, since that aging group is all-ears. According to a Harris Interactive poll done for Allstate Financial, 29 percent of Boomers would have taken better care of their health if they could re-plan their lives, and 21 percent would get more involved in hobbies. SNEWS® View: This is a group that will be eager to stay healthy and active in to retirement, especially considering all that they think they’ve missed with the work ethic they are now questioning. And since many haven’t saved as much as they would have liked (39 percent say they would have saved more and spent less), simple activities outdoors that don’t have high price tags will be most attractive.


A study on underwater noise pollution from seabed mining operations found that noise from one mine alone could travel approximately 500 kilometers (roughly 311 miles) in gentle weather conditions, which could affect the understudied species that live in the deep sea—the largest habitat on Earth. There could also be cumulative impacts where multiple mines operate.
Scientists from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Oceans Initiative, the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) in Japan, and Curtin University in Australia, contributed to the study, which was funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts. The findings were published in Science.
The deep sea is home to organisms found nowhere else on Earth–many of whom, given the absence of sunlight, likely use sound to navigate, communicate, find mating partners, locate food, and detect predators and other dangers.
Seventeen contractors are exploring the possibility of mining in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ), an area spanning 4.5 million square kilometers (1.7 million square miles) between Hawaiʻi and Mexico and a prime focus of deep-sea mining interest. If each of the contractors were to launch just one mine, an estimated 5.5 million square kilometers (2.1 million square miles)—an area larger than the European Union—would have elevated noise levels. Not only could this level of mining activity have untold impacts on noise-sensitive species, it could also undermine attempts to preserve areas with no mining impact—known as “preservation reference areas”—to use for scientific comparisons.
“Our modeling suggests that mining noise could impact areas far beyond the actual mining sites, including preservation reference zones, which are required under draft mining regulations to be unaffected by mining,” said Craig R. Smith, a professor emeritus of oceanography at the UH Mānoa School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST), Smith says the finding “could require rethinking of environmental regulations, including the number of mining operations allowed within the CCZ.”
“What surprised me most was how easy it would be for noise from just one or two mines to impact nearby areas that have been set aside as experimental controls,” said Rob Williams, co-founder of Oceans Initiative. “With so many unknowns, we need a careful comparison of these preservation reference areas to sites where mining is taking place in order to understand mining’s impacts. But noise will cross the boundaries between preservation zones and mining sites.”
- Related UH News story: Scientists warn too many unknowns for deep-sea mining, March 10, 2022
Although mining companies are already testing smaller-scale prototypes of deep-sea mining systems, they have yet to share their data on underwater noise pollution. The Science article had to use noise levels from better-studied industrial activities, such as oil and gas industry ships and coastal dredges, as placeholders. True noise levels from deep-sea mining may vary once the data is available—but, says Andrew Friedman, project director of Pew’s seabed mining project, they’re more likely to be higher than the proxy data than lower because actual seabed mining equipment is much larger and more powerful than the proxies. “These are probably conservative estimates.”
Christine Erbe, a professor at Curtin University, said, “Estimating the noise of future equipment and installations is a challenge, but we don’t have to wait until the first mines are operational to discover the noise they make. By identifying the level of noise in the engineering design phase, we can better prepare for how this might impact marine life.”


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Sooner or later, every vacationer in Egypt's Red Sea destinations of Marsa Alam or Hurghada is faced with the question whether to take a day trip to Luxor. In the end, the only reasonable answer to the question of whether to go or not is: Yes! Let me show you why.
Here's a trip report of my journey from the coastal paradise of Marsa Alam to the awe-inspiring wonders of Luxor, known as the world's largest open-air museum.
Let's dive into the enchanting tales of ancient Egypt and explore the magnificent temples and tombs that have stood the test of time.
This post contains selected affiliate links, which help to keep this blog up and running. Should you make a purchase or booking after clicking one of these links, I may receive a small commission – at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support!
The Journey Begins
The adventure commences (early!) in Marsa Alam, a haven for sun-seekers and diving enthusiasts. In my case, pick-up from the Hilton Marsa Alam Nubian Resort was at 3:30 am. Please note that pick-up times vary and depend on the location of your hotel. Most bus tours follow a very similar itinerary.
While the distance between Marsa Alam and Luxor may seem significant, the costs associated with this awe-inspiring full-day expedition seem rather fair.
As of January 2023, most operators charge around 100-150 EUR for the day trip to Luxor, including transfer by bus from the hotel, lunch in a restaurant on the shores of the Nile, and all entrance fees.
While I booked directly with a travel agency at the hotel, you may also check out this tour at getyourguide.com. The tour covers the same itinerary I write about here and has received very good ratings from fellow travelers.
From your hotel, you embark on an air-conditioned vehicle, leaving behind the shimmering shores of the Red Sea and heading north towards Luxor. The scenic journey provides glimpses of the changing landscape, transitioning from coastal beauty to desert landcapes to the fertile Nile Valley.
The East Bank
Upon arrival in Luxor around 10:00 am, you first explore the East Bank of the Nile, where the vibrant city of Luxor thrives. The first stop is the majestic Karnak Temple Complex, a vast network of temples and sanctuaries dedicated to various deities.
Stroll through the iconic Hypostyle Hall, marvel at towering columns, and let your imagination wander amidst the ancient ruins.
Next, you get to cross the Nile in small boats and visit the renowned Luxor Temple, a testament to the grandeur of ancient Egyptian architecture. Immerse yourself in the historical significance of this sacred site, once the center of religious festivals and processions.
The West Bank
Now, it's time to cross the Nile again, this time venturing to the West Bank, where the Valley of the Kings beckons. The first stop is the magnificent Tomb of Tutankhamun, the boy pharaoh whose golden treasures captivated the world.
Discover the mysteries that lie within the well-preserved chambers and marvel at the intricate murals that depict ancient Egyptian mythology.
Continuing the exploration, you visit the Valley of the Queens, a burial ground for ancient Egyptian queens and royal children. Admire the stunning tombs adorned with colorful frescoes, offering glimpses into the lives of these revered women.
Next, you make our way to the mesmerizing Temple of Hatshepsut, dedicated to Egypt's first female pharaoh. Built during the 15th century BCE, the temple is a testament to Hatshepsut's reign, a remarkable period in ancient Egyptian history.
Carved into the cliffs, this architectural marvel blends seamlessly with its natural surroundings.
Ascend the terraces and soak in panoramic views of the rugged landscape, while learning about Hatshepsut's extraordinary rule and her role in shaping ancient Egypt. I still fondly remember the panoramic view from the temple’s terrace as the sun slowly began to set.
A day trip to Luxor from Marsa Alam is a remarkable journey through time and has left me speechless several times throughout the trip.
From the grandeur of Karnak Temple to the serenity of the Valley of the Kings, Luxor offers an unparalleled opportunity to immerse yourself in the splendors of ancient Egypt.
Again, depending on where exactly you're staying in Marsa Alam or Hurghada, travel times will vary. But please note that this really is a (full!) day trip, as the tour may take 14-18 hours.
This should not keep you from taking this day trip to Luxor. It is just something to keep in mind. In the end, I wouldn’t want to have missed this experience!


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Philadelphia Union put one foot in the semi-finals of the CONCACAF Champions League on Tuesday, stunning Major League Soccer rivals Atlanta United with a 3-0 first leg away victory.
Two goals from Polish striker Kacper Przybylko left Union firmly on course for a place in the last four in what is the Pennsylvania club's first campaign in the regional club competition.
Przybylko, who had been influential in Philadelphia's last 16 victory over Costa Rica's Deportivo Saprissa, struck in the 57th and 73rd minute as Atlanta paid the price for poor finishing.
Atlanta dominated possession but fell behind early in the second half when Union defender Jakob Glesnes glanced a corner into the six-yard area, leaving the unmarked Przybylko to tap in.
Argentine midfielder Santiago Sosa almost levelled for Atlanta soon afterwards, but his dipping shot crashed off the cross bar on 60 minutes.
Instead, it was left to Przybylko to double his tally, collecting a pass from Leon Flach on the counter-attack before coolly tucking home the finish.
Philadelphia's third goal was almost a carbon copy of their second, only this time it was Przybylko playing creator, unselfishly squaring to Anthony Fontana to make it 3-0 four minutes from time.
The winners of the Philadelphia-Atlanta quarter-final will play either the Portland Timbers or Mexican giants America in the last four. Portland and America play their quarter-final first leg on Wednesday.
In the other half of the draw on Tuesday, Mexico's Cruz Azul outclassed Toronto FC 3-1 in their quarter-final first leg game at the Canadian club's temporary home at the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.
The six-time CONCACAF champions had too much class for the MLS side, taking an early lead through Ecuadoran striker Bryan Angulo's superb curling long-range effort after just three minutes.
Jonathan Osorio gave Toronto hope with a 20th-minute equaliser but Cruz Azul regained the lead with Angulo's second on 34 minutes, tapping in from close range after the Canadians failed to deal with a setpiece.
Pablo Aguilar then extended the Mexicans' lead with another away goal in the second half, heading in from a free-kick on 58 minutes.
The winners of the Cruz Azul-Toronto tie face either MLS Cup champions Columbus Crew or Mexican side Monterrey in the last four.
Mexican clubs are looking to extend a long reign of dominance in the CONCACAF Champions League, having won the tournament for the past 15 years running. The last MLS side to lift the title were Los Angeles Galaxy in 2000.