Stepping inside the imposing yet dilapidated grade-II listed building in Porthcawl is like travelling back in time.
With every corner turned and corridor walked there’s evidence of how this sprawling mansion served countless individuals over the years.
In the early days it provided miners with a welcome seaside break before it became a hospital for wounded and traumatised allied soldiers from both world wars.
Latterly it was a holiday hotel for older people as well as the base for a charity treating service personnel suffering from post traumatic stress disorder and other mental health difficulties.
But falling custom and wear and tear left the management committee facing an uphill financial struggle to keep it going.
Its last occupants and almost 50 staff left in 2013.
The building was then bought by Gary Mayo, director of Bryn Meadows Golf, Hotel and Spa near Caerphilly.
But it has laid empty with only pigeons as residents while plans for its future were drawn up.
Developers Acorn now hope to start work later this year once a revised planning application has been approved.
But preparatory work to ready the landmark for conversion to 34 apartments and the demolition of old annexes to make way for a new building, which will house an additional 35 apartments, has begun.
Acorn’s regional managing director James Groombridge said stripping out asbestos, old and defunct lifts and chipping away years of plaster, extra walls and peeling off layers of wallpaper has revealed further glories in an already stunning building.
Once such architectural feature is a whimsical square wooden tower stretching up from the top floor, which still has the original sash windows at the top.
The developers had no idea it was there until they removed the enormous metal water tank which filled the void beneath it.
Now it is being included in the plans for the apartment below it and will become a unique study space or “snug”.
“The absolute key for us is to keep an open mind and keep looking at it,” said James.
“It’s easy to have a vision and stick to it.”
As the unusual features, including beautiful stone-arched doorways and stained-glass windows, which were hidden behind walls, have been uncovered, Acorn has sought to include them in their plans so they will be retained for generations to come.
Beautiful green tiles which stretch almost the entire length of the bottom corridor had been plastered or papered over.
Unusual and robust original wooden doors remain on many rooms and they will be retained, although where they will be used depends on how they match up to modern day fire safety standards.
It’s this clash of passion to retain as much of The Rest’s history as possible, while ensuring the building meets modern standards that has made the project so challenging.
“It is a hugely complex project making sure you get it right and the costs are manageable,” said James.
“We spend days and days just walking around the building with the project team and architects making decisions.
“The first thing we had to do was strip it back so the building could breathe and then we uncovered lots of features that had been hidden, like doors that no one knew were there.”
While the building itself – which was built in three sections between 1878 and 1909 – is fundamentally sound, the various bits added over the years were not.
One conservatory on the front had sprung so many leaks that grass was growing on the carpet inside.
An ugly metal fire escape attached to the front also has to go as did the balconies which, although an original feature, were too dangerous to keep.
They will be replaced with glass balustrades.
And the discovery of various porches and doors after the removal of extensions meant plans were amended so that the apartments won’t have one main entrance hall now, but their own separate and rather dramatic entrances.
Out-of-place white UPVC windows fitted in the most exposed aspects at the front will also be replaced with more sympathetic high composite aluminium window frames, under agreement with Bridgend council’s conservation officer.
James said Acorn is working closely with the council, who he praised for their help, to ensure as much of the old features remain and they will even replace some of those that had been taken out – including more doors - during the buildings various incarnations over the years.
It was Dr James Lewis who came up with the idea for The Rest in the 19th century as he treated miners and other industrial workers in Maesteg.
Realising they needed a break from damp and cramped working and living conditions, he opened the first Rest at cottages in Newton.
His wife Charlotte then wrote to Florence Nightingale to get her advice on building a bigger facility and, thanks to rich industrialist benefactors including the Talbot family of Margam and the Brogdens, The Rest was born.
Providing posh apartments for well-off clients – the studio, one, two and three-bed apartments will cost between £150,000 to £500,000 – was not what Dr Lewis would have envisaged for the building.
But instead of disintegrating further, The Rest is being given a new lease of life in a £5m to £6m project that’s got the developers, as well as the locals, excited.
“There’s a huge amount of love locally for the building,” said James, who added he thinks many of the apartments will go to owner occupiers rather then all becoming holiday lets.
“And I go through the same thing every time I drive down here. I see the building poking over the dunes and fall in love with it all over again.”
The next stage of the project will be to get the building re-roofed and new windows fitted before winter. It’s also hoped the conversion can start soon with the first of the new properties ready for occupation next summer.


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Land Of Possibilities: Vitz Car Carrying bags of charcoal Sh0cks Everyone – Watch Video
Africa is a continent of possibilities, whatever seem impossible in the western world is possible here in Africa. A Video spotted by www.ghanabrief.com indicates Africa is really a land of possibilities.
In the video, a small vitz car which is used mostly for bolt and Uber business has landed in carrying charcoal. You may ask how is this possible? Well I told you earlier that Africa is a continent if possibilities. About 10 bags of charcoal has been packed on the small Toyota vitz car which is supposed to carry passengers. Without wasting much of your time narrating it, kindly watch the video yourself
Watch Video below

domain: geography


N.J. Dem leaders are meeting about yanking Menendez from the party line
Democratic leaders in Sen. Bob Menendez’s home state of New Jersey met on Friday afternoon about a possible removal of his name from the party line on next year’s ballot, according to three people familiar with the matter.
The discussion signals that the embattled Democratic senator’s reelection bid in 2024 could face fresh peril following his indictment on federal bribery and conspiracy charges, which was unsealed earlier Friday. All three people addressed the Democratic leaders’ meeting — which included officials at the state and county level — on condition of anonymity given the sensitivity of the situation.
New Jersey Democrats were already agitated by the serious nature of the charges outlined in the indictment of Menendez and his wife, Nadine. Rep. Andy Kim (D-N.J.) on Friday afternoon became the first member of the state’s congressional delegation to call for Menendez to step down from Congress following the indictment.
It’s not clear how quickly the state’s Democrats might try to move against Menendez’s formal listing on their ballot, if they do. The senator drew a primary challenger, small-town mayor Joe Signorello III, but he since shifted his sights to the House.
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"Gyros vs. Souvlaki" Kifisia by naplesnate
Kifisia Travel Guide: 20 reviews and 38 photos
I participated ina study abroad program with the University and lived in Kifisia for about 4 months. The town itself is ok, its a bit posh but we definitely had a good time.
The best place there was the hofbrahouse only because it didn't try to be trendy and the waitstaff wasn't Greek.
The one litre beers were good too.
Its close enough to Athens so you can take full advantage of the ferrys for some island hopping and it is only a 20 minute metro ride to downtown.
No tomatoes...but the souvlaki was delicious, definitely had my fill on that and greek salads.
TGIF...barf, to be totally honest I was pretty disappointed to see fridays right in the middle of the school district.... more travel advice
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777 Mango Thokku Pickle - மாங்காய் தொக்கு ஊறுகாய் 300gClick to Review |
Make an unboxing video before opening your shipment.
PICKLES: Pickles are most used side dish for varieties of rice and roti’s. These pickles will give you a best tangy flavour and super rich taste. These pickles will go well with curd rice and dhal rice. An Indian Meal is incomplete without a pickle. We at 777 foods offer you this pickle with a perfect blend of preserved vegetables with select spices seasoned in a traditional method with a dose of gingelly oil to give that aroma, taste and wholesomeness. SHELF LIFE: 12 months. These pickles areRead More

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This blog post is part of the Everyday Destinations series, which focuses on increasing physical activity in small and rural communities through everyday destinations.
Mixed-use development is an alternative to single-use zoning. It places multiple uses within a site, such as street-level retail with residential units above (vertical mixed use), or co-locates uses within a designated area, such as neighborhoods that offer residential, commercial, and civic spaces within walking distance (horizontal mixed use).
This development approach varies from Euclidian zoning, where land uses are separated into distinct zones. The mix of different uses makes it possible for people to live near everyday destinations, and thus, makes it more viable for them to engage in physical activity.
Mixed-use development provides a variety of environmental, economic, social, and health benefits that can align with existing community priorities, including increasing physical activity. Zoning regulations can be used to mitigate land-use compatibility concerns within mixed-use development while accommodating multiple desirable destinations.
Further, this type of development can reflect desired community characteristics by adopting community-driven design standards. Design standards may be adopted for infill development within mixed-use districts while protecting structures that predate new regulations.
To implement mixed-use development, it is important to engage community members from the beginning of a project. This process is key to identifying areas for mixed-use developments, distributing benefits equitably, and finding local priorities for spaces that permit multiple uses (Nelson 2012).
Mixed-use projects can support nonvehicular access to destinations, increase economic opportunity, improve the variety of housing options, and create residential spaces that are supported by a network of services.
In cases where mixed-use development includes public investments, mixed-use developments can help ensure equitable distribution of benefits from public investments by providing housing for community members with lower incomes and incorporating measures to avoid displacing current residents and businesses. In cases of private developments, communities can adopt requirements that encourage equitable access to destinations at different price points.
Rental prices may increase in some areas with higher amounts of mixed land use, perhaps due to preferences among renters for shorter commutes and shopping trips, as well as access to retail (Kim and Jin 2019). If these preferences are present in a community, renters (both residential and commercial) may encounter a higher cost of living and potentially be displaced.
A variety of mitigation efforts, such as affordable housing requirements and increasing access to business loans, can increase housing accessibility, small business viability, and inclusion for residents from different income levels (U.S. EPA 2013). This is particularly useful for communities interested in encouraging residents to age in place, as mixed-use development can appeal to community members of all ages (U.S. EPA 2012).
Mixed-Use Developments: Street-level retail spaces with residential units above support a network of connected everyday destinations. Source: Grant/flickr.com (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0). North Main Street - Princeton, Illinois.
Connection to Small and Rural Towns
In small and rural communities, striking a balance between the preservation of local assets and diversifying land uses can create compact, walkable spaces that benefit all community members. Mixed-use developments can have positive impacts on economic, social, health, and environmental conditions.
Mixed-use districts are desirable for both community members and businesses because they provide convenient access to destinations. Community members may choose to walk, bike, or roll to destinations within compact mixed-use districts, which can positively impact community health. These districts can enhance walking conditions by providing clean sidewalks and pedestrian amenities, such as street trees and benches.
Mixed-use districts may also positively impact community health by increasing social cohesion through greater interaction among community members (Design for Health 2008), a valuable impact in small and rural communities where residents may live in remote locations.
Economic impacts include increased economic activity and demand for residential and commercial locations in town centers, reduced infrastructure needs (e.g., using existing utility delivery systems instead of expanding network), and limited service expenses (in comparison to costs for single-use developments), such as access to emergency services.
Environmental benefits range from the preservation of open space to reductions in air pollution because of fewer vehicle miles traveled, which can align with small-town and rural priorities for the preservation of natural areas and better air quality.
Case Example: Missoula, Montana
Missoula, Montana, incorporated a variety of mixed-use strategies to encourage affordability as part of the Sxwtpayen Area Neighborhoods Master Plan, formerly called the Mullan Area Master Plan. The plan adopts an "Equity in Land Use" tool, which requires projects to include "a mix of building and unit types." It describes mixed-use centers that contain workplaces, shops, restaurants, and entertainment venues, as well as plans to develop a new neighborhood school.
The plan emphasizes connected community areas that are safe for pedestrians and bikers, which can increase levels of physical activity. Further, the plan identifies public engagement recommendations that consider transit options and design features, such as outdoor seating and wide sidewalks, that encourage active living.
In conjunction with a mixed-use community vision, the plan seeks to advance mixed-income neighborhoods through an affordable housing land trust, increasing the amount of mixed-use housing stock, and identifying opportunities to create "missing middle" housing or developments with multiple residential units that are compatible with single-family housing.
The plan recognizes the value of providing options for residents who would like to scale up or down within the same neighborhood, which increases opportunities for residents at different life stages and income levels. It complements a housing policy adopted by the city in 2019, A Place to Call Home: Meeting Missoula's Housing Needs, which reduces barriers to affordable housing developments and provides financial incentives to increase mixed-income housing options.
The plan works in conjunction with the Missoula County & City of Missoula Mullan Area Traditional Neighborhood Development Form-Based Code, which establishes design requirements across built environment zones of different physical and social characteristics, including a Mixed-Use Center Transect Zone.
Strategic Points of Intervention
Practitioners have a variety of options to help their communities encourage mixed-use developments. This section provides a non-exhaustive list of strategies that professionals with the ability to influence the built environment can use to improve access to everyday destinations. Collaboration between these professionals and public health is crucial as public health professionals can support planning approaches and engage partners but may not have the authority to implement some of the strategies identified below.
This blog encourages communication and engagement between public health and planners to discuss approaches that might be applicable in their community. For more information on the role of public health professionals in helping implement these strategies. For more information on other partners that play a role in implementing the growth area identification approach.
The following list of strategies can help professionals from different sectors come together and implement planning approaches that support a mix of accessible everyday destinations. Community engagement is crucial throughout every step of implementing the strategies below.
Planners and public health professionals can collaborate to create equitable engagement to collect and act on community needs. Communities should select the strategies based on their context and constraints. The links at the end of actions provide more guidance materials and examples from small and rural towns across the country.
Community Visioning and Goal Setting
- Define areas suitable for mixed-use development as part of a community vision process (Williston 2020).
- Provide opportunities for elected officials, community members, and community partners to learn more about mixed-use development benefits through outreach activities (Nelson 2012).
- Create opportunities to educate decision-makers about potential unintended consequences of mixed-use development, such as displacement, and inform them about anti-displacement strategies available to mitigate adverse impacts.
- Conduct community interviews and visioning sessions to identify local priorities that support mixed-use development, such as improved business vitality or increased proximity to destinations (Benicia 2007).
- Determine whether vertical or horizontal mixed-use development types or a combination of both, align best with community goals (Newport Beach 2006).
- Encourage consistency between new and existing mixed-use ordinances, adopted plans, and design guidelines (Fremont 2018). This approach reduces conflicting guidance and ensures that community documents support accessible destinations.
- Evaluate characteristics of preexisting buildings and new developments. This information can be used to create design guidelines that mitigate significant alterations to existing conditions (Benicia 2007).
- Present coordinated policies and actions to increase connectivity between mixed-use development areas (Sandy Springs 2017). These recommendations can be accompanied by community data that illustrate the need for accessible everyday destinations, such as a lack of grocery stores and green space within a 15-minute walk, to support walkable pedestrian-oriented design.
- Identify performance standards that support mixed-use development while protecting existing community assets (Hillsborough County City-County Planning Commission 2014).
Regulations and Incentives
- Bring together municipal departments responsible for building and site code enforcement to enhance mixed-use elements and destination connectivity in proposed development plans (Richards 2014).
- Provide design guidelines that encourage developers to implement mixed-use development as defined in community plans. Design guidelines can share examples of successful projects, outline potential strategies, and ensure that the community's vision translates to development projects (Chesapeake 2007, Fremont 2008, Sunnyvale 2015).
- Create opportunities for mixed-use development through joint or co-development of property in areas suitable for development, such as developments near transit stations.
- Require mixed-use development that creates accessible everyday destinations when issuing requests for proposals (RFPs) for the development of publicly owned properties.
- Create opportunities for public-private partnerships to advance mixed-use development, such as developments on publicly owned, privately developed property near transit stations.
- Provide financial support to encourage affordable housing units within mixed-use developments (U.S. EPA 2015), such as through community grants, dedicated financing streams, and capital improvement projects.
- Connect funding options from different sources, such as Community Development Block Grant Program and municipal funding (U.S. HUD n.d.)
Communities have active organizations, leaders, and professionals that can contribute to implementing the strategies provided in the previous section. Built environment and public health professionals should consider, and if applicable, reach out to the following groups to implement mixed-use developments. These groups can also recommend other organizations that may be able to collaborate.
The following non-exhaustive list of partners offers potential starting points — there may be more partners to consider, depending on the community.
- Engage community members and community organizations to determine needs and preferences for mixed-use developments.
- Connect with developers to understand barriers and opportunities for implementing mixed-use projects.
- Collaborate with community institutions and service organizations to identify opportunities for mixed-use projects, such as projects that combine libraries and affordable housing to provide benefits to community members and local partners (McCormick 2019).
- Gather input from business owners and representative groups regarding needs and wants for proposed mixed-use corridors or areas.
- Work with transit authorities to connect plans for mixed-use areas with potential transit investments, such as improvements to commuter rail.
- Develop relationships with local housing authorities and stable-housing advocates to encourage mixed-income, mixed-use developments.
- Partner with transportation agencies to identify how mixed-use development may impact transportation systems, such as roadways and transit demand.
- Involve environmental health professionals to ensure that mixed-use developments lead to healthy private and public spaces.
We are interested in case examples that support physical activity through everyday destinations in communities with a population of less than 20,000 people. If you are aware of such communities, please share their stories with us at email@example.com. By directing us to such articles you can help other small and rural communities become more active and healthier.
Benicia (California), City of. 2007. Downtown Mixed-Use Master Plan.
Chesapeake (Virginia), City of. 2007. Design Guidelines for the City of Chesapeake.
Design For Health. 2008. "Planning Information Sheet: Building Social Capital with Comprehensive Planning and Ordinances." University of Minnesota.
Duvall (Washington), City of. "Chapter 14.22: Old Town—Mixed Use (OT) Zoning District." Code of Ordinances.
Greensboro (North Carolina), City of, and Guilford County. 2009. Downtown Area Consolidated Plan.
Fremont (California), City of. 2008. Summary of Centerville Design Guidelines.
Hillsborough County (Florida) City-County Planning Commission. 2014. "Promoting Mixed-Use Development." Case Study Memo, Policy Update for Mixed-Use Development.
Kim, Danya, and Jangik Jin. 2019. "The Effect of Land Use on Housing Price and Rent: Empirical Evidence of Job Accessibility and Mixed Land Use." Sustainability 11(3): 938.
Lund, Hollie. 2002. "Pedestrian Environments and Sense of Community." Journal of Planning Education and Research 21(3): 301–12.
McCormick, Kathleen. 2019. "A New Chapter: Cities Are Tackling the Housing Crunch—by Building Above the Library." Land Lines, September 27. Lincoln Institute of Land Policy.
Missoula (Montana), City of, Office of Housing & Community Development. 2019. A Place to Call Home: Meeting Missoula's Housing Needs.
Missoula County and Missoula (Montana), City of. 2020a. Mullan Area Neighborhoods Master Plan.
———. 2020b. Mullan Area Traditional Neighborhood Development Form-Based Code.
Nelson, Kevin. 2012. Essential Smart Growth Fixes for Rural Planning, Zoning, and Development Codes. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Richards, Lynn. 2014. "Putting People First: 10 Steps Toward Pedestrian-Friendly Suburbs Additional Resources." Land Lines, July.
Sandy Spring (Georgia), City of. 2017. The Next Ten Comprehensive Plan.
Sunnyvale (California), City of. 2015. Toolkit for Mixed-Use Development.
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). n.d. "HOME Project Profiles: Cornelius Place, Washington County."
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 2012. Smart Growth and Economic Success: Benefits For Real Estate Developers, Investors, Businesses, And Local Governments.
———. 2013. Creating Equitable, Healthy, And Sustainable Communities: Strategies for Advancing Smart Growth, Environmental Justice, And Equitable Development.
———. 2015. Smart Growth Self-Assessment for Rural Communities.
Walters, Jerry, Brian Bochner, and Reid Ewing. 2013. "Getting Trip Generation Right: Eliminating the Bias Against Mixed Use Development." PAS Memo, May/June. American Planning Association.
Williston (Vermont), Town of. 2020. 2016–2024 Comprehensive Plan.
———. 2019. "Chapter 37: Mixed Use Commercial Zoning District." Williston Unified Development Bylaw.
Active People, Healthy Nation
Active People, Healthy NationSM is a national initiative led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to help 27 million Americans become more physically active by 2027. Increased physical activity can improve health, and quality of life, and reduce healthcare costs.
Top Image: Randy von Liski/flickr.com (CC by NC-ND 2.0). N. Main Street, Bloomington, Illinois.
About the Authors
Jo Peña is a research associate with APA.
Sagar Shah is a planning and community health manager with APA.

domain: economics


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Ernesto Blanco MD
- Neuroradiology San Antonio, TX
Reviews reflect patients' level of satisfaction with the care they received from this provider. Ernesto Blanco does not yet have any reviews.
Ernesto Blanco, MD is a Doctor primarily located in San Antonio, TX. Their specialties include Neuroradiology and Diagnostic Radiology. Ernesto Blanco is affiliated with CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Hospital.
Specialties & Expertise
Ernesto Blanco has the following 2 specialties.
For the best health care, select a doctor who specializes in your medical condition.
The facts about metastatic melanoma, a serious skin cancer, including signs, symptoms & what happens to the body in each stage of cancer.

domain: medical


(Lisa Mascaro & Catherine Lucey – Associated Press)
No one budged at President Donald Trump’s closed-door meeting with congressional leaders, so the partial government shutdown persisted over his demand for billions of dollars to build a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico. They’ll all try again Friday.
In public, Trump renewed his dire warnings of rapists and others at the border. But when pressed in private Wednesday by Democrats asking why he wouldn’t end the shutdown, he responded at one point, “I would look foolish if I did that.” A White House official, one of two people who described that exchange only on condition of anonymity, said the president had been trying to explain that it would be foolish not to pay for border security.
In one big shift, the new Congress convenes Thursday with Democrats taking majority control of the House, and Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi said they’d quickly pass legislation to re-open the government — without funds for Trump’s border wall. Click here to read more.
- AP Fact Check: Trump’s Claims on Border Wall, Drug Prices, Mattis
- Trump Claims There’s a 10-Foot Wall Around the Obamas’ D.C. Home. He Is Wrong. (WP)
- Trump Claims the Wall He Shut Down the Government to Fund Is Already Built (Vanity Fair)
- Shutdown Lurches Into 13th Day With No End in Sight (Politico)
- This is the Impact of the U.S. Government Shutdown (CTV News)


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Egypt army says ready to die in "final hours"
CAIRO (Reuters) - Egypt's high command said on Wednesday the army was ready to die to defend Egypt's people against terrorists and fools, in a response to Islamist President Mohamed Mursi that was headlined "The Final Hours".
The post on the official Facebook page of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), headed by armed forces chief General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, said: "We swear to God that we will sacrifice even our blood for Egypt and its people, to defend them against any terrorist, radical or fool."
Issued three hours after Mursi appeared on television to reject an ultimatum from Sisi that he share power with his opponents or face a military solution by 10:00 a.m. EDT (1500 GMT), a military source said the statement made clear that the armed forces would not abandon their demands.
(Reporting by Yasmine Saleh; Editing by Alastair Macdonald)
- Housing, jobs data weaken, but overall economic picture still upbeat
- Target cyber breach hits 40 million payment cards at holiday peak |
- Pizza outlet attacked as India, U.S. fail to cool diplomat row |
- New York Mayor-elect's reputation for lateness parodied on Twitter
- Putin critic Khodorkovsky free after pardon, heads for Germany |

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A bright future for solar energy
Globally, the solar industry continues to experience dynamic growth, particularly in China and Southeast Asia, with India rapidly becoming the main market driver. In recent years, Isra Vision alone has installed an average of a few hundred systems per year, 90% of which are in Asia.
But the industry is also seeing “signs of a renaissance for the solar industry in Europe”, according to Christian Probst, managing director of Isra Vision – GP Inspect. “The war in Ukraine and the resulting political developments will accelerate growth,” he says.
But even in the face of enormous growth, the solar industry is not an area where quality can be compromised. During production, inspection systems examine surface conditions and wafer geometry, checking for distortion, cracks, chips and contamination. Microcracks can eventually cause an entire panel to shatter, which can damage equipment and other network panels and require costly line downtime for cleaning and repairs.
So it’s no surprise to learn from Xing-Fei He, Senior Product Manager at Teledyne Dalsa, that “solar cell manufacturers are moving to 100% inspection of every panel after every major processing step. They are under pressure to increase the quality of their products and reduce their costs. Performance is critical and optical inspection is a vital tool.
Compare and nuance
“Inspection of solar cells can take place at different stages of the production process,” says Probst. “However, it also depends on the producer. Does it want to detect defective cells already in the process and reject them as quickly as possible? Or is a final inspection at the end of the production line sufficient?
The Isra Vision – GP Inspect portfolio begins with the incoming inspection of raw wafers, where they are checked for surface defects, micro-cracks or chips. This is usually followed by a texture check, where the surface quality is examined after the chemical bath. This is followed by coating inspection, followed by print and structure inspection on the front and back sides, and final cell classification and sorting.
The different layers of a solar panel. Credit: TWI
Dr. Jonas Haunschild, head of the online wafer, process analysis and production control group at the Fraunhofer Institute for ISE Solar Power Systems, says that one of the biggest challenges is characterizing the many interacting thin layers that make up modern solar cells. Each of these layers must be checked, preferably not only at one point but over the entire surface.
Probst agrees that the thinness of the layers and the low contrast between them make inspection very difficult: “Different structures within the cell must align precisely with each other to achieve the greatest possible efficiency. Meanwhile, these structures are so fine that the regions responsible for charge separation are only a few hundred micrometers apart. Patterns are only faintly visible and often have low contrast.
“Depending on the layer, it’s already very demanding, but we want to go further,” says Haunschild. “The processes to be developed must be so fast and cheap that they can be used in the production environment of solar cell manufacturers.”
Flexible photovoltaic inspection
In 2018, 16 partners joined forces in the EU-funded OledSolar project to accelerate the large-scale commercialization of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) with thin-film solar cells. Focused on developing innovative manufacturing, monitoring and inspection processes, the technologies developed during the project, which ended earlier this year, could help deliver new types of solar-powered devices, such as as energy-efficient lighting, flexible display screens and solar panels that could blend seamlessly into the structure of buildings.
TWI’s custom designed relay circuit turns the power on and off based on the generated square wave. Credit: TWI
TWI, based in Cambridge, UK, was one of the project partners. Working closely with project coordinators, VTT Technical Research Center of Finland, TWI developed on-line quality control techniques for photovoltaic module production, with the aim of automating a fault detection method for cells roll-to-roll printed flexible solar panels, ultimately improving quality, yield, converting efficiency and durability.
“We developed our thermography system here at TWI and it was then brought to VTT for integration into their production system,” explains Martin Bourton, Senior Project Manager. It made sense for the TWI team to opt for an approach using dark-locked thermography (DLIT). The inspected parts are generally in thermal equilibrium. With regard to photovoltaic materials, the main options for creating a thermal contrast between the defects and the background material are either to apply a current light source or to introduce a new one. Both approaches can propagate heat through the sample and muddy spatial resolution, but it was felt that voltage could be more easily regulated. It also worked well for the MTB test line.
TWI’s DLIT system has proven successful in the lab and in field trials, where it has been validated on ATV’s roll-to-roll pilot line. The new approach identified sub-millimeter defects (appearing as hot spots) much more clearly than standard inspection methods. “The system examined hundreds of parts and successfully identified all defects artificially introduced on the sample to reproduce a faulty print,” confirms Haitao Zheng, Senior Project Manager at TWI.
When the electrical characterization of the printed film begins, it triggers thermographic inspection synchronized by an infrared thermal camera located under the test area. TWI’s DLIT system applies a square wave current to heat the test film and a thermal image is produced, ready for post-processing.
TWI’s custom designed relay circuit turns the power on and off based on the generated square wave. This allows high voltages to be applied using a low voltage signal. In addition to capturing thermal images, the camera also records the synchronized square wave reference signal created by a signal generator.
In addition to capturing thermal images, the camera also records the synchronized square wave reference signal created by a signal generator. Credit: TWI
“We have also developed graphical user interface software in-house, which provides capabilities for thermographic data acquisition, data visualization, locked post-processing, and data analysis,” Zheng explains. “When we compare our DLIT system to the standard approach, you can see that there is much less background noise and our processed image shows the flaws very clearly.”
And the biggest challenge? “It’s been the online implementation,” says Zheng. “DLIT is not as fast as standard inspection methods. This is a discontinuous inspection approach, requiring approximately 20-30 seconds between input signal and post-processing.
TWI is now looking to optimize the system to make it a commercial product, says Zheng. “We’re looking to improve speed, by developing a shorter input signal and programming the post-processing software in the C programming language, rather than using Matlab and Python, for example.”


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The two players have been influential this season for the sixteen-time league champions. Club official Ronald Ngala has told Goal the two players will not be leaving and the club is doing everything possible to keep them.
“Yes, the two players are out of contract at the end of the month. They have been good, their quality is evident and we want to keep them. We have opened talks with them, hoping to tie them down for a longer term.
We are in several competitions and cannot afford to lose any of our players.”
K’Ogalo are top of the Kenyan Premier League table with 31 points after playing 13 matches. They are also in Group stages of Caf Confederation Cup, Super Cup and FKF Shield Cup.

domain: game


text: Have your kiddos make either of these two, tall or short hat patterns to celebrate your favorite children's author Dr Seuss most famous character "The Cat". "The Cat" is the one everyone loves to see come back, every year. These activity can be used to in a literacy center or as a finearts activity. Included are two hat patterns, one tall and one short so you can choose. Two character head templates--one for a selfie of your kiddo to complete and one of a feline character. And a page with eyes, a mouth and a bow to complete the character if you prefer and the final one with gloved hands. However, giving your students an opportunity to demonstrate their own creativity in designing themselves or our favorite feline friend is definitely better. Your choice.

domain: design


Couriers protest taxation on Internet purchases under US$200
The Dominican Association of Courier Companies (Asodec) has described as illegal and irregular the 29 July 2014 notice from the Customs Agency stating that as of 15 August 2014 they will be taxing purchases made by Internet of goods costing less than US$200 that until now have been authorized to enter duty free. The notice was published in the media.
Asodec president Jose Burdiez said the announcement clearly violates Decree 402-05, the executive order that authorized that exonerated express shipments with values of less than US$200 from tax.
He said it was “outrageous” and “absurd” for Customs to seek to administratively modify an executive order. He quoted President Medina as saying that the privilege of importing goods costing less than US$200 was a right of the Dominican population.
Taxation on the goods had been included in the most recent 2012 tax reform law, but at the time this was challenged on the grounds that it was in violation of the DR-CAFTA free trade agreement.
Burdiez said that the announcement could mean consumers would see additional charges of 18-38% on their purchases. But this could be much more as it takes into consideration the 18% ITBIS tax and on average a 20% import tax, but not the luxury tax taxation into account.
Burdiez said that the taxation would cause enormous delays in express shipment services offered by the couriers.
At present, Internet purchases costing less than US$200 pay a Customs fee of 0.25 cents per kilo (2.5 lbs) of the import, explains Asodec.
Over the last few years more and more Dominicans have been making the most of the lower cost of Internet purchases, sometimes 200% less than what the goods are sold for locally. It remains to be seen if people would be buying the same goods locally if the US$200 tax exemption on purchases did not exist.
The National Organization of Commercial Businesses (ONEC), the association of mall and superstore owners in the Dominican Republic, has campaigned intensely for the elimination of the tax privilege on the grounds that the provision makes for unfair competition with stores that pay high taxes. ONEC had advocated for the government to allow tax-free shopping on consumer purchases up to US$200 in order to compete with the Internet purchases.
Speaking at a press conference called to inform on the Customs Agency notification, Burdiez stated that it is of great concern that the government favors business groups versus the common interest of Dominican consumers.
Yesterday, Wednesday 30 July 2014, Minister of Economy Tomas Montas told journalists that they should ask the Minister of Hacienda for information on the decision to tax courier shippers for imports under US$200.
Source: DR1, DGII
Category: DR News |


text:
Dave and the boys discuss the Springbok team for Brisbane
The Springbok team has been announced for this Saturday’s test against Australia in Brisbane. Myself, Domkrag van der Merwe (a hooker for his town’s third team), Kenneth Rose-Innes III (fullback from Waterkloofrif) and Blind Ref had a quick look and discussion on the team. Here are there thoughts:
15. Zane Kirchner
Domkrag: Well at least the forwards is not going too be the one playing without thinking. Zane can just kick and that is all.
Kenneth: He must come and see my stylist. His hair is always a mess. Just hope he doesn’t kick to much.
Blind Ref: Well at least he doesn’t give away to many penalties.
Dave: Personally I would have started with Lambie at fullback and brought on Kirchner for the last 20 minutes or so. Still Zane is safe under the high ball, but tends to be a bit one dimensional on attack.
14. Willie le Roux
Domkrag: He makes as forwards look dumb. And he runs like the wind and keeps the other okes guessing. Sometimes he has us forwards guessing as well. But that is not a bad thing.
Kenneth: I love the way he runs with the ball. And that side step, it makes me go all soft.
Blind Ref: A player that makes things happen. Difficult to keep track of as he is deceptive.
Dave: I prefer Willie at fullback where he can come into the line at will. A deceptive runner that has the opposition guessing on attack. Still needs some work on defence. Would like to see him at Flyhalf or even inside centre when we attack.
13. JJ Engelbrecht
Domkrag: He is not too bad. He could have been a forward. His name is so easy to spel.
Kenneth: What can I say. He is good on the eye and plays good rugby as well.
Blind Ref: Not much to say. JJ is a great player.
Dave: JJ is a brilliant centre and makes things happen. He has the ability to get the wings away and is not afraid to run at the gap himself. Solid on attack and defence.
12. Jean de Villiers
Domkrag: A good captain for a backline player. I like how he challenges the ref when us forwards are being hurt. A bit small to do that, but then he is a back.
Kenneth: Jean is one of my favourite players. Always well dressed and he is gentle when he tackles players.
Blind Ref: a forceful captain that keeps the refs on their toes. Knows his rules and tries to play within them.
Dave: A good captain and excellent player. He is coming to the end of his career but still keeps the youngsters at bay. We will miss him once he is replaced.
11. Bryan Habana
Domkrag: He is my favourite backline player. At least he scores tries when we put in the hard work up front.
Kenneth: Habana is brilliant, but he must run a bit slower and give the guys a chance to catch him.
Blind Ref: What can I say? He is a try scoring machine.
Dave: One of the best wingers the Springboks has ever had. 50 Tries don’t come through luck, but rather hard work. Always looking for work. Solid on defence. All round a player that you want in your team.
10. Morne Steyn
Domkrag: At least he keeps the ball in front of us and doesn’t make us run back.
Kenneth: Just loves the way he kicks a ball.
Blind Ref: Those Aussies must watch out where they give away penalties. Morne will kick them 9 times out of 10.
Dave: Probably one of the most improved players this year. No longer just a kicking flyhalf. He has improved his all round game. The best flyhalf currently in SA based on that.
9. Ruan Pienaar
Domkrag: Not again. He is so slow behind the ruck and scrum. Doe she realise how heavy the okes get when they are on top of you?
Kenneth: Come now Domkrag, don’t complain about guys on top of you. But I agree he is to slow.
Blind Ref: He loves to chat to the ref, the ref doesn’t always like that. The new 5 second rule can become a problem for him.
Dave: Not my first choice scrumhalf by a long shot. I would have opted to start Jano Vermaak with Piet van Zyl on the bench. Ruan is not giving the backline the service the deserve. One of the reasons the Boks struggled in Mendoza.
8. Duane Vermeulen
Domkrag: A hardworking forward. Still he sometimes dreams of being a back.
Kenneth: What a hunk of a player. I won’t mind him packing down behind me in the scrum. He has such strength.
Blind Ref: An honest player. Excepts when he is penalised.
Dave: Vermeulen is the best eightman in the country and he has proved it. Hard working, hard playing man.
7. Willem Alberts
Domkrag: Wow! That is all I will say. Willem is harder than stone.
Kenneth: I can only agree with Domkrag.
Blind Ref: A good hard working player.
Dave: Willem is one of those never say die players. Reminds me of Corne Krige. He puts his body on the line and just won’t back down.
6. Francois Louw
Domkrag: To much of a pretty boy for a forward, but then he starts playing.
Kenneth: Domkrag don’t speak like that of Flo. He is more than just a pretty boy.
Blind ref: Flo is a brilliant player. He steals the ball without being caught by the ref.
Dave: In my opinion Louw should be made captain. He is a great fetcher and although many would disagree, he is the reason Brussouw is not in the squad.
Domkrag: He must be good. He is a Van der Merwe after all.
Kenneth: A brute of as player.
Blind Ref: Tends to give away a penalty or two, but other than that he is not a bad player.
Dave: Flip deserves more starting time in the green and gold. Yes, he does tend to give away penalties, but has improved on that over the last season or two.
4. Eben Etzebeth
Domkrag: My type of player. He loves to get into the game and doesn’t mind the hard stuff.
Kenneth: Eben gets to physical for my liking.
Blind Ref: a hard player that sometimes gets to caught up in the moment.
Dave; Eben is a brilliant lock, but he must control his temper better. Yes, you need an “enforcer” of sorts on the field. He tends to take it a bit far at times. Everybody knows he will not shy away and they will use that against him. Still I won’t leave him out of my team.
Domkrag; He is a freak of nature. I mean how can a forward be a qualified doctor as well. Just because of that he must be in the team.
Kenneth: I like him and he is not a bad player.
Blind Ref: Not much to say on Jannie.
Dave: No matter how you look at uit, with his brother next to him Jannie becomes an even better player. He does how ever need to be managed properly as he is playing to much rugby in my view. Still one of the best we have.
2. Bismarck du Plessis
Domkrag: I wish I could play like Bismarck. He is the hooker every number 2 wants to be like. That is except Adriaan. Adriaan wants to be better than Bismarck.
Kenneth: Oooo, Bissie is back in the starting team. I can’t wait to watch the game. Just hope Heyneke leaves him on for at least 60 minutes.
Blind Ref: Bismarck is more than just a hooker, he is an extra loose forward.
Dave: I have to agree with Blind Ref. Bismarck brings something extra to the game. He will always be one of the best in the world, but Adriaan is not far behind at the moment.
1. Beast Mtawarira
Domkrag: Just love to shout “Beast” when he gets the ball.
Kenneth: He is a strong player. Such big arms and legs.
Blind Ref: Not bad at all.
Dave: Beast is a strong player, but he has lost some of that line breaking ability. The new scrum laws seems to suite him.
Domkrag: Why do we need 2 backs on the bench. They never get hurt, they only get tired. I mean us forwards play most of the rugby.
Kenneth: In my opinion they need more players like Pat Lambie and Jano on the bench. The rest is just so rough looking.
Blind Ref: An impressive bench as always.
Dave: a 5-2 split is something that we have come to expect over the last season or so. I would prefer an extra back on the bench, but we have enough players that can slot in to various positions.
- The Blind Ref: WP, The Lions and the Penalty try (davesviews.wordpress.com)
- Quade Cooper Announced at Flyhalf for Qantas Wallabies Clash Against South Africa (davesviews.wordpress.com)
Posted on September 4, 2013, in Springbok Rugby and tagged Bismarck, Brisbane, Flip van der Merwe, Jannie du Plessis, Jano Vermaak, Piet van Zyl, Springbok, Zane Kirchner. Bookmark the permalink. Leave a comment.

domain: sports


text:
UAE carriers delay flights after terrorist attack on Karachi airport
UAE airlines are expecting ongoing delays after a terrorist attack on Sunday night at Pakistan’s Jinnah International in Karachi closed the airport, Gulf News has reported. “Etihad Airways has delayed its flight EY221 from Abu Dhabi to Karachi on Sunday, 8 June, and flight EY222 from Karachi to Abu Dhabi on Monday, 9 June,” said an Etihad spokesperson. An Emirates spokesperson also advised passengers to check their website with the closure of the airport said to impact other services on the route. An Emirates plane was on the ground with crew and passengers on board when the attack took place. “Under the guidance of the Pakistan military the passengers and crew disembarked the aircraft and were taken to a secure area of the terminal,” the Emirates spokesperson said.


Bernard Hopkins to risk WBC belt against Chad Dawson
Hopkins (52-5-2, 32 knockouts) will face Chad Dawson (30-1, 17 knockouts) on Oct. 15 in a title fight at the Staples Center.
A news conference early next week will officially announce the pairing, a Golden Boy Promotions spokeswoman said.
-- Douglas Farmer
Photo: Bernard Hopkins gestures prior to the start of his light heavyweight bout against Jean Pascal on May 21. Credit: Christinne Muschi / Reuters


text:
Terms and Conditions of Sale
version 1.0 – 01/01/2020
ARTICLE 1 : OBJECT AND SCOPE OF APPLICATION
These general terms and conditions of sale apply by right, without restrictions or reservations, to any purchase of accommodation services (rental of bare pitches; rental of accommodation), catering services, entertainment or any other services offered by the “Funtana à l’ora”, hereinafter referred to as the “Funtana”, to consumers and non-professional clients, hereinafter referred to as the CLIENT.
The main characteristics of the services are presented on the website of the Camping https://www.funtanaalora.fr/. The CUSTOMER is required to read them before placing an order. The choice or purchase of a service is the sole responsibility of the CLIENT. The rules and regulations of the campsite are displayed in the campsite.
These conditions and the internal regulations apply to the exclusion of any other conditions, including those applicable to other marketing channels on the Internet “example Booking” “Hotels.com”.
The CUSTOMER declares that he/she has read these general terms and conditions of sale and the internal regulations, and has accepted them before concluding the service supply contract. The validation of the order of services by the CUSTOMER implies acceptance without restriction or reservation of these general conditions of sale and the internal regulations.
These general conditions of sale may be subject to subsequent changes, the version applicable to the CUSTOMER’s purchase is the one in force on the day of the conclusion of the contract, the history of versions being on this page.
ARTICLE 2 : DISPUTES
2.1 COMPETENT COURT
All disputes to which the sales operations concluded in application of the present general sales conditions could give rise, concerning both their validity, interpretation, execution, termination, consequences and consequences and which could not be resolved between Funtana and the CUSTOMER shall be submitted to the courts of AJACCIO (2A).
ARTICLE 3: APPLICABLE LAW
The present General Terms and Conditions of Sale and the operations resulting from them are governed by and subject to French law. In the event that they are translated into one or more foreign languages, only the French text will be deemed authentic in the event of a dispute.
ARTICLE 4 : SECURITY
Any malfunction of the electrical or gas appliances and equipment or of the water service must be reported immediately to the Funtana reception desk. In all cases, the CLIENT must comply with the Safety Instructions posted in the accommodation or on the internal regulations.
The use of bunk beds is forbidden to children under 6 years old.
The use by the CLIENT of barbecues, cooking plates, charcoal barbecues is strictly forbidden, on the river bank or on the river bed.
Charcoal barbecues are allowed in the areas indicated on the Funtana’s map. The Management of the Campsite reserves the right to temporarily prohibit their use in case of just cause. Any open fire is strictly forbidden in the camping grounds, in the wilderness areas, on the river bank or on the river bed.
ARTICLE 5: FORCE MAJEURE
The Funtana declines all responsibility for disruptions, interruptions or hindrances to the stay caused by events that could be qualified as force majeure.
Force majeure is defined as any event beyond the control of Funtana that could not be reasonably foreseen at the time the contract was concluded and whose effects cannot be avoided by appropriate measures.
Force majeure shall include, but not be limited to, weather conditions that prevent the performance of the service, acts of any civil or military authority, whether de facto or de jure, war, mobilization, revolt, total or partial strike, fire or flooding, administrative closure, accidents, riots, interruption or delay of means of transport, acts of any third party, including the CLIENT, or any other circumstance with an external cause that directly prevents the performance. In the event of the occurrence of an event qualified as force majeure, Funtanase reserves the right to suspend its obligations, without any prejudice or claim for damages being attributable to it. If the event of force majeure is only temporary, the obligation shall be suspended, unless the resulting delay justifies the cancellation of the contract. If the impediment is definitive, the contract may be terminated by operation of law and the parties are released from their obligations.
ARTICLE 6: IMPREVISION
The theory of unforeseeability provided for in Article 1195 of the Civil Code is excluded from all contracts for the provision of services, regardless of the form, concluded with Funtana.
ARTICLE 7: LIABILITY
The Management of the Funtana shall not be held liable for theft, damage or accidents to the CLIENT’s personal property, equipment or vehicles during the stay. The CLIENT is required to take out civil liability insurance to cover this risk.
The CLIENT is responsible for all disturbances that may occur on the site or in the accommodation that he/she rents during his/her stay. The Funtana shall not be held liable in this respect. Visitors are entirely responsible for the CLIENT who welcomes them.
The Funtana is responsible for the internal infrastructure and undertakes to do its utmost to maintain it and ensure the safety of the CLIENT during the stay, except in cases where the CLIENT, the persons or things in his/her care are the cause of the damage.
ARTICLE 8 : RESERVATION CONDITIONS
Reservations are strictly nominative and can in no case be sublet under penalty of nullity.
Minors must be accompanied by their parents or legal guardians.
The Campsite reserves the right to refuse a CLIENT if he/she has previously caused damage, violated the safety rules or harmed the peaceful enjoyment of the other clients.
Reservations made by telephone are subject to a prior estimate. The sending of this estimate is only an option for the reservation and not a final confirmation of the reservation.
The reservation on estimate is considered as final by the Campsite only after the payment of a deposit if the stay begins more than 4 weeks before the date of issue of the estimate.
8.3 PAYMENT OF THE BALANCE
If the reservation has given rise to the payment of a deposit by the CUSTOMER, the balance of the stay is payable in full on the day of arrival.
The CUSTOMER may cancel his reservation free of charge up to 30 days before arrival. The client will have to pay the total amount of the reservation if he cancels within 30 days before the arrival. If the client does not show up at the establishment, the total amount of the reservation will be charged.
In all cases, the CUSTOMER must imperatively notify the campsite by mail or email of the cancellation of the stay, only the date of receipt being authentic.
Similarly, the campsite can not cancel the reservation after receipt of payment of the deposit.
8.5 CHANGE OF RESERVATION
No reduction or refund will be made in case of: absence; late arrival; early departure; if all or part of the occupants are absent one or more nights during their stay. In case of non presentation of the CUSTOMER within 48 hours from the beginning of the stay and without proof and/or information of the arrival of the CUSTOMER, the campsite will dispose of the pitch or the rental accommodation.
ARTICLE 9 : STAY DURATION
The rentals of accommodation start at 14:30 and end at 10:30.
The rentals of pitches start at 10:00 am and end at 12:00 pm.
Any delay in arrival must be expressly notified to the campsite. Any delay does not give rise to a refund and no reduction of the price can be requested on the amount of the initial price.
Any release and, where appropriate, return of the key of the rented accommodation or release of the site after the hours provided in the article “Schedules” will result in the billing of an additional night. Any request for extension of stay must be made at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure date, the campsite is not required to respond favorably. No reduction will be made if the occupants are absent one or more nights during their stay, or in case of early departure.
Pets are accepted with a supplement per animal and per day, provided that they are vaccinated and kept on a leash by an adult. Category 1 and 2 dogs are not accepted. The CUSTOMER must be able to present the required vaccination certificates. The Funtana may refuse any pet owner who does not comply with this clause.
9.5 CHANGE OF ACCOMMODATION OR PITCH
The Funtana may assign a different accommodation or pitch to the one originally booked, provided that there is a clear need to do so.
9.6 INTERNAL REGULATIONS AND SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
All persons present on the campsite must be aware of and respect the Safety Instructions and the Internal Regulations. Failure to do so may result in permanent exclusion without reimbursement or compensation.
ARTICLE 10 : RATES
For the bare pitches, the tariffs of the stay include the use of the rented pitch as well as the free access to the sanitary facilities of the campsite.
For the accommodations, the rates of the stay include water, electricity and gas in normal conditions of use, free access to the sanitary facilities of the campsite, as well as the use of the rented accommodation in accordance with the estimate with all the equipment specific to this accommodation as indicated on the website of the Campsite at the time of the reservation request.
Any abnormal or disproportionate use of the facilities may be subject to additional charges.
The Funtana may also charge additional fees if the CLIENT causes a disturbance to the campsite, causes damage to the rented property, or fails to comply with the internal rules and regulations, as damages.
The services offered by the Funtana are provided at the rate in force on the website https://www.funtanaalora.fr/ according to the estimate established at the time of registration of the sale of services provided by the Funtana. The price of the services is indicated in euros, including VAT. The client’s attention is drawn to the fact that the tourist tax is not included in the price.
These rates are firm and not subject to revision during the period of validity, which extends from the beginning of the opening of the reservations until the annual closing of the Campsite. The Campsite reserves the right, outside this period of validity, to change prices at any time.
ARTICLE 11: TERMS OF PAYMENT
The payment of services is made by bank transfer, check, vacation vouchers ANCV, cash or via a platform of payment by credit card chosen by the Camping. This last means of payment does not give the website https://www.funtanaalora.fr/ the definition of merchant site, the website being a reservation platform.
ARTICLE 12: RIGHT OF WITHDRAWAL
According to the article L221-28 of the code of the Consumption, considering the nature of the provided services, the customer does not have a delay of retractation. The contract is concluded in a definitive way as of the acceptance of the estimate by the CUSTOMER according to the methods specified in article 2.
ARTICLE 13: OBLIGATIONS
13.1 OBLIGATIONS OF THE CUSTOMER
The CLIENT undertakes to respect the number of persons indicated in the reservation. The number of persons occupying an accommodation or pitch may not exceed the capacity indicated on the website https://www.funtanaalora.fr/, unless expressly agreed by Funtana.
The CUSTOMER undertakes to comply strictly with the internal regulations. The CUSTOMER shall be liable for any infringement of these rules by the CUSTOMER or the persons accompanying him/her.
13.2 OBLIGATIONS OF THE CAMPSITE
The Funtana undertakes to do its utmost to ensure that the rules and regulations are respected and to put an end to any disturbance that may hinder the CLIENT’s stay.
Complaints concerning the course of the stay must be brought to the attention of the Management of Le Funtana as soon as possible. The Management will endeavour to find a solution quickly.
Need help? Contact us
Terms and Conditions of Sales

domain: law


Riverina farmers hoping for rain soon following dry winter
The cracker autumn break feels like a distant memory for farmers in south-west NSW.
Some have started to offload cattle and sheep as feed begins to dry up with the onset of spring.
Bill Hooke runs Warwillah, a sheep stud halfway between Hay and Deniliquin, and says the season is running out of steam.
"If we got the rain that was being predicted a fortnight ago, we would have had a fantastic season.
"We're on a knife-edge now and we'll just have to evaluate it as we go forward."
Mr Hooke says that after shearing in the next two weeks, they'll decide when to sell their lambs and ewes.
"We've got surplus sheep that normally go into the October Hay sale. Whether they'll go earlier or whether we'll sell them privately on the place, that's an option we've got."
He says they've sold surplus cows, but steers were offloaded 80 to 100 kilograms lighter than he would would have liked.


text:
Yolanda Hadid, mother of Gigi and Bella, lands 'Model Moms' reality show
Want to be the next Gigi or Bella Hadid? Lifetime had a feeling.
The network just picked up the reality series Model Moms (working title), hosted by the former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star (and Gigi, Bella and Anwar's mom) Yolanda Hadid, who wants to discover new talent for the catwalk.
On the show, Mrs. Hadid will coach aspiring models and their "momagers" in an eight-week training program, "focused on the physical, mental and emotional wellness that it takes to build a sustainable brand," according to a release.
"With a $5,000 weekly prize on the line to put towards their future careers, only one girl will be left standing to win a management contract with Yolanda’s company and the potential opportunity to be represented by IMG Models in New York."
Time to start practicing your strut.

domain: celebrity


Dogs are known to be great animals to take with you in a car. Aside from the sights, they also enjoy the wind and the scents, which is why so many dogs prefer to stick their heads out when riding in the car. But this dog in Thailand takes the cake when it comes to riding cars. The dog was captured on video riding on the roof of a pickup truck. That’s right, not the passenger seats, not the bed, but the actual roof of the car.
The dog riding on the roof was on top of a red Nissan pickup truck. It was driving through a road in Nakhon Ratchasima. The dog was noticed by 56-year old Khun Chumphon who was parked in the shoulder. It was his wife, Tai who noticed the dog. She said “Oh, wow, that’s amazing! A dog standing on top of the car. Drive a little bit closer.” They couple were both amazed at how well balanced the dog was to stay standing on top of the moving car.
The couple sped up and caught up with the pickup truck and looked over at the brown and white dog that was on the roof. They decided to take a video of the dog and posted it on social media, where it quickly went viral. In the video, you can hear Tai saying “The dog is so acrobatic, so skillful!”
“I’ve seen dogs on motorbikes before but I’ve never seen one standing on the roof of a car. It was very unusual.” said Chumphon after.


text:
MOL inks deal with Methanol Holdings.
Japan"s Mitsui OSK Lines has confirmed the launch of a long-term agreement with Caribbean-based company Methanol Holdings (Trinidad) to operate three ships carrying urea ammonium nitrate solution that are expected to generate ¥2bn ($22m) in revenues.
The Japanese shipowner said the contracts, which will initially last for 15 years, started in mid-February but had only just been confirmed. The deal included the possibility of extended the contracts to 20 years.
MOL is operating three ships: a 36,000 dwt chemical tanker and two larger 47,000 dwt vessels. A MOL spokeswoman said the all three ships were built by South Korea"s Hyundai Heavy Industries and were delivered from the end of last year.
The vessels are the first to be dedicated to the transport of the urea-based solution.
The shipowner confirmed it was looking at further opportunities in the sector. The spokeswoman told Lloyd"s List: ?The demand of urea ammonium nitrate solution as fertiliser is increasing. We expect that the trade volume will be increasing as well.?
Methanol Holdings (Trinidad) loaded its first cargo of urea ammonium nitrate solution onboard the 2009-built, 47,128 dwt Forres Park towards the end of last month bound for Stockton on the US west coast. The Hong Kong-flagged vessel is one of the three operated by MOL.
The three combined chemical and oil tankers have joined Methanol Holdings" existing fleet of nine dedicated methanol tankers.


At the hotel
There are a few parking places belonging to the hotel (reservation is needed). Cost per night is CHF 10.--
In the neighborhood
- In blue zones "with a parking disc"
- On workdays from 8am to 7pm, parking is restricted to 1-11/2 hours, as shown on the parking disc.
- From 11.30am to 2.30pm and in the evening / at night from 6pm to 8am, parking is free without any restrictions.
- Those wanting to park longer can buy special parking ticket for use in the blue zones:
4h CHF 9.00
24h CHF 16.00
- These tickets can be purchased at all Bernmobil ticket machines and at the reception.


text:
I’ve just finished reading a 102 page pdf document which contained articles authored by you concerning Self-Directed IRAs.
I’m confused as to whether or not my particular circumstance would fall under the prohibited transaction category.
I’m employed by XYZ Company, a manager of commercial real estate assets.
XYZ Holdings is under contract to acquire a 50 unit student housing asset in Austin, TX for $4.65 million. With closing costs and renovation costs, the total costs of the transaction are $5.0 million. We are financing the acquisition with a $3.75 million loan from KeyBank, and raising the remaining $1.25 million through a friends and family private placement equity raise.
The loan from ABC Bank is an 18 month bridge loan which is full recourse to me and my partner. However, once we implement some improvements to the asset and increase the net cash flow generated by the property, we will refinance into a non-recourse permanent loan.
As compensation for finding this transaction and sponsoring the deal, my partner and I will receive 25% of the ownership in the entity which owns the asset. The equity investors who invest the $1.25 million of equity will receive the remaining 75% of ownership in the entity which owns the asset.
XYZ Management Company will manage the asset at some point in the future, but not initially. I’m technically an employee of XYZ Management Company, but not an owner of XYZ Management Company.
I would like to invest an existing traditional IRA of mine, which has a balance of approximately $160,000, as a portion of the $1.25 million of required equity capital, thus giving me a limited partner position in the ownership entity, in addition to my sponsorship promote equity position.
Is the proposed IRA investment acceptable, or would this be considered a prohibited transaction?
Thank you for your assistance on this issue.
Unfortunately, this would be a prohibited transaction. You cannot use your IRA for your personal benefit now, and clearly having your IRA invest in a project that you receive a 25% personal interest in would violate the rules. The goal of the prohibited transaction rules overall is to make sure that transactions in your IRA are on an arms-length basis. We would love to assist you with your self-directed IRA needs if you identify an investment that fits within the parameters of the law. Good luck with your project, and have a great day!


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Nestled in a peaceful residential area just five minutes from beautiful Westport town, Hazelbrook bed and breakfast is an ideal base for tours of County Mayo and the stunning West of Ireland. Highly recommended by Le Guide du Routard, the house boasts extensive breakfast menus and an array of relaxing holistic therapies. Just a five-minute stroll from the Great Western Greenway, the longest off-road walking and cycling trail in Ireland, guests can truly embrace the great outdoors. With stunning scenery, wonderful restaurants and idyllic beaches, the heritage town of Westport has plenty to offer. Check in time is strictly between 3 pm and 6 pm, Late Arrivals after&6pm&is by special agreement (phone or email contact) .
- Address: Deerpark East, Newport Road N59, Westport, Co. Mayo, F28 TN32
- County : Mayo
- Area: Westport
- Opening Dates: Open from April to October


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Male Plastic Surgery
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Kay (vocals), Jiri (guitar), Amak (bass), and Daniel (drums) in the middle 90's formed sunshine. In the early 2000's the band issued Velvet Suicide (2000) and Hysterical Stereo Loops, Beats & Bloody Lips (2002). The 2003's Necromance was the group's first release in the U.S. It was followed by the Electric! Kill! Kill! EP and the Moonshower and Razorblades LP. Most popular Sunshine ringtones listed: Dead Elektro Mix, Streamlined, Line Mix, Extrracurricular, Autorelocator.
Darius And Finlay,
Songs similar to Sunshine ringtones:
Paper Planes - M.I.A.
Cry For You (Radio Mix) - September
Kristy, Are You Doing Okay? - The Offspring
Breathe Me - Sia
$20 - M.I.A.
You may also like:
Body Like A Back Road - Sam Hunt ringtones
Bounce Back - Big Sean ringtones
I Feel It Coming (Feat. Daft Punk) - The Weeknd ringtones


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Friday’s rally gave investors a bit of a breather from the recent stock market turmoil, but it’s likely that more volatility is yet to come.
It doesn’t help that inflation is still lingering, and the Federal Reserve’s move to raise interest rates has added to the uncertainty.
Wall Street’s top pros are reminding investors to look past the turmoil and focus on long-term investing. According to TipRanks, which lists the top-performing Wall Street professionals, analysts are picking their favorite stocks to weather the storm.
Here are five stocks analysts are highlighting this week.
Coursera (CURE) offers online courses covering a wide range of disciplines and skill levels, including undergraduate degrees. It is aimed at individuals and companies, including companies, who wish to upskill their workforce.
Coursera works with industry experts and universities to deliver the course content. Customers can purchase individual course certificates or a subscription. Coursera’s revenue grew 36% year over year to $120.4 million in the first quarter of 2022, beating the consensus estimate of $116.7 million. (See Coursera blogger sentiment on TipRanks)
Coursera couldn’t avoid the sell-off that has hit stocks across the board. However, those who buy the dip can get a great deal. Needham’s Ryan MacDonald attended Coursera’s recent annual conference and was convinced the stock represented a great long-term investment opportunity. In a recent report, the analyst pointed out that the discussions at the conference provided an outlook that implied growing opportunities across Coursera’s segments.
MacDonald categorized the stock as a buy with a price target of $32.
In the consumer segment, Coursera expands the professional certificate offering with high gross margin. This strategy will support revenue growth and margin expansion, the analyst said. According to MacDonald, Coursera is introducing innovative offers and free add-ons to the enterprise segment, designed to help it attract new customers while growing its share of the wallet.
Of the nearly 8,000 analysts in the TipRanks database, MacDonald is ranked 545. His success rate is 47%, with an average return of 12.5% per rating.
ZoomInfo (ZI) sells access to valuable database information that companies rely on for marketing and talent hiring. For example, the TalentOS platform enables companies to recruit more efficiently.
In the first quarter, ZoomInfo beat consensus estimates for revenue and earnings. The company continued to provide an upbeat outlook for the second quarter and the full year. (See ZoomInfo earnings data on TipRanks)
Despite the strong quarterly results and upbeat guidance, ZoomInfo’s stock has been caught in a downturn. According to Raymond James analyst Brian Peterson, ZoomInfo’s sell-off is a boon in disguise for long-term investors who can buy the stock cheaply. In a recent report, the analyst said ZoomInfo has more room for profitable growth, citing the company’s new product launches, acquisitions and international expansion efforts.
Peterson rated the stock a Buy with a price target of $65.
ZoomInfo is accelerating its international expansion in response to strong demand. The company is increasing its headcount in London and recently opened its first physical office in India.
At the same time, ZoomInfo continues with its strategic acquisitions. The company recently acquired Comparably and Dogpatch Advisors to strengthen its recruiting and sales solutions, respectively. As ZoomInfo expands overseas and improves its solutions through acquisitions, ZoomInfo wins more business from existing customers. For example, it recently had a deal extension with Google parent Alphabet (GOOGL), the analyst said.
Peterson is ranked 100th out of nearly 8,000 analysts in the TipRanks database. His stock ratings were correct 59% of the time, with an average return of 19.2% per rating.
Big box retailer Costco (COSTS) currently operates a network of around 830 stores and plans to open stores in 30 additional locations in 2022. The move could boost sales. (See Costco stock charts on TipRanks).
In its most recent quarterly report, Costco reported revenue and earnings that beat consensus estimates. However, Costco stock is still trading below where it started the year. Oppenheimer analyst Rupesh Parikh believes Costco remains a great investment and that the stock’s discount is a great opportunity to buy it at a lower price. In a recent report, the analyst highlighted Costco’s strong management team and track record of delivering shareholder returns.
Parikh has a Buy rating on the stock with a price target of $645.
In terms of shareholder returns, Costco has a long history of paying dividends. Recently, the annualized payout was increased to $3.60 per share. Parikh sees prospects for a special dividend. The analyst also noted Costco’s strong April sales despite the many headwinds retailers across the board are grappling with. The analyst also sees Costco in a strong competitive position that should allow it to gain more market share.
Parikh is ranked 352 out of approximately 8,000 analysts in the TipRanks database. The analyst was correct 62% of the time on his stock ratings, with an average return of 10.5% per rating.
Fintech company Green Dot (GDOT) provides prepaid debit cards, checking accounts, and cash processing services to consumers. It also helps with payroll payments and tax refund processing.
The company delivered strong first-quarter results as both sales and earnings improved from the year-ago quarter and beat consensus estimates. Der Grüne Punkt continued to issue an optimistic forecast for the second quarter and the year as a whole. The company has also launched a $100 million share buyback program. (See Green Dot Risk Analysis on TipRanks)
However, green dot stock remained under pressure amid the broader market sell-off. According to Needham analyst Mayank Tandon, GDOT has good prospects and the current pullback presents a golden opportunity.
Tandon has a Buy rating on GDOT with a target price of $35.
Noting that the pandemic has accelerated the adoption of digital banking and payments, the analyst added that the trend is feeding into core areas of GDOT. Tandon also noted that GDOT’s management continues to invest in driving future long-term growth. The investments, coupled with share buybacks, could result in double-digit earnings per share growth in 2023 and beyond.
Of the nearly 8,000 analysts in the TipRanks database, Tandon is ranked 573rd. The analyst’s views were correct 48% of the time, with an average return of 10% per review.
Health Insurance Cigna (AI) is resisting the sell-off of the broader market. Investors continue to flock to Cigna stock after the company reported strong quarterly results and offered upbeat full-year guidance. Mizuho Securities analyst Ann Hynes believes this is the way to go now.
In a recent report, the analyst notes that Cigna’s prospects remain bright. The company recently launched a provider advisory service that it says will deliver better outcomes for cancer patients. The Service is operated by Evernorth Health Services. In a community pilot, Cigna’s results showed that 40% of patients benefited from updated therapy guidance thanks to the provider’s counseling service. According to Hynes, Evernorth’s business performed well in the first quarter and remains well-positioned for growth in 2023. (See Cigna Dividend Data on TipRanks)
Hynes rates the stock as a Buy with a price target of $291.
According to Hynes, Cigna’s Evernorth unit is benefiting from new business wins and strong renewal rates. The analyst also noted that there is a great cross-selling opportunity for Cigna between its healthcare segment and the Evernorth unit.
Of the nearly 8,000 analysts in the TipRanks database, Hynes is ranked 568. The analyst’s calls were correct 57% of the time, with an average return of 8.9% per review.

domain: finance


NVIDIA's Andrew Rink on the HP Mars Home Planet Project, AEC and Manufacturing
Sean Young discusses how HP Z Workstations are enabling a wide range of organizations and the new Mars Home Planet program during a Waskul.TV StudioXperience Interview live from SIGGRAPH 2017
HP's Aimee Doyne, on the HP Mars Home Planet Project
Greg Estes talks in detail about NVIDIA GPUs in VR, gaming, self-driving cars, deep learning, product design and artificial intelligence
Epic Games' Marc Petit discusses some of the many areas outside of gaming where Unreal Engine can make a difference
Chris Vienneau on the latest Maya updates and how Maya is empowering content creation across Film, Gaming,Television and VR content production.


Only "Miracles" Can Move Brexit Talks Forward by October, EU Tells Britain
File photo. (Image: Reuters)
Prime Minister Theresa May had been hoping to use an informal EU meeting in the Estonian capital Tallinn to harness what she describes as renewed goodwill over Brexit to push the talks beyond the terms of the divorce, now just 18 months away.
Tallinn: Only “miracles” can move Brexit talks far enough to fulfil Britain's hopes of launching discussions next month on its future ties with the European Union, the head of the European Commission said on Friday.
UK Prime Minister Theresa May had been hoping to use an informal EU meeting in the Estonian capital Tallinn to harness what she describes as renewed goodwill over Brexit to push the talks beyond the terms of the divorce, now just 18 months away.
Britain had aimed to make a breakthrough at a summit in Brussels on October 19-20. Two years have been set aside for the Brexit talks and Britain risks crashing out of the 28-state bloc on March 29, 2019, without a deal on future trade terms.
But Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the EU executive and long a bogeyman for some in Britain's eurosceptic press, said the first stage of talks on the rights of expatriates, the UK border with EU member Ireland and the financial settlement when Britain leaves had not gone far enough.
"By the end of October, we will not have sufficient progress," Juncker told reporters in Tallinn, a day after his chief negotiator ended the last round of Brexit talks.
"At the end of this week, I am saying that there will be no sufficient progress from now until October unless miracles will happen."
His words were echoed by other leaders. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said both sides would need "a small miracle" to make the required progress before the summit. Irish leader Leo Varadkar said it was "still very evident that there's more work to be done".
Their views will be a blow for May, who wants to move quickly on to discussion of the future trade relationship and a transitional arrangement — part of the deal Britain says is needed before any kind of financial settlement can be agreed.
In Tallinn, May sidestepped questions over whether she was confident of the October deadline.
After three months of talks, which have become bogged down in a spat over the divorce bill, the British prime minister tried to reset the tone with a speech a week ago in Florence.
She had hoped to speak directly to EU leaders and reassure them that Britain was not picking unnecessary fights, going so far as to make concessions on the future role of the European Court of Justice and on the Brexit bill.
"I made that speech to give momentum to the talks and I think we have seen that being shown in the talks that have taken place this week, and further progress has been made," May said early on Friday.
Pressing her case, she met German Chancellor Angela Merkel on the sidelines of the Tallinn summit and repeated her pledge for Britain to be "the strongest friend and partner to the EU" after Brexit, her spokeswoman said.
Merkel said there had been progress, but that there was also a lot of work to do before October. "Altogether it was a very constructive talk," Merkel told a news conference at the end of the summit. "I think that the Florence speech helped to bring a new dynamic into the negotiation process."
May also held talks with Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydlo, who is concerned about the 800,000 Poles living in Britain. Both agreed on "the importance of reaching an early settlement on citizens' rights", May's spokeswoman said.
But a Spanish government official was blunt. "We don't negotiate with speeches, we negotiate with documents on the table," he said, describing the two sides as "nowhere near" agreement on the Northern Ireland border and the divorce bill.
On citizens' rights, considered by London one of the easier issues to settle, the official said Britain and the EU were getting close, but progress was "not sufficient yet".
In a morning visit to Estonia's Tapa military base, where 800 British troops are deployed as part of NATO's efforts to defend against a newly assertive Russia, May said Britain was "unconditionally committed" to protecting Europe after Brexit.
By focusing on defence, May wants to show that Britain has something to offer its European neighbours. She will say she is ready to share British expertise, including through the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), to help EU nations build up their own cybersecurity capability.
That, she hopes, could bolster her argument on the Brexit talks, and coax the EU into making concessions.


The trend towards greater state surveillance has become even more obvious since Edward Snowden’s revelations. Governments frequently justify such invasions of their citizens’ privacy as counterterrorism or anti-pedophile measures. In recent weeks, two unmissable examples of state interference have been hurried through including an amendment to Rule 41 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure in America and the Investigatory Powers Bill by Theresa May. Both laws permit or legalize massive invasions of privacy. Nobody is questioning the presence of a criminal threat – whatever it may be motivated by. However changes to legislation will weaken the security of many IT products which is already under heavy fire as demonstrated by current events such as the Google hack or attack on Telekom routers in Germany.
Half of enterprises today store sensitive information within big data environments (up from 31 percent in 2015). Influential agencies like ENISA warn there are considerable cyber risks from using big data tools. There is concern, for example, that such developments are a possible point of compromise and there are calls for increased vigilance and compliance.
Once upon a time a mobile phone was something we used for talking. Today making a call ranks sixth on the list of most common uses for a mobile phone. Now there’s a new kid on the block that, in time, will push making a call even lower down the list. Mobile payment, or m-payment, is taking off. Early adopters like Starbucks already attribute significant revenue gains to their investment in mobile. Although overall mobile payments adoption and usage rates are still a fraction of standard credit/debit card transactions industry watchers expect this to change very quickly.
For many years industries like oil and gas, electricity, agriculture and utilities have relied on operational communications infrastructure outside the main corporate network to collect data and provide supervisory control. Known as Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems the data they collect leads to efficient allocation of resources, monitors safety conditions and improves operational decision-making. But now, with the emergence of Internet of Things (IoT) technology, industrial organizations are eager to deploy new wireless machine-to-machine (M2M) devices to collect even more data from field assets in remote, geographically dispersed locations. The number of sensors and data points in industrial networks looks set to multiply exponentially overnight. As a consequence, there will be more access points than ever before. Security, therefore, will be an important factor in determining the overall success of IoT deployment.
Ever since Edward Snowden revealed the extent of state-sponsored espionage over the Internet in 2013 businesses have been acutely aware of just how vulnerable data communications are to being intercepted. It is no coincidence that in the same period cybercriminals have also stepped up their attempts to spy on organisations. For example, the use of Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) malware and ransomware to try to capture valuable financial or customer data for financial gain has risen dramatically. While no defense method is ever 100% impregnable the risk of snooping and theft of sensitive data can be significantly reduced by encrypting it using VPNs.


Cornelius Lorenzo Holland, (above) 31, of of Crawford was also charged with armed robbery and aggravated assault in connection with the shooting and those charges have not been dropped.
News for Subscribers
The City of Bowman held a public hearing and work session for the presentation of a 2019 proposed budget prior to a called on Thursday evening.
The Elbert County Board of Commissioners (BOC) unanimously approved a resolution to enter into an intergovernmental agreement with the City of Elberton and the City of Bowman to impose a one percen
Elbert County Board of Education members approved and then welcomed new Elbert County Blue Devil Football Coach Brad Waggoner Friday afternoon in a called meeting of the board.
The City of Elberton unanimously approved a resolution to enter into an intergovernmental agreement with the Elbert County Board of Commissioners and the City of Bowman concerning a one percent 201


DES PLAINES, Ill. (CBS) — Officials in Des Plaines are considering quitting buying water from the City of Chicago, on the grounds that it is too expensive.
As WBBM Newsradio’s Felicia Middlebrooks reports, the Daily Herald reported Des Plaines city officials say they are spending too much on water from the city. As part of Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s 2012 budget, the City of Chicago raised its rates by 25 percent at the beginning of the year.
LISTEN: WBBM Newsradio’s Felicia Middlebrooks reports
Des Plaines also raised its own water and sewer rates by about 21 percent retroactive to Jan. 1 to compensate for the rate hike, the Daily Herald reported. But the Chicago water rate hike calls for a 15 percent increase each year to come for four years, which would cost Des Plaines a total of $36 million, the newspaper reported.
Thus, the Des Plaines City Council approved spending about $68,000 on a feasibility study geared toward exploring other options for water service, the Daily Herald reported. The City of Evanston, or the villages of Wilmette or Glenview, are among the municipalities with their own water service that Des Plaines is considering buying from, the newspaper reported.
In his budget address last fall, Mayor Rahm Emanuel said the hike was mandated to replace the city’s water mains, some of which are 125 years old.
“It’s an investment that’s long overdue in Chicago’s future, and it’s time we do it,” the mayor said last fall.
The $2.8 billion project would replace 1,000 miles of water and sewer mains and create 1,800 jobs for a year.
But other suburban mayors have also complained about the city’s water rate hike. Willowbrook Mayor Bob Napoli told the Chicago Tribune last fall that he believes his town should only pay for maintenance on the apparatus that delivers water.
Several western suburbs late last year tried to persuade the city to roll back at least a portion of the hike.


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ONE-TIME socialist leader for Valencia and committed feminist Carmen Alborch has died at home aged 70 after a long illness, the PSOE party has announced.
Central government minister for culture from 1993 to 1996 and MP for three terms of office, Carmen ran for mayoress of Valencia in 2007, although the late Rita Barberá’s reign would not end until May 2011 when the PP lost the elections for the first time in 24 years.
A city councillor who had a spell as manager of Valencia Modern Art Institute, the IVAM museum, Carmen’s last appearance in public was on ‘Valencia Day’, the bank holiday for October 9, where people or organisations who have made a significant contribution to the community receive awards.
She was granted the High Distinction of the Generalitat Valenciana, or regional government, and announced in her acceptance speech that she believed feminism should be declared as UNESCO heritage.
Sra Alborch’s battle for equality between men and women led to her being awarded the Progressive Women Prize, the Andalucía regional government Meridian Prize, the Rosa Manzano Award in 2007 and the Gabriela Sánchez Award in 2009.
She was honorary director of the Classic and Modern Association and also of the Women in Technology Research Association, and won the Generating Art Prize in 2015, awarded by the women’s arts association Generando Arte.
Socialist MP Adriana Lastra, 39, who is deputy secretary-general of the party at national government level, tweeted: “A simply GREAT woman has left us, a committed feminist, a born socialist. Farewell, Carmen Alborch. Thank you for showing us the way.”

domain: sociology


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The Bishop was the nickname of a Britishself-propelled artillery vehicle based on the Valentine tank, armed with the 25 poundergun-howitzer, which could fire an 87.6 mm (3.45 in) 11.5 kg (25 lb) HE shell or an armour-piercing shell. A result of a rushed attempt to create a self-propelled gun, the vehicle had numerous problems, was produced in limited numbers and was soon replaced by better designs.
The rapid manoeuvre warfare practiced in the North African Campaign led to a requirement for a self-propelled artillery vehicle armed with the 25-pounder gun-howitzer. In June 1941 the development was entrusted to the Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Company. A prototype was ready for trials by August and 100 were ordered by November 1941. The result was a vehicle with the formal title: "Ordnance QF 25-pdr on Carrier Valentine 25-pdr Mk 1".


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When it comes to pop, Australia's Harry Nathan is a pious messenger, seemingly on a never-ending mission to discover all of its secrets. Fresh off the heels of his debut EP release, he now gears up for the release of his sophomore EP, barely taking a breath in between, but finding a fresh one to deliver nonetheless with his newest single "Frontin' Me".
Exploring sounds and recording styles in the quirky manner that is quickly becoming synonymous with his name, Nathan has managed to carve out his own dream-pop niche, free of expectation or structured rules. Embodying the feeling of a late-night drive with a lo-fi disco rhythm and murmured lyrics, "Frontin' Me" is the antithesis to a pop ballad, yet it harnesses the same range of emotion. In the visual accompaniment, in which he once again enlists the help of his good friends Odeya Rush, Ryan Lee and Christian Valderrama, he softly coos into a handheld recorder as an homage to the real recording process. "The song was recorded into a 1984 SONY M-10 microcassette recorder," he shares in a press release. "I wasn’t really sure what I was singing, I was just jamming and mumbling, stream of consciousness kind of thing."
It's this kind of carelessness and freedom with which Nathan treats his music that makes him so appealing. The production is not big, it's often subtle rather than groundbreaking, but there is a spirit of innovation there still. A potent desire to make music that is affective and universally understood. The kind where you can get lost in the grooves of the creamy synths and lush vocals, giving in to the ease of it all. And hopefully, the same kind that we can hear more of in his forthcoming EP this year, to be released via Kitsuné.

domain: artistic