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I was on a Press Trip in Gulf Shores, Alabama, just after a conference in Alabama and had a great time. You go for the beach and the things to do, but while you are there, the food scene deserves some thoughtful and very careful research. Here are some places I enjoyed:
Lunch and Dinner
The Gulf – Orange Beach
When you come on vacation to a beach community, just about the perfect spot to eat is on a beach. My new favorite restaurant in the Gulf Shores area is simply called The Gulf. The Gulf is located right by the Perdido Pass Bridge in Orange Beach. The Gulf is constructed of old shipping containers, so even the architecture of the restaurant is noteworthy.
Add in a sunset and a flyover by the Blue Angels, and you get some sense of the experience of eating there. As the Blue Angels flew over, Kay Maghan from Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism just kept hitting me on the back, saying something like “ooo, ooo, ooo”, but one of the employees just looked at her watch and said, “oh, is it 7 o’clock already”. The Blue Angels are based nearby in Pensacola, Florida, and often make an appearance Sunday evenings.
The restaurant fare is burgers, sandwiches, and seafood like crab legs, tacos, and taco bowls, so simple but great. You can eat at the bar, on the deck, or on the lawn, which slopes down to the beach. This is a place to go with friends and linger over dinner.
LuLu’s at Homeport Marina – Gulf Shores
LuLu’s is a popular restaurant located adjacent to the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, so in addition to good food and a great playground for kids, this restaurant features the occasional barge going by. The restaurant’s founder is Lucy Buffet, the sister of Jimmy Buffet. When she got tired of Hollywood, she returned to the South and created a series of restaurants “where life is good, and lunch lasts forever.”
In the summer, they serve 4,000 people a day, so there can certainly be a wait. They don’t take reservations, but they have added a feature on their website to join the waiting list.
With a three-story rope climbing apparatus, face-painting, hair wraps, volleyball nets, live music, a retail store, a sandy beach area (equipped with pails, shovels, and other beach toys), and an arcade, LuLu’s is as much a destination as a dinner.
They are known for their gumbo, but I had the jerk chicken sandwich instead. I am also a fan of their L.A. (Lower Alabama) caviar made from black-eyed peas. Save some room for the Key Lime Pie or the Krispy Kreme Bread Pudding for dessert.
LuLu’s has an extensive specialty menu for people with allergies. Whether you are allergic to gluten, egg, seafood, shellfish, dairy, or soy, they have something for you.
Hog Wild Beach & BBQ – Gulf Shores
In my book, any day is a good day for BBQ, and if you are looking for some good BBQ, I recommend the fare at Hog Wild Beach & BBQ. Hog Wild has been voted one of the top 10 BBQ joints in Alabama and one of the top 5 places for french fries (their wild fries). I could tell you about their slow-cooked meat and homemade sauces, but if I didn’t already have your interest at BBQ, then I pity your shallow vegan existence.
Bill’s by the Beach – Gulf Shores
Bill’s isn’t on the beach, but it is by the beach. The restaurant prides itself on fresh seafood, but there was also plenty to like for a non-seafood eater like me. We tried the Bacon & Crab Cheesecake, the Comeback Shrimp, and the Fried Mac & Cheese for an appetizer. The APB (Apple, Pecan & Blue cheese) salad was really good.
Dessert included Molten Chocolate Lava Cake, Key Lime Pie, and Dessert Beignets.
Fisher’s at Orange Beach Marina – Orange Beach
Fisher’s is not one restaurant but two. When you want something more casual, you can eat downstairs in the dockside restaurant, but when you are ready for a white tablecloth experience, head upstairs at Fisher’s. The two restaurants have different menus as well as ambiance, but both are recommended by Southern Living in their list of the 10 best restaurants in the South (2017).
We ate upstairs, where much of the group tried and enjoyed the farm-raised oysters as appetizers. The menu is mainly surf and turf, with a number of fresh seafood choices. I tried the 10 oz. Raines Wagyu New York strip with a wild mushroom compound butter, and my mouth is watering even now writing about it. I opted for a pilaf instead of the usual potato and turnip mash and thought that made a good complement to the beef. I was tempted by the Rabbit pasta, which also got great reviews.
There are a number of different dessert options daily but let me just say, “Steen’s cane syrup caramel popcorn dome”. You can thank me later.
Brick & Spoon
My favorite breakfast spot was Brick & Spoon because the food is just marvelous. You will have the difficult choice of choosing between such goodies as Banana Foster’s french toast and Breakfast Tacos in Fried Wonton Shells with Chorizo Scrambled Eggs and Mango Salsa. Travel+Leisure named Brick & Spoon one of the 10 best breakfast spots in the USA. I will second that.
If you are a fan of a Bloody Mary for breakfast, then you have come to the right place. They have an entire menu for the concoction and keep tabs on how many they serve.
Kitty’s Kafe at Pelican Place – Gulf Shores
Kitty’s serves breakfast all day in addition to a lunch menu. They have the usual breakfast favorites as well as a large selection of Eggs Benedict specialties with everything from crab cakes to fried green tomatoes. This is the place to go when you are missing your local favorite breakfast joint or just have a craving for southern fare like country fried steak, biscuits and gravy, or fried green tomatoes.
The Southern Grind Coffee House – Gulf Shores
Southern Grind is a great place to go, even if you are not that hungry, just to look at the artwork which is on sale or of course, for a cup of coffee. This is a pleasant place to start any day. I had the Breakfast Biscuit because I was trying to be good. If anyone claims that they saw me finishing up someone else’s Belgian Waffle, I would point out that there is no photographic evidence to support that claim.
What did I miss? What is your favorite place to eat in the Gulf Shores area?


After moving into fourth in the medals' table, Team GB will be hoping for another successful day, and here we look at the headline acts on day eight of the Olympic Games.
ATHLETICS: Mo Farah
Farah goes for gold in the final of the 10,000 metres after being pipped to the world title in Daegu last year, with the race due to start just 25 minutes after Jessica Ennis could also seal gold in the heptathlon.
BASKETBALL: Joel Freeland
The newly-signed Portland Trail Blazer has been in excellent form and had his best game yet with 25 points while battling Pau Gasol in the 79-78 loss to Spain. More of the same is needed against Australia.
BOXING: Thomas Stalker
Nothing but gold will satisfy world number one Stalker, the 2011 world silver medallist, who gets his light-welterweight campaign under way against India's experienced Manoj Kumar, whom he beat 24-18 en route to the final in Baku last year.
CYCLING: Jason Kenny
Selected ahead of defending champion Sir Chris Hoy, expectation will be high for Beijing silver medallist Kenny to deliver in the individual sprint. The 24-year-old from Bolton will be hoping to qualify well in the first of three days of competition in the event.
DIVING: Hannah Starling
Seventeen-year-old Starling will be the youngest diver in the three-metre springboard semi-final at the Aquatics Centre. Starling and fellow City of Leeds team-mate Becky Gallantree will attempt to reach Sunday's 12-diver final.
EQUESTRIAN: Nick Skelton
Skelton will begin his sixth Olympics campaign when the four-day showjumping competition starts at Greenwich Park in the morning. Skelton and his horse Big Star are strong challengers for an individual medal and he is also the spearhead of Britain's four-strong team.
FOOTBALL: Micah Richards
Much has been made of Richards' perceived lack of positional sense. However, entrusted with a central defensive role, the Manchester City man has been effective and needs to maintain those standards against South Korea in Cardiff.
GYMNASTICS: Kat Driscoll
Driscoll will bid to win Great Britain's first Olympic trampolining medal when she competes at the North Greenwich Arena. Until two years ago, the 26-year-old worked full-time in a high street bank, but she is now hoping to continue Team GB's medal rush and better the 10th-place finish by Claire Wright at the 2008 Games.
HANDBALL: Men's team
Great Britain men have had a rough introduction to life at the Olympic Games, suffering three heavy losses in their opening three matches, and it does not look like it will get much easier against Tunisia. Look out for Ciaran Williams.
HOCKEY: Crista Cullen
Great Britain's key defensive player in the absence of the injured Kate Walsh. Although she has played a slightly higher line in the last couple of matches, Cullen's role will be important as China have to go for the win to keep their semi-final hopes alive.
ROWING: Andrew Triggs Hodge, Pete Reed, Tom James and Alex Gregory
Great Britain have won gold in the men's four at each of the last three Olympics and are desperate to extend that dynasty. Australia are the crew most likely to stand in their way.
SHOOTING: Charlotte Kerwood
Once voted one of the 100 most powerful women in the countryside - between Zara Phillips and Katie Price - 26-year-old Kerwood, from Sussex, goes for glory in the trap, looking to emulate Peter Wilson's success.
SWIMMING: Daniel Fogg
Fogg will compete in his first Olympic final when he goes in the 1,500 metres freestyle. The Loughborough ITC swimmer qualified fifth fastest as he became the new British face of the distance after double medallist Dave Davies failed to make it through.
VOLLEYBALL: Peter Bakare
A former stand-up comedian, actor and scriptwriter on the television show Skins, Bakare was given his first Games start against Italy and did not disappoint, going toe-to-toe with the world number fours and coming away with enormous credit. Britain play Poland at 11.30am.
WATER POLO: Ciaran James
James scored two goals against Olympic silver medallists the United States as Great Britain's men lost their third match of the Games. The 21-year-old from Bristol will hope to get on the scoresheet against Hungary.
WEIGHTLIFTING: Peter Kirkbride
The 24-year-old, from Kilmarnock, is the final member of Team GB's weightlifting quintet to take to the stage. The Commonwealth Games silver medallist from 2010 goes in the men's 94kg.
SAILING: Ali Young
The 25-year-old has impressed on her Olympic debut and sits fifth heading into the final day of fleet racing. Just two races remain before the medal race so she will be hoping to close the gap on the top three.
TENNIS: Andy Murray and Laura Robson
Murray and Robson will look to guarantee themselves a shot at a mixed doubles medal when they play their delayed quarter-final against the experienced Australian pair of Lleyton Hewitt and Sam Stosur.
TRIATHLON: Helen Jenkins
The 27-year-old from Bridgend is the reigning world champion and will be helped by Vicky Holland and Lucy Hall in Hyde Park but there are a number of gold medal contenders.


Many had expected it and the European Commission has now created provisional clarity through an announcement on January 9, 2018: Brexit will mean that the United Kingdom will be considered a third country under data protection law as from March 30, 2019. Consequently, data transfers to the United Kingdom can no longer benefit from the freedoms of the European Union Single Market. On the contrary, companies will have to ensure that data transfers to the United Kingdom satisfy the requirements of Artt. 44 et seq. GDPR.
Unless the European Commission passes an adequacy decision, for example within the framework of a Brexit agreement between the United Kingdom and the European Union, companies exchanging personal data with the United Kingdom will therefore have to use the standard contractual clauses for this, or resort to other derogations such as consent.
Accordingly, the fact that the United Kingdom is implementing the GDPR is not, by itself, sufficient for an appropriate level of protection for personal data in the United Kingdom that would simplify the transfer of data.
Companies that exchange personal data with the United Kingdom, whether in the context of group relationships or service relationships, for example with IT providers, should therefore follow the Brexit negotiations very closely and take precautions against the absence of an adequacy decision from the European Commission on March 30, 2019.


[News from the News Center] From May 12-15, the major--Building Environment and Energy Engineering (BEEE)--of YSU School of Civil Engineering and Mechanics received the first inspection of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development (MOHURD), which marks the 11th engineering majors that have been accredited (assessed).
Zhang Xu, head of the expert group, reads the report. (Photographed by Ma Xinyue, the News Center)
Zhao Yongsheng, YSU Vice President, delivered a speech. (Photographed by JinJiangya, the News Center)
Du Guojun, Dean of YSU School of Civil Engineering and Mechanics, delivered a speech. (Photographed by JinJiangya, the News Center)
The meeting in session (Photographed by Ma Xinyue, the News Center)
Entrusted by the Higher Education Evaluation Committee of the MOHURD, the expert groupwith Prof. Zhang Xu from Tongji University as its head conducted a three-day on-site inspection of BEEAE. On the morning of May 13, the accreditation report meeting was held at the first meeting room of the Century Building. All members of the expert group, Zhao Yongsheng, YSU Vice President, leaders of YSU and the School, and teachers of related major attended the meeting. Zhang Xu introduced the purpose andrequirements of this accreditation and members of the group. Zhao Yongsheng extended a warm welcome to the expert group and introduced the overall situation of the university and the undergraduate teaching and education. Du Guojun, Dean of School of Civil Engineering and Mechanics, and Hu Jianjun, vice director of the Department of BEEAE, reported on the education of the university and the School, with focus on the characteristics and the training of personnel in accordance with the accreditation standards. Others participants also answered questions from the expert group on the credits requirement, the implementation of the OBE education concept and the construction of the teaching staff.
After the report meeting, the expert group paid field visit to physics laboratory, rolling center, chemistry laboratory, mechanics laboratory and other professional laboratory, listened to 4 courses and observed the “YSU HVAC Application Design Competition”. Besides, they held symposium with teachers and students, where they conducted in-depth exchanges with graduates, students, and teachers. By exchanging andlooking through the teaching materials anddocuments, they better understood the education and other information of BEEE.
On the morning of May 15, the expert group gave feedback and comments on the inspection. On behalf of the expert group, Zhang Xu read out the accreditation report. Zhang introduced the overall result, and reported the accreditation of the professional teaching conditions, teaching management, student training and school-running characteristics. Furthermore, he put forward suggestions for further strengthening the construction of the teaching staff, optimizing the curriculum system, and improving the laboratory construction. The leaders and teachers of YSU listened carefully to the feedback from the expert group, and Du Guojun made a commitment on behalf of the School. Zhao Yongsheng express thanks to the expert group and emphasized that the university, the school and the department would carefully analyze and follow the suggestionsand feedbackof the experts, and try their best to get improved.
Up until now, two majors of School of Civil Engineering and Mechanics havebeen accredited (assessed): Civil Engineering, and BEEE. The School has attached great importance to teaching and education over the years, and has solidly promoted teaching reforms,which laid a good foundation for the accreditation (assessment). Before the experts came to YSU, the School and the department prepared a lot in detail.
[Translated by Xing Tong]


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Lt. General H.H. Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, attended the third lecture organized by the Mohammed bin Zayed Council during the Ramadan season for this year, under the title “Aging…its causes and the possibility of prevention, which It was delivered by Professor David Sinclair at Harvard Medical School, a specialist in molecular genetics and co-director of the Paul F. Glenn Center for Research in the Biology of Aging.The lecture was also attended by His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan,
Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, and a number of ministers, senior officials and representatives of a number from health authorities in the country.
The lecturer praised the experience of the UAE, especially at the level of the “Emirati Genome Program”, which is the ambitious national project that aims to use genetic data to improve the public health of Emiratis, stressing that what is being achieved in the UAE in sectors such as space and artificial intelligence adds to its balance and qualifies it to lead over global level.
Professor David shed light on the scientific reasons for aging, how to know the biological age of a person, and the extent of the possibilities of healing from aging or delaying its factors, “according to the theory that it considers a disease that can be cured and not an inevitable condition,” in addition to what the future holds for humans at the level of health. And raising the average life span and the economic and social effects of this scientific progress.
Dr. Sinclair also talked about the “information theory of aging”, which says that it results from information loss rather than cellular damage, which Sinclair calls “epigenetic noise”, as it leads to random assembly of DNA, so cells read the wrong genes at the wrong time and lose their identity to become senescent cells Aging causes, referring to what was published in the journal “The Cell” that the reason behind these changes is what is called DNA refraction, which leads to the loss of information that communicates to cells how to control their genes, and this process is what we call aging.
Dr. David Sinclair believes that aging is not inevitable, but rather a treatable condition, and there is no law in biology that stipulates the inevitability of aging at this rate, pointing to the continuous increase in the number of scientists who believe in this theory because they have become more able to understand the reason for progress in Age and how to delay aging.
He pointed to the gains and positive effects on the economic and social levels, which will be reaped by the first country that can delay the aging of its citizens.
He said: The goal of all of us now should be to survive until the emergence of age-reversing technologies and the best way is to put the body in a state of perceived challenge by eating less, eating the right foods, exercising and taking supplements and medications that have been shown to delay the effects of aging. .
The lecture will be broadcast tomorrow on the Emirates Channel and local TV channels, in addition to the Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis YouTube channel, at approximately 5:30 pm.

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A study suggests most Canadian cities have yet to assess the threat posed by climate change despite being the most exposed to any weather disasters it could cause.
A survey of 63 municipalities of all sizes from coast to coast found major gaps in how most are preparing for coming conditions and in how they are reducing their contribution to the problem.
“Cities are the most vulnerable government to climate change in Canada but have the least resources in order to manage the problem, so it’s imperative that they have some strategy or plan,” said Jason Thistlethwaite, a University of Waterloo professor and co-author of the paper published in the journal Climatic Change.
Thistlethwaite and his colleagues measured the plans against 46 indicators that include baseline information, goals, implementation, evaluation and public participation.
“Almost all plans failed to include an assessment of the municipality’s vulnerability to specific climate change impacts,” the paper says.
Only seven communities had identified specific neighbourhoods that might be vulnerable. A dozen identified specific local industries at risk.
Many cities hadn’t done enough research to be able to write a comprehensive plan.
Scientists are increasingly able to attribute extreme weather events to the influence of climate change. And when floods or wildfires destroy lives and property, it’s usually in a city.
“Where are most of our people and property?” Thistlethwaite said. “They’re in cities. There’s a concentration there of exposure.”
Cities are caught in a bind, he said. Not only are they already strapped for cash to fill potholes and run buses, but their main source of income can conflict with the need to plan for climate change.
“Their revenue’s from property taxes, so they want to expand development. When they say they’re going to restrict development in a certain area, that (creates) incredible pressure for them to ignore the advice of their staff.”
The survey concluded that Kingston, Ont., has Canada’s best municipal climate change plan.
It was the result of more than a year’s effort and included computer modelling of what the local climate might look like in 2050. That work concluded that the number of extreme heat days is likely to increase to 30 from four and the number of extreme precipitation events to double to nine.
“That really drives home the point to some people,” said Paul MacLatchy, Kingston’s environment director.
“(It’s) a little bit frightening. Things do change remarkably. The infrastructure we rely on every day is that much harder to keep functioning in a reliable way.”
Failing to plan for climate change has real consequences, said Thistlethwaite.
“You’re likely to see property taxes go up as municipalities are forced to collect more money to pay for damaged infrastructure. You’re likely to see property values go down in areas where there are recurring high risks.”
MacLatchy said Kingston was able to do the work with the help of a program from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.
Thistlethwaite said cities need more resources to plan for how they will withstand heat waves, ice storms, wildfires and floods.
“We need to see much more leadership from upper tiers of government.”
Bob Weber, The Canadian Press


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More than 100 sailors from HMAS Cerberus recently undertook an injury prevention and health program designed for young people called Prevent Alcohol and Risk Related Trauma in Youth or P.A.R.T.Y for short.
The P.A.R.T.Y program aims to show participants the possible consequences that can and do happen to people who make risky choices.
The aim of the program is for participants to contribute to the work currently being done to reduce the impact rate of trauma amongst youth.
The P.A.R.T.Y program is run by the National Trauma Research Institute and Monash University and is usually an in-hospital program delivered at the Alfred Hospital.
While Cerberus personnel have attended the ‘in-hospital’ program, the most recent activity was conducted ‘onboard’ HMAS Cerberus and thus called ‘Onboard PARTY’.
By mimicking a working hospital environment the ‘Onboard’ program delivers an authentic experience. This allows insight into the many consequences that patients, families and health professionals are faced with as a result of risk-related trauma.
Commenting on the importance of reducing risks, the Commanding Officer of HMAS Cerberus, Captain Michael Oborn, said P.A.R.T.Y was an important initiative.
“We are very grateful to the team at the Alfred for undertaking this very important program.
“It’s very important the Navy offers a broad range of strategies to help our future leaders minimise harm,” Captain Oborn said.
Participants spent a full day meeting the people who care for trauma patients - paramedics, doctors, nurses, allied health professionals and volunteers.
Through audio-visual, PowerPoint presentations and real-life clinical scenarios, participants were exposed to the sometimes-confronting journey of a trauma patient.
They learnt about trauma injuries and had hands-on experience with some of the equipment used in trauma care and rehabilitation.
Participants also met a trauma injury survivor who spoke to them about the choices and events that led to their injury and what their lives are like now.
Participants were given an opportunity to ask the injury survivor questions and learn what life is really like after a significant life-changing injury.
Warrant Officer Chuck Connors, the Command Warrant Officer at HMAS Cerberus, said he hoped the program made a big impact on its participants.
“This is the first time we have run this program at Cerberus in many years.
“The feedback has been very positive and we’re keen to make this very important, behaviour change program available ten times a year,” he said.
P.A.R.T.Y is an initiative of the National Trauma Research Institute that was developed and licensed in Canada 30 years ago and has been running at The Alfred since 2009.

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This week, we were intending to bring you a review of THREE OUTLAW SAMURAI. Some technical difficulties arose making that impossible. Instead, we are presenting another of our articles from the Alamo Cinema Massacre column Trista and I wrote for the Cinema Knife Fight website.
After we saw the heart wrenching biopic CHRISTINE (2016) in theaters, Trista and I would not get another chance to review another picture we saw in theaters together for quite some time. In fact, our paired trips to the cinema in general were in limited supply. This was due to a complication with Trista’s pregnancy that resulted in her being on modified bed rest. Although it was a major setback in our ability to consume media via the cinema, the column continued nevertheless. I would catch occasional pictures at the cinema to review and we would both be able to watch flicks available via DVD or streaming. Since we don’t have a television, relying instead on a projector, we got the chance to replicate the theater experience to some degree without leaving home. These are the sacrifices folks sometimes have to make.
The first film we watched in this manner for review purposes was a bit of a disappointment. Now, Trista and I are both avowed fans of Asian genre films. Classic and current, we are happy to give them a watch. When I was given the chance to program a film for the local Alamo Drafthouse’s Friday night horror series “Graveyard Shift,” I was thrilled to present Miike Takashi’s AUDITION (1999).
So, we were not put off by the film’s stylistic choices, its moodiness, or its subtitles. Visually, THE PHANTOM OF THE THEATER (2016) is an intriguing picture. However, it is also an odd one in terms of tone and its handling of supernatural subject matter. Once we got to talking about it and thinking about the piece, we both realized this was likely due to China’s censorship board (SAPPRFT), which has taken hard stances against supernatural horror and the fantastic in the last decade or so. Delving into the picture a second time—something we would not have an easy chance to do at a cinematic screening—we had a much different appreciation for it.
And now, we present our review for PHANTOM OF THE THEATER, which we hope you enjoy.
Alamo Cinema Massacre screens: PHANTOM OF THE THEATER
By: Daniel R. and Trista K. Robichaud
Synopsis: A thriller set in the booming film industry of 1930s Shanghai, PHANTOM OF THE THEATER (2016) presents a pair of young people opposing powers beyond their control. A haunted theater, which has caused people to spontaneously burst into flames, strikes aspiring director Gu Weibang (Tony Yo-ning Yang) as the perfect place to set and shoot a ghost story. Young actress Meng SiFan (Ruby Lin) takes the part of the tragic lead in Weibang’s film, a decision which is soon tied to her experiencing numerous visions of a horrific nature. The past comes to haunt the cast and crew of Weibang’s picture, however, both in the form of malevolent spirits, mysterious figures in strange kabuki masks, and a Weibang’s warlord father (a sneering and gleefully scenery chewing Simon Yam). These adversaries are each tied to the theater’s dreadful history, and only by delving into that history themselves will SiFan and Weibang find the roots of the chilling mystery, uncover secrets about each other, and perhaps lay old spirits to rest.
I was not sure what to expect with director Wai Man Yip’s PHANTOM OF THE THEATER (2016). A viewing of the picture finds this Chinese production running on a lot of genre interests. Is it a ghost story? A weird stalker/slasher picture? A haunted love story? In fact, it is all these and more.
The film opens with a teaser, where a thief running from the police finds his way into the dust choked palatial theater. There, he encounters the terrifying sight of accusatory spirits pulling themselves from nearby reflective surfaces. He screams in utter terror and soon enough bursts into flames. Sarcastic coroner Dr. Fei Lisi (Huang Huan) is stumped by the crime but searching for a rational answer, while police inspector Ma Rulong (Li Xiao-Chuan) is certain the culprit is ghosts.
Cut to the leads introduced at a gala offering. SiFan is the new It Girl of the film world, and Weibang is struggling to get his script read. When Weibang helps SiFan get away from a grabby, malicious producer, a friendship is formed and SiFan’s interest gets Weibang’s film into production.
Of course, the theater soon becomes ground zero for weird and horrible happenings featuring combustion, ghosts, prophetic nightmares, and sinister or homicidal figures.
The first thing to say about PHANTOM OF THE THEATER is that the production value is high. Here is a visually engaging experience. The film is historically set but it uses no sepia tones or filters to dull the colors. The reds are vibrant, the greens are lush, and the blues blazing. Ghostly elements have a touch of the same CGI cartoonish flashiness seen in flicks like GHOSTBUSTERS (2016), giving them an eerie but not necessarily terrifying presence. At least, it’s only eerie until those figures then burst into spooky flames, seeming to melt away from the inside like overheated film stock. The costuming is great, the set design is appealing, and the images themselves are difficult to look away from.
Where the movie stumbles is in its storytelling. Particularly in terms of tone.
Working from a script by Jingling Li, Manfred Wong, and Mei Yuan Yang, director Wai Man Yip’s film draws from numerous sources, both literary and cinematic. The result is a salad bar thriller, with elements of one of the earliest literary slasher characters, Gaston Leroux’s “The Phantom of the Opera,” operating alongside Dario Argento’s OPERA (1987) in a plot straight out of the weird menace pulps of the 1930s.
By weird menace, what I refer to is: stories that culminate in exposition that reveals to the audience how events, which seemed to be supernatural, actually have a rational (though not necessarily realistic) explanation. Some might call this the Scooby Doo plot, but it is actually derives from the formula for stories written to order for old pulp magazines like “Terror Tales” and “Spicy Mystery Stories” by writers like Hugh B. Cave and Henry Kuttner.
The effect is a bit jarring, as the movie jumps through several story tones before it reaches its conclusion. I found this jumbled experience a tad awkward. What were your thoughts on the picture’s tone, Trista?
Billed as a thriller in the Hong Kong movie database, PHANTOM OF THE THEATER seems to go through many tonal shifts. As you mentioned, the beginning has a classic horror-movie opening with an arguably sinful man combusted by vengeful ghosts. We then establish Shanghai at the height of its cultural shine in the 1930s, covering the glitter and glamour of the movie industry. Then we see the movie production in the haunted theater, carrying on despite warring personalities and ghostly sabotages. A romance between Gu Weibang and Meng Sifan begins and gives us a love-triangle romantic comedy foiled by General Gu Mingshan (famous Chinese actor Simon Yam Tat-Wah). Finally, the question of the ghostly saboteurs is answered. Western audiences raised on Disney might be surprised to learn that the movie does not end with a wedding. I certainly was.
Actually, it’s complicated love geometry! Gu Weibang starts out the film as a boyfriend to coroner Fei Lisi, who comes to realize before long how attached her boyfriend is to another woman . . . But I digress. You were talking tonal shifts.
The most jarring tonal shift in my opinion, however, was the strong presence of the supernatural in the beginning of the movie, followed by a dwindling amount of influence until nonexistence by the end. Shanghai in the beginning seems a town suffused in magic and possibility, and the return to drab reality was highly disappointing.
Actually, I am intrigued by the idea of a magical Shanghai getting a dose of drab reality. In fact, SiFan’s final walk through the streets as the music swells is probably one of the least colorful parts of the film. Drab reality, indeed.
Although the screen story feels like a jumble, I suspect this was done purposefully. In fact, I suspect the filmmakers were trying to play with supernatural elements and ideas that might not have been allowed by China’s entertainment censorship board (the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television or SAPPRFT). About ten years ago, the current Administration’s predecessor, the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT), had put a ban on supernatural elements in the films altogether. Whether this ban still exists is questionable, however, PHANTOM OF THE THEATER manages to sneak past these demands by showing us ghosts, and then providing “rational” explanations.
Taken from this perspective, there is a playful subversive quality to the material. In fact, one of the crew in the picture specifically asks Weibang about getting a ghost story past the censors, and Weibang’s theory can be summed up as “spirits are a part of our history, so I am simply telling a story about history.” The screenplay and direction makes pointed jabs at oppressive government figures, a military dictator in the film instead of the communist regime currently in power, as well as using a story structure that is safe. Here we have an operatic tale of love and revenge, where all deaths and crimes can ultimately be traced to human deviants. It is a way to have your transgressive horror iconography and be able to play in a repressive environment.
However, reading this as a person versed more in American values and culture, my first experience was less appreciative of the nuances here. A second viewing gave me a better appreciation for the piece. As John Lennon opined about his song “Imagine”, so long as it has a hummable tune you can say whatever you like with the lyrics. The film has eye candy galore serving as the glamorous wrapping around some biting political and cultural commentary.
This story is clearly aimed at an international market – if you watched it without subtitles, you’d still be able to figure out what was going on in almost every scene. I appreciate the highly visual storytelling style. In the moment, the story always makes sense. It’s only afterward that the seams start showing, and the tonal shifts cause questions. It’s not desirable to awaken from this beautiful dream.
Also, OMG the production value here must have been astronomical. The costumes are lush and opulent; some of the dresses the ladies wear look so heavily beaded they could double as armor. The sets combine elements from European gothic tropes and castles with more traditional Chinese colors and symbols. Check out Meng SiFan’s apartment for a unique marriage of styles along with nouveau-riche over-the-top décor – this is Shanghai after a trip through Las Vegas’ MGM Grand. While rebellion against aristocratic excesses is definitely a theme, I appreciated that Western influences were not universally painted as deplorable… though only the rich could afford most Western things.
As a child the ‘Weird Menace’ genre always saddened me, because it seemed to posit a beautiful world of imagination and possibility that was subsumed by drab, corruptive reality. PHANTOM OF THE THEATER is certainly appropriate for children who are patient enough to follow the storyline and would enjoy this glimpse into adult worlds, but the draining of magic by the end is certainly a downer.
IMO, come for the ghosts, stay for the drama, and write your own ending in your head. J
Any final words, Daniel?
I think you hit the nail on the head. This film is visually great. I only wish it had the storytelling chops to back it up. As far as recent “Phantom of the Opera” riffs go, it’s one of the better films out there, but that’s comparing it to a bar that is low enough to be part of the floor.
As Netflix or other streaming service offerings go, watching PHANTOM OF THE THEATER is not a waste of time. Unfortunately, it’s not as rewarding as it might have been with stronger scripting.
PHANTOM OF THE THEATER is available via streaming services such as NetFlix.
“Movie Monday: Phantom of the Theater” is copyright © 2019 by Daniel R. and Trista K. Robichaud. This article incorporates elements from “Alamo Cinema Massacre Presents: Phantom of the Theater” which is copyright © 2017 by Daniel R. and Trista K. Robichaud

domain: entertainment


text:
Welcome to Cheryl's Dolls
Southern Belle Barbie® 1994 The Great Eras® Collection
Barbie® doll makes a lovely southern belle in this beautiful pink gown with turquoise-blue accents. Ruffled sleeves, full skirt adorned with rosettes and faux pearls, and a beautiful headband with turquoise and pink rosettes adorn this delicate costume. Dark hair and faux pearl choker create a dramatic contrast to the rest of Barbie® doll's costume.
We appreciate your business. If we can help you with anything at all, please give us a call. 813-626-6817

domain: artistic


text:
Often, design initiatives are not necessarily linked to designers, artists or organisations in an official capacity. There are many contexts where people create art but instead of calling themselves designers or artists, they more closely identify with activists. This is most often the case in places that are somewhat politically unstable. Countries like Indonesia and Italy share this sense of disillusionment when thinking about their governments. Locals use graffiti and street art as a form of expression to fight the political climate of their countries. While these people are inspired activists, they ultimately design every aspect of their work.
During a recent trip to Indonesia, I discussed the national politics with a local artist and activist from Surakarta. Currently living in Yogyakarta, Benk Riyade shared his work with me, highlighting the power of art’s ability to question society norms and educate the masses in an informal environment. Riyade was working on a mural under the bridge in Kampung Kali Kode. He (Riyade, B. 2017, interview, 3 February) wanted his work to educate the working class about Indonesia’s current political climate.
Whilst Benk Riyade’s work is considered street art, a form of creativity that is often criticised by heavy weights in the fine arts world, it is ultimately an expression of skill and imagination. When asked he (Riyade, B. 2017, interview, 3 February) agreed that he was an artist, but only as a product of his real work which was education and, in my opinion, activism.
While on an overnight trip to Genova, the amount of politically fuelled illegal graffiti was astounding. At this time, Italy was struggling with the influx of refugees from Syria with 262,482 recorded refugees in 2015/16 (Clayton, J. 2016). Each of these street artworks was carefully curated and designed by anonymous activists to send a message in support of or in opposition to current governmental foreign policies. One of the most significant artworks was of a 23-year-old Italian boy, Carlo Giuliani, who, during a G8 protest in Genova, was shot by police (Boschi, F. 2016). The instability in the area which allowed for events such as this to occur left many outraged and distrustful, leading some, like the artist of this particular portrait, to channel their activism into street art by reminding officials of their past mistakes.
The power of Riyade’s work and the anonymous street art is in the design, allowing these artists to communicate their ideas with the wider public through a non-verbal means. Each expression of activism is carefully designed to ensure that they affect their audience in the way that they were intended to.
Other Articles of similar Interest – The Porch Light Program
Boschi, F. 2016, ‘Pronte tredicimila firme per cancellare la vergogna della targa a Carlo Guiliani’, il Giornale Politica, 21 July 2016, viewed 15 February 2016, < http://www.ilgiornale.it/news/politica/pronte-tredicimila-firme-cancellare-vergogna-targa-carlo-1287408.html>.
Clayton, J. 2016, ‘Over 300,00 refugees and migrants cross Med so far in 2016’, RefWorld UNHCR The UN Refugee Agency, 20 September 2016, viewed 15 February 2017, < http://www.refworld.org/country,,UNHCR,,ITA,,57e143884,0.html>.
Clement-Couzner, M. 2012, Carlo Giuliani, fcollective, viewed 15 February 2017, < https://fcollective.wordpress.com/2012/07/13/art-meets-politics-on-the-streets-of-rome/>.
Huffington Post. 2013, Yogyakarta Street Art, Huffington Post, viewed 15 February 2017, < http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/19/global-street-art-mocatv-digiesigit-anti-tank-project-yogyakarta-jogja_n_3109811.html>.
Riyade, B. 2017, Interviewed by Eliza Nugan, Indonesia, 3 February.
Qi, Y. 2017, Riyade in Kampung Kali Kode, 3 February.

domain: sociology


text:
These days, people are living for much longer than our ancestors ever did. Since the year 1900, worldwide life expectancy has more than doubled and is now nearing 72 years according to United Nations. Much of this has to do with modern advances in medical science and our growing understanding of our biology right down to molecular levels.
Today, we also know that factors such as socioeconomic status, exercise, diet, and nutrition are big factors that play important roles in keeping our bodies healthy and in ensuring that we live longer, happier lives.
The last two of these—diet and nutrition—are particularly interesting because a lot of people tend to think that these factors are out of their control. Many seem to believe that healthy foods are not delicious or that they are inaccessible because they are very expensive. On the contrary, healthy foods can be delicious, and many of their unhealthy counterparts are often available in much the same price points. So, don’t you think it’s time to give the healthy foods section of your supermarket another go? We’ll show you how to get started this year with these great healthy food items.
Milked grains and milked nuts are some of the most delicious and nutritious food products that you can buy these days. Packed with vitamins and minerals, these plant milks carry all the goodness of their vegetal sources, which include almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, peanuts, cashews, oats, and rice, among others. What’s more, you can substitute them for dairy milk when you’re preparing some of the other healthy food products on this list, like cereals and smoothies. Make sure to get plant milk products that are free from unnecessary ingredients like industrial stabilizers and emulsifiers.
Originally developed in 1900 by Swiss physician Maximilian Bircher-Benner to provide nutrition for his patients, muesli is now a well-loved cereal mix that is enjoyed the world over. This breakfast and brunch staple has a base of rolled oats, but what makes it much healthier and more interesting is the fact that it contains other healthy ingredients like other whole grains, nuts, seeds, and dried fruits. You can enjoy it with dairy milk, fruit juice, plant milk, or yogurt, along with a sprinkling of cut fresh fruits. In fact, Dr.Bircher-Benner prepared the original muesli by soaking the ingredients in yogurt and lemon juice overnight before serving them to his patients the day after.
What could be better than eating fruits and veggies? Why drinking fruits and veggies, of course! And when we tell you to drink your fruits and vegetables, we don’t mean to do so by juicing them, as you will lose out on the fibers and the other natural goodness that you can get from whole fruits and vegetables. Instead, we recommend that you blend them all together to create that spectacular healthy slush known as a smoothie. Make sure to get a good mix of fruits and veggies, especially the green leafy ones like spinach and kale, which are sure to boost the nutritional content of the smoothie. You may also add seeds, nuts, and berries, which will make the blend even healthier.
Many types of fatty fish like tuna, mackerel, salmon, sardines, herring, anchovies,and trout are super rich in omega 3 fatty acids, which are thought to help lower elevated triglyceride levels. Note that high levels of triglyceride fat in the blood puts people at a higher risk for heart disease. Omega 3 also protects against the development of deadly cardiac rhythm disruptions, in addition to lowering blood pressure and heart rate, as well as improving blood vessel function. All in all, just 2 servings of fatty fish every week can reduce your chances of dying from heart disease by an astounding one-third.
This makes consuming fatty fish an important part of a healthy diet, even when the risk of mercury contamination considered. In fact, the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health notes that the benefits of eating fatty fish far outweigh the risks. If you are concerned about mercury in fish, the Harvard researchers recommend thatyou avoid fish varieties that are higher up in the food chain such as sharks, king mackerel, swordfish, and tilefish. Instead, choose low-mercury options such as salmon, catfish, pollock, shrimp, and light tuna (not Albacore or white tuna).
Making adjustments in your diet in order to eat healthier doesn’t have to be extremely challenging. Including delicious but nutritious food in your diet on a daily basis can tremendously impact your nutritional intake and overall health in a positive way.


text:
No Report Available
PSG rejected reports on Wednesday that said the club are set to fall foul of UEFA's financial fair play (FFP) rule for a second time.
Tuchel has been tipped to succeed Unai Emery at PSG, although some French pundits have questioned the lack of "a big club" on his coaching CV.
Out of contract after 2019, PSG should look to retain Alphonse Areola, their well-rounded homegrown keeper.
France's Sports Minister has given the go-ahead for safe standing areas to be tested in French football next season.
On March 18, Marseille played host to Lyon with a five-point cushion in their quest to make the Champions League. Since then, the dynamic has shifted.
Mario Balotelli could be set for a spell on the sidelines after Nice coach Lucien Favre criticised the forward's lack of movement.


Defense spending makes up the largest slice of the federal discretionary budget. U.S. defense contractors are the world's largest, selling everything from ships, aircraft and combat vehicles to information technology services. DoDBuzz is an online defense and acquisition journal focusing on the intersection of DoD and industry.
Military.com's DoDBuzz Blog
Navy's Plan to Retire a Carrier Early Could Be Axed by New Bill
Members of the HASC have drafted legislation that would bar the defense secretary from reducing the number of carriers.
Navy's 2nd Fleet, Brought Back to Counter Russia, Is Now Officially Operational
The Navy's 2nd Fleet has reached initial operational capacity, its commander announced Wednesday.
Senate Committee's Defense Spending Plan Includes More Money for Amphibs
The Senate Armed Services Committee's budget plan would restore some funding for Navy warships that Marines say they need .
Air Force Wants Both F-35 and F-15EX. But if Forced to Choose, It's No Contest: SecAF
The only factor that would stifle the F-15EX fleet would be another bad budget situation, said Air Force Secretary Wilson.
Air Force Secretary Wants Pilots to Get More Simulator Time
Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson said that more simulator time should be a "no-brainer" for pilots to become proficient.
Outgoing SecAF Worries About Developing Service Culture at New Space Force
The conversation surrounding the creation of a U.S. Space Force has brought with it skepticism and confusion.
Marine Corps Gets Long-Range Missile to Take Out Enemy Ships
The Naval Strike Missile will be fired from a truck in upcoming experiments.
Navy's Sea Hunter Drone Ship Could Deliver Supplies to Marines
The Navy's mysterious 132-foot-long autonomous Sea Hunter vessel could move fuel, ammunition and other heavy supplies.
Marines' Next Ship-to-Shore Connector Could Be 3D Printed
A new solicitation asks industry to develop a boat or barge that can transit from ship to shore or from one shore to another.
Top Marine Aviator Defends 'King Stallion' Heavy-Lift Helo Despite Setbacks
The Corps will not pursue buying Boeing's CH-47 in place of the King Stallion, Lt. Gen. Steven Rudder said at Sea-Air-Space.
As Future Vertical Lift Gets Underway, Army Eyeing Chinook Replacement
Esper said he wants aircraft makers to start planning for the next heavy-lift helicopter as a replacement for the CH-47.
F-35s Deployed with Wrong Spare Parts Amid Supply Chain Failures, GAO Finds
spare parts that the U.S. Marine Corps took on deployment were not compatible with its F-35Cs, according to a report.
US and NATO Radios Can't Talk to Each Other. The Air Force Wants to Change That
Air Force Research Labs is looking to make military radios interoperable.
IG Report: Shanahan Called F-35 Program, Not Plane, 'F-----d Up'
Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan did not use his position to promote Boeing, the Pentagon's top watchdog said.
Shipbuilder Named to Build Coast Guard’s New Icebreaker
A vessel built by VT Halter Marine will be first new heavy icebreaker in 41 years.
Coast Guard: US Must Work to Prevent a Fight in the Arctic
The service aims to work with partners to promote visibility and ensure stability in the region.
Air Force Planning Shorter, More Frequent Strategic Bomber Rotations
The U.S. Air Force is planning more shorter strategic bomber rotations in order to test its agility.
Army's Brand-New Combat Vehicle Was Designed for the Last War, Esper Says
The secretary of the Army said the service could not rule out cuts to the service's Joint Light Tactical Vehicle program.
Air Force's F-35A Deploys to Middle East for First Time
F-35 fifth-generation fighters from the 388th and 419th Fighter Wings at Hill Air Force Base have deployed to UAE.
General: Marines Need Family of Next-Gen Ship-to-Shore Connectors
The days of building up combat power in secure areas of a theater are over.


text:
Espresso Bean Leather Recliner
With a flair for the dramatic, this gorgeous chair is in a class by itself. It features a graceful curved back, subtle shaping in the arms, and bold nail head trim detailing the front and sides. Plush cushioning makes it just as comfortable as it looks!
28″ Width x 31″ Depth x 34″ Height
Out of stock

domain: design


text:
I’m not really a writer. I love nothing more than to get in the garage I converted to a Wood Workshop and made something. However, I have to put a store online so I can make a couple hundred extra dollars a month. To do that, I needed a website. I figured if I needed a website, I’d create it on my own. Then I got sidetracked (“Oh shiny!”) into putting other stuff on it so people would have a reason to visit besides the store.
However, I really want you to buy something I made from wood
I wanted a change:
- Wood, period.
What was most different?
The point was to change how I thought. To have a plastic brain. Things I’ve done? Sports were big until I graduated high school. When I was twelve, I worked in a graveyard. I’ve aslo worked in a factory, restaurant management, the military, language, intelligence services, clerical, accounting, collections, sales, consultant, internet entrepreneur, self-employed, manual labor, community college professor and more. I’ve been rich and I’ve been poor. I tried the guitar and the bass guitar and that would change my mind, but that’s a young man’s deal. What could I do that was different from anything I’d done before? Woodworking.

domain: hobby


text:
Image of this organisation's website
This non-government organisation was formed with the objective of reaching out to the disadvantaged communities. We are South African based, and started our projects in KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.
1. The organisation’s main objective is to provide community service to all communities regarding primary health care services e.g. HIV and AIDS and other related diseases and their conditions.
2. Feeding, educating and providing necessities of life for the poor as well as the orphans and vulnerable children (OVCs), equipping them with necessary self-sustaining skills.
3. Educating family members in capacity building.
4. Taking care of the elderly and the physically challenged.
5. Assist with repairs of the existing accommodation and make it habitable.
6. Provide in the basic needs of orphans.
Operates in: Durban, KwaZulu-Natal
Established in: October 2009
Non-Profit Organisation Number: 072-887
Public Benefit Organisation Number: 930031839
Section 21 Company Number:
Contact person: Mr John Shelembe
Phone: 031 467 2958
Fax: 086 696 0060
Physical address: 9 Munster Road, Bluff, Durban
Postal address: P O Box 21722, Bluff, 4036
Send an online message to Siyasizana Community Development
Please help promote Siyasizana Community Development


Airport will try food venture again
Fliers taking off from Grand Junction Regional Airport will be able to fuel up at Subway before departure.
The airport authority board voted Tuesday to become a Subway franchise with a store in the terminal.
The airport Subway will differ from previous food-service ventures at the airport in that it will have counters on the secure side of the terminal for ticketed passengers and on the non-secure side for well-wishers and greeters.
Only airport employees are allowed to move freely between secure and nonsecure areas of the airport, so the airport will employ Subway workers and subject them to the same requirements as other employees.
That likely will mean they will be paid a bit more than other fast-food workers, Airport Manager Rex Tippetts said.
It also means Tippetts will add a title to his resume — Subway franchisee. He’ll undergo training from Subway just as will the manager of the store, he told the board. Board members agreed to the unusual arrangement out of some frustration, said Gregg Palmer, who represents the city of Grand Junction on the authority board.
Previous efforts have served food only on the nonsecure side, “and they’ve always failed,” Palmer said.
A lack of hot food at the airport has been the No. 1 complaint about service at the airport, said Denny Granum, the board’s chairman.
The Subway will open in the morning and will serve breakfasts as well as sandwiches.
Having the airport become a Subway franchisee isn’t the ideal solution, Tippetts said, “but it’s what we need to do to fix this issue.”
The airport will spend $375,000 to install the two-sided Subway with serving counters in the secure lobby and on the nonsecure side.
Tippetts anticipates operating revenue of nearly $380,000 a year and expenses of about $260,000 a year.


text:
THE CITY OF CRANSTON is cutting 21 municipal positions as part of a cost-cutting initiative, Mayor Kenneth J. Hopkins announced Friday. / THANKS FEDERAL RESERVE
CRANSTON — Mayor Kenneth J. Hopkins announced late Friday that the city is enacting a series of staff cuts that will result in the shedding of 21 positions to address challenges within the city’s municipal budget.
Hopkins said nine city employees will be formally notified that they will be fired from July 15. In addition, there are seven retirements and five employees who resign voluntarily. The workforce reduction, Hopkins said, will lead to a series of “bumping rights” under the contracts, which will determine which employees in their job descriptions or classifications will be relieved of their duties. Other such actions by the city will be based on the seniority of the employees, Hopkins said.
Hopkins said these cuts are part of cost-cutting measures that will save the city $2.6 million. The eliminated positions will save the city $1.5 million in salaries and benefits alone. Hopkins said salaries and related benefits take up about 70% of the city’s municipal budget.
“I am not pleased to make this announcement today, but I have determined that it is in the long-term interest of the tax health of the City and of Cranston’s taxpayers that we begin the formal process of reducing the size of our government.” Hopkins said in a statement. a statement.
The mayor also said the city has negotiated in the past month with the four unions representing city personnel: Local 271 of the Laborer’s Union, Local 251 of the Teamsters Union, Local 301 of the International Brotherhood of Police and Local 1363 of the Cranston Firefighters. . Union. While the release does not specify which departments will be affected by the reductions, Hopkins said no position within the police and fire department will be eliminated, and the position of the mayor’s confidential assistant will be removed.
Compensation packages will be offered by the city for employees who voluntarily retire, Hopkins said.
Hopkins said the staff cuts are “not the final step” in the city’s reorganization of government. He said further fiscal strategies will be evaluated and implemented in the future. The mayor said all municipal activities, including evaluating alternatives to health care programs, examining program fees and facility rental rates, targeting cuts to non-essential programs, investigating employee overtime, and selling unused or vacant property or assets, will will continue to be assessed.
James Bessette is the editor of PBN’s special projects and also covers the non-profit and education sectors. You can reach him at [email protected] You can also follow him on Twitter at @James_Bessette†
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This post Cranston scraps 21 city positions as part of cost-cutting initiative
was original published at “https://pbn.com/cranston-to-eliminate-21-city-positions-as-part-of-cost-cutting-initiative/”

domain: economics


text:
Force Secretary Deborah Lee James on Wednesday announced nine new initiatives
aimed at attracting and retaining women and minorities in the service.
Pentagon reforms on matters such as pay and benefits, equipment retirements,
and other priorities are critical to sustaining the existing defense strategy,
Defense Secretary Ash Carter told members of the Senate Armed Services
Committee on Tuesday.
Tweets by @AirForceMag

domain: politics


text:
The world’s first global health treaty — the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control — has come into force from Sunday. First adopted by the 56th World Health Assembly in May 2003, the anti-tobacco pact was signed by 168 countries, including Nepal, and so far has been ratified by 58 of them. Nepal has remained silent about the ratification of the Convention. In those countries where the treaty has become law, it calls for health warnings on cigarette packets, bans tobacco advertisement and urges measures to protect non-smokers from its harmful effects within five years from now. Lobbyists say the treaty sets a precedent for international regulation of other health threatening industries, environment and even human rights. It is, however, true that every year some five million people die of tobacco-induced illnesses around the world. While there have been anti-treaty lobbyists, the tobacco conglomerates now more or less seem to agree that it is a good thing to be conscious about the harmful effects of tobacco.
Closer at home, there has been no dearth of those who think that the government needs to be pressurised to ratify the treaty. If nicotine is harmful as science claims to have proven it, tobacco industry continues to be a source of income and employment for thousands of people in Nepal. The revenue windfall from tobacco advertisement is a strong addiction, one which the government will find it difficult to shake off. Unlike many other industries, the tobacco industry seldom suffers losses. Because the tobacco industry is a tempting option for both the investors and the government, the course to ratification is long and difficult. That, however, is not to belittle the anti-tobacco drives in any way. Because it is harmful, there is no better alternative than not consuming tobacco. But even if the treaty were ratified, there is a very little prospect of it being implemented fully for a number of reasons. Some other laws have suffered a similar fate. For example, abortion has been legalised in Nepal for over two years now, but women are still being jailed for undergoing legal abortions.
But because the government is silent on the issue does not mean the smokers can continue to infringe the right of the non-smokers by forcing them to be passive smokers in vehicles, offices and places of public importance. On the other hand, just being a signatory to the Convention is no solution for a country when it knew it beforehand that the bridge must be ultimately crossed once the first step towards it has been taken. Although there are a whole range of other countries who have yet to ratify the Convention, waiting for others to do so before taking the plunge is not the best course of action.

domain: law


Grid is a distributed system with non interactive workloads that involve a large number of resources for computation. The fundamental problem of the grid research and development community is seeking to coordinate distributed resources among a dynamic set of individuals and organizations in order to solve a common collaborative goal in a secured manner. The problem arises through the heterogeneity, distribution and sharing of the resources in different virtual organizations. Interoperability is a main issue for applications to function with the grid. A strong and secure resource selection method should be incorporated for selecting the exact trustworthy resources that influences the success of the system.


text:
Having revealed the disastrous financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the sport's revenues in the first quarter of the year - and which is certain to continue in the second quarter - Chase Carey held his now traditional conference call with financial analysts.
The lack of track action saw revenues crash by 84%, $39m (£31.4m) trickling into the F1 coffers between January and March compared to the $246m (£198.5m) over the same period last year.
Despite some of the recent positivity coming from the sport's bosses in terms of getting the season underway however, the American warned that the 'we're all in this together' cry does not mean that F1 can afford to be benevolent, giving handouts to those in need.
Financial readjustments within the company have seen $1.4bn added to the kitty, but Carey knows that the longer the pandemic continues, especially if more races have to be cancelled, the money won't last, and with no additional income in the pipeline the end result is inevitable.
Consequently, Carey has warned the teams, race promoters and partners to be realistic about the situation and not to expect the sport to be "handing out candy" to those in need.
"Whether it's the teams, promoters or sponsors, we're not going to be handing out candy to everybody," he said. "We're going to expect to be treated fairly, but we're going to deal with it as adults, and with the expectation that 2021 is going to look like the business that we all knew four months ago.
"In terms of the teams, 2020 for us and the teams, we're not going to have the results we expected to have when we started the year," her continued. "And I think everybody is doing what they can to shore up.
"Right now there are too many moving parts," he admitted. "There are so many 'what ifs,' that I don't think it's constructive to address parts of it. I think we need to get far enough along in these plans to know where we're at. We expect the teams to be taking the right initiatives to get them through it."
Earlier this week, Zak Brown revealed that the teams will be getting their prize money in full. However, the prize money is assessed at the beginning of the year based on financial projections for the year ahead, and at that time nobody could have predicted the disaster that was about to happen.
Approximately half-way through the season the projections are reassessed, and while it may well have originally appeared that the teams were going to get their prize money "in full", the pandemic's full impact will be reflected in the revised figures.
"The prize fund is a contractual formula," said Carey, "so the prize fund is what it is. Realistically we couldn't unilaterally change it if we choose. To expand on that, it's a percentage of profits, and profits will be down, and the prize fund would be down.
"Would we do something to support certain teams? We're not in the business of handouts, but that being said we'll engage with all our partners and figure out how do we go forward in a way that makes sense for everybody."
Fewer races will also impact the sport's sponsorship deals, and this is another issue the sport is addressing.
"We are working to achieve what we think will be the expectations of our sponsors," said Carey. "At the end of the day these are relationships, and these are long term relationships. We'll sit down as partners and find a fair path forward.
"We want them to feel good about what we do," he added, "but equally we have an obligation to deliver certain value, and if we deliver it, to receive fair value for it. We will approach as partners."
Though any opening races on the revised calendar will be held without spectators, it is hoped that be season end this will have changed. Nonetheless, Carey admits that the sport is aware of the plight of promoters.
"With fans that certainly does get much closer to the business at norm," he said. "But there are different cases... is it going to be a race that was going to held in the spring, and it's moved to the fall?
"Obviously it had implications in terms of selling tickets and the like, right now probably most of our promoters, even the ones on the schedule, aren't selling tickets given the uncertainty, and probably nobody's buying tickets.
"With everything that exists out there it's not business as usual," he admitted, "but I think to the degree we have races with fans, I think you also get the question is it a race with fans as you know it, or is it a race with fans with certain conditions around those fans? I think all those things we have to engage on."

domain: finance


What is spindle hub?
Spindles are the innermost part of the trailer wheel and axle assembly. They provide a surface for the wheel bearings and wheel hub to rotate around.
Why would a wheel bearing race spin in the hub?
The outer bearing race is turning in the hub, these hubs are on a 2013 5th wheel trailer. What can cause this? A bearing race or cone should fit tightly enough in the hub that it needs to be driven out of the hub with a punch from the back side.
What kind of hub assembly does a car have?
Today’s modern cars, and those manufactured after 1997 are equipped with a single bearing and hub assembly that is attached to each wheel and tire on a vehicle.
How is the outer race of a wheel fitted?
The hub is taken and the outer race of the bearing is press fitted in the hub. Then the hub is positioned on the bearing and then the second bearing’s inner race is press fitted on the spindle.
What happens when a wheel hub assembly goes bad?
Typically when a wheel hub assembly goes bad it’s actually the wheel bearing inside the single assembly that is damaged. This part will make a roaring sound, similar to a metal-to-metal grinding sound when the bearing is wearing out.
What kind of hub does a trailer spindle use?
Round R20484X 84 Spindle & 5-4.5″ Bolt Circle Trailer Hub. 5 studs 4.5″ Bolt circle using L68149 inner and L44649 outer bearing hub. (84 Spindle). Hubs are pre-raced & pre-studded with 1/2″-20 studs. Includes Hub, inner bearing, outer bearing, seal, grease cap & lug nuts.
Can a worn hub cause a wheel to spin?
Cause: Loss of axle retention or reinstalling a worn hub can allow the cone or inner race to spin on the hub, accelerating wear on the cone bore and hub barrel. This cone turning can indicate loss of bearing retention or improper fit between the cone bore and hub barrel diameter. Solution: If you see damage to the hub barrel, replace it.
How big are the hubs on a southwest wheel?
Hubs are pre-raced & pre-studded with 1/2″-20 studs. Includes Hub, inner bearing, outer bearing, seal, grease cap & lug nuts. BT8 Spindle, Spindle base size=1 1/4″ Spindle length=4″ Overall length =8 7/8″. Capacity (pair) 1,000 lbs.
What to look for when replacing a wheel hub?
Diagnosis: Inspect the hub barrel when replacing a wheel bearing with a separate hub. Check the hub barrel outer diameter (OD) for signs of damage. Look for ridges or discoloration on the barrel surface due to heat damage from cone turning.


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| AccorHotels group launches the first Mercure hotel in Kiev.
14 July 2017
AccorHotels group - the global leader in the field of travelling, modern lifestyle and digital technologies, now presents its Mercure brand on the hospitality market of Kiev for the first time ever. The presence on this market starts with Mercure Congress Kyiv opening on the place of the
| HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
29 May 2017
Join the three-day course for HR specialists on the basis of the programme developed by professionals of Premier Hotels and Resorts! VENUE: Premier Palace Hotel (5-7/29 Shevchenka Blvd., Kyiv) TIME: 15-17 June 2017 (3 days) ˝ 10:00 a.m. – 06:00 p.m. TARGET AUDIENCE: HR directors, HR managers of hotels, heads of HR departments, managers of HR departments
| Exclusive Offer from our Friends at Skift
17 March 2017
Hi there, International Hospitality Awards has partnered with Skift to offer you an exclusive discount to attend Skift Forum Europe on April 4th, 2017 at Tobacco Dock, London. Don't miss the opportunity to hear from and network with travel's leading innovators.
| Fall in love with your home with our new media partner Ś the NM House magazine!
09 March 2017
We know how difficult it is to find the most ideal place, which you would call home with pleasure. And even more difficult Ś to transform reality into Ó picture of your dream!
| New Hotel from Premier Hotels and Resorts in Kyiv
27 October 2016
Premier Hotels and Resorts, the Ukrainian hotel chain, has been joined by a new participant in Kyiv. The hotel will be called Premier Hotel Lybid. In the new hotel guests will be provided professional and high-quality services in accordance with the standards of Premier Hotels and Resorts chain,

domain: travel


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Mahak restaurants serve tasty Indian, continental and Zambian dishes for large or small groups. You'll find four Mahak restaurants in Lusaka, one in Ndola and one in Solwezi. Situated in Roma, a pleasant Lusaka suburb, Mahak Lodge has 24 rooms - twins, doubles and suites. It offers competitively priced accommodation close to shopping malls and the city centre. Mahak Lodge is also a quiet events venue catering for up to 400 people (150 seated) - popular for weddings, private functions and conferences.
As well as making ideal conferencing premises, the Mahak Lodge conference hall in Roma, Lusaka, is perfect for events - from family celebrations, weddings, private functions to board meetings. The conference package includes flip charts, markers, pens, two tea breaks with snacks and refreshments, mints and lunch.
Up to 150 people
Fit for conferences, small parties and board meetings
Conference package available
Mahak Lodge is popular for weddings, private functions and conferences. Mahak Lodge is a relatively small and intimate conference venue in Lusaka, Zambia, for up to 150 people seated. However, it can cater for up to 400 people for stand up functions like parties or product launches. For the convenience of delegates and conference organisers, it also offers accommodation as well as restaurant and bar services. For conferences, a projector is available at a small fee.
The six Mahak restaurants gives guests a choice of experiences, with both indoor and outdoor areas. Each restaurant typically serves tasty Indian, continental and Zambian dishes, catering for large or small groups. You'll find four Mahak restaurants in Lusaka, one in Ndola and one in Solwezi.
Seats 150 to 400 people
Excellent customer service
Serves a variety of dishes
Because the Mahak restaurant is large, it is a popular venue for company functions as well as large family gatherings. The restaurant layout is light, airy and spacious with a minimalist approach to its design.
Mahak Lodge in Roma, Lusaka, offers 24 bedrooms (old and new wing) with tea and coffee making facilities, mini fridge, DStv and en-suite bathrooms. For the convenience of guests there is an on site restaurant offering a variety of delicious dishes. This accommodation is ideal for delegates at the conference venue.
Service with style for business and leisure visitors
An affordable place to stay
Well trained professional staff
Executive Rooms - K700
Double Rooms - K600
Twin Rooms - K600
Twin Rooms - K500
Double Rooms - K500
Note: Prices are indicative only and may change without notice


Emergency services clear snow so vaccine centres can carry on
- Credit: Danielle Booden
Emergency service crews have been busy helping to make sure vaccination centres could open in the midst of heavy snow.
The large-scale centre in North Walsham was forced to close on Monday due to the weather conditions, but the other mass vaccination stations in Norfolk were able to continue operating.
And so were four smaller vaccine sites in Great Yarmouth and the surrounding areas, thanks to Norfolk Fire and Rescue staff who worked to clear access roads so they could continue to give out jabs.
Chief fire officer Stuart Ruff said: "We are seeing the impact of the severe bad weather across many parts of the county.
"Some of our crews have been out this morning, helping to clear access roads so that the four vaccination centres can open in the Great Yarmouth area.
"If you do need to make an essential journey, please be mindful of the conditions, especially if you’re driving.
"The difficult weather increases the risk to everyone and the likelihood that our crews will be required to assist.”
Monday was a very busy day for emergency services, with Norfolk Police attending a number of minor crashes while also helping out to clear blocked roads where they could.
Affected routes included the A140 and A149 in north Norfolk, which were blocked off by snow drifts.
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Norfolk County Council cabinet member for highways, infrastructure and transport Martin Wilby said: "It has been an extremely busy week for all the highways teams, who initially responded to reports of flooding, and more recently the high winds and snow conditions over the weekend.
"We’re working around the clock at the moment with ploughing teams and gritters, with support from farmers across the county, who have been helping to clear the network of snow since Sunday morning.”
Chair of the Norfolk Resilience Forum strategic coordination group Chief Insp Jason Selvarajah said: "We saw weather conditions worsen overnight, as expected, and our priority continues to be that of keeping people safe during what is already a challenging time.
"There will be people trying to get to key places of work, and to support the very vulnerable, and for every additional person out and about, the risk to them and those trying to help them increases.
"With more snow predicted over the coming days, our message remains the same – if you don’t have to make that essential journey just yet, don’t do it; and we thank our communities and those working to help them for their cooperation and patience so far.”
A Met Office weather warning for snow remains in place until Wednesday, with more powder expected to fall across the region.


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MerelMerelModel Female Alkmaar, Noord–Holland, Netherlands
My Website: The Blonde TalesMy MM URL: http://www.modelmayhem.com/merelmerel
Mayhem # 2898024
About MeHi ,
My name is Merel, I'm currently 17 years old and based in The Netherlands. I love to start doing some shoots and work to try out if model work is something for me! For some more pictures, you can also visit my blog ; theblondetales.tk !
My mailbox is always open for nice collaborations!
Have you worked with MerelMerel? Add Credits for MerelMerel! >>


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Categories: C-S Bond Formation >
Synthesis of thioesters and thioacids
An efficient, fast and convenient protocol for the synthesis of N-urethane-protected α-amino/peptide thioacids from their corresponding acids and Na2S is mediated by EDC. The chemistry is compatible with a wide variety of urethane protecting groups, side-chain functionalities, and sterically hindered amino acids.
T. M. Vishwanatha, M. Samarasimhareddy, V. V. Sureshbabu, Synlett, 2012, 23, 89-92.
A thiazolium precatalyst facilitates electrochemical oxidation of thiolate anions, leading to deleterious formation of disulfide byproducts. For the reaction of a broad range of aldehyde and thiol substrates, thioesters were obtained in very good yields . This approach provides an atom-efficient thioesterification that circumvents the need for stoichiometric exogenous oxidants, high cell potentials, or redox mediators.
K. A. Ogawa, A. J. Boydston, Org. Lett., 2014, 16, 1928-1931.
4,4′-azopyridine is a suitable electron-deficient reagent for Mitsunobu esterification and thioesterification reactions. This new reagent facilitates the isolation of its hydrazine byproduct without restricting the reaction scope. The pyridine hydrazine byproduct can be simply reoxidized. The stereochemistry of the reaction under the reported conditions is with perfect retention of configuration.
N. Iranpoor, H. Firouzabadi, D. Khalili, S. Motevalli, J. Org. Chem., 2008, 73, 4882-4887.
Reduction of ethanethiol esters of α-amino acids to α-amino aldehydes by triethylsilane and catalytic palladium-on-carbon is described. α-Amino aldehydes with Boc, Cbz, or Fmoc protection could be obtained without racemization in high yield.
H. Tokuyama, S. Yokoshima, S.-C. Lin, L. Li, T. Fukuyama, Synthesis, 2002, 1121-1123.
The photocatalytic activation of elemental sulfur enables a mild, rapid, and chemoselective three-component thioesterification in the presence of olefins and α-ketoacids. This novel reaction is characterized by high yields and a broad substrate scope.
S. Murakami, T. Nanjo, Y. Takemoto, Org. Lett., 2021, 23, 7650-7655.
Diverse thiol esters were synthesized in good yields by reactions of thiophenol, benzyl mercaptan, ethyl mercaptoacetate, and mercaptoacetic acid with N-acylbenzotriazoles under mild conditions. These results demonstrate the utility of N-acylbenzotriazoles as mild S-acylating agents.
A. R. Katritzky, A. A. Shestopalov, K. Suzuki, Synthesis, 2004, 1806-1813.
The addition of 3-10 mol-% DMAP accelerates the DCC-activated esterification of carboxylic acids with alcohols and thiols to such an extent that formation of side products is suppressed and even sterically demanding esters are formed in good yields at room temperature.
B. Neises, W. Steglich, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 1978, 17, 522-524.
A convenient procedure allows the synthesis of esters and thioesters from the corresponding carboxylic acid using TFFH as the coupling reagent. The preparation of N-acyl-dithiocarbamates from carboxylic acids and 1,3-thiazolidine-2-thione is also described.
M. Pittelkow, F. S. Kamounah, U. Boas, B. Pedersen, J. B. Christensen, Synthesis, 2004, 2485-2492.
A copper-catalyzed oxidative coupling of readily available aroylhydrazides with disulfides enables an alternative thioesterification reaction, in which oxidative expulsion of N2 overcomes the activation barrier between the carboxylic acid derivatives and the products. The reaction produces various thioesters in good to excellent yields with good functional group tolerance.
S. Xie, L. Su, M. Mo, W. Zhou, Y. Zhou, J. Dong, J. Org. Chem., 2021, 86, 739-749.
A nickel-catalyzed thiocarbonylation of arylboronic acid with sulfonyl chlorides in the presence of Mo(CO)6 as CO source and reductant provides a broad range of thioesters in good yields with good functional group tolerance.
X. Qi, Z.-P. Bao, X.-T. Yao, X.-F. Wu, Org. Lett., 2020, 22, 6671-6676.
The facile and efficient conversion of a tert-butyl protecting group to an acetyl protecting group by catalytic amounts of bromine in acetyl chloride and the presence of acetic acid has been developed. The fairly mild reaction conditions are of particular interest for new protecting group strategies for sulfur functionalised target structures.
A. Blaszczyk, M. Elbing, M. Mayor, Org. Biomol. Chem., 2004, 2, 2722-2724.
Various alcohols, thiols, phenols, and amines can be acetylated using acetic anhydride in the presence of catalytic quantity of silver triflate. The method proceeds under mild conditions, does not involve cumbersome workup, and the resulting products are obtained in high yields within a reasonable time.
R. Das, D. Chakraborty, Synthesis, 2011, 1621-1625.
Various alcohols, phenols, amines and thiols may easily be converted into acetate derivatives by treatment with acetic anhydride in the presence of acetonyltriphenylphosphonium bromide in good yields at room temperature. With the same precatalyst, both aliphatic and aromatic aldehydes can be transformed into the corresponding gem-diacetates under reflux conditions.
A. T. Khan, L. H. Choudry, S. Ghosh, Eur. J. Org. Chem., 2005, 2782-2787.
Copper(II) tetrafluoroborate efficiently catalyzes acetylation of structurally diverse phenols, alcohols, thiols, and amines with stoichiometric amounts of Ac2O under solvent-free conditions at room temperature. Acid-sensitive alcohols are smoothly acetylated without competitive side reactions.
A. K. Chakraborti, R. Gulhane, Shivani, Synthesis, 2004, 111-115.
Acylation of alcohols, thiols, and sugars were studied with a variety of Lewis acids, and it was found that Cu(OTf)2 was very efficient in catalyzing the reaction under mild conditions in CH2Cl2.
K. L. Chandra, P. Saravan, R. K. Singh, V. K. Singh, Tetrahedron, 2002, 58, 1369-1374.
Ground-state destabilization of amides enables an exceedingly mild method for the direct thioesterification and selenoesterification by selective N-C(O) bond cleavage in the absence of transition metals. Acyclic amides undergo N-C(O) to S/Se-C(O) interconversion to give the corresponding thioesters and selenoesters in excellent yields at room temperature via a tetrahedral intermediate pathway.
Md. M. Rahman, G. Li, M. Szostak, Synthesis, 2020, 52, 1060-1066.
A palladium-catalyzed desulfonative carbonylation of S-aryl/alkyl benzenesulfonothioates provides thioesters in good yields by SO2 extrusion and CO insertion under 1 bar of CO. Dimethylacetamide (DMAc) as solvent facilitated this desulfonative carbonylation due to its high absorbing ability of SO2.
J.-X. Xu, L.-C. Wang, X.-F. Wu, Org. Lett., 2022, 24, 4820-4824.
The thiocarbonylation of gem-difluoroalkenes with thiols provides acyethanethioates in good yields in the presence of water under mild conditions without the use of any additives.
X. Jiang, G. Wang, Z. Zheng, X. Yu, Y. Hong, H. Xia, C. Yu, Org. Lett., 2020, 22, 9762-9766.
The combination of thiols as nucleophiles and a bidentate ligand enable a palladium-catalyzed thiocarbonylation of styrene derivatives with high regioselectivity toward the more valuable branched isomer. The ambient reaction conditions (temperature, catalyst loading) and the use of a CO surrogate render this transformation a useful method for the synthesis of thioesters.
V. Hirschbeck, P. H. Gehrtz, I. Fleischer, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2016, 138, 16794-16799.
A direct Csp3-H bond oxidative thioesterification of methyl ketones with aromatic thiols/disulfides is promoted by TBAI/K2S2O8 to provide functionalized α-ketothioesters. This efficient reaction offers large-scale applicability and broad functional group tolerance.
B. Hu, Pan Zhou, Q. Zhang, Y. Wang, S. Zhao, L. Lu, S. Yan, F. Yu, J. Org. Chem., 2018, 83, 14978-14986.
A Pd-catalyzed hydrothiocarbonylation of unactivated terminal alkenes provides aliphatic thioesters with exclusive linear selectivity under mild reaction conditions in very good yields, broad substrate scope, and broad functional group tolerance.
W. Yu, J. Han, D. Fang, M. Wang, J. Liao, Org. Lett., 2021, 23, 2482-2487.
Oxalic acid monothioesters (OAM) can be used as a thioester synthetic equivalent for palladium-catalyzed decarboxylative thiocarbonylation of organohalides and hydrothiocarbonylation of unsaturated carbon-carbon bonds at room temperature with high chemo- and regioselectivity.
B. Zhao, Y. Fu, R. Shang, Org. Lett., 2019, 21, 9521-9526.
A nickel-catalyzed reductive coupling of aryl triflates with O-tBu S-alkyl thiocarbonates provides thioesters in good yields via a chemoselective cleavage of the C-O bond of the thiocarbonate. This work broadens the scope of nickel-catalyzed reductive cross-electrophile coupling reactions.
Z. Zhu, Y. Gong, W. Tong, W. Xue, H. Gong, Org. Lett., 2021, 23, 2158-2163.
Simple thioesters undergo direct aldol addition to aldehydes in the presence of a Lewis acid and i-Pr2NEt. The reactions proceed extremely rapidly and in excellent yield.
J. M. Yost, G. Zhou, D. M. Coltart, Org. Lett., 2006, 8, 1503-1506.
Mild and Efficient Pentafluorophenylammonium Triflate (PFPAT)-Catalyzed C-Acylations of Enol Silyl Ethers or Ketene Silyl (Thio)Acetals with Acid Chlorides
A. Iida, J. Osada, R. Nagase, T. Misaki, Y. Tanabe, Org. Lett., 2007, 9, 1859-1862.
A Ti-crossed Claisen condensation between ketene silyl (thio)acetals and acid chlorides gave α-monoalkylated (thio)esters and thermodynamically unfavorable α,α-dialkylated β-keto (thio)esters in good yield. The protocol was extended to the direct condensation of ketene silyl acetals with carboxylic acids.
A. Iida, S. Nakazawa, T. Okabayashi, A. Horii, T. Misako, Y. Tanabe, Org. Lett., 2006, 8, 5215-5218.

domain: chemistry


- Is Ram important for 3d modeling?
- Do you need a GPU for 3d modeling?
- Can blender run without graphics card?
- Which CPU is best for blender?
- Which processor is best for 3d modeling?
- Will more RAM increase rendering speed?
- Is 32gb RAM overkill?
- How do I make Blender run faster?
- Is 8gb RAM enough for 3d rendering?
- Does graphic card increase rendering speed?
- Does blender require coding?
- How much RAM do I need for 3d CAD?
- Do you need a good computer for 3d modeling?
- Is 128gb RAM overkill?
- Is 16gb RAM enough for blender?
Is Ram important for 3d modeling?
Similar to the CPU, the amount and type of memory (RAM) you’ll need will depend on your use case.
If you work on models with extremely high polygon counts, you will want more RAM than if you usually only do lightweight 3D work with simpler scenes.
I recommend 32GB of RAM for most 3D Artists..
Do you need a GPU for 3d modeling?
For 3D model designers, the Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) is the most important hardware in your workstation. It must be as powerful as possible in order to perform complex, processor-heavy tasks required by the graphics accelerated programs of today’s design software.
Can blender run without graphics card?
Yes, it’s totally possible. The only significant downside of using Blender without a dedicated graphics card would be: You wouldn’t be able to render using CUDA GPU acceleration through Cycles render engine.
Which CPU is best for blender?
Best CPUs for Blender – CPU RecommendationsAMD Ryzen 9 3900X 12-Core CPU for fast active work performance and good CPU rendering performance.AMD Threadripper 2990WX 32-Core CPU for great CPU rendering performance.Budget picks include the 3rd gen Ryzen 7 and 5 Series, AMD Ryzen 7 3700X, AMD Ryzen 5 3600.
Which processor is best for 3d modeling?
Best CPU for 3D RenderingCPU NameCoresGHzAMD Ryzen 5 260063.4AMD Ryzen 5 2600X63.6AMD Ryzen 7 2700X83.7AMD Ryzen 7 270083.259 more rows•Dec 19, 2020
Will more RAM increase rendering speed?
RAM doesn’t really affect rendering speeds all that much. The CPU and GPU are the ones mostly responsible for this task. However, if your computer does not have too much RAM — let’s say 4GB — and you increase it to 16GB, you may notice a difference in rendering speeds.
Is 32gb RAM overkill?
32GB, on the other hand, is overkill for most enthusiasts today, outside of people who are editing RAW photos or high-res video (or other similarly memory-intensive tasks).
How do I make Blender run faster?
Hardware ImprovementsInstall more system memory.Upgrade your CPU to a multi-core/multiprocessor.Upgrade your OpenGL video drivers.Get faster memory, up to your PC’s motherboard limit.Use or set up a render farm using all available PCs in your house, or use a render farm.
Is 8gb RAM enough for 3d rendering?
It’s okay during the learning stage, 8gb is enough as long as you don’t open all your software at once, and you don’t work with high res textures.
Does graphic card increase rendering speed?
Just as a faster CPU and more RAM help your computer run faster and smoother, video cards with faster GPUs and more onboard memory will render graphics faster and more efficiently.
Does blender require coding?
For animating with blender you need to know no programming languages. Best visit elysiun.com for more information about using blender. For programming in blender you would need to learn python. With this easy to learn and friendly (and free) interpreter you can write scripts to manipulate 3d objects in blender.
How much RAM do I need for 3d CAD?
A pro workstation needs a baseline of 16 GB of system memory. Most applications for 3D and CAD suggest 8 GB minimum to run. With 16-32 GB you will notice snappier performance. Just understand that maxing out the DIMM slots with system memory will not compensate for an underperforming or bottlenecked CPU and GPU.
Do you need a good computer for 3d modeling?
Interestingly enough, it also does not quicken the speed of your viewport. To succeed in 3D modeling, you need to have a workstation CPU that has a superior clock speed. CPU overclocking can help unlock the hidden performance of your device in working on computer animations or operating a CAD workstation.
Is 128gb RAM overkill?
Buy 128GB only if you want to run heavy Software and heavy games simultaneously. Except that 128GB is kind waste of Money. Further the cost of 128 GB stick is higher than core i5 processor. Go for Better GPU with more than decent amount of RAM.
Is 16gb RAM enough for blender?
My advice would be to get 16GB clocked to 3600mz. Blender shouldn’t crash at all, assuming you’re not using a 32-bit version and have enough virtual memory available. To everyone who believes they have “enough” RAM: Try disabling virtual memory and see how far you can go without your system complaining.


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Every Life Needs Warmth
Since the massive 7.3 earthquakes in 2023 about 1.4 million people have been unhoused, making them extremely vulnerable to harsh winter elements. In these dire conditions, focusing on education becomes a challenge. Yet, education is key to breaking the cycle of poverty.
While struggling to provide a warm home how can parents, teachers, or kids even begin to worry about their education?
Many comforts that make our everyday life enjoyable and worth living are taken for granted – your coffee in the morning, your warm dry slippers, heating, or even a cozy robe. This is not the reality for many in these cold months. Instead of their warm homes and woodfire hearths millions of people in Syria and Türkiye are left unhoused and forced to bear the harsh weather in tents.
Education is the most effective and sustainable way to end cycles of poverty. When you donate to MWL you’re donating to the upward social mobility of students in heavily disadvantaged communities. Our team is committed to making a lasting impact on poverty, through education.
Warmth and comfort are essential to facilitating a learning environment. With your support to our Winter Relief program, we can provide warm jackets, boots, pants, gloves, classroom heaters, fuel for heaters, and everything else children and teachers need to succeed in this wintery learning environment. Donate to our Winter Appeals today!
of the global refugee population consists of Syrian refugees.
of the Syrian population lives below the poverty line.


Government stated on Friday that legislative changes to facilitate the transition of immigration-related powers to the Workforce Opportunities Residency Cayman, known as WORC, and Customs and Border Control, will not take effect on Jan. 1 as previously announced.
Instead, “early 2019” will be the commencement date for the Immigration (Transition) Law, 2018 and Customs and Border Control Law, 2018, according to a government press release.
Officials said the “short extension” had been implement to “facilitate extended public information and education for stakeholders impacted by the changes.”
In the interim, the existing Customs and Immigration Laws will remain in force.
The statement advised people applying for Temporary Work Permits, Business Visitors’ Permits and Visitors’ Work Visas to continue to follow the existing processes detailed on the Immigration Department website immigration.gov.ky, until further notice.
“Government will continue to keep its stakeholders up to date as it moves forward with the establishment of the two new agencies,” the statement noted.
“The Ministry of Human Resources and Immigration is working to ensure that WORC and CBC are structured and equipped to increase Caymanian employment, streamline current processes and provide intelligence-driven border control services,” according to the statement.