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First Reformed is Paul Schrader’s masterpiece, and its story feels, in a away, close to my own.
Read more "Political Faith: First Reformed and Contemporary American Evangelicalism"
It was one of the best years in film in a long time, with dozens of great movies on offer, but only ten could make the list.
Read more "Top 10 Films of 2017"
Rian Johnson has succeeded in elevating Star Wars into something beyond itself.
Read more "“Star Wars: The Last Jedi” (B+)"
Martin McDonagh proves again that he’s one of the most exciting contemporary screenwriters with another rude, crude, and moving masterpiece.
Read more "“Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” (A-)"
Kenneth Branagh’s entertaining adaptation of Agatha Christie’s beloved novel strikes a puzzling balance between success and failure.
Read more "“Murder on the Orient Express” (B-)"
The Chicago International Film Festival has come and gone for yet another year, and it was a whirlwind for me this time around. Twenty-three films in ten days ended up being pretty ambitious when I’m also working a full-time job, and my fatigue showed when I ended up missing a film when I passed out […]
Read more "Recap: 2017 Chicago International Film Festival"
I’ve been attending the Chicago International Film Festival for the past six or seven years now, and it’s easily my favourite event in the city. While it happens too late in the year to carry the same prestige and buzz as Telluride or TIFF, the festival always manages to attract a brilliant cross section of […]
Read more "Preview: 53rd Chicago International Film Festival"
Perfectly paced and aesthetically riveting on all accounts, “Blade Runner 2049” is unfortunately caught in its predecessor’s lofty shadow.
Read more "“Blade Runner 2049” (B+)"
Kubrick’s 1968 sci-fi classic remains one of the most stunning and unique audiovisual feasts I’ve ever experienced.
Read more "Top 25: “2001: A Space Odyssey”"
Darren Aronofsky’s latest film is more than a return to form – it’s the finest film of his career thus far.
Read more "“mother!” (A)"


When using our Powertrain Control Pack’s or harnesses you will have a direct speedometer signal blunt lead. These blunt lead’s will provide the factory speedometer signal which does not work direct on any aftermarket or even older oem instrument clusters. The signal needs to be converted to whatever the present speedometer gauge uses for its reading. Dakota Digital offers this box and it makes the conversion really easy which is why we offer it. Input the oem signal from the harness and adapt it to whatever your gauge needs to get the speedometer working perfect.
From the Manufacturer:
The Universal Signal Interface Unit can handle nearly all of your electric speedometer signal conversion and calibration issues. It can recalibrate a 2,000 pulse per mile (ppm) through 250,000ppm electronic speedometer pulse rates, either up or down. It is great for adjusting aftermarket and OEM electric speedometers on vehicles after changing rear end gears, tire sizes, or drivetrain changes affecting the speedometer.
The converter is used as either a signal multiplier (up to 16X) or signal divider (up to 125X), making this unit extremely flexible for almost any application. While the converter is intended to correct only the signal feeding the electronic speedometer, in many cases where a speed signal is shared or on a databus, the box can instead correct the signal feeding the engine and transmission computers. For even greater flexibility, it allows multiplication up to 16x, taking an 8,000 ppm signal and converting to a 128,000ppm output, and includes a regulated 5V sensor output, allowing use of the Dakota Digital SEN-01-5 speed sensor. A built-in LED display and pushbutton switches simplify setup and calibration.
**** If your vehicle is equipped with an anti-lock braking system (ABS), it is advised to ensure the signal reaching the ABS controller is not altered to eliminate any potential problems affecting control algorithms within the system. Some vehicles also utilize the output shaft speed to calculate transmission slip and lock-up. When a signal feeding the PCM is altered, this may cause the PCM to detect a constant slip. Consulting a service manual may be of assistance in determining the signal routing within the vehicle if the SGI-5 is decided to be used in a situation such as this. ***
Unit measures 4″ x 2″ x 1″ and is designed to be mounted inside a vehicle.


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Alberta’s contact tracing team has made “significant gains” with an influx of new workers since a system failure in November, says Health Minister Tyler Shandro.
The provincial contact tracing system was overwhelmed in the final months of 2020 with a rapid surge in COVID-19 cases. Alberta Health Services (AHS) couldn’t keep up with the demand, forcing them to only notify contacts of confirmed COVID-19 cases in high-priority settings.
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Albertans were then tasked with notifying their own close contacts after being alerted by a contact tracer of a positive test.
Problems persisted in December when Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta’s chief medical officer of health, announced the province was looking to the private sector to bolster the number of contact tracers.
Shandro gave the first significant update of 2021 on contact tracing on Thursday.
He said there were just 50 people on Alberta’s contact tracing team one year ago. It has now grown to 2,300 people — 46 times the initial size — from all over the province.
“There are now 41 contact tracers per 100,000 Albertans,” said Shandro.
“The team has made incredible gains. In January alone, case investigators and contact tracers from (AHS) closed a total of 21,216 investigations. That’s the highest monthly number of COVID-19 investigations closed to date.”
The team has the ability to contact 1,500 cases per day, he added, although new daily cases are trending at a much lower rate.
“We don’t expect that capacity to be there but it’s there,” said Shandro. “And we’ve met our current recruitment targets but we continue to hire, continue to train and continue to on-board staff to increase capacity even further.”
On Thursday, 415 new infections were reported in Alberta, bringing the active case count to 4,887. There were 10,275 tests conducted over the past 24 hours, meaning the positivity rate sits at 4.2 per cent.
There is a dedicated team to trace cases in schools across the province, as well as 50 workers focused solely on variant tracing, said Shandro.
Another 14 variant COVID-19 cases were identified over the past 24 hours, bringing the total to 239 in the province. All new cases are the variant strain first identified in the U.K.
Shandro also provided an update about the province’s COVID-19 online assessment and booking tool, which has now been accessed more than nine million times.
As of this week, users are now able to note their preferred language, so that interpreters can be made available.
Dr. Mark Joffe, AHS vice-president, said expanded contact tracing and case investigation capacity has led to “tremendous improvements.” He also said the amount of close contacts on average for each positive case has dropped to six from 15 in November.
Joffe said Alberta’s online close contact portal, which helps identify and reach out to individuals by text or phone, has received nearly 96,000 submissions since mid-November.
“These tools have drastically reduced the turnaround time to notify Albertans of their test results and freed up our staff from making these notification calls,” said Joffe.
“Our staff have been able to focus on the case investigation process instead, which includes reaching out to Albertans with COVID-19, identifying sources of infection and breaking those transmission patterns.”
He said we are in “a much better place now” and well-positioned to meet future demands on contact tracing in the province.
Seven additional deaths were announced Thursday, bringing the death toll to 1,805 in Alberta.
There are currently 362 people in hospital, 55 of whom are in ICU.
Locals should be worried about vaccine distribution, not supply, says mayor
Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi says he’s more worried about vaccine distribution than supply as Canada is set to receive millions more doses than previously anticipated by September.
Concerns about vaccine supply in Canada mounted over the past month with halted and limited shipments of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines. Deliveries from both vaccine-makers are now back on course, according to federal authorities.
“I very strongly believe that all of the noise we’ve heard about problems with vaccine supply over the last few weeks is missing the point entirely. This is the largest public health intervention in human history,” Nenshi said Thursday.
“We were one of the first countries to be able to get vaccine, and we should have expected — I certainly did — that there would be glitches in the vaccine delivery.”
He said the city is working with the Calgary Emergency Management Agency (CEMA) and the provincial government to prepare for an influx of vaccines. Nenshi said CEMA chief Sue Henry’s best advice is to think of it as a “logistics problem” rather than a public health issue.
“Luckily, we are very good at logistics problems in this city,” said Nenshi.
“I’m very hopeful that within the next few weeks, we’ll be saying, ‘How do we manage these huge lineups of people who are ready for vaccine and make them move more quickly?’ That will be a problem, but it’ll be a very good problem to have.”
On Wednesday, Premier Jason Kenney said additional details on the provincial rollout plan would be released as early as Friday.
Shandro shied away from specifics Thursday, but said details would be announced “fairly soon.”
New research shows a single dose of COVID-19 vaccine is highly effective and could address concerns about scarce supplies, according to federal and Quebec health officials.
A recent Quebec study showed a single dose given to health-care workers and long-term care residents in the eastern province proved to be 80 per cent effective within a few weeks.
Another study from the U.S. indicated one dose of COVID-19 vaccine was 92 per cent effective after two weeks, compared to original data that suggested just 52 per cent protection.
In New Brunswick, people at lower risk will now wait up to three months for a second jab, in an effort to stretch supplies. Experts in Ottawa continue to study the effectiveness of just one dose.
— With files from Madeline Smith and The Canadian Press

domain: medical


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70’s Rhythm and Blues, commonly known as RB, has been an essential genre in the music world since its roots in the 1940s. However, it was during the 1970s where RB took on a new form and established itself as a major force in the music industry. The decade saw the emergence of different sub-genres within RB, including soul, funk, and disco, resulting in a diverse range of sounds that captivated audiences worldwide.
The 70’s were a time of societal and cultural changes, and RB music reflected these shifts through its lyrics and the fusion of different musical elements. This blog post will delve into the evolution of 70’s RB, influential artists, popular songs, impact on music today, technological advancements, and socio-cultural significance. We will also explore how this era of music continues to influence modern-day RB and other genres.
Introduction to 70’s Rhythm and Blues
Rhythm and blues originated from African-American communities in the United States in the 1940s. It is a combination of African-American musical styles such as jazz, gospel, and blues, with influences from Western popular music. During the 1960s, RB gained popularity among mainstream audiences with successful artists like Aretha Franklin and James Brown.
However, it was the 1970s that witnessed the peak of RB’s popularity, thanks to the emergence of new sub-genres and innovative sounds. The decade also saw the rise of iconic record labels such as Motown, Stax, and Philadelphia International Records, which played a significant role in promoting RB music. The groovy and soulful sounds of 70’s RB captured the hearts of listeners worldwide and became a definitive part of the era’s culture.
The Evolution of Rhythm and Blues in the 1970s
The 1970s was a decade of musical experimentation, and RB was no exception. It was during this time that RB artists began to incorporate elements from other genres such as rock, funk, and disco into their music. The fusion of these sounds gave birth to sub-genres like funk-soul, disco-funk, and soul-jazz, which became increasingly popular among listeners.
One significant change in RB during the 70’s was the rise of female artists. Women in RB were no longer confined to background vocals or backup dancers; they were at the forefront, making their mark on the industry. Artists like Diana Ross, Chaka Khan, and Donna Summer became household names with their powerful voices and captivating stage presence.
Moreover, the 1970s saw the introduction of technology in the production of RB music. The use of synthesizers, drum machines, and electric guitars gave RB a more contemporary sound, setting it apart from traditional soul and blues music. This evolution in sound attracted a diverse audience and solidified RB’s place in mainstream music.
The Rise of Funk and Disco
Funk and disco were two of the most influential sub-genres that emerged in the 70’s. Funk originated from African-American communities and blended elements of soul, jazz, and RB. It is characterized by its infectious grooves and use of electric instruments. Funk music often featured a strong bass line and emphasized the rhythm, making it perfect for dancing.
Artists like James Brown, Parliament-Funkadelic, and Earth, Wind Fire dominated the funk scene with their high energy performances and funky beats. Their music also reflected the political and social issues of the time, making it not just entertaining but also thought-provoking.
On the other hand, disco gained popularity in the late 1970s, becoming synonymous with the era itself. Disco was heavily influenced by funk and soul music, with its emphasis on danceable beats and upbeat melodies. It became a movement, with its own fashion and dance style, and is considered a precursor to modern-day electronic dance music.
Artists like Donna Summer, Gloria Gaynor, and The Bee Gees ruled the disco scene with their iconic hits, such as “I Will Survive” and “Stayin’ Alive.” These songs not only topped the charts but also became anthems for the era.
The Emergence of Soul and RB Ballads
While funk and disco took center stage in the 70’s, soul and RB ballads continued to hold their own. Artists like Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, and Al Green produced timeless love songs that still resonate with listeners today. Their smooth and soulful vocals, along with heartfelt lyrics, captured the essence of love and relationships.
The emergence of soul and RB ballads also marked a shift towards more socially conscious music, with artists using their platform to address issues such as racism, poverty, and war. Songs like “What’s Going On” by Marvin Gaye and “Living for the City” by Stevie Wonder remain influential and relevant even decades later.
Influential Artists of 70’s Rhythm and Blues
The 1970s was a decade of musical icons, and 70’s RB is no exception. This era saw the rise of legendary artists who continue to influence and inspire musicians today. Here are some of the most influential artists of 70’s RB:
Stevie Wonder is a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist whose career spans over five decades. He began his career in the 1960s, but it was during the 1970s where he achieved massive success and critical acclaim. His album “Songs in the Key of Life,” released in 1976, is considered one of the greatest albums of all time and features hits like “Sir Duke” and “Isn’t She Lovely.”
Wonder’s music was a fusion of soul, funk, and jazz, and his songs often tackled social and political issues. His unique blend of musical styles earned him multiple Grammy awards and cemented his place as one of the most influential artists in 70’s RB.
Aretha Franklin, also known as the Queen of Soul, had been in the music industry since the 1960s but reached new heights of success in the 1970s. Her powerful and soulful voice, coupled with her emotional delivery, made her a household name and earned her the title of one of the greatest vocalists of all time.
Franklin’s songs, such as “Respect” and “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” became anthems for women and civil rights movements. She paved the way for female artists in RB and continues to inspire generations with her music.
Known as the Godfather of Soul, James Brown was a pioneer in RB music in the 1970s. He was known for his energetic performances and hard-hitting lyrics that addressed issues such as poverty and racism. Brown’s influence on funk music is undeniable, with hits like “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag” and “Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine.”
Brown’s innovative use of rhythm, along with his signature dance moves, solidified his place as one of the most influential artists in 70’s RB. He continues to be a significant influence on modern-day artists, and his music remains timeless.
Popular Songs of 70’s Rhythm and Blues
The 1970s saw the release of numerous hit songs that became instant classics and continue to be played and loved today. Here are some of the most popular songs of 70’s RB:
“What’s Going On” – Marvin Gaye
“What’s Going On” is a powerful and socially conscious song released in 1971 by Marvin Gaye. It was written in response to the Vietnam War and the racial tensions in America, making it one of the most influential songs of the era.
“Let’s Stay Together” – Al Green
“Let’s Stay Together” is a romantic ballad released by Al Green in 1972. The smooth and soulful vocals, coupled with the heartfelt lyrics, make it one of the most iconic love songs of all time.
“Superstition” – Stevie Wonder
“Superstition” is a funk-rock song released by Stevie Wonder in 1972. It topped the charts and became one of his signature hits, known for its infectious beat and catchy melody.
“September” – Earth, Wind Fire
“September” is an upbeat disco-funk anthem released by Earth, Wind Fire in 1978. It remains a popular dance track and is often played at weddings, parties, and events.
Impact of 70’s Rhythm and Blues on Music Today
The legacy of 70’s RB continues to be felt in modern-day music. Artists today draw inspiration from the sounds and styles of this era, infusing them into their own music. The popularity of neo-soul, a sub-genre of RB that emerged in the 1990s and pays homage to the classic soul sound, is evidence of the lasting influence of 70’s RB.
Moreover, elements of funk, disco, and soul can be heard in contemporary RB and other genres like hip hop and pop. Artists such as Bruno Mars, Dua Lipa, and The Weeknd have incorporated 70’s RB sounds into their music, giving it a modern twist.
The influence of 70’s RB is not limited to just music; it has also shaped fashion, dance, and cultural movements. The iconic looks of artists like Diana Ross and Donna Summer continue to inspire fashion trends today, while the dance styles of the era remain popular in dance clubs and TikTok videos.
Differences between 70’s Rhythm and Blues and Other Genres
While RB shares elements with other genres such as soul, funk, and disco, there are distinct differences that set it apart. The use of vocal harmonies, call and response techniques, and emphasis on rhythm distinguish RB from soul music. Funk differs from RB in its use of syncopated rhythms and heavy bass lines, while disco is characterized by its electronic sound and focus on danceable beats.
Despite these differences, the sub-genres within RB often overlap and influence each other, creating a diverse range of sounds that have stood the test of time.
The Role of Technology in Shaping 70’s Rhythm and Blues
Technology played a crucial role in shaping the sound of 70’s RB. The introduction of new instruments such as synthesizers and drum machines allowed for more experimentation and innovation in music production. These advancements also made it easier for smaller record labels to produce and promote RB music, contributing to its rise in popularity.
Moreover, technological advancements in recording and editing techniques helped create polished and refined sounds, giving RB a more modern feel. The use of technology also paved the way for sampling, a technique where snippets of existing songs are used in new compositions, which became prevalent in hip hop and other genres.
Socio-Cultural Significance of 70’s Rhythm and Blues
The 1970s was a decade of significant social and cultural changes, and RB music reflected these shifts. The lyrics of RB songs often addressed issues such as racism, poverty, and political unrest, giving a voice to marginalized communities. RB music also served as a form of escapism for many, providing a sense of joy and freedom in a tumultuous time.
The emergence of female artists and the rise of soulful and romantic ballads also challenged traditional gender roles and stereotypes. RB music became a tool for empowerment and self-expression, encouraging listeners to embrace their identities and individuality.
Revival of 70’s Rhythm and Blues in Modern Music
Despite being decades old, the music of the 1970s continues to resonate with audiences today. The revival of 70’s RB can be seen in the music of contemporary artists such as Bruno Mars, Janelle Monáe, and Leon Bridges, who have a distinct throwback sound reminiscent of the era.
Moreover, there has been an increase in the popularity of old-school RB parties and events, where DJs play classic RB hits from the 70s, attracting both older and younger generations. This resurgence of interest in 70’s RB is a testament to its enduring legacy and impact on music today.
Conclusion: The Legacy of 70’s Rhythm and Blues
The 1970s was undoubtedly a significant decade for RB music, with its fusion of diverse sub-genres, technological advancements, and socially conscious lyrics. The groovy sounds of 70’s RB continue to captivate audiences and influence music today, making it a timeless genre that will always hold a special place in the hearts of music lovers.
The evolution of RB in the 1970s paved the way for future generations of artists and shaped the music industry as we know it. From funk and disco to soul and RB ballads, the diversity of sounds within 70’s RB showcases the creativity and innovation of the era.
As we look back on the golden age of RB, it is clear that the legacy of 70’s RB will continue to live on and inspire generations of artists to come. Its impact on music and culture cannot be understated, making it a truly unforgettable era in the history of rhythm and blues.

domain: entertainment


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IJCRR - Vol 04 Issue 17, September
Date of Publication: 14-Sep-2012
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GROWTH AND CHARACTERIZATION OF PICRIC ACID MIXED ZTS SINGLE CRYSTALS
Author: N.Balasundari , P.Selvarajan, S.Lincy Mary Ponmani D.Jencylin
Abstract:The growth of picric acid-doped Zinc tris (thiourea) sulphate ( ZTS) single crystals were grown from aqueous solution by slow evaporation technique. 1.5 mol% of picric acid was added in saturated solution of ZTS. When picric acid was added as dopant, morphological alterations were noticed in the grown crystals. Cell parameters of the grown crystals were obtained from the XRD analysis and the presence of functional groups was identified by FTIR study. Its optical properties were examined by UV-vis analysis. The microhardness values were measured for the grown crystals and discussed.
Keywords: ZTS; doped ; Solubility; crystal growth; FTIR; microhardness;SHG.
Zinc (tris) thiourea sulphate (ZTS) is a semiorganic NLO material for second harmonic generation from metal complexes of thiourea. High-damage threshold and wide transparency make it a better alternative for KDP crystals in frequency-doubling and laser fusion experiments [1,2]. SHG efficiency of ZTS crystal is 1.2 times more than that of KDP [3,4]. ZTS crystal belongs to the orthorhombic system with the space group Pca21. The growth of ZTS crystals from aqueous solution and its characterization have been reported in a number of recent publications [5-9]. Picric acid is one of the organic compounds having tendency to form the stable picrate compounds with various organic molecules. It has been reported that doping NLO crystals with organic and inorganic additives can alter various physical properties and doped–NLO crystals may find wide applications in optoelectronic devices compared to pure NLO crystals [10,11]. Keeping this in mind, pure and picric aciddoped Zinc (Tris) Thiourea sulphate (ZTS) crystals have been crystallized and studied in the present work. The results of the growth, solubility, XRD studies, FTIR studies, UV-Vis analysis, and microhardness studies of the grown crystals are reported in this paper. 2.Experimental methods and instrumentation 2.1.Synthesis and Growth Pure crystal of Zinc (tris) Thiourea sulphate (ZTS) was synthesized by dissolving high purity AR grade Zinc Sulphate heptahydrate and thiourea in molar ratio 1:3 in double distilled water. The solution was stirred by a magnetic stirrer and white crystalline ZTS salt was obtained on heating at 45 oC for a long time. The salt was purified by repeated recrystallization. To obtain picric acid-doped ZTS salt, 1.5 mol% of picric acid was added to solution of ZTS and the solution was heated at 60 oC . Single crystals of ZTS and picric aciddoped ZTS were grown from saturated solutions of synthesized salts by the solution growth employing slow evaporation technique at room temperature (31 oC). The good quality transparent and colorless pure ZTS crystal was harvested in 20 -25 days. Transparent and pale yellow colored picric acid-doped ZTS crystals were harvested within 20 days. The photograph of grown crystals is shown fig. 1.
2 Instrumentation Single crystal X-ray diffraction studies were carried out for the grown crystals of this work using ENRAF NONIUS CAD-4 X-ray diffractometer with MoKα (λ=0.71069 Å) radiation to evaluate the structural properties. The transmission properties of the crystals were examined using Lambda 35 model Perkin Elmer double beam UV-vis-NIR spectrometer in the range from 190 nm to 1100 nm. Optically polished single crystal of thickness 2 mm was used for this study. The Fourier transform infrared spectrum (FTIR) of the sample was recorded in the region 400-4000 cm-1 with Perkin Elmer Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (Model : Spectrum RXI) using KBr pellet. Microhardness measurement was carried out using Vickers microhardness tester fitted with a diamond indentor. The Second Harmonic Generation (SHG) conversion efficiency was tested using a set-up of Kurtz and Perry  and it was carried out using Qswitched mode locked Nd:YAG laser with first harmonic output at 1064 nm. The grown sample was powdered with uniform particle size of about 600 ?m using a ball mill and the powdered sample was packed densely between two transparent glass slides. The fundamental laser beam of 1064 nm wavelength, 8 ns pulse with 10 Hz pulse rate was made to fall normally on the sample cell. The emitted green light from the sample was detected by a photomultiplier tube (PMT) and displayed on a Cathode Ray Oscilloscope (CRO). KDP crystal was powdered into identical size as that of the sample of this work and it was used as reference material in the SHG measurement. 3.Results and discussion 3.1.Solubility studies Solubility study for the synthesized salts was carried out using a hot-plate magnetic stirrer and a digital thermometer. The procedure for finding solubility is reported elsewhere . The variation of solubility with temperature for the samples is shown in figure 2. It is observed from the results that the solubility increases with temperature for both the samples and it is found to be more for picric acid doped ZTS sample. It is clear that for the picric acid -doped sample, the solvent is able to accommodate a marginally increased amount of solute for the saturation at the same temperature. Since solubility increases with temperature, the samples of this work have positive temperature coefficient of solubility. The increase in solubility for the picric acid-doped sample may be responsible for the change in the growth rate and morphological change observed in the present work.
3.2. Single crystal XRD studies
The grown crystals were subjected to single crystal XRD analysis and single crystalline data were obtained. From the data, it is observed that pure and picric acid-doped ZTS crystals crystallize in orthorhombic system and the unit cell parameters are listed in table 1. The obtained values of lattice parameters for the pure ZTS crystal are found to be in good agreement with the reported literature . The changes in the lattice parameters are due to incorporation of picric acid in the lattice of ZTS crystal.
3.2 Powder XRD Analysis
The powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern picric acid-doped ZTS crystal are shown in the figure 3. The well-defined peaks at specific 2θ values show high crystallinity of the grown crystals. All the reflections of powder XRD patterns of this work were indexed using the TREOR software package following the procedure of Lipson and Steeple . The values of hkl, relative intensity and 2 theta values for the reflection peaks of the powder XRD pattern are given table 2. Using the values in the table 2 and the UNITCELL software package, the cell parameters were found and it is observed that the values of unit cell parameters obtained from powder XRD method are in comparable with those obtained from single crystal XRD method.
3.3 FTIR Spectral studies The FTIR analysis was carried out by Perkin Elmer FTIR spectrometer by KBr pellet technique in the range 500-4000 cm-1 . The FTIR spectra of pure and picric acid mixed ZTS samples are shown in figure 4. In ZTS complex, there are two possibilities by which the coordination with metal can occur. It may be either through nitrogen or through sulfur. From spectra, the N-H, absorption bands in the high frequency region in thiourea were not shifted to lower frequencies on formation of metal thiourea complex, thus coordination of thiourea occurs through sulfur in ZTS . The NH, C=S and N-C-N stretching vibrations were also seen. The comparison of the samples shows slight shift in characteristic vibrational frequencies of 1.5 mol% picric acid doped ZTS with respect to pure ZTS. This confirms the addition of picric acid in grown crystal. The spectral assignments for the picric acid mixed ZTS sample are provided in the table 3.
3.4.UV-Visible spectral study The study of optical transmission range of grown crystals is important because the crystals are mainly used for optical applications. The UV–visible study of grown crystal was carried out by Varian-Cary 5E UV-vis Spectrometer in a range 200 nm to 1100 nm. The absorption spectrum of 1.5 mol% picric acid–doped ZTS is shown in fig.6 and the inset figure shows UV spectrum of pure ZTS for comparison. The absorption spectrum reveals that the crystal has lower cutoff wavelength at around 290 nm. The absorption near UV region is associated electron with transition within thiourea units of ZTS. Doping of 1.5 mol % of picric acid in ZTS does not destroy the transparency of the crystal. From spectra it is observed that the lower cutoff wavelength is almost the same for picric acid doped ZTS and pure ZTS crystals. The wide range of transparency in UV-visible and IR region enables good transmission of the second harmonic frequencies of Nd:YAG laser. This is an added advantage of the grown crystals of this work in the field of optoelectronic applications.
3.5.Measurment of microhardness
Microhardness of a crystal is its capacity to resist indentation. Physically hardness is the resistance offered by a material to the localized deformations caused by scratching or by indentations.The selected smooth surfaces of the grown crystals were used for microhardness measurement at room temperature using a Vickers microhardness tester fitted with a diamond indenter. The hardness of the crystal is calculated using the relation The hardness of the crystal is calculated using the relation Hv = 1.8544 P / d2 kg / mm 2 where P is the applied load in kg and d is the length of indentation impression in millimeter and 1.8544 is a constant of a geometrical factor for the diamond pyramid . A plot drawn between the hardness value and corresponding loads is shown in figure 6. It is noticed that Vickers hardness number (Hv) increases with the applied load satisfying the indentation size effect. When a ZTS crystal is doped with picric acid, the hardness decreases and this decrease in the hardness value of doped sample can be attributed to the incorporation of picric acid in the lattice.
Single crystals of pure and picric aciddoped Zinc (Tris) Thiourea sulphate(ZTS) were synthesized and solubility studies were carried out for the prepared samples in de-ionized water in the temperature ranging from 30 to 50 oC. In accordance with the solubility data, saturated solutions were prepared for growing pure and picric acid doped ZTS crystals by slow evaporationtechnique. Morphological alterations have been observed when ZTS crystals are doped with picric acid. The powder and single crystal XRD studies confirms the orthorhombic structure of the grown crystal..The unit cell parameters of pure ZTS crystals are in agreement with the literature values. The FTIR spectrum confirms the presence of all the functional groups in the grown crystals. UV-visible study reveals the picric acid doped ZTS crystal has lower cutoff wavelength at around 290 nm. Mechanical property of the grown crystals has been studied by microhardness test and noticed that there is a decrease of microhardness number for 1.5 mol% of picric acid-mixed ZTS crystals. Acknowledgement The supports extended in the research by Sophisticated Analytical Instrumentation Facility (SAIF), IIT, Chennai, RRL, Trivandrum and M.K.University, Madurai are gratefully acknowledged. We thank authorities of Aditanar College of Arts and Science, Tiruchendur and Infant Jesus College of Engineering, Keela Vallanadu, Tuticorin for the encouragement given to us to carry out the research work.
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8. S.Verma,M.KSingh, V.K.Wadhawan, C.H.Suresh, Pramana, J. Phys. 54(2000)879
9. P.A. Angalinmary, S. Danushkodi, Cryst. Res. Technol. 36 (2001) 1231.
10. C.Krishnan, P.Selvarajan, T.H.Freeda, J.Crystal Growth 311 (2008) 141.
11. P.M. Ushasree, R. Jayavel, P. Ramasamy Mater. Sci. Eng. B65 (1999) 153.
12. S.K. Kurtz, T.T. Perry, J. Appl. Phys. 39 (1968) 3798.
13. B Helina, P Selvarajan and A S J Lucia Rose, Phys. Scr. 85 (2012) 055803.
14. H. Lipson, H. Steeple, Interpretation of X-ray Powder Diffraction Patterns, fifth ed.,Macmillan, New York, 1970.
15. J. H. Westbrook and H. Conrad (Eds), The Science of Hardness Testing and its Research Applications (ASME, Metals Park OH, 1973). 16. A.S.J. Lucia Rose, P. Selvarajan, S. Perumal, Spectrochimica Acta Part A 81(2011)270.

domain: literature


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By Talent Gumpo, Associate Reporter
BULAWAYO, ZIMBABWE — At church on Sunday morning, Sikhumbuzo Dube is in attendance as usual.
Midway through the service at the Apostolic Faith Mission in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe’s second largest city, he sees the collection basket coming his way.
Dube hesitates before placing one U.S. dollar in the basket and then quickly passes it on.
Dube is a salesman, but says he isn’t formally employed. There are some weeks when he can’t afford to put anything in the collection basket at church, thanks to Zimbabwe’s free-falling economy. When the country introduced bond notes in late 2016, cash became even harder to come by.
Dube says his problem at work is the same as his problem at church – he lacks access to plastic money, a common term for debit cards and card readers.
“In this erratic economy, I am not formally employed,” he says. “Very few people buy from me because I do not have a swiping machine. They go to grocery stores instead. This means I have less cash that I have to feed my family and buy essentials, so very little is left to give in church.”
Like many businesses in Zimbabwe, churches across the country are also struggling to cover their basic costs, as congregants have less cash to give each Sunday. In response, some churches are introducing debit card readers, called swipe machines locally, to encourage regular giving. But some congregants are not fond of the modern version of the collection basket.
After the Zimbabwean dollar collapsed in 2009, the country switched to a multi-currency system that included the use of the U.S. dollar, the South African rand and the Botswana Pula. Last year, bond notes were added to the list of legal tenders, a move the government said would mitigate cash shortages.
To increase spending power, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe recently began encouraging the use of debit cards, or plastic money. In May, the bank reported that plastic money and other electronic transactions account for 70 percent of retail transactions in Zimbabwe – although critics have pointed out that cash transactions are informal and difficult, or even impossible, to track.
With nearly 93 percent of the country’s population identifying as Christian, Zimbabwe’s Catholic, Protestant, Pentecostal and Apostolic churches are feeling the cash shortage too. Pastors in particular have been hard hit by the decline in congregant giving, since in most churches their salaries are not predetermined, but calculated each month based on money that has been collected from congregants during services, says Kelvin Mpofu, spokesperson for the Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC), an interdenominational organization of 26 churches, dioceses and religious organizations.
Recently, some churches have not been able to pay their pastors for months at a time, he says.
Other church operations have also been limited.
“It has become difficult to fund evangelism campaigns to grow the congregation,” says Stanely Mushava, the pastor of an evangelical church in Bulawayo.
So Mushava introduced a debit card option about a year ago. Slowly, over the course of 2017, he says, church members have warmed to the new giving method. Today, he says electronic giving accounts for 30 percent of church income.
When a card reader was introduced in the Catholic church that Mduduzi Ncube attends, he says it was a shock.
“We are used to giving cash in church and we are not yet used to using the new money transfer methods, we have not adjusted,” says Ncube.
Bernard Sibanda, who works at Eagle Life Centre, a Pentecostal church in Bulawayo, says church members should quickly adapt and accept modern technology. He says he knows it’s hard for congregants to give regularly because of the economy. Regardless, he says, obeying the Bible is more important than personal cash constraints.
Mushava agrees. “In the past, churches accepted farm crops as an offering from congregants but that has changed,” he says, adding that embracing electronic transactions is the only option amid the country’s ongoing economic turmoil.
Talent Gumpo, GPJ, translated interviews from Ndebele.
Political Revolution in Zimbabwe
After 37 years of controversial rule, Robert Mugabe resigned as president of Zimbabwe on Nov. 21.
Mugabe, 93, was the only leader Zimbabwe has known since the country gained independence in 1980. Once considered a hero of his country’s independence movement, he became an all-powerful ruler who urged his supporters to use violence to implement his policies. Zimbabwe’s economy disintegrated under Mugabe’s rule, and the nation has suffered under strict global sanctions for decades.
Mugabe was placed under house arrest by Zimbabwe’s military after a Nov. 14 takeover. Days later, Mugabe’s ZANU-PF political party fired him as party leader on Nov. 19. That day, thousands of people marched peacefully in Harare to celebrate Mugabe’s dismissal. The party gave him a deadline of midday on Nov. 20 to resign as president, which he did not do.
Zimbabwe’s parliament began the impeachment process on Nov. 21, during which they received and read a letter of resignation from Mugabe. Celebrations erupted in the capital and throughout the country. Recently fired Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa will be sworn in as president in the coming days, and he is expected to serve the remainder of Mugabe’s last term. General elections are tentatively scheduled for late 2018.
In the weeks and months to come, Global Press Journal will continue to provide holistic coverage of the changing nation.
This article was originally published on Global Press Journal.

domain: news


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Romochka, a four year old boy is abandoned by his mother and uncle. When he leaves his apartment and begins to randomly wander the streets of Moscow, he follows a pack of dogs to an area of deserted warehouses and is "adopted" by them. For the next two ferocious Russian winters, Romochka lives with the dogs, becomes a member of the pack, and eventually becomes their leader due to his combination of animal and human characteristics. As he grows and spends more time foraging in the city, mingling with other humans, he begins to feel unsettled. He loves his clan, shares their instincts, but he has questions about his human side and certain humans are beginning to notice him.
This is a unique and amazing book. Hornung tells the story as if she's spent time living with a pack of dogs, it's that realistic. The setting is the city of Moscow, Russia and it's hard to envision a major world city where thousands of dogs roam the city and even ride on the subways and where children are abandoned and homeless, living on those same streets. Hornung explores questions about family, what it means to be human. Once started, it is almost impossible to put this book down.

domain: artistic


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2016 Buick LaCrosse Release Date, Price, Specs, Interior – The new Buick LaCrosse 2016 will adorn significant changes in comparison to its predecessors when it comes to its efficiency and design. This 4-door mid-size car will certainly be remodelled and transformed to a luxury vehicle that is based on the Elmiraj Concept design language upon its release.
With this Concept, the vehicle will now have an exterior and interior that looks and feel similar to that of the Cadillac Elmiraj, alongside its extravagance reputation. To sum things up, the new LaCrosse will come with a sought-after design that will enable it compete favourably.
The intentions of the automaker became downright during the launch of the Avenir. It was then that the automobile giant announced the platform of the older models which are set to return once more and seems it has had its way with the expected launch of the new Buick LaCrosse for 2016 year.
The LaCrosse has already received widespread praise especially for its safety features and equipment which, by the way, we will be talking about next. Also, it will pack an awesome interior and exterior design upon its debut later in the year. We can also consider the high competition the model is facing as it goes up against the Nissan Maxima, Hyundai Genesis, Chevy Impala and the latest 2017 Acura TLX.
Federal Government Safety Rating – Buick LaCrosse 2016
The new LaCrosse has already made unprecedented news after it earned the highest 5-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA. The ratings were for the front and side crash tests, while four-stars was the rating for the rollover crash test segment.
The above-mentioned ratings only apply for the front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive variants of the LaCrosse. Standard safety features of the LaCrosse include electronic stability control, a rear view camera, traction control, antilock brakes, and eight air bags.
Moreover, provided will be two Driver Confidence packages for spruced-up safety precaution. First is the Driver Confidence 1 package which will be exclusive for 1 SP, 1 SL, and 1 SR variants. The package includes; forward collision alert, lane-change alert, lane departure warning HID headlights, side blind-zone, heads-up display, and rear cross traffic alert.
Secondly and lastly is the Driver Confidence 2 package available on the 1 SR and 1SP and which will include; collision mitigation braking, full speed range adaptive cruise control, and a Safety Alert seat. The latter safety feature will start vibrating depending on the crash-emanating direction.
Despite these safety tests above on the new Buick LaCrosse, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety hasn’t officially released the results yet. However, the Lacrosse for 2015 year earned amazing scores in all the institute’s crash tests.
Engine Specs – 2016 Buick LaCrosse
The new 2016 Buick LaCrosse will come fitted with a new twin turbo engine under its hood. With the new twin turbo powerplant: efficiency, speed, balance and superior fuel economy ratings should all be expected. The new engine to grace LaCrosse will be GM’s 3.6L LF3 Twin-Turbo V6 engine and a double turbo compressor.
The engine will be able to yield 420 horsepower and 430 pounds of torque. There will also be a hybrid powertrain, which will also be made available and will be able to source its power from a 2.4L EcoTec powerplant in combination with an electric motor.
The powerplant in solitary production will be able to yield around 182 horsepower. Unfortunately, the combined output figures have not yet been provided. The hybrid powerplant might come with a new transmission system or retain the existing one.
Wheelbase: 9 ft. 3.7 in. (111.7 in.)
Length: 16 ft. 4.9 in. (196.9 in.)
Width: 6 ft. 1.1 in. (73.1 in.)
Passenger volume: 100.0 cu.ft.
Cargo volume: 13.3 cu.ft.
Curb weight: 3895 lbs.
Top Speed: N/A
MPG: 18/28 mpg
Available Exterior Colors: Dark Sapphire Blue Metallic, Ebony Twilight Metallic, Quicksilver Metallic, Summit White…
Towing Capacity: 1000 lbs
New Buick LaCrosse 2016 Price & Release Date
The new LaCrosse is expected to hit showrooms towards the fall of this year (2015). The price of the vehicle will be around $30,000.
Interior Images & Exterior Pictures for 2016 Buick LaCrosse
The cabin of the new LaCrosse will definitely be cosy than in the previous model thanks to the new design language likely to be employed by the new platform. But, there is no much exploits to accomplish considering its predecessors had astonishing interior specs.
Spy shots reveal the novelties to be expected from the new LaCrosse will include navigation system, adjustable front seats, a triple zone mechanical weather control system, and rear view camera.
As for the exterior of the new LaCrosse, it is expected to borrow heavily from the Impala, which isn’t such a bad thing bearing in mind the van’s appetite of the American market. The vehicle will also feature several colour palette which includes; Graphite Gray Metallic, Ebony Twilight Metallic, and Dark Sapphire Blue Metallic.

domain: design


What an honor!
Joan Jett and Ringo Starr were just two of the many musicians announced as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame‘s 2015 inductees on Tuesday, Dec.16.
Joan, 56, will be added to the hall with her band, ‘Joan Jett & the Blackhearts,’ whose famous album “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll” topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart during the early 1980s.
Bill Withers (right) and Lou Reed (right). Photo Credit: Getty (2)
Ringo, 74, will be the fourth ex ‘Beatle’ enshrined in the ‘Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’ as an individual artist and will be presented with a special award for musical excellence.
Other notable musicians, including the punk band ‘Green Day,’ Lou Reed and “Lean on Me” singer Bill Withers, will be honored during the 30th annual induction ceremony at Cleveland’s Public Hall on April 18, 2015.
Inductees — who must have released their first musical material no later than 1989 to be eligible — are chosen by a vote of more than 700 artists, historians and music industry representatives. The Cleveland-based ‘Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’ will open a new exhibit dedicated to the honorees following the April 2015 induction ceremony.
‘Green Day’ in 1994.


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Profits in fast lane at Go-Ahead
PROFITS and dividend payouts are motoring at bus and trains group Go-Ahead which today admitted it is rubbing its hands at the prospect of London Mayor Ken Livingstone extending the congestion charge zone to Kensington and Chelsea.
The company responsible for the London Central, London General and Metrobus bus companies as well as the South Central and Thameslink rail franchises reported a 40% leap in half-year pre-tax profits to £45m and a 57% rise in the interim dividend to 11p.
Much of that came from a 60% rise in profits on the buses to £28m in the six months to 3 January, thanks to the huge subsidies Livingstone has thrown at the red bus operators to pick up commuters who have abandoned the car over the past 12 months.
In a statement the firm warned the London gravy train may be nearing an end: 'This half year has seen the last of Go-Ahead's major increases in its current Transport for London bus contracts. In the near future, we anticipate consol idat ion in bus profitability rather than a continuation of the recent rate of growth.'
But the latest proposals to extend the congestion zone could kick-start that profit growth again. When Livingstone originally launched the charge, Go-Ahead picked up 40% of the 300 new services brought in.
'We don't know what they will do with Kensington and Chelsea but we would look to benefit if they need more capacity,' said deputy chief executive Chris Moyes.
On the railways, earnings soared 33% as Go-Ahead's acquisition of the South Central services out of Victoria kicked in.
Go-Ahead, which faces action over the Ladbroke Grove rail disaster, has been booted off the Thames Trains franchise but is vowing to fight First Group when the enlarged Greater Western franchise goes out to tender this year.
More pressingly, Moyes said the group is 'going hell for leather' to win the South-East franchise into Kent after the sacking last year of Connex.
The only blot on the Go-Ahead landscape is its airport baggage handling business Aviance, acquired from bmi British Midland, which saw profits collapse by 40% as airline traffic at Gatwick dwindled. It also now has to deal with the cost-cutting of carriers such as easyJet.
In early trading, the shares leapt 14p to 1158p, close to a record high and valuing the holding of chief executive Martin Ballinger at £41m and Moyes' stake at £23m. The two will share an interim dividend payout of more than £600,000.
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Can acupuncture cause flu like symptoms
Following your treatment, you may feel unusually alert, relaxed, euphoric or relaxed; you might even feel some mild flu-like symptoms.
These are all normal responses, and the relief you achieve from the treatment should greatly outweigh them..
Does acupuncture make you tired
Acupuncture can affect everyone differently. After acupuncture treatment, some people feel relaxed and calm, while others feel alert and energised. In some cases, acupuncture can leave you feeling tired and lethargic for a few hours following your treatment session.
How are you supposed to feel after acupuncture
Once a needle reaches its intended depth, you’re likely to feel a mild, dull ache or a slight tingling sensation. This may be a sign that the treatment is working and the acupuncture point is being activated. You may also feel a heavy or electric sensation. Feelings of warmth may arise at the acupuncture points.
What happens to your body after acupuncture
Acupuncture is a cleansing and balancing of the whole body. As you heal, these symptoms will pass, and you will begin to feel better. After your session, you may feel tired for up to 3 days. During this time, your body is cleansing and eliminating the toxins and poisonous waste that builds up in the blood stream.
How quickly do you see results from acupuncture
After two or three sessions, you should start to notice improvements in certain areas. Eventually, you will observe an overall sense of wellness, including your psychological and physical health.
Is acupuncture better than chiropractic
Acupuncture might be better suited to people who can’t take a lot of pressure on their bodies or those with pain in muscles and tissues that can’t be adjusted through chiropractic.
Can you get nerve damage from acupuncture
Case Reports of Peripheral Nerve Injury Caused by Acupuncture with the Electric Shock. Reviewing the literature [29–31], adverse events of acupuncture mainly include internal organs, tissue, or nerve injury, especially for pneumothorax and central nervous system injury.
Why do I feel weird after acupuncture
Feeling extra sensitive or tear-prone in an acupuncture session, or in the days that follow, is completely normal. It’s also a sign that the acupuncture is working. Even if you’re seeking acupuncture for a physical ailment, increased emotional expression is an indication that healing is happening.
What should you not do after acupuncture
Avoid alcohol and coffee. Since alcohol and coffee both cause dehydrating effects on the body, they should be avoided after acupuncture. 2) Alcohol and coffee mess with your bodily awareness. One of the main goals of acupuncture is to bring greater clarity and awareness to how we really feel.
How soon do you see results from acupuncture
If your pain is a 4 or less: 1-2 times a week. Chronic issues that are not severe: Once a week for 6-8 weeks and then we will re-evaluate. Long term chronic issues: once a week for 10 weeks, and then we will re-evaluate.
Does acupuncture release toxins
Acupuncture works as a natural diuretic and helps the body to eliminate toxins in urine cleansing organs such as the kidneys, colon, skin and liver. The process is believed to balance of Qi (pronounced as chi) which is an important life energy force that creates nourishment and alignment of body functions.
Is acupuncture a sham
Research indicates that “real” acupuncture rewires the brain to produce long-term improvement in carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms, while “sham” acupuncture may produce temporary results by tapping into the placebo circuitry in the brain.
Why does acupuncture make you tired
Sometimes following acupuncture, some feel worse before they start feeling better. People can feel tired after acupuncture. A more common result is increased energy. The fatigue after acupuncture is your body telling you that it’s depleted.
Is Acupuncture good for anxiety
“Acupuncture stimulates the body’s natural feel-good hormones and reduces the level of stress hormones like cortisol,” says Mathew Kulas, MA, RAc, an acupuncturist at Henry Ford Health System. Studies show that acupuncture is an effective treatment for anxiety, with fewer side effects than medications.
Should you drink a lot of water after acupuncture
The bottom line is, you’re better off drinking more water no matter what day it is. However, after a session of massage or acupuncture you should take a day to ensure that you’re best utilizing all of that increased circulation to improve your body’s chances of healing. So drink up!
What happens if you move during acupuncture
Moving your body while acupuncture needles are in place is not going to kill you. The pain is nothing excruciating, usually just a passing twinge that immediately subsides. And with some points, you could wave your arms and kick your legs in the air without feeling a thing.
How long should acupuncture needles stay in
Generally, most traditional acupuncturists who are members of the British Acupuncture Council leave the needles inserted for around 20-25 minutes. Having the acupuncture needles left in for longer than this can help person who are feeling stressed or anxious.
What are the negative side effects of acupuncture
The most common side effects of acupuncture include bleeding, soreness, or bruising at the site of needle insertion. Other risks of acupuncture include dizziness, fainting, local internal bleeding, convulsions, hepatitis B, dermatitis, nerve damage, increased pain, and very rarely injury to an internal organ.
How often should you have acupuncture
A common treatment plan for a single complaint would typically involve one or two treatments a week. The number of treatments will depend on the condition being treated and its severity. In general, it’s common to receive six to eight treatments.
What is a healing crisis in acupuncture
A healing crisis is a temporary worsening of symptoms that happens after you begin a new CAM treatment. It typically lasts only a few days, although in some cases it may go on for weeks or months. A variety of CAM therapies have been associated with a healing crisis, including detoxing, homeopathy, and acupuncture.
Is it normal to feel sick after acupuncture
Long-term Reactions After Acupuncture. Running nose, sore throat and some cold symptoms may appear during the second or third week of an acupuncture treatment. In Chinese medicine, an unresolved cold or flu was the underlying cause of many health problems, like poor circulation, stiff neck and back and migraine.


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Golden Sicily tour for Spring, Summer and Autumn start dates. This applies to early reservations, made through April, for places based on double occupancy (two participants traveling together sharing a double room).
This is a one-week tour across Sicily. Groups are limited to just 16 participants, and start dates are every two weeks.
No other company in the world offers comparable tours of Sicily with such frequent departures. In fact, very few guarantee such a small group size.

domain: travel


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Well, we’re now officially in a level 2 drought, with no rain for weeks and temperatures continuing in the 30s and sometimes 40s with humidity.
The plants in our wildlife-friendly demonstration garden are managing but there are definitely signs of stress with shorter bloom times and smaller overall plant sizes. Many plants are still perky but some are droopy and a few downright floppy. These Canadian natives can normally manage our hot dry spells just fine, pretty wonderful when you consider we don’t water any established plants.
One way to help these plants year to year, in addition to planting them in spots that match their soil, light and moisture conditions, is to amend the soil with moisture retaining organic material like compost or aged manure. Mulch also helps a lot and I can see the difference when it’s used, not only for conserving water but also for suppressing weeds, returning organic material to the soil and keeping soil temperatures more even than if the soil was directly exposed to the hot sun each day. We do add more every few years as it’s worth the time and money!
As to what’s new this week, well I finally had time and good fortune to get a photo of one of our yellow shafted flickers, going to and fro from our recirculating stream (which keeps pumping the same water) to their hole in one of our snags – a dead standing tree that provides homes and a source of food for birds (insects). It’s not a great shot, but you can see some of its cool markings. They are neat woodpeckers that actually forage on the ground eating ants! See if you can spot it in the photo below – it’s peeking out of its cavity home.
We have many birds who make good use of our stream, such as waxwings, warblers, goldfinches, red-winged blackbirds, cardinals, catbirds, flickers and crows. We also have a pair of orioles and I was able to get a photo (another not so great shot) of one having a bath. It shows its colourful black, orange and white markings (below).
Alain got a photo of our resident green frog the other day, hiding behind the grasses. Melissa tells me how she can get so close, weeding around the pond, and it won’t budge even when she’s only a few centimetres away!
As to flowers, the cardinal flower (see top blog photo) is now blooming. Its brilliant read blooms are great for hummingbirds and uplifts most people who see them. They like moist soils with light shade.
Black cohosh is a large and wide perennial with tall spikes of white flowers that often catch our visitors’ eyes.
We have had a few species of Liatris – aka gayfeather or blazing star – in the garden beds. This Liatris spicata is one that can be commonly found in nurseries.
Our tall prairie yellow coneflower (Ratibida pinnata) is just starting to bloom now. They spread but are easly manageable with a yearly weeding. I’m using an older photo that I like to show this beautiful flower…it has rain drops on its petals, something we haven’t seen in weeks!
Canada milkvetch (Astragalus canadensis) in our Drought Bed is also blooming. It doesn’t spread aggressively like other vetches you might be familiar with, the ones with pink clusters or purple spikes that grow along roadsides.
Many plants are also forming berries, such as our dogwoods and viburnums. I’ll post some images soon. In the meantime, check out these fuzzy fragrant sumac berries below.
If you wish to see more photos of these and other Canadian native plants, visit our Native Plant Encyclopedia. We will be continually adding more entries, photos and content as time goes by. If you have photos for plant entries lacking pictures, feel free to send them in!

domain: hobby


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Politics of globalization a reader by mark kesselman great transformations and understanding globalization thomas l friedman, it's a flat world after. Ncsa 20th anniversary distinguished lecture common sense is the title that thomas paine gave to his manifesto for when the world is being changed in. Regionalism in a flat world certainly be required to adapt quickly to transformations in national and global 1 thomas l friedman, the world is flat. Knowledge society and the flat world of thomas l friedman saw the transformations that took place in so- book „the world is flat” globalization has. The world is flat essays and research papers | examplesessaytodaybiz the book the world is flat by thomas friedman draws meeting the needs of a global society. Skkn tiếng anh an investigation into the sub categories of attitude in the book the world is flat by thomas l friedman from the perspective of appraisal theory. The anthropology of globalization what types of transformations occur as societies engage with or are • friedman, thomas l the world is flat.
The effects of globalization on us society and economy as thomas friedman explains in his book “the world is flat friedman, thomas (2007) the world is flat. Find helpful customer reviews and review the world is flat by thomas l friedman is a very uploading my review of the book the world is flat onto the amazon. Described by thomas friedman in his 2005 internationally bestselling book, the world is flat: to the global transformations of post-fordist or neoliberal. Thomas friedman the world is flat assignment: the world is flat by thomas l friedman discuss the book in general and what he means by a flat world and what conditions make it flat.
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Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for the world is flat 30: a brief history of the twenty-first century at amazoncom read honest and. Business essays, term papers, research papers, book reports and exams 15571 - 15600. The most popular globalisation politics essay thomas l friedman's the world is flat have explained of the poor and to represent global civil society. The politics of globalization by mark kesselman thomas l friedman, it''s a flat world after all the world bank's matrix for global governance joyce v.
Take a look at these reflections from tom friedman s the world is flat as well as thomas l friedman is of his newest book: the world is flat.
Thomas l friedman from the world is flat globalization and the great world religions are shaping our. Buy the world is flat 30: a brief history of the twenty-first century unabridged, updated, expanded by thomas l friedman, oliver wyman (isbn: 9781427201768) from amazon's book store. 20 in the 1960s television began to spread to most of the non globalization of industrial society and the the world is flat thomas l friedman http. The original american book what is a change in the world david bornstein, how to change the world social entrepreneurs and the power of new ideas. Flat and crowded by thomas l friedman and once friedman believes that america as a global society needs more write the book the world is flat.

domain: geography


Homogenization of liquids in magnetic stirringHomogenization is an operation of transformation of two liquid/liquid or liquid/solid phases into an emulsion that prevents the phases from settling. This process can be carried out by a homogenizing agitator.
Homogenization is a response to the galloping development of the demand for natural products in the food industry. It is a solution to limit certain additives whose use tends to increase the viscosity of the products.
How to carry out the homogenization of liquids in order to obtain a coherent mixture?
AGM-FC magnetic stirrer homogenizers have been designed to homogenize and maintain homogeneous mixtures over time. The guidance, at the heart of the mixture, is ensured by slide bearings and allows a good dissolution of powders.
The AX1 MARLLN propeller allows the homogenization of easily miscible mixtures thanks to its low speed and low shear rate.
What are the applications of homogenization in industrial applications?
The most widespread homogenization operation is that of milk. Fat and water settle naturally. Their homogenization by means of a magnetic stirrer makes it possible to obtain an emulsion that is stable over time, making it possible to store and distribute it.
The quality of carbonated and non-carbonated drinks is increased by a homogenizing process in order to reduce the settling of the phases to a minimum and guarantee a stable and/or creamy consistency.
In the pharmaceutical industry, this process is preponderant in order to homogenize the active principle of the drugs in the same proportions, even in minute proportions.
Also, the use of a homogenizing magnetic stirrer allows the uniform dispersion of the active ingredients in the paste produced for the manufacture of toothpastes.
In the field of cosmetics and biotechnology, the homogenization of raw materials for make-up products such as lipstick, mascara or waxes, allows a significant improvement in their texture, hold and colour.
Equipments adapted for the application: Homogenisation :
AX1: profiled propeller with thin blades, homogenization, and other functions
Marine profiled propeller with moulded blades, for live products
AX2: profiled propeller with slim blades, ideal for dissolution
Profiled propeller AX4 for magnetic stirrer, for fibrous liquid
3PC Turbine with curved blades for stirrer, high centrifugal effect
45° tilted blade impellers - radial centrifugal and axial vertical effect
Self-priming turbine for a gas-in-liquid dispersion stirrer
Magnetic stirring helical anchor heat exchange homogenization


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Ha·tred n. Strong aversion; intense dislike; hate; an affection of the mind awakened by something regarded as evil.
Syn: -- Odium; ill will; enmity; hate; animosity; malevolence; rancor; malignity; detestation; loathing; abhorrence; repugnance; antipathy. See Odium.
n : the emotion of hate; a feeling of dislike so strong that it
demands action [syn: hate] [ant: love]
among the works of the flesh (Gal. 5:20). Altogether different
is the meaning of the word in Deut. 21:15; Matt. 6:24; Luke
14:26; Rom. 9:13, where it denotes only a less degree of love.


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Written by Tim Huber.
Over the last few years, it’s become abundantly clear that electric bikes will play an increasingly important role in the motorcycle industry in the coming years. The majority of major manufacturers currently have two-wheeled EV’s in various stages of development, and new electric startups are popping up on a damn-near-monthly basis. Consequently, today’s colleges and universities are preparing the next generation of engineers and designers for what will be a largely electron and proton-powered future.
One of the institutions pushing electric motorcycles on its pupils is Spain’s Elisava University. Attached to the Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona, Elisava offers degrees in design and industrial design. This year, for the first time, Elisava tasked a handful of its fourth-year students to develop an electric off-road race bike from scratch to compete in the 2019 Barcelona Smart Moto Challenge (or BSMC). First held in 2013, the BSMC is an annual event in Catalonia that invites schools from all over the world to create ebikes that compete in a variety of competitions ranging from fastest lap-time to best battery design.
For its inaugural entry, the school formed the Elisava Racing Team, comprised of 11 engineering and one graphic design student. Dubbed, the ‘Eray’ the project was broken down into four key phases, and then individual tasks were divided amongst the team. Instructors gave the students the aim of ultimately creating a bike that was “suitable for commercialization”, while still heavily encouraging them to push the boundaries of customization and production techniques.
Starting with the frame, a 2mm steel tube structure was fabricated, with the design needing to accommodate a removable battery without too much hassle. A custom-designed swing-arm was also produced for the project. Barcelona-based suspension outfit, Olle — one of the project’s many sponsors — cooked up a custom rear shock especially for the Eray, as well as providing one of its competition-grade R16V forks. Other bolt-on bits include J.Juan brakes and Morad wheels.
The racer’s design benefits from an extensive ergonomics study. Using the school’s MoCap lab (Motion Capture), the students took measurements of a rider’s body position in various situations common to hard enduro riding. These measurements were then spat into CAD software and used to dictate the final design of the chassis, bar position, seat, foot controls, and bodywork.
Powering the one-off off-roader is an Ashwoods IMP 200-50 motor paired with a Sevcon gen4 controller. The off-the-shelf powertrain pieces draw energy from a custom 252 cell battery pack with 3000 mA that (with a 14s18p configuration) delivers 54 Ah at 51,8V, with a max discharge current of 300 A. The system is said to be good for around 13hp. The battery offers a range of 31-miles (50km) and can be switched out in under two minutes
A sleek and modern take on traditional dual-sport-style plastics, the bodywork is completely custom and was designed to be 3D-printed using HP MJF technology. The seat is also a one-off job, and the vented side-panels afford the rider plenty of room to move around, while also covering the batteries and the rest of the bike’s unsightly ancillaries, giving the racer a clean, factory-finished aesthetic. While it’s an original design, the Eray draws some inspiration from existing offerings. The bodywork takes subtle visual cues from the CAKE Kalk, and the custom triple tree and foot-controls were influenced by KTM Power Part components.
The stacked dual LED headlight arrangement is another bespoke element. Encased in one-off housing, the unit boasts integrated signals in the form of an oval LED halo, while out in back a custom-designed brake light — also with integrated indicators — sits flush in the custom tail.
The build also incorporates a cutting-edge “intelligent interaction system”, with built-in blind spot detection, GPS, Bluetooth connectivity, a seven-inch touch-screen, real-time diagnostics, powertrain system monitoring, and multiple programmable ride modes. The smart system is also linked to a smartphone app that calculates range based on a given route’s gradient and traffic and can inform the rider of the nearest charging location.
In total the team spent nine-months developing and building the bike from start to finish. The frame, swing-arm, bodywork, electrical system, battery, and lighting setup each constituted individual student’s final projects for their respective degrees. Surprisingly, most of the students working on the project had no prior knowledge or experience with motorcycles before building the Eray.
In its first year at the BSMC, the Elisava Racing Team managed to secure two 1st place prizes; one for best battery pack; and another for best smart solution. The team also brought home three second-place awards, finishing the competition in second place overall. This meant undergoing a myriad of static tests (weight, weatherproofness, etc) as well as several dynamic tests on an off-road circuit where factors like acceleration and maneuverability were judged.
Projects like the Eray are far more than simple design and engineering exercises. These programs legitimately push the EV envelope and produce some cutting-edge machines. A few months ago, the University of Nottingham’s Uon-PP racer completed the run up Pikes Peak a full 25-seconds faster than Zero’s new SR/F. If that doesn’t speak volumes about the caliber of the work being done by today’s students, I don’t know what does.


The Ultra wasn't the first budget camcorder. But, where other models felt cheap, looked awful and cut so many corners as to make that £30 on eBay a false economy, the Ultra combined clever branding with respectable video quality. Its success in the US has been little short of a phenomenon, and other manufacturers rushed into this new space.
The Ultra was followed by the Creative Vado and the RCA Small Wonder. Then the budget camcorder market went high-definition with the Kodak Zi6. Flip then followed up with the Mino, an even smaller model. All of these camcorders are available for less than £150.
These are largely no-frills camcorders, bucking the trend of cramming more features into new models. The idea is that portability and ease of use take precedence over clever features that rarely get used. Each camcorder is a candy-bar configuration with a small screen, a big button to stop and start recording, and limited playback controls. The Flip camcorders' strength is the ease with which they're connected to a computer -- the flip-out USB arm meaning you don't need a lead, as well as giving the camcorders their name.
The US now has HD versions of the Mino and the Vado, both set to cross the Atlantic in 2009. Critics argue that budget camcorders are under pressure from compact cameras and mobile phones that shoot video, but they do still have key advantages. Their sensors are bigger than those in cameras and phones, giving better-quality video; their design and usability is more focused on instant shooting; and their larger memories are more suited to holding big video files.
Edited by Charles Kloet


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how do i get prequalified for a mortgage When you are pre-approved for a mortgage, a lender has looked closely at your credit reports, your employment history, and your income – and must then determine which loan programs you qualify for, the maximum amount you can borrow, and the interest rates you will be offered.minimum credit score needed to buy a house manufactured home refinancing rates Home Financing | Four Leaf Properties – Manufactured Home Living – Financing a Manufactured HOME. When you decide to move, one of the major considerations is money. A good decision begins with a quality home at a great Exclusive relationship with First Choice, a lender with one of the highest application close rates in the manufactured housing industry.In general, lenders today consider credit scores of 740 or higher on the FICO credit. It is possible to qualify for a loan with such a score, but you'll need a high. requires a down payment of 10 percent of your home's purchase price.. Lenders feel that borrowers who have more invested in their homes are.
No income proof self Employed loans are available on internet. To get these loans, you need to choose and online lender and fill an online application form with some basic details like your Name, age, address, telephone Number, bank account number, profession, Email Id, loan sum etc and submit it on No income proof loans .
Self Employed Loans No Proof Income Self Employed Loans No Proof Income Online payday loans can be an amazing solution to your short-term financial troubles because they are easily obtained and easily repaid, and the costs associated with them are highly comparable to other forms of credit as long as they are repaid on time.
self-employed loans, get a personal loan to help get your bank account back in the black even with no proof of income. Learn your options to still get approved. Get a short term loan when you work for yourself. Loans from $500 – $5000.
Applying for personal loans can involve a lot of red tape under normal circumstances. But applicants who are self-employed or have income from freelance work or consulting gigs may find that they.
Self Employed Loans No Proof Income Online payday loans can be an amazing solution to your short-term financial troubles because they are easily obtained and easily repaid, and the costs associated with them are highly comparable to other forms of credit as long as they are repaid on time.
No income proof payday loans do not require any form of security for their approval. Tenants who don’t have a security to place can easily use this loan to pay for any requirements up to CAD$5,000. Self-employed homeowner can also apply and get approved for no low income loans Canada.
average home equity loan interest rate 10 Best Home Equity Loans of 2019 – ConsumersAdvocate.org – 10 Best Home Equity Loans of 2019.. Some companies also offer the option of paying points in order to lower the interest rate of your home equity loan. One point is equal to one percent of your loan amount, so for a $200,000 loan, a point would be $2,000.. We’ll also be looking at number of originations and average mortgage size.
Great Northern Mortgage deals with several lenders that still provide no income verification loans (no income check loans) for W2 and self employed borrowers. read more about these programs on No Income Check/Special Niche Loan Program and Special Offers pages of our website.
For self employed applicants lenders will need proof of your income to ensure that you can afford the loan repayments. These may either be in the form of SA302 documents from HMRC or your accountant and/or you business or company accounts.
bankruptcy and home loans Attorney for the Home Mortgage in Bankruptcy in Dallas, TX – If you are behind on your home mortgage and contemplating bankruptcy to seek a modification of your mortgage loan or to pay your past due payment through a plan, then contact an experienced bankruptcy attorney in Dallas, TX, to discuss your case. Attorney for Bankruptcy with a Home Mortgage in Dallas, TX

domain: finance


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Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) have been associated many times in recent literature and the possibilities for their integration or to be mutually used as a source of lesson learned has been envisaged. The paper proposes to analyze, through a systematic literature review approach, the existing state of art of previous studies that has already examined relations between BIM and PLM. The main objective of the paper is to understand the real nature of BIM-PLM association for better directing future research developments.
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Hyderabad, 16th July, 2021: Hyderabad – The City of Pearls is rapidly advancing with its fashion scene being recognized globally, the city known for its Nizami Culture has attracted the eye of many fashion designers. To Cumulate all the hype and the best of designs, Shazan – Ethnic & Casual Wear brings you its modern showroom right in the heart of Abids, the fashion lane of Hyderabad.
Shazan is all about Creativity and Exclusive Fashion which is reasonable, affordable yet Classy. The Fashion House features range of Designer Wears, Fashion Wears, Wedding Wear, Ethnics & Daily Wear among many. The Collection at Shazan features Contemporary Dresses, Suits, Lehengas, and Wedding Attire for Hyderabadi Brides, etc.
Speaking on the Occasion the Mishal & Sabina Directors of Shazan said “our designs and collection are loved by our customers, we just don’t put up any collection but we designed, select and present the best of best fashion wears which creates Trends in Market, our collections are loved by everyone, it’s all about our designs, collections and also the affordability that makes us different.
Shazan at Abids is all set to create a New Avenue in the Market with its exotic and creative Fashion Wear.
Top Models & Fashion Lovers graced the grand launch occasion and showcased the enticing collection of Shazan to the media at the launch.


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The Documentary Podcast
Social influencers and the perfect body
Thursday, 14 January
In the age of social media and the selfie, the perfect look is everything. That's what online influencers tell their followers. Some are also happy to provide a 'how-to’ guide to obtaining the perfect body through cosmetic surgery. Often though, they are cashing in – taking payment and perks to promote certain clinics – and not always declaring the fact. Those who read their reviews and watch their videos can easily be misled into thinking that their recommendations are impartial. What’s more, the surgical procedures that influencers push can be risky or even downright dangerous. For Assignment, Joice Etutu hears from women whose lives have been changed after booking surgery in Turkey through one clinic where procedures have gone wrong – and where influencers themselves regret ever getting involved.
Producer: Kate West
Reporter: Joice Etutu
Editor: Gail Champion
(Image: Plastic surgeon marking a woman’s body for plastic surgery. Credit: Getty Images)


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SEGA has just published its financial results for the previous fiscal year, which ran from April 1, 2016, to March 31, 2017, where the company saw a rise its Entertainment Contents segment (which includes both digital and packaged game sales) with a net sales result of 205 billion Yen, an 8-percent increase from the previous fiscal year, and an operating income of 11 billion Yen, a whopping 165.1% year-on-year increase.
It’s Digital and Packaged Games sales held almost half of its Entertainment Contents segment, with a net sales total of 94.4 billion Yen. Specifically, its Digital Games sales amounted to 47.3 billion Yen, a 4% increase from the previous fiscal year, while its Packaged Games sales rose by 11% garnering 47.1 billion Yen.
According to the published financial report, both Total War: Warhammer and Persona 5 were two of the biggest drivers for the company’s packaged game sales, with Total War: Warhammer shipping over 20 million units of the game around the globe while Persona 5 has previously been reported to have shipped over 500,000 units in Japan (the global release of Persona 5 came after the fiscal year ended).
Overall, SEGA sold a total of 10.28 million copies of its games released last fiscal year, with 5.24 million copies representing new titles.

domain: economics


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U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement wants to deport a Mexican man with three drunken driving convictions for the fifth time.
Officers detained Luis Enrique Villarreal-Arevalo, 43, a Mexican citizen who lived in Donna, at the Hidalgo County jail on Saturday.
“Records checks revealed the defendant was formally removed from the United States to Mexico for the fourth (4th) time on June 6, 2016, via the Laredo, Texas, Port of Entry,” according to the federal criminal complaint against him.
Villarreal also committed at least five misdemeanor and three felony offenses in Hidalgo County:
- On March 19, 2002, Villarreal was convicted on two counts of driving while intoxicated, a Class B misdemeanor, according to Hidalgo County court records.
- On March 4, 2003, Villareal was convicted of driving while intoxicated-third offense or more, a third-degree felony, according to Hidalgo County court records.
- On March 4, 2008, Villarreal pleaded no contest to indecent exposure, a Class B misdemeanor.
County Court at Law Judge Rodolfo “Rudy” Gonzalez sentenced him to one year probation.
- On May 19, 2009, Villarreal pleaded guilty to evading arrest or detention, a Class B misdemeanor.
County Court at Law Judge Rodolfo “Rudy” Gonzalez sentenced him to 180 days in jail, but the judge suspended the sentence and placed Villarreal on probation for two years.
- On Aug. 31, 2009, Villarreal pleaded guilty to possession of 50 to 2,000 pounds of marijuana, a second-degree felony.
State District Judge Israel Ramon Jr. sentenced him to 10 years in prison, but the judge suspended the sentence and placed Villarreal on probation for 10 years.
- On Sept. 22, 2011, Villarreal pleaded guilty to burglary of habitation, a second-degree felony.
State District Judge Alex W. Gabert sentenced Villarreal to two years in prison.
- On Sept. 26, 2011, Villarreal pleaded guilty to possession of less than 2 ounces of marijuana, a Class Be misdemeanor.
County Court at Law Judge Rodolfo “Rudy” Gonzalez sentenced him to 121 days in jail.
Villarreal is now charged with illegal re-entry.
An attorney who represents Villarreal didn’t respond to a request for comment.
Prosecutors in the Southern District of Texas, which includes the Rio Grande Valley, handled 403 new immigration offenses in August — more immigration offenses than any other federal judicial district nationwide, according to the latest data published by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse at Syracuse University.
The McAllen Division, which covers Hidalgo County and Starr County, handles a significant portion of the workload.
All three district judges at the federal courthouse in McAllen handled more than 50 new immigration offenses in August, placing them among the top 10 nationwide.


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For an overview of 1950’s IBM commercial computers, check out the “IBM Catches Up” page on the Computer History Museum site. This page, also on the Computer History Museum site, offers a family tree of IBM mainframes, useful for translating the haze of acronyms and numbers that IBM seemed to be so fond of.
WatchMojo.com offers a short video called “The History of IBM: The Personal Computer to Watson,” which provides a brief overview of the corporation and its accomplishments over the years.
For an insider look at the Company, turn to “What Changes and What Endures, an IBM Centennial Lecture,” in which IBM CEO Samuel Palmisano discusses the reasons why IBM has remained relevant and profitable for a century.
This half-hour documentary, “Inside IBM EDA: Fifty Years of Innovation,” is an IBM-produced look into the history of Electronic Design Automation at Big Blue – that is, the use of computers to design computers. Well-produced but technical.
From the 1930s through the 1960s – during the “New Deal Ordeal” – IBM operated in complex networks of domestic socio-political transition, international war and peace, and shifting business and political alliances. Learn more about the changing corporate cultures of IBM and other major computer companies in historian Thomas Haigh’s concise and well researched article, “Computing the American Way: Contextualizing the Early US Computer Industry.”

domain: library


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What Are the Benefits of Online Dating Services? (Gratis Datingsite)
Meeting your date online has different advantages like:. An online dating sites service doesn't require participants in order to meet the people they connect to in person. Many online dating sites have profiles of all the members on the site.
Online, both men and women are equal and can choose to be passive and wait for another member to make contact with them, or decide to find someone. If you attemptedto date two different people at the same time, it's most likely to boomerang back at you. You can say whatever pops into their heads and have fun understanding people. There will likely be no traction given for your emotional turmoil that you'll be going via.
Just think over it, there will likely be thousands of folks that are looking for a similar thing you are searching for. The reviews will quickly give you a concept about the services each dating service offers. Other great good thing about free online dating services is you get to pick from a larger pool of singles around. Some dating services use psychological and personality tests to identify individuals who not only share your interests, but you are similar for you in different ways too.
Using online dating services services has become an accepted way of meeting people, whether for friendship and romance. With some ease in the latest technology, everyone can certainly meet women or men or make a date over the internet. It would be great to get able to find out the right what to say to someone when you strike up a conversation in person. Be conscious of the warning flag in online dating sites and keep far from those who are not trustworthy.
For busy people, you usually do not have to worry about going out with a person after you close from work, through which time you happen to be already fagged out. Many internet dating sites have profiles of all the members on the website. The virtual web has provided convenience and comfort for online singles who are looking for for potential partners in your life. You can be involved with numerous potential suitors or dates as you desire, and none of them is any wiser concerning your game.

domain: sociology


STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan
I moved to Saudi Arabia in 1979. The fruits of oil wealth were beginning to show. Development was happening at a frantic pace all over the country. Based in the capital, Riyadh, the skyline was full of construction cranes. Those were the heady days of a new frontier attracting intense corporate interest along with fortune hunters. A boom unseen in the 2nd half of the 20th century.
I joined a prominent Saudi family which gave me an insight through interaction with business leaders and evolving bureaucracy. King Faisal’s vision and sagacity had encouraged Saudi youth to study, train and acquire skills abroad. They returned to their conservative society and blended in very well. It was refreshing mingling with this motivated cadre. Fiercely nationalistic yet extremely pragmatic.
We undertook a project in the Agricultural sector. A novelty for Saudis used to a desert. King Khalid was the Monarch. Having dabbled in politics, I keenly observed how Saudis interacted and their mannerism. Despite being an absolute monarchy, there was care for self-respect and generosity even when a common Bedouin met a powerful Prince. They were fiercely independent woven together in tribal affiliations giving space to each other despite financial disparity.
It is difficult to truly comprehend unless you have lived it. There is no way you can stereotype those times. Access for everyone was the relief valve that maintained harmony in Saudi society. Sharing of wealth and power structure was a strong bond. It continued till 2015 when King Salman took over.
His Crown Prince was younger brother Prince Muqrin Bin Abdul Aziz. Prince Muqrin, an ex air force pilot was an amiable person. I had the opportunity to attend his “majlis” when he was Governof Tabuk. That is when the upheaval started in the Royal line of succession and a change of format.
Within a few months Prince Muqrin was replaced by Prince Muhammad bin Nayef, son of a full brother to King Salman. He was removed mid 2017 by the present Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman. The tradition of preferring a younger brother over a son ended. The role of Allegiance Council of choosing the successor became ceremonial. Dynastic rule of Al Saud stands altered.
This changed another tradition. Till then despite their enormous wealth, religious significance and influence, Saudis had a soft image internationally. They would resolve issues via behind the scene moves, using their clout discreetly. No more. Saudi leadership has become assertive. Yemen’s conflict is an example.
Sensitivity about their image is replaced by seeking results irrespective of the cost. The unspoken role of Muslim Ummah leadership is being replaced by Saudi self interest. Similar to what President Trump adopted for USA.
Suddenly the warts amongst the 57 Muslim countries, having 22% of the world population are apparent. OIC was founded 50 years ago. It was expected to have a lead role in issues confronting its member states. The devastation faced by Muslims in Kashmir, Palestine, Libya, Yemen, and Syria has evoked a poor response. OIC is toothless, driven by self interest.
Most recently OIC’s incompetency came into focus on 5th August, marking a full year of India’s revocation of special status of Kashmir. Kashmir is the only Muslim majority province in India. Its demographics are being altered to convert it into a Hindu majority. Brutal and unspeakable atrocities are being inflicted on all ages and sexes while OIC keeps its criminal silence. Not even a squeak.
The Jeddah based OIC failed to convene even a Foreign Minister’s conference to take up this matter. Certain questions loom large. Is OIC just a piece of decoration or jewelry to be adorned to impress? It is guided by a Saudi response. Have they relegated their traditional role amongst Muslim Ummah to a back burner? Are they driven by their expanding partnership with India? Are they miffed by the recent developments between China and Iran thrusting CEPAC to the forefront of Road and Belt Initiative? Is USA influencing their judgment in choosing sides?
These are heavy questions with no easy answers. Running water always finds it course. There is an emergence of independent thinking amongst other prominent OIC members. The meeting in December 2019 in Malaysia was a very clear signal. Pakistan stayed away under Saudi influence. But for how long? There is a fire raging in our backyard. How long do we restrain ourselves?
The establishment of full diplomatic relations between UAE and Israel provides clear indications to where oil rich Gulf Monarchies are headed. Process of realignment within OIC has begun. Turkey, Iran, Malaysia, and Qatar make a formidable bloc. If Pakistan enters the fray it could lead to an emergence of a New Muslim Order.
Pakistan is joined at the hip with it Kashmiri brethrens. Indian belligerence under PM Modi is a reality that we endure each day. I wrote about the emergence of New World Order. These developments are evolving within that framework. PM Imran Khan’s positioning of Pakistan as an independent state acting in the best interest of the region does not sit well with Global Powers. It is used to a subservient, malleable leadership that bent to their will.
We must stay the course. There will be hardship like the one perpetuated recently by Saudis in recalling loans and reneging of oil supply on credit. We have to stand united as a nation to emerge successfully. The time of being pushed around is gone. We must stand on our own feet to gain respect as an emerging regional power.


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Four Young Men disappeared in Attempt to cross to occupied Ceuta
While still nothing is heard of them, Ceuta's police authorities haven't confirmed their death.
According to “Elfaro de Ceuta” newspaper. Four young men, aged between 18 and 20, disappeared on their way to occupied Ceuta, via a small boat, at night from the coastal city of Martil on the night of last October 25.
The same source added that the last sign of life was a phone call from one of the four young men with his cousin while they were at sea. Their phones lost signal afterwards. Although the distance between Martel and occupied Ceuta is not great, nothing was heard of them yet.
On their part, the families of the four men contacted the authorities of the occupied city to inquire about them and see if their bodies were recovered or rescued.
However, the families did not receive any answers, so the fate of the young men remains unknown until now.


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A High Court judge hopes to announce next month the legality of proposed changes to relocate the children's heart unit at Glenfield Hospital to Birmingham.
Mrs Justice Nicola Davies, sitting in London, said today that she would use "every endeavour to get the final judgment out by March 7".
The judge is being asked to declare that the consultation process which led to the changes was unfair and "procedurally flawed".
Campaign group Save Our Surgery (SOS), wants a rerun of the consultation.
More than 100,000 people signed a petition against the move which was announced in July, and last month the Health Secretary asked for a full review of the plans. It's one of three centres facing closure nationally.

domain: law