Please select your "Passport Nationality" on the visa checker at the top of this page.
In 2021 the European Union will introduce a new travel authorization known as ETIAS visa waiver. ETIAS will become a requirement to travel to Slovakia and most European countries. Once available, you will be able to find more information and apply on this website.
Approved by the European Parliament in 2016 and due to be implemented in 2021, ETIAS for Slovakia is an electronic visa waiver that allows eligible citizens to visit Slovakia and all 26 Schengen Area countries.
The European Commission is implementing the ETIAS Visa Waiver for Slovakia in order to improve Schengen Area border security and increase safety within Europe. The system will pre-screen all visa-exempt travelers to the Schengen Area to identify any potential threats before they reach European borders.
European Visa Waiver for Slovakia is a multiple entry travel authorization that will permit a stay up to 90 days within every 180 days for each entry to the Schengen Area. ETIAS Slovakia is valid for a total of 3 years from the date of approval.
Eligible citizens will be able to submit an ETIAS application for Slovakia online, which only takes a few minutes to complete with personal and passport information. It is also necessary to answer a few security-related questions in order to submit the ETIAS Slovakia application form and receive an approved visa waiver via email.
Those who apply for the ETIAS to Slovakia are able to travel to the Schengen Area for tourism, transit, medical treatment, or business purposes. Those who wish to travel to Slovakia for other purposes should contact their nearest Slovakian Embassy or Consulate.
Eligible citizens must first meet the requirements for an ETIAS for Slovakia in order to submit an application online.
ETIAS requirements for Slovakia for documents involve the applicant having a passport from an eligible country valid for at least 3 months from the intended date of entry to Slovakia and the Schengen Area.
Slovakia ETIAS visa waiver requirements also state that the applicant should have a valid credit or debit card to pay the ETIAS fee, as well as a current email address at which to receive the approved visa waiver.
Those with an approved ETIAS Slovakia will be able to present their passport at Slovakian border control, to gain expedited entry to the Schengen Area.
It is essential for applicants with dual nationality to ensure they use the same passport to complete the Slovakia ETIAS application as that which they will later use to travel to the Schengen Area, as the approved ETIAS is electronically linked to an individual travel document.
For this reason, it is also necessary as a requirement to travel to Slovakia to submit a new visa waiver application if the traveler’s passport expires during the validity of the ETIAS.
As Slovakia has signed the Schengen Agreement, it shares a common visa policy with the 26 Schengen Area countries, which have abolished passport control at their mutual borders.
Citizens of Schengen countries are able to travel freely within the borders of the Schengen zone, without the need for a visa or travel authorization. Therefore, residents of Schengen countries do not need an ETIAS to travel to Slovakia or within Schengen borders.
At the moment citizens of a number of countries outside the Schengen Zone can travel to Slovakia and the other countries in the Schengen zone for up to 90 days without a visa. However, by the end of 2021, these same citizens will be required to obtain an ETIAS Slovakia visa waiver before traveling to the Schengen countries for short stays.
This includes non-European nationals such as citizens of the United States, Canada, Australia, and Japan, as well as European countries outside the Schengen Area.
The ETIAS Europe Visa waiver for Slovakia is a multiple entry travel authorization which permits the holder to stay up to 90 days with each entry to the Schengen Zone and is valid for 3 years from the date of approval. It permits travel to Slovakia for purposes of business, transit, tourism, and medical treatment.
Those who are not eligible to apply for a Slovakia ETIAS, or those who wish to travel to Slovakia for purposes such as to work or study, are required to make an appointment to apply for a Slovakia Schengen visa at a Slovakian diplomatic office.
To apply for a Schengen visa for Slovakia it is first necessary to download, print, and complete a Schengen visa application for Slovakia to bring to the visa appointment.
Slovakia visa requirements also state that the applicant should present a valid passport with at least 2 blank pages, as well as a range of supporting documentation which varies depending on the intended purpose of the stay in Slovakia.
Slovakia Visa FAQ
Approved by the European Parliament in 2016 and due to be implemented in 2021, ETIAS Slovakia is a multiple entry electronic visa waiver that allows eligible citizens to visit Slovakia and all 26 Schengen Area countries.
Yes, ETIAS allows multiple entries to Slovakia during its 3-year validity.
An ETIAS permits the holder to stay a maximum of 90 days within every 180 days, with each entry to Slovakia and the Schengen Area.
The price of the ETIAS visa waiver for Slovakia has not yet been announced and will be published on this site when made available.
Yes, all children (minors) from visa waiver countries under the age of 18 will be required to have an individual approved ETIAS in order to enter Slovakia and Schengen countries.
The standard processing time for the ETIAS for Slovakia has yet to be announced and will be published on this site once available.
Applicants are advised to submit an ETIAS for Slovakia application at least 72 hours before the intended date of arrival in Slovakia and the Schengen Area, to allow sufficient processing time for the visa waiver.
In order to apply for the Slovakia ETIAS, it is necessary to have a passport from an eligible country valid for at least 3 months from the intended date of arrival in the Schengen Area, as well as a credit or debit card to pay the ETIAS for Slovakia fee and a current email address at which to receive the visa waiver.
All citizens from an ETIAS visa waiver country will be expected to obtain an approved ETIAS before traveling to Slovakia and the Schengen Area.
Applicants are advised to carefully check that all of the information provided on the ETIAS Slovakia application is correct before submitting the form, as even small errors are expected to result in the application being rejected.
Holders of an ETIAS are able to present the same passport they used to complete the ETIAS visa waiver application in order to pass through Slovakian border control.
It will not be mandatory to print a paper copy of the electronic ETIAS visa waiver to present to transportation carriers and at border control, as ETIAS Slovakia will be electronically linked to the applicant’s passport.


text:
In trading the markets, a key skill is being able to identify the turning points, or "Pivot Points" in price. Support or Resistance lines, Trend lines, Reversal Candles or Moving Averages can help, but we are still missing one confluence factor. As smart traders, the more confluence factors we can identify before placing a trade, the better. This raises the probability of the trade going in our favour.
This brings me to deceleration. Being able to identify deceleration on your charts will help you decide when a RUN is coming to an end and a new PULLBACK is about to commence (or vice versa), otherwise known as Pivot Points. These represent great entry points when they occur on Support/Resistance lines and in conjunction with key Reversal Candle patterns. It will also help you analyse the momentum in the market and assess whether the buyers or sellers have control of the price.
Deceleration is very simple to identify, it occurs when the size of the candle bodies gets smaller as the days progress. This is a signal that the market is losing momentum and could potentially change course and move in the other direction.
This could be either;
(i) a PULLBACK coming to an end and a new RUN beginning (in the diagram below), or
(ii) when a RUN is coming to an end and a new PULLBACK beginning.
These are the best times to be looking to enter the market.
Trader Tip ,Trader Tip, Trader Tip ,Trader Tip, Trader Tip ,Candle Deceleration, Candle Deceleration, Candle Deceleration, Candle Deceleration
Candle Deceleration Candle Deceleration

domain: finance


text:
Please see the previous post, Cuba; Day 3-Adventures in Habana Vieja, Part I
After seeing the Plaza de Armas, we took a tour of el Castillo de la Real Fuerza, the oldest existing fort in the Americas, built between 1558 and 1577 on the site of an earlier fort destroyed by French privateers in 1555.
After our tour of the fort, we were ready for lunch. Our guide book as well as every Cuban in Havana recommended Los Nargos, a restaurant on the third floor of one of the buildings across from the Capitol. I had eaten there on my last trip to Cuba, but we decided to give it a try since it had such great reviews. When we arrived, there was a “10-15 minute” line outside the door. Cuba= lines, lines, lines. The line ended up being about 45 minutes, but we got into conversation with the two people in front of us- a man and his Cuban tour guide and we ended up continuing the conversation and eating lunch with them.
We started with a couple of pitchers of sangria and a basket of bread. I demolished the bread…
For my entree, I ordered pollo (chicken) with moros y christianos (black beans and rice) and boiled yuca and a SALAD! I missed vegetables. The food took awhile to come, but that bread held me over…and we had this man play us some music.
When the food finally came, I only ate a little bit of chicken, all of the salad and the yuca. We suspected that the beans and rice had pork in them, so I stayed away. The food was alright, but mom and I decided that all of the food in Cuba is pretty much mediocre. No one goes to Cuba and says, “Wow, you NEED to try this or that”. Cuba food itself if delicious, but in Cuba, they don’t have the resources to make it as tasty as it could be.
And then we arrived at Plaza Vieja (Old Square). According to our guidebook, this square was originally used as a place for military exercises and later served as an open-air marketplace. During the Batista regime, an underground parking lot was built, but it was destroyed in 1996 and a massive renovation ensued. We walked around and bought a coconut ice cream-thing. It was so good! We got another a few days later.
This young couple asked me to take a photo of them:
And for my “What Is Odd About This Photo” of the day:
That’s a fountain in La Habana Vieja. What is different about that fountain compared to any fountain in the United States?
The difference is that there is no money in there whatsoever. This fountain is a prime example of the way that there is no disposable income in Cuba. Any money that they have is necessary for survival. I walked up to that fountain ready to throw a penny in, but was a little bit shocked when I saw that it was empty.
Once we were there, we asked a number of people where to go to catch a collectivo home, and each person told us something different! Eventually, we stood on the side of the road, waived a cab down and got in!
Once we were home, we shared our adventures with Pepe and Yolanda, had a little (okay, a lot) of flan and then headed to bed around ten.
I had a lot of fun exploring La Habana Vieja with my mom. I fell asleep so excited for the adventure that we had planned for the next day.
More on that soon!

domain: geography


Following prior reports of a 19-pin port, the latest scuttlebut now claims the next iPhone will offer an even smaller 8-pin connector.
Time to place your bets. Just how small will the iPhone 5's dock connector be?
A new report claims the next generation of iOS devices will come with an 8-pin connector. Citing two separate sources, the folks at iLounge say that Apple's next iPhone, iPad, and iPod units will dramatically shrink the size of the connector to a single 8-pin row from its current 30-pin layout.
This follows recent reports saying that the new connector would be whittled down to 19 pins. iLounge's sources believe that a 19-pin connector wouldn't jibe with the port's small size and any actual need for pins beyond the number offered by USB and Micro-USB adapters.
However many pins the new connector carries, will current Apple owners be forced to buy all new cables? Not necessarily. I think it's a fair bet Apple will offer some type of adapter to marry the old larger connector with the new smaller one.
One of iLounge's sources also dropped hints that the new connector will offer at least one other advantage beyond the smaller size. Users would be able to plug in the new connector in either orientation, similar to Apple's MagSafe connector for the Mac. That would mean no more fiddling around trying to remember which way to plug it in.
So, which will it be - 19 pins or 8 pins? We may have our answer come September 12 when Apple will reportedly hold an event to unveil the new iPhone and perhaps a couple of other surprises.


I have been trying to catch a whistling noise that starts after the engine is at high rpms and is dropped to a idle. It will start whistling and it will not go away. It will not go away until i pull over and lift the hood and then you can not make it happen. The throttle body spacer has been removed. The noise will also increase in pitch as the throttle is pressed once it starts.


A powerful coalition of South West businesses, education leaders and local authorities has pledged to work in partnership with Government to make the Great South West – including Dorset – the latest growth alliance to rebalance the UK economy.
The Great South West partners are publishing a local growth prospectus today (Monday, January 13) that aims to deliver £45 billion of economic benefit and 190,000 new jobs over the next 15 years.
The Great South West spans the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) areas of Cornwall & the Isles of Scilly, the Heart of the South West (which includes Devon, Plymouth, Torbay and Somerset), and Dorset.
Its ambition is to sit alongside the Government-backed Northern Powerhouse, Midlands Engine and Western Gateway economic areas, and includes businesses, LEPs, universities, colleges and local government as a mechanism to attract additional investment in to the area.
At the heart of the growth prospectus is the ambition to make the Great South West the cleanest economy in England and the first to be net zero carbon.
Its focus is on creating world-leading growth in the ‘green’ and ‘blue’ economies, backed by a wealth of natural assets on land and sea, groundbreaking companies and research expertise.
The prospectus sets out how, with Government support, the Great South West can be a test bed for new thinking and new technologies to accelerate the move to a greener, more prosperous economy, and tackle shared challenges like poor connectivity, an ageing population, poor productivity and climate change.
Specifically, it calls for:
- Formal recognition of the Great South West as a growth alliance aimed at rebalancing the UK economy, with an identified Minister to link into Government.
- £2 million over three years to build a business case for investment across a range of projects.
- A Great South West Tourism Zone to help the industry become more productive, sustainable and adaptable.
- An agreement to create a Rural Productivity Deal, addressing the specific needs of the rural economy.
- Publication of the prospectus follows a Downing Street summit in December between Great South West partners and Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
The Prime Minister told the delegation at the time: ‘We want to address some of the infrastructure issues in the region, as well as other vital services. Because it is the mission of my Conservative Government to unite and level up the country, and the South West has potential in all sorts of areas – from the spaceport in Newquay to farming, fishing, tourism and technology.
‘I want to see improvements to infrastructure and technology, better rail and roads, more schools funding and investment in health services. We believe in a dynamic economy. The South West campaign is a great one and your region is an absolute priority to me. So I can assure you that we want to support and champion everything you do.’
Jim Stewart, Chair of Dorset LEP, said: ‘The Great South West is poised for a step change in productivity and prosperity, and supported by the government, we can capitalise on opportunities presented by the Industrial Strategy, building momentum for a region that is of national and international significance. This prospectus clearly sets out our ambitions to become the leading region for the green and blue economy.’
The Great South West prospectus will be formally submitted to Government shortly and has the backing of Sir Gary Streeter, Chair of the Great South West All Party Parliamentary Group and Conservative MP for South West Devon.
Sir Gary said: ‘We are living in a new political landscape with a clear commitment from Government to a more regional focus from Whitehall, and that is a huge opportunity for the Great South West. What’s important is that we set out the scope of our ambition in a coherent and compelling way, and demonstrate broad support by speaking with one voice. The Great South West prospectus is a very important part of that.’
Steve Hindley, Chair of the Great South West partnership, said: ‘Our aspiration is for the Government to recognise the enormous potential of the Great South West to model how the future economy will look, and to work with us to plan and deliver the changes that we need to launch an era of transformational change and become the greenest economy of the UK.’
Mark Duddridge, Chair of the Cornwall & Isles of Scilly LEP, said: ‘The Government has committed to changing the economic geography of the UK and to putting the environment at the heart of its economic policy, and that’s a great opportunity for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. And by tackling shared agendas like transport and productivity at scale, we can reap the benefits of working together for all our communities.’
Karl Tucker, Chair of the Heart of the South West LEP, said: ‘The Great South West has an unprecedented potential to increase its contribution to UK plc, in terms of economic performance and in helping to meet its Net Zero targets. We are stronger than the sum of our parts; and by working together we can strengthen our economic opportunities and make a real impact on a global stage. Our region has been historically under-invested in, and now is the time to re-dress the balance in partnership with Government to secure greater prosperity for all.’
To download a copy of the Great South West prospectus click here.


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Bike Touring Highlight
Not far from a water buffalo enclosure in a natural valley, there are skyscrapers within a stone's throw, all of which are built overlooking the water buffalo pasture. Tarred paths as an athlete's paradise cross the enclosures. The skyscrapers themselves are a stark contrast to the rest of the area.
One must necessarily have seen - even without water buffalo, which are veritable exotic in a city like Berlin.
May 7, 2016
A great place for a little break in between! You can still watch the buffalo smacking.
July 16, 2015
I live there "around the corner" and drive these paths often. Especially cool: the direct connection or proximity to other nice bike routes and destinations: Wall Trail, airfield Johannisthal, Rudower height - there are quite a few "green ways", which are good with the bike passable.
June 16, 2017
Nice corner, if you pass the field, you can watch, depending on the season, the buffalo and much more
July 18, 2019
Here are real water buffalos, which "manage" the pasture in an ecological way
June 2, 2018
You don't see water buffalo every day, and certainly not in front of high-rise buildings, so it's pretty unique. Plenty of seating for a break.
August 7, 2020
Unfortunately, the buffaloes are not there in winter.
February 18, 2020
Who can say that he has seen buffalo in Berlin on almost free "wild"?
May 24, 2017
At the first attempt early in the year there were no water buffalo on the spot.
But then I saw them on the second try last week, very nice highlight!
May 22, 2016
Interesting for children too. The water buffalo also like to come to the fence.
March 8, 2021
Always beautiful. The buffalo also attract other animals. Today it was a pair of mute swans and a heron. OK. a few Berlin sparrows and starlings were also there ...
May 1, 2021
I didn't expect water buffalo here. But there were also herons, ducks and swans
May 31, 2021
Often enough described as a highlight, but always worth mentioning. The landscape architects have done a great job with the park created as a compensatory measure for the construction of the A113 motorway. The area has its own charm at every time of the day and year and invites you to interrupt your bike or hiking tour and explore the area away from the Wall Trail. Not only does it feature water buffalos, which you usually have to look for on the extensive grounds, but it is also a great waterfowl area (it is worth bringing binoculars with you). The famous "MIlchhof" Mendler is also in close proximity and is worth a visit on its own (its annual harvest festivals are legendary).
October 10, 2021
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Our Tour recommendations are based on thousands of activities completed by other people on komoot.

domain: hobby


text:
FRANCE – Daniel Roy, chairman of CDC IXS Asset Management, is to leave the company and be replaced by the head of the group’s North American operation Peter Voss.
A spokeswoman said Roy, who is in his fifties, was moving to “other projects”. It is the first time the group has had a non-French national in the top job. Voss is a former executive vice president at Bank of America.
Roy’s departure comes after reports of frustrations over disappointing results in Europe.
Voss and Roy have worked together since 2000, when CDC IXIS acquired Nvest Companies for 2.2 billion dollars. Voss had joined in 1992 the Boston-based firm, which was renamed CDC IXIS Asset Management North America.
In his new role, CDC Ixis said Voss would continue to supervise the North American activities.
The move did not surprise an investment expert at consultant Hewitt Associates in Paris, who said Voss’s appointment reflected CDC’s growing interest in international markets. Choosing managers with a strong international background may become a trend in the country, the expert said.
CDC also named two new members of the executive board, Jean-Paul Marchetti and Jacques Ollivier.
Marchetti was formerly head of finance at CNP Assurances while Ollivier joins from Caisse des Depots where he was director of finance for savings funds. Ollivier would take up his post at a later date to be agreed with Caisse des Depots.
“I am confident in the ability of CDC IXIS Asset Management’s new management team to continue to implement the firm’s global strategy with a view of furthering its position as France’s leading asset manager,” said Anthony Orsatelli, chairman of the executive board of CDC IXIS and member of the executive board of Caisse Nationale des Caisses d’Espargne.
“As a federal organisation, CDC IXIS Asset Management’s strength lies in its line up of affiliated investment firms, each with diverse investments styles and client bases,” he continued.
The unit manages around 330 billion euros in assets and is Europe’s 11th largest investment firm.

domain: news


text:
Drawing attention to her curves, Santana Lopez opted for a black Monique Lhuillier peplum top and printed skirt.
Naya finished off her curvacious ensem with strappy Monique Lhuillier heels and a Diane von Furstenberg clutch.
And that sultry red lip? The perfect cherry on top of this Santana sundae!
[Image via FayesVision/WENN.]

domain: design


text:
Week 6: Muay Thai
Muay Thai is Thailand’s national sport. It’s a fighting technique that uses eight parts of your body to smack your opponent: fists, elbows, knees and legs. Remember Sagat from Street Fighter II? That’s what Sagat was up to.
Oz Body Fit is a dedicated Muay Thai gym. It used to be on Kangding Lu next to Kaiba and The Shed, but it recently moved to a larger space near the Creek. The gym was set up by Tomer Oz, an Israeli who has 15 years experience coaching Muay Thai. He does this full time, except when he’s working as a bodyguard for visiting celebrities or acting -- he was an extra in the Jackie Chan / Jet Li movie, Forbidden Kingdom, and appeared in John Rabe with Steve Buscemi.
What you need
Comfortable clothes. Baggy clothes that let you stick your feet up someone’s nose. The gloves and pads are supplied by the gym. You also need to wrap your hands up. They have wraps at the gym but if you’re going to do this regularly, you’ll want to buy your own. Hand wraps get funky if too many people use them and they’re not washed. You train barefoot, so you don’t have to carry around your running shoes. For me, that was a big plus.
Many people. Word is out, and these classes are popular. We went to a Monday early-evening session and there were about 30 people training, which looked near capacity. It was about 80 percent laowai. Some ABCs. A bunch of Russians. About 50-50 girls and guys and a broad range of abilities.
The owners said the Monday class is especially busy. It seems we just stumbled into the most popular class. If you want more space, come in the daytime. There are classes four times a week from 12:30-1:30pm, and afternoon classes on the weekend, plus evening classes every night.
Class starts sharp at 6:30pm with a 30-minute warm up. Stretching, jumping jacks, pushups, squats, crunches -- over and over again until you’re on the point of spewing. OK, you don’t have to keep up with the instructor, you can stand at the back and slack off a bit, but if you keep up, this is a savage workout. On the SmartShanghai-exercise-till-you-puke index, this scores a nine.
The instructors vary, but our class was tought by a Filipino guy called Dennis who has won a bunch of Muay Thai competitions. He is small, quick and extremely fit. He also has a voice quite like the Count from Sesame Street. Every time he counted off our pushups I expected him to cackle and lightning to flash. One, one push up… Two, that’s two pushups… Three, three lovely pushups, ah-ah-ah-ahhhhh.*
This was the only amusing thing about the warm up. Apart from this, it was all just sweat and pain.
*Disclaimer: We’d like to point out that Dennis at Oz Body Fit is extremely hard and we in no way mean any offence by comparing him to the Count from Sesame Street, who in any case we respect and admire a great deal. Dennis, if you read this, please, please, do not come round and beat us to goop.
After the warm up, we paired off, put on pads and practiced sequences of punches and kicks. These were pretty tech, like punch, punch, elbow, knee, block, kick, kick, punch. There wasn’t that much emphasis on delivering the perfect strike or perfecting technique, this was all about physical exertion. Do it, sweat, get fit, punish your body, then work on the technique later – that’s the impression we got.
We went through about four of these set ups, including some that involved crunches and taking some gentle punishment from your partner – being thumped in the belly while we did our crunches -- then it there was just time for some more pushups and jumping jacks, and we were done.
These beginners’ classes last 90 minutes. There are also mixed classes four evenings a week and advanced classes, which include some sparring.
How much of your life will this take up
If you did three classes a week you’d soon be very fit. Do two and you’ll lose weight and get in shape. A 90 minute class is considerably more taxing than any session you could devise in a gym, so if you’re currently going to the gym three times a week and not feeling the effects, this is a better use of your time.
How much does it cost
The first class is 100rmb. The second is 120rmb. After that you have to buy a 10-class bundle (for 1000rmb) or sign up for a package – unlimited classes for a month are 1000rmb, for a year it’s 7800rmb. That works out more expensive than boxing but a bit cheaper than yoga. A year here of unlimited classes is a bit more than a year at a pricey gym. But the effects are going to be more dramatic.
There’s another Muay Thai Club in Shanghai which teaches in English and Chinese called the Tiger Muay Thai Kung Fu Club. They offer one-off classes for 150rmb, monthly memberships for 880rmb and annual deals for 4980rmb.
Come what may, if you stick to this you will shed pounds and get in shape. The people involved seemed friendly. The crowd was a true mix of guys and girls and none of the beginners seemed to be taking it too seriously in that irritating, meathead way. There are two or three classes every day and the timetable is broad enough to suit different schedules.
If you’re eager to learn the technical side of the sport, the classes here might be a bit crowded. The emphasis was on physical training, rather than technique, though Tomer told me the technique would come later after your body got used to throwing these kicks and punches.
Without technical tuition, there might be a possibility of giving yourself an injury if your joints aren’t great and don’t like being strained – no one’s telling you exactly how to punch and kick and so if you do it wrong, you could irritate an injury or strain your joints. That didn’t happen to us, but we’re just saying it might because no one’s supervising you 100 percent of the time.
If you’re looking for more focused training, the coaches offer one-on-one tuition, or go to a daytime classes, when there’s less people. One-on-one tuition are 500rmb per session or 4500rmb for 10 classes.
For a full class schedule and more background about the gym, go here. Or see this for a map of where it is and a taxi printout.

domain: sports


text:
Having a knack for style seems to come naturally to Mohamed Malim. So, he took that skill and used it to create something bigger than himself – a fashion company focused on bringing awareness to the refugee humanitarian crisis.
While studying business at the University of St. Thomas, Malim, an Edina High School alum, realized he could combine his skills in business and passion for fashion into something that was meaningful to him and the greater community. He created Epimonia, a clothing company that places refugees at the forefront of its mission.
And Malim knows the experience of a refugee firsthand. In the late 1990s, his family fled Somalia due to war and violence in the region

domain: artistic


The first images of what is claimed to be inexpensive Apple iPhone made of plastic have been published by a web-site. The quality of photos and the form-factor of the alleged devices suggest that the deal is about commercially made prototypes. Unfortunately, it is still unknown when and if low-cost Apple iPhones are set to hit the market.
In case the images published by 9to5mac web-site depict a real product, then the inexpensive Apple iPhone will be available in pink (in two shades), blue, white and green (in two shades). The encasings do not carry Apple’s usual information about where the device has been designed and made. The images also do not depict any product numbers on the cases. Those PN numbers are typically present on all Apple iPhones. The cases still carry an Apple logotype and the iPhone product name.
The low-cost Apple iPhone seems to share the form-factor with the iPhone 5, which means that we can expect dimensions similar to the current flagship smartphone from Apple. In addition, it is logical to expect 4” retina-class display with 1136*640 resolution and Corning Gorilla Glass cover.
It remains to be seen whether at least some of the depicted products will actually reach mass production. Apple is known for having multiple prototypes of the same device. The company usually settles on one version of the gadget as well as limited amount of its colours and versions.
In case multi-color low-cost Apple iPhone actually enters the market, it will clearly become a formidable competitor to Nokia Corp.’s Lumia series of smartphones that is known for coloured plastic encasings.
Apple did not comment on the news-story.


Dymax 9452-FC is an advanced low viscosity conformal coating for printed circuit boards, formulated with a revolutionary new technology as an alternative to thin, solvent-based conformal coatings. Whilst it has a very low viscosity – 20 cP – it still provides good electrical insulation and protection against humidity, plus very good thermal shock and corrosion resistance. It offers an instant UV and visible light cure with secondary heat cure for shadow areas within electronic assemblies, to ensure that no area is left unprotected. Dymax 9452-FC fluoresces blue and so enables fast, easy inspection. Dymax 9452-FC is believed to be the first light cure conformal coating to successfully provide these high performance characteristics in one easy to use product.
Dymax 9452-FC conformal coating can be precision sprayed. It is environmentally friendly compared to solvent-based alternatives, being 100% solids. It is curable using UV LED-based curing systems in addition to conventional broad spectrum lamps, with the associated production and cost benefits.
In-house analysis shows the coating’s exceptional performance through reliability tests such as heat and humidity resistance (500 hours at 85°C / 85% relative humidity) and corrosion resistance (sulphur and salt spray resistance).
Dymax 9452-FC fluoresces blue and so enables fast, easy inspection
Read this 2017 White Paper by Dr. Aysegul Kascatan Nebioglu of Dymax Corp: UV Broad-Spectrum & LED-Curable, 100% Solids, Very Low Viscosity Conformal Coating for detailed technical background.


People instinctively turn to pets for companionship and comfort. The Washington Post cited the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) statement that over 23 million households in the United States have adopted at least one pet since the start of the pandemic. This is equivalent to almost 20 percent of U.S. households. The Guardian cites data from the American Pet Products Association showing that since the start of the pandemic, nearly nine million dogs and five million cats were adopted by Americans. Pet dogs now total 108 million, and pet cats total 79 million in the U.S.
How Pets Benefit People
Many studies focus on the benefits of having pets. For instance, a study published on Sage Journals in July 2020 analyzed in detail how interaction with pets helps humans psychologically and physically.
According to the study, even a minimum of 15 minutes of direct interaction and positive physical contact with a pet daily will already release beneficial neurochemicals in the body, such as oxytocin, endorphins, dopamine, norepinephrine, prolactin, and beta phenylethylamine, while lowering the level of the stress hormone, cortisol.
Oxytocin helps the body release other positive neurotransmitters, including those that reduce inflammation, improve memory, and develop positive self-perception. Endorphins relieve stress and pain. Dopamine enables a person to feel pleasure. It also motivates the person to act positively. Norepinephrine regulates the cycle of sleep and wakefulness and enables a person to focus and concentrate. Phenylethylamine reduces fatigue, balances mood, and reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety. Lowering cortisol levels boosts the immune system, making the body more resistant to infection.
Animals provide a non-judgmental and loving companionship that creates feelings of calmness, trust, and well-being in people. Owners often express their emotional thoughts to their pets, like a confidant, enabling a healthy release of emotions. Pets also provide entertainment and distraction from stress, giving joy.
With continued interactions with a pet, the person’s heart rate and blood pressure go down. This lowers the risk of developing major diseases such as coronary heart disease. A pet owner feels more satisfaction in life and high morale that motivates them to choose healthier behavior. This results in fewer illnesses or better rates of recovery from existing conditions.
Supporting Studies on Pet Benefits
Another study published on MDPI Journals in September 2021 shows similar results. Compared to people without pets, pet owners showed higher levels of psychological well-being. They expressed that they felt positive even under lockdowns and could better cope with the crisis with their pets.
The findings of a third study published on ScienceDirect in December 2021 were likewise aligned with the first two. It found that even if the pandemic had a negative impact on people’s mental and physical health, pet owners had some protection against these adverse effects. Their physical activities with their companion animals helped them both physically and mentally.
Responsibilities of Pet Ownership
Many of those who got pets during the pandemic are first-time pet owners. They need to be fully prepared for such a responsibility.
Having a pet is like having a toddler at home. The pet owner must always ensure that the pet is safe anywhere inside the house and around the property. There must not be anything toxic in the house that the pet can get to. If the pet is allowed to play in the yard, there must be a fence to ensure that the pet does not run too far away and get lost or get run over on the street. If there are trees in the yard, regular tree trimming will prevent any branches from falling on the pet resulting in injury.
A pet owner must study everything about raising the specific animal owned. This includes the best type of food the pet needs and the amount of food given per feeding and per day. It also includes daily walking. For larger pets, this must be done outside the home. For small pets, running around the yard will suffice as exercise.
Veterinary care is necessary for all pets. Depending on the animal, there are required vaccinations and other measures to prevent certain diseases. Pet health insurance is available to keep veterinary expenses manageable.
Many people who have pets cannot afford veterinary bills, though. They should look for low-cost veterinary care near their areas. For example, in Los Angeles, there is the Pet Support Space nonprofit. In Texas, there is Emancipet. There is also the Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society. The Humane Society has a Pets for Life program in various cities. The University of Tennessee in Knoxville’s Program for Pet Health Equity has AlignCare in 10 communities. It pays for 80 percent of veterinary costs for low-income pet owners.
As pets give unconditional love to their owners, so must owners provide unconditional love and care to their pets. This is a lifelong responsibility.


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Date: 1918 ca.
Description: View from the Capitol Square towards a parade coming up State Street. Crowds line the streets. On the left street corner is a building with a sign for the...
Description: Receded recreational patio at West High School.
Description: Aerial view of Crawford Heights looking northeast along Nakoma Road, across the West Beltline. The photograph shows Midvale Boulevard and Lake Mendota appe...
Date: 1930 ca.
Description: A lithograph of the Grace Episcopal Church with the Wisconsin State Capitol in the background.
Description: Exterior view of Saint John's Lutheran Church of 320-322 East Washington Avenue.
Description: The John Stein House at 229 South Owen Drive designed by stone mason Fritz Carpenter the home was once occupied by Nicholas Justo.
Date: 1900 ca.
Description: An interior view of the First Congregational Church, 222 West Washington Avenue.
Date: 1914 ca.
Description: Armory (Red Gym or Old Red) on Langdon Street, with YMCA (on the left), and Lake Mendota in the background. University of Wisconsin-Madison campus.
Description: Madison Pepsi Cola Company truck made by the Ideal Body Company in front of the Ideal Body Company shop on Park Street.
Description: A group of sixth graders, from Lowell School, are shown with a Northwest Airlines plane at Madison's municipal airport as a part of their study of transpor...
Description: Exterior view of the Wisconsin State Capitol building.
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Date: 1933 ca.
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Date: 1958 ca.
Description: Aerial view of the construction of the lakeshore dormitories, the recreation facilities and Lake Mendota on the University of Wisconsin Madison campus.
Date: 1899 ca.
Description: An interior view of the Eugene Eigheny home at 241 Langdon Street. Decorative glass with painted birds is visible in the fireplace opening. There is a larg...
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text:
- 4 min read
How drones and digital land records are set to change the future of rural economy in India
Under the new farm plan from the current season, the Centre will cross check all digital land records before the procurement of paddy due in October
With the Centre already giving its go ahead to use drone technology for remote sensing and data collection in agricultural areas of 100 districts of the country, for Gram Panchayat level yield estimation, under Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) and integrating these digital land records, that will be updated prior to each procurement season, with the Centre's nodal procurement agency Food Corporation of India (FCI), now the Centre plans to make a direct outreach to the farmers for farm procurement.
According to Union agriculture secretary Sanjay Agrawal, the Centre plans to put in place a new technology backed system for farm procurement in place to weed out the middlemen in agriculture and plug massive subsidy leaks.
“The intention of the government is to ensure that genuine farmers get the benefit of MSP procurement, which has increased significantly in the last five years,” Agarwal said.
Meanwhile, the new procurement plan which is likely to be put in place from October, might further dent the government’s negotiations with the protesting farmers, mostly from Punjab, as most of the states including Punjab have completed the digitisation process and Centre has cleared its intentions to adapt the new digital land data system for procurement.
“Every state wants the farmers to get the benefits from the procurement process and not the traders. He said that this arrangement would ensure that the MSP reaches the farmers and not the traders,” Agarwal said.
Under the new procurement plan from the current season, the Centre will cross check all digital land records before the procurement of paddy due in October. The move is to ensure the Centre’s Minimum Support Price (MSP) dole reaches to the farmers and not traders, Union food secretary Sudhanshu Pandey announced last week.
As per government data, the marketing year 2020-21 (October-September) saw a record 879.01 lakh tonnes of paddy procurement at an MSP price of Rs 1,65,956.90 crore, while in the marketing year 2020-21 (April-March), saw a record 389.93 lakh tonnes of wheat was purchased at Rs 75,060 crore.
The Centre believes that the new system will benefit farmers and will check illegal procurement of crops at low prices by local traders who later sell the crop to the FCI on higher government supported MSPs, earning huge profits. The subsidy meant for the farmers thus goes to traders.
The new system backed by the digital data will help the government to ascertain the real beneficiaries, the farmers, and make the procurement process swift. The Centre has already clarified that all farmer produce, whether in their own land or in rented land, will be procured with full MSP by the government.
“It is not necessary for the farmers to be the owner of the land or not. If farmers have cultivated any land, then it will be bought,” Pandey said.
At present most of the procuring states, barring Assam and Uttarakhand as well as Jammu and Kashmir have integrated digital land records with the Food Corporation of India (FCI).
“The whole idea is to cross check how much crop has been cultivated in what area and accordingly procure it. This is where digital land records integrated centrally with FCI will help during the procurement process,” Pandey said.
Meanwhile, the Federation of All India Farmer Associations (FAIFA) has lauded the steps taken by the Union ministry of agriculture and farmers welfare to promote digital technology in the farm sector and has asked the government to take steps for smooth implementation and execution of the digital agriculture mission.
A digital agriculture mission has been initiated for 2021-25 by the government for projects based on new technologies like artificial intelligence, block chain, remote sensing and GIS technology, use of drones and robots. The unique ID for each farmer is part of the Centre’s initiative to create a database by collating data from various schemes, such as PM-Kisan, and linking them with land records.
The Centre is preparing a federated farmers database, which will be linked to land records of farmers from across the country and an unique farmer ID will be created.
“Under this unified database for all farmers the information of all benefits and supports of various schemes of Central and State Government can be kept and this can be the source for accessing information for providing benefits to farmers in the future. So far, the database is ready with details of around 5.5 crore farmers,” a government statement said.


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Emerging r&b stars BJ the Chicago Kid and Ro James have released a cover of Jodeci’s hit track “Come and Talk to Me” via SoundCloud today as a surprise gift for fans. The track was recorded and released in celebration of their recently announced joint tour “The R&B Tour”.
Ro James and BJ the Chicago Kid will be touring together throughout the month of May with stops including Bowery Ballroom in NYC and the Troubadour in Los Angeles. They will also be performing dates in Atlanta, GA; Washington, DC; Chicago, IL and more.
This tour will give fans the special opportunity to see each artist perform select songs from their past albums as well as new music from their respective upcoming projects. BJ The Chicago Kid is set to release new music from his forthcoming sophomore album on April 27th via Motown Records. The singer/songwriter has been staying quite busy since the release of his 2016 debut album, In My Mind collaborating with the likes of Common, Solange, A$AP M.O.B. and even the late great, Marvin Gaye.
In March 2018, Ro James released his new 4-track, Smoke EP. The EP is now available to purchase and stream at all digital service providers via ByStorm Entertainment/RCA Records. Smoke EP is the first of two EP installments, which will be released in anticipation for his sophomore album due out later this year. The second installment, entitled Mirrors EP is due out later this spring.
BJ the Chicago Kid & Ro James “R&B Tour” Dates
Date Location Venue
15-May Atlanta, GA The Loft
16-May Washington, DC Ustreet Music Hall
17-May Baltimore, MD Soundstage
18-May Boston, MA Middle East Downstairs
20-May New York, NY Bowery Ballroom
21-May Philadelphia, PA Underground Arts
23-May Indianapolis, IN Hi-Fi
24-May Chicago, IL Lincoln Hall
27-May Los Angeles, CA Troubadour

domain: celebrity


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BioCryst Pharmaceuticals stock fell 14 percent after the company reported another potential setback for its intravenous flu treatment peramivir.
The Durham drug developer said Thursday that a Food and Drug Administration inspection raised a “number of concerns” about the contract manufacturer that was to produce the treatment. The company did not indicate whether the FDA’s warning will delay a long-anticipated new drug application for peramivir.
The agency concerns, raised in a Form 483 and issued to BioCryst’s U.S.-based contract manufacturer, mean that FDA inspectors observed conditions or practices indicating “that any food, drug, device or cosmetic has been adulterated or ... may become adulterated or rendered injurious to health,” according to FDA’s website.
The 38-employee company also said it is making progress on developing several other treatments, most notably enrolling 24 patients for a Phase 2 human trial of an oral treatment for hereditary angioedema, a rare blood disorder that causes painful and dangerous swelling. BioCryst also said it plans to begin human trials on other hereditary angioedema treatments in 2015.
Peramivir has been under development with $235 million in federal funding since 2007 and is slated for introduction in the United States for the 2014-15 flu season. It was withdrawn from federal review last year after inconclusive tests, sinking the company’s stock and tanking a planned merger.
Peramivir delivers high plasma doses to infected areas, and, if approved, would be the first IV antiviral approved in this country. The company has said peramivir is effective against multiple flu strains, including the H1N1 swine flu.
BioCryst CEO Jon Stonehouse offered few details on the newly surfaced peramivir complications, telling analysts the problems are “pretty recent stuff” and that it’s still unclear what it means for peramivir’s prospects. BioCryst did not identify the contract manufacturer; the production and packaging facility was not making peramivir at the time the FDA discovered problems, but the facility was expected to begin initial production of peramivir later this year.
“It is unclear how these findings may impact the peramivir NDA or supply of peramivir drug product,” BioCryst said in its release. “BioCryst and its contract manufacturer are working with the FDA to meet the requirements for approval of the peramivir NDA.”
BioCryst has no products on the U.S. market; peramivir is approved in Japan and Korea.
BioCryst also reported that first-quarter revenue was $3.5 million, compared with $3.6 million a year earlier. The revenue included federal research grants, including funding from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disesases to fund development of a treatment for Marburg virus disease, also known as a viral hemorrhagic fever.
Net loss for the first quarter was $10.1 million, or 17 cents a share, compared with $4.5 million, or 9 cents a share, a year earlier.
BioCryst shares closed Thursday at $7.37, down $1.18. The stock is down 3 percent this year.

domain: medical


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The Best Substance Use Disorder Services for Me
Individuals of all ages and from all walks of life can be affected by substance use disorders. A substance use disorder (SUD) is a complex health condition that can mentally, physically and emotionally affect someone. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), a substance use disorder occurs when the repeated usage of alcohol and or drugs causes clinically significant impairment, including health problems, disability and failure to meet obligations at work, school or home. A substance use disorder is severe, but there is hope — this illness is treatable, and people recover from it.
At Seneca Health Services, we provide a holistic approach to substance use and mental health treatment. We begin each episode of treatment with an individual assessment by a qualified behavioral health clinician, and we personalize our patients’ care, so they receive proper treatment. Read on to learn more about the specialized substance use disorder services Seneca Health Services provides that can help you or a loved one.
At Seneca Health Services, we provide medical services such as psychiatric evaluation, evaluation and management services for medications to treat mental health and substance use disorders. Our psychiatric medical staff specializes in mental health and substance use. Their passion for treating our patients influences our team and ensures a “whole-person” approach to care. Because our medical providers are part of the Seneca staff, they interact with our other professionals such as therapists, case managers and peer recovery specialists each day.
In addition to our outpatient medical services, our medical staff serves our residential treatment programs, Crosswinds Center, a short-term residential treatment program located in Maxwelton, West Virginia, and Recovery Ridge, a substance use residential treatment program located in Summersville, West Virginia. Residential treatment can help people with serious substance use disorders, like those who have been unable to get and stay sober, and are best for people who do not have stable living or employment and or have limited to no family support.
Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is the use of medications, combined with counseling and behavioral therapies, to provide a “whole-person” approach to the treatment of substance use disorders. At Seneca Health Services, we provide MAT in our intensive outpatient or inpatient programs to individuals struggling with substance use disorders. Our qualified medical professionals provide assessment and medication treatment when appropriate and can treat co-occurring conditions like mood or anxiety disorders.
MAT provides the following benefits:
- Improves an individual’s success
- Increases retention in treatment sessions
- Increases an individual’s chance of receiving and maintaining employment
- Decreases an individual’s substance use
- Decreases the likelihood of relapse
- Heals physical changes in the brain
- Blocks the euphoric effects of substances
- Relieves cravings
Behavioral therapy services seek to change behaviors, thoughts, emotions and how people see and understand situations. At Seneca Health Services, child, adolescent and adult patients can receive counseling services. The sessions may be individual, family or group-based, as needed. A certified and licensed therapist will guide the interactions in a setting that encourages reflection, accountability, empathy and positive communication skills. Our therapists work in conjunction with our psychiatric medical providers if medications are needed.
Therapy provides individuals with the following additional benefits:
- Foster personal growth
- Build positive peer pressure
- Keep commitments
- Follow a routine
Peer Recovery Services
Individuals who receive substance use treatment may require additional after-care treatment like peer recovery support. At Seneca Health Services, we have multiple Peer Recovery Support Specialists (PRSS) that have experienced substance use treatment themselves. Our PRSS’s know first hand what you are going through and are ready to listen to you and support you.
Our Peer Recovery Support Specialists work to:
- Remove barriers and obstacles to recovery by serving as a personal guide
- Enter into an ongoing mentoring relationship that helps those who are in recovery from substance use disorders
- Help produce extraordinary results in patient’s lives
- Provide information and support
- Provide education of available treatment options
- Assist individuals in accessing preferred treatment
- Provide encouragement, hope and inspiration
- Offer support in meeting basic needs, developing relapse prevention plans and developing coping
You can learn more about one of our Peer Recovery Support Specialists, Rick Martin, and the inspiring work he does every day here.
We Can Help You| Seneca Health Services
If you cannot stop thinking about alcohol or drugs or have experienced a relapse, you should contact one of our trained behavioral health professionals. Reaching out is hard, but we want you to know that our team of psychiatrists, medical providers, social workers, therapists, nurses, case managers and other professional staff at Seneca Health Services are here to help. You are not alone. We will listen to you, support you and will not provide any more or less treatment than what is needed.
We offer crisis assistance 24 hours a day, seven days a week, every day of the year. Our community engagement coordinators are familiar with the warning signs of many behavioral health challenges and provide prevention assistance for those struggling with suicidal ideations, severe substance use disorders and more. Initial crisis services are free and confidential. If you have any questions or need to reach a trained crisis professional, please do not hesitate to contact the Seneca office nearest you.
Greenbrier County, West Virginia: (304) 497-0500
Nicholas County, West Virginia: (304) 872-2659
Pocahontas County, West Virginia: (304) 799-6865
Webster County, West Virginia: (304) 847-5425


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The Null Device
Cruel patent of the day: US4150505: Bird trap and cat feeder:
A bird trap and cat feeder for catching birds and feeding the birds to a cat. The trap designed to catch birds the size of a sparrow while releasing smaller song birds, wrens, swallows, or the like. The feeder providing means for continuously supplying a cat or neighborhood cats with sparrows to eat.
Commercialising science: newly discovered dinosaur species named after Australian airline. (abc.net.au)

domain: pet


text:
Good to know
|Distance to city centre||0.6 km|
|Nearest airport||Santa Rosa Sonoma County|
|Distance to airport||11.3 km|
|"The Christmas decorations were lovely."||(in 6 reviews)|
|"Fantastic stay and great location."||(in 88 reviews)|
|"Good downtown location, very comfortable bed"||(in 73 reviews)|
|"We very surprised by the number of homeless people around the property."||(in 9 reviews)|
Time of year
Show reviews that mention
|beautifully decorated||in 10 reviews|
|carriage house||in 13 reviews|
|comfortable bed||in 100 reviews|
|continental breakfast||in 165 reviews|
|downtown santa||in 21 reviews|
|flat screen tv||in 7 reviews|
|free parking||in 47 reviews|
|friendly staff||in 119 reviews|
|great location||in 130 reviews|
|historic hotel||in 41 reviews|
|holiday decorations||in 8 reviews|
|homeless people||in 12 reviews|
|lobby and the hallways||in 5 reviews|
|number of homeless||in 14 reviews|
|room was nice||in 186 reviews|
|santa rosa||in 16 reviews|
|shops and restaurants||in 69 reviews|
|walking distance||in 17 reviews|
|wine tasting||in 13 reviews|
The historic hotel is unique, comfortable and located in an area for walking and dining. There is parking for easy access near the hotel that is reserved for guests also.
It was very old but really nice
Cable TV was offline. No biggie over the holiday weekend, but it was it irritating not to have CNBC on Tuesday morning.
Breakfast was good, could have included some hot items like scrambled eggs and bacon Location is very good
The place could do with a little facelift. Our first room that was offered had no closet at all! But it was easy to change rooms and our room was comfortable
location is great altho opposite from the gospel mission, so lots of homeless around.
would have been nice to have had access to a refrigerator and coffee maker
Hotel La Rose provides guests with spacious and elegant rooms in its iconic building near California’s capital city. Its rooms, location, and amenities make this hotel an excellent choice for business travelers, couples, and families looking for historic lodgings in the heart of the city.
Located in downtown Santa Rosa, Hotel La Rose is less than 60 miles from both Oakland and San Francisco International Airports, and lose to many popular attractions. While here, guests can enjoy proximity to such sites as Wells Fargo Center for the Arts, Sterling Vineyards, Petrified Forest, and Mission San Francisco Solano.
Accommodations are designed to meet the needs of various types of travelers. Guests may choose King or Queen Rooms with one bed each, Junior Suites with marble floors and one king bed, or Double Rooms with two double beds. All rooms come equipped with free Wi-Fi, private entrances, cable TV, air conditioning, and antique furnishings.
Each morning, guests are invited to partake in a tasty continental breakfast service, a wonderful start to any day on the town. Additionally, the hotel is only steps away from some of the finest dining spots in Santa Rosa, as well as numerous wine bars and breweries.
In terms of services and amenities, Hotel La Rose has much to delight its guests. Free parking is possible onsite, and there is a well-equipped business center for corporate travelers. The 24-hour front desk can provide concierge and luggage storage services, and dry-cleaning, daily housekeeping and vending machines are also available.
based on 869 reviews
Things to know
- Friendly atmosphere
- Accessible parking
- Great shopping
- Stylish hotel
Policies vary by room type and provider.
Reviews about Hotel La Rose
Most popular landmarks
- Railroad Square Historic District 63 m
- Museums of Sonoma County 0.5 km
- Luther Burbank Home and Gardens 0.8 km
- Sonoma County Fairgrounds 2 km
- Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center 2.8 km
- Children's Museum of Sonoma County 2.9 km
|Santa Rosa Sonoma County||11.3 km|
|Napa County||45.7 km|
|Santa Rosa, California||240 m|


Alldo Tech stainless steel laser engraving machine can be used to mark logo, words, brand, QR code, batch number, photo or drawing on materials such as stainless steel, alloy metal plate, aluminium, silver, gold, etc. This fiber laser engraver is used to expose deep substances through the evaporation of surface substances or to engrave traces by chemical and physical changes of surface substances caused by light energy to show the substance. The stainless steel engraving machine can also be used to mark on non-metal materials like plastic, used on electronic integrated circuits, mobile communication products, precision instruments, glasses, jewelry, plumbing pipe, etc.
The stainless steel laser engraving machine brings you performance and reliability without compromise. With great software the marking of text, graphics and variable data is made easy on almost any material. All markings can be automated to speed up production, and our fiber range comes with both touchscreen interfaces (allowing them to work independently without a computer) and a number of interfaces for remote control.
The stationary fiber laser machine is the technology that can mark with a high precision dual dimensional system on all metals. This can be adopted in virtually all industries for both industrial and personal purposes.
Desktop fiber laser is a laser marking system that can be trusted with a high level of accuracy in marking metals. Zero maintenance cost and a smooth operation are the best benefits of this laser machine.
The handheld laser can mark all types of material. This laser machine is powerful and it marks accurately on products. This is one of the cost effective machines, marking is done no matter the size of material.
The split fiber laser machine can mark thick, thin and soft metal. The compact design of this machine makes it suitable for automated and office production. The speed allows users to save time in production.
This flying fiber laser machine is a special technology that can be applied on various materials. This machine can also produce quality marks on nonmetallic materials. The machine marks long lasting markings on many products.
The swing arm fiber laser marking machine is the ideal choice for busy and speedy industrial metal marking. It enhances the quality of marking needed for production. The application of this machine is user friendly.
Choose the Top Technology for Stainless Steel Marking and Engraving
High Speed & Stability
Achieving a marking speed of 8000mm per second, the marking will not freeze, and its stability.
Alldo Tech is a manufacturer with a competitive price and accepts worldwide agents.
Custom Different Depth
The standard equipment configuration can achieve a marking depth of 0.6mm.
No Maintenance Costs
It has no consumables, the parts have a long service life and require almost no maintenance.
Our fiber laser engraver is highly efficient on stainless steel and other non-metal materials, at the same time, consumes low power, less than 500W. The theoretical life time of our fiber laser is 100,000 hours.
At Alldo Tech, our fiber laser has general features of; high efficiency for photoelectric conversion, compact in structure, high system integration, fewer faults,no consumables. The air cooling system can run continuously for 24 hours.
We have highly skilled engineers that provide our customers with the technical advice they need to choose the suitable stainless steel laser and a guide on how to get it started for productivity.
Feedback from Our Clients
We found exactly what we are looking for in a fiber laser for etching stainless steel at Alldo Tech. They are easy to operate, you do not need to waste your resources on buying consumables. Everything you need to carry out a great job is already incorporated into the machines. We are forever grateful to Alldo Tech for transforming our business operations.
This is amazing! I have lots of stainless and even some 303 stainless foil for making heat treat envelopes. I can’t wait to try this out!
I received my new little laser engraver last week, and I find it to be a very good little machine. It has the power to engrave stainless steel quite nicely; I haven’t experimented with other materials yet. At 40% power, it engraves about .030″ (0.76MM) deep red oak. I am using this to engrave on my wooden Native American style flutes and parts, engraving the Key Signature and my branding information into each flute, plus some graphics work as well.
Arrived perfectly without any parts missed, well protected, great packaging. Assemblage was simple. What I got was almost an assembled one. All of the tools needed were in the kit. I expected a lot of issues from reading the comments, however after building and running the machine, I am an expert now with the stainless engraving laser. This is with great design. Solid frame with a large working area.
Just remember eye protection when experimenting with LASER of this power and higher by wearing the Laser Safety googles that accompanies the machine. The laser marking machine for stainless steel was assembled and commissioned with no challenges. Not hard work but you need to have some mechanical and a little electrical knowledge. It helps.


text: Until now, little or no attention has been paid to the monitoring of therapy with nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). The authors discuss reasons for that situation. They emphasize that lack of monitoring of unwanted side-effects of the widely used NSAIDs is no doubt due to the overuse of these drugs. The expedience and a protocol concerning the efficacy and toxicity monitoring of such drugs are critically discussed. The authors stress that toxicity monitoring should be performed in selected patient groups that to only in those patients at risk.

domain: literature


Samsung Brings Advanced Ultra-Fine Pixel Technologies to New Mobile Image SensorsShare open/close
The ISOCELL HP1 offers industry-first 200MP resolution based on 0.64 µm-pixels and new pixel-binning technology, Tetra²pixel
The ISOCELL GN5 is a super-slim 1.0µm 50MP sensor with elevated autofocusing
Samsung Electronics, a world leader in advanced semiconductor technology, today introduced the ISOCELL HP1, the industry’s first 200-megapixel (MP) image sensor with 0.64μm pixels, and ISOCELL GN5, the first image sensor to adopt all-directional focusing Dual Pixel Pro technology with two photodiodes in a single 1.0μm pixel.
“Samsung has been pioneering ultrafine pixel technologies that are taking high-resolution image sensors to the next level,” said Duckhyun Chang, executive vice president of sensor business at Samsung Electronics. “With the ISOCELL HP1 that is breaking barriers and ISOCELL GN5 bringing ultrafast auto focus, Samsung will continue to lead the trend for next-generation mobile imaging technologies.”
ISOCELL HP1: Capture the World in Breathtaking 200MP and Crystal Sharp 8K Video
The ISOCELL HP1 is the industry’s first mobile image sensor to support 200MP. Based on Samsung’s most advanced 0.64μm-sized pixels, the ISOCELL HP1 brings such ultrahigh resolution in a small package that fits comfortably in today’s handheld devices. With the ISOCELL HP1, pictures hold an astonishing amount of detail that helps the image stay sharp even when cropped or resized.
For ultimate low-light photography, the ISOCELL HP1 features an all-new Tetra²pixel technology, a pixel-binning technology that uses a two-by-two, four-by-four or full pixel layout depending on the environment. In a low-lit environment, the HP1 transforms into a 12.5MP image sensor with large 2.56μm pixels by merging 16 neighboring pixels. The newly formed 2.56μm pixel is capable of more light absorption and sensitivity, producing brighter and clearer photos in in-doors or in the evening. In bright outdoor environments, the sensor’s 200-million pixels can capture ultra-high-definition photography on mobile devices.
The ISOCELL HP1 can take 8K videos at 30 frames-per-second (fps) with minimum loss in the field of view. The HP1 merges four neighboring pixels to bring the resolution down to 50MP or 8,192 x 6,144 to take 8K (7,680 x 4,320) videos without the need to crop or scale down the full image resolution.
ISOCELL GN5: Lock on Instantly and Take Super-Sharp Hi-Res Images With All-Directional Autofocus
The ISOCELL GN5 is the industry’s first 1.0μm image sensor to integrate Dual Pixel Pro, an all-directional autofocusing technology, that can substantially boost autofocusing capabilities. This technology places two photodiodes, the smallest in the industry, within each 1.0μm pixel of the sensor either horizontally or vertically to recognize pattern changes in all directions. With one million phase-detecting multi-directional photodiodes covering all areas of the sensor, the ISOCELL GN5’s autofocusing becomes instantaneous, enabling sharper images in either bright or low-lit environments.
The image sensor also makes use of Samsung’s proprietary pixel technology, which applies Front Deep Trench Isolation (FDTI) on a Dual Pixel product for the first time in the industry. Despite the microscopic photodiode size, FDTI enables each photodiode to absorb and hold more light information, improving the photodiodes’ full-well capacity (FWC) and decreasing crosstalk within the pixel.
Samples of Samsung ISOCELL HP1 and GN5 are currently available.


End Plates are probably the most versatile of all the flexible Connection types in that the may be used to connect beam-to-beam and bean to columns, both to the flange and web. They can also be used for skew connections at any angle.
End-Plates are cut from Plate or ‘Flats’ which are drilled or punched to the required bolt-patterns and shop-welded to the beam-end web. The End-Plate is welded longitudinally to the beam web on both sides which should not be continued across the top and bottom of the plate. They do have a tendency to ‘bow’ due to weld shrinkage, but provided the curvature is moderate it should not cause a problem as the plate will usually pull straight as the joint is tightened during erection.
The shear resistance of the End-Plate is determined by the strength of the Fillet weld between the plate and the beam-end web, generally a 6 or 8-mm fillet-weld will prove adequate.
Welded End-Plates are the most economical in terms of material usage and lend themselves to a very high level of standardization. They also have the advantage of being adapted to skew connections which makes them so popular.
But their main drawback is that they can sometimes be difficult to erect as there is little room for site adjustment. Consequently, they must be fabricated to a high level of accuracy.
They can sometimes be tricky when erecting a beam between two existing beams, where its necessary to swing the beams into position – the edges of the end-plate may interfere with the existing beam webs. For small beams this is rarely a problem, but as the beam becomes larger the problem may become apparent.
To avoid an accumulation of tolerances in such conditions, particularly when a string of beams form a continuous run, its common practice to detail each 4th or 5th beam 5-mm shorter and compensate with ‘finger-packs’
There are basically 3- end plate types, they include: Partial Depth, Extended Depth, and Full Depth
When connecting beam-to-beam a notch (or Cope) will likely be required - see Notches
Partial Depth End-Plates should not be less than 0.6 x the beam depth, if the beam is notched top and bottom, then the End-Plate should extend the full depth of the web between the notches. Many designers don’t like to use end-plates with double notch beams, especially thin-web beams, preferring instead to use either stiffened plates or Cleats.
The end-plate is welded to each side of the beam web and should not be welded horizontally across the top and bottom.
Partial depth end-plates should not be used with Wide-Gauge bolt-centers.
Extended-Depth End-Plates are welded to the web and bottom flange of the beam and should be considered when using Wide-Gauge bolt-centers, or when the load is such that a Partial-Depth End-Plate proves inadequate.
Full-Depth End-Plates would typically be used for beam-to-column connections, as there is no provision for a notch, they lend themselves to ‘gusset-plates’ where vertical bracing is required.
Extended and Full-depth End-Plates are not as flexible as the Partial-Depth and will offer some moment resistance – but provided the plates are thin enough and used with Wide Bolt Gauge, they will usually fulfil the requirements of a Pin-Ended connection
When the end-plate is attached to a channel section the same types apply, but the one difference is that the end-pates may be Full or Half Width.
A Full Width end-plate should be set out so that the bolt-hole gauge is equal about the heel of the channel.
A Half Width end-plate should also be set out so that the gauge is measured from the heel of the channel - the gauge itself would be the normal gauge / 2. With this end-plate type there are two options:
Option 1 - is to set out the end plate so that it protrudes from the heel of the channel by approximately 10 mm. allowing for a double sided weld - or alternatively,
Option 2 - is to set out the end-plate so that in intrudes into the heel by approximately 5-6 mm, again, allowing for a double sided weld.
Option 1 - may be used with a partial, extended, or full depth end plate, while option 2 - should be used with either an extended of full depth plate.
End Plate Thickness
A rule-of-thumb applies here:
For beams up to 450 mm in depth = 10 Thk. Plt.
For beams over 450 mm in depth = 12 Thk. Plt.
Beam to Column Connections
End Plates, being so adaptable can be ada[ted to connect to virtually any column size without too much difficulty.
When connecting to the column flange, the gauge will be determined by the recommended (or Workable) gauge of the column. When we look at Standardizing the Connections, it will be found that the Narrow and Standard recommendations will comply with the column gauges.
Connecting to the column web will be slightly different because the maximum end plate width must be less than the depth of the column web when measured between the root radii (hw). Columns less than 200 mm. deep will probably need an end-plate narrower the the recommended standard - column above 200 mm will (in most cases) be able to accomodate the Standard End-Plates. If the flange width of the incoming beam is greater than the distance between the column flanges, the the Flanges will need to be notched - see Notches
Alternatively, you can weld a flange plate across the toes of the column flange and connect the end-plate.
Vertical Bolt Pitch
To determine the vertical bolt-hole pitch the distance between the top of the beam and the first row of bolts (v1) must be established - this is a function of the Notch Depth (whether there is one or not) and the vertical edge distance between to top of the cleat and the centre of the first row of bolts.
Dimension (d1) is the distance between the top of the beam flange and the top of the cleat. In most cases (d1) will equal the notch depth, but there are circumstances where they will differ - which we'll look at.
(e1) is the vertical edge distance which should not be less than 2 x the bolt diameter.
Refer to Tables 4 and 5
There will be instances when two adjacent beams with different calculated notch depths connect to a common web thus sharing bolts. In such cases, the cleat may be lowered (on the smaller beam) to match that of the greater. Alternatively, the notch may be deepened.
It will be found that a great majority of Notch Depths will fall into the 0 - 50 mm range - so though this will always be a consideration, it should never be a major issue.
For more information on standard notch depths see Notches.
End Plates have been standardized according to Standard and Wide Gauges. Wide Gauge end-plates should not be used with Partial Depth end plates.
These proposed standards encompass M16, M20, and M24 Bolts.
M16 and M24 bolts are hardly ever used for end plate connections, M20 being the de-facto standard.


Nicely kept example of this 31-foot classic from Rassy. Constructed with high-grade materials. This high quality family cruiser is in good condition and still very much in demand. Teak decks renovated in 2007, new Raytheon equipment 2007, engine overhauled 2008.
HALLBERG RASSY 312 MKII
|Dimensions||9,42 x 3,08 x 1,62 (m)|
|Engine(s)||1 x Volvo Penta MD2003 Diesel|
|HP/Kw||28 (hp), 20,58 (kw)|
|Lying||at sales office|
|Sales information||De Valk Sint Annaland|


"Final Fantasy VII," often heralded as one of the greatest RPGs ever made, will be hitting PCs as a digital download. The game will come with new features, such as cloud saves, a game editor, and an in-game achievement system.
"FF VII" will available later this year, in the meantime check out the announcement trailer below:
mind you tongue mrs gavin your language is tad much
Joffrey is both a fool and a insolent swine , be gone


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Begin with drawing a medium oval and a small circle along with a D-Shaped figure for the wings.
Now make the beak.
Make the outline for the legs and the feet.
Now, make the feet and enhance them.
Now join them both and make the neckline.
Now make the wings.
Make the tail wings and feathers.
Enhance the wings with additional details, make the eyes and other details.
Complete the drawing by adding the required details and the needed finishing touch.


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|UK Release date: 21st Sep 2018|
1. As One
4. Beyond the Outskirts
5. Chalk Circles
6. Cold Hands
7. Life is Golden
10. Dont Be Afraid If Nobody Loves You
11. Dead Bird
12. All the Wild Places
13. The Invisibles
Suede's 2018 album 'The Blue Hour'. The Blue Hour was produced by Alan Moulder and Suede; it shares the same line-up as 1996s Coming Up vocals by Brett Anderson, guitars by Richard Oakes, bass by Mat Osman, drums by Simon Gilbert, synthesizers and piano by Neil Codling.
2-disc 180g heavyweight LP. CD album. Specially mastered instrumental CD. DVD featuring an album commentary from the band and Alan Moulder plus never-before-seen video for 'Dont Be Afraid If Nobody Loves You. Exclusive bonus track Manipulation on 7 vinyl. Lyric sheets. A collection of art cards.


Just days after the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (DCCAH) issued an eleventh-hour amendment on its already-signed contracts with grantees that prohibited “lewd, lascivious, vulgar, overtly political, and/or excessively violent” projects from being funded, Mayor Muriel Bowser’s office rescinded the controversial guidelines.
On Thursday evening, DCCAH sent a letter to all its grantees explaining that the amendment was an “over-correction” and has been officially rescinded.
Ward 2 Councilmember Jack Evan initially confirmed the news to the Washington City Paper. “It should never have been sent out in the first place,” he said. “We should not be censoring artwork or anything of that nature. It was not well thought out.”
Evans added that Rhona Friedman, an attorney and Ward 2 DCCAH commissioner alerted him to the amendment. He later spoke with the mayor’s chief of staff, John Falcicchio, who confirmed that the amendment would be rescinded.
Friedman’s apparent dismay about the updated contract agreement gives credence to rumors that the censorship push came from inside DCCAH’s staff and not from the commissioners overseeing the organization. There are, however, conflicted accounts. The contract was signed by Angie Gates, the commission’s interim executive director, and general counsel. But an email has circulated over the last few days by one commission member who says that “commissioners weren’t made aware of this before it was sent out to the grantees.”
Responding to Hyperallergic’s request for comment, DCCAH spokesperson Jeffrey Scott indirectly confirmed the amendment’s rescindment in a message of support to the city’s arts community:
“The Bowser Administration stands firmly behind our shared DC Values and will always strive to uphold our mission of service to the District and its residents. The DC Commission on Arts and Humanities believes deeply in the right to freedom of expression and would never seek to violate that right by censoring the work of any grantee.
Mayor Bowser’s steadfast commitment to our diverse and vibrant Arts and Humanities community will not waiver. We look forward to a continued investment and collaboration with our District creative community.”
Although the mayor’s office plans to rescind the order, it’s not expressly clear what that would mean for artists and nonprofits that have already resubmitted their contracts with the censorships clause intact.
The quick demise of the amended contract is largely a credit to DC’s intimate network of artists and nonprofits. Groups like the Washington Project of the Arts and International Arts & Artists alerted the media to the story while a local critical arts writing collective, DIRT, publicized the censorship controversy on social media.
Hundreds of copies of the LA-based guerrilla poster artist Robbie Conal’s latest work, “Supreme Injustices,” were pasted up from Venice to Los Feliz.
This week, another reason to leave Facebook, who really invented democracy, and what is “Skimpflation”?
International audiences have free access to the media collections of MMCA Korea, Sharjah Art Foundation, and ArkDes through this subscription-based art streaming platform.
Your list of must-see, fun, insightful, and very Los Angeles art events this month, including Pope.L, Beatriz Cortez, Mika Rottenberg, and more.
The acclaimed composer and noise artist talks to Hyperallergic about his Pulitzer Prize-winning composition “Voiceless Mass.”
Convened by Erika Sprey, Lamin Fofana, Sky Hopinka, Emmy Catedral, and Manuela Moscoso, the public program unfolds this summer at CARA in New York City.
Her works, depicting objects from Korean markets, invite viewers to marvel at what can be achieved with fabric.
Salonen’s paintings point to a location in which reality is slippery, ill-defined — a dream or place of play.
The Bay Area art book fair is back this July with free programming at three different on-site venues, new exhibitors, and fundraising editions from renowned artists.
The Ancient Egyptian tomb of Khnumhotep and Niankhkhnum, one of the most intricate in the Saqqara necropolis, shows the pair holding hands and embracing.
In another action yesterday, five members of the group were arrested after they glued themselves to a landscape painting in Scotland.
The New Museum, the American Museum of Natural History, and the Afro-Latin Jazz Alliance also received capital allocations in a “historic” round of funding from the Department of Cultural Affairs.


Press Release Summary:
Available in oil-resistant NBR (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Rubber) or FDA-compliant, temperature-resistant silicone, oval vacuum cups feature sealing face with three-dimensional (3D) shape designed for optimal grip. Contour of suction lip partially grips cylindrical workpiece and can securely accommodate very small diameter items such as pipettes, pencils, bolts, and needles.
Original Press Release:
Oval Vacuum Cups for Cylindrical Products
The right solution for any handling task: FIPA (www.fipa.com) has extended its range of vacuum cups by adding oval vacuum cups for cylindrical workpieces.
While classic oval vacuum cups are flat and offer only a small attachment area for cylindrical parts, the new vacuum cups feature a sealing face with a three-dimensional, oval shape.
The contour of the suction lip partially grips the workpiece resulting in significantly better suction than classic oval vacuum cups. The advantage is that very small diameter workpieces can be securely gripped even at high speeds. Reliable handling solutions for pipettes, pencils, bolts, needles and the like can thus be realized efficiently. The new oval vacuum cups for cylindrical workpieces are available in oil-resistant NBR (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Rubber) or FDA-compliant, temperature-resistant silicone.
300 East Auburn Ave.
Springfield, OH 45505
Fax: (937) 324-0587
FIPA is an international company, operating in the fields of Vacuum Technology and End-of-Arm-Tooling. We specialise in developing and marketing quality products and innovative solutions for all aspects of material flow systems. FIPA's headquarter is based in Ismaning near Munich/Germany since 1985 and is characterised by sustained growth. Current and comprehensive information at www.fipa.com.


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Infrastructure development in emerging economies and increasing numbers of passenger cars are the two main market drivers for the global lubricants market, which is segmented by product type, applications and geography. Based on product type, this market is categorized into bio-based, mineral oil and synthetic lubricants. The mineral oils segment holds the highest share in the lubricants market and is expected to retain its leading position during the forecast period as well. Grease, automotive oils, metalworking fluids, and industrial oils are some of the common application segments in the global lubricants market.
The market is classified into the Asia Pacific, North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Rest of the World. Entry of new players in this market is challenging, since it is dominated by only a few leading companies. Research and development activities in the global lubricants market calls for high investments for establishing production facilities. Furthermore, new market entrants need strong distribution networks in order to thrive in the global lubricants market. Presently, lubricant manufacturers are focusing more on expanding their distribution networks, and production capacities.
The key lubricant manufacturing companies are Sinopec Limited, Royal Dutch Shell Plc, PetroChina Company Limited, Lukoil Oil Company, Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd., and ExxonMobil Corporation.
The report is titled Lubricants Market – Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2014 – 2020.
Source: Transparency Market Research
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Carl Zimmer and Katie Thomas at NYT round up what is known about the CDC’s claim that states need to get ready for a COVID-19 vaccine by next month.
The timing, of course, feels suspicious.
The CDC is being flooded with angry calls from folks who believe a QAnon lie, boosted by the president, that COVID-19 deaths have been greatly exaggerated.
Sen. Joni Ernst tells a campaign audience that she is “so skeptical” of reported COVID-19 death counts, validating the lie.
UNESCO has a whole #ThinkBeforeSharing campaign to confront COVID-19 misinformation, and offers tips to help folks identify the false stuff and keep it from spreading.
Boston College study: Men who think of themselves as “traditionally masculine” don’t want to wear masks, have less trust in science, and less empathy. Coulda told you that.
The Council on Foreign Relations says the arrest of Mubarak Bala “illustrates the fragility of human rights and the rule of law when an individual directly challenges the norms of conservative society in Nigeria.”
Asia Bibi is disassociating herself from her own autobiography (“I wasn’t involved in its drafting.”), saying she doesn’t blame the government authorities for her blasphemy conviction and death sentence. “The wise side with their country and avoid saying anything that sparks hatred from people or increases clashes.” So it looks like she’s not interested in being a revolutionary.
Chrissy Stroop on how folks talk about the evangelical embrace of Kenosha killer Kyle Rittenhouse:
When Christians deflect from addressing the bad behavior of other Christian individuals and groups by writing them out of “true” Christianity, they’re essentially equating Christianity with goodness at the direct expense of nonbelievers and religious minorities who are afforded no equivalent deference.
Religion & Politics reviews the new book Imagining Judeo-Christian America by K. Healan Gaston: “The big debate … was over the legitimacy of the secular public sphere and whether some Americans—Protestants, Catholics, and Jews—were better citizens than atheists, agnostics, and other nonbelievers.”
Three fake pastors in Maryland have been indicted for a Ponzi scheme in which they defrauded victims out of more than $28 million.
Abortion providers in Tennessee are challenging the new state law mandating that they tell women seeking medication abortions that they can reverse the procedure. Which they can’t, so that would be lying to their patients.
Astronomers may have detected the merger-in-progress of two black holes from 7 billion years ago, forming an “intermediate mass black hole.” I know where I’m booking my next vacation.
We’re keeping track of COVID-19 pseudoscience, snake oil, fake cures, and more at CFI’s Coronavirus Resource Center. Separate fact from fiction and inoculate yourself from misinformation at centerforinquiry.org/coronavirus.
Linking to a story or webpage does not imply endorsement by Paul or CFI. Not every use of quotation marks is ironic or sarcastic, but it often is.

domain: sociology


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Most of you have probably heard of Mr. Jim Slip, but how many of you are familiar with his smoking hot wife? She’s typically the one behind the camera for his sexcapades, but the favor gets returned for her site and right now you can take advantage of this Laras Playground discount for 67% off. They’re a power couple that proves that couples that play together stay together. They’re a wild bunch and I’m extremely envious.
Lara has 181 videos and photos for viewers to drool over. They’re delivered in Full HD so you’ll enjoy crystal clear shots every time. When it comes to seducing viewers, she’s a pro. You’ll often see her in sexy lingerie and stockings. The fact that her husband is the one behind the camera adds to the excitement for her and has a double effect, she turns him and viewers on at the same time.
This is a massive deal that can’t be ignored. I highly recommend you act fast though, and tell your friends so they don’t miss out either.

domain: entertainment


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As the young but determined hero Mister Slime, players set off on an exhilarating adventure, trying to protect Slime Village from its evil enemies, the Axons. Using the touch screen and stylus, players must navigate the levels by dragging and stretching Mister Slime's arms to grab hold of small anchor points scattered throughout the game. Mister Slime features inventive uses of characteristics specific to Nintendo DS, including sound and shape recognition. As an example, players are able to blow on Mister Slime to make him fly in the air or to help him breathe under water.
Check out all the latest Dragon Quest VIII games and accessories available now for Nintendo 3DS.
PowerUp Rewards Pro members get 10% off pre-owned games and accessories. Enter your rewards number in the cart to see discounts.

domain: game


text:
(Blockbuster article updated from May 13.)NEW YORK ( TheStreet) -- Blockbuster ( BBI) continues to tumble after it reported yet another quarterly loss on Thursday. During the first-quarter, the movie rental retailer lost $65.4 million, or 33 cents a share, compared with a profit of $24.9 million, or 13 cents a share, in the year-ago period for Blockbuster.
|Bankruptcy Is Blockbuster's Only Hope |
|Top Dividend Stocks Under $5 |

domain: economics


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I think anyone who doesn’t believe that the goal is to enact registration and tie every gun to an individual so as to eventually implement confiscation is truly deluding themselves.
Yahoo article is now talking about the “Gun Trust Loophole”, expect this to be the next loophole that will be the rallying cry if the gun control advocates get their way, and end private sale of long guns. I mean, they have to have some “loophole” to help them push their culture of fear.
Truthfully, I am willing to give up gun trusts. Instead, eliminate the whole local sheriff requirement for NFA registration and enact legislation that protects said firearms being passed down to heirs via inheritance.


Some consumers may be deserting cable and satellite TV for streaming services, but for many pay-TV customers, Netflix and its ilk continue to be complementary to traditional television.
Exactly how many people have both pay-TV and Netflix is not totally clear. According to a new study by consulting firm PwC, the majority of pay-TV subscribers — about 65% — claim they now have Netflix, up from 41% in 2013.
But is that really true? The figure seems improbably high: Overall in the U.S., the net number of Netflix subscribers increased 19.7% over the last 12 months, from 31.1 million in the third quarter of 2013 to 37.2 million in Q3 2014. Nielsen estimates that there are about 100.6 million pay-TV households in the United States, indicating Netflix’s penetration rate among that base should be under 40% — far less than the PwC survey’s findings.
Asked about the discrepancy, a PwC rep said that many Netflix users share accounts so they consider themselves subscribers even if they’re not the primary payer. But that would mean a really large number of shared Netflix accounts. Another potential explanation is that pay-TV customers subscribe to Netflix for a short period of time, then cancel the service. (Netflix does not report churn rate in its quarterly earnings.)
Meanwhile, the PwC survey found that overall, Amazon Prime subscriptions jumped from 18% of pay-TV households in 2013 to 32% this year, while Hulu Plus subscriptions rose from almost 8% to more than 11%. Again, it’s possible those self-reported figures are higher than actual subscription rates.
In any case, with more video options than ever, a growing number of consumers may be cutting — or shaving — the cord. Overall pay-TV subscriptions have declined among consumers under 35, the PwC study found, while it was flat for those 35-49 and up slightly among the 50-59 cohort. Among those 18-24, cable and satellite subscriptions dropped from 77% in 2013 to 71% this year. Furthermore, only 42% of pay-TV subs answered yes when asked if they saw themselves subscribing to cable 10 years from now, vs. 91% in a year from now and 61% five years from now.
For consumers, the consternation with subscription-TV service continues to center around paying for channels they don’t watch — with 41% of respondents saying they’d prefer a la carte pricing options, according to the PwC study. But TV remains popular, with 73% of viewers saying that watching TV increasingly is often as good as going to the movies.
The study also found binge-watching of TV series to be a major phenomenon, with about 50% of viewers saying they have watched an entire season of a show in one week.
The data is based on an online survey of 1,024 consumers conducted in September 2014. PwC said the survey sample is representative of the U.S. population across gender, age and income. The 2014 results were compared with a similar 1,008-person study conducted in the fall of 2013.


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Please click on an image to enlarge it.
This particular piece of fused glass art was done as a kitchen splashback in Alkrington, Manchester as requested by the client. Done in a Dalaman design with a neutral background. The piece also features different hues of reds, yellows and blues that come together to create something almost mosaic in colour! As you can see, the Dalaman design perfectly complements the kitchen, keeping the style consistent throughout. It’s safe to say that with the addition of one of our glass pieces, the already modern kitchen feels just that little bit more modern.