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Leonardo has announced sales this year of over 150 units of its ‘Linaps' artillery pointing system and over 100 FIN 3120 Inertial Navigation Units (INU), worth together more than 50M Euros, signalling a sustained level of interest in the company's artillery airming systems.
New technologies across competitiveness, sustainability among winning projects of 2017 Innovation Award
With the goal of investing in youth and research, rewarding the ideas and creativity of scholars and Leonardo employees, and an opportunity to highlight the promotion of STEM activities, Leonardo announces the 13th annual presentation of its Innovation Awards
AW139s to support Queensland Government's helicopter fleet modernization programme
Leonardo and NCI Agency extend NATO cyber protection service to additional HQs on budget and to schedule
Leonardo to provide Information Management software for Royal Australian Navy Collins-class submarines
Leonardo has been awarded a contract by the Commonwealth of Australia's Department of Defence to deliver Information Management software to six Collins-class submarines operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). The contract, called ‘Submarine Communication Information Exchange Management' (SCIEM), is part of Australia's Project SEA1439 Phase 5B2 upgrade programme.
AW169 helicopter success in UK EMS market continues with selection by the Cornwall Air Ambulance Trust
Leonardo announced today that Specialist Aviation Services (SAS) of the UK has been selected as the preferred bidder by the Cornwall Air Ambulance Trust to provide an AgustaWestland AW169 EMS
Leonardo announced today the sale of a further two AW139 intermediate twin-engine helicopters to customers in the UK for corporate/VIP passenger transport


Business group plans to get Rattler running
THE famous Valley Rattler could get back on track when supporters meet to put together a recovery business plan.
The Rattler's service was suspended by the safety regulator because of two derailments this year.
A strategic workshop is being held by the business advisory group after a preliminary assessment of the Mary Valley Heritage Railway identified opportunities for growth.
Gympie MP David Gibson hoped the workshop would come up with a plan to identify the strengths and opportunities in the MVHR and highlight what actions and support were needed to get the suspended tourist rail operation running again.
"It is important that any plan incorporates the efforts of local volunteers who are integral to the success of the MVHR," he said.
The results of the workshop will be presented to state and local government and other organisations.
MVHR president Tony Hallam said he hoped the business plan would enable the Valley Rattler to operate long into the future.


Paulo Dybala in the past hours has been trending with a link to either Manchester City or Liverpool.
Dybala is yet to sign a new contract in Juventus, with reports coming from Italy claiming he will be offered a reduced deal to remain at the club.
Dybala’s contract ends at the end of the season, which means Dybala will be available as a free agent at the end of the season.
Dybala to Manchester City, where would he fit?
City is reportedly interested in Juventus Dybala on a free transfer during the summer.
Manchester City is ready to offer Dybala a salary of 10 million Euros per season with a contract till 2027.
According to reports, the Man City coach Pep Guardiola is a big fan of Puolo Dybala.
Dybala style could be compared to that of Messi according to Zamparini.
So, it’s no shock that Manchester City is going for an attacker similar to Messi.
Will Dybala fit into Manchester City?
Dybala will be perfect for Man City as he will be able to play the no. 10 role.
Dybala could also be deployed as a false 9 by Manchester City.
Paulo Dybala to Liverpool, where would he fit?
At Liverpool the wingers are fast which Paulo Dybala lacks.
Although he could be used as a false 9 or a supporting striker.
Liverpool’s strength mostly comes from the wing which means Dybala’s move to Liverpool might change the style of Liverpool.
Liverpool is believed to have contacted Dybala over a possible transfer to Liverpool but is likely to happen when he’s out of contract with Juventus.
The Serie A giant Juventus will be expecting a concrete proposal from either Manchester City or Liverpool.


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Choosing colors for weaving this year's Ena Marston Award ribbon was discussed during our Little Looms group. Ena's favorite color was purple but what other colors?
It's hard for me to visualize putting colors together without samples of colors in front of me - magazines, paint chips, what have you.
I looked around the room and noticed Julie's beautiful (and colorful) jacket. We called her over and I took pics of the vibrant blends of colors that she wore.
I've been tasked to weave the wording again which might be the easiest job since it's only two colors.
This is the beautiful 2023 Ena Marston Award ribbon pieced, sewn, and finished by Lupe.
The back is as beautifully finished as the front.

domain: hobby


Washington (CNSNews.com) – Conservative groups are urging 13 House Democrats who voted against final passage of the $1 trillion health care overhaul legislation last March to vote for the repeal legislation.
House Republicans will vote next week on a bill to repeal the legislation they call “Obamacare,” that imposes an individual mandate to buy health insurance, requires employers to provide insurance and establishes insurance exchanges at the state level.
Three organizations, DeFundIt.org, Americans for Prosperity, Association of American Physicians and Surgeons and the Independent Women’s Voice sent a letter Wednesday to the 13 House Democrats that voted against the legislation.
“After voting against the law’s authorization, you failed to sign the discharge petition to repeal it and pledges to fight to overturn it, leading us to believe that you actually support ObamaCare,” the letter says. “Your vote on H.R. 1 will once and for all confirm to the American people where you stand. If you are really against ObamaCare, then you will vote yea for repeal. We respectfully urge you to heed the new electoral mandate to repeal ObamaCare and vote yea.”
The 13 Democrats are Rep. Ben Chandler of Kentucky; Pennsylvania Reps. Jason Altmire and Tim Holden; Rep. Jim Matheson of Utah; North Carolina Reps. Mike McIntyre, Heath Shuler and Rep. Larry Kissell; Rep. Dan Boren of Oklahoma; Rep. John Barrow of Georgia; Rep. Mike Ross of Arkansas; Rep. Collin Peterson of Minnesota and Rep. Stephen Lynch of Massachusetts.
White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters Wednesday that President Obama had no plans to speak out against the repeal effort in the House.
“They understand that this is not going to land on the president’s desk. It’s not likely to pass the Senate,” Gibbs said. “I think it’s important to take a step back and understand beyond the symbolism, what this means. What it means is, going back to a health care system where insurance companies are in charge of calling the shots.”
The letter was signed by Alex Cortes, chairman of DeFundIt.org; James Valvo, director of government affairs for Americans for Prosperity; Heather Higgins, president of the
Independent Women’s Voice; and Dr. Jane Orient, executive director of Association of American Physicians and Surgeons.
Cortes said there is more at stake than political theater.
“It shows the grassroots movement and the tea party that the Republicans are committed to reversing the government takeover of health care,” Cortes told CNSNews.com. “This is about nailing down Democrats to see where they stand.”


The Green Building Council South Africa (GBCSA) is proud to announce that it has awarded 740 green building certifications since the first building was Green Star SA certified in 2009.
Together these certifications have a powerful cumulative impact and play an important part in combatting climate change. The 740 certifications equate to approximately 11.6 million square metres of green certified space, and a saving of about 1 150 million kilowatt hours of electricity a year. This in turn means some 1 400 million kilograms less carbon dioxide will be emitted each year, which is the equivalent to taking about 345 000 cars off the road in a year.
We have come a long way since the first certified building in South Africa. Our flagship green building rating system – Green Star SA – evolved to become Green Star Africa and is now awarded throughout Africa. Green Star has been bolstered by the Net Zero rating tools, and the GBCSA has also been the sole certifier of the Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies (EDGE) Homes rating system for new residential developments in South Africa, since 2015.
We are also pleased to announce that we have expanded our suite of green building rating tools, and are now licensed to award EDGE certification for all EDGE typologies in South Africa and, throughout the rest of Africa. This includes EDGE for Hospitality; Healthcare; Education; Offices and Retail throughout Botswana, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Namibia, Kenya, Mauritius, Uganda, Tanzania, Morocco, Ethiopia, eSwatini, Lesotho and Mozambique.
Using trusted and robust rating systems, including Green Star Africa, Net Zero and the IFC-developed EDGE green building design tool and certification system, we look forward to hundreds more certifications in the near future, as green buildings play their important role in mitigating climate change.
Why green buildings?
The built environment is a big contributor to climate change – globally the real estate sector contributes one third of global emissions according to the International Energy Agency. This means there is much room for improvement in the built environment, particularly in South Africa, where our coal-fired power stations mean that the electricity used to build and operate buildings has a high carbon footprint. The good news is that green buildings are one of the lowest cost, highest impact ways to tackle some of the environmental issues that lead to climate change.
Using tried and tested principles and processes, and already available technologies, particularly in energy efficiency, green buildings can quickly, and cost-effectively reduce carbon dioxide emissions and improve local economic development, air quality and health.
Benefits of green buildings include:
- Environmental benefits: Green buildings minimise resource depletion and pollution; Increase renewable energy and energy efficiency; Improve water efficiency and resilience; and less waste and emissions are produced.
- Economic benefits: Lower building maintenance costs; Lower electricity spend; Lower water spend; Lower vacancy rates; Increased marketability; Future-proofed investment.
- Health benefits: Increased cognitive function of occupants; Boosted workplace productivity; Fewer sick building symptoms; Lower airborne disease transmission; Promotion of eco-friendly behaviours.
The IPCC’s sixth report highlighted that climate change is already widespread, rapid, and intensifying. Stabilising the climate will require strong, rapid, and sustained reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, and reaching net zero carbon dioxide emissions. With increasing urbanisation in South Africa, we must ensure that our cities grow more sustainably.
The GBCSA is a member of the World Green Building Council and shares the overarching goal of moving towards a path of net zero carbon new buildings by 2030 and net zero existing buildings by 2050. We are working with national and local government, NGOs and the private sector, and participating in technical research on how we can make these goals a reality in the South African context.
Every year in early October, villagers would begin preparing their fields in anticipation of the annual rains, reminisces subsistence farmer Jantjie Ramokone.
After the rains, they would use oxen to plough their patches of land. There was one hectare per household on the outskirts of the village as allocated by the traditional authority. The villagers cultivated sorghum, millet, mealies, melons, beans, morogo, sweet potatoes, pumpkin and other crops. They also tended cattle and goats to provide milk. During the rainy season, the veld around the village teemed with wild fruit that supplemented their
The GBCSA is a member-based organisation, working with its wide-ranging membership community to inspire a built environment in which people and the planet thrive. We do this through certification of green buildings, green building training and professional development and advocacy to raise awareness and share knowledge on green building.
We operate across the commercial, residential and public sectors to ensure that buildings and homes are designed, built and operated in an environmentally sustainable way. Our combined influence drives competitive, viable and professional membership advantages. GBCSA’s affiliations enable access to a community of experts at home and abroad. We are one of about 75 members of the World Green Building Council. Together we create an experienced and trusted platform for advocacy, training and certification.


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Ryan Ellis skates but status still uncertain ahead of Flyers contest against Calgary Flames
Defenseman Ryan Ellis hasn't played since Oct. 20 and his status was not addressed by coach Alain Vigneault during Saturday's morning skate. His status for Saturday's game was still in doubt.
Ryan Ellis strapped on skates Saturday morning and joined his team on the ice for the first time since the Flyers arrived in Canada.
The defenseman last practiced Oct. 25, before the Flyers boarded the plane for Edmonton. He last played Oct. 20 in the Flyers’ win over the Boston Bruins and has been “day-to-day” ever since.
Coach Alain Vigneault did not speak to the media following Saturday’s morning skate to confirm Ellis’ status.
However, when the defensemen skated in pairings, Justin Braun still skated with Ivan Provorov on the top line. Ellis made up the fourth pair with the 13th forward (a rotation between Patrick Brown and Nicolas Aube-Kubel). He also did not participate in power-play drills. Rasmus Ristolainen ran point instead.
Extinguishing Gaudreau’s flame
Within the first week of meeting his Boston College teammate Johnny Gaudreau, Brown realized Gaudreau was going to be good — really good.
A decade has passed since that first meeting, and now the two will be in opposite jerseys when Brown’s Flyers play Gaudreau and the Calgary Flames on Saturday.
Gaudreau, now the Flames’ first-line left wing, is still a threat that you always have to be aware of, Brown said. He respects Gaudreau’s game, ”but we’ve got to be ready to shut that down.”
Brown isn’t sure he himself will be out there against Gaudreau. Brown played in the Flyers’ 2-1 win Wednesday night in Vancouver, replacing Aube-Kubel on the fourth line. While Brown feels he clicked well with linemates Nate Thompson and Zack MacEwen, he said it will be a game-time decision if he or Aube-Kubel plays.
Brown has been with the team for only a few practices and one game because he spent his first few weeks with the team under COVID-19 protocols. Whether or not he plays Saturday night, his teammates feel he’ll be able to help the team.
“He’s really strong on the puck,” Scott Laughton said. “Good forechecker, good in the faceoff dot. Brings an element that I think we need on that line ... I’m sure he’ll get better as we go along.”
Stay out of the box
The best penalty-kill strategy is to not commit penalities.
Following Wednesday’s game, where the Flyers gave the Canucks six power plays, Vigneault said his team was well aware it needed to bring that number down.
Laughton reiterated that Saturday before the game, but he also said the penalty-kill units have demonstrated marked improvement from last year.
“It’s been big,” Laughton said. “I think just the amount of pressure we’ve been putting on teams up ice, I think trying to create turnovers and waste a little bit of time down in their zone. And then once it gets into our zone, I think we’re really keying in on being on the same page and making it hard for teams to, I don’t know, move it around the box.”
The Flyers met with Ryan Straschnitzki, a Humboldt survivor who rehabbed at Shriners Hospital for Children in Philadelphia. Laughton, who remembers seeing Straschnitzki around Flyers Skate Zone during that time, said it was really cool for the team to get to talk to him. Straschinitzki was nice enough to sign a stick for Claude Giroux. ... Vigneault said he’s been pleased with the third line’s efforts and pace even if it wasn’t showing up in the box score. Laughton said he, Oskar Lindblom, and James van Riemsdyk have been communicating off the ice about how to convert their effort into points, and they hope to “pot one tonight.” ... The Flyers and the Flames will face off at 10 p.m. ET in the Scotiabank Saddledome.

domain: news


Koolance's inline flow meter provides a visual and electronic indicator of real-time coolant flow rate. Uses G 1/4 BSPP threads.
A frequency circuit (sold separately) multiplies the RPM signal to allow it to be read by most fan tachometer headers (such as those found on ATX motherboards). This signal is intended to allow fan detection software (including BIOS) to enable the appropriate alarm or shutdown procedure if the flow meter impeller stops rotating. The "RPMs" represent approximate flow meter coolant in mL/min, and not revolutions.
Wire length is about 28" (70cm). Primary materials are nickel-plated brass and acrylic.
The Koolance Frequency Adapter multiplies INS-FM17N flow meter RPM signals to allow readability by most fan tachometer headers. A small green power LED on the unit blinks according to flow meter rotation rate.
The flow meter RPM reading is intended to allow fan detection software (including BIOS) to enable the appropriate alarm or shutdown procedure if the flow meter impeller stops rotating. The "RPMs" represent approximate coolant flow rate in mL/min and not the flow meter's revolutions.
For accuracy, set the ID switch to either 10/13 (for 10mm or 13mm ID) or 6mm depending on your tubing internal diameter. The "Off/Sync/On" switch activates the internal LED lighting for INS-FM16 flow meters.
Flow Rate Range 1.0-15 LPM (15.6-240 GPH)
Weight 0.13 lb (0.06 kg)
Materials Nickel-Plated Brass, Brass, PMMA Acrylic, Stainless Steel, POM Acetal, Plastic, SmCo5
Max Pressure @ 25°C 2kgf/cm2 (28.5psi)
Max Temperature 70°C (158°F)


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... I've been having some fun making friendship bracelets for Pipi's contemporaries. Thanks to my patient crochet teacher Lena, I have learnt to make a macrame crochet cord and whilst this is just the base for something altogether more technical and elaborate, as soon as I saw it I knew it would make for pretty, summer bracelets for my 11 year old and her friends.
Even better, I didn't have to pop out for materials - I used the Namolio linen I bought last summer, which has featured in countless projects already, some Anchor 'pearl' cotton and then the little gems I bought via Gemme Tresor on Etsy two years ago for a cookery school client's birthday combined with the Swarovski crystals I used for the same project. I'm an absolute magpie and when it comes to yarn and beads, I'll find a use for every last one!
There are tutorials for macrame crochet cord online, but as soon as I can get my hands on my dad's camera again, I'll post some 'step-by-step' images for you. It's very simple, even the beading is easy once you've cracked the cord technique. Be back soon with a 'how to' ;) xxx

domain: artistic


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VicPD is continuing to ask for the public’s help as they work to locate a high-risk missing man who was last seen this past Monday.
Ian Indridson is described as a 54-year-old Caucasian man standing 5’11”, with a slim build.
He has short salt and pepper hair, and is believed to be wearing black sweatpants and rubber boots—he also may be wearing a dark Eddie Bauer sweatshirt as pictured in the updated photo VicPD provided, which is below.
Indridson was last seen on the morning of Monday, January 10th, and police believe he may have gone to an area near the ocean.
Authorities have reported that it’s out of character for him to have gone missing, and because of this, he is considered to be a high-risk missing person—meaning they believe his health or wellbeing may be in immediate danger.
Additionally, ‘missing’ posters circulating the city are asking for help in locating Indridson, stating that he has bad stress and sleep deprivation issues; they also go on to say that he is currently on medication for insomnia that may have compromised his mental capacity.
Family and friends have been circulating posters of high-risk missing man Ian Indridson, who was last seen the morning of Monday, January 10th.
VicPD continue to work to locate him and are seeking the public’s help.
— Seanna Wainman (@seannadiana) January 20, 2022
Police are asking anyone who sees Indridson to call 911.
Anyone with information on his possible whereabouts are asked to call the VicPD at (250) 995-7654. To report what you know anonymously, call Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.


The Force India VJM06 is the sixth car built by Force India, which was driven in the 2013 Formula One Season. It is the fifth car to be produced by the team in partnership with Mercedes. The VJM06 was officially unveiled on February 1st near Silverstone and was be driven by Paul di Resta and Adrian Sutil.
Complete Formula One Results
|V T E||Force India|
Vijay Mallya · Otmar Szafnauer · Andrew Green
Giancarlo Fisichella · Vitantonio Liuzzi · Adrian Sutil · Paul di Resta · Nico Hülkenberg · Sergio Pérez · Esteban Ocon
VJM01 · VJM02 · VJM03 · VJM04 · VJM05 · VJM06 · VJM07 · VJM08 · VJM09 · VJM10 · VJM11


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I do care about aikido and even people in aikido organizations (believe it or not, I don't hate everybody that belongs an organization), and for many of those people rank is a very big deal.
Yes, however, those organizations and the people you care about in them already have their minds made up (otherwise they wouldn't be affiliated with the org, right?). Just as no amount of words or sound arguments from others will convince you that the current ranking system is peachy, no amount of words or sound arguments from you will convince them that it is flawed. So after all of the headbutting, who benefits from the discussion? For some, being a member of an Aikido organization is probably a great thing. For others, not so much. But I don't feel the need to influence their own personal decision toward one outcome or the other. It's really just not such a big deal; if you choose to be in the org and you like it, great. If you don't like it, you can leave. It's not like the mafia, people can afford to find out for themselves.

domain: sociology


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Le Grand Bellevue is a 5-story hotel in Gstaad within close proximity to ski resorts offering ski rental, ski equipment rental and a ski storage room. An example of traditional architecture, this hotel was opened in 1912 and was fully restored in 2002.
This hotel is located in a resort area, just 1100 meters from Les Fers, Ski Lift Gstaad and Horneggli. Le Grand Bellevue Hotel is within about 10 minutes' walk of the center of Gstaad.
Le Grand Bellevue Hotel offers a breathtaking view to its guests.
Gruben train station is nearby. Le Grand Bellevue Hotel is located within 95 km from Geneve-cointrin airport.
The property comprises 57 modern rooms appointed with a mini-fridge, a private balcony, a laptop safe, wireless internet and a writing table. Some rooms at Le Grand Bellevue Hotel have a view over the mountain. The rooms come with elegant décor along with contemporary bespoke furniture.
Eat & Drink
There is a dining area for guests to enjoy their meal. Guests will taste special cuisine in the exceptional on-site restaurant. The Piano bar serves a broad variety of coffee, cocktails and wines as well as sushi and snacks and features a piano, live music and a terrace. Offering Lebanese meals, Christiania Hotel Restaurant is around 150 meters away.
The venue offers turndown service, wedding services and dry cleaning.
Along with a solarium, a laconium and a spa centre, guests will appreciate reflex massage, steam baths and Turkish bath on the premises. On-site fitness facilities include aerobics classes and a gym.
Wireless internet is available in the entire hotel for free.
private parking is possible on site at CHF 25 per day.

domain: travel


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The last time India and Pakistan fought a war, in 1999, Twitter, Facebook and WhatsApp did not exist. The blog had just been born, and television news channels were not stuck in an endless frenzy of breaking news.
Correspondingly, the war itself was seen as a worrisome, necessary evil to repel the incursions of Pakistani troops over the Line of Control, which demarcates India from Pakistan-held Kashmir.
The arrival of new media technologies has changed all that. Since February 14, when a Pakistan-based militant group carried out an attack on an Indian army convoy, killing 40 troops, India has been whipped into pro-war sentiment of a kind rarely seen here.
A combination of social media hysteria and television news jingoism have pushed Indian policy-making to consider military responses over diplomatic negotiations, particularly after Pakistan shot down an Indian Air Force plane and captured its pilot.
On television, several anchors have practically plotted the course of the war they think India ought to pursue. On Tuesday, after India claimed to have carried out an air strike on a terrorist camp in Pakistan, an anchor on a Telugu news channel dressed in fatigues and carried a toy gun. In its chyrons and bulletins, the channel Times Now dubbed Pakistan “Fakistan” to insist that the country had been duplicitous in its approach to terrorism.
Arnab Goswami, the most notorious warmonger on Indian news TV, declared that “an eye for an eye” was outdated wisdom. “The new way forward is two eyes for one eye.”
“The idiocy of our commando TV news media will reach a point where we will force the two countries to war,” Rajdeep Sardesai, one of the rare news anchors calling for patience, said on Twitter. “Utterly embarrassing.”
On social media, similarly, a thirst for war became a litmus test for patriotism. Bollywood stars tweeted out their roaring approval of India’s air strike; “Mess with the best, die like the rest,” the actor Ajay Devgn wrote. Anyone who advised moderation or dialogue ran the risk of being dubbed a “traitor”. Fake news bloomed. Photos of the alleged devastation of the terror camp turned out to have been images from a 2005 earthquake in Kashmir.
In these debates, the divide between those eager for India to pursue all-out war and those arguing for restraint closely tracks the political polarities of the country. The former tend to fall into a camp supporting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has long advocated a hard stance towards Pakistan and its encouragement of terrorism. The latter adhere more closely to the Congress Party and other left-liberal parties.
The bellicose mood has been fanned by the BJP, which refused to cut short its campaigning for the general elections later this year. Instead, the BJP’s leaders incorporated the tension of the border conflict into their stump speeches, projecting the party as the only one to keep India safe.
Urging a crowd in Ghazipur, in Uttar Pradesh, to re-elect the BJP, Amit Shah, the party’s president, said on Tuesday: “Who can give a fitting reply to Pakistan? Who can wipe out terrorism?” His implied answer was: Mr Modi. The air strikes that the government had just ordered, Mr Shah said, “have brought a sense of peace to the people of this country”.
On Thursday, Mr Modi said: “We will fight as one, we will win as one.”
A similar mood has prevailed in Pakistan. There too, television anchors dressed up in military uniforms, and Twitter warriors expressed their bloodlust. Writing in the New York Times, Fatima Bhutto, the author and the niece of the former Pakistan prime minister Benazir Bhutto, pointed out the glee with which the hashtag #Pakistanstrikesback was being used after the capture of the Indian pilot. Several commentators, she wrote, were trying to "hashtag our country down the path of nuclear war".
In an address on Wednesday, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan warned of the need for caution. "My question to the Indian government is: With the weapons that you have and the weapons we have, can we afford a miscalculation? Shouldn’t we think about what will happen if the situation escalates? This will not be in my control or in Narendra Modi’s control.”
Mihir Sharma, a fellow at the Observer Research Foundation, a think tank in New Delhi, told The National that the "over-the-top rhetoric" of social media and news television "actually limits the government's options".
“Having created the expectation that Pakistan will be visibly punished, anything less will be hard for the government to spin as victory,” he said. “Logically, India should look for ways to de-escalate at this point, but a government facing re-election with one eye on Twitter trends may not be able to afford logic.”


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LocationEast Midlands, West Midlands
Azets Corporate Finance has been engaged to find a purchaser for a well-established supplier and converter to the screen print, signage and digital industries.
Based in the Midlands, the company has a stable and loyal customer base which has generated consistent levels of annual turnover and has consequently shown consistent profitability over a number of years. With a highly experienced 2nd tier management team and knowledgeable staff, this is an excellent opportunity for an existing supplier to increase their market share or a new entrant to expand their product offering.
Adj. EBITDA: £0.3m
Having established a successful business the shareholders are approaching retirement age and now wish to pursue other interest outside of the print industry and are seeking to realise the value they have created.
For further information please contact:
Corporate Finance Senior Manager
+44 (0)7855 413 350

domain: economics


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SOUTH PHILADELPHIA (WTXF) - You only have until the end of rush hour to use a busy stretch of Columbus Boulevard.
Southbound traffic between Fitzwater and Christian streets is going to close again at 9am Wednesday.
First, water gushed from the manhole cover. Then, the water iced over and police had to shut the road down.
The water main was repaired overnight Wednesday -- and some water service has been restored to an impacted apartment building -- but the icy situation continues.
Until 9am, only the left lane will be open. At 9am, the water department will close it.
Just talked to Water Dept, they will return at 9am to finish repairs and will close Columbus Blvd & 95 Off-Ramps pic.twitter.com/JVenxK2qym— Bob Kelly (@bobkellytraffic) December 21, 2016
FOX 29’s Bob Kelly suggests using Front and 2nd streets, which are just across I-95, instead.
Gooood Mornin South Philly...Icy glaze on Columbus Blvd @ Christian - Detours & impacting 95...see ya on TV pic.twitter.com/iFjOLdnLDp— Bob Kelly (@bobkellytraffic) December 21, 2016
And the I-95 exit ramp to southbound Columbus will also close at 9.
Bob suggests exiting I-95 further south, at Packer and Oregon avenues.
Early scenes from Tuesday and what was left overnight Wednesday (app users click here):


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Nothin' beats a classic. Cheers to you, 'Merica! The 'Merica BevBuckle design is the most popular style, inspired by fun-lovin' American traditions, this buckle sets a new standard of fun.
BevBuckle is the world’s first retractable belt buckle that holds your drink, giving your hands the freedom to play the most epic game of ping pong, dance away at the next concert with backup drinks in tow or whatever else you have in mind.
Hand-made in the USA.
The BevBuckle holds any bottled or canned beverage and works on any belt style.
Size: 4.5 inches wide x 3.5 inches tall x 1 inch deep when closed. The center ring that holds your beverage is about 2.7 inches wide and holds most standard-sized bottles or cans.
Materials: Each buckle is made of zinc alloy and is completely lead free.
BevBuckle makes the world's first and only retractable belt buckle that holds a canned or bottled drink. Handmade in the USA, BevBuckle has taken the world by storm. Pick from awesome designs and go hands-free in style. It's a game changer.


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I've been using the Journal layout to display a series of photos I've been taking around my town during the pandemic.
For those folks who follow me regularly, it's nice to have the most recent photos sorted first so they can scroll down until they see a familiar photo. For those that have never visited the page before, it would be nice for them to be able to start at the beginning and scroll through to the present. Is there a way to let the user toggle an ascending/descending sort option?
Additionally, I would like to show the date and time below each photo. Are there any options other than adding that information to the title or caption fields? If it's not possible to display image metadata through SmugMug, I'm open to a solution to append/prepend that info to a caption in Lightroom (a batch script or something)


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The Supreme Court on Friday ruled that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is the authentic winner of the March 9th governorship election in Zamfara state.
Delivering judgment in an appeal filed by the PDP, the apex court upheld the ruling of the Court of Appeal in Sokoto that the All Progressives Congress (APC) did not conduct any governorship primaries ahead of the governorship election and so was not eligible to contest the election.
The court in a unanimous judgment by a five-member panel on Friday decided that a party that had no valid candidate cannot be said to have emerged winner of the recently conducted general elections.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared the APC candidate, Mukhtar Idris, winner of the elections after he polled 534,541 votes despite controversies trailing his emergence as the party’s flag bearer.
The PDP candidate who came second is expected to be sworn in as the governor of the state on Wednesday, May 29th. He will take over from Governor Yari Abdulaziz of the APC.

domain: politics


Tesla has initiated the rollout of two concurrent software updates across its fleet, one incorporating the latest FSD Beta software, while the other introduces enhanced driving visualizations and Autopark functionality. Notably, this marks the first instance of Autopark being deployed to vehicles lacking ultrasonic sensors.
Tesla’s FSD Beta V12.3 has been generating significant buzz across social media platforms, garnering unanimous praise from Tesla owners. However, this cutting-edge iteration of Tesla’s FSD software is exclusively available for vehicles manufactured in 2023, leaving newer models equipped with 2024 builds to operate on FSD Beta V11.4.9, introduced in December 2023.
Plans are underway to merge these software branches in the coming months, although such consolidation has been promised previously. Tesla’s practice involves merging software branches once the “cutting-edge” build demonstrates stability for production. However, after this, Tesla initiates a new branch to trial additional features, a pattern likely to continue in the future.
Tesla anticipates re-basing FSD Beta V12.3 onto newer 2024 builds of vehicle software shortly. Until this transition occurs, Tesla employees continue to explore new features, as evident in the recent software updates.
While vehicles running on software version 2023.44.30 received a minor update to FSD Beta V12.3.1, testers with 2024.2 builds were treated to a significant surprise over the weekend. The 2024.2.12 update introduced enhanced Driving Visualization and Autopark functionality, marking the first instance of Vision-only vehicles receiving this feature.
Based on insights shared by Teslascope, the updated Driving Visualizations are part of an impending overhaul in Tesla’s user interface (UI). Tesla has been diligently developing new visualizations for over a year, with promises of awe-inspiring designs.
A Take a look into this future was provided with the introduction of High-Fidelity Park Assist in December. Rumors also suggest that FSD visualization may be available when utilizing basic Autopilot on non-FSD vehicles.
However, the introduction of Autopark is the highlight of the 2024.2.12 update. For the first time, Vision-only vehicles are equipped with Autopark, leveraging end-to-end AI without the need for ultrasonic sensors. This improved Autopark system is anticipated to extend to vehicles with ultrasonic sensors in the future. As of now, it is exclusively available for Vision-only vehicles.
Following its initial release exclusively to Tesla employees as version 2024.2.11, Vision Autopark appears poised for broader rollout as version 2024.2.12. Early feedback suggests that Vision-only Autopark matches or exceeds the capabilities of USS-equipped vehicles.
A video shared on X demonstrates the functionality, showcasing the seamless parking process in a non-USS Tesla Model Y with Enhanced Autopilot. While Elon Musk has teased a future iteration of Autopark dubbed “Banish,” it remains absent from the release notes for version 2024.2.12.


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Indian Army martyrs 4 Kashmiris including woman in a fake operation
SRINAGAR - In Occupied Kashmir, Indian troops during their fresh state terrorism martyred four people including three youth and a woman in Handwara area of Kupwara district on Monday.
The killings took place during a joint operation by Indian army, police and Indian paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force.
Meanwhile, authorities have suspended mobile and Internet services in Sopore and Handwara areas of the district.
People staged protests against the killing of woman by Indian troops in Handwara town.
The protesters placed the body of the woman, identified as Misra Bano, on a road at Younsu in Handwara town and raised anti-India slogans.
On the other hand, Hurriyet organizations and leaders have urged the international human rights organizations to take cognizance of plight of Kashmiris.
Senior All Parties Hurriyet Conference leader, Agha Syed Hassan Al-Moosvi Al-Safvi in a statement in Srinagar said the condition of human rights is becoming worst due to the changing character and role of responsible world powers.


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MAURO FERMARIELLO / SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY MAURO FERMARIELLO / SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY
Cosmetic eyelid surgery. Image 5 of 8. Eye of a middle-aged man during cosmetic eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty). Excess skin has been removed from the upper eyelid, revealing fatty deposits (yellow) around the eye. With age, skin loses its elasticity and muscles slacken. When this happens around the eyes it results in puffiness and drooping eyelids. Blepharoplasty is a procedure that removes excess skin, fat and muscles from the upper and/or lower eyelids. This leaves the patient looking younger and less tired. The surgery can be performed as a day procedure, under local anaesthetic. As with all surgery there is a risk of infection, excessive bleeding and other complications, including blindness. For the sequence see M590/327-M590/3334.
Model release not required. Property release not required.

domain: medical


text:
In “The Pastoralization of Housework” by Jeanne Boydston, Boydston explores the effect of the romanization of housework. The pastoralization of housework that occurred during the Antebellum period was the result of the development of early industrialization. In order to have something remain constant in the changing times the formation of two separate gender spheres allowed a routine to an ever changing society. A result of these two spheres was the pastoralization of domestic labor in the early 1800s that made labor ‘invisible’ and began to discredit the women’s work at home, but also raised them to a higher pedestal in the family dynamic. By embracing the idea of True Motherhood women were able to flourish by the naturalization of the social
The method of approach that I chose for this artifact is Cluster Criticism. As stated in Rhetorical Criticism:Exploration and Practice, Cluster Criticism is “the meanings that key symbols have for a rhetor are discovered by charting the symbols that cluster around those key symbolism an artifact.” A cluster analysis provides a survey or blueprint of the rhetor’s mind in which results in giving us insights into the meanings of key terms and thus a worldview of the rhetor, even the rhetor may not know.
The character of Jeannette in The Glass Castle shows the theme of adulthood, growing up, and coming of age in many ways. Jeanette deals with very adult issues at a very young age, and the chaos of her childhood forces her to mature fast, which shows the theme of growing up, and her success supports the thematic topic of “putting your past behind you”.
Parenting has been a long practice that desires and demands unconditional sacrifices. Sacrifice is something that makes motherhood worthwhile. The mother-child relationship can be a standout amongst the most convoluted, and fulfilling, of all connections. Women are fuel by self-sacrifice and guilt - but everyone is the better for it. Their youngsters, who feel adored; whatever is left of us, who are saved disagreeable experiences with adolescents raised without affection or warmth; and mothers most importantly. For, in relinquishing, a mother feels strong and liberal; and in guild she finds the motivation to right wrong.
Marie has a loving family dynamic of spending time together playing games and having fun.Callie has a tougher outlook on life as she sees no wrong in teaching her children natural selection and pleasing her husband even though the relationship may not be perfect. Marie has more of a higher class outlook on life as on how she views Callie and her living situation and what she thinks about the puppy. Callie also seems content on sheltering her child in a yard or a small space because of his tenacity to run off however she also wants the children to experience what the world is really like. Marie uses Callie’s family dynamic to teach her children the treatment others receive and what they have to endure. This is highlighted in the words Marie wants to say to the little boy “ Life will not necessarily always be like this. Your life could suddenly blossom into something wonderful. It can happen. It happened to me(pg.177)”. Marie also seems to relate the fate of the puppy and the kitty
It is often said that a new definition of a woman arose in the 1920s. But is that true? While most women experienced many newfound freedoms in the 1920s, black women could not explore these freedoms as easily as white women. In the novel Passing by Nella Larsen, Irene Redfield and Clare Kendry grew up in Chicago together and are now both two wives and mothers in New York City during the 1920s, but there is a big difference between them. The novel’s title refers to light-skinned black women masquerading as white women for social benefits. Irene and Clare are both light enough to “pass”, but only Clare chooses to pass everyday. Irene passes in trivial situations like getting a cab, buying movie tickets, or getting a table at a restaurant, but
The poem Dusting by Julia Alverez relays several ideas to the reader. It begins by describing a young child going about a house and writing their name on the furniture. The child 's mother follows behind her and, in the process of dusting, incidentally erases the writing. While this poem may seem superficial from a quick reading, it not only reflects some aspects of Alverez’s childhood, but it also reveals some thought provoking questions. In Dusting, through making an analogy to a relationship between a mother and her child, Julia Alvarez demonstrates her desire to break away from traditional or cultural expectations, express her individuality, be well-known, and, ultimately, she makes an important point about life.
Welcome to my presentation on The Loons by Margaret Laurence. My presentation would cover following parts: Supplement to Margaret Laurence’s biography, publication of “The Loons”, analysis of the short story, symbolism in it, and my sources. The discussion would be held after the presentation.
Rejection can make one feel alone, helpless, and out of place, and it’s a feeling that can make someone feel like they are no good, or that they aren’t worthy of a good life. All throughout the story, we are given examples of how the young girl is shamed and rejected. She was never accepted for who she was and this made her do things, sometimes extreme to help out her family. She knew she would never fit in, and her actions proved just that.
In the book, To Kill a Mockingbird, Power can be refer to as the ability to influence or change one’s opinion base on how an individual is being viewed by the human specie. The book, To Kill a Mockingbird, is simply about a girl, Scout, whose life is influenced both positively and negatively as a result of how society was created. In this book there is a side character, Mayella,; and because of her class and gender, she is powerless, but her race makes her powerful.
The story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been” was written by Joyce Carol Oates, published in 1966. In this short story, we are introduced to a 15 year old girl Connie. She is described to be very conceited, and she is always obsessing over her physical appearance. Her family life is perceived as very dysfunctional. Her mother is always comparing her to her older sister June, and Connie’s father is pretty much absent from her life. Because the lack of family support and guidance, Connie lies to her parents of her whereabouts, and she sneaks away to local hangouts. While being out, she unfortunately catches the eye of Arnold Friend. This man will erase Connie’s innosense and expose her to how cruel the world can actually be. Many literary
In the passage “What is poverty?”, the author Jo Goodwin Parker, describes a variety of things that she considers to portray the poverty in which she lives in. She seems to do this through her use of first-person point of view to deliver a view of poverty created by a focused use of rhetorical questions, metaphors, imagery, and repetition to fill her audience with a sense of empathy towards the poor.
Societal expectations are a part of everyone’s life, male or female. From the day people are born, there are roles they are expected to assume-- wife, homemaker, father, provider, mother and many others. While these aren’t necessarily negative, the stigma of not fulfilling these roles can be unpleasant. While the roles we are supposed to choose aren’t always clearly defined, the judgement that comes from choosing to take certain actions in life, like settling down or becoming a mother is palpable. Throughout The House on Mango Street, Esperanza’s view of the world is largely shaped by the people around her, which are her neighbors, family, and friends. These characters influence Esperanza’s choices and her overall viewpoint of life. Sandra
Many believe that the parents of the Sandy Hook victims conspired to murder their children, but what they fail to realize is that all their “ evidence” is just circumstantial. In court all types of various evidence is presented to the jury. According to Citizens Information “ The general rule is that circumstantial evidence is admissible. However, the courts are careful when the only evidence in a case is circumstantial evidence. Circumstantial evidence must be closely examined and it must be looked at cumulatively. In other words, a court would be very slow and unsettled to convict a defendant on the basis of a few pieces of circumstantial evidence” ( 4). In court the Sandy Hook Conspiracy would have trouble being found true due to the giant amount of
Overall, Betty Jo has a positive outlook on life. She likes to live in the moment and treat each day as if it were her last, as cliché as that sounds. Betty Jo’s father passed away when she was nineteen years old and she says that that really affected her point of view on life. Her father was a physically healthy forty-one-year-old at the time of his death and he died of a heart attack while refereeing the local high school’s boys’ basketball game one evening. This event seemed to have a deep impact on Betty Jo’s life. Something just clicked in her head that made her realize you never know what can happen so you might as well make the best of what you have.

domain: library


The Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory has unveiled an impressive demonstration of their new integrated 3D printed building and vehicle concept called AMIE, which we first heard about more than a month ago. The Additive Manufacturing Integrated Energy project brings clean energy technologies and large-scale 3D printing together to showcase their novel and revolutionary approach to the use, storage and consumption of energy. At today’s ORNL Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) Industry Day event the advanced research lab showed off their working concept for an energy-efficient system that will link buildings and vehicles together, allowing both to operate off the grid.
AMIE was conceived only a year ago, and to already have transitioned from concept to functional prototype is impressive all on its own, but add to that the advanced technology that was developed to make it work and it is nothing short of breath taking. The AMIE project connects a natural gas-powered hybrid electric vehicle to a solar-powered structure and creates a fully integrated energy system shared between both. Power freely flows between the vehicle and the building using new and exciting lab-developed wireless technology.
Essentially, on days when the solar cells on the house are not sufficient to run household operations it can use the natural gas engine in the hybrid vehicle to provide itself with supplemental power. Alternately, the batteries in the hybrid vehicle can be charged using the home’s solar cells. AMIE’s advanced power management and building controls are designed to maximize the efficiency of the energy flow between the house and the vehicle. The electrical demand and usage is perfectly balanced between the building’s 3.2-kilowatt solar array and any power generated from the hybrid vehicle by AMIE’s energy control center. This unique connection allows AMIE to supplement any energy shortages on one side of the system with energy overflow from the other.
Here is a brief demonstration of the energy flow between the house and the vehicle:
In addition to this unique power-share system, AMIE is also a showcase for potential construction and vehicle fabrication applications for additive manufacturing technology. Both the 210-square-foot house and the connected utility vehicle were 3D printed using ORNL’s BAAM large-scale 3D printers. Architecture firm Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill (SOM) worked with the University of Tennessee-ORNL Governor’s Chair for Energy and Urbanism to design the energy and space efficient 38 x 12 x 13 foot building. The actual assembly and fabrication was handled by one of the country’s largest manufactured housing companies, Clayton Homes, as a proof of concept for inexpensive, quick to assemble urban housing.
“Working together, we designed a building that innovates construction and building practices and a vehicle with a long enough range to serve as a primary power source. Our integrated system allows you to get multiple uses out your vehicle,” explained Roderick Jackson, ORNL’s AMIE demonstration project leader.
The connection built between the 3D printed home and 3D printed vehicle demonstrates the viability of integrating and sharing of two energy streams that typically operate independently. ORNL researchers developed their integrated approach to energy generation, storage and consumption to inspire potential improvements to the modern electric grid. The need to integrate renewable energy into the transportation sector is a vital step in transitioning into the eventual elimination of fossil fuel generated energy. And connecting both the home’s electric grid with the power generating capabilities of a hybrid vehicle can create a system capable of dealing with emergencies, disasters and extreme weather events with little to no interruptions to a modern home’s energy needs.
Here is a video showing off the advanced technologies used to bring AMIE to life:
“We’re looking at large community issues from the single-unit level. Our research provides solutions on a small scale, which will translate to a significant reduction in energy use and an increase in cost savings when ramped up to a national, and even global, level,” said ORNL’s associate laboratory director for Energy and Environmental Sciences Martin Keller.
ORNL’s Laboratory Directed Research and Development program worked closely with the Energy Department’s Building Technologies Office, Advanced Manufacturing Office and their Vehicle Technologies Office to support the project. ORNL worked with almost twenty private businesses, organizations and educational facilities to bring AMIE from concept to a functional prototype in just under a year. Some of the national partners included Clayton Homes, GE Appliances, the Institute for Advanced Composite Manufacturing Innovation, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP and University of Tennessee’s College of Architecture and Design. You can see more images of the AMIE concept and fabrication over on ORNL’s Flickr page.
The advances showcased by AMIE, if incorporated into the United States’ modern power grid, could potentially solve the current housing shortage, our over reliance on fossil fuels and the disastrous environmental impact that both problems cause. But the technology developed could also for the first time bring clean, reliable and stable energy production to nations that do not have the same infrastructure as the United States. Realistically, AMIE could transform developing nations into fully developed nations virtually overnight.
Could this be the future of green energy and manufacturing? Discuss in the ORNL Home and Vehicle forum thread on 3DPB.com.
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Ontario’s Auto-Insurance ProblemSeptember 20, 2017
Ontario Chamber of Commerce calls on the Province to implement changes to auto insurance system
Last Friday, Richard Koroscil, Interim President and CEO of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce issued the following statement, on the Ontario government’s consultations on the Ontario’s auto insurance system.
“Today, the provincial government wraps up a series of consultations on the future of Ontario’s auto insurance system. The consultation stems from an April report commissioned by the Ontario Ministry of Finance that offered a damning indictment of Ontario’s auto insurance system.
“Written by David Marshall, the former head of the Worker Safety Insurance Board (WSIB), the report, Fair Benefits, Fairly Delivered, describes Ontario’s auto insurance system as ‘one of the least effective’ and most expensive in Canada. That’s the bad news.
“The good news is that Mr. Marshall’s report provides a path forward that, if implemented, should lead to lower premiums for Ontario drivers without any reduction in the current level of accident benefits. Marshall says Ontario drivers on average pay $1,458 for auto insurance, while the average for the rest of Canada is just $930. This $500+ spread suggests there is something about Ontario’s auto insurance system that is incredibly off the mark.
“According to Marshall, despite having the safest roads and a total injury rate that declined 44 per cent since 2002, Ontario saw its accident benefit and bodily injury costs increase by 26 per cent in the same time period. The question is why?
“Marshall’s answer: high transaction costs plague the system. Each year about one third of benefit costs, some $1.4 billion, is being paid for competing expert opinions, lawyers’ fees, and insurer costs to defend claims – instead of going to treatment of injured parties. As he recommends, claimants would be better served, and system costs reduced, if health assessments were conducted by an independent expert whose decision was binding. Both the province of Alberta and the WSIB have a process by which an injured person is referred to an independent expert. Marshall recommends that a similar model should be adopted for Ontario’s auto insurance system.
“Marshall concludes that Ontario’s complex, adversarial system focuses on cash benefits, creating the kind of incentives for stakeholders that fail to put the injured person’s best interests first. As a result, Marshall says there is a value gap because, “no one in the system is actively managing medical care for accident victims? they are taking longer to recover and many report that they have developed permanent impairments from simple soft tissue injuries.”
“The inefficiencies in Ontario’s auto insurance system place Ontarians and Ontario businesses – particularly those in the transportation sector – at a competitive disadvantage. High auto insurance rates, whether commercial or personal, represent a rising input cost for our members. Years of changes to the private passenger auto insurance system by governments of all stripes have done little to halt the steady increases in premiums.
“We are increasingly worried that future increases in auto insurance premiums, whether commercial or personal, will be compounded by other rising costs faced by our members, including but not limited to upcoming changes to Ontario’s employment and labour laws.
“Lower costs lead to lower premiums. David Marshall’s recommendations to lower costs in the auto insurance system will narrow the gap between what Ontarians pay in auto premiums relative to their peers elsewhere.
“That is why the Ontario Government needs to move quickly on the proposed changes within Marshall’s report, with particular emphasis on those recommendations that will make auto insurance more affordable in the short term for Ontario drivers.


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Sexual Health Services supporting Gay Pride event
Published: 1st July 2015
Staff from Sexual Health Services celebrated the Gay Pride event in Carlisle on Saturday 20th June.
The city centre was busy with acts and entertainment supporting the Gay Pride event. In total more than 20 bands and singers were included in the line up for this year’s celebration. Marc almond headlined the event which attracted crowds of all ages from across the county. People were encouraged to wear wigs and bright clothing at the free event, which started at middayand continued until early evening followed by an after party at The Regency nightclub on Fisher Street. To see more click on http://www.cumbriapride.org/
Staff from sexual health services, Kerry Devaney, Tracy Alderson, Rachel Jardine, Laura Schwencke, Helen Matthews, Jane Fraser and Kirsty Pickles were on hand to join in the fun, provide freebies and information.
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Win or lose, game days are more delicious with Uber Eats. Download the Uber Eats app today to order the meals you love from your favourite restaurants. Let’s Eats, sports fans!
- RAPTORS ARE NBA CHAMPIONS! Watch Superfan Nav Bhatia’s reaction (VIDEO)
- Superfan Nav Bhatia says Raptors fans acted ‘un-Canadian’ in inspirational video
- Injured Warriors star Kevin Durant updates fans on his condition
- Raptors always win when this referee officiates… and he’s reffing tonight
- Toronto Raptors brand ‘more powerful than Tim Hortons’ right now
- New Balance releasing Kawhi Leonard ‘Board Man Gets Paid’ shirts
It was only a matter of time before Nav Bhatia got his own endorsement deal, wasn’t it?
The Raptors Superfan has been seemingly everywhere during the NBA Finals, as basketball fans worldwide discover what Toronto already knew: He’s a really awesome guy.
“I’ve seen it all,” Bhatia says in a new commercial for Tim Hortons. “Mostly from courtside, seat A12.”
Bhatia has never missed a Raptors home game since they entered the league in 1995. He’s also never been late or left early.
But what you really have to admire about him is his humanity.
After racist comments by a Milwaukee Bucks fan during the Conference Finals, he turned it into a positive by speaking with the fan, later saying that he would like to take him out to dinner.
- How Superfan Nav Bhatia reacted to Raptors winning NBA championship (VIDEO)
- CNN reporter's amazing thread on Raptors Superfan Nav Bhatia goes viral
- How a Toronto cop helped Raptors Superfan Nav Bhatia avoid showing up late for the first time ever (VIDEO)
- Here's how Superfan Nav Bhatia reacted to Raptors going to NBA Finals (VIDEO)
“Raptors are in the Finals and the whole world is looking at this seat,” Bhatia says in the commercial. “Some see Indian. Some see Canadian. Some see both. Some see a turban.
“I hope they see diversity and loyalty. I hope people see why Canada is so special.”
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25 hours fantastic
These watches are not designed to just look at them time. This is a work of art and a masterpiece of engineering.
To see what time it is, there are the usual hours. Among watchmakers around the world, they are called "tool watch" - Watch tool, or "watch watch" - Watch the clock. Watches, about which we will tell in this material - "kinetic sculptures" the best masters of their craft. They are bought by connoisseurs, in spite of the price space, and carefully preserved in their collections.
Each year, the ranks of amazing clocks replenished. From this set, we have selected for you 25 of the best samples of the past three years.
Christophe Colomb Hurricane Grand Voyage
Model Zenith Christophe Colomb Hurricane Grand Voyage is dedicated to the great Christopher Columbus to the shores of this American continent.
All items of decor watch is made and painted by hand. At six o'clock position on both sides stands a glass bowl with a tourbillon.
Swiss movement with manual winding consists of 939 parts, the strap is made of alligator leather with triple folding clasp in 18-carat pink gold.
Issue limited to ten copies.
Geo.Graham Tourbillon Orrery
the solar system on one hand conceived Isaac Newton George Graham as early as 1713. On the anniversary of this scheme and were released Tourbillon Orrery.
In the center of the dial tourbillon is located in the middle of which is a diamond shining - this is the sun. Around him the planets move: sapphire Earth with his companion rhodium moon and Mars ruby. Precious time movement "planets" in orbit hours equal to the real turnover of around the sun.
Counter s on the back of the watch indicates the correction to the planets (7 years for the moon, the Earth for 1156 years and 25 years for Mars). The watch has a zodiacal scale and calendar that will perform well for 300 years. The model is only available to collectors.
The cost - about $ 350,000.
Jacob & Co. Epic SF24
Custom Time Zone indicator - "superstructure" above the dial - is very different reactions among connoisseurs: from admiration to resentment. It is similar to a bulletin board at the airport, which displays the city and the difference in hours. Cities changed by pressing the button on the left, only their 24. This option is ideal for those who travel a lot.
There are versions in white and rose gold, high-tech titanium. Power reserve 40 hours.
Cost - from $ 80,000 to $ 100,000 (depending on the case).
Italo Fontana wanted to bring back a little of the sublime in our society and created a minimalist model of a clock, which, as it should have been in the XVI century, a chain attached to the pants. Nothing else from the 16th century in the U-65 no. The rest - is rampant futurism and exclusive. The same chain is made of a specially developed scheme.
Dial with three time zones is made of a titanium alloy has a chronograph.
Total of 99 pieces.
Christophe Claret X TREM-1
The first model chronographs X TREM-1 - fusion of aesthetics and technical innovation. The first thing that catches the eye is the flying tourbillon. This effect is achieved by tilting the tourbillon relative to dial 30 °.
Two hollow steel sphere enclosed in a tube made of sapphire on the right and on the left, move the most mysterious way. They do not have the support and work only under the influence of magnetic fields. In this case, two magnets are installed in such a way that no harmful effects on the course of hours.
Chronograph consists of 419 parts and has a margin of 50 hours.
Cost - from $ 270,000 to $ 300,000.
Romain Jerome. Steampunk Auto 100th Anniversary
The main feature Steampunk Auto 100th Anniversary - genuine metal plating of the sunken "Titanic", used in the housing and second indicator, which resembles a ship blade. The idea is not new, but it looks powerful and in demand.
The back cover is decorated with a medallion pattern reminiscent of the 100-year anniversary of the collapse of the "Titanic", in honor of what model and released. The dial is integrated directly into the mechanism and is protected by a sapphire crystal. Black arrows reminiscent of the anchor of "Titanic." The watch is released in a limited edition of 100 copies.
The cost - up to $ 30,000.
The focus of the new model Magelluna from Magellan Watch - dial decorated by hand. Under realistic sapphire dome is a hemisphere of the moon, which are seen on the surface craters and traces from meteorites. Branded arrows curved exactly along the contour of the hemisphere, and they show, of course, the earthly. Steel body pattern has a black wear resistant coating.
Harry Winston Histoire de Tourbillon No.3
The third model in the series Histoire de Tourbillon was the result of a complex synchronization between the speed of rotation, the masses of the components involved, the force of inertia and even resonance.
Internal biaxial double tourbillon carriage revolves for 40 seconds, and the outer - 120 seconds. Second, single-axis tourbillon quietly makes a complete rotation in 36 seconds. The entire ensemble is connected integrally in equilibration differential.
The housing component 77 is a three-dimensional structure of zaliuma, zirconium alloy and white gold. indicator disk 50-hour power reserve decorated with sapphires and citrines.
Limited edition of 20 copies.
The cost - about $ 700,000.
De Bethune DB28
The main thing in this model - innovation. Firstly, the "floating lugs" of titanium, which are able to follow the shape of the wrist. With this clock always sit nice and comfortable. The second innovation - the "triple parachute system" that protects the movement from shocks. This titanium bridge, stay on springs - can be seen at the bottom of the dial.
DB28 is available in several versions - in various combinations of gold, anthracite and titanium. At 6 o'clock in a small window located moon phase indicator - it is so precise, that is wrong on the day only after 122 years.
Cost - $ 85,000.
Harry Winston Opus Eleven
In 2011 Harry Winston introduced the eleventh model of Opus series. The watch is made in the form of a combination of three panels fancy cylindrical shape, located at different levels, two of which are infused with their axes in the base panel. One consists of two discs with scales which indicate minutes and tens of minutes, while the second shows the operation of the large wheel balance titanium.
Opus Eleven visual image is made in the spirit of abstract art. The main dial is composed of a plurality of rollers and a gear wheel, which are arranged in a chaotic manner with sockets 24 halves digits every hour "shatter" and collected in an appropriate number in the center of the board. The rear panel is made of glass and transparent three-layer 566 exposes parts of the mechanism 155 for stones.
The limited edition series included total 111 copies.
Cost - from $ 230,000.
Futuristic Watch Ur-110 - the product of Swiss company Urwerk. Clad in titanium case, they resemble a planetary companion with three interconnected modules.
From time 0 to 60 minutes displayed in the right side of the clock and moves vertically downwards. Itself arrow indicate the hour of the day. This arrangement allows glances at his watch imperceptibly.
The dial is protected by sapphire crystal. two charge air 'turbine' mounted on the rear wall of the housing that are designed to minimize the wear of the motion hours and serve for automatic winding system. Cost - $ 130,000.
Da Vindice Tourbillon Barometer
Purchase Da Vindice Tourbillon Barometer allow never be wrong about the weather. This is the first mechanical watch with a tourbillon measuring atmospheric pressure. Miniature barometer situated at around six hours. For the first time these clocks were sent on mission by the Swiss company released back in 2010, but at the Baselworld-2013 exhibition presented an updated model of the limited edition of 50 copies.
At around ten o'clock there is a power reserve indicator. Watches are equipped with Swiss automatic movement with automatic winding and a power reserve of 42 hours.
Tourbillon Barometer are available in two versions: 18-carat rose or white gold. Water resistant - 3 ATM.
Cost - $ 210,000.
The Gagarin Tourbillon
The watch is released for the anniversary of the first manned flight into space.
Built-in magnifying glass allows you to estimate the smallest details of decoration of the dial, it rises and falls. Tourbillon watch Gagarin Tourbillon rotates around its axis in 60 seconds, and makes a complete revolution around the dial in 108 minutes. And this figure - as a reference to 108 minutes, during which Gagarin circled the globe.
Tourbillon itself seemed suspended by a curved bridge, which resembles an obelisk mounted near the town of Engels where he landed, "the East."
Gagarin Tourbillon watches have been issued in a limited edition of 50 platinum pieces.
Cost - $ 405,000.
Eva Leube Ari
The development of curved watches the company Eva Leube spent four years. In order to select the ideal angle "curvature", a plurality of measured and calculated wrists average "curvature".
Watchmakers company brilliantly realized curved mechanism that fit perfectly into the case of sapphire glass with hand engraved 18-carat gold or platinum 950. All the dials are also made of 18-carat gold, and arrows - blued steel.
The cost - up to $ 126,000.
Ludovic Ballouard Upside Down
An independent watchmaker Ludovic Ballouard developed a new version of its model Upside Down ( "upside down"). The name is connected with the inverted display of digits, except for the one that indicates the current hour.
Dial Upside Down equipped with one central arrow for indicating the minutes. It is not the minute markings. For 6 hours, an additional dial with second hand. Closes dial sapphire crystal.
Strap clasp with platinum formed from dark-blue leather.
Cost - from $ 55,000.
Nord Zeitmaschine Quickindicator
The Swiss Daniel Nebel probably wanted to speed up the time. On the new model Quickindicator minute hand makes a turn from "60" to "60" exactly one hour, but on her way - a lot of intricate loops, thereby have to run faster clockwise than normal hours.
This clock with the minute hand of the fastest in the world.
Cost - $ 12,000.
Greubel Forsey GMT 3D titanium Globe
On GMT dial mounted rotating three-dimensional model of the world that provides a world clock display.
Globe is fixed at the level of the South Pole and at night makes a full turn anticlockwise that corresponds to the actual motion of the planets. Equator "Earth," you can see through the window on the side of the unit.
The rear cover 24 is a disc with city names, each of which represents one of the time zones. In the middle is the scale of summer time, and the outside - the local.
Cost - $ 650,000.
Hublot MP 05 tribute to Ferrari
The dream of the owners of the "Ferrari": a powerful engine under the hood, and a copy of it - on the hand. Work above the clock ran parallel to the work on the super car "Maranello". sapphire shaped like a Ferrari hood transparent lid, and a mechanism - the engine. The back cover is made of titanium coated with a black heavy-duty PVD. Speakers adds rubber strap with titanium buckle. The mechanism consists of a moving component 637, and the tourbillon guarantee 100% accuracy. 11 shafts provide a power reserve of 50 days. Large numbers painted on each cylinder svetonakopitelnye pigment, so the time can be seen in the dark.
The watch is released in a limited edition of 50 numbered copies.
Cost - $ 345,000.
ArtyA Son of a Gun Target
In the spotlight watches Swiss brand ArtyA - target and dust from powder, mixed with gold. "Ears" decorated with 32 diamonds, which is inconsistent with military theme, but imparts luxury. Watches are equipped with Swiss automatic mechanism that is in limbo. On the rear side ArtyA Target also adorned target.
The cost - up to $ 22,000.
Devon Tread 1- Exoskeleton
These watches were clearly designed fans of steampunk. Devon skilled body made open and transparent, leaving in its ballistic based polycarbonate, bulletproof and scratch-resistant.
The watch is available in two versions - in white and pink gold. Belts, performing the role of the dial in Exoskeleton made of transparent material.
Horological Machine No.5. HM5
Model MB & F HM5 earned the nickname "On The Road Again", for two reasons. Firstly, the watches are designed specially for drivers. Second, the design of the case resembles a fastback with back slit windows - as in the famous car Lamborghini Miura. These blades can be opened and closed by means of a small lever. Due to this light falls on the figures and the items covered svetonakoplyayuschim element.
The body is made in a wedge shape, making it easy to check the time without taking your hands off the wheel. Special prism sapphire shows numbers on the side with which it looks, and increase them by 20%. Only 66 copies will be sold in the world.
Cost - $ 63,000.
Jaquet Droz Bird Repeater
Limited model Bird Repeater from the Swiss company Jaquet Droz is a symbol of life in every sense. When you run the repeater trigger 8 different animated mechanisms: move not only birds, but even the chicks and eggs in the nest.
The body is made of 18-carat pink or white gold, dial - black onyx. Sapphire glass installed on the front side of the housing and its rear cover.
Issue limited to 8 copies.
The cost - up to $ 500,000.
Konstantin Chaykin "Lunokhod"
This is only a model of the Russian watchmakers adopted in AHCI (Academie horlogere des createurs independants), Konstantin Chaykin.
"Lunokhod" is named in honor of the glorious achievements of the Soviet space program in the study of the Earth's satellite. The main part of novelty is the ball diameter of 12mm, representing the moon, adapted from the Indian wootz vutsa (Wootz). It, like the earth's shadow, gradually closes silver hemisphere with a black rhodium plating, rotating around it. This indication of the lunar phases used for the first time in watchmaking.
The cost - about $ 800,000.
The most expensive watch in the world worth $ 25 million, and against the background of the clock for half or even more for 100 thousand dollars so do not look too expensive. But much more beautiful than this unrestrained luxury of the 874 diamonds.
Cost - $ 25 million.
Haldimann H9 Reduction
This watch we want to introduce you to the last, because they challenge the entire watch industry and, in a sense, high society, with its glamor and luxury. A sort of hour of trolling the level of "God."
Haldimann H9 Reduction feature floating tourbillon and caliber H.Zen-1 with manual podzavodkoy frequency vibrations which reaches 18,800 per hour. But to see the technical perfection can not be as elementary to see the time. The dial is protected in every sense opaque blue and black sapphire crystal. The owner can only hear the continuous operation of the gears and look at your reflection in the black "mirror." Owner of the brand Bill Haldimann still did a favor for the admirers of his talent - a cover of the back panel is made of a translucent material.
Cost - $ 175,000.


The HP 4000 is our most versatile quick and easy to use Case Clamp. It’s unprecedented counterweight balanced horizontal carriage and roller bearing mounted vertical carriage design make it the fastest operating two (2) axis clamp on the market. The speed and ease of its manual positioning are what make it faster to operate than any motorized or automatic clamp. Its clamping capacity is 100″ long x 50″ tall x 24″ deep that when coupled with its two axis design make it versatile for most any clamping requirement.
Clamping Capacity 100″L x 50″H x 24″D
Clamping (3) Top Dual Pod Pressure Bars and (2) Side Dual Pod Pressure Bars
30 Second Set-up / Changeover Time \
Heavy Duty Quality Construction


This Fujitsu Siemens Amilo Pa 3515 features the AMD Athlon 64 X2 2.0 GHz dual-core processor combined with the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3200 video card. Also included is 2 GB of DDR2 SDRAM that is expandable to up to 4 GB! Experience the latest in computing environments with Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium pre-installed on the 320 GB SATA hard drive.
Cost-saving features provided by the Realtek ALC888 7.1 channel HD audio chipset, and integrated 10/100 Fast Ethernet. If that’s not enough, a PCI 56K modem is also installed! The functional and fashionable case features a front panel digital media card reader and convenient USB ports!
The laptop comes preloaded with the Windows Vista operating system, but you can upgrade it to the latest Windows 7.
If you are looking for available drivers or software related to your Fujitsu Siemens Amilo Pa 3515 laptop. The following software and drivers are compatible with your Amilo Pa 3515 and Microsoft Windows 7.
Below is a list of the most common Fujitsu Siemens Amilo Pa 3515 drivers
|Realtek Audio ALC888 220.127.116.1174 (16/06/2009)||67.01 MB||Download|
|DVD BC-5500S Firmware Update 1.42 (26/03/2009)||1.84 MB||Download|
|Graphic AMD RS780/M82 Driver 8.630.0.0 (14/06/2009)||108.78 MB||Download|
|LAN- Realtek RTL8101E/RTL8111C (10/100/giga) 6.203.0214.2008 (22/05/2009)||5.12 MB||Download|
|Card Reader Driver JMB380 / JMB385 (without 1394) 1.00.29.02 (18/05/2009)||0.92 MB||Download|
|SATA AMD RAID/AHCI driver 18.104.22.168 (05/05/2009)||0.12 MB||Download|
|WLAN Atheros miniCard WLAN IEEE802.11 22.214.171.124 (05/06/2009)||0.92 MB||Download|
|WN6301L miniCard WLAN IEEE802.11 b/g 62.1174.0701.2009 (01/07/2009)||11.86 MB||Download|
|WN6600R miniCard WLAN IEEE802.11 b/g/”Draft n” 126.96.36.199 – Windows 7 (19/05/2009)||0.84 MB||Download|
|Launch manager 1.5.4 V1.5.4 (29/07/2008)||2.64 MB||Download|


Lofter 3D Technology
The Lofter (*) system is a 3D surface modeller, with object shape fixing by interactive programming.
Originally developed for marine applications (hulls and aerodynamic appendages), Lofter finds his natural extension in a broad range of applications, where shape continuity and surface smoothness are strongly required.
Precise and flexible 3D modelling.
Full 3D programmable Technology. The object isn’t drawn working on the eye, but it is carefully “programmed” by using an extensive library of primitives, which includes NURBS and other smart computational geometry means. The modelling process is straightforward: fast and easy.
Full Design control. A suite of interactive tools and smart algorithms allows controlling the surface shape and its curvatures during the design session.
Full Targets control. At each step the dimensional and dimensionless Design parameters are recalculated and available on line.
Innovative proprietary CAD kernel.
On the basis of cross sections, longitudinal boundary profiles and shape control functions, the Lofter algorithms describe a 3D surface with slope and curvature continuity, by means of explicit f (X,Y,Z) continuous functions Learn more….
Lofter does not render, but outputs a lattice of surface points coordinates for renderers.
This highly efficient and easy 3D CAD engine can be used as a stand-alone modeler or as a pre-processor, to compute dense grids of control points for third-party rendering, post-processing or CAE codes.
Open System to other sources.
The export of Lofter surfaces to other NURBS 3D modellers accepting inputs of surface grids by means of Excel tables is straightforward.
A Rhinoscript command is also added to copy & paste the Lofter grids to Rhinoceros (*).
The Worksheet technology makes easy and customizable the output of Offsets in tabular form.
Download the About Lofter.pdf presentation
Download the Lofter_Design.pdf gallery
(*) Lofter © is a LGXengineering product - all rights reserved
(**) Rhinoceros is a Mc Neel registered trademark (some images in this site are Lofter surfaces, handled and rendered by Rhino).


I HAVE been writing on the internet for more than two decades. As a teenager, I left a trail of blogs and social media posts in my wake, ranging from the mundane to the embarrassing. More recently, as a journalist, I have published many stories about social media, privacy and artificial intelligence, among other things. So when ChatGPT told me that my output may have influenced its responses to other people’s prompts, I rushed to wipe my data from its memory.
As I quickly discovered, however, there is no delete button. AI-powered chatbots, which are trained on datasets including vast numbers of websites and online articles, never forget what they have learned.
That means the likes of ChatGPT are liable to divulge sensitive personal information, if it has appeared online, and that the companies behind these AIs will struggle to make good on “right-to-be-forgotten” regulations, which compel organisations to remove personal data on request. It also means we are powerless to stop hackers manipulating AI outputs by planting misinformation or malicious instructions in training data.
All of which explains why many computer scientists are scrambling to teach AIs to forget. While they are finding that it is extremely difficult, “machine unlearning” solutions are beginning to emerge. And the work could prove vital beyond addressing concerns over privacy and misinformation. If we are serious about building AIs that learn and think like humans, we might need to engineer them to forget.
The new generation of AI-powered chatbots like ChatGPT and Google’s Bard, which produce text in response to our prompts, are underpinned by large language models (LLMs). These are trained…


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Kanye was a guest on Kris Jenner’s talk show finale today (taped earlier this week) and the proud dad showed off the first picture of his baby girl.
Kris Tweeted the photo to her millions of followers this morning, writing “Meet North West”.
The couple reportedly turned down many offers from magazines who wanted to buy the rights to North’s first pictures. Kanye wasn’t comfortable with the idea and wanted to be the one to share her with the world. He’s hoping it will help calm down the paparazzi’s interest in capturing the first pictures.
Take a look at North West below – do you think she looks more like mom or dad?
Photos by Twitter and Wenn

domain: celebrity


Uttar Pradesh may be ruled by BJP’s Yogi Adityanath but this did not stop a BJP leader’s husband from being mercilessly thrashed by a Samajwadi Party leader. Worse, this thrashing took place inside a police station in the presence of many cops.
The incident took place in Uttar Pradesh’s Gauriganj where Samajwadi Party MLA Rakesh P Singh was seen mercilessly thrashing BJP leader’s husband Deepak Singh, whose wife Rashmi Singh is a candidate for the Nagarpalika Chairman elections.
Gauriganj Police Station falls under Smriti Irani’s Lok Sabha constituency, Amethi.
In the video, Deepak Singh could be seen arriving at the police station and launching a verbal abuse aimed at Samajwadi Party MLA, who was sitting there to stage a protest. This appeared to have angered the lawmaker, who rushed towards Deepak Singh to thrash him mercilessly. He was also joined by his supporters.
Later, the police managed to get Singh out to a safe place. Singh could be heard teaching the SP MLA a lesson.
Samajwadi Party Vdhayak Rakesh P Singh showering blessings on BJPs Deepak Singh, husband of Nagar Palika chairman BJP candidate Rashmi Singh.
— Брат (@B5001001101) May 10, 2023
Adityanath had become UP Chief Minister in 2017 after dislodging Samajwadi Party from power.


text:
A roof for a new church
Mali is a landlocked country in West Africa with an overwhelmingly Muslim population. However, until recent years Christians, Muslims and followers of traditional African religions continued to live peaceably together, as they had for centuries. However, this situation came to a bloody end in 2012 when war broke out in the northern part of the country, much of which lies within the Sahara Desert region. Tuareg rebels had formed an alliance with radical Islamists and sought to establish an independent Islamic state in this part of the country. Initially the jihadists gained control over the northern half and hundreds of thousands of people were forced to flee as a result.
But then in 2013, when the Islamists attempted to conquer the south of the country as well and turn the civil state into an Islamist theocracy, France and the UN intervened militarily in the conflict and rapidly defeated the Islamist rebels.
However, in practice Mali has been a divided country since 2013. A fact that has also impacted the lives of Catholics in the country, who today make up around 200,000 faithful in the midst of a total population of some 18 million.
Whereas in the north of the country, it is all but impossible for the Church to function normally, and the great majority of her structures there have been destroyed, the situation is somewhat better in the south of the country – although even here there are occasional violent assaults. Nevertheless, the Catholic community is even growing here, although almost all her new members are former animists, rather than Muslims.
In the south of the country, in the diocese of San, lies the very lively parish of Yasso, which is dedicated to Saint Therese of Lisieux. It has some 5 000 active faithful and includes around 40 villages. And the number of Catholics is growing steadily. So far they have only a small and somewhat temporary chapel, which is far too small for the community and at risk of collapsing when the rainy season comes. But now, they have been able to start work on a large and permanent church, big enough to accommodate 2 000 people. The walls are already standing, but they do not have the money for the roof. So they have turned to ACN for help, and we have promised them 72 000 dollars so that they can finally complete their church.


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The year 2014 seems likely to go down as one of the worst in recent humanitarian history.
Armed conflicts in countries such as the Central African Republic, Iraq, South Sudan, Syria and Ukraine have killed many thousands of people and forced millions more from their homes. More than 50 million people around the world have now been displaced by violence, the largest number since the end of the Second World War.
Longstanding crises in Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Somalia have still not been resolved, leaving large numbers of refugees and other displaced people in limbo. In the Kenyan refugee camp of Dadaab, more than 6,000 mostly Somali refugee children have now been born to parents who were themselves born in the camp.
New forms of violence and large-scale displacement are emerging in many countries around the world. In Mexico, more than a million people have been displaced by the activities of armed gangs and drug cartels. In Nigeria, the militant Islamists of the Boko Haram group have driven thousands of people out of their homes, a situation exacerbated by the heavy-handed response of the country’s military forces.
And to make the situation even worse, states across the world are running roughshod over some fundamental human rights and humanitarian principles.
In Europe, for example, the United Kingdom turned its back in October on the longstanding maritime principle that people who take to the sea should be rescued when they are in distress. Providing British support to international search and rescue operations, the government argues, would act as a “pull factor” for more refugees and other undocumented migrants to make the dangerous passage from North Africa to Europe.
In Saudi Arabia, thousands of foreign nationals, including many Somali citizens who have a valid claim to refugee status in view of the continuing conflict in their country, have been deported from the country, often in very abusive circumstances including the use of force and prolonged detention in appalling conditions. The United Nations and international community have been strangely silent about these human rights violations.
And Australia, a founding member of the international refugee protection system, has sunk to new depths in its efforts to obstruct and deter the arrival of asylum seekers from war-torn and authoritarian states. A key principle of current Australian refugee policy is to banish asylum seekers and refugees to remote and hostile locations such as Cambodia, Nauru and Papua New Guinea in the hope that they will ask to be returned to their country of origin – even if it is not safe for them to do so. According to one former Manus Island employee, it is “an experiment in the active creation of horror.”
In such turbulent circumstances, the United Nations and its member states have tended to focus public attention on the levels of funding which they need to assist the victims of recent emergencies. And it has been impressive to witness the increase in global humanitarian spending, much of it provided by industrialised states that are still struggling to emerge from the economic depression of the past five years.
But it has also become increasingly clear that humanitarian action alone cannot resolve the conflicts that force people to abandon their homes. Nor can it provide the victims of violence a safe sanctuary if states are unwilling to offer them asylum.
As well as focusing on the provision of humanitarian aid to those who are in desperate need of it, the international community should also be concentrating on the complete absence of accountability enjoyed by those individuals who have contributed to the tumultuous nature of the contemporary world.
“Political rather than humanitarian leaders must assume primary responsibility”
In several developing and middle-income countries, South Sudan being the most disturbing example, political and community leaders consistently put their personal and sectarian interests above those of the people who are suffering from the subsequent chaos around them.
Amongst the world’s more prosperous states, politicians engage in military interventions without giving adequate forethought to the longer term consequences of their actions. Would the atrocities now being committed by the so-called Islamic State be happening had it not been for the allied invasion of Iraq in 2003?
And across the globe, there are countries – and Australia is one of them – that purport to espouse the principles of international human rights and refugee protection, but which in practice seek to avoid the responsibilities that those principles entail. In the despicable and disingenuous words of former Immigration Minister Scott Morrison, the government’s crackdown on refugee rights is simply an attempt to “strip people-smugglers of a product to sell” and to “take the sugar off the table.”
There is much to be said for recent efforts to ensure that refugees and displaced people are able to benefit from minimum humanitarian standards with respect to the shelter, food, sanitation and other life-savings services which they receive after disaster strikes.
But in focusing on such standards, we should not forget that our ultimate goals must firstly be to prevent and resolve those situations in which people are forced to flee for their lives, and secondly to ensure that they are able to find a safe refuge. And in that respect, political rather than humanitarian leaders must assume primary responsibility.
In the recent words of UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres: “Some political leaders believe that they can trigger conflicts because then the humanitarians will come and clean up the mess. We are no longer able to clean up the mess, to pick up the pieces.”
Jeff Crisp is Senior Director for Policy and Advocacy at Refugees International. He is based in the UK.
Feature image: UNHCR/Flickr


There's little doubt that the traditional farm jack is a handy piece of equipment to have when you're driving off road. You can use it to move your vehicle out of awkward situations, lifting vehicles to fill in voids beneath the tires or even as a bead breaker when you have to make a tire repair. But, as we all know, farm jacks can be dangerous. They're inherently unstable and there are countless YouTube videos of users getting injured from a rogue handle or getting their hands caught between the handle and the body of the jack. With this problem in mind, ARB's team of engineers was determined to come up with a better solution to the unsafe farm jack problem. The focus was to design a safer and easier mechanical jack while being lighter and more compact. Adding a new dimension to traditional techniques, the long-travel ARB JACK is backed by the unique power of hydraulic technology. Kicking into action when even the lightest force is applied to the handle, the hydraulics will smoothly jack the vehicle up at .5in increments with each downward maneuver. While in action, a black rubber body bumper shields the vehicle from risk of damage during the recovery. The easy-to-access red lowering lever ensures lowering the vehicle is achieved swiftly and safely thanks to the two-stage descent feature and safety stop. With the press of a lever, the user is able to adjust the lower speed between a slow or rapid descent.
I thought this was going to be the coolest thing ever, then after I bought it and read the owners manual I found that it has to be stored vertically (this was not mentioned anywhere on the ARB website). This means I can't carry it anywhere other than inside my vehicle which renders it useless to me. ARB should have made the vertical requirement clear on their website. I will get rid of this jack and go back to the old school highlift which I can at least mount on my roof rack.
from Boise, ID
1.0ARB Hydraulic Jack
Received this jack very fast. Box was in good condition but when opened it had oil all inside the plastic bag it was wrapped in. Tried the jack, it worked but would not come down. I has to use a Hi Jack to compress it enough to come down. It also spewed oil our of the release lever the whole time it was going down. put it in the shed and have not used it since. I also was not aware that you must transport this jack in the vertical position. I always store my jacks horizontally. Could not find any external mounts for it anyway. bottom line .....not sure about this one.
Response From ARB 4x4 Accessories
We are sorry you had a poor experience with the ARB Jack. If stored and maintained properly, ARB Jacks should never leak. Please contact the warranty department at ARBUSA.com/warranty and they will be happy to process your replacement.
ARB has been manufacturing 4x4 parts for over 40 years. ARB Air Lockers will amplify the traction of your 4x4 on challenging trails. They give the off-road driver what you need in traction, control and performance. ARB believes in its products so it offers a five year, unlimited mile warranty across the air locker range. ARB 4x4 Accessories includes the suspension system brand Old Man Emu, maker of premium off-road shock absorbers. Old Man Emu premium shocks are developed and tuned specifically for each vehicle application. They come complete with vehicle specific mounting kits for fuss free installation. ARB parts are all developed, engineered and fabricated in-house in Australia. Shop ARB 4x4 Accessories Now
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