Indra has developed a new active protection radar that incorporates advanced digital technologies to protect vehicles, armored vehicles and tanks from threats.
Indra’s new electronic scanning radar detects, identifies and tracks all types of projectiles, from traditional anti-tank missiles, grenade launchers or conventional munitions to new threats that are emerging. It determines with enormous precision the trajectory and estimated time of impact of cheap and widely used javelin guided missiles; microdrones, which fly at low speed and altitude; and autonomous missiles, drones and loitering munitions.
The system can also detect and track new experimental or hypersonic devices, such as the new arrow munitions that reach speeds above sound and have a particularly small radar section, equivalent to a two-euro coin.
The new solution is based on a 3D S-band, 100% solid-state, electronically scanned (AESA) radar, fully configurable by software, highly modular, and easy to integrate in small spaces such as turrets and wheeled armored vehicle arms stations. Its small size allows it to be installed on virtually any ground platform, from armored vehicles to convoy protection vehicles, and it has a very small radar signature that makes it difficult for the enemy to detect.
“This sophisticated radar demonstrates Indra’s ability to provide a quick and effective response to the needs posed by new conflict scenarios, applying digital technologies to the development of a new generation of defense systems,” said Indra’s Managing Director of Defense, Manuel Escalante. “It is a pioneering system, which has already demonstrated exceptional performance and which is a critical element in protecting vehicles and armored vehicles from new threats.”
The capabilities of this innovative solution maintain its performance under extreme weather conditions, such as hot, cold, high humidity, rain or snow environments. It resists all types of movements, vibrations and impacts and operates in electromagnetically saturated environments with high ‘noise’ (clutter), unwanted radar signals. It also offers a high degree of accuracy and speed in urban environments.
The system incorporates intelligence to discriminate false targets, evading possible enemy attempts to interfere with its operation with jamming techniques, used to saturate and circumvent conventional protection measures. Its full digitization allows signal processing from the moment of reception to the pulse emission, which facilitates very high-speed internal processing without latency throughout the entire process.


text:
Dr. Erika Thompson, assistant professor of health behavior and health systems at the University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth (UNTHSC), is being honored this month with the prestigious Judy K. Black Early Career Research Award from the American Academy of Health Behavior (AAHB).
Each year AAHB considers whether one early-career health behavior researcher is worthy of the Black award. The award is intended to recognize younger scholars who are expected to make major contributions to scientific knowledge and professional practice during their career. Since its inaugural year in 2006, only nine outstanding scholars nationwide have received this honor.
“Since Dr. Thompson joined the UNTHSC School of Public Health faculty in 2018, I have been impressed with her work and enthusiasm as a health behavior scientist,” said Dr. Dennis Thombs, dean. “She has led several externally-funded research projects of high importance, including evaluation of a child sexual abuse prevention program, a systems examination of family homelessness and other projects related to childhood education. She recently received NIH funding to examine contraceptive use among women experiencing homelessness, and her success as an early-career faculty member truly exemplifies her dedication to the field.”
Dr. Thompson’s research is in sexual and reproductive health, and women’s and children’s health, with a primary focus on human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination, HPV prevention and contraception. Her work has been published in more than 60 peer-reviewed articles, many of which represent high-impact journals, including the American Journal of Public Health, JAMA Pediatrics, Preventive Medicine, American Journal of Preventive Medicine and Women’s Health Issues.Tags: Friday Letter Submission, Publish on March 13

domain: medical


text:
NEW YORK -- A woman faces murder charges in connection with the death of a man found under a mattress in a New York City hotel, and police are searching for five other suspects.
Christine O'Brien, 31, faces one count each of robbery and murder in connection with the death of Roderick Goodwin, 28.
Goodwin was found inside a Hilton Garden Inn hotel in midtown Manhattan around 4 a.m. Monday morning. He suffered multiple injuries, including sharp-point trauma to the head and body, according to a criminal complaint filed by police.
Goodwin was from Bridgeton, N.J., and may have been a pimp, according to The New York Times, which reported that police believe one of the women involved in the case may have been a prostitute.
Detectives in the case say O'Brien admitted she was with Goodwin in his hotel room, before going to the lobby to let four males and a female into the hotel, and up to the room.
She allegedly told detectives that she and the other suspects struck Goodwin in the head with a bottle and then repeatedly punched and kicked him, while demanding the code to his room's safe.
Hotel management told police that other hotel guests reported hearing screaming.
Unable to open the safe, they allegedly carried it out of the hotel, concealed in a sheet.
Police say they have surveillance video from the hotel of the suspects entering and then leaving with what looks like a safe, tucked beneath a sheet.
Police have not indicated whether they know the identities of the other suspects.

domain: news


text:
Here's an interesting brain fact: your brain can help you understand what another person is saying even when it's too noisy to hear words clearly.
Imagine that you're in a crowded street, a noisy bar, or somewhere close to a very busy road. You're talking to someone, and the ambient noise is blocking out some of the words the other person is saying. Your brain is able to “predict” what the person is actually saying without you having to hear all the words. It inserts the missing pieces of a sentence and allows you to understand what is being said to you. The best part of all this is that you don't even realize that it's happening.
This phenomenon is called phonemic restoration effect. Another thing that's interesting about it is that is doesn't affect all humans in the same way. It affects adult males and females differently, but this distinction is not present in children. It also affects children aged five and older in the same way it affects adults. Scientists have wondered how this happens, but it seems that they have found an answer.
A study has found an explanation for the phonemic restoration effect. Researchers studied how human brains reacted to inaudible or near-inaudible words. They gathered a group of five participants and hooked their brains up to electrodes to monitor brain activity.
The next step was to play recordings of partially inaudible words. The participants heard recordings of words like “faster” and “factor”. They then heard recordings of the same words, but with the “s” and “c” sounds obscured by noise.
The electrodes were able to record how the brains of the participants reacted to the missing sounds. Researchers found that the brain is able to fill in the missing pieces in real time, as it was “hearing” the words. There was no need to fill in the blanks after the fact, which was surprising to the researchers. The brain behaved as if it clearly heard the missing sound.
Here's another brain fact: the regions of the brain involved with language are the frontal lobes. During their experiment, the researchers found that the inferior and superior frontal cortices are responsible for the phonemic restoration effect. When you're listening to someone or something, the interior frontal cortex predicts what you're about to hear. Right on its heels comes the superior frontal cortex, which processes the sounds you hear. Predicting what you're about to hear and processing the sounds in real time happen just a fraction of a second apart.
With these two cortices working together, the phonemic restoration effect is able to happen in real time. It's like you're actually hearing missing sounds, because your brain already has information on what the sounds may be.
The study shows how hard the brain works to enable us to adapt to certain situations. It also provides more evidence that the phonemic restoration effect does actually exist. We now have another piece of excellent insight into how the human brain processes information.Save
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domain: biology


text:
|Description:||By Rob Gutro: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.,|
Hurricane Sandy (Atlantic Ocean)
NASA Examines Hurricane Sandy as it Affects the Eastern U.S.
”NASA's Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument on NASA's Aqua spacecraft captured this infrared image of Hurricane Sandy, another weather front to the west and cold air coming down from Canada at 2:17 p.m. EDT Oct. 29. The hurricane center is the darkest purple area in the Atlantic just to the east of the New Jersey coast, reflecting Sandy's areas of heaviest rainfall.”
“On Monday, Oct. 29, Hurricane Sandy was ravaging the Mid-Atlantic with heavy rains and tropical storm force winds as it closed in for landfall. Earlier, NASA's CloudSat satellite passed over Hurricane Sandy and its radar dissected the storm get a profile or sideways look at the storm. NASA's Aqua satellite provided an infrared view of the cloud tops and NOAA's GOES-13 satellite showed the extent of the storm. The National Hurricane Center reported at 11 a.m. EDT on Oct. 29 that Hurricane Sandy is "expected to bring life-threatening storm surge and coastal hurricane winds plus heavy Appalachian snows."”

domain: geography


text:
RoHS Declaration of Conformity
We hereby declare that our products are compliant to RoHS Directive 2011/65/EU of the European Parliament and the Council from 08/06/2011 on restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic appliances.
Following substances namely are involved:
- Lead (Pb)
- Cadmium (Cd)
- Hexavalent chromium (Cr)
- Polybrominated Biphenyls (PBB)
- Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PentaBDE, OctaBDE; DecaBDE)
- Mercury (Hg)
Guntermann & Drunck GmbH herewith declares that all of our products are manufactured in compliance with RoHS.
REACH Declaration of Conformity
Guntermann & Drunck GmbH is a manufacturer of electronic hardware. We are therefore considered a “downstream user” as far as the REACH document is concerned.
Guntermann & Drunck GmbH is therefore not obligated to register with the European Agency for Chemicals ‘ECHA’.
Products sold by Guntermann & Drunck are “articles” as defined in REACH (Article 3 Definitions). Moreover and under normal and reasonably foreseeable circumstances of application, the articles supplied shall not release any substance. For that, Guntermann & Drunck is neither obligatory for registration nor for the creation of material safety data sheets.
In order to assure our customers the continual supply reliable and safe products, we ensure that our suppliers fulfil all requirements regarding chemical substances and prepared materials.

domain: chemistry


Rihanna and Dita Von Teese have joined Thierry Henry, the star of the original Renault Clio Va Va Voom ads, in a sassy new TV ad campaign. Launching tonight during ITV1's 'Dancing on Ice', the commercial also stars screen icons Audrey Hepburn and Marlon Brando and features music legend, David Bowie.
The sensational new ad asks - "What is Va Va Voom?" at the opening night of an ultra-cool, secret underground exhibition. We move through it with the guests, who include Thierry Henry, and see a series of exhibits which show each celebrity and explore the subtleties of the indefinable quality of their Va Va Voom. "Is it more?" - asks the film, as we see Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's, 'Is it less?' - Dita Von Teese performing burlesque, 'Does it smoulder?' - Marlon Brando in his cult film 'On the Waterfront', 'Does it burn brightly?' - we see a tattoo of David Bowie, 'Is there a Queen of it?' - Rihanna in a crowd of paparazzi surrounding her in the new S&M video. The final installation is a white Renault Clio Renaultsport, the epitome of Va Va Voom, majestically suspended from the warehouse roof in a dramatic exhibition space.
The original Va Va Voom ads starring Thierry Henry struck such a chord that the phrase entered the Oxford English Dictionary in 2004, as 'the quality of being exciting, vigorous and sexually attractive'. Before Va Va Voom came the equally phenomenally successful series of 'Papa and Nicole' ads.
Phil York, Renault UK Marketing Director, said, "We've filmed a brand new Renault Clio Va Va Voom ad because the campaign is still so popular after 5 years off the air. Rihanna and Dita are the current queens of Va Va Voom, so we asked them to show us exactly why. But we couldn't make a new ad without Thierry and he looks pretty impressed."
When asked what the elusive quality of Va Va Voom was, burlesque star Dita Von Teese said, "For me, Va Va Voom is expressing your passion or sexual excitement for something. Maybe it isn't sexual, but it makes you feel that way when you see it. You want it, and you can't even explain why you want it."
Football icon, Thierry Henry said, "What is Va Va Voom? It's kind of difficult to describe…it's when you see something and think wow; for me it means that it has Va Va Voom."
The music is a mix of Rihanna's S&M, Clare Maguire's Ain't Nobody and David Bowie's Space Oddity.
This is a 10-year+ news article, from our Renault archive, which dates back to the year 2000.
If in doubt check with your local Renault dealer as car prices and technical data will have changed since 2011.
Although our car news is published in good faith, we cannot guarantee it to be error free or complete or up-to-date.
Renault Clio Images may not be UK specification cars. Colours and exterior and/or interior elements may differ from actual models.
The car news and images remain the copyright of the rights holder and may not be used without their consent.


PermaSEAL Geodrain Capping Strip
Geodrain Capping Strip
PermaSEAL Geodrain Capping Strip is designed for use in conjunction with PermaSEAL 8 Geodrain membrane. The strip is two metres long and installed at the top of the membrane to create a sealed finish and to prevent debris from entering the drainage layer.
The Geodrain capping strip can be sealed to the back ground masonry with PM Power Fix (a powerful adhesive) and also screwed through the preformed holes in the plastic strip.
- Designed for use with PermaSEAL Geodrain membrane
- Creates a sealed finish
- Part of the PermaSEAL range


Variety claim that Emma Watson (Harry Potter) has entered talks to join Kenneth Branagh’s live action adaptation of Disney’s Cinderella. The actress is up for the titular role of Cinderella and would join Cate Blanchett who’s set to play the wicked stepmother. Although negotiations are in a very early stage Watson does seem to be the clear front-runner after her much-praised performance in 2012’s The Perks of Being a Wallflower. The actress has also worked with Branagh before, having had a supporting role in My Week With Marilyn.
Here’s the scoop:
Disney would like to slip the glass slipper onto Emma Watson as the star of “Cinderella.”
While the actress does not yet have the role, Watson is in very early talks with the studio to play the character in the live-action adaptation that Kenneth Branagh will direct, and Simon Kinberg will produce.
It’s the latest fairy tale the Mouse House is getting into the megaplexes after Tim Burton’s”Alice in Wonderland,” Sam Raimi’s “Oz: The Great and Powerful,” and Angelina Jolie vehicle “Maleficent,” based on “Sleeping Beauty’s” villainess.
Mark Romanek was once attached to helm “Cinderella,” based on a script by Chris Weitz and a pitch by Aline Brosh McKenna (“The Devil Wears Prada”).
The actress has been in huge demand since wrapping the Harry Potter series and has several films on the horizon, including; Darren Aronofsky’s Noah, Sofia Coppola’s The Bling Ring, and the Seth Rogan comedy This Is the End.


I bought my Jinma 184 new in 2005; I now have 580 hrs on it and it has been a very reliable workhorse. It has the in-tank screen filter under the seat and I just replaced the hydraulic pump after it started leaking badly. My problem is that it leaks hydro fluid out of the breather vent in the tank filler plug. It has always done this to some extent since new but now it is worse than ever. The rear of the case gets drenched with hydro fluid and leaves a trail of fluid drips and I have to top it off every 20-30 minutes. The filler plug gasket is new and I keep it tight but it just gurgles out of the vent. Any ideas?
If it is spitting fluid out until it gets low about the only thing it could be is introduction of air into the fluid. This would indicate a suction side leak where it is sucking air into the pump. Once the fluid gets back to the tank the pressure drop causes the air to bubble out and that causes foaming which pushes out of the vent tube.
You could try putting a clear hose on the vent tube and run it up along the roll bar so that you can see the fluid. If the tank is simply over full the fluid will be solid but if it is foaming you will see bubbles in the hose.
What indicator are you using for the fill level? On my 284 there is a dipstick in the filler plug (which also contains the vent tube). The dipstick has a grove in it to indicate the fill line. Your 184 may be different. Do you fill the tank with the 3-poing and loader lowered to the ground? If not, it my overflow the tank when you do.


text:
Iceland is one of the most beautiful countries, and trips to Iceland have become very popular among travelers around the world. It’s the land of mythical glaciers, incredible waterfalls, northern lights, supernatural hiking trails, active volcanoes, and one of the least budget-friendly countries of the world. It is true that touring Iceland, you will be paying a little more for exotic food like a fermented shark or even ordinary meal, but don’t let that stop you from traveling to this amazing country. There are plenty of amazing experiences you can get in Iceland on a budget or even free. Actually Iceland sightseeing can be entirely FREE. The country’s natural beauty – countless waterfalls, hiking trails, hot springs, and mountains are free for you to enjoy. Iceland trips are not necessarily over costly. With proper planning and tips from experts, you definitely can travel to Iceland on a budget.
Tip one: plan your trip in advance.
It is crucial to find the best time to travel. The busiest and most expensive time to go to Iceland is summer months. The most expensive season in Iceland is from mid-June to the end of August. All services, including hotels, car rental, museums are often more expensive during this period.
However, if you are flexible in when you travel, consider traveling outside this high season. Avoid July and August. Off-season not only prices are friendlier, but you will also avoid the most crowded time in Iceland. If you still want to travel when it is relatively warm, late May, early June, or September.
And of course, plan how much you can spend and try to stick to your budget.
Tip two: drive in the fall.
In October, the bulk of the tourists has left, and you will rent a car a bit cheaper have the roads to yourself. The days can still be sunny with beautiful morning and evening light. It can be chilly though, so do not forget warm clothes and stay up to date with weather and road conditions.
Tip three: travel with the company.
Traveling with the company of friends is always cheaper than solo traveling. Sharing a hotel room, renting one car for 3 or 4 is way less expensive. And it is fun to spend time in a good company.
Tip four: Rent a car.
Renting a car in Iceland is one of the best ways to explore this fantastic country, and it is cheaper if you are traveling in a company of 3 or 4. Having your own car gave the freedom to travel far from the crowds, make the stops when you want, pack your favorite snacks which can be bought at supermarkets for half than you would pay in bars and restaurants.
Tip five: Take practical and comfortable clothes
Do not bring fancy and stylish clothes to Iceland. It is all about practicality! A long-sleeved fleece or wool sweater, or a down jacket are good options, as well as insulated hiking pants in winter and simple softshell pants in summer.
Tip six: Buy food at supermarkets and drink tap water.
In supermarkets, food is at least half the price you will be paying at tourist places. Do not buy bottled water as tap water is of excellent quality everywhere you go. Make sure you have a refillable bottle as you will find taps with the signs encouraging to fill up your bottles.
Tip eight: Rent homes or apartments.
Hotels can be costly, especially if you travel on a very tight budget. Online you will find homes and apartments for rent. Do not hesitate to book the apartment or home you think is suitable for your needs as it will soon be booked by someone else.
Tip nine: Humble yourself that you won’t be able to see everything.
Iceland has it all —unbelievable landscapes with ice-capped mountains, active volcanoes, dramatic cliffs, awe-inspiring waterfalls, black sand beaches, incredible glaciers, and unique wildlife. It’s full of adventure and photographic dreams. But be realistic. You won’t be able to see and experience it all in one trip. Ask yourself what your priorities are and design an itinerary that covers your highlights and leave the rest for the future trips.
No matter on what budget or whatever time of the year you will travel, Iceland’s raw beauty is simply mind-blowing.
Go for the taste of the adventure that can be found in the Country of Volcanoes!

domain: travel


text:
Coyly as normally was her trait
She asked if it was appropriate
To kiss on a first date
Or longer should she wait
Replying he scratched his pate
Explaining it could be fate
With that he could relate
If he was her soul mate
In that case there's little to debate
His passions may abate
Causing him to be irate
Then he, she'd have to sedate
Oh! She did gasp, that I would hate
Now I'm in such a state
Off she ran through the gate
In fear he could be accurate
That Is That....
She looked at him through querulous eyes
Aloof he coldly turned away his head
To retain her composure she vainly did try
Not only have you tossed me from your bed
But also from your life she tearfully said
In memory of what you and I once shared
Can you give me your reasons why....
(Poems written by Lee)
I'm being a bit lazy this morning by posting a couple of my poems. My excuse is that I believe poems should be read more than once.
When I was a child growing up in Gympie, my mother modelled in a number of fashion shows for the “Bo-Peep Salon”, which has long gone. My mother was a tall, slim, striking redhead. Her rich, natural auburn hair and blue eyes were products of her Scottish and Irish heritage . Her shoulder-length hair was worn swept high off her neck into a fashionable coiffure. She displayed a natural style and grace both on the catwalk after years of learning dance as a child, and when simply walking down the street. My mother carried herself extremely well.
As a little girl, I was quite shy and somewhat cautious of strangers. However, I surprised not only myself, but my mother and grandmother when I agreed to appear in one of the fashion shows. On reflection, I think they must have been coaxed and coerced me with the promise of a new book or doll, or both. I was around seven or eight-years old at the time. My family of dolls were of great importance to me. So were books, a love of which has remained with me throughout my life.
On the evening of the parade, the "lure of the footlights, the roar of the crowd" wiped all my fears and shyness away. Dressed in the white, crisp cotton-voile dress with green flower embroidery upon it that was my outfit for the parade, I felt like a princess. Separating the bodice from the full gathered skirt, a green satin sash, matching the green of the embroidery, was tied in a large bow at the back. As I glided down the catwalk to the tune “Teddy Bears’ Picnic”, childishly believing I was emulating my mother’s movements, lost in a fantasy world of fairies, teddy bears and picnics, I didn’t want the dream to end. Sadly, it did when I noticed my mother and the lady from the "Bo-Peep Salon" who'd organised the parade, beckoning to me from behind the curtains at the top of catwalk that my moment of celebrity was over.
How badly I wanted to ignore their frantic urgings for me to leave the spotlight, but the teddy bears went home, then the music and the picnic ended! And so had my modelling career and my "five minutes of fame"! (Even though I had tried to extend them!)

domain: artistic


text:
United States President Barack Obama with First Lady Michelle Obama
The First Lady Deanie Dempsey joined Dr. Biden yesterday at the Vice President's residence to thank senior military spouses.
Michelle Obama is SO CUTE here!
Michelle Obama Photo - President Obama and First Lady
U.S. President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama order lunch at Nancy's Restaurant while vacationing on Martha's Vineyard with his family August 25, 2010 in Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts. The Obama's are heading into their last weekend on the island before returning to Washington on Sunday. (August 24, 2010 - Source: Darren McCollester/Getty Images North America)


Equipment for the safe transport of vessels
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For more details and prices, please contact MD Scientific via e-mail firstname.lastname@example.org or phone +45 7027 8565.


text: Katie, 19. Attending University. I look like this. I will occasionally reblog anime. I will only follow back if I like your blog, but I will always check out the blogs of people that follow me. These are my own pictures/edits/whatever. And yes, I will make personal posts whenever I feel like it.

domain: hobby


text:
The terrorist attack in Bulgaria on Wednesday that saw five Israeli tourists killed caused the war drums in the Persian Gulf to beat louder as Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak blamed Iran for the massacre and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised a powerful response. American naval forces have been enlarging their presence in the Gulf, while the Israeli air force has been practicing long-distance flights for the long-expected attack to take out Iran’s facilities for producing nuclear weapons.
Holding the key to making any eventual Israeli aerial assault on Iran’s nuclear program a success may lie with Azerbaijan, a former Soviet republic located in the Caucasus Mountains on Iran’s northern border. Unknown to many,Israel has developed strong commercial and defense relationships with this mostly shiite Muslim country, and is described as being “deeply embedded” there for the past 20 years.
The importance Azerbaijan holds for Israel in any war with Iran lies in its airfields. An article in Foreign Policy magazine last March claims that US officials believe the Israelis have negotiated a deal to use Azeri airbases if Israel ever launches its air force against the mullah regime.
“In particular, four senior diplomats and military intelligence officers say that the United States has concluded that Israel and has recently been granted access to airbases on Iran’s northern border,” the article states.
Considering the route Israeli warplanes must fly to Iran and back is 2,200 miles long, airfields placed at Israel’s disposal in Azerbaijan would, the article maintains, cancel out the need to refuel in mid-air as the Israeli planes would just continue flying northwards and land in Azeri territory. The Azeri airfield deemed most suitable for Israeli use is an old, unused Soviet-era airbase about 40 miles from Azerbaijan’s capital of Baku. Absence of an Azeri refuge would see the attacking Israeli planes “stretched to the limit,” especially the fighter planes escorting the bombers.
“The problem is the F-15s, who would go in as fighters to protect F-16 bombers and stay over the target,” said retired Air Force Col. Mark Gardiner in the article concerning the Israelis engaging Iranian interceptors. “Those F-15s would burn up fuel over the target and need to land.”
Having access to an Azeri airfield, the article claims, could also benefit Israel in other ways. Intelligence-seeking drones could be launched from there, if they haven’t been already, and the airbase could also serve as an air rescue center for downed Israeli pilots.
For its part, Azerbaijan’s defense minister has denied his country leased airfields to Israel and stated it would “never permit” an attack to be launched against Iran from its soil. But with such a powerful neighbour like Iran next door, possessing anti-Azerbaijan designs, this statement may simply serve to camouflage the largely hidden Azeri-Israeli military co-operation (Azerbaijan’s president said nine-tenths of his country’s relations with Israel, like an iceberg, are “below the surface.”)
Azerbaijan, an oil-rich nation with a population of nine million, used to be part of Iran where most Azeris still live. It is estimated between 16 to 25 percent of Iran’s population are Iranian Azeris. An expanding Russia acquired what constitutes present-day Azerbaijan from Persia (Iran) after a war it won in the early 1800s. The former Persian possession became a Soviet republic shortly after the 1917 Russian Revolution and gained its independence with that country’s demise in 1991. Iran, however, would like to reclaim its lost possession, not least of all because it serves as an independence model for its own Azeri population.


World Council of Churches Office of Communication|
150 route de Ferney, P.O. Box 2100, 1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland
WCC delegation at Marrakesh
cf. WCC Press Feature, Feat-01-19, of 9 November 2001
As the negotiations at the 7th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Climate Change in Marrakesh (COP7) draw to an end, the delegation of the World Council of Churches (WCC) is sceptical about the possible outcome. "More and more we see that nature and the poor do not have a voice in the political negotiations," says Elias Crisostomo Abramides from Argentina, head of the WCC delegation. "The rich countries which are already doing little to combat climate change want to do even less. What worries us is that there is no solidarity, either for people or for nature."
"The discussions on technical matters, already agreed at the last meeting in Bonn in July this year, proved to be very difficult and tough in Marrakesh. Some countries, such as Russia, are not satisfied with what they got and keep on negotiating, thus delaying the final decisions that have to be made by the ministers today", says Abramides.
Despite this criticism, Abramides is still optimistic that there is a "decent chance of getting an agreement". "Sadly, the commitments in this agreement will in effect only reduce greenhouse gases by one third of the amount originally agreed in the Kyoto Protocol."
WCC delegation member Nafisa Goga D Souza from India worries that the developing countries are being left behind: "As efforts are made to save the Bonn Agreement and the Kyoto Protocol, issues of equity have taken a back seat."
Abramides, speaking on behalf of the WCC, expressed these concerns to the conference plenary on Thursday, 8 November. His statement supported the call of Indigenous Peoples for a separate working group at future climate change negotiations. Abramides also emphasized that religions have a significant role to play in modern societies: "They have to promote care for the earth and establish a language of the heart and of the spirit which will surely have a great influence on the climate change negotiations."
The World Council of Churches is a fellowship of churches, now 337, in more than 100 countries in all continents from virtually all Christian traditions. The Roman Catholic Church is not a member church but works cooperatively with the WCC. The highest governing body is the assembly, which meets approximately every seven years. The WCC was formally inaugurated in 1948 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Its staff is headed by general secretary Konrad Raiser from the Evangelical Church in Germany.


text:
dyed tea lights003
I already love Sharpie, but this just takes it to the next level. Can't wait to get my hands on these!
The Sharpie blog - I love Sharpies. I love all pens and stationery, it thrills me buying a new pen. I need to get out more. ;)
just I need some stones, a rope and a bottle
Shell Angel Crafts | ... Mussel Shell Wings & Blue Beads | Artistic Angels & Crafts by Haley
See this Instagram photo by @remsstoneart • 106 likes


The marshalltown the premier line dispenser for paper tape includes a belt clip and a metal cutting blade to make taping drywall joints an easier job. The dispenser holds flat or folded tape in standard rolls up to 500 ft.
- Holds standard tape rolls up to 500 ft.
- Tension arm prevents tape backlash
- Dispenses flat or folded drywall tape
- Includes belt clip and metal cutting blade


text:
My fun place to share thoughts, photos, recipes, art and students' work.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Just want you to know that I am not goofing off with my painting. Feels so good to have an idea on canvas that has been in my head for over year. Took this photo of our daughter at her daughter's graduation celebration in her back yard. Years ago I saw a painting that was a portrait, still life and a landscape and that is in my mind as I work on this. I did not use the projector... just washed in values and shaped and let it take form. Just trying to decide on colors before I work on more detail. Decided to make the background grass lighter and more yellow to bring out the portrait in the shade. Goal right now is to make the flowers strong and keep the portrait soft. Thought you might like to watch the changes take place. Will lower table and change angle..Think I like that table cool. Need something vertical - like that cup - on the table. What color? Will post today's work here tomorrow. Hope you are painting and that I can keep at it!!!


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Published on : 09 January 20245 min reading time
If you’re looking to enter the medical sector with a new business, there are a few things you’ll need to take into account. The first is of course the regulatory environment, which can be complex and vary from country to country. You’ll need to make sure you’re familiar with the relevant regulations before starting your business. Another important consideration is the market for your products or services. Who will your customers be? What needs does your product or service address? What are the trends in the medical sector? These are all important questions to answer before starting your business. Finally, you’ll need to have a solid business plan in place. This should include your financial projections, your marketing strategy, and your plans for meeting regulatory requirements. With a little planning and research, you can start a successful business in the medical sector.
The medical sector is growing rapidly
There are a number of ways to get started in the medical sector, but one of the most popular is healthcare consulting. This involves helping healthcare organizations to improve their operations and to make better decisions. There are many different areas of healthcare consulting, but some of the most popular include:
-Improving patient care
-Improving communication between staff and patients
-Improving financial management
-Improving the quality of care
-Improving patient safety
If you’re interested in starting a career in healthcare consulting, then there are a few things you need to do. First, you’ll need to get a good understanding of the medical sector and the different areas of healthcare consulting. You can do this by reading books, articles, and reports, or by attending conferences and seminars.
Once you have a good understanding of the medical sector and healthcare consulting, you’ll need to find a healthcare organization that you can work with. This can be done by networking with people in the industry, or by searching online for healthcare consulting firms.
Once you’ve found a healthcare organization to work with, you’ll need to start building your client base. This can be done by marketing your services to potential clients, or by word-of-mouth.
If you’re serious about starting a career in healthcare consulting, then you need to make sure you have the right skills and knowledge. You’ll also need to be very organized and have good communication skills.
The medical sector is highly regulated
There are a number of reasons why the medical sector is highly regulated. The first is that the sector deals with people’s health and wellbeing, and so there are a number of safety concerns that need to be taken into account. Secondly, the sector is also highly competitive, and so there are a number of rules and regulations in place that govern how businesses can operate. Finally, the medical sector is also a complex one, and so there are a number of different laws and regulations that apply to it.
The medical sector is very competitive
In recent years, the medical sector has become increasingly competitive. This is due to a number of factors, including the introduction of new technologies and the rise in the number of people qualifying as doctors. As a result, many medical businesses are struggling to survive.
One way to stand out in the medical sector is to offer a unique service or product. For example, you could focus on a niche area such as cosmetic surgery or sports medicine. Alternatively, you could offer a new type of treatment that is not widely available.
Another way to make your medical business more successful is to offer a superior level of customer service. This could involve hiring friendly and knowledgeable staff, providing convenient opening hours, and offering competitive prices.
If you are thinking of starting a medical business, it is important to research the market carefully and to have a clear business plan. With careful planning and hard work, you can succeed in this competitive sector.
The medical sector is constantly changing
, and new businesses are always popping up to meet the needs of patients and doctors. If you’re thinking about starting a business in the medical sector, here are a few ideas to get you started.
One of the most important things to consider when starting a business in the medical sector is the regulatory environment. Make sure you are up to date on all the latest regulations, and that your business is compliant. This will help you avoid any legal problems down the road.
Another thing to keep in mind when starting a business in the medical sector is the need for insurance. You will need to make sure you are properly insured in order to protect your business and your customers. This is especially important if you are providing any type of medical care.
Finally, you will need to consider the marketing of your business. The medical sector is very competitive, and you will need to make sure you are visible to potential customers. You can do this by creating a website, and using social media to get the word out about your business.
The medical sector is full of opportunity
The medical sector is full of opportunity for entrepreneurs. The sector is growing rapidly, and there is a lot of room for new businesses to enter the market. There are a few things to keep in mind when starting a business in the medical sector. First, it is important to have a clear understanding of the regulatory environment. Second, it is necessary to have a strong team of experts to advise on the business. Finally, it is crucial to have a solid business plan. With these factors in mind, starting a business in the medical sector can be a very lucrative endeavor.
What is it to be an entrepreneur?

domain: health


(MADISON) – Today, Governor Evers announced a statewide mask mandate aimed at slowing the spread of COVID-19 following a recent rise in cases and hospitalizations statewide. Representative Shelia Stubbs (D-Madison) released the following statement:
“I applaud Governor Evers decision to implement a statewide mask mandate. This pandemic does not know municipal lines or county lines. It is important that we have a statewide, cohesive approach to stopping the spread of COVID-19. 31 states and the District of Columbia have issued some form of mask mandate as new infections surge across the country, and it’s time we joined them.
According to a recent analysis, if 95% of people wear cloth masks when they’re interacting with other people, it reduces transmission by at least 30%. If this statewide mask mandate results in 90-95% compliance, infection rates could fall dramatically. Stopping the spread of this virus is the most important thing for our state. We cannot fully reopen our economy or safely send our children to school until the pandemic is under control. If we want to save the economy, stay open, and move towards schools opening, everyone should comply with this order.”


The U.S. Forest Service is advising hunters it will be closing part of a forest during the upcoming big game season.
That area is the Game Management Unit 23 in the White River National Forest. The southeast portion of the unit will be closed at least until Dec. 31 due to concerns about an active wildfire in the area.
The Middle Elk Fire has been burning since Sept. 20 in the New Castle area.
U.S. Forest Service officials say the fire was caused by an unattended campfire and has grown to more than 250 acres.
Officials want you to know more about campfire safety. That includes letting wood burn completely to ash, downing the fire and all embers with water, stirring the campfire ashes with a shovel and not leaving until the ash and embers are still damp and cold to the touch.


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ISLAMABAD: Setting aside an order of the Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADSJ), the Islamabad High Court IHC on Tuesday issued a notice to Prime Minister Imran Khan to record his response in a Rs10 billion defamation suit he had filed against PMLN leader Khawaja Muhammad Asif.
Imran Khan had filed a defamation suit against Khawaja Asif in 2012 for recovering Rs10 billion after the PMLN leader levelled allegations in a press conference about huge money laundering by Imran Khan through the funds of Shaukat Khanum Memorial Trust (SKMT). Later in December 2021, the premier got his statement recorded through video link with ADSJ Muhammad Adnan in which he stated that he was the biggest individual donor of the SKMT from 1991 to 2009. Imran had said that the investments against which allegations were made were fully recovered by the SKMT without any loss.
The ADSJ announced an ex-parte decision and ruled to abolish Khawaja Asif’s right to conduct cross examination of Imran Khan’s statement. Meanwhile, Khawaja Asif had filed an appeal in the IHC, challenging the ADSJ ruling. The IHC Chief Justice, Athar Minallah, on Tuesday issued a notice to the premier to record his statement and adjourned the hearing till January 12. The court also restricted the ADSJ from further proceeding in the defamation case.

domain: law


text: Hi all, My name is Daniel from sunny Singapore I got a Wii (version 3.1 u) recently from a friend to roll back the good times. I believed that it is hard modded (not sure what mod chip it is) as it plays the backed up copy of the games he passed to me. There is a homebrew channel too but no programmes on it. I would really like to burn more games onto DVDs to play over the upcoming festive period. However, I have been generally unsuccessful in getting the games that I burn to work This details my attempts (isos burned using imgburner and using same brand of DVD): Wii Sport resorts - Detected on wii but black screen when I click start Just Dance 2017 NTSC – Not Detected Mario Party – Not Detected Pokemon Revolution - Not Detected Wii Sports NTSC – Works Many discs have been wasted through trial and error hence I thought I should check with the experts here. I am pretty noob when it comes to modding but have been reading up a little in my attempt to find a solution. So the tricky thing is that it can play the game copies that my friend passed to me together with the console and the Wii Sports which I created but not any other game. I know you may ask me to load from an external HDD but I do not have any spare with me at the moment and I would very much prefer to use DVDs if possible. Any ideas on how to resolve this? Does region setting matter? Thanks very much in advance!

domain: game


Last week, Facebook announced new privacy settings, prompted by increasingly loud complaints from users, privacy advocates and even the government. (Whether they sufficiently address critics’ concerns remains to be seen.) Today, the ABA Journal highlights the case of an Arkansas woman who was convicted of harassment and sentenced to probation for posting fake messages on her teenage son’s Facebook account. Meanwhile, law firms and legislators struggle to keep pace with other controversial features of the social networking site.
A SLAPP in the Facebook
Thanks to the power of the web, angry voices carry much further than they used to. Anyone who feels she’s been treated unfairly can post a critical review or create an online forum to grouse about her experiences and find kindred spirits. The New York Times yesterday considered the impact of social media on consumer complaints by citing the example of a Michigan college student’s experience with a towing company. After his car was improperly towed, Justin Kurtz created a Facebook page called “Kalamazoo Residents against T&J Towing.” T&J Towing responded by suing Kurtz for defamation, claiming that its reputation had been damaged. Kurtz, who contends that “the only thing I posted is what happened to me” and whose page has since collected more than 12,000 members, has moved to dismiss and counterclaimed, alleging that the plaintiff is abusing the legal process.
Many lawyers share Kurtz’s skepticism, viewing suits like this as “the latest incarnation of a decades-old legal maneuver known as a strategic lawsuit against public participation, or SLAPP,” whose real goal is not to win the case but to intimidate critics with the threat of costly litigation. While some states already have anti-SLAPP laws, Congress is currently considering federal anti-SLAPP legislation to protect individuals against such lawsuits, the defense of which could, according to First Amendment lawyer Marc Randazza, “easily wipe out the average person’s savings before the case is half done.”
As the towing company’s lawyer, Richard Burnham, acknowledged in the Times, “This case raises interesting questions. What are the rights to free speech? And even if what [Kurtz] said is false, which I am convinced, is his conduct the proximate cause of our loss?”
Whose page is it anyway?
Not all online groups are deliberately created by users to voice their opinions. Facebook’s new Community Pages are programmatically generated based on terms taken from people’s profiles. According to the Facebook Blog, “Profiles no longer are a static list of likes and interests. Now, they are a living map of all the connections that matter to you.” Specifically, the “Community Pages are a new type of Facebook Page dedicated to a topic or experience that is owned collectively by the community connected to it. Just like official Pages for businesses, organizations and public figures, Community Pages let you connect with others who share similar interests and experiences.”
What that means as a practical matter is that if, for example, a law firm associate mentions “corporate gangsters” or “drones” in a job description in his profile, Facebook might grab the term and turn it into an entire “community” for that firm. The description may be user-generated, as a Facebook spokesperson told The National Law Journal, but the community is not.
Certainly, some of the law firm communities thus created are more amusing than confusing (“ticklemasters” at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, “jesters” at Perkins Coie); others, however, may cast a less flattering light on law firm culture based only on a passing reference in someone’s profile (“bimbo” at Baker & McKenzie, “whipping boy” at McDermott Will & Emery, and “slaves,” alas, everywhere). “They are diluting the brand without any justification or vetting," complains Reed Smith media and entertainment partner Douglas Wood. “It creates confusion over whose page it is.” As the NLJ’s Jenna Greene observes, “For brand-conscious law firms, Facebook’s latest ‘innovation’ is a bit mortifying.”
- posted by vera
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The latest community municipal investment (CMI) opportunity offered on Abundance’s platform completed at the end of last week.
The crowd bonds platform said it has a pipeline of other local councils looking to launch CMIs to fund green energy projects.
Warrington Borough Council raised £1m for its CMI on Abundance last week as part of its target to become the UK’s first carbon neutral town.
The CMI will help fund a multi-million-pound innovative solar and battery storage project near Cirencester.
Investors can receive 1.2 per cent a year in half yearly payments over the CMI’s five-year term, although holdings can be sold on to others at any time free of charge through the Abundance secondary market.
It comes after West Berkshire Council became the first local authority to raise £1m through a CMI on the Abundance platform.
The funds will be used to install rooftop solar power at several council-owned sites in the area.
“CMIs are an innovative new way of making a positive impact on the climate crisis, and a powerful tool to allow councils all over the UK to accelerate their green energy plans,” Abundance said.
“We launched our first CMI in July 2020, and already more than 750 investors have invested more than £1.75m with two councils.
“We don’t currently have any open CMIs, however we are working with councils all over the UK and expect to launch a number of new investments over the coming months.”


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Hickory Kitchen Cabinets
Hickory Kitchen cabinetry with a soft white stain. Shaker door and drawer style. Island cabinet has a dark Expresso wood stain finish to accent the perimeter cabinets.
Crown Molding tops off the cabinetry. Copper color handles complement the Hickory wood and tile back splash.
The Island has a sit-down area for meals and a working counter with sink on the other side.
Note the open shelving area at the end of the Island for cookbooks.
Pop up shelf for Kitchen Aid Mixer.

domain: design


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Arrested for Carrying Board With “High Powered Rifle” Written on It
Authorities say a man has been arrested after bringing a 2 x 4 board with the words “High Powered Rifle” written on it into Sandy Hook Elementary School in Strasburg, Va.
The Shenandoah County Sheriff’s Office says 33-year-old Christopher Johnson was detained by a school resource officer before being taken into custody by police. …
No one was injured.
What a relief. You can get nasty splinters from carrying boards.
The point was to show how easily a maniac could carry a real gun into the school, despite any number of laws against it. Whether the gun is legal makes even less difference than whether it is real.
Meanwhile, our moonbat rulers sneer at the idea of armed guards for schools.
On a tip from Wiggins. Cross-posted at Moonbattery.
And the liberals freaked and went overboard, as the so-called Smartest People In The Country, the self-described super education, are
Over at TPM, Josh Marshall wrote a humiliating, unmanly screed about how guns frighten him. It’s actually kind of pathetic.
The Journal News of suburban Westchester, New York caused outrage by publishing an interactive map showing the names and addresses


|Place of Origin:||chongqing,china|
|Supply Ability:||10 set per month|
|Minimum Order Quantity:||1set|
JNC-1 Mixed waste oil recycling to diesel oil machine
This machine can be used in black engine oil、Crude oil 、 plastic oil and shale oil, to get gasoline and diesel oil through distilled catalyst. Pumping into the heater with Waste oil , through the coal (or fuel oil) heating to working temperature, the maximum working temperature about 410 degree and the required gasoline and diesel oil can be obtained after catalytic distillation. When the reaction of waste oil in reactor is complete, stop heating, and remove residue from the tank of bottom, then this machine can be used again.
Systems of equipment
3、Index of oil after treatment:


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Cake mix pancakes are delicious, fun and so easy to make! They’re perfect for a birthday or any other special occasion. Not only are they light and fluffy but they taste amazing!
Cake Mix Recipes are kind of our jam around here! We absolutely LOVE how easy they are, and how little we need to keep stocked in our pantry to make them! If you’ve never dressed up a box of cake mix to make something great, be sure to try our Cake Mix Cookies, Cake Mix Banana Bread, and Cake Mix Peach Cobbler.
A Breakfast Shortcut
Is it just me, or do sprinkles make everything more magical? They’re the perfect way to brighten up any day! I have a whole drawer full of sprinkles in my kitchen, and I love adding them to my baked goods to make things extra fun. These cake mix pancakes are one of my favorite recipes to make with them. They’re loaded with colorful sprinkles, and are so festive and pretty! My kids request them for every birthday and special occasion, and I love that they are so simple to make, but they always put a smile on their faces.
How To Make Cake Mix Pancakes
These delicious pancakes start with my favorite basic pancake recipe, but get a boost of sweet cake flavor with the addition of cake mix. I used white cake mix for these pancakes, but you could use yellow cake mix or sprinkle cake mix, depending on what you have on hand.
Dry Then Wet – Start by whisking together the cake mix, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together the milk, oil, eggs and vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients into the large bowl and then mix everything until it combines. Don’t worry if there are still some small lumps in the batter.
Let It Rest – Once you’ve mixed up the pancake batter, let it sit for about 10 minutes so it can thicken slightly.
Prep The Griddle – While your batter is resting, warm up your pancake griddle on medium heat. Lightly grease the griddle before cooking your pancakes. Before pouring the batter onto the grill, mix in those delicious sprinkles.
Cook – Pour about a 1/4 cup of batter on the griddle for each pancake. Let them cook for about 3-4 minutes, or until the top is nice and bubbly. Flip the pancakes over and then cook for about another 2 minutes until they are golden brown on each side.
Finishing Touches – I like to serve these cake mix pancakes with a dollop of whipped cream on top, and a few extra sprinkles for good measure. You can also add syrup or any of your other favorite pancake toppings.
Sprinkles – Be sure to wait until just before cooking the pancakes to stir in the sprinkles. If you add them just before cooking, the colors won’t bleed into the batter as much, and the finished pancakes will be prettier.
Cooking Tools – I usually cook them on a nonstick griddle, but you could easily use a lightly greased skillet instead.
More Easy Pancake Recipes
- The Best Homemade Pancakes From Scratch
- Cinnamon Roll Pancakes
- Fluffy Pumpkin Pancakes
- Red Velvet Pancakes Recipe
- Lemon Blueberry Pancakes
- Easy German Pancake Recipe
Pancakes made with cake mix are a little sweeter than typical pancakes. In fact, with the addition of cake mix and sprinkles, my kids don’t even miss their usual topping of pancake syrup. These pancakes are so delicious, and perfect for any special occasion! Leave us a comment below and let us know what you thought of them and what type of cake mix you used!
Cake Mix Pancakes Recipe
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cake mix, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and mix until just combined (a few small lumps are okay). Let the batter sit for 10 minutes.
- While the batter is resting, preheat a griddle or large skillet over medium heat. When the griddle is heated, stir in the sprinkles. Lightly grease the griddle, and pour the batter by 1/4 cup scoops onto the hot griddle.
- Cook 3-4 minutes, or until there are bubbles all over the tops of the pancakes, then flip and cook and additional 2-3 minutes, until browned on the bottom.
- Serve warm with whipped cream and sprinkles.

domain: food


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MASON, Ohio (AP) — This could be a big week for Angelique Kerber at the Western & Southern Open, where she has a chance to become the WTA’s No. 1 player.
All she has to do is win the Cincinnati tournament where her best finish is runner-up to Li Na in 2012.
“What can I say,” said the German, currently ranked second behind Serena Williams. “There’s a long way to go. I’m not thinking about that. Somebody told me about that (Monday), but I’m trying not to listen.
“Everyone dreams about being No. 1. It would be amazing. I would give everything to reach that goal.”
Kerber could become the first woman other than Williams to be ranked No. 1 since Victoria Azarenka in February 2013. Her road to the top slot got easier when Williams, who has been No. 1 for 183 consecutive weeks and 306 overall, withdrew from the tournament on Monday with a shoulder injury. Earning the No. 1 ranking would extend what already has been a magical year for Kerber, starting with the Australian Open championship, then reaching the Wimbledon final, where she lost to Williams, and winning the silver medal at the Rio Olympics.
“That was a special week,” Kerber said of the Olympics. “I had a lot of experiences. The atmosphere was different than a normal tournament. I had a great week. I won a medal. That was my goal.”
The second-seeded Kerber arrived in Cincinnati on Monday and practiced on Tuesday. After a first-round bye, she is scheduled to play the winner of a match between two qualifiers, Ukraine’s Kateryna Bondarenko and France’s Kristina Mladenovic, on Wednesday. Kerber said she will be ready despite a challenging Olympic schedule.
“I had a lot of matches, day-by-day,” she said. “I’m feeling a little bit tired. It’s a little bit different here than in Rio, but I feel good. I just need one or two days to get used to the court. I’m feeling good. I’ll be ready to go tomorrow.”
David Goffin was the only seeded player in early action as first-round play continued Tuesday. The 11th-seeded Belgian advanced with a 7-5, 6-3 win over qualifier Nikoloz Basilashvili. Also reaching the men’s draw second round was qualifier Mikhail Youzhny of Russia with a 6-1, 6-3 win over wild-card American Taylor Fritz, while Tsvetana Pironkova of Bulgaria advanced on the women’s side with a 6-1, 6-1 win over Russian Daria Kasatkina.

domain: sports


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Uttar Pradesh: Farmers upset over damage sustained by crops after torrential rains in the state
Due to three consecutive days of incessant rains in the Moradabad district of Uttar Pradesh, a huge loss has been caused to the farmers as their fields were flooded with rainwater causing damage to the crops. Read further on Dynamite News:
Moradabad: Due to three consecutive days of incessant rains in the Moradabad district of Uttar Pradesh, a huge loss has been caused to the farmers as their fields were flooded with rainwater causing damage to the crops.
The District Magistrate visited the fields and ordered a survey of the damage that occurred in order to provide compensation to the farmers.
"If someone is left out of the survey, they can submit an application for the compensation. The same will be provided within 72 hours", said Manvendra Singh, District Magistrate, Moradabad.
Meanwhile, farmers have expressed their displeasure after their crops sustained damage due to excessive rains in the district.
"I took a loan and planted the crops. But it has been destroyed by the rains. Vegetable crops have been destroyed completely. My fields have been flooded with rain water", Pushpa, a farmer said.
Another farmer, Munni also spoke about the destruction of crops.
"It has rained heavily during the past three days. All my crops were destroyed. How do I earn my livelihood now?" Munni said. In addition, incessant rainfall led to heavy waterlogging in several areas of Uttar Pradesh's Lucknow on Monday morning.
Residents faced problems in the lower areas of Sadar in the district due to waterlogging and road subsidence.
As continuous rains battered the city, traffic was also disrupted. (ANI)

domain: agronomy


text: At the beginning of the year I wrote I was starting on a two year journey. This year’s journey did not go exactly as planned as I had to take several months off from painting to pack up and move from Texas to North Carolina.Then I opened up my etsy shop (etsy.com/shop/rkmjcreations) and that took longer than planned. Thus I painted a lot less than I thought I would. From the times I did paint I realized it takes longer to learn your art than two years, it is a lifetime thing if you want to get better, and know your art and know yourself. There is always something to learn from each painting. At the moment I am somewhat blocked. Am reading Julia Cameron’s book The Artist’s Way. Would recommend it to anyone who wants to add more creativity to their lives, no matter what form. From just the little bit I ‘ve read I know where my block is coming from. It is because I am trying to paint what I think others will like and things I think will sell on Etsy. That is so not creativity. You have to paint from your heart, paint things you love or are excited about. The painting to the left is a painting I did from pure joy. Others may not like it but whenever I see it, I still feel the joy I felt while painting it. I will be posting other paintings that were painted just for the joy of creating and not from forcing out a painting .


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August 14, 2016 - If you are after for a new hobby, why don't you have a look at golf? Although you spend amount of time in the outdoors inhaling the fresh air, however, you can spend more time with family and friends who also play in the game. Additionally, take into account that golf can be a workout for the mind, as much as your body, in determining your performance. You may invariably find this sport is your favorite way of spending your spare time if you follow the simple suggestions outlined in this post.
From one game to another, your drives should always be made from tees that are at the same height. If you place your tee too low, you'll be plagued by grounders. On the other hand, placing the tee excessive can lead to shots that arc a lot of without traveling
far. Spend some time adjusting your tee height in the driving range to find out what height provides you with the best combination of control and distance.
Know when to use the full-range of golf clubs to improve your round of golf. Knowing whether you ought to select a wood, iron, wedge, or other club will help ensure that your ball always ends up where it should be when you are on the course. Hitting with the incorrect club in the given circumstance can be very problematic.
Practice your swing whenever you can. If you are able to access a golf simulator or dog houses for large dogs
, put it to use! Working on enhancing your swing impacts much of your total golfing game, so keep swinging.
Ensure that the golf shoes you get are roomy to enable your feet to expand during a long day's walking backlinks. Leaving the store with shoes that appear to fit perfectly could lead to a great deal of pain if you are finishing your following round.
Flexibility inside the arms is essential in order to have a great swing action. While arms usually are not everything in terms of a golf swing, adding muscle will help add a little extra power. It's also advisable to make sure they are stretched and massaged well. By getting an arm massage, the muscles and joints will remain limber, and also this, in turn, will lend itself with a good swing movement. Yoga may also be of tremendous benefit for the golfer. Yoga benefits the whole body.
If shifting your weight as you swing leaves you leaning backwards after the ball is struck, try employing a baseball-type approach during your practice rounds on the golf range. Should you lift your front foot up through the first a part of your swing, then step back down while you take the shot, you will naturally learn what weight distribution creates the best shots.
To test your stance, wiggle your toes. If it is too difficult to get ready a swing while moving the toes around, it indicates the golfer is too far in leaning for the ball. Ideally, your stance should allow for just enough backward lean to match movement in the feet.
In order to always have fun golfing, you need to keep your motivation to train often. This makes you want to play more frequently. Golf is a game that will continue to offer learning opportunities. Talk with and observe experienced players, and spend just as much time as you comfortably can practicing. Your game will soon improve.
Know quite clearly who's ball is who's before you begin playing. Double-check that you are hitting the right ball by studying the ball's brand and number. If you play your opponent's ball, you need to take penalty shots.
Losing baseballs is just business as always. If you've bought some expensive baseballs, use them in the tournament in order to close a business deal as opposed to for random games.
Keep yourself in the correct stance. To make sure your stance is true, without moving feet, attempt tapping your toes. A modest amount of effort to tap the toes will be required. You can find your sweet spot by paying attention to the body. For instance, in case you are leaning past an acceptable limit over the ball, you may feel the shot becoming difficult. To the contrary, leaning past an acceptable limit in the other direction makes things feel too loose and straightforward.
With many different practice, the most popular mistake of slicing can be avoided. Many reasons exist for why a slice occurs, nevertheless the most glaring dilemma is when your body gets in front of the ball inducing the clubface to start up too quickly. Your shoulders, hips, and knees should all be parallel using the target line. Your hands and arms ought to be used on the downswing, not the body and shoulders.
Graphite shafts can be used for more than just your driver. Graphite shafts can be a benefit to numerous clubs, so give them a try and see if the upgrades in technology can guide you to better your shot. You might be surprised!
When you are taking your shot, make sure you keep your body relaxed and nimble when you swing one of your clubs. This is a common mistake produced by novice golfers. Stay relaxed and loose, but make sure you hit the ball with all your strength. So relax, and try not to stiffen up!
If you've got the opportunity, ask a specialist his or her opinion on a club, or certainly on a set of new clubs you are looking at purchasing. Take their advice, and constantly research the newest innovations and check out a wide variety of golf clubs before deciding those to purchase.
Now that you have taken the initiative to learn something new about the sport of golf, you are able to impress your golfing buddies (or that gorgeous pro shop attendant) with the information you've just picked up. Look for new methods to apply these skills in your current game, to make the game even more challenging and interesting. co-reviewer: Filomena Q. Mering


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Dellarobia is on her way to a hunting cabin to meet the telephone man for a tryst, when she encounters an astonishing scene in the Appalachian mountains. The trees appear to be covered in flames, but there’s obviously no fire. This vision, which is really hordes of monarch butterflies, gives her pause to rethink her plans. She turns back to her unhappy life with a passive husband and two small children on a sheep farm owned by her in-laws. Mother-in-law Hester is a taciturn woman who seems chilly toward her own grandchildren and downright hostile toward Dellarobia. Near the end of the book we find that she has her reasons for such a dismal outlook on life, but, in the meantime, the butterflies become a national sensation. Ovid Byron, a scientist/professor from Arizona, sweeps in with a few assistants to try to determine why the butterflies have chosen to roost in Tennessee, where the winter cold will surely kill them and possibly annihilate the entire species. The author uses this fictional phenomenon for two purposes. First, Ovid becomes a vehicle for educating the locals about global warming, which they’ve heard of but don’t believe in. The second purpose is that of providing a metaphor for opening up the outside world to Dellarobia and her young son Preston. It’s a minor miracle how the author touches on so many themes in this book. Dellarobia bristles at the condescending attitude held by both the scientific community and the press toward her neighbors, but she’s a quick study and soon grasps the gravity of the situation for the butterflies, as a microcosm of a planet whose ecosystems have gone awry. Kingsolver’s prose is luscious, never preachy, and the dialog is crisp and witty. An outsider handing out pamphlets, admonishing people to reduce their carbon footprint, gets a rude awakening when he recites his list of suggestions to Dellarobia. She’s never been in a plane, has never bought bottled water, and hasn’t eaten in a restaurant in two years, demonstrating that her contribution to the problem is meager in comparison to that of urban dwellers. Despite its weighty topic, this novel has a lot of heart and humor, and I embraced everything about it with delight.
Monday, September 15, 2014
Annawake Fourkiller, a Cherokee lawyer, recognizes Turtle from a TV news clip, and wants to return her to the tribe. However, Taylor adopted Turtle after a woman dumped Turtle in Taylor’s car. Now Taylor and Turtle are inseparable, and they try to disappear. Taylor soon finds that life on the lam is no picnic, especially since no employer is going to allow Turtle to come along, and day care options are non-existent. When Taylor’s mother Alice seeks out her long-lost Cherokee cousin, Alice becomes romantically involved with Cash, who turns out to be Turtle’s biological grandfather. Obviously, there’s got to be some middle ground here that will make everyone happy. I found it hard to side with Annawake on this conundrum, given that Turtle was physically and sexually abused before she found asylum in Taylor’s car. Losing their children to outsiders, though, has long been a sticking point with the tribe, who want to make sure that their kids understand their heritage. Losing one’s ancestral identity seems to me to be a small price to pay for personal safety and well-being, but Turtle’s abusers are out of the picture, and her grandfather is a kind man who has long been deprived of contact with his granddaughter. This is a sticky situation, and Kingsolver handles it with her usual compassion and tenderness. My favorite character is Jax, Taylor’s laidback boyfriend, who is honest to a fault and loves Taylor wholeheartedly. What’s not to love about a musician whose band is called Irascible Babies? Taylor and Turtle could do a lot worse.
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
The Grimké sisters, Sarah and Angelina, grew up in Charleston during the early 1800s. Their father, a judge and planter, owned slaves, but Sarah and Angelina became abolitionist spokeswomen, who also became advocates for women’s rights. This novel focuses primarily on Sarah and a mostly fictional slave, Hetty, nicknamed Handful. I did not know until I read the Author’s Note at the end that Sarah and her sister were actual historical figures, but I began to suspect that some of the events were factual when the author started sprinkling the names of Whittier, Emerson, and Thoreau into the text. We meet Sarah and Handful when they are both young girls. Sarah has two goals: to free Handful and to become an attorney. As a child, she has no authority to free a slave, and as a girl, she has no chance of studying law. Instead, she has to watch helplessly the atrocities her mother inflicts on Handful and Handful’s mother. As an adult, Sarah goes North and converts to Quakerism, since the Quakers oppose slavery and seem to embrace women as ministers. Her quest to become a Quaker minister ultimately derails her marriage plans, and she remains single, while her sister marries abolitionist leader Theodore Weld. The author weaves several historical events into her plot, including an aborted slave insurrection, led by a freed slave, and the use of quilts as tapestries documenting the lives of slaves who could not read and write. Certainly the novel is well-written and engrossing, but even more admirable are the accomplishments of these two women, who predated Harriett Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin and possibly influenced that author. Sarah and Angelina Grimké were not just thinkers; they were doers who endured quite a bit of antagonism for being outspoken women and for espousing human rights. I’m so glad I met them through this novel.
Wednesday, September 3, 2014
A 2-week vacation in Mallorca could be just the ticket for mending all sorts of family rifts. Franny and Jim Post are joined by 28-year-old son Bobby and 18-year-old daughter Sylvia. Bobby’s on-and-off girlfriend Carmen comes along, much to Franny’s dismay, as do Charles and Lawrence, a gay couple hoping to adopt a child. Charles and Franny are such close friends that Charles even watches Franny bathe, as she seeks his advice regarding her cheating husband. (I have to say that I found this scene to be a little odd.) Jim has been fired from his job for having an affair with an intern, and Sylvia is reeling from having lost her boyfriend to her best friend. Sylvia, unlike Bobby, has an inkling of what’s going on with her parents, and their marital uncertainty trickles down to her, further causing her footing in the world to be a little unsteady. She plans to reinvent herself when she starts college at Brown in the fall, and in the meantime hopes to lose her virginity to her handsome Spanish tutor. Bobby is the least likeable of the lot, with his churlish behavior and atrocious judgment when it comes to money. His and Carmen’s relationship is probably the most busted of all, and with good reason. Charles and Lawrence are the relationship role models here, dealing with their own fidelity issues, discussing Charles’s unusually tight friendship with Franny, and contemplating their future role as parents. There’s really not that much of a plot here; it’s definitely more of a character study, sort of a multi-generational Big Chill, where some relationships get mended, some get cemented, and some die on the vine.
Monday, September 1, 2014
Elsa Emerson is the youngest daughter in a family of thespians in rural Wisconsin in the 1920s. After her beautiful older sister’s romance with a charismatic actor in the family’s theatre company ends in tragedy, the family goes into a tailspin. Elsa grabs the first opportunity to escape to Hollywood, in the form of yet another charismatic actor, Gordon Pitts. Gordon manages to land a studio contract with a steady income, while Laura puts her movie star ambitions on hold. Pregnant with her second child, she catches the eye of Irving Green, a studio executive, who renames her Laura Lamont. As Gordon’s career starts to wane, Laura’s takes off, and the two part ways, as Gordon becomes more and more seedy. Irving begins to squire Laura around Hollywood, and soon the two are married. Irving is basically a saint, and Laura loves him dearly. Theirs is a storybook marriage—unusual by Hollywood standards. Laura’s life as a celebrity, however, has its ups (an Academy Award) and downs (more family tragedies), and Laura’s coping mechanism is an addiction to barbiturates. (Doesn’t this sound a little too familiar?) Plus, the roles for women her age are not as plentiful as they were when she was younger, and she turns down a role as a mother, despite the fact that she has three children by now. She reaches an all-time low when her best friend has to fire her from a ridiculous game show. I enjoyed this book, with Laura and all of her foibles, but her journey is not all that uncommon: Small town girl is discovered, marries a big shot, and then has to find her way back to who she really is. She finds strength in her family, and I don’t mean the one in Wisconsin. (Her mother has no complaint about her running off with Gordon but cannot forgive her for changing her name and marrying a Jew.)
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
In the late 1800s in Paris, an impoverished teenage girl could earn a small wage in a variety of occupations: as a ballet dancer, as an artist’s model, as a washerwoman, and, of course, in a brothel. In this tale of three fatherless sisters, Antoinette, Marie, and Charlotte manage to scrape by, while their mother finds solace in drink. Antoinette washes out as a dancer, while Marie and Charlotte show promise and advance to the stage. Marie is the only one of the three who can read, and when the newspaper publishes an article about how a person’s facial features can predict their behavior, Marie feels that her monkey-like face has doomed her. Antoinette, on the other hand, becomes infatuated with Emile, who, along with a cruel friend, is arrested for murder. If Emile can escape the guillotine, he will be banished to New Caledonia, and Antoinette begins scheming to join him there. One reviewer wrote that this book is part love story, but I don’t see it as that at all. It is a story of the bond of sisters, united in their struggle to survive, and the rift that a boy can create. In this case, Antoinette is blind to Emile’s flaws, while Marie sees nothing else. I feared for these girls throughout the book. They have no adult supervision or role models, and they do as they please: visiting convicts in jail, modeling in the nude, going to bars, attending theatre productions, going to work at 4:00 am. They’re like mini-adults but without the good judgment that comes with maturity and experience. Ultimately, Marie makes a decision that widens the gap between her and Antoinette and has unforeseen consequences. I love how, near the end, the author matches the frenetic pace of the story with paragraph-long chapters, alternating narrators, as she has all along.
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
Harold Fry receives a note from a former work associate, Queenie Hennessy, who writes that she is dying of cancer. His walk to post a reply soon becomes a journey to the hospice where Queenie resides—over 600 miles away. He clings to the belief that Queenie will not die until he gets there, while his baffled wife Maureen waits at home. Two parallel stories unfold. One is that of the pilgrimage itself. Harold refuses to outfit himself with suitable walking gear, has no cell phone, and eventually sends his wallet back to Maureen so that he can proceed without money. Now he’s totally dependent on the kindness of strangers, and he encounters quite a few during his journey, acquiring a burgeoning entourage, who become somewhat of an argumentative albatross. The backstory is that of a marriage gone stale and a son whom Harold believes he failed. All of his family relationships are complicated, as is his relationship with Queenie, and the closer Harold gets to his destination, the more he reveals to the reader about his history. He’s made some crucial mistakes in life, but as you might guess, his pilgrimage helps rectify some of those, but some have consequences that cannot be undone. His rendezvous with Queenie does not unfold as I would have guessed, and the author cleverly conceals his son’s fate until the end. Yes, this is a heartwarming story, but I didn’t find it to be particularly special. Memorable? Maybe. I was also not fond of the writing style, which I found to be a little choppy, as if it were written for a somewhat unsophisticated audience. Perhaps this “ordinary” style is intended to help connote the ordinary man that Harold is—at least before his extraordinary pilgrimage.
Labels: 3 stars

domain: library


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Zenith is considering expanding into Dubai to cater chiefly for its clientele in trade and service sectors; this is according to Peter Amangbo, chief executive of Zenith Bank.
“We are in the process of finalising the establishment of an office in Dubai. Dubai will be a subsidiary of Zenith Bank UK as the country will be a gateway into Asia,” Amangbo told CNBC Africa on the side lines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Africa in Cape Town.
“Because the volume of business between Nigeria and many Asian countries has increased over time we believe that Dubai would be a very good point to service our customers especially when it comes to trade and services.”
Amangbo welcomed the biometric verification system in the financial services sector saying it presented growth prospects in the financial space.
“The biometric verification number system itself as a project is a very loadable one and would be a very good foundation for Nigeria through which it can drive growth in the banking business even to the unbanked,” added Amangbo.
“The biometric verification system will drive the next phase of growth especially in the financial services and even the social system itself.”
Amangbo said the slump in oil prices affected the Nigerian economy but said the price had somewhat stabilised.
“There is no doubt that the impact of the oil prices was quiet significant in terms of activities in business in Nigeria and other oil producing countries. Things seem to have stabilised now at a particular range and everyone has come to accept what has happened and we are moving on,” said Amangbo.
“The issue of political risk is very much minimised and we are now focused on the economy.”
Amangbo said Nigeria’s future was bright considering among others the country’s population size.
“When one looks at Nigeria, the prospect of growth is [inevitable] considering the population size which is around 150 million. This size presents opportunities in the infrastructure and other related sectors. It is upon Nigerian to make the environment conducive for investment.”

domain: finance


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Category: Interviews Posted by: admin THE PRESSURE TRULY HIT ME ONE SECOND BEFORE I SANG. I SUDDENLY THOUGHT, 'OH MY GOD, I'M ABOUT TO SING ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS SONGS OF ALL TIME, IN FRONT OF THE GUY WHO WROTE IT, AND THE DIRECTOR AND PRODUCER. NO PRESSURE THERE, THEN!
THE PRESSURE TRULY HIT ME ONE SECOND BEFORE I SANG
Article Date: December 8, 2004 | Publication: The Western Mail | Author: ROB DRISCOLL
The Phantom of the Opera is set to hit the big screen and finally make a star of Gerard Butler. Rob Driscoll reveals the man behind the mask GERARD Butler clearly loves a challenge. He brushed up on his sword fighting, archery and horse riding skills for the starring role of Attila the Hun, got ultra gym-fit for the crazy athletic stunts of Lara Croft: Cradle of Life - Tomb Raider II, and developed an Italian/mid-West American accent while training as a goalkeeper for footballing movie The Game of their Lives.
But The Phantom of the Opera, he concedes, has been his biggest personal stretch, on every conceivable level. Not only that, but the eagerly awaited, big-screen version of the world's most famous musical will catapult this devilishly handsome 35-year-old ex-trainee lawyer into a stratosphere of international fame that has so far, rather strangely, eluded him.
Nailing the title role of the notoriously tortured and disfigured anti-hero was a tough call for Butler, who had to convince no less than the show's creator Andrew Lloyd Webber that he could be his Phantom, as opposed to a more bankable, billboard-friendly name.
For a start, the only singing he'd done was in a makeshift rock band during his student days; he'd had no formal training for the kind of powerhouse, pseudo-operatic, theatrical performance required to deliver modern household classics (like the title song, for example) with any degree of credibility.
Although the movie's director, Joel Schumacher - who turned Colin Farrell into a superstar with Tigerland and Phone Booth - had actively sought out Butler as his leading man, the Glasgow-born actor still had to prove his musical worth the hard way, auditioning in front of Lloyd Webber himself in a room at the composer's London home, singing Music of the Night, with only a piano as accompaniment.
'The pressure truly hit me one second before I sang,' recalls Butler. 'I suddenly thought, 'Oh my God, I'm about to sing one of the most famous songs of all time, in front of the guy who wrote it, and the director and producer. No pressure there then!'
'I'm very hard on myself, and I thought I was dreadful. I'd heard all sorts of things about Andrew Lloyd Webber - that he was a hard taskmaster - and yes, he's demanding, he's a perfectionist, but that's why he's so successful.'
Butler needn't have worried. The next day Schumacher called him very excitedly, saying, 'I've just had Andrew here, raving about you'.
There was still a huge journey ahead, as Butler worked for weeks on end with a voice coach and musical producers perfecting his tone and range.
Now the results are all on screen, in a pounds 55m production filmed entirely at Pinewood Studios, alongside a cast including the similarly little-known Emmy Rossum as ingenue chorus girl Christine, and Patrick Wilson as her lover Raoul, who must battle the Phantom for Christine's heart and soul.
The cast also includes Minnie Driver as Spanish prima donna Carlotta, Jennifer Ellison as a ballerina, and Miranda Richardson as the ballet mistress who knows the secrets of the Phantom's past.
But make no mistake, this is Gerard Butler's movie. And musical challenges apart, from the moment he read the script for the film, Butler reckoned that, even though he'd never seen the show on stage, he could eat the part alive.
'I identified with the Phantom, totally,' says Butler. OK, he may not have spent his life hiding behind a mask and lurking around the catacombs of the Parisian Opera House, pining for the company's beautiful singing star. But there is a cauldron of intense emotion bubbling under this man's very genial surface.
'I knew exactly what I had to do to make this role mine,' he continues. 'The Phantom just breaks my heart. But that was the way in, really. He represents the fear we all have of being unloved, imperfect, ugly, of being left alone.
'Now I've had a very good life, but I've also had a lot of darkness, and I was always very much in touch with that while making the film.'
These are not the self-centred remarks of an attention-seeking drama queen. Butler's own life, to be brutally cynical, has the makings of a juicy movie itself. It takes some drawing out, but he was just two years old when his parents split up, and his mother brought him and his two older siblings up alone. Butler was 16 before he saw his father again.
After studying law at Glasgow University, he started working in an Edinburgh law firm, but he was emotionally troubled, and began to drift aimlessly. He drank heavily, took drugs and spent a number of nights in police cells; by the age of 24, he was contemplating suicide.
It was a chance meeting in a London coffee shop with actor and director Steven Berkoff that turned Butler's life around. Berkoff suggested he audition for a part in his upcoming stage production of Coriolanus. He got the part, and his next audition, in 1996, landed him the lead role of Renton in the stage production of Trainspotting.
Movies soon beckoned, with his screen debut in Mrs Brown, and over the past six or seven years Butler has delivered a slew of impressive performances from sci-fi fantasies like Reign of Fire and Timeline to the male lead opposite Angelina Jolie in Lara Croft and the Cradle of Life: Tomb Raider II.
It was his starring performance in the not-so-wonderful Dracula 2000 that first caught the eye of perennial talent-spotter Joel Schumacher.
'He said he was in St Louis one night, and there was nothing else to go and see!' laughs Butler.
'He's followed my career since, and he eventually phoned my agent and said, 'I'm very interested in Gerry - but can he sing?"
Which is where we came in, of course. But director Schumacher and his producers were always aware they were heading more for an actor who could sing, rather than a singer who could act.
'I've seen articles where I've been described as a Scottish rock'n'roll singer, and that's rubbish,' says Butler. 'I just happened to sing in a rock band with some of my lawyer buddies, and to be honest, I don't think that taught me anything in relation to the Phantom.'
Butler's physical transformation into the Phantom represents what he openly refers to as 'the really tedious part of this movie' - for him anyway: the prosthetics.
'We looked at hundreds of masks,' he says. 'I can't tell you the thought that went into every decision about the mask, and I tried on countless masks for camera tests. That alone was a five-week process.
'Then I had a three-week process of prosthetic make-up. The first time I did it, it was nine hours sitting in the chair. And what always happens with prosthetics is they overdo it, and so they go, 'Let's try it again, but let's just take out some of the pizza!'
'They finally got it down to about five-and-a-half hours. And I hated that with a passion. You've got two or three people poking your eye, your face, your nose. You can't move, so to me it's the closest version of torture you can have.
'It also meant very early mornings, getting up at three o'clock. There was one period of filming when I had to do that six days back to back, so I wasn't getting to bed until 10.30 at night, and wasn't really getting to sleep, as I was so wound up.
'So it was all about going on set and screaming and crying and breaking my heart all day - then going to bed for a few hours, and getting up and going through it all again, and thinking 'I never want to act again!"
He will act again; indeed, Butler will next be seen in cinemas in January, in Dear Frankie, a tiny-budgeted but heart-breaking drama that again touched on resonances of his life. It's about a young boy whose mother protects him from the truth about his missing father.
More recently, jack-of-all- trades Butler has been in Iceland filming Beowulf and Grendel, which required him to get back into action-man mode as the titular, sheepskin-clad warrior. And still the work goes on; right now, he is preparing to play one of his mother country's most revered icons, Robert Burns, in an ambitious new biopic co-starring Julia Stiles as the poet's true love Jean Armour.
'I might just be keeping my Scottish accent for this one,' he grins.
The Phantom of the Opera opens nationwide on Friday.
Posted by: admin
THE PRESSURE TRULY HIT ME ONE SECOND BEFORE I SANG. I SUDDENLY THOUGHT, 'OH MY GOD, I'M ABOUT TO SING ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS SONGS OF ALL TIME, IN FRONT OF THE GUY WHO WROTE IT, AND THE DIRECTOR AND PRODUCER. NO PRESSURE THERE, THEN!


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Thu, 18 Sep 2014
The Appellant, Mr Atkinson, was employed by the Respondent Housing Association as a Director of Resources. An investigation conducted by the Respondent into the Appellant revealed several instances of misconduct on Mr Atkinson's part, including a breach of the Housing Association's email use policy (the Appellant had been sending e-mails of a sexual nature to his lover). Mr Atkinson then resigned before the disciplinary proceedings could be concluded.
Constructive dismissal claim
Mr Atkinson brought several claims against the Housing Association before an Employment Tribunal, including one of constructive dismissal. On this matter the ET ruled in favour of the Respondent holding that, as a matter of law, the claim of constructive dismissal must fail because the employee had himself been in fundamental breach of contract at the time of his resignation.
The decision of the ET to strike out Mr Atkinson's claim of constructive unfair dismissal was successfully appealed by Mr Atkinson before the Employment Appeal Tribunal. The EAT held that, as a matter of law, there is in fact no absolute bar against a claim of constructive dismissal where the employee himself was in fundamental breach of his employment contract at the time of dismissal.
The EAT suggested that the law in this area had been cleared up by the recent decision of the Court of Session in the Scottish case of Aberdeen City Council v McNeill ( IRLR 114). The Scottish court declared that "... the notion that the principle of mutuality of contract debars the appellant from founding on a claim of constructive dismissal on the basis of the respondents' breach of their obligation of trust and confidence in the conduct of the investigation is erroneous... [T]he respondents' duty of trust and confidence remained, notwithstanding the appellant's breach of contract, and the appellant was entitled to found on the respondent's breach of their duty as amounting to constructive dismissal…"
The EAT in Atkinson v Community Gateway Association declared that the principle laid out in McNeill - despite the fact that this was a Scottish case - did in fact reflect the correct principle in English law.
The principle laid out in Atkinson v Community Gateway Association is that, it is possible for a party to a contract of employment who is himself in repudiatory breach of said contract to accept a repudiatory breach by the other party, so long as his own breach has not yet been accepted by the other party.
In this case, the principle was applied to support an employee's claim of constructive dismissal. The wording of the EAT's judgment however suggests that the principle could equally apply where an employer, which itself has breached its obligation of trust and confidence, dismisses an employee who has subsequently committed a repudiatory breach.
The judgment in Atkinson v Community Gateway Association appears at first consideration to encourage outcomes which show an unfair bias in favour of the party whose initial breach went unaccepted. A court can however take into account a claimant's original breach at the stage of awarding damages and an employee or employer who has himself breached his contractual obligations may find he only receives minimal compensation.


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Wahls Diet Food List
The majority of people are searching for the proper food plan. A diet plan that allows you to consume the entire yummy stuff you want and however however shed extra pounds. Why does there should be such a disparity in between a great eating plan and a genuine 1. The true ones are all based on this restriction or that one particular. No carbs, no fats or substantial calorie food items, your whole favored stuff is off limitations. As an alternative you've got to stay to fruits, inexperienced leafy vegetables, significant fiber things, and foodstuff with reduced energy.
Here is a fast survey of some rapidly fat reduction diet plan so you're able to familiarize yourself with them.
The Cabbage Soup diet is legendary. This diet regime provides a couple of variation but at its base is you eat cabbage soup after you are hungry and it will fill you up in order to remain to the diet. When that you are doing the cabbage soup diet such things as oils and fats are off limitations. This diet program is just the other facet of the complete fast; it can be a minimal calorie diet and so you're able to shed lots of pounds on it Surfer Diet.
The Sonoma eating plan is the creation of Dr. Connie Gutterson. It can be high in antioxidant abundant foods, vegetables and fruit, blueberries, spinach, whole grains. Heck you can also have a very very little purple wine using this just one. Additionally it is an exceedingly powerful diet so you can get rid of many body weight on it.
Slim Fast given that the middle bit of your diet also performs. This can also become a balanced, dietary food plan which arrives total with calcium and protein. On this diet regime you consume Slender Speedy six periods on a daily basis and you simply get to insert in fruit, yogurt, cottage cheese, clean vegetables, meat, and nuts. This diet program is one which having a very little treatment you may enjoy currently being on; it even performs for teens.
Next may be the negative calorie diet, really it is actually a lot more like a diet regime helper. On this diet you take in food which have fewer energy in comparison to the number of calories it requires to digest them. These are typically high fiber merchandise, food items with reduced extra fat, vegatables and fruits. Roughage is often a significant aspect of the destructive calorie eating plan. You cannot support but shed extra pounds since it will require far more calories to digest than you are taking in by eating it.
These meal plans get the job done but unfortunately they are not eating plans that you could stick to. Your body are going to be in total rebel if make an effort to stick with any of those way too prolonged, then your weight may sling shot back again the opposite way.
Read Also: What Does A Bland Diet Consist Of