U.S. stocks are slightly higher early Wednesday, digesting the mid-2017 technical breakout ahead of Thursday’s ECB policy directive, U.K. general election, and scheduled political testimony in the U.S. Against this backdrop, the Dow Jones Industrial Average has effectively nailed first support (and drawn buyers), while the S&P 500’s corresponding pullback remains conspicuously flat.
A startup called GoldMoney wants to disrupt the global precious-metals trade with its mashup of an old-school commodities trader and a digital payments system.
Investors are dumping safe-haven gold as political risks fade and the Federal Reserve reiterates its confidence in the stability of the U.S. economy.
U.S. stocks may be somewhat impervious to global political tensions. Gold’s a different story.
The recently retired longtime CEO and chairman of CBOE played a key role in making the exchange a key component of the options industry.
Investors have lost their appetite for precious metals. Now, chartwatchers see more reasons for caution.
Global tensions combine to push the precious metal higher. But the rally may be short-lived.
Gold has gained 14.8% on average in the nine years that a new president has taken the reins since 1974.
The dollar plunged and gold rose on Wednesday afternoon after Mr. Trump told The Wall Street Journal that the U.S. currency “is getting too strong.”
A jump in the price of gold put the shiny metal on track to close above a key technical level for the first time since the election, a sign that momentum is once again on the upswing.
Gold prices spiked Tuesday on a report of billowing smoke near the Moscow airport. It turned out to be a garbage fire, but the move shows how investors are seeking safe havens amid heightened global tensions.
Despite recent gains, the metal will be stuck in a trading range for years, a Wells Fargo strategist says.
The precious metal is up nearly 10% this year, and it’s likely to keep climbing.
The case for owning gold strengthened this week, boosted by geopolitical concerns and dovish signals from the Federal Reserve.
Money managers are rushing in and out of bullish gold trades at a pace unseen since the final weeks before the U.S. presidential election last year.
After regulators slammed the doors on bitcoin ETFs for the time being, some bitcoin fans are pinning their hopes on another possible way forward: a U.S. futures contract.
As the U.K. prepares to trigger its formal departure from the European Union, some Brits have been turning for comfort to gold.
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U.S. index funds were narrowly mixed Friday as the major averages held small gains. Small caps led the upside with iShares Russell 2000 (IWM) rising 0.2%. SPDR S&P 500 (SPY) was flat, while SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average (DIA) was slightly lower. PowerShares QQQ Trust (QQQ) gave up 0.2%. DIA and SPY remain in buy ranges from their respective entries. Biotechs were taking a breather after scoring big gains earlier in the week. IShares Nasdaq
On June 19, gold futures for July expiration touched the day's low of $1,243.00 and ended at $1,245.30 per ounce.
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Key factors that could affect gold include unrest in the Middle East, the next stage of Brexit, and President Trump's ability to bring about financial reforms.
Gold is stronger amid the pullback in the dollar and dented global sentiment. The weaker dollar supports dollar-denominated commodities like gold.
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|Category||Commodities Prec Mtls|
|Fund Inception||November 18, 2004|
The Fund seeks to achieve the performance of gold bullion less the expenses of the Fund. The Fund is designed as a cost effective way for investors to access the gold bullion market. (See Full Profile)
Storyful, a division of News Corp, which owns MarketWatch, is a leading social media services company headquartered in Dublin, Ireland. Storyful combines world class journalism with industry-leading technology to discover, verify and acquire original content and provide the on-the-ground sources news and media organizations need to tell the stories that matter to their audience.


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Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech has warned his teammates against complacency as they prepare to face a shell-shocked Fulham side in a Boxing Day derby today.
The Blues could not have picked a better time to face the Cottagers, who are reeling after suffering their heaviest ever home defeat last week, a 5-0 thrashing by Manchester United.
Yet Cech has urged his teammates to disregard Fulham’s recent problems as Andre Villas-Boas’ men look to pick up three points in order to stay in touch with the league leaders.
“We can’t look too much at the table, we need to keep going step by step, try to win our games and try to catch up as many points as we can,” Cech said. “We depend on everybody else, so it’s up to them how they are going to do, but we just need to keep winning our games. Fulham will be a difficult game because they lost 5-0 at home in their last game. It’s a big London derby and they will want to bounce back, so Chelsea is a great motivation to say sorry to their supporters after Man United, but we are in a situation where we need to keep winning.”
Villas-Boas heads into the game trying to juggle a growing central defensive crisis that has seen him open talks with Bolton Wanderers about a move for Gary Cahill.
The injury to Branislav Ivanovic during the 1-1 draw with Tottenham Hotpsur last week means John Terry is the Blues’ only fully fit centerback ahead of the meeting with Fulham at Stamford Bridge.
That will only strengthen Villas-Boas’ resolve to complete a deal for England defender Cahill — out of contract at the end of the season — as quickly as possible.
However, until the window opens Villas-Boas will be forced to improvise unless David Luiz recovers from a knee injury in time to face Fulham in a game Chelsea must win to maintain their title hopes.
The point gained at White Hart Lane left Villas-Boas’ side 11 points adrift of Premier League leaders Manchester City and while Chelsea will expect to beat a Fulham side in the doldrums following the United drubbing, a makeshift defense will do little to enhance their chances of victory.
Villas-Boas insists there is no way back for the transfer-listed Alex and he is likely to use Paulo Ferreira or Oriol Romeu alongside Terry.
Frank Lampard could return to the starting lineup in place of Ramires after the Brazil midfielder collected his fifth booking of the season.
Fulham sit just four points above the bottom three and, having also exited the Europa League, are in desperate need of a lift.
The performance against United drew widespread criticism, but manager Martin Jol insists his side can turn things around quickly.
“I don’t think we are lacking confidence, it’s about teamwork,” Jol said. “If you work as a team, we are good and our goal-difference has shown that — that’s probably been a big plus for us this season — but that is something we destroyed on Wednesday with the five goals. If you play as a team, you don’t concede goals and you always get your chances.”
Jol has no new injury worries and he may well opt to restore Bobby Zamora to the starting lineup after starting the England forward on the bench against United.
“We have Chelsea ... then Norwich and Arsenal, so we just have to look at what we did wrong, pick ourselves up fast and improve,” fullback John Arne Riise said. “We will lift our heads up, focus on the things we’ve done right in the last few weeks, work hard and stick together.”
‘CRIMINAL ACT’: The UCI said it ‘strongly condemns’ Dylan Groenewegen’s ‘dangerous behavior,’ which left Jakobsen in critical condition and injured other cyclists Dutch cyclist Fabio Jakobsen was in a coma on Wednesday, in “serious” condition, after he was thrown into and over a barrier at 80kph in the conclusion to the opening stage of the Tour de Pologne. Footage showed 23-year-old Jakobsen, of the Deceuninck-Quick-Step, racing elbow-to-elbow with fellow Dutchman Dylan Groenewegen of Jumbo-Visma as both men frantically tussled in a tight sprint to the line in Katowice. However, Jakobsen came off worst, somersaulting over the barriers before colliding with a photographer after Groenewegen had veered suddenly to the right, squeezing his rival into the security wall. “His condition is very serious. His life is
Taiwan Steel on Sunday grabbed three points with a narrow 1-0 win against Hang Yuan FC, to move into the No. 2 spot on the Taiwan Football Premier League (TFPL) log, while Taipower FC beat NTUS 2-0 to maintain first place. Taking advantage early in the match of opposition defenders who had not yet settled down, Taiwan Steel’s attacking trio of Wu Chun-ching, Marc Fenelus from the Turks and Caicos Islands, and Benchy Astama from Haiti pushed forward with good passes. After only one minute of play, Fenelus dribbled from the right flank, feeding a short pass inside the penalty area to
LEAVING IT LATE: Rakuten added late runs last night to add to wins on Wednesday against the Brothers and the Lions on Friday that went down to the last batter The Rakuten Monkeys rallied to post three late runs for another close win, prevailing 5-3 over the Uni-President Lions yesterday as Taiwan’s second-half CPBL season got started with lower scoring output, but exciting finishes. It was Rakuten’s third win in a row. In two games this week, they seized victory in dramatic fashion with their last at-bat and have drawn level with the CTBC Brothers on top of the table after yesterday’s results, 0.5 games in front of the Fubon Guardians and 1.5 games ahead of the Lions. It was tied at 1-1 early, with Rakuten hosting the Lions at the Taoyuan Intenational
STAYING COOL: Hamilton said that his ‘heart nearly stopped’ when he noticed the puncture, but he kept going to beat Alain Prost’s total of six home wins in France Lewis Hamilton said he feared he might not make it home when a last lap puncture almost derailed his charge to a record seventh British Grand Prix victory on Sunday. “I didn’t think I would make it round the last two corners,” the world champion said. The front left tire of his Mercedes had delaminated and deflated on his final lap, leaving the six-time world champion to nurse his vehicle to the finish as second-placed Max Verstappen hunted him down. “I just can’t believe it,” Hamilton said. “It was heart-stopping. I backed off and stayed chilled and was so glad it happened on

domain: news


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Updated: Feb 26
Health benefits of foot massage If your feet are sore after a tiring day, a foot massage can help you relax. But it's not just feeling good. Research shows that it has health benefits as well.
even a short foot massage It can relieve stress and make you feel energetic. that is a good thing Because reducing stress and increasing energy will give you healthier choices. such as exercising and eating a proper diet But how does a massage do that? It stimulates your nervous system, which increases feel-good brain chemicals like endorphins. People who received a foot massage after appendectomy had less pain and less pain medication.
Professional massage is not cheap. Fortunately, you can enjoy the same benefits at home for free.
Do it yourself or ask your partner to help. The spots that usually hurt are easy to reach. Moderate pressure massage is safe and effective for most people with various conditions. such as fibromyalgia, algia, and long-term pain You can also try getting your first massage from a professional massage therapist. Look for someone certified by the Associated
Bodywork and Massage Professionals or the American Massage Therapy Association if you've had foot surgery. Talk to your doctor or podiatrist first to see if a foot massage is a good idea for you.

domain: medical


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Somewhere during the time I spent stewing on my ideas, and creating these pieces Lisa went and set up a whole new blog called A Grateful Artist. Take time when you are done here to stop by her blog for a visit. If you can, check out some of the other talented gals who participated in this challenge too.
Anyway months after receiving the beads I am here to show you what my odd, little mind created with them. Some of the pieces still need some work, but some of them I am quite proud of. Heck as many times as these beads were lost, buried
Here's what I stared with:
Here's what's left:
|Why are long necklaces so hard to photograph?|
|Necklace that's missing something.|
|Dangles from missing piece necklace|
|more detail of missing piece necklace|
|ring & first attempt at crazy wire wrapping|
|not one for those who like to put their hands in their pockets, but so fun|
|the one little man took|
|earrings for the funky girl|
|more earrings, but this time with matching bracelet|
|tiny drop necklace close-up|
|see very petite on 20in chain|
|AHH! I didn't finish wrapping behind the bottom stone.|
Sometimes pictures talk too much!
|This is just bad lighting, but should I let it naturally patina or spray it so it stay's shiny?|
|Inspired by Bones Season 1. I miss that crazy, chunky jewelry.|
|Yes, only the chips were from the kit, but the rest was all in my stash.|
|Here's where that necklace started when I was debating back of the neck options.|
It's funny how things evolve especially when you are given this long to stew on it.
Did I tell you I've had this kit since August?
Ok that was 13 pieces. I didn't even notice I made 13 pieces till I finished this post. Yeah me! And a big hug for Lisa who gave me this challenge. Thanks so much Lisa for the kit, and all the work you put into the blog hop.
So which piece is your favorite?
I'm still deciding.
My Bead Table Blog Hop
Your Host: Lisa Lodge
Molly Alexander, Beautifully Broken Me
Audrey Belanger, Dreams of an Absolution
Ginger Bishop, lilmummylikes...<----(You are Here)
Tanya Boden, Fusion Muse
Lisa Boucher, Lisa’s Clay Happenings
Michelle Buettner, Mishel Designs
Eleanor Burian-Mohr, The Charmed Life
Mikala Coates, Maybe Just Perhaps
Marlene Cupo, Amazing Designs
Kathleen Douglas, Washoe Kat's
Mary Govaars, MLH Jewelry Designs
Tanya Goodwin, A Work in Progress
Mary Hicks, Falling Into the Sky
Tina Holden, Polymer Clay Bytes!
Shelly Joyce, Au jour le jour
Carolyn Lawson, Carolyn's Creations
Kathy Lindemer, Bay Moon Design
Susan Lloyd, Designs by Susan
Cynthia Machata, Antiquity Travelers
Kashmira Patel, Sadafule .. always in bloom!
Inge von Roos, Inge's Blog
Kristen Stevens, My Bead Journey
Sonya Stille, Dreamin' of Beads
Christine Stonefield, Sweet Girl Design
Toltec Jewels, Jewel School Friends
Norma Turvey, Moonlit Fantaseas
Sandra Wollberg, City of Brass Stories

domain: artistic


About Envision’s services. Finding the right web host is critical to your online success... and it can be a confusing process. Envision is the Internet's leading source of information on web hosting services.
Dreamweaver hits the best selling list again this year with its newest release Dreamweaver 8. Touted as a terrific web site development tool, it is ideal for designers who are looking for a rapid, yet professional tool to build their sites. A bit on the pricey side – but "you get what you pay for" and Dreamweaver will pay for itself.
The best thing about this software is that is does not generate funky code you do not know what to do with. Hurray! It actually gives you good HTML code. And no, you don't have to be an HTML coding whiz to design a web site or use this software. Sure, there is a learning curve, but once you have mastered this tool – look out – you are going to be on a roll.
This baby also generates code for forms (and don't you all know what a PITA these are to develop the long, old fashioned, hand coded way) and to link with a database using most of the currently popular technologies. That would include PHP, ASP, XHTML and .NET.
Wait for it! Want to know what design things it can do for you? Well rollovers for one thing, and again this is really hard to code by hand. So short cuts are wonderful. There is also CSS styles (cascading style sheets), server side includes (SSI) and templates. Gotta love those templates for design on the fly! Server side includes means a type of HTML comment that directs the web server to generate data for your web page whenever it is requested. The basic format for SSIs are: <!--#command tag="value"-->
Here is another plus point for Dreamweaver 8. It also supports both inbuilt and downloaded extensions. Imagine how much time this is going to save you when you are under a tight deadline and do not want to start from scratch.
Your next best choice would be Fireworks 8 by Adobe. This is a specialized tool for web designers and can do site layouts, logos, graphic designs and a whole pile of other neat stuff.
Fireworks is terrific for optimizing images and exporting them (gif or jpeg format). But you have other goodies to play with – like animated gifs, swap images, rollovers, horizontal and vertical drop down menus or fly outs. You want to be kind of careful about how you use these, but they do make for a nice design touch to kick up your pages.
Another great web design tool is Flash 8 Professional – hands down the best tool for web site animations. Now normally you would think animations would increase the file size to an unmanageable size. This tool keeps the file size low and lets the site load fast. Not bad hey? Of course, you would still not want to overdo the animations or you will put people off your site.
This particular software is really for advanced actionscript programmers. So if that's not your cup of tea, then you can try out Flash 8 Basic.
Great selection of tools for website development are easy to find by doing a little bit of Internet research. You can also compare programs and ask questions and even check out online tutorials before you take the developing plunge.
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LEADERSHIP andamp; GOVERNANCE CRISIS: Eskom, Transnet ex-board members blame ‘meddling’ Minister Gordhan for executive exodus at dysfunctional SOEs
Transnet and Eskom, the state-owned enterprises (SOEs) responsible for South Africa’s economic malaise, have descended into a deeper leadership and governance crisis with an exodus of executives in recent weeks.
Eskom has not had a group CEO since February after the resignation of André de Ruyter, and its board is now doing further interviews to fill the position.
The Eskom board has its own problems. The chairman, Mpho Makwana, resigned suddenly this week after just 13 months in the post. He was immediately replaced by Mteto Nyati, who became Eskom’s seventh board chair since 2011.
There has also been a leadership shake-up at Transnet, the rail and port operator. Portia Derby, the CEO, and Siza Mzimela, head of the rail division, are on their way out. Nonkululeko Dlamini, the chief financial officer, has also left.
Eskom and Transnet have been left more rudderless at a time when their inefficiency is causing huge losses to the economy and public finances.
The SA Reserve Bank estimates that Eskom blackouts (especially higher stages) are costing the economy R899-million a day in shuttered factories, closed shops and malfunctioning infrastructure.
Stellenbosch University estimates that the country is losing R1-billion a day as a result of the dysfunction at Transnet. Trains are delayed or not moving at all, and its ports are ranked among the world’s worst in efficiency, container loading and waiting times.
Fixing Eskom and Transnet has become urgent for the country.
Daily Maverick asked former board members of SOEs about the reasons behind the mess at Eskom and Transnet, and why their top leadership resembles a revolving door – and most blame government interference as the main culprit.
The logistics crisis
Iraj Abedian, an economist who served on the Transnet board from 2004 to 2009, lays the blame for the troubles at SOEs squarely on the government.
Since the Jacob Zuma administration, Abedian said, ministers who have led the Department of Public Enterprises, which oversees the governance of SOEs, have interfered in the operations and everyday affairs of entities such as Transnet and Eskom.
“The government does not understand the boundaries when it comes to how SOEs are run. The government not only wants to appoint the board, but also the CEO [chief executive officer], CFO [chief financial officer] and COO [chief operations officer]. You have a government that fiddles and this fiddling got worse with the Zuma years,” he said.
Abedian said, when he served on the Transnet board, Alec Erwin (the public enterprises minister at the time in Thabo Mbeki’s administration) did not interfere with the work of the board, leaving it to do its job of handling the SOE’s strategy and operations.
“Concurrence – and not approval or a final say – on decisions already made by the board would be sought from the minister. There was a clear understanding of roles and boundaries,” he said.
This arguably helped to maintain Transnet’s operational and financial sustainability. When Abedian was on the Transnet board, the SOE was profitable, recording profits of more than R4-billion every year between 2005 and 2009.
Today, losses are the norm at Transnet, and the SOE recently pencilled in a loss of almost R6-billion, mostly because of major problems with its freight rail operations.
Volumes in the rail operations have declined from a peak of more than 200 million tonnes a year in 2019 to an expected 143 million in 2023 because of Transnet’s mismanagement of the rail network, cable theft and vandalism.
Unless rail is turned around soon, South Africa stands to lose export markets, jobs and investments in its mines.
Interference at Eskom
Business Leadership South Africa CEO Busisiwe Mavuso, who served on the previous Eskom board, also believes interference by the government is the main reason behind the dysfunction at the power utility.
Mavuso said seasoned and capable professionals are appointed to SOE boards, but they are usually disempowered because the government controls decision-making.
“Good governance starts with a board being able to hold the executive management to account. To do that, the board needs to have appointed – and have the right to dismiss – the chief executive officer.
“Yet, in both Eskom and Transnet, as well as all other SOEs, the CEO is appointed and dismissed by a minister, who can, under the organisations’ memorandum of incorporation, ignore the board in the process. This is the beginning of the dysfunction that besets these entities,” said Mavuso.
A memorandum of incorporation is a document governed by the Companies Act that outlines the roles and fiduciary duties of directors and executives.
“The minister, as the shareholder representative, should be able to select directors of the businesses in line with the Companies Act. But those directors must then be empowered and be accountable for the performance of the entities.
“Right now, that cannot happen in SOEs because the boards are disempowered on the most critical decision they should be making,” said Mavuso.
Interference by Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan is believed to be behind the sudden resignation of Eskom’s Makwana, who leaves the power utility at the end of this month. Makwana’s relationship with Gordhan broke down over the process to appoint a CEO to replace De Ruyter.
The Eskom board and Makwana looked far and wide (even around the world) for a CEO and interviewed close to 150 candidates since April.
The board recommended the former Eskom head of group capital, Dan Marokane, for the top position because of his management experience, technical knowledge and engineering background.
Makwana informed Gordhan about the board’s choice. However, Gordhan dithered and, four months later, he wrote to the Eskom board asking it to submit a shortlist of three candidates, stating that this was required by Eskom’s memorandum of incorporation. The effect of this is that the board and Makwana have to restart the CEO search from scratch.
In his recommendation to the board, Gordhan also said candidates over the age of 60 should be considered in the search. It is understood that the board had chosen to exclude candidates older than 60 to ensure long-term leadership stability at Eskom, where the retirement age is 65.
Makwana hit back, saying the board had concluded that Marokane was the only “appointable candidate”. The impasse had not been resolved by the time Makwana’s resignation was announced. The board is now conducting further interviews to bring the process in line with Gordhan’s requirements. Gordhan has committed himself to concluding the process by year-end.
At the time of publication, Daily Maverick had yet to receive a response to questions sent to Gordhan’s department about Makwana’s departure from Eskom.
An individual close to Eskom’s affairs and its board noted that Gordhan’s relationships with the executives he appoints at the power utility usually end in tatters.
“Gordhan’s track record with Eskom executives is quite poor. It’s hardly surprising because he is seen as a meddler,” said the source.
Since Gordhan was appointed to lead the Department of Public Enterprises in 2018, he has had conflicts with former Eskom CEO Phakamani Hadebe (who resigned in 2019, lasting only a year in the job); former chair Jabu Mabuza (who resigned in 2020 over Stage 6 blackouts); and De Ruyter (who served three years of his five-year contract).
Former Eskom board chair Malegapuru Makgoba has since come out to accuse Gordhan of interfering in the SOE’s operational affairs, often “undermining” the people he appoints.
At Transnet, Gordhan was viewed as providing political cover to Derby, the CEO, and Mzimela, the head of freight rail operations, despite the mining industry calling for them both to be fired for their failure to reform Transnet over the past three years.
But on 1 September, when Transnet unveiled a loss of R5.7-billion for its 2022/23 financial year, Gordhan admonished Transnet executives and the board for the SOE’s terrible performance. He ordered the board to deliver a turnaround strategy and a review of skills at the top within three weeks. This was a clear indication that Gordhan had lost confidence in Derby and Mzimela.
Appointing credible people
Krutham (formerly Intellidex) MD Peter Attard Montalto said finding candidates to take over from Derby or even Mzimela would be difficult because the problems at Transnet are many and entrenched.
“The board will struggle to find a credible person quickly, who must be exceptionally strong so as not to be captured by the blob layer in the company [incompetent middle managers], where the problems really lie,” he said.
Organised labour has taken an interest in the leadership changes at SOEs. The trade union federation Cosatu has called for the Transnet board and government to “move swiftly to appoint competent management” at the company.
Appointing capable and experienced executives is not Transnet’s strong suit. Take Mzimela, for example. She was not seen as the right person to run Transnet trains because she had no rail experience and had a dubious record as the CEO of state airlines SAA and SA Express, which were both in business rescue, with the latter now defunct. Her own airline, Fly Blue Crane, failed and is still stuck in business rescue.
“We need management who can turn SOEs around,” said Matthew Parks, the parliamentary co-ordinator for Cosatu. “We can’t afford the deterioration of SOEs as it poses a threat to thousands of jobs and billions of tax revenue for the state. The government needs to move swiftly to stabilise and rebuild SOEs to become enablers of economic growth.”
Political analyst Ralph Mathekga takes a dim view of the ability of the ANC to reform SOEs and return them to good governance.
“The ANC-led government has a deep philosophical problem with how it relates to the ANC because of their heavy impact on the economy and policy,” Mathekga said.
“Transnet and Eskom are not just SOEs; they are mega SOEs with a heavy footprint on policy and a heavy budget. Those are where the biggest patronage battles are fought. This is why we are seeing so much jostling for their control.”
It is possible that the state oversight of SOEs may soon see a drastic change. Gordhan may no longer be the minister after next year’s general election. The Department of Public Enterprises may be shut down under a new administration, and SOEs would then fall under the direct control of their line ministries. DM
This story first appeared in our weekly Daily Maverick 168 newspaper, which is available countrywide for R29.


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- Optional paddlewheel transducer for boat speed


text:
When you have a house full of guests, it can be difficult to decide the best way of serving Thanksgiving dinner. You can go with a buffet-style set-up that lets your guests serve their own meals or you could place the food on the table and pass it around after everyone is seated. There are a few considerations that can help you pick the best method for your holiday spread.
A buffet-style dinner entails putting all the food in a central location near a stack of plates and a pile of silverware. Guests can load their own plates and then head to the tables to eat. This is a great way to serve dinner if you expect a large number of guests because everyone can choose what they want without having to wait for serving platters to make the rounds.
It’s also ideal if there are many small children . This way, they won’t have to sit in their chairs for a long time waiting to be served. A buffet set-up is also a good way to make room on the dining tables for plates and glasses.
While there are many benefits to serving Thanksgiving dinner buffet-style , there are a couple of downsides too. If your home is small, setting up a separate table for food can leave little space for moving around and can limit the amount of seating you have. If your family is used to a formal dinner on the holiday, a buffet might not meet expectations. Having to get up for more food can interfere with conversation and may require people to shift around during the meal.
Serving Thanksgiving dinner family-style means loading the table with all the food. The guests sit at the table and pass the food, allowing each person to take what he or she wants. This is great for smaller crowds because you can enjoy the meal together without having to get up and down for second helpings.
It’s also a bit more formal than a buffet dinner, allowing you to bring out your best china . If passing food is the tradition , a family-style dinner adheres.
There are some drawbacks to family-style dining, however. All the food on the table leaves less room for table settings , and your guests may feel cramped. Limited table space can also reduce the amount of space for platters and bowls of food, which means you might have to go back and forth to the kitchen to refill dishes.
You may also have to limit the number of different dishes you serve. Finally, family-style dining promotes lounging for conversation. This can mean leaving food sitting for too long on the table, which increases the risk of bacterial growth and foodborne illnesses.
No matter how you decide to serve Thanksgiving dinner , you’re sure to enjoy the holiday by eating tasty food and sharing time with family and friends.

domain: food


text:
I nibbled on my lower lip nervously as Caine went on talking. I had no clue what to say or even how to act! I felt panic ease in with the butterflies in my stomach. What if he thought I was dumb? Caine calmly smiled and chuckled at my stuttered replies. The girls in the class were taking notice and even if I knew, not everybody was looking at me I felt they were.
My cheeks were in a permanent flush. Why couldn't this torture end? I felt like I usually did when I sat alone. Like a humiliated freak. Caine is so normal compared to me. I felt alone even with Caine with me. I blinked back tears and I snapped at myself mentally. You aren't weak!
"Then, I slammed into the poor kid." He was saying and I winced. I'm five foot and three inches but the guy he was talking about is super short and skinny. I felt bad for him and Caine laughed, "He ended up crying."
No doubt. I felt fury rise in me like it usually did when the weak were picked on. "That's not very funny." I told him shortly and turned away. I felt his warm hand on my shoulder and I barely stifled the gasp I so wanted to let out. His touch, even through clothing, was shocking. Like lighting. Caine sucked in a quick breath and pulled back. Did he fill it too?
"I know. I wasn't really sure what kind of things you think are funny." He mumbled, "To tell you the truth, I felt really guilty."
"Did you apologize?" I asked unsure of what else to do.
"Huh? No." He mumbled and I turned around to see his face bright red. I saw shame in his eyes and I smiled gently at him.
"You should. It'll make you feel better to own up to your mistakes." I told him. He nodded and the bell rang. I gathered my things and Caine cleared his throat. He looked endearingly cute with his now nervous expression, "What?"
"Do you want to sit with me at lunch?" He asked. I considered. His friends were kind of noisy and the girls there were mean. I frowned. I didn't really want to sit there. I was the type of person to do what I felt like then and there. I mentally cursed myself as the words slipped from my mouth.
"No, thank you." I wanted to take them back but I felt the rising fear that if I did so I'd look like a bigger fool. I looked up at him, my cheeks flushing. He's so tall. I had to crane my neck up to see him and I didn't like it.
"Why not?" He asked not ready to give up. I considered on what I should tell him. I decided on the truth.
"I don't like your group of friends." I said simply. He looked taken aback and I cursed myself. I had ruined my only chance to be accepted, hadn't I?
"Then, we can sit alone together." He said. I solemnly nodded.
"Find me later." I said and scurried off. I couldn't get out of there faster.
I placed my books into my locker and grabbed my lunch bag. When, I shut my locker Caine popped up like a ghost. I jumped and settled myself before I screamed.
"Hi there." He said and all I could do was look up. He looked down and I was amazed at the height difference.
"So where are we going?" I finally asked. He grinned at me.
"It's a secret." He said and I nodded. Whatever floats his boat. He grabbed for my hand. Well, and my boat, too. My fingers tingled as he lightly gripped my hand.
As we walked through the halls people stopped to stare. The girls glared at me and the boys had puzzled expressions on their faces. Why would the blue chick be with Mr. Perfect? I, myself, had trouble answering that question.
We didn't have an indoor cafeteria. It was outdoors only because in California, the weather is great. I've never liked the sun. I'd made a habit of staying indoors and staying pale white.
Caine led me through the benches and tables of kids. I got the same treatment as before and Caine didn't seem to mind. His table called for him but looking at me, he ignored them.
I felt butterflies rise again. As we walked a farther distance from the cluster of tables on campus, I tripped nervously. He seemed to catch me on instinct. I smiled up at him feeling weak from the pounding sun. He smiled at me, but I couldn't see his eyes from the sun's glare.
We continued on until we came up to a gate. He helped me climb over and he jumped over. I had no qualms about leaving campus without permission and neither did he.
Behind the gate was a small patch of trees that was about three acres if I remembered correctly. Caine skillfully guided me through the forest and I felt giddy as we finally reached our destination.
A blue pond. It was a beautiful clear color that, nowadays, was hard to come by. There was a bench next to the lake and Caine took me closer. Fish swam to and from in the pond and one flicked its tail at me, causing water to plop up. I chuckled.
"This is amazing." I whispered. I'd always feel rejuvenated by being close to large quantities of water. Besides my adoptive parents, water was one of my favorite things in this world. Caine smiled at me. I grinned at him.
"I come here to be alone. Nobody knows about this place except my uncle, me and now you." He said and I looked at him confused. Why had he taken me here? I voiced my question roughly.
"Because, Mist." He began, "I feel as if I've known you all my life."
© Copyright 2017 Sienna Belmont. All rights reserved.
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domain: literature


text:
100 Snowflakes to Crochet
Make your Own Snowdrift-- to Give or to KeepBook - 2012
"Bring the magic of a fresh snowfall into your own home with this gorgeous collection of crocheted snowflakes. Spend an hour making an ornament or two, or take a weekend and crochet a whole blizzard" --P.  of cover.
Publisher: New York : St. Martin's Griffin, 2012
Edition: 1st U.S. ed
Description: 128 p. : col. ill. ; 23 cm
Branch Call Number: 746.434 Sai

domain: library


Department: Workforce Center
Release Date: Jun 20, 2011
Lew Wymisner, 970.498.6605, LWymisner@larimer.org
VFW National Employment Awards Program
Each year the VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) bestows national awards on individuals, groups, or companies who have furthered employment opportunities for veterans in some way. These awards are intended not only to recognize the achievements of those who have excelled in providing employment services to veterans, but also to increase public awareness of the advantages of employing our nation's veterans. Two national employment awards were recently presented to the Larimer County Workforce Center at the VFW State Convention, Thursday, June 16, 2011, in Security, Colorado.
Local Office of Public Employment Service Award – Larimer County Workforce Center
The purpose of this award is to recognize Public Employment Service Offices that have excelled in providing services to veterans. It is presented to Public Employment Service Offices that have exceptional records of assisting veterans beyond what is required by federal, state, or local directives. Each department of the VFW nominates one candidate for national competition.
James C. Gates Distinguished Employment Service Award – Chad Imker, Regional Veteran Employment Representative, Larimer County Workforce Center
The James C. Gates Distinguished Service Award is given each year in recognition of extraordinary and meritorious service to those who have substantially contributed to advancing meaningful employment for veterans.


text:
Although there is no comparison with the tragic Las Vegas shooting and the current problem with NFL games, there are some similarities. They both involve large crowds of people who are only trying to enjoy a few hours of the good life. One involves the First Amendment and the other involves the Second Amendment.
The NFL protests happened because of police brutality and racial inequality, which are basically only symptoms of problems in our society. To delve deeper into the cause of these problems, one must examine other topics such as not obeying and respecting the law, drugs, gun laws, gangs, poor education and counseling, and weak family structure in oppressed neighborhoods. Making improvements in these areas would provide a proper pathway to more positive changes in our society.
As for the NFL games, I personally believe the problems of the world should stay outside the stadium walls. Politics and sports never have mixed very well.
I just discovered the new NFL ruling bans all kneeling for anyone on the field. Hooray for the NFL! This is the most common-sense solution. I hope any penalties do not punish the whole team but only the individuals, like ejection from the game with no pay. The recent kneeling actions were lazy attempts to gain notoriety and publicity plus feed false egos. If they really wanted to help society with these problems, the NFL players and retirees should take their millions of dollars in pay and spend some time with some struggling families in these oppressed neighborhoods and determine the best places to put their money. This would feed their souls more than any amount of kneeling or scoring touchdowns would.
Chuck Davison, Washington

domain: sociology


text:
But this 12 months, as all of us sat at home and watched the world come to a halt, “aspirational” took on new that means. When restrictions relaxed this summer, the familiar wanderlust crept again in. With even essentially the most simple international getaways dominated out, and plenty of travelers still hesitant to hop on a plane, even simple journeys — scenic drives, camping weekends, staycations across city — abruptly felt novel and luxurious. Even for the compulsive jetsetters amongst us, it’s a easy reality that the Travel & Leisure majority travel tales are aspirational in the best of instances. There are too many incredible places to see, not sufficient trip days, and sometimes all of us should content material ourselves with scrawling one other spot on the bucket listing and hoping the celebrities align. When the time involves travel again, these destinations — all right in your individual backyard — are those to go to subsequent. Every 12 months, the rankings are decided by Travel & Leisure readers in its World’s Best on-line survey.
Travel + Leisure is being purchased by a big timeshare company. The timeshare firm will rebrand as Travel + Leisure, and I guess it’s hoping that buying the media firm will increase its potential consumer base. Wyndham Destinations, primarily based in Orlando, Fla., will make a $35 million cost to Meredith at closing with rest to be paid by 2024. Meredith will continue to operate Travel + Leisure’s media operations independently, together with advertising and advertising, beneath a 30-year licensing agreement that’s renewable. At Travel + Leisure we encourage and empower the world’s most curious and passionate vacationers to travel more—and travel better. We assist to raise their experience via content material and tools that serve them throughout their whole journey, from dreaming to planning to reserving to touring.
Simple Methods To Get To Marthas Vineyard This Summer
Maybe this might be a time to essentially pause and think about initiatives that will lift and encourage – including inspiring that traveler wanderlust when the time is right. Households likely to have a tendency for worldwide household travel. Article textual content, previously justified, is now designed flush left, and fewer textual content seems on pages, permitting layouts to breathe. The journal is thought for its evocative photography, and the design pushes the imagery to the fore in robust, easy compositions. Single-page editorial content is separated from adjacent advertising with a graphic bar.
Hear from specialists and readers alike for every thing from common travel recommendation, to reviews on particular motels and eating places. Readers will respect the insider ideas that give the lowdown on finest places Leisure to eat, fabulous places to stay, and essentially the most exciting hotspots. You try daily to ensure a first-class expertise for your guests, leaving no detail to probability.
Wyndham Destinations Acquires Travel + Leisure Brand From Meredith Corporation In Strategic Alliance For $100m
Treat your family to their favorites with members-only deals on purchasing, eating, recreation, big ticket occasions, and extra. Club Members can get tickets to great occasions and places, whether or not you’re at residence or traveling, with specifically negotiated reductions. And our members get nice shopping discounts from our merchant companions. The ALCHEMY DMC Argentina Travel & Leisure department handles tailor-made packages and collection bookings for travel to the whole of Argentina.
- CDP Annual Report Launch – seventh December 2017 – New YorkThis famend annual gathering will launch CDP’s 2017 US report, highlighting the importance of board governance of ESG issues and hearing the latest ESG insights from responding corporations.
- Kambr Media is the entrance page of the industrial aviation industry.
- The first time I flew as a young boy, I was alone and filled with nervous power and palm-sweat nervousness.
On Thursday, the entrepreneur announced that his newest Virgin Hotel in New Orleans is ready to take your summertime reservations. Located in the Warehouse District at 550 Baronne Street, the new-build lodge options 238 guestrooms, which they name “Chambers,” including Grand Chamber Suites and two Penthouses that guests may never need to leave. travelandleisure.com— Travel is a basic a part of the Asian American and Pacific Islander experience. That’s due largely to the truth that so much of the group arrived in the united states after the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, which did away with prior quotas based mostly on national origin that severely restricted immigrants from Asia for many years. Approximately 57% of Asian Americans had been born exterior the united states, that means the majority traveled here from some place else, or their parents or grandparents did.
Expertise & Companies
Even probably the most level-headed vendor could be taken advantage of by an experienced scammer if they’re not cautious. Scammers will go as far as to arrange professional-looking web sites and claim to characterize legitimate real property companies. The latest weblog from worldwide timeshare brokerage firm Travel & Leisure Group presents readers a revealing have a glance at widespread timeshare scammer ways and pointers on the method to protect themselves from timeshare fraud. In 2018, Insider named Portland, Maine one of the most underrated US travel locations.
This enterprise line offers a collection of services to inspire travelers with Travel + Leisure’s expert multi-platform content, including subscription travel clubs, online travel gateway BookTandL.com, and brand licensing agreements. The largest trip ownership company with 230 trip membership resort locations across the globe. Leisure travel may be many issues, however apart Travel from being a vacation, it doesn’t need to be any one of them. Although many leisure vacationers spend more cash than they might of their everyday life, others would possibly choose to travel frugally. These backpacker leisure vacationers would possibly keep in hostels, cook their very own meals and take public transit – so long as the primary focus is on leisure, they’re still leisure vacationers.

domain: travel


In: Proceedings of the 5th IEEE International Symposium on Intelligent Control, 1990, Philadelphia, PA, USA, pages 999-1004. Piscataway, NJ, USA: IEEE Service Center, 1990.
Abstract: A real-time Petri net simulator (RTPNS), including software specifications, interactive algorithm, firing rule, and real-time implementation, is presented. The software provides an intuitive design tool with graphical orientation and convenient debugging capability. The interactions among control, communication, and database functions in a manufacturing environment is also addressed. The performance of the total system is evaluated. A computer simulation of control of a prototype flexible manufacturing system using the RTPNS is described.
Keywords: real-time net simulator (for) automated manufacturing systems; design tool; debugging; performance evaluation; prototyping flexible manufacturing system.
Back to the Petri Nets Bibliography


Because I’m "Happy" Listening to Jeremy Green’s Amazing Rendition
You know a song is played a lot when people begin saying they’re tired of hearing it. But, there’s one particular young man I just have to tell you about. I first saw his amazing talent through a Facebook friend who posted his YouTube video. I’m not always interested in playing videos posted by others. Something about the still shot made me want to check him out. His name is Jeremy Green and he plays the violin. Well, he actually plays the viola. Within the first few lines of “Happy”, I was in awe. He is an amazing artist. His talent really shines through and he does a magnificent rendition of Pharrell Williams’ Happy song.
It’s been a long time since I’ve heard a newer song that, no matter how much I hear it, makes me feel good. A song that just makes me want to tap my feet. Next thing I know, I’m bobbing my head. I’ll admit it. I’ve even had a time or two that I went into full dance mode. I guess it’s just how the song makes me feel.
How about you? Are you tired of the song? I’m not! Maybe it’s because I don’t hear it everyday or even every week. But, I think if I did, it would still be a while before I get tired of it. For me, maybe it’s not just another song but, also the words. The rhythm coupled with the words, for me anyway, just makes it a song that can’t go wrong. It would appear there are plenty of others who agree with me.
Jeremy Green Plays the Viola in His Rendition of “Happy”
I continue to be impressed with youth and young adults from all walks of life who pay attention to their talent. I believe it is God given talent. Every chance I get, I like to showcase any one of them doing amazing things. I believe this young man is going to go far. There doesn’t seem to be any concern that he will get in his own way either, as he appears grounded, focused and he embraces his skill. He hopes to become a professional musician. You can read more about him and hear more of his music on YouTube.
During an interview with Oprah, Pharrell Williams commented on how at first, the song got no play time. Then all of a sudden, with the video release, the song took off. Williams was overcome with emotion when Oprah showed him just how big the song is. As he watches people from countless countries dancing and singing his song, he was overwhelmed. Anyone of us can imagine how huge that is for an artist. Imagine how the artist him/herself feels. If you get a chance to see the interview in its entirety, I do recommend it. He has quite a humble story to tell about the days long before he got to where he is now.
Pharrell Williams Is Shown By Oprah How Big "Happy" Is
Pharrell Williams has quite a long history in the music industry. He’s written a lot of songs for other artists. The song “Happy” was indeed written by Williams. But, did you know it was originally for Cee Lo Green (no relation to Jeremy Green that I’m aware of)? Williams has certainly put in his time. He’s earned his glory. Which; by the way, he speaks of having never expected. He’s said many times he was perfectly fine being in the background.
I have a strong feeling it’s just a matter of time before Jeremy Green sees his glory too. It happened for Pharrell Williams and it certainly can for Jeremy Green. I’m happy for both of them; no pun intended. The message here is to never sacrifice your purpose and passion. We’re all intended to master and reveal our greatness already within us.


text:
Mexican coffee has a medium body, gentle sweetness, and hints of spice flavor notes.
Mexico, or The United Mexican States, as the country is officially known, is a rich and diverse country. Mexico is a complex mixture of contemporary and ancient, rural and urban. It’s coffee, however, is generally uncomplicated…making it a great base for blending.
Rich geological and climatic diversity. This incredibly diverse country stretches from the deserts and canyons of the north to the grand colonial cities in the center to the Maya ruins, beaches and jungles of the south.
Mexico’s topography consists of rugged mountains with high elevations, deserts, high plateaus, and low coastal plains.
Mexico has a significantly varying terrain, but many of the coffee beans that are grown (around 40%) are from medium-to-high altitude forests.
THINK SMALL. Mexico is home to the world’s smallest dog breed, the Chihuahua and the world’s smallest volcano. The Cuexcomate volcano outside the city of Puebla is just 43 feet tall!
Unleash the flavors of coffee. Blending single-origin coffees creates new and wonderful coffee flavors not available in any single sourced coffee.
Customize your coffee to your own flavor preferences.Discover Blending

domain: geography


California Creates Clean Energy Program for High School Students
California Governor Jerry Brown has signed a law expanding the state's partnership academies program to include job training in the clean energy sector. The existing partnership academies program awards grants to school districts to plan, establish and maintain partnerships with local businesses to provide job training opportunities for high school students. Under the new law, up to $8 million is available from the state Renewable Resource Trust Fund for partnership academy programs that focus on employment in clean technology, renewable energy, resource conservation or pollution reduction. Potential employment training opportunities include:
- Energy audits, building energy efficiency retrofits or weatherization;
- Manufacturing, assembly or installation of technologies that improve energy or water efficiency;
- Research, manufacturing, installation and maintenance of renewable energy components or facilities, power storage, or electric transmission infrastructure; and
- Natural resource conservation and restoration.
The California Energy Commission, in conjunction with the superintendent of public instruction, will establish guidelines to ensure that grant recipients develop programs that match state energy policies and provide skills to students that meet the needs of the relevant clean energy industries.
(Contact: Andrew Kambour)
New Hampshire Redoubles Effort to Reduce State Energy Use
New Hampshire Governor John Lynch has signed an executive order directing state agencies to further reduce fossil fuel usage after successfully meeting the requirements of a previous executive order. The initial order, issued by Gov. Lynch in 2005, called for a 10 percent reduction in state government energy use. A recent assessment of state energy use found that the state has reduced its energy use by 16 percent since 2005, saving the state an estimated $3 million in energy costs. The new order requires state government to reduce energy use to 25 percent below 2005 levels by 2025.
Under the new order, state agencies are directed to continue improved management of state buildings and fleet vehicles, including the purchase of fuel efficient or alternative fuel vehicles when possible. The order also requires that cost-effective energy efficiency be taken into account when renovating or constructing state buildings or purchasing new equipment. Each state agency will work with the state energy manager to develop an energy conservation plan and make sure that its practices follow state laws around energy conservation and cost savings. Agencies are also required to utilize the state's Energy Information System to track and benchmark building energy use. The aim of the state's "lead by example" efforts is to help reduce costs, increase energy independence and protect the environment and public health. With more than 500 buildings and a state fleet of 2,500 vehicles, the state government is the largest single energy consumer in the state.
(Contact: Andrew Kambour)
Indiana Education Reforms Include New Teacher Evaluations
Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels' education reform agenda gained momentum this week, with several measures receiving legislative approval, including changes in teacher collective bargaining, the usage of teacher merit pay and the creation of a school voucher program.
- The governor signed into law a measure that will bar teacher unions from having input on education policies, such as class size, hiring and firing and layoff policies. Under the new law, contracts between teacher unions and their school corporations would only cover teacher wages and benefits.
- The state legislature has approved a plan to evaluate teachers on a four-point scale, based significantly on student achievement. Teachers rated in the bottom two tiers would not receive pay raises, with those funds going to higher raises for those rated in the top two tiers.
- The state legislature also approved a voucher program, allowing students in low and middle-income families to use vouchers to pay for private schools. The program is open to 7,500 students next year, 15,000 students in the second year, and has no cap in the years that follow.
(Contact: Amanda Szekely)
Michigan Proposes Integrated Education System
Michigan Governor Rick Snyder is proposing to transform the education departments into a single, integrated system spanning from early childhood education through the postsecondary education. Details of the governor's proposal include:
- Moving to a performance-based system of schools under which a portion of state school aid will be tied to the academic achievement of a school district for 2013 and beyond. Funding increases would be tied to academic growth and students' college and career readiness The governor will also propose that, starting in fiscal 2013, a portion of the state foundation allowance be allocated to school districts that pay no more than 80 percent of employee health care premiums or control costs in other ways. Local school dashboards and school district accountability and transparency metrics also will be part of the funding discussion;
- Eliminating barriers to school choice for students, including lifting caps on charter schools allowed in each district, increasing access to online learning, allowing students to "test out" of requirements and minimizing barriers including seat time regulations and length of school year; and
- Increasing post-secondary degree attainment by implementing a seamless "Degrees Matter" system so that more Michigan students can receive a community college degree or credential by their 13th year of school. The Degrees Matter system of reverse transfer credits will increase the number of students who are awarded associate degrees or credentials upon completion of the necessary credits. Students who have earned credits at a community college and transfer to a baccalaureate-granting institution would be able to reverse transfer the credits earned at the baccalaureate institution to complete their community college degree or credential.
The governor is also requesting that the legislature reform Michigan's tenure law to reward effective teaching ability. The current system relies only on the number of years teaching and requires that the annual evaluations of teachers be based on multiple measures, but must include in its determination of effectiveness at least 40 percent based on student achievement growth, among other changes. More details of the governor's plan can be found here: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/snyder/SpecialMessageonEducationReform_351586_7.pdf
(Contact: Amanda Szekely)
Maryland Launches Five-Year Economic Plan
Maryland's Economic Development Commission recently released a five-year strategic economic development plan, Charting Maryland's Economic Path: Discovery, Diversity & Opportunity. The plan focuses on four core strategies including: positioning the state for growth; building on current economic drivers such as life sciences and cyber security; embracing regional and economic diversity; and making it easier to do business in the state. Recommended action items are connected to existing work in the state that could be repositioned or expanded without major new funding. Some of these proposed actions include:
- Pursuing working agreements among Maryland universities that lead to collaboration in recruitment, shared infrastructure, joint appointments and links to federal laboratories;
- Improving incentives for firms conducting commercial R&D:
- Establishing a Maryland Innovation Partnership to recruit new "superstar" university innovators; and
- Standardizing state licensing and permit applications and rolling out electronic licensing capabilities throughout the state's agencies.
In addition to the strategic economic development plan, the Maryland General Assembly recently passed InvestMaryland, an economic development initiative that will invest at least $70 million in start-up and early stage companies in the state. Funding for InvestMaryland will come from the auction of premium tax credits to insurance companies.
(Contact: Erin Sparks)
States Reform Workers Compensation Systems
Kansas and Montana each recently passed legislation to update their workers compensation systems to better serve both employers and employees. The new Kansas legislation increases the benefit caps for injured employees unable to work; clarifies that employers are entitled to a credit for pre-existing conditions, with employers only paying for accidents that occurred under their watch; and raises the threshold required for an incident to be covered under the Worker Compensation Act. Recently signed legislation in Montana will now limit employer liability to injuries occurring off a company's premise, such as while a worker performs personal business or is on break; allow insurance carriers to designate doctors; and terminate benefits for permanent partial disabilities to 60 months, but allow for an extension of benefits upon review by a panel of doctors.
(Contact: Linda Hoffman)
Colorado to Use Risk Assessment Sentencing
Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper has signed legislation requiring that presentence reports include offender risk-needs assessments so that judges can impose sentences that address an offender's individual characteristics. Risk-based sentences can reduce the likelihood of re-offense. The law also requires that each presentence report provide sufficient information to allow the court to consider the following:
- Whether alternatives to incarceration, such as community-based corrections, may be appropriate; and
- The appropriate conditions to impose if a defendant is sentenced to probation.
Further, to help judges make cost-effective sentencing decisions, the law requires that presentence reports describe the projected costs associated with each sentencing option that is available to the court.
(Contact: Jeff McLeod)
Nevada Considers Sentencing Reforms to Lower Prison Populations
Nevada is considering legislation aimed at reducing the state's prison population. Under AB136, certain nonviolent offenders, including white collar criminals, would be able to earn "good-time credits" to shave off time from their minimum sentences by participating in activities such as learning vocational skills or undergoing drug treatment programs. Another proposal, SB265, would reduce the prison population by doing away with consecutive sentences and, instead, pooling minimum and maximum terms. Consecutive sentences create uncertainty because sentences can range a number of years and, under current law, the next sentence will not start until parole is granted for the previous sentence. This uncertainty over staggered start and stop dates are costly to the state and are thought to discourage prisoners from seeking self-improvement programs such as drug treatment or higher education.
(Contact: Jeff McLeod)
Maryland Launches Career Site for Servicemembers
Maryland has launched the Mil2FedJobs Web portal, located on the Maryland Workforce Exchange, to directly match transitioning service members with careers in the federal government. The Mil2FedJobs portal uses veterans' military occupational codes (MOC) to query federal openings that match their qualifications on the USAJOBS web tool. In part because of the large number of vacancies posted on USAJOBS, navigating the site without a tool like Mil2FedJobs can often be an overwhelming task for a first-time federal applicant. In addition, Mil2FedJobs allows civilian hiring managers to identify specific military occupations that share attributes with specific jobs in their agencies.
The Mil2FedJobs portal was developed by the Maryland Department of Labor Division of Workforce Development and Adult Learning. It was funded through the U.S. Department of Labor Veterans Employment and Training Service to help connect transitioning veterans with the tens of thousands of federal jobs moving to Maryland because of Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC).
(Contact: Lauren Stewart)
Competitive Bidding for Massachusetts Health Program Yields Savings
Massachusetts' health insurance program for low income adults, Commonwealth Care, has yielded an estimated $80 million in savings for 2012 as a result of the competitive bidding process for managed care organizations (MCOs). The participating MCOs were able to submit lower rates through negotiated provider contracts, narrower choices of hospitals, doctors and specialists and new medical management programs.
As a result of the competition-driven changes, the net capitation rate will be 5 percent lower than that of 2011. Although enrollment is projected to grow by 11 percent, current benefits will be maintained with only cost-neutral changes in co-pays and no changes to premiums.
(Contact: Caryn Marks)
Michigan Law: Doctors Can Express Sympathy without Admission of Liability
Michigan Governor Rick Snyder signed legislation that will allow medical providers to express sympathy to patients and families without fear of self-incrimination. According to the law, any verbal or written statement offering sympathy, compassion or sense of benevolence relating to the suffering or death of an individual, the patient or the family may not be used as evidence in a malpractice suit.
The legislation is aimed at reducing the overall number and costs of lawsuits by encouraging doctors to assist families in seeking closure. Analysis accompanying the legislation cited evidence that similar policies allowing "compassionate communication" have been successful in lowering legal defense costs by up to two-thirds.
(Contact: Brad Finnegan)
CEO Coalition Releases State Reports on STEM Education
A new report on the condition of STEM learning in all 50 states and the District of Columbia has been released by Change the Equation, a coalition of 110 corporate CEOs focused on deepening American students' learning in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Each state report includes: data of fourth grade and eighth grade math performance, completion of college degrees in STEM fields, teacher qualifications in math and science and student perspectives on STEM learning. Across the states, Change the Equation finds that:
- States have made progress in raising fourth and eighth grade math achievement, according to NAEP results, but significant achievement gaps remain between white students and their black and Hispanic peers;
- Elementary and middle school teachers need a stronger grounding in math. Only 57 percent of the nation's eighth graders have teachers with a college major or minor in math. Most states set passing scores on content licensure test for elementary teachers well below the mean for all test takers; and
- States set a low bar for success in STEM learning. For example, state assessments find that the vast majority of fourth graders are proficient at math, while only 38 percent of U.S. fourth graders score as proficient or advanced at math, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).
(Contact: Amanda Szekely)
U.S. Releases Full Annual Energy Outlook
The U.S. Energy Information Administration has released the full version of its Annual Energy Outlook 2011, analyzing trends in energy production and consumption and projecting the state of the energy sector through 2035. In addition to the reference case released earlier this year, the full outlook includes 57 sensitivity cases to account for future uncertainty around energy markets and technologies and to help predict the impact of future policy changes. Key findings from the 2011 outlook include:
- Net energy imports continue to be a significant share of energy demand, but will continue to decline, down from 24 percent in 2009 to 17 percent in 2035. This decline is due to an increase in the consumption of domestic biofuels, increased vehicle efficiency and rising energy prices;
- Domestic shale gas production will continue to increase, moderating the price of natural gas;
- Natural gas and renewable electricity generation will grow rapidly, but coal will continue to serve as the primary fuel for electricity, dropping only 2 percentage points to 43 percent; and
- Carbon dioxide emissions will continue to grow slowly and will return to 2005 levels in 2027, assuming no changes in federal policy around greenhouse gas emissions.
The full outlook also includes several scenarios that attempt to project the potential impact of several pollution rules recently promulgated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that will impact the electricity sector. Under the reference case, approximately 9 gigawatts (GW) of coal-fired capacity (or 3 percent of the current coal fleet) will have to be retired by 2035.
(Contact: Andrew Kambour)
U.S. Chamber Highlights Importance of Non-Baccalaureate Degrees
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce released a report identifying the demand for workers with career credentials and associate's degrees in the United States, and a lack of awareness among business and education leaders. At the same time, the report found that 53 percent of business leaders state that their companies face a very or fairly major challenge in recruiting non-managerial employees, and that 41 percent of business leaders and 54 percent of education leaders believe that states have the greatest responsibility for increasing post-secondary completion rates. The report urges businesses to work collaboratively with community colleges and similar institutions to ensure that they are producing graduates with the competencies they require.
Specific recommendations include:
- Creating incentives for completion, not just enrollment, through measures such as partial loan forgiveness for students who graduate;
- Implementing performance funding for postsecondary institutions that align public spending with state goals for workforce development and economic growth;
- Fostering business and community college partnerships through successful "Earn and Learn" models that connect employers with postsecondary institutions; and
- Devising tax incentives for businesses that reduce the cost of 'Earn and Learn' programs.
(Contact: Garrett Groves)
Report Finds Cyber Attacks on Infrastructure Rising
A new study by McAfee and the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) found an accelerated increase in cyber attacks on critical infrastructure such as power grids, oil, gas and water, with 80 percent of those surveyed having faced a large-scale denial of service attack over the past year. The study also reveals that 40 percent of executives believe that the vulnerabilities in the critical infrastructure industry have increased. While many companies have adopted particular technologies to combat cyber attacks, they have not kept up with the threat level and remain in danger of an attack.
Key findings from the report include:
- Extortion attempts are more frequent in the critical infrastructure protection sectors, with one in four survey respondents reporting having been a victim of extortion through cyber attacks;
- Organizations are failing to adopt effective security measures, with only a quarter of those surveyed implementing tools to monitor network activity; and
- Organizations fear government attacks, as more than half of respondents said they have already experienced government cyber attacks.
(Contact: Carmen Ferro)
Report Analyzes Implications of Multi-State Health Insurance Exchanges
A report released by the Urban Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation examines considerations for states in forming multi-state health insurance exchanges. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires each state to make available an organized marketplace to coordinate health insurance purchasing for individuals and small businesses, but gives states discretion to operate the exchange jointly with other states.
The report offers potential rationales and implications of forming multi-state exchanges:
- Administrative economies of scale could be significant, particularly in the determination of subsidies, production of plan comparison materials and enforcement of mandates;
- For states with small populations, multi-state exchanges could create the necessary critical mass of insured persons to establish stable risk pools. However, participating insurers may not be able to establish a large enough provider networks to reach broadly across states;
- Departments of insurance for states within multi-state exchanges could face challenges in maintaining regulatory jurisdiction and authority; and
- If rules and required plan features within a multi-state exchange were different from those for plans operating out the exchange in any of the states, significant adverse selection and risk adjustment difficulties could occur.
(Contact: Caryn Marks)
NGA Center Web Conference: State Efforts to Reduce Childhood Hunger
The NGA Center will host a web conference examining how states can address childhood hunger today, April 29, 2011, from 2:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. ET. The web conference will provide an opportunity to learn about food insecurity among children, the effects of hunger on child outcomes and how governors are at the forefront of efforts to reduce hunger among kids. Discussions will focus on how states are using data, critical partnerships, targeted outreach and leadership to address and reduce childhood hunger. To register for the event, please contact Karen Krause at 202-624-7835.
(Contact: Linda Hoffman)
NGA Center Cybercrime and Forensic Sciences Executive Policy Forum
The NGA Center is inviting governors' criminal justice policy advisors to participate in the Cybercrime and Forensic Sciences Executive Policy Forum in Snowbird, Utah, on June 9-10, 2011. The meeting will feature scenario-based sessions and facilitated discussions led by experts in forensic sciences, corrections and criminal justice policy. The NGA Center will provide travel and lodging reimbursement for one participant per state.
If interested, please contact Alisha Powell at 202-624-3598, or Jeff McLeod at 202-624-5311.
(Contact: Alisha Powell)


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Biological mother whom has no custody and whom has had supervised visitation with her children for over 5 yrs is threatening to bring custodial parent to court. Says she will tell children what ever she wants at visits with them even if it may con...
So, that is a real complex issue. Completely denying the visits could be seen as violating the order to allow them under the terms of the supervised arrangements. However, the behavior she is threatening is clearly inappropriate. I would suggest talking to her beforehand about what will be expected of her and what will not be allowed. Then have an intervention planned to as unstressfully as possible get the children out of that situation, either by redirecting the conversation or activities in the visit or by ending the visit as unconfrontationally as possible.
If this does occur you should then consider how to advise the could of the issues. The easiest way would be to have one of the parties to the case file a motion or request a status conference with the court.See question
The bill of sale does not reflect any specific accounts. The only other documentation is a "notification file" they claim is from the original creditor showing defendant's personal and account info (albeit the home phone number and the "last tran...
In order to prove ownership of the debt the purchaser/plaintiff only needs to produce the bill of sale. Generally, they buy accounts in bulk so the bill of sale is for a large group of accounts. The purchaser/plaintiff then generally attaches a document showing that the individual account was included in the bulk transaction. This information can also additionally be outlined in an affidavit from the plaintiff explaining how they took title and that the documents attached showing they have title are true and accurate copies.See question
My girlfriend is about to file a divorce from her husband. Is it possible for her to file divorce and go ahead to do a process for her citizenship at a same time?? Looking forward ...
They are two separate processes. However, she should consult an immigration lawyer to see if the divorce will impact her immigration status.See question
A car was purchased for my son and the title and registration is in my sons name. 4 years later he totals the car and the insurance company gives him a check for the blue book amount. The person who originally bought him the car now wants that che...
The car was registered in your son's name and he held title solely in his name. The insurance proceeds are his, absent the existance of a contract stating something different.See question
my son's father left me. I want to secure my guardianship for my son and get child support from him.
Doing this on your own isn't easy, but there are a lot of resources available. The link below takes you to the Judicial Branch's publications on family law. It would also be helpful, as my colleagues suggested to go to your local court services center. They will be able to give you the forms you need, but they can't give you legal advice. These resources should help, and always ask questions. Unfortunately, they can't replace experienced counsel helping you through this process.See question
We have been married over 20 years. No children live with us.
I really hate giving "lawyer" answers, but as my colleagues mentioned, there are a lot of factors that go into an alimony calculation and without knowing all those details it is hard to say more than, "it depends". With that said, as a general rule (and I emphasize general) if you are making more than her and have traditionally been the majority income provider for the family then there is a strong likelihood you will end up paying alimony. There are a number of other factors that come into play and the statute requires the court to weigh them in the way most equitable to each family, but that one factor generally, generally, weighs most heavily. To get a fully informed answer you should consult an experience family lawyer.See question
I had a car re poed about 2 years ago. GM Financial states I still owe $. All I need to know is if they can garnish wages. If so, how shall I handle this. I live in CT and I know that all states treat this differently.
Yes. CT allows for the garnishment of wages. However, GM must first obtain a judgment against you and you must also be in default of the payment of that judgment before the court will authorize the garnishment of wages.See question
My ex & I were never married & have been split up for years now due to him being physically, emotional & verbally abusive towards me. There was never a parenting plan put into effect for our 6 year old daughter. She has resided with me but has had...
You should retain a family lawyer experienced in relocation matters. Relocation matters are generally complex and generally go to a full hearing as there is usually not room to compromise; either you relocate or you do not. There are a lot of factors at play in the court's decision and trying to balance them all on your own can be daunting. These hearings can also take months to resolve so it is best to act sooner rather than later.See question
In divorce action in 2006 my ex was ordered to pay me LIFETIME ALIMONY in superior court. My ex appealed to the appellate court in 2008 and lost. My ex is now filed a motion in superior court for modification. My ex wants the LIFETIME ALIMONY A...
I agree that the appeal will not necessarily determine the outcome of a motion to modify the alimony award. A motion to modify essentially asks the court to consider changing its order as the circumstances have changed since the date of the judgment. The moving party would then need to prove to the court what circumstances have changed and why they merit a change in the court's orders. It would also be important to know the exact wording of the of the alimony award from the Superior Court as different wording could effect how the motion to modify is handled. However, if he is trying to vacate the court's alimony order then that is an entirely different analysis. A lifetime alimony award is potentially very valuable. I suggest consulting local counsel experienced in family to guide you in the process.
The discovery requests you are looking for are contained in section 25-32 of the Connecticut Practice Book. See the Link below.See question
Want to get divorced and need to protect myself.
Unfortunately, there are too many potential pitfalls to explain or warn you about in an answer here. To really protect yourself you need an experienced family lawyer to review your situation and see what particular issues you face. That counsel can then prepare you for them and prepare your case accordingly.See question

domain: law


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TennisSection previews the 2021 Toronto Open as Gael Monfils takes on John Millman in the Round of 32 on Wednesday, August 11th, 2021.
Will Gael Monfils get back into form? Will John Millman get one of the biggest wins of his career in terms of ranking? This match-up will serve for an interesting one, where we will see one of the most exciting players of the ATP Tour attempt to get some good form under his belt against one of the biggest fighters on tour. Who will move on to the Round of 16 at the 2021 Toronto Open?
Gael Monfils has had a tough year in terms of tennis, he’s always been relatively consistent throughout his successful career as a tennis player. However, recently he’s fallen to injuries, as well as the way which he approached tennis during quarantine. Despite all of that, he’s just gotten married to top WTA player Elina Svitolina, now Elina Monfils. Perhaps he’ll be able to regroup and find his top level to be able to take out John Millman, it’ll be tough for him, and despite what his ranking might show you, Monfils is probably on the lower end of the top 50 right now based off what we have seen from him this year. He’s been struggling with a lot, particularly his service game as well as generally moving like he used to and producing powerful consistent groundstrokes. If he’s able to start serving well again, I think he’ll be able to feel confidence in his game and begin to play aggressive and pull out some of his brilliant tennis from the vintage Monfils at the 2021 Toronto Open.
John Millman is a pretty steady player, never producing anything too big but never producing anything too little for his capabilities either. That’s why when we look at him playing someone like Gael Monfils, who is a big question mark at the moment, it’s a little tough to figure out how he’d do against him. Millman relies on using his physicality to put in consistent groundstrokes, occasionally pulling the trigger, much like players such as RBA or PCB. For him to play someone like Gael Monfils ordinarily wouldn’t be a great matchup for him considering that Monfils is able to have a similar playstyle to him, just better and more aggressive overall. However, due to these circumstances, Millman has an excellent chance to move on to the Round of 16 at the 2021 Toronto Open.
Gael Monfils and John Millman have never met before, with this being their first career meeting. It’s most certainly a tough one to predict, and the match could go both ways. Gael has had an interesting pattern this year of losing many close matches. While he managed to win a couple, most of the matches he lost went either 3 sets in best of 3 matches, or 5 sets in, you guessed it, best of 5 matches. Considering the way John Millman plays, and his history this year, it’d be a good bet that this match will go 3 sets. In my mind, for Monfils it’ll be a mental battle of whether or not he can raise his level and play some aggressive, hard hitting tennis in the big moments to be able to get through it. It’s a tough one to predict, and you could go for either one, but it’ll definitely be an interesting one to see how they combat each other’s skill sets to fight for a spot in the next round at the 2021 Toronto Open.
Free Tennis Pick and Prediction: Gael Monfils in 3 sets.
Join TopCourt now to learn from some of the best tennis players in the world! Find out exclusive 14-day FREE-trial here!

domain: sports


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When you or your family members get sick, insurance can pay for high-quality medical treatments and other expenses. With fast treatment times, access to preferred health providers, and compensation for conditions that ACC doesn’t cover, health insurance policies offer extra health benefits such as dental and eye care. Your family’s health is our priority.
Yes, you can usually upgrade or downgrade your coverage, add or remove dependents, or change your deductible based on your changing needs. Keep in mind that changes may affect your premium and out-of-pocket costs.
Factors such as maintaining a healthy lifestyle, choosing a policy with a higher deductible, or joining a group health insurance plan can help reduce your premium. Consult with us to discuss the best strategies for you.
Many health insurance policies include coverage for preventive care services, like vaccinations and regular health check-ups, to promote early detection and prevention of diseases. Be sure to confirm this with your insurer.
Insurance providers approach pre-existing conditions differently. Some may cover these conditions after a waiting period, while others may choose not to. It's crucial that you disclose all your health information during the application process to guarantee appropriate coverage. We're here to advocate for you, so telling us all your pre-existing conditions helps us secure the best possible outcomes on your behalf.
A standard health insurance policy usually covers hospitalisation, surgery, diagnostic tests, prescription drugs, and specialist visits. The exact coverage can vary by policy and provider. Always check the policy details carefully – we can help you with this.
Health insurance financially protects you against medical expenses, such as doctor visits, hospital stays, medications, surgeries, and more. It can help reduce the financial burden of unexpected health issues and get you timely care.


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Plant-Based Chocolate Hazelnut Smoothie with Adaptogens
Here's a chocolate smoothie recipe with benefits—health benefits, that is. Its power lies in a combination of arguably one of the most delicious plant-based chocolate beverages on the market, and a top-notch vegan protein powder fortified by functional mushrooms and adaptogens. We've also sneakily added cauliflower to this smoothie, for extra antioxidants and fiber.
A good protein powder can be hard to find, but we absolutely love the Four Sigmatic vegan superfood powder used in this recipe. It packs 18 grams of sustainably sourced, plant-based protein, 1000 milligrams of functional mushrooms (including reishi, chaga, and cordyceps), and 500 milligrams of adaptogens (ashwagandha, to name one).
Makes 1 smoothie
1/4 cup cauliflower rice, frozen
1 frozen banana, broken into chunks
1 scoop Four Sigmatic Superfood Protein
1/2 cup ice cubes
1 cup Pacific Foods Hazelnut Chocolate Plant-Based Beverage
How to Make It
- Combine all the ingredients in a blender. Blend on low, then finish on high for 1 to 2 minutes, until smooth.
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Unspayed Females Accepted, Neutered Males Only
No Females in Heat
Brooke and Brant were spectacular, caring, and accommodating! Excellent dog care, and we picked up two happy pups at the end of the day.
My doggie Pandy enjoyed the love they gave her.
I’m always nervous to leave Sedona anywhere new but I felt very comfortable with Brooke, her partner, and their pup Scout! They have a very peaceful and thoughtful household. Their love for animals is so clear and I knew Sedona was in great hands!
Brooke & Brant's Clients
About Brooke & Brant
Home a ton! Big fenced yard!
I will be as devoted to your dog as I am to mine! I believe in a holistic approach to dogs, meaning I care for their body (exercise), mind (interaction and social play), and soul (love). In addition, I am happy to provide special diet care. I prepare a home made raw food diet for my own pupper, so I am okay with high maintenance dogs who need a bit of extra care. I have ...
What Brooke & Brant would like to know about your dog
Are they okay with other dogs? Are they comfortable on a leash? Do they have medical issues or are they on medication? Do they do well around strangers? Do they have special dietary needs?

domain: pet


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Sun 12th Mar | 8pm
€30.40 (*Incl Booking Fee) Unreserved seating
The Royal Theatre Castlebar
Awarded Female Vocalist of the Year at the prestigious Sunday World Entertainment Awards four years running and preforming on RTE’s Dancing with Stars Cliona Hagan now returns to her roots. Having grown up in Co. Tryone listening to one of her biggest musical influences Cliona now embarks on a lifelong dream to pay homage to one of the most influential female artist of all time, Dolly Parton. In March 2022 “The Dolly Songbook Show” embarked on its first nationwide tour selling out its entire run of shows. Together with the 6 piece Sheerin Family band Cliona will preform hits like 9 to 5, Jolene, Coat Of Many Colours & I will Always Love You but to name a few. She Explains” I have always sang a couple of Dolly songs in my shows and every time my fans would tell me how much I am like a young Dolly so after been approached by Ritz Records I decided to record an album of Dolly songs and pay homage to this amazing lady”
The Dolly Songbook embarks on a nationwide tour in March 2023
We are now a cashless venue. We accept all major debit and credit cards.
Relax in luxurious surroundings. Newly renovated accommodation, 26 luxurious rooms & suites. With Great Service, Superb Value and tremendous Attention to Detail - the Hotel's Accommodation offers a choice of either Suites or En-Suite Bedrooms to all of its guests...
Accommodation Packages for this event will be published here shortly. Call our Box Office today on (094) 9023111 if you are interested in buying an Accommodation Package for this event.
There are an array of dining options available here on site at The Royal Theatre Castlebar. Come early to soak up the atmosphere, grab a bite to eat and head straight into the theatre to enjoy the show.
Here at The TF Royal Hotel & Theatre we only use the finest & freshest locally sourced ingredients. Our menus are specially prepared daily ...
We have ensured that there are specific areas designed for wheelchair users within our ground floor. There are also several parking spaces reserved for patrons with disabilities


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Synergy Retail Center.
Fargo, North Dakota
This 9,000 square foot building was done for EagleRidge Development. The building can be split from one to three rental units. The intent of the project was to create an attractive shell strip mall that would be leasing out to businesses. The goal of the project was to create a building that would catch the eye of the traffic on 45th Street in Fargo while also being sensitive to budget and future leasing costs.

domain: economics


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I’ve been extremely busy for the past few months putting together a cross-platform MTConnect Agent. The result, along with our other MTConnect offerings, is the OpenNETCF MTConnect VirtualAgent, which is shared source (MIT license) and runs under either the Compact Framework (3.5) or the Full Framework. The default implementation uses Padarn as the web server, but it’s designed to deliver content through an interface so that can, in theory, be swapped out pretty easily (I say in theory because I’ve not tested it with another server at this point).
The VirtualAgent offers a boatlod of interesting things that a general Agent doesn’t most notably the ability to load up custom Adapters that you can use to encapsulate a process model or even drive control logic. We’ve got a simple example of a Hosted Adapter in the code base now and will be adding more complete and robust samples as time progresses.
At any rate, if you need to get a machine tool (or really any sort of device) publishing MTConnect data on a plant floor, we’ve got a solution that can get you there in well under a day in most cases and at a remarkably low cost.

domain: design


WASHINGTON — With US President Donald Trump’s self-imposed make-or-break deadline for amending the Iran nuclear deal less than a month away, secretary of state-designate Mike Pompeo told Capitol Hill lawmakers on Thursday that the administration’s objective is to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons through diplomatic means.
Since the ouster of former secretary of state Rex Tillerson and former national security adviser H.R. McMaster, both of whom encouraged the president to work inside the pact, speculation has risen that the White House plans to abrogate the deal. Those speculations were further increased by the naming of replacements — Pompeo and former US ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton — known for their hawkish inclinations.
But on Thursday morning, Pompeo sought to quell concerns that Washington was heading toward a military confrontation with Iran. In his confirmation hearing, the former CIA director repeatedly told senators the president’s aim was to “fix” the deal through addressing “three shortcomings,” and that it preferred to do that through negotiations. “There is no doubt that the administration’s policy, and my view, is to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon through diplomacy,” he said.
Last October, Tillerson laid out the “three shortcomings” that Washington wants to amend with Congress and European allies, including adding a ban on Iran’s ballistic missile testing, granting inspectors greater access to Iran’s military sites, and addressing the deal’s sunset provisions, which allow certain restrictions on Tehran’s nuclear program to expire nine years from now.
In January, Trump threatened that if these changes were not made by May 12, the next deadline to waive sanctions under the deal, he would exit the accord.
But in recent months, reports have emerged indicating that America’s European allies would be unable to reach an agreement to Trump’s liking by the May deadline.
When asked what the administration would do under that scenario, Pompeo said, “If there’s no chance that we can’t fix it, we will work to get a better deal.”
“The president has stated his objective,” he added. “His goal is to take the three shortcomings that he identified and fix them.”
Several senators, Democrat and Republican alike, expressed concerns over the consequences of the United States unilaterally pulling out of the deal while Iran was in technical compliance, as the International Atomic Energy Agency has repeatedly reported.
Indeed, at one point in the hearing, Pompeo himself admitted “there is no evidence that they are not in compliance today.” But Trump has said Iran is violating “the spirit of the agreement” through its continued support for terrorist groups and other designs in the region.
Most recently, Iran has worked to set up a military presence in Syria to threaten Israel more directly.
Trump has also argued that because the arms embargoes in the deal are time-based and not condition-based, Iran is incentivized to fully comply with the deal and then race for the bomb once it expires.
Pompeo, who is also a former Kansas congressman, has, throughout his career in public life, advocated a more aggressive Iran policy. He vehemently opposed the nuclear deal, which he said would not “stop Iran from getting a nuclear bomb,” after it was forged in July 2015.
Asked on Thursday if he was advocating for a preemptive strike on Iran, Pompeo said: “I’m not. I’m absolutely not.”


Early data hint at a rise in breakthrough infections in the U.S.
By Apoorva Mandavilli
Read the full article from The New York Times, here.
Since Americans first began rolling up their sleeves for coronavirus vaccines, health officials have said that those who are immunized are very unlikely to become infected, or to suffer serious illness or death. But preliminary data from seven states hint that the arrival of the Delta variant in July may have altered the calculus.
Breakthrough infections in vaccinated people accounted for at least one in five newly diagnosed cases in six of those states and higher percentages of total hospitalizations and deaths than had been previously observed in all of them, according to figures gathered by The New York Times.