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The Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards Are Back!
Nickelodeon (DStv channel 305) announced the host and nominees for the 2019 Kids’ Choice Awards (KCAs) along with a first-time Nickelodeon KCA nomination livestream event across Nickelodeon’s YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter handles and channels. The Nickelodeon 2019 Kids' Choice Awards will air on Nickelodeon (DStv channel 305) and Nick Toons (DStv channel 308) at 17:05 CAT on Sunday, 24 March 2019.
Here Are The South African Nominees
The five effervescent stars that make up the South African nominees for the only live event where kids’ votes count and the biggest stars of the day line up to get slimed include: Nomzamo Mbatha, AKA, Siya Kolisi, Kagiso Rabada and Somizi in the Favourite South African Star category and Adesua Etomi-Wellington, IK Osakioduwa (Nigeria), Sauti Sol (Kenya) and Stone Bwoy (Ghana) in the Favourite African Star category. Globally acclaimed musician Davido from Nigeria is the Africa nominee in the Favourite Global Music Star award featured amongst David Guetta and Taylor Swift.
And DJ Khaled Will Play Host This Year!
Music mogul, DJ Khaled, is set to host the 2019 Nickelodeon’s KCAs - the biggest, slimiest party of the year for kids. DJ Khaled will bring his music, signature catch phrases and larger-than-life personality to the Kids’ Choice Awards stage. Kids across the globe will have a front-row seat to the next big things in kid culture from the hottest upcoming movies, music, gaming and rising talent, while continuing to celebrate their favourites from the past year. Kids everywhere will be able to experience the show across all Nickelodeon screens and platforms, as Nick brings the slime and surprises they love. DJ Khaled is also nominated in three categories at the Awards.
Leading the pack with the most nominations are:
- Avengers: Infinity War, with 10 nominations;
- Black Panther, with five nominations;
- Cardi B and Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation, with four nominations each
First-time nominees include:
- Jason Momoa
- Emilia Clarke
- James Corden
- Noah Centineo
- Bebe Rexha
- Tyra Banks
This year also introduces five new categories for voting:
- Favourite TV Host
- Favourite TV Judges
- Favourite Superhero
- and Favourite Gamer
- And, for the first time, kids will get to decide how they want to help the world in a new category called How Do You Want to Help?
Start Voting For Your Favourites NOW!
Beginning today, fans can cast votes on the official Kids’ Choice Awards website, KCA2019.com. Fans will also be able to cast their vote through social media on Twitter using #artistname #KCA, and for the first time ever, Nickelodeon will be enabling voting on specific posts on Instagram.
Don't Miss It!
Catch the Nickelodeon 2019 Kids Choice Awards on Nickelodeon (DStv channel 305) and Nick Toons (DStv channel 308) at 17:05 CAT on Sunday, 24 March 2019.
For More Information
For more information on the Nickelodeon 2019 Kids’ Choice Awards, please log on to www.nickelodeonafrica.com, like Nickelodeon on Facebook or follow Nickelodeon on Twitter @NickAfrica using the hashtag #KCA.


- Tighter geometric tolerances add cost and complexity to manufacturing
- Geometric dimensioning and tolerancing improve quality and cost outcomes by providing greater control and standardization
- Optimize GD&T with aP Design’s robust features, including direct tolerance editing and scenario comparisons
The Full Article:
Geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) is a system that helps to control variations in manufacturing. This approach utilizes GD&T symbols and measurements to describe the geometric characteristics of a 3D engineering drawing, such as its dimensions and shape. As a result, organizations can ensure that their product designs are manufactured precisely as intended and within target costs.
Our overview of GD&T will examine how geometric tolerances impact product cost and manufacturability. Additionally, we will outline GD&T’s role in striking the optimal balance between quality and cost efficiency.
How Geometric Tolerances Impact Product Design Intent
Geometric tolerances are specified during product design to define the allowable variation in the dimensions of a manufactured part. This ensures the proper functioning and perfect fit of critical product components and assemblies.
Manufacturers who work with tighter tolerances manage a smaller range of allowable variation, which results in higher precision. However, tighter tolerances may potentially necessitate higher costs due to more complex manufacturing processes and increased labor requirements.
Alternatively, components with looser geometric tolerances have a wider range of acceptable variation, making it easier and more cost-effective to manufacture. Further, less stringent quality control is required to inspect the basic dimensions of a component, leading to lower costs associated with the equipment needed for this process. While components with looser tolerances have wider allowable variations, they may compromise fit and function.
The optimal component tolerance level depends on its requirements and the trade-off between cost, precision, and functionality. Moreover, manufacturers who specify tolerances early in the product design process are more likely to avert downstream problems that require late-stage engineering change orders (ECOs).
Watch this presentation to learn more about how form tolerances affect cost and manufacturability.
Applying Geometric Dimensioning & Tolerancing (GD&T) Effectively
Our most recent Manufacturing Insights Conference featured a session titled “The Price of Precision: How Tolerances Shape Cost and Manufacturability.” This presentation highlighted the following three methods for applying tolerances:
- Feature-targeted tolerance application: This approach focuses on applying precise tolerances to a component’s features while carefully considering both 2D and 3D drawings. This provides manufacturers with greater control over dimensions, enabling them to enhance production and assembly efficiency by minimizing variation within the tolerance zone. This includes managing angularity, circularity, flatness, parallelism, and other geometric characteristics with greater precision.
- Generic policy application: This method enables companies to apply standard tolerances based on a feature’s nominal size, dimensions, and manufacturing process when specified tolerances are absent. Although this method provides a baseline level of tolerance, it may not effectively address critical features, potentially resulting in fitment problems.
- No tolerance application: This “do-nothing” approach leaves room for interpretation because machines have varying tolerances. Failing to apply tolerance can result in poorly controlled products with form and fit issues, which may require rework activities and additional costs.
It is crucial to note that excessive tolerance application is not beneficial, as it requires additional specialized tools. This results in increased cycle time, scrap material, and significant costs for product manufacturers.
Using aP Design to Optimize Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T)
aPriori’s automation-driven aP Design solution allows manufacturers to optimize tolerances and geometric designs through the following capabilities:
Direct Tolerance Editing
aP Design empowers product development teams to add and edit tolerances directly within the platform. The process is further streamlined as users can select specific features to work with, enabling tolerance modifiers to be added more seamlessly. Additionally, the platform automates the product evaluation process and filters out unsuitable tolerance types based on the selected features.
Importing Tolerances From CAD Models
The aP Design application facilitates the direct import of tolerances from 3D CAD prototypes using product manufacturing information (PMI) and CAD tolerance policies.
Actionable Design Feedback
Product teams can employ aP Design to gain detailed and precise insights into the cost, carbon footprint, and Design for Manufacturability (DFM) implications of tolerance decisions. This enables manufacturers to make informed, data-driven decisions to optimize their product designs for cost and sustainability.
Project Progress Tracking
Users can now use aP Design to track the progress of their design iterations and visualize the impact of different tolerance scenarios using biaxial graphs. This feature allows users to make informed decisions by providing insights into key metrics such as cost and cycle time.
With aP Design, teams can effectively build, compare, and save various tolerance scenarios. This functionality provides a granular breakdown of each scenario’s performance, making it easy to identify the most cost-effective and efficient design solutions.
Learn more about aPriori’s early design guidance for geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T).
Streamlining GD&T Processes for Enhanced Productivity and Cost Optimization
Establishing the optimal tolerance is crucial in balancing precision and cost efficiency during the product design process. Tighter tolerances require more precise processes and equipment, leading to higher expenses. Alternatively, looser tolerances allow for simpler production but may compromise the functionality of the product.
To optimize geometric design decisions, product teams can employ digital solutions such as aP Design. The platform provides valuable features like direct tolerance editing to enhance productivity, accuracy, and cost efficiency in designing cutting-edge innovations.


Dream Job Running HO Diorama
40 Hours Per Week
Talk about a dream job for a model railroader, how about chief train wrangler on a $3.5 million 70 engine, 3,400 square- foot HO diorama at the Chicago Museum of Science.
William Davidson, Jr. Is charged with operation of the 1,400 feet of tack where 26 trains are running all day. A derailment here is no small thing.
Dubbed the Great Train Story, this well-loved display at that the Museum of Science and Industry has operated for 71 years in its Hall of Transportation.
As for Davidson, according to the Chicago Sun Times, there are two key things you need to know about him.
First, the museum's trains need to run on time, well at least run. His day starts at 6:30 am with a thorough wipe-down of the 1,400 foot train route with denatured alcohol to remove dust and the previous day's running debris.
It takes 16 iPods running simultaneously to provide the system's train noises, of horns, railroad crossing bells ringing bells and even twittering birds.
Davidson spends a major portion of the day in his cluttered workshop riding herd on train engines and railcars.
They are subject to frequent breakdown because of worn parts and breakage due to a 40-hour per week running schedule, something most manufacturers ever envisioned.
Next time you are in the Windy City, take time to stop by the Museum of Science and visit the Great Train Story and bookmark a spot for us.


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I get a call from Alim one Sunday afternoon: do I want to go to Whitewater State Park?
Of course I do.
A couple of hours later, Namig shows up driving his newly acquired retired squad car, we pick up Alim, and head southeast away from the Cities.
After an hour of driving and conversation, we begin to enter what's known as the "driftless zone", which has a nice topography because, common wisdom holds, it was never glaciated. In reality, all of Minnesota—driftless zone included—has been ironed flat by glaciers at one point or another, paving out the rockiness of the old Laurentian range. For most of Minnesota this took place just 12,000 years ago, so there's not been much time for complex topography to redevelop. In the driftless zone, all this simply happened much, much longer ago.
As we pull into Lake City, I have an impulse to visit Oak Center, so relying on my gut feeling for direction, I direct Namig to take a right. We pluge between a couple of bluffs and a thick forest, and then burst out onto flatter, rolling hills covered with corn. A few miles later, we're at Oak Center.
And it's like I never left, except for the chickens running around on the road. Who's done that?
As we're poking about behind the house, gravel crunches and we look over to see a very-bearded, wild looking man coming towards us, and it's not Steve. Chris introduces himself as the sole intern to have survived the whole summer and tells us that Steve's on vacation.
As we catch up about the farm and Steve's idiosyncrasies (and continued OCD-farmerness), Chris lets us into the store, where, in short order I find myself in the backroom candling an egg. After some more talking, I ask if I can take a look around upstairs where the dance hall/concert space is that I slept in, so we all troop up there. Chris and I pop into the porch where Beth slept and, as we're talking, I invite him to come along with us, but he says he doesn't think so. There's a pounding sound behind us, and we step out into the main room to find that Namig and Alim are pounding away on some drums. A few minutes later, Chris and I have joined in on the pianos.
It's good to have travel companions.
On our way out, Chris gives us all chocolate-cranberry-oatmeal cookies.
We invite him to come along with us. And this time, he says yes.
Another hour of winding down little roads searching for a Brigadoon equivalent brings us to Whitewater. The visitor center has a little museum which shows artistic representations of the heavy logging and steep-slope farming that took place here in the early 20th century and speaks of dismal water quality. But a glance out the window makes one think that that's all in the past now.
From the top of the first hill we climb, we can see upstream to a rocky outcropping several ridges distant. Without further discussion, we head in that direction.
But we are waylaid by the sudden discovery of a big crop of Chicken of the Woods hanging out on a tree.
Chris and Namig get pretty excited by this and begin trying to climb the tree. Evolving quickly, they discover tools and knock a chunk of the cropping off. In the past I may have thought they were crazy—mushrooms have never appealed to me—but I've since seen the light.
One night, when I was living out on the Olympic Peninsula, one of the rangers came in with a giant cardboard box full of morel mushrooms. Previously, I'd enjoyed mushrooms mixed in with things, but the taste on its own was somewhat disgusting to me. But morels can sell for $40 per pound! And that's not all he had: there were also puffballs and Chicken of the Woods. The latter is a bright orange colour that confuses the ecologists among us because it seems maladaptive. The Chicken can be consumed raw, but it's best to prepare it by frying it in butter for a while. The ranger chopped up some mushrooms and—oh my!—were they good!
So I understand the flush of victory written on Chris and Namig's faces as they hide their find behind a tree in Chris's shirt, and we continue towards the outcropping.
"Maybe it's that way..."
|The hills rise up steeply from the river, but, in the valley, the trail is flat and well-used. Without thinking about it, Alim and I find ourselves running down the trail, trees flashing past us, and then waiting, panting, for Namig and Chris to catch up, walking.|
|Eventually we come to giant clearing walled on oneside by a tall, and apparently unclimbable, cliff.|
|After that, the trail petters out quickly and we find ourselves bushwhacking.|
At least until I feel a knife slice my calf open. Freezing, I look down, I expect to see blood, but no… there's nothing wrong. Glancing around, trying to figure it out, I discover that I am surrounded, for as far as I can see on the forest floor, by stinging nettles.
It takese a while to work our way out of that one, but soon, we're back on the track of the outcropping. Alim and I have gone running ahead again and come upon a long winding staircase. She takes off up it; I follow for a ways and then wend onto a deer path which hugs the outcropping as the hill drops steeply away to the side. Finding some solid rock, I free climb a fifteen foot patch and arrive at the top just as Alim does.
Inspiration Point, they call it.
I climb out to the final isolated end of the point and watch as the sun slides behind the ridges which are rising all around us. The valleys below me are a lush, unbroken green as far as I can see (though this may not be saying much, tucked in the ridges as I am).
As the show finishes, Namig calls down to me asking if I'm ready to go. I climb back up and affirm. Then Alim and I take off running again through the quickly-fading light, sensing rather than seeing our way along the trail.
Every so often, we're able to poke out through the trees, and immediately our reality jumps backwards an hour in time. The trees and ridges really add to the night and I am reminded of hiking by moonlight through the Sangre de Christos with Jogre.
Back the car, fireflies are dancing in a mist-shrouded field. We turn our backs on them and use the police-light on the squad car to find Chris's mushroom-filled shirt.
Back at Oak Center, there are many stars and I recall Beth telling me, while we were farming, that this was the first time she'd ever seen the moon cast a shadow. Chris thanks us profusely for taking him off of the farm and says, "This is going to be a good week! First some strangers show up and take me hiking, then I find mushrooms, who knows what's next?"

domain: geography


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The recommendation was announced April 7 to stay in line with recent guidance issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to DCTA.
"While wearing face masks can help prevent the spread of COVID-19, it is still suggested passengers maintain 6 feet of distance whenever possible between other riders and DCTA bus and rail operators,” the agency stated in a news release.
DCTA has also taken extra precautions to ensure the safety and cleanliness of its buses, trains and cars.
“Along with daily cleanings, we are using a medical-grade disinfecting spray on all DCTA buses, trains and Downtown Denton Transit Center,” the agency stated. “Additional attention is being placed on high touch point areas, such as door handles, countertops and steering wheels, and we continue to evaluate our cleaning processes as needed.”
The agency has added a page to its website to keep employees and riders informed.

domain: news


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(WSVN) - AT&T Wireless customers appear to be experiencing an outage, as many customers across the country say they are unable to make or receive phone calls.
Numerous reports of problems are showing up on Twitter, as affected customers are reaching out to the company for a solution. Meanwhile, several 7News viewers report the issue appears to affect Android and iPhone devices on the network.
MacRumors reports that users who attempt to place a phone call are instead seeing the calls disconnected, while incoming calls go directly to voicemail without ringing through to phones.
“We are aware of an issue affecting some users ability to make certain wireless calls,” AT&T spokesperson Kelly Starling told 7News. “These users should restart their devices, which should resolve the issue.”
The company has also replied to several customers on the social media site, advising them to turn their phones off and then back on. While that solution appears to work for many, some say they are still unable to make or receive calls. Some have noted that affected customers may need to restart their devices more than once in order to restore service.
FaceTime, iMessage and text messages, however, are apparently still working.
Copyright 2023 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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April 6-17, 2024
Highlights include: Italian Lakes Region, Stresa, Wine Tasting, Italian Riviera, Cinque Terre, Carrara Marble Quarries Off-Road Excursion, Tuscan Countryside, Italian Cooking Class, San Gimignano, Siena, Florence, Bologna, Venice
Come on an exclusive adventure with me limited to 24 travelers! I travel all over Italy bringing Coco’s guests on tours several times a year and this is one of my favorites because, on this trip, the romantic part of Italy comes to life. This tour will tickle all of the senses: your eyes, ears, nose and taste buds. Another great reason to chose this trip is that it is harvest time in Italy, plenty of foods are at their peak freshness. The vineyards will be bustling with production, a site you can only see this time of year with a special focus on visits to artisan salumi producers and makers of Parmigiano-Reggiano where you can taste cheeses aged from 16 to 65 months. My mouth is watering as I write this because it really is a seasonal treat and I can’t wait for you to partake in this with me. During our free time I will guide or join you on my top picks for restaurants, suggestions for ordering foods and favorite cocktails. You will love every moment of this very special tour and you will find out why so many people want to move to Italy when you are done with this this romantic, culinary and cultural adventure.
-Chuck Cinelli, Owner of Coco’s
As Low As $4,949* All Inclusive
12 day package that Includes Air
(save additionally with your air miles)
After September 7, 2023 please call for rates.
Call Chuck Cinelli at (615) 678-6318
Day 1 Overnight Flight
Travel along breathtaking landscapes and venture into metropolitan meccas ripe with culture and history. Discover Italy on an unforgettable journey that delves into its most cherished treasures.
DAY 2 Stresa – Borromeo
Begin on the arresting shores of Lake Maggiore, surrounded by the peaceful beauty of the Alpine lakes region. This evening, cruise to Isola dei Pescatori*, the most picturesque of the Borromean Islands, where you’ll engage with new friends at a dinner welcoming you to Italy.
DAY 3 Stresa – Mottarone
In an ancient village nestled in the mountains, a local family welcomes you to sample their very own artisanal cheeses, paired with the region’s best wines. The remainder of the day in Stresa is at your leisure. Explore the piazzas, flower-lined cobblestone streets, and lakeside promenades. Or enjoy your breathtaking surroundings during an optional cruise to Isola Bella, known as the “beautiful island.” Here an expert will guide you into the Borromeo Palace,** a lakeside Baroque beauty adorned with an exotic garden. As the day draws to a close, visit a family-run wine shop and enjoy a cocktail party with some antipasto snacks.
DAY 4 Stresa – Orta – Italian Riviera
Witness picture-perfect views from Lake Orta, an ancient glacial lake in the Alpine foothills. A boat delivers you to the island of San Giulio, dominated by its working convent. Journey to the Italian Riviera and discover its immeasurable grandeur along the Liguria coast.
DAY 5 Italian Riviera – Cinque Terre
Travel by rail today as you discover the colorful Cinque Terre (UNESCO), a string of medieval villages perched on the edge of the sea. Feel like you have stepped back in time as you traverse the rugged coastal area dotted with terraced vineyards. Spend an afternoon independently exploring this awe-inspiring landscape.
DAY 6 Italian Riviera – Lucca – Tuscany
Veer off the beaten path to visit one of Italy’s great natural wonders: the Carrara marble quarries. During an off-road drive in the Apuane Mountains, you’ll follow the roads the cavatori (quarrymen) carved into the mountains while extracting the precious stone. Over the centuries, Carrara marble was used by artists such as Michelangelo to carve his Pietà in Rome’s St. Peter’s Basilica, as well as his legendary Statue of David. Enjoy some free time to explore Carrara’s old town on your own; view the town’s cathedral, the Duomo, built in white marble, or search for Michelangelo’s bust marking his former home. Continue on through the rolling hills of Tuscany, ending the day in a historic Tuscan villa for a rejuvenating 4-night stay.***
DAY 7: Tuscany – San Gimignano-Tuscan
This morning, journey into the heart of the Chianti countryside, where a family-owned villa welcomes you. After a tour of the house and grounds, you’ll engage in a hands-on cooking lesson. Break bread during an authentic Tuscan lunch and toast to your host with local Chianti wine. Later, take in Tuscany’s landscape, a spectrum of verdant vineyards and endless groves en route to San Gimignano. Nicknamed the Manhattan of the Middle Ages, San Gimignano’s 14 towers soar distinctively over the landscape making this iconic hilltop village stand out against the rolling hills. Taste authentic Italian gelato from an award-winning ice cream parlor while you wander the cobbled streets and gaze up at the imposing towers during time at leisure in this Tuscan gem.
Day 8 Tuscany – Siena
Today we take a scenic drive to Siena, where Romanesque and Gothic architecture surround us within this UNESCO World Heritage site. We meet up with our local guide and walk the narrow medieval streets and see all the beauty within Siena. We’ll take a walk to the Gothic cathedral – Duomo di Siena – an architectural marvel featuring frescoes by Pinturicchio and masterpieces by Pisano, Donatello, and Michelangelo. Visit Piazza del Campo, where Palio di Siena (famous horse race) takes place every year, or roam the city and try to find all 17 plaques that represent the 17 districts “Contrade of Siena” that race in the Palio di Siena. Then we retreat to your Tuscan villa for a relaxing afternoon.
Day 9 Tuscany -Florence
Welcome to Florence – the birthplace of the Renaissance and the beloved home of the Medici family, Galileo, Botticelli and da Vinci. Set out on a walking tour of Florence’s treasures and monuments, highlighting the Piazza del Duomo and the famous Gates of Paradise on the Baptistery. You’ll also wander past the Palazzo Vecchio, the Signoria and Santa Croce squares. Enjoy time to explore Florence independently before returning to your villa.
Day 10 Tuscany – Bologna – Venice
On a walking tour, discover the culture of Bologna, a city barely changed since the time of the Renaissance and Italy’s food capital. Browse the city’s specialty food shops and sample local delicacies such as Parmigiano cheese, mortadella – the Italian progenitor of baloney – and lasagna. Arrive later in Venice, the “Queen of the Adriatic,” and settle in for a 2-night stay in one of the most romantic cities in the world.
Day 11 Venice
We will spend our last day in Venice, home to lavish art collections, architectural wonders and where marbled palaces tower over gondola- laden canals. We will travel by boat to Murano – the “City of Glass” – for an expert glass-blowing demonstration, a renowned tradition on the island. After touring through Murano and finding a few treasures, we will journey back to St. Mark’s – Venice’s iconic main square. During our free time, I’ll point out some great lunch spots. After lunch, a local guide will take us on a tour of the city’s incredible sites, including the Bridge of Sighs, the Clock Tower, and St. Mark’s Basilica. We’ll say “Arriverderci” to Italy at a savory farewell dinner I have planned for everyone.
Day 12 Venice
At breakfast in the hotel we will share email addresses with your new friends as our tour comes to a close but it’s the beginning of beautiful memories shared and friendships.
If you have more questions, please email or call during regular business hours.
(615) 678-6318 email: firstname.lastname@example.org
It’s fun to travel with a friend and family so send our web-page to other enjoyable people. I will be glad to talk to them personally.
Our tours sell out fast, a small 100% refundable deposit holds your spot.

domain: travel


Abu Dhabi Police to host Gulf and Traffic Exhibition and Conference
The Traffic and Patrols Directorate at Abu Dhabi Police will host a stand at the Gulf Traffic Exhibition and Conference from December 8-10 at Dubai World Trade Centre.
Brig Hussein Al Harithi, director of TPD, said participation was key to increase cooperation with authorities concerned with traffic safety and leading companies within the traffic and transport industry.
The exhibition will be showcasing the technologically advanced system to support operations in the field of traffic safety, in accordance with the best international practices.
Furthermore, the Saaed Company for Traffic Systems will be presenting the latest smart traffic applications and systems, which will help with the development and management of integrated and efficient technological solutions, designed to improve the roads and transport system.
Published: December 7, 2014 04:00 AM


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Almost everyone who grew up in the 1990s will remember playing with an Etch A Sketch toy… but far fewer will recall actually being good at it.
A photo recreating Michelangelo’s famous The Creation Of Adam in a swimming pool has gone viral on Reddit for its uncanny resemblance.
A New York prison artist who never played golf but became known for drawings of lush courses he could only imagine was set free after authorities agreed that another man committed the murder that put him behind bars for nearly three decades.
A make-up artist from California has gone viral for embracing her acne in a beautifully colourful look.
Of all edibles, fast food is not usually known for its pleasing appearance – but US sandwich outlet Arby’s is bucking the trend.
We’ve all seen paintings on canvas and paper in art galleries, but this artist uses a more unconventional method, using nature to find creative art materials.
V&A Dundee's incredible opening weekend drew in thousands of visitors to the city centre.
Eating healthily can be tricky for any family, so this mum has found a novel way to make mealtimes fun with a little creativity.
The first day of V&A Dundee's 3D Festival ended with an incredible display projected onto the £80 million museum.
Damien Hirst is making 50 staff at his company Science Ltd redundant across its London and Gloucestershire locations, it can be revealed.


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25 cupcake cake with 6" round. BC "noodles", strawberry sauce "sauce", and cakeball "meatballs".
I love your spagetti! Some one pass the garlic bread
How did you make your noodle? If it was a round tip, my hands would have been cramping....
Excellent Job!! Really looks like spagetti!! I sooo want to do one of these!!
Thanks. They really are very easy. Yes, round tip. Just be sure to get BC thin enough, but not too thin. Clear as muddy water?
I saw this cake in a Wilton book and want to make it for my husband's b-day. He LOVES Spagetti!
So so simple, and people absolutely love it.
CakeCentral.com is the world's largest cake community for cake decorating professionals and enthusiasts.
(if this is a private computer)
Yes please, register now!

domain: food


text:
Exploring Beyond Our Solar System
From the Set Wonders of Space
Compelling narrative nonfiction text presents the story of the scientists who are exploring beyond our solar system, featuring the intrigue and excitement behind their missions. Additional features to aid comprehension include a table of contents, fact-filled captions and callouts, infographics, a glossary, a listing of source notes, sources for further research, and an introduction to the author.
- Hubble Peers Into Space
- Hubble Explores the Universe
- Kepler, the Planet Hunter
- Source Notes
- To Learn More
A noteworthy review of Wonders of Space from School Library Connection on November 1, 2016
Each of the books in this series is quite astonishing for its intriguing presentation of facts about unknown worlds light-years away. Every space mission, starting in 1977 with Gary Flandro’s vision from JPL for a ‘Grand Tour of Space’ with Voyager, and various other remarkable stories of exploration and problem solving are told. Each is beautifully crafted and written specifically to engage the reader, which is unusual for non-fiction. Additionally, with only 3-4 chapters, color photos, plenty of white space, and an easily readable font, students will find the astonishing content both accessible and fascinating. Death-defying acts of bravery and ingenuity by both astronauts and ground crews populate the pages with jaw-dropping reality. This series is a must-buy for librarians and teachers who wish to inspire children to dream big, study STEM subjects, and become the next generation of innovators in space. Glossary. Index. Source Notes.
A noteworthy review of Wonders of Space from Horn Book Guide on October 1, 2016
Wonders of Space series. Accounts of major events in space exploration—including the historic Apollo 11 moon landing, Voyager probes, Mars rovers, and Hubble telescope as well as recent missions to Saturn and Pluto—are presented in short narrative formats, with numerous quotes from those involved in the projects. Color photographs of planets, astronauts and scientists, and space technology effectively supplement the texts. Reading list. Glos., ind
Author: Patricia Hutchison
A former teacher, Patricia Hutchison is a lover of nature. Since leaving the classroom, she has written several books and articles about science. When she is not writing, she loves to travel with her husband. While visiting different places, she is always amazed at the wonders of nature.

domain: library


This sleek new iPad killer features some pretty punchy specs and an entirely new open source operating system known as Sailfish 2.0. Some highlights of this new backend include a robust level of privacy, stopping any nosey third parties from monitoring your activity. Multitasking has been made more intuitive with a single screen providing details of all your running apps, you will be able to switch between and control apps from this single view.
There are many options when it comes to apps, the Sailfish OS runs native apps as well as all you favorite Android Aps, you even have the option of building your own App if you can’t find what you’re looking for.
The Jolla Tablet’s internals include a Quad-Core Intel processor, 2GB RAM and 32GB internal storage that can be expanded via the MicroSHDC, allowing cards of up to 128GB.
The 7.85-inch screen has a resolution of 2048×1536 at 330ppi, matching that of the iPad Mini 3. The tablet has a 5MP rear camera capable of full 1080p HD video, there is also a 2MP front facing camera.
The unit comes with Bluetooth, GPS, Accelerometer, Light sensor and a Proximity sensor and weighs in at 384g, so it’s a touch heavier than the iPad Mini 3 but lighter than the Nexus 9.
The Jolla has a 4300 mAh battery which is less than the iPad Mini and the Nexus 9, so we’ll have to wait and see how long this puppy lasts in the real world.
The price is pretty competitive, you can preorder one for $209 for the next couple of days on their Indiegogo page. The expected retail price is $249.
The Jolla has been designed in Finland, the company says this device is all about functionality, minimalism and style, we can’t wait to try it out, especially the new Sailfish 2.0 operating system.


Puffy Mattress San Antonio
- 1 Puffy Mattress San Antonio
- 2 Puffy Mattress Comparison Overview
- 3 Puffy Mattress Comparison: Top Similarities
- 4 Puffy Mattress Comparison: Key Differences
- 5 Firmness and Feel Differences
- 6 Puffy Mattress Comparison: Construction Differences
- 7 Puffy Mattress Size Options and Price
- 8 Puffy Mattress Performance
- 9 Company Policies
- 10 FAQs
Puffy is a popular mattress company. Puffy Mattress San Antonio
You might find it difficult to choose, as they offer an amazing balance of support and comfort in every mattress.
If you are trying to choose between the Puffy original and the Puffy Lux hybrid, then you have come to the right place.
Which one works best for you?
This comparison of Puffy mattresses will help you decide!
Puffy Mattress Comparison Overview
We will talk about each Puffy mattress’s design, firmness and feel. Then, we’ll be able to determine who should and shouldn’t purchase which mattress.
All Puffy mattresses feature soft, breathable foam that makes them the best bed in a box mattresses.
The original Puffy is made entirely of foam, while the Puffy Lux and Puffy Royal are hybrid variants.
The price and complexity of the design are just two factors that may affect your choice. They offer three basic models: the Puffy, the Puffy Lux and the Puffy royal.
The original Puffy mattress is the most firm of all the three mattresses. It is firm but the soft memory foam offers great comfort and contouring.
The Puffy Lux Hybrid mattress has a traditional memory foam feel, and is one of the most comfortable hybrid mattresses. As it conforms to your body, this mattress will allow you to relax and provide great support.
The Puffy Royal Hybrid mattress provides support. It has a zoned structure that helps those with back pain get a good night of sleep.
Puffy’s Royal model is a premium mattress that provides maximum comfort and support. This mattress is ideal for those who want to achieve proper spine alignment.
Who Should Get the Puffy Original
- Those looking to purchase mattresses for less money
- If you sleep on your stomach and prefer a firm mattress
Who Should Get the Puffy Lux Hybrid
- Side sleepers
- Soft-mattress lovers
Who Should Get the Puffy Royal Hybrid
- Back sleepers who need additional support
- Those who like a high-end mattress
- Those who have back problems and need more support
Puffy Mattress Comparison: Top Similarities
- Since they are produced by the same business, they share the same warranties, services available, and sleep trials.
- Several of the comfort layers are shared by all of them.
- Both of them have similar base layers.
- All of them are made from foam, while the Puffy Lux Hybrid and Puffy Royal Hybrid also include coils.
Puffy Mattress Comparison: Key Differences
- Puffy Royal Hybrid has more layers than the Puffy Lux Hybrid and Puffy original.
- The only all-foam mattress among the three is the original Puffy. The other two are coil-filled hybrid mattresses.
- Exclusive comfort layers not present in the Puffy original mattress may be found in the Puffy Lux and Puffy Royal.
- Due to its zoned structure, the Puffy Royal Hybrid is more supportive than the Puffy original or the Puffy Lux Hybrid.
- Finally, there are also noticeable pricing differences: the Puffy Royal is more expensive than the Puffy Lux, which is more expensive than the original Puffy.
Firmness and Feel Differences
Let’s see how these mattresses feel and how firm they actually are.
How Firm Are the Puffy Mattresses?
Puffy mattresses are rated at 7 out of 10. This makes them slightly firmer than average. Medium firm, the industry norm, is a mattress graded at 6.5. Because of this, the original Puffy is stiffer than usual.
The Puffy Lux Hybrid scores a 6/10 on the scale of mattress firmness. The Puffy Lux Hybrid is softer than the typical Puffy Lux Hybrid.
The Puffy Royal Hybrid mattress has a firmness rating 6.5/10. The Puffy Lux Hybrid is firmer, but this mattress is still medium in firmness.
The Puffylux Hybrid is an excellent mattress for side or back sleepers. For back sleepers, the Puffy Lux Hybrid will offer contouring and support as their hips drop just enough to maintain a proper alignment.
The pressure will be much reduced for side sleepers. There shouldn’t be pressure on their hips or shoulders. This mattress may be too soft for stomach sleepers.
A Puffy Royal Hybrid can also be used for multiple sleep positions.
Puffy Royal Hybrid’s zonesd support will allow back sleepers to maintain proper alignment. It is likely that they will find this more enjoyable than the Puffy Hybrid.
This mattress should be comfortable enough to support side sleepers. It is easy for combination sleepers, who can switch between sleeping on their sides and backs.
What Do the Puffy Mattresses Feel Like?
The Puffy Original mattress is easy to move on because of its responsive foam feel and balance.
The Puffy Lux Hybrid is similar to traditional memory foam. This mattress will gradually sink into your body. The memory foam feel makes this mattress not the most responsive.
Puffy Royal Hybrid delivers on its promise by being puffy yet cloud-like. Although it does not have memory foam, the Puffy Lux Hybrid seems to be more responsive. When you lie down on the Puffy Royal Hybrid it feels almost like a pillow.
Average Weight Sleepers – 130lbs – 230lbs
Original Puffy mattress should provide support and stability for back sleepers with average weight.
Side sleepers with medium weight will not feel the comfort they need in their hips or shoulders due to the firmness of the mattress.
Puffy original should offer enough support for stomachs of average weight. But, if they’re heavier than 230 pounds, they may need a firmer cushion.
Puffy Lux Hybrids should be suitable for sleepers of average weight. For back sleepers, memory foam offers excellent support and contouring.
Side sleepers should feel comfortable on this mattress, regardless of their average weight. Individuals closer to 220 pounds might find the mattress too firm, but the majority of people should feel comfortable in their hips.
The mattress is too soft for stomach-sleepers of average weight.
Puffy Royal Hybrid can provide a better sleep experience for people who have normal weight backs. The zoned polyfoam can provide support for back problems as well.
Side sleepers under 200lbs will feel excellent pressure relief when they are on this mattress.
However, people who weigh less than 230lbs could feel discomfort in their hips and shoulders if they push too hard into the mattress.
People of average weight who sleep on their stomachs will not find this mattress too soft.
Heavyweight Sleepers – Over 230lbs
While stomach and heavyweight stomach sleepers will not receive sufficient support, back sleepers of heavyweight weight may get it while they’re on the Puffy.
Due to its coils, the Puffy Lux Hybrid will be supportive for the majority of heavy back sleepers. It will cause side sleepers who are heavier than average to experience pressure points.
Puffy Lux isn’t suited for heavy stomach sleepers.
Due to its coils & zoned polyfoam, Puffy Royal Hybrid is suitable to heavy back sleepers of up to 220 lbs.
A mattress that provides greater support for back sleepers who are over 300 lbs may be required. The Puffy Royal Hybrid can’t support stomach sleepers and side sleepers with heavier bodies.
Lightweight Sleepers – Under 130lbs
Puffy’s original mattress is the best for back sleepers looking for something solid and comfortable.
Puffy’s original Puffy may be too hard for side sleepers who are light. Puffy is a Puffy Hybrid that provides extra support for stomach sleepers.
Puffy Lux is a strong support mattress that will suit light weight back and side sleepers. Puffy Lux Hybrid’s strong support is ideal for stomach sleepers.
The Puffy Royal Hybrid will be a great choice for light-weight back and side sleepers. Although the Puffy Royal Hybrid might be suitable for stomach-sleepers who are lighter, most will find it more supportive.CLICK FOR BEST PRICE
Puffy Mattress Comparison: Construction Differences
Before buying a mattress, you need to be able to explain how it is made. Check out the Puffy Lux Hybrid or Puffy Royal Hybrid construction.
All three mattresses have stain-resistant cloud covers. They have a smooth and breathable cover that is airy. This cover is hypoallergenic, which makes it ideal for individuals suffering from allergies.
Cooling Cloud foam makes up the top comfort layer of the original Puffy mattress (it is basically memory foam with a gel infusion to help with cooling).
Climate Comfort foam is below that, and is more sensitive and designed for heat dissipation.
The Puffy Lux Hybrid has three comfort layers. The first layer of the Puffy Lux Hybrid is the same as that of the Cooling Cloud. This is a layer with memory foam that has had gel added for ventilation.
The Plush Dual Cloud layer will reduce strain on the shoulders, hips, and back. The last comfort level is the climatic, which is similar in appearance to the original Puffy.
This sensitive layer gives the mattress some bounce and promotes normal body temperature.
The Puffy Royal Hybrid has four comfort layers. The top layer contains cooling foam.
The cooling beads in this layer will keep you cool while you sleep. Below that is a layer of memory foam for optimal healing and body shaping.
The Puffy Lux Hybrid also contains the climate comfort layer. This layer acts as a moisture-wicking and humidity-resistant barrier in both mattresses.
The fourth comfort layer made of Puffy Royal Hybrid is cloud air technology and foam.
This mattress uses zoned polyfoam to give different parts of it a harder or gentler feeling. It is great for side and back sleeping.
Each mattress includes a core support layer that is made up of a firm and supportive foam.
Two additional support layers are included in the Puffy Royal, Puffy Lux, and Puffy Royal hybrids. These mattresses come with a contour adapt base layer which promotes spinal alignment. The beds have a springy, responsive feeling.
Both mattresses also include a base layer that provides traction, keeping the mattress in place regardless of how much you turn and toss throughout the night.
The Puffy original is 10″ tall.
The Puffy Lux Hybrid has a height at 12″ tall.
The Puffy Royal Hybrid is the company’s thickest mattress, at 14″ tall.
Puffy Mattress Size Options and Price
See the sizes and details of the Puffy Lux Hybrid or Puffy Royal Hybrid.
|Twin||39″ x 75″||$899.00|
|Twin XL||38″ x 80″||$949.00|
|Full||54″ x 75″||$1099.00|
|Queen||60″ x 80″||$1299.00|
|King||76″ x 80″||$1449.00|
|California King||72″ x 84″||$1449.00|
Puffy Lux Hybrid
|Twin||39″ x 75″||$1449.00|
|Twin XL||38″ x 80″||$1499.00|
|Full||54″ x 75″||$1599.00|
|Queen||60″ x 80″||$1799.00|
|King||76″ x 80″||$1999.00|
|California King||72″ x 84″||$1999.00|
Puffy Royal Hybrid
|Twin||39″ x 75″||$1649.00|
|Twin XL||38″ x 80″||$1749.00|
|Full||54″ x 75″||$2449.00|
|Queen||60″ x 80″||$2699.00|
|King||76″ x 80″||$2999.00|
|California King||72″ x 84″||$2999.00|
Puffy Mattress Performance
Still debating which one you should get for a mattress?
You might be able make a decision based upon the performance differences among these three mattresses.
Sleeping Hot or Cold
The original Puffy is entirely made of foam and won’t breath as well as hybrids. It does have gel infusions in its comfort and cover layers to improve ventilation.
Puffy Lux Hybrid’s memory foam could trap heat.
However, it does feature coils in the support layer and gel infusions in many of the comfort layers, which will aid in controlling temperature. This mattress should keep you cool unless you sleep really heated.
The Puffy Royal Hybrid mattress is similar to the Puffy Lux Hybrid. It offers a good night’s rest.
This mattress is comfortable and cool for most sleepers, thanks to its coils, gel infusions, soft feel and coils.
In terms of motion transmission, all three Puffy Hybrids (Puffy Lux Hybrid or Puffy Royal Hybrid) are similar.
All of their motion is blocked by the top layers of memory foam.
Any of these mattresses can be a great match for couples who don’t want one another to wake up every hour if the other spouse turns and tosses in the middle the night.
The original Puffy is a solid mattress with good edge support. Although not the best of the three options, it provides sufficient support to most sleepers.
The Puffy Lux Hybrid mattress excels in terms of edge support. The majority of the Puffy Lux Hybrid mattress’s edge support should be felt by anyone who is seated or sleeping near it.
Also, the Puffy Royal hybrid mattress has excellent edge support. The Puffy Royal Hybrid mattress may give a little when you try to tie your shoes. But, you shouldn’t feel that you are being supported if the edge is close to your body.
All three mattresses are very durable. The Puffy Royal Hybrid is more durable than the Puffy Lux Hybrid due to its superior design.
Every Puffy mattress has a tendency to off-gas or produce an odor upon opening it for the first time.
The odor will disappear within 24 hours. All materials have been certified as ozone-friendly (certipur US).
We didn’t hear any noise from the Puffy Royal or Puffy Lux hybrid mattresses.
These mattresses are all very quiet, so you shouldn’t have to move them.
Original Puffy mattress: This mattress is the most springy. It prevents us sinking too far; partners should be free to move around the mattress.
Because of the slower motion, it can be difficult for couples to move around on the Puffy Lux Hybrid. Couples should choose a Puffy Lux Hybrid mattress that is more responsive and bouncy for sex.
While the Puffy Royal Hybrid is less maneuverable than the Puffy Lux Hybrid, it is more springy. Couples will find that the Puffy Queen Hybrid is responsiveer and more bouncy than both mattresses.CLICK FOR BEST PRICE
Even though all mattresses come with the same warranties, trials and return policies, these mattresses should still be taken into consideration.
Puffy, Puffy Lux, and Puffy royal hybrids come with an impressive lifetime warranty.
Puffy offers a 101-night trial where you can test all three mattresses in your own home.
During the 101-night sleep trial, if you decide a Puffy mattress isn’t for you, Puffy will give you a complete refund.
They will arrange for a return or donate the mattress to a charity.
The following section answers the most frequently asked questions by Puffy Royals, Puffy Lux, & Puffy Lux.
What is the difference between the Puffy Lux and Puffy Royal?
Puffy Royal uses cloud air technology. This is the main difference between the Puffy Lux, Puffy Royal and Puffy Royal. This zoned foam provides additional support, especially for side and back sleepers. Although the Puffy Lux is less expensive, the Puffy Royal has a more luxurious appearance.
What mattress is comparable to the Puffy Lux?
While the Puffy Royal is a superior mattress, it is comparable to the Puffy Lux. You can compare the Puffy Lux to the Puffy Original which has one less comfort layer.
Is the Puffy Lux worth it?
It may be well worth it to get the Puffy Lux over the Puffy original due to its additional comfort layer. Puffy Lux will offer additional comfort and support.
Are Puffy mattresses made in the USA?
100% of Puffy mattresses were made in the USA.


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YELLOW7 Forms Interactive PR Alliance with Michael A. Burns & Associates
November 16, 2007 (PRLEAP.COM) Business NewsHeadquartered in Little Elm, Texas, YELLOW7, has formed an alliance with Michael A. Burns & Associates Inc. (MB&A), one of the largest PR firms in the Southwest, to create a one-stop resource for developing, launching and managing online PR campaigns. A full-service Internet marketing company, YELLOW7 offers a broad range of interactive marketing services, including blogs, consumer-generated media, online branding, site optimization and content management. Dallas-based MB&A specializes in media-centric marketing campaigns that are national or international in scope.
According to Jason Burgess, managing director of YELLOW7, the two agencies have joined forces to capitalize on the skyrocketing demand for emerging social media.
“A recent study showed that 93% of journalists now visit online press rooms,” Burgess said. “The Internet is becoming a primary engine in the field of journalism, not only as a tool for reporters and editors, but also as a powerful—possibly the most powerful—communications medium.
“We’re partnering with MB&A to create a team that combines online capabilities with broad-based expertise in traditional, off-line media relations. Together, the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.”
Michael A. Burns, CEO of MB&A, said: “Social media campaigns not only require Internet technology expertise, but strategic communication services as well. By combining our media relations skills with Yellow 7’s Internet capabilities, we can offer clients a one-stop resource for social media solutions.”
About YELLOW7 Interactive
YELLOW7 Interactive is a new media and search-focused agency with over 10 years experience in website design and optimization. A specialist in developing rich media solutions online, YELLOW7 works with clients on a per project basis or on a multi-level, multi-functional marketing strategy. For more information, visit www.yellow7.com


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Background: Heterogeneous stock (HS/NPT) mice have been used to create lines selectively bred in replicate for elevated drinking in the dark (DID). Both selected lines routinely reach a blood ethanol (EtOH) concentration (BEC) of 1.00 mg/ml or greater at the end of the 4-hour period of access in Day 2. The mechanisms through which genetic differences influence DID are currently unclear. Therefore, the current study examines the transcriptome, the first stage at which genetic variability affects neurobiology. Rather than focusing solely on differential expression (DE), we also examine changes in the ways that gene transcripts collectively interact with each other, as revealed by changes in coexpression patterns. Methods: Naïve mice (N = 48/group) were genotyped using the Mouse Universal Genotyping Array, which provided 3,683 informative markers. Quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis used a marker-by-marker strategy with the threshold for a significant logarithm of odds (LOD) set at 10.6. Gene expression in the ventral striatum was measured using the Illumina Mouse 8.2 array. Differential gene expression and the weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) were implemented largely as described elsewhere. Results: Significant QTLs for elevated BECs after DID were detected on chromosomes 4, 14, and 16; the latter 2 were associated with gene-poor regions. None of the QTLs overlapped with known QTLs for EtOH preference drinking. Ninety-four transcripts were detected as being differentially expressed in both selected lines versus HS controls; there was no overlap with known preference genes. The WGCNA revealed 2 modules as showing significant effects of both selections on intramodular connectivity. A number of genes known to be associated with EtOH phenotypes (e.g., Gabrg1, Glra2, Grik1, Npy2r, and Nts) showed significant changes in connectivity. Conclusions: We found marked and consistent effects of selection on coexpression patterns; DE changes were more modest and less concordant. The QTLs and differentially expressed genes detected here are distinct from the preference phenotype. This is consistent with behavioral data and suggests that the DID and preference phenotypes are markedly different genetically.
- Drinking in the Dark
- Weighted Gene Coexpression Network Analysis
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Medicine (miscellaneous)
- Psychiatry and Mental health

domain: biology


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The history of the American worker is the history of the American nation. Since the colonists arrived in the early seventeenth century, people have worked and struggled to better live their lives. The development of the American worker reflects this struggle. By seeking better wages and working conditions, more opportunity for individual advancement and personal fulfillment, and increased security in both employment and life itself, working people have participated in the American dream; they have, in fact, defined it.
The history of the American worker is by no means completed. As long as the nation exists, working people will be, as they have always been, a source of its strength and its pride. The American worker will continue to grow with the nation. Words of Wisdom about unions from the 125th Anniversay program.
Local #43 History & Highlights ~ Thanks to Local #43 resident historian, George Story, for researching our history and preparing this summary. Please feel free to contribute additional facts, memories, or anecdotes for inclusion in this section. Our members are our heritage and our future.


Precious Chikwendu the estranged wife of Femi Fani-Kayode (FFK) has taken to social media to celebrate her first son on his birthday. The mother of 4 took to her Instagram page to celebrate the Lil man describing him as a source of strength who has witnessed everything with her over the years.
She alleged she was already being abused by FFK while she was pregnant with her first son, Lotanna Aragorn and he would always fight with her till she begged him to stay calm. She said he was just 4 months old when he watched her get beaten like a puppy in her arms while she was allegedly beaten and she saw the fear in his eyes as they tried to take him from her.
She said the beating made blood gush out of her nose and her son cried as he watched her suffer abuse in the hands of his father, who had just been released from Ikoyi prison. Precious described her son Lotanna as peace in the storm and she feels so ashamed that he has been used as a pawn in the custody battle and being far away from him leaves her in pain.
Read also: He Promised To Make Sure No One Would Ever Look At Me By The Time He’s Done With Me – Precious Chikwendu Returns To Work Amid Custody Battle For Her Sons
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Photo Credit: Getty


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With our Painting and Staining service, we use a lot of unique finishes and techniques are accessible to make the appear and durability your wish for these crucial focal points of the residence. We will operate along with you to locate surface finishes and colors that could satisfy your requirements and can help save major dollars more than updating your cabinets.
With cut in general and specially with cabinets, correct planning is important for a durable and attractive surface.
We broadly prepare and expertly paint your cabinetry. We will sand all of the doors, compartments and surfaces, treat all of them with ESP for far better binding, fill up holes and defects, sand flush, caulk spaces and prime using a sturdy fast build connecting primer. Then we’ll coat your trim, cabinetry, or cupboards with at least two covers of top quality trim paint to get a excellent seeking, very sturdy finish.

domain: design


Demand For Data Scientists Might Collapse In 10 Years
In 2012, Harvard Business Review declared: “Data Scientist: The Sexiest Job of the 21st Century.” This had a ring of truth to it as for almost a decade, organizations across industries sought to unlock the power of data to chase transformative growth. Organizations of all sizes shifted their focus to data science for making data-driven decisions, evaluating market trends, minimizing losses, and maximizing profits.
However, another technology that emerged and disrupted businesses at the same period is Deep Learning (Neural Networks), which has become synonymous with AI. Data Science is an umbrella term-machine learning is one of the sub-fields of data science and deep learning is another sub-field within machine learning.AI will continue to flourish, spread its influence into more territories, and continue to be relevant.
So, why the demand for data scientists will collapse if progress in AI continues?
To understand about the demand for data scientists and related positions (research scientists and machine learning engineers), we need to have a solid understanding of the basics and what is happening in the AI world.
Let’s take an example of Sentiment Classification, a machine learning(ML) tool that analyses texts for polarity, from positive to negative.A decade back, when someone solved the problem using a machine learning model, they used their labeled data, trained their model on the data, and voila, it delivered 70% accuracy on a validation set.
Fast forward 10 years and today’s machine learning models are different.
ML models = Prior knowledge+Specific knowledge needed to solve the problem
In the earlier days, the ML models were solving problems by only using the available labeled data. Incorporating prior knowledge into the model was not done (not known). Things started changing around 2012/2013 and we learned how to improve ML models with the incorporation of prior knowledge. We called it Transfer Learning, and it pushed the accuracy of the Sentiment Classification further, say up to 80% (2014).
From 2018 onward, the concept of Transfer Learning took a new shape. We started using large Deep Neural Networks, learning from a huge corpus of input data in a self-supervised fashion. It started in the domain of text and we called it Language Modelling. Today, you can’t think of building a superior model in any domain (language, image, audio, video) without injecting any prior knowledge.
Representations learned by the pre-trained models (prior Knowledge) are becoming better and better with every passing day. The pre-trained models are becoming larger and capable of handling increased complexities of the world. This development is enabling us to solve for the specific knowledge in a much easier way while improving the accuracies of the models. In some cases, the prior knowledge is so much superior that it can solve certain types of problems without building any specific knowledge. This is called Zero-Shot Learning. Similarly, when you need lesser data to solve the problem, you are in the realm of Few-Shot Learning.
Improvements in building superior representations are progressing by leaps and bounds. Here are some pointers –
- So far, models were mostly built based on a single language, mainly English. However, it is possible that you might find nuggets of knowledge in other languages as well. For example, a fine mango pickle recipe written in Telugu may not be available in English. So, the building of prior knowledge started to take information from different languages and combine them into its knowledge, making the models Multilingual.
- Currently, the prior knowledge is mostly built using either text, or audio, or, images. We used mostly one type of input at a time. The newer models are becoming Multi-modal, which means the models are combining rich information from text, audio, video and learning deeper representations of our world.
- We are learning how we can incorporate the concept of Multitasking into our models. Not one task, but the models learn from a variety of tasks.
Expressive power, the richness of information, and the deeper robust representations will continue to expand, and the large models will be capable of handling a wide variety of complexities of our lives. All these developments will reduce the effort needed to build “specific knowledge” tremendously. To top it up, building new specific knowledge will take advantage of all the specific knowledge that was built before, which means, we’ll learn to learn incrementally without building from scratch.
So, in the future, new ML models might look like:
ML models = Prior knowledge+All specific knowledge acquired so far+Specific knowledge needed to solve a new problem
Today, the prior knowledge is built by the Big Tech companies and they have been graciously sharing their research and their work. Their work is fueling the acceleration of AI. We would not have come thus far as a community without the massive contribution from their side. Even today, data scientists are solving problems to a great extent because of the contribution by Big Tech companies. What are the chances that one will be able to build a better artificial intelligence model without consuming their work? Chances are slim to impossible.
Currently, in any start-up or enterprise, data scientists mostly solve for building “specific knowledge.” How much specific knowledge may one need to build in the future? Well, very less to none in most of the cases.
In the future, the majority of the data scientists’ roles will transform to software engineers, or data engineers, or data subject matter experts (SMEs). A certain percentage of them will become researchers in the Big Tech companies or in Universities and they will solve the unsolved, harder problems, maybe consciousness (hopefully someday) and the rest of the community will consume their work in the form of pre-trained models. This trend will help a large pool of software engineers do sophisticated AI work without much understanding of how the intelligence is built. Embedding intelligence will not require any research team in most cases. Well, of course, this assumption is conditioned on the fact that the Big Tech companies will continue to share their research.
If the pace of improvements continues in hardware and in AI algorithms, costs of training large models would continue to drop progressively, and we might see the trend happening much earlier, maybe in the next five years. I know I’m being optimistic, but we have to keep in mind that the field is not linear, it is exponential. We cannot project the future linearly.
Remember, how programming changed from Assembly-to-Fortran-to-C-to-Python? We might be at a Fortran level of AI right now and it is changing and getting better. So, beware data scientists; the ubiquitous demand across organizations may reduce to superior data scientists in a select few.
What do you think?
(Arindam Paul is the Vice President of Fidelity Investments India and the views expressed in this article are his own)


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Every day you have the power to bring out the best in people simply by sincerely highlighting those things you appreciate about them the most.
Whatever you focus on grows stronger. When you focus on those things you enjoy most about people (and life in general), you not only encourage more of the types of behaviors you like to see in others, you attract more of these types of things into your life.
The same is true when you look for the negative. Not only will you find it, you’ll magnify it.
This is why it’s important to be very deliberate with what you choose to focus on, because it is extremely easy to leapfrog from one negative thing to another until you suddenly find yourself overwhelmed, depressed, or in despair.
This is not to say we should ignore problems — or those traits in others we don’t like — only that when we direct out attention to these things, we remain solution-oriented, not problem focused.
- It’s all there for you if you want it
- The problem with problems
- How to reduce the size of your problems
- Depression. You’re having a bad time. Not a bad life.
Originally published on: Feb 7, 2014 @ 15:41
Republished on: Jun 6, 2015 @ 14:41

domain: psychology


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Authors: Rina Sim (Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis) , Hijazi Raneem (Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis) , Harris M. Lauren (Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis)
The 2005 article “More Product, Less Process” (MPLP) by Mark A. Greene and Dennis Meissner proposes streamlining processing to provide more access and reduce back logs. However, we question whether MPLP can provide more access if it has less information. Once the collections are minimally processed, finding aids are unlikely to be reviewed again. If an archives adopts MPLP minimalist processing, it is necessary to have at least one archivist who is dedicated to “digging deeper” into their collections. Archivists cannot anticipate all users’ needs; however, archivists should provide diverse views and descriptions of their collections. US archives may inadvertently limit access to marginalized community archives through minimal processing, limiting the dissemination researchers require to study political and social issues. By labeling some cultural material “ephemera” and limiting the collection and description of these items, archives discourage the study of “lowbrow” art and literature. While MPLP promised that there would be "more product" if we focused less time on processing collections, in-depth processing is vital when describing underrepresented communities and cultures and is necessary for their ultimate use. MPLP, therefore, does archival users disservice by limiting understanding of cultural heritage for the speed of access, rather than ensuring the information we share is accurate and comprehensive. We will share user requests from our collections that the processing did not anticipate and experiences from the Korea Comic Museum with views from future African American and Palestinian archivists. Also, we will explore methods to describe archival materials for creative research uses.
How to Cite: Sim, R. , Raneem, H. & Lauren, H. M. (2023) “The Purpose of Creation and Beyond”, MAC Annual Meeting Presentations. 2023(1).


Z7690 Limit Switch.
- Thermal endurance up to 120 °C.
- Splash-proof to IP 66.
- Adjustment via Z7684 test light.
- The mould can only be closed when the ejector system has reached its limit position.
- Fine adjustment and locking with Z7607 + Z7608.
- Sturdy aluminium housing with integral micro- limit switch.
- Cast housing protected against short-circuits.
- Connection to the machine control system via Z7602 / Z7603.
- Connection housing Z7624 must be used if
several limit switches have to be switched simultaneously.
- Dummy plug Z7626 must be fitted on unused connections.
Click on this link for more details and full operating instructions.
A new window will open with a PDF file which you can download.


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Happy, healthy smiles are our focus.
Do you hate getting injections at the dental office??? Of course you do! Everyone does! It hurts!! Well, what if I told you we could minimize that pain better then every before! In south Austin, at Austin Artistic Dental we strive to make it a pain free injection.
We do several things that minimize the feeling of his injection. Many of our patients don’t even realize they got an injection!! Painless injections? It’s true!
WE USE THE STRONGEST TOPICAL NUMBING GEL AVAILABLE!!
Most dental offices use Benzocaine, which is a very common numbing gel, that has been used for years. It’s the same type of anesthetic contained in oragel and other numbing gels you can buy yourself at your corner pharmacy. It works okay, but Dr. Hulse wanted something better. Dr. Hulse has searched far and wide, tested out many different numbing gels and has found the strongest and the best. It is a specially formulated gel compounded at a pharmacy in Nashville, Tennessee!! It’s a long way to go to get a numbing gel, but it’s the best! So that’s what we use!!!
After we use the numbing gel, the initial pinch is GREATLY reduced! But we wanted better!
After the numbing gel has had time to sink in we use our secret weapon!
The vibraject is a revolutionary new device that attaches to the syringe, providing a strong vibration feeling to your gums while getting the injection. The vibrations caused by the vibraject travel to the brain faster then the pain of the injection. Therefore your brain feels the vibrations and not the prick of the needle. We are tricking your nervous system and your brain, and boy does it work!
NEUTRAL pH ANESTHETIC!!!!
A GENTLE TOUCH!!
This should be obvious, but unfortunately not all dentists have it. Dr. Hulse has a very gentle touch and always takes the extra time, so you feel as little as possible.
As you see at Austin Artistic Dental we do everything we can to make it a pain free injection and everything as painless as possible. So if you’ve been avoiding going to the dentist because you’re afraid of the pain, avoid no longer! Call us today! (512) 772-5077

domain: medical


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Year 5 Trip to the Saatchi Gallery
Year 5 had an amazing opportunity to visit the Beyond the Streets London art exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery which focuses on street art from over 100 different artists. These included photographs, large scale murals, graffiti, paintings, sculptures as well as large scale installations. Some of the highlights of the exhibition were from street artists Aixo, HuskMitNavn, Swoon and Faile. We were given a guided tour of some of the highlights and after being inspired, we had a chance to create our own street art using our stencils which we made.
Marie: I really enjoyed the installation of the record shop which was interactive - I was impressed with all the detail!
Naomi: I loved the gaudy glow in the dark cave art installation! I could see that they were trying to interpret space through the art and it was magical!
Natalie: I liked the stencilling & painting workshop as well as the anonymous artist Huskmitnavn, who used the frame as part of the artwork itself!

domain: artistic


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Review by Vesperas
"This is the best 3d Action game, without a doubt."
Devil May Cry is one of the best games ever made. I'm here to tell you why. This game has been out for just about two years now and will still be a great buy. Devil May Cry has spawned tons of other (low quality) spin offs. This even includes its sequel, Devil May Cry 2. I will compare Devil May Cry 1 to Devil May Cry 2 on some occasions. Let me break this game down for you.
Game Play: The game play is the most important part of an action game. This is also Devil May Cry’s strongest point. This game is 3D of course. You control Dante, a bad ass in a red trench coat.
The concept... This is an action game like I told you, so the main point is to kill things. You basically travel through a giant castle through out the game (There is more, but I can’t spoil it) fighting demons and solving same puzzles.
The fighting... When I first put this game in my Playstation, I though it was going to be another one of Capcom’s Resident Evil clones again (I almost lost hope after seeing how bad they milked it with Dino Crisis). Any ways, Right when I started, I noticed hitting up on the controller made you go up instead of moving forward in all the other resident evil type games out there today. Then I noticed you can jump, so I said to myself, it’s still might be resident evil with swords and jumping. I kept thinking this until I got to the first puppet fight... I was thinking these were going to be like most games of this gender… Slow and stupid. I was wrong. From the very first fight till the last, you’ll see how great combat is in this game. Your swords and guns can be used together, better than I ever seen in any. No longer must you go into you inventory and constantly switch to melee to ranged. Not only does knocking you enemies into the air and shooting them look so freaking cool and stylish, but it also is effective and actually gets you more red orbs (A form of currency). It doesn’t stop with just swords and pistols. Through out the game you get a few more guns (ALL with very different strengths and weaknesses) and a totally different melee weapon. It’s called the Ifrit, they are fiery gauntlets instead of the basic sword. This alone makes the game twice the fun, since you can go through the game with either them or a sword. It also adds strategy to this game, because every enemy is weak to a certain devil arm (That’s what they are actually called).
Another VERY important part of the combat system, is a little thing called a Devil Trigger. Very early in the great you get a weapon and little bars appear under your life gauge. You fill it up to at least 3 gauges (runes) and you can change into a Devil. Other than obvious changes in power and speed, you can do more things while in a devil trigger. More special moves are available to you, such has flying and shooting lighting. It also changes your appearance when you attack, so it looks nice too.
One part most people hate about this combat system, is that you can not block. I think that is good, why? If you ever played a game with a block, you would just stand there waiting to get hit thus being boring. Instead, you have to rely on dodge by either rolling, jumping, or parrying. Every attack can be dodged, so blocking isn’t necessary any ways.
Enemies... The enemies in this game are the best I ever seen in a video game, and I’m seriously not being a fanboy. First off, every enemy and boss look very different and are unique (Except for a stronger puppet). Not only that, but they are VERY well detailed. Capcom actually put a lot of work into this game and made even the simplest enemies detailed and complex with noises, ambiences, motions, and looks. Now this game isn’t just a pretty graphical game, the enemies fight back. Another great aspect of this game’s enemies are that they all have more than five attacks each (Give or take a couple smaller ones). Even the regular puppets have a melee attack, a ranged attack, a stronger spinning attack, a throw, and a special attack. This was unexpected for me to say the least. Other games of this gender have never displayed this many attacks before. Thing about how many attacks a zombie has in the average game. This is also true for bosses, they are even more complex and challenging. Every enemy also has a telegraph telling you what attack it is going to use, this only means you can blame you slow reaction speed instead of bad luck and cheap hits. Even if it is off camera, they still make their own sounds when performing a move.
To top this all off, every enemy has a large written file in a filing section in the pause menu. You see a new enemy, you’ll know what it is on the FIRST encounter.
Puzzles... The only bad part about the game’s game play, is the puzzle system. Not because it is bad, it just isn’t needed. They aren’t hard at all, and in most cases are things you just want to get over with. If you play Resident Evil for the sole purpose of solving complex puzzles, stay far away from this game at all costs.
Other than a couple more obvious things in this game, there are various items to collect, twenty-three missions to complete, and twelve secret missions to conquer.
This game’s game play blows most and Devil May Cry 2’s game play out of the water.
Challenge: This can be Devil May Cry’s winning or losing formula. I will break this part into two groups.
Soft core/casual gamer... This game isn’t for you. I’m not saying this game is the hardest thing on the market, but it is one of the most frustrating games for beginners and has a semi-steep learning curve. You see, the first mission is usually easy for most people, then so is the second mission... Then the third mission has a boss in it. This boss isn’t that hard per say, but most “soft core” gamers will usually die TONS of times and just get so fed up with the game. Then the next mission... Well you’ll find out if you buy this game... Any ways, another turn off to this game, if you die with in the first 3 missions and do badly, you get an option to go on the Easy Auto difficulty. Well this easy difficulty takes just about all the fun out of the game. It makes the game WAY too easy for any body. It makes every thing rapid fire for you controller (You no longer have to tap square to shoot, you can just hold it in) this may be good for a beginner, but you can actually shoot faster if you press the buttons and you lose the ability to charge shoots. Not only that, but it makes all you combos up for you, this eliminates any from of creativity and thus babies you through another very important aspect of this game. The worst part is, is that you can’t change difficulties once you are on easy auto. This means you will slowly lose any skill you once had and go adapt to easy auto. Hell, you don’t even get to see all the enemies in easy auto.
Hard core gamer... If you love a challenge, this game is for you. If you love the idea of fighting new and harder things in just about every level, you will just love this game. After you beat the normal difficulty, you can advance to a hard mode. This will enhance you gaming skills for sure. After hard, you unlock an even harder “Dante Must Die!” mode. The games bosses on Dante must die are extremely hard, harder than about 98% of the games I’ve ever play in my life.
The true satisfaction comes from S ranks. Going through the game S ranking every missions feels great inside plus you actually get a reward for doing so. Going through the game without using items is also a great accomplishment, not many people have the time, let alone controllers (Most people toss theirs off walls due to the frustration ) to get all S ranks.
Either way, you should only be into action games if you are a hard core gamer, so this game is very good in the difficulty aspect.
This game has better balance in difficulty and greater difficulty than Devil May Cry 2, in every aspect.
Control: The control in this game is nearly flawlessly done. To do most moves, you must hold in a shoulder button and press a direction relative to the enemy or direction you are facing. The sword combos are done with attacking, then pausing for a certain amount of time. Certain moves can take a while you master as well as most of the devil trigger special moves. There is a file for moves as well, so this isn’t that hard to do with or without an instruction manual.
The one flaw with the whole entire control system, is that once you switch to a different camera angle, you have to hold in the same direction to move the same direction. This is hard to explain, but you’ll know what I mean when you run down the first stair case in a hurry how it can tick someone off.
Other than that, the basic controls are easy to get down. Hell some buttons aren’t even really used along with a ni-useless map access button.
Story: This is Devil May Cry’s weakest point. Well, it all depends on how you look at it. The story is there, it is even not that bad. The bad part is, is that is very little and sometimes you don’t even know why you are doing something. But since this is an action game, a story is not even really needed in the first place.
I’ll go into to it a little bit. You are Dante, the son of the Legendary Dark Knight Sparda (No, not batman). He stopped the rule in hell from an evil “person.” This person has rose up again and is trying to take over the world again. So you are sitting in your own little place conveniently named Devil May Cry and some girl comes into it and starts trouble. You follow her to a castle and then the story picks up from there.
So if you are into role playing games or your regular resident evil, stray from this game. There are very good full motion videos in this game, too. They don’t add too much to the plot, but they are really fun to watch your first play through.
Both Devil May Cry and Devil May Cry 2’s story and plot can be considered cheesy to say the least, but if I had to pick, I would pick Devil May Cry.
Visuals: Not only does this game have wonderful game play, it also doesn’t sacrifice anything in the looks department. All the characters are very detailed. Everything looks nice. The back grounds are filled with nicely placed objects and the majority of them or interactive (As in smashing them). There is not really that much to say, the graphics are just really that great and it surpasses many of today’s other games as well. The only flaw I seen in this game’s graphic department is its use for sprites for moves involving fire. This is minor and isn’t really annoying.
Audio: This game sports one hell of a soundtrack. The music fits the game very well. Many of the themes are techno/gothic/rock (If that’s even a type of music in the first place). All of the songs are original too. Not only that, but every area has it’s own background music. Every boss have its own theme music as well. This is just one of those games where you actually want to listen to the music, it also pumps you up a little for a fight.
From the first battle theme you here, you’ll love it. There really isn’t any bad music in this game at all.
Dante also sounds great. Weather it be grunts from attacking repeatedly or moans from being impaled, there is no cheesy voice actors. (Except for two lines that Dante suddenly decides to go through puberty, but what game doesn’t have a dramatic part like that? ) All the enemies have their own sounds which range from wooden claps of puppets to sheer noises of a spear. Some bosses also talk in “monster” like accents. This adds personality to the game as well. The only flaw I could find he is that things obviously reoccur, but don’t worry, this happens in 100% of all video games today.
From high ampting music to very evil demonic laughter, this game is perfect in the sound department.
Re playability: This game has tons of hours and playing in it. Well if, you see it, that is.
This game, has you know from the challenge section, has three different difficulties (Not including Easy Automatic). The first play through should take you (Well this is what it took me.) about anywhere from six to eight hours. This time will be about 20% Exploring, 30% Screwing around with new enemies, and 50% fighting. Hard and Dante Must Die! should take a little bit less, but are more fun to complete. Actually Dante Must Die! usually takes more than two months because you need to really sharpen your skills.
There is also a ton of hidden items to collect (Most are things that increase you life’s maximum capacity). No only those, but there is also twelve secret missions to complete. Don’t forget about totally filling in your enemy file.
You can also skip all the cut scenes in this game. This makes going through the game a hell of a lot easier your second (and up) times around.
There are also three characters to go through the game with. This may also make it more enjoyable.
Great fighting system
Revolutionary enemies with a lot of attacks each
Melee and ranged at the same time
Dante is bad ass
You will remember the boss fights, as they are memorable
Easy puzzles for people that can’t be bothered with them
This game will last you a long time (I still play it, even after about 2 years)
Finally, a 3D game that doesn’t suck
Jumping is also easy and not a chore
Cheesy story with some cliches
This game is short if you don’t play through the other difficulties
May turn off soccer moms and soft core gamers alike
You get stabbed a lot... Oh wait, that’s a good thing :)
This game is a most buy. It you like any sort of game with adventure/fighting/gore/action this is the perfect game for you. This game is also about twenty bucks in a US store, I promise you, if you but this game, it will be the best $20 you’ll ever spend on a video game. If you never heard of Devil May Cry before in a store, PLEASE try this one first and rent the second installment. Capcom went to hell on that game and raped most of the things that made this game good out of it. Besides, you should start a game at its original.
Other than in story wise, this game is nearly perfect in every aspect. I give this game a ten out of ten. No, I’m not being biased because this is one of my favorite games of all time, it actually deserves it. If anyone says this game deserves anything lower than a seven, they seriously need a grasp on what is a good game opposed to what is not.
Reviewer's Rating: 5.0 - Flawless
Originally Posted: 09/15/03
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domain: game


text:
|Search Results||Showing 1 - 10 of 100+ results for www.thesheet.com|
|Fund managers in charge of $20 billion of mortgage trusts are rolling over between 50 and 80 per cent of the loans in their portfolios, as they try to maintain a balance between the demand of investors for liquidity and the need to maintain relationships ...|
|National consumer credit laws will adopt a higher threshold at which lenders are obliged to formally consider a variation to a loan where a customer cannot pay due to illness, unemployment or other reasonable causes. The government plans to lift the ...|
|The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services' inquiry into financial products and services will include a review of banking products. Reflecting the transfer of oversight of consumer finance to the Commonwealth, which will ...|
|The political and financial nightmare facing Australian financial institutions in their long-time captive market of Fiji is getting worse by the day. They look to have little choice but to co-operate with harsh new regulations imposed on them by the ...|
|The government should resist pressure to change the guarantee on wholesale bank funding, according to the head of debt capital markets at a leading investment bank. A director in capital market origination at Citi, David Bailey, said arguments that ...|
|The Australian Securities and Investments commission has taken its first scalp in its campaign against misleading advertising of banking products. On Friday ASIC issued a statement saying Westpac has agreed to modify the terms and conditions of a deposit ...|
|Myer chief executive Bernie Brooks said the group would look at developing a financial services business when the current turnaround at the big retailer has been completed. Brooks told Business Spectator in an interview published yesterday that financial ...|
|Australia's moribund corporate bond market showed signs of life this week when Australia Post launched a medium-term note issue. The issue will price later this week but the joint lead managers, ANZ and Commonwealth Bank, are confident that pricing ...|
|NAB's corporate clients must be scratching their heads after yesterday's strategy briefing from new chief executive Cameron Clyne. The corporate lending business will move out of the institutional division, nabCapital, and into the regional business ...|
|The share market meltdown forced CommBank to triple the number of margin calls in the second half of last year. The impact was that the size of the margin loan book plunged from $8 billion to $5.5 billion in six months, though this is in line with the ...|
Moelis Australia has promoted two managing directors to joint chief executives as it announces plans to acquire a local non-bank lender, eyeing a bigger slice of the $1.8 trillion Australian residential mortgage market.
OneVue has made a provision to write down its Sargon receivable by $26 million to just $3.9 million, dragging its first half bottom line to $27 million in losses after tax.
The director of a 'one-stop-shop' for SMSFs has pleaded guilty to 17 counts of aggravated deception and one count of dishonest dealings with documents.
The multi-asset manager has warned of the effects of climate change on investor's portfolios, urging them to assess a company's "carbon footpath" over eliminating polluters altogether.
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domain: economics


text:
Alerts sent through text messages to residents of California have played a key role in helping to manage increased power supply demand in the wake of soaring temperatures in the state, the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services reported.
With extreme weather stretching California’s energy grid and threatening public health and safety, the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services recently issued an emergency alert asking residents to conserve power.
As a result of this action, the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) saw an immediate and significant drop in energy use, providing some relief to the state’s grid, the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services said on Sept. 6.
The following alert was sent via text message through the Wireless Emergency Alerts system to cell phone users in targeted counties: “Conserve energy now to protect public health and safety. Extreme heat is straining the state energy grid. Power interruptions may occur unless you take action. Turn off or reduce nonessential power if health allows, now until 9 p.m.” The message was also sent in Spanish.
The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services noted that counties were being targeted because they are in areas of significantly above average temperatures, high population density and high concentrations of air conditioner use.
“This is a great example of the power of texting to reach the vast majority of customers within seconds to immediately change behavior,” said Mark Nielsen, Executive Chairman and Co-Founder of California-based TextPower.
“By using texts, where 95% of texts are read within 3 minutes of receipt, utilities have shown time and again how effective these real-time load curtailment alerts have been,” he said. “While there is a place for social media, emails and phone calls, only emergency text alerts have the reach to immediately get such massive results that can avoid blackouts.”
Utilities use TextPower’s SmartAlerts™ to send and receive text notifications with their customers and field personnel. TextPower serves over 175 utilities across the country, ranging in size from under 5,000 customers to over 400,000.
Utilities utilize the company’s system for two-way outage notifications, dynamic load management, weather alerts, disconnect notices, two-way communications with field personnel, leak detection warnings and a host of other uses.
CAISO on Sept. 8 issued an Energy Emergency Alert (EEA) 2, giving it the option to active its emergency response program and it helps the grid secure more supplies.
The state and much of the West is enduring an historically long and record-breaking heat wave, straining the grid from high electricity use, the grid operator said.
A Flex Alert was also in effect again for Sept. 8 to help alleviate grid stress and avoid rotating power outages. A Flex Alert is a call for consumers to voluntarily conserve electricity when there is a predicted shortage of energy supply, especially if the grid operator needs to dip into reserves to cover demand.


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Another one of the many sublime tracks from Chilean singer Alex Anwandter's 2011 album "Rebeldes" has finally gotten a video treatment.
The lyrics for "Tormenta" ["Storm"] tells of a lover who sees the end of a romantic relationship coming and wonders whether his partner is aware their relationship is all but over.
This is a storm
This is the end of our confusion
The rare occasion
I wanna know if you see
Each action I take for you...
I wanna know if you see and feel
What is about to hit us
The video is something different. It shows a number of couples of all sexual persuasions lustfully making out while Anwandter sings alone from a boat in the middle of a lake (the video has been tagged as NSFW although you probably can see more sexually explicit material on any of MTV's reality shows).
It's beautifully shot but it doesn't quite capture the delicate mood and heartbreak of the lyrics.
It's also a curious release as Anwandter and fellow Chilean singer Gepe just released a joint project under the monicker Alex & Daniel last month titled, appropriately, "Alex & Daniel".
Still, Anwandter just finished a solo mini-tour that took him to several cities in Mexico and Los Angeles and is expected to hit other cities in the United States later this year delving into his back catalog and recent work with Gepe. He is an electrifying performer so check his website for updates and see him if he visits your city.
In October Time magazine named him as one of ten artists poised for U.S. stardom. I had the pleasure of interviewing him last year ("The Alex Anwandter Interview").
If you want to find out more about Alex, check the following links:
- Alex Anwandter's official website here
- Alex Anwandter on ITunes page here
- Alex Anwandter's official SoundCloud page here
- Alex Anwandter's official Twitter account here
|October 2012: Alex Anwandter during the "Tormenta" video shoot in Puerto Rico (via Anwandter's Twitter account)|


April 11, 2017
Could this really be the end for Twitter? For the first time since its inception in 2006, Twitter is facing some serious competition in the new social network “Mastodon.” Founded by a 24-year old Eugen Rochko, Mastodon is similar in form to Twitter, but with considerably stronger privacy controls. It also explicitly bans neo-Nazis, and so far is doing a great job of keeping the platform free of the hate-speech and trolling that has plagued Twitter in recent years.
Thus far, Rochko has eschewed private funding. Instead, his private Patreon account has funded the build and maintenance of Mastodon’s disruptive presence. Rochko has publically stated that he has no interest in taking private funding from the VC world, fearing that in doing so he would compromise the stringent social goals he holds for the service. Who will reign supreme: a dead beast, or a dying bird?
Categorized in: Uncategorized


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Mix together the confectioners sugar and cocoa powder.
Start beating the heavy cream in a bowl with large sides using a whisk or hand mixer*.
As the cream starts to thicken, slowly add the cocoa and sugar mixture to the cream as you continue to beat it**.
Once the chocolate whipped cream is thick, almost like a frosting, it’s ready.
Optional: put 1 tablespoon of chocolate syrup in each glass.
Add 1 and 1/2 cups milk to each glass.
Top with whipped chocolate.***
Using an electric hand mixer is much quicker than beating the cream by hand.
I use a large bowl with high sides so cream doesn’t splatter everywhere. After I beat it or a minute or so, I tip the bowl gently to the side and add the dry ingredients into the side of the bowl a little at a time then slowly incorporate it into the cream. It doesn’t take long to thicken into a heavy whipped cream that looks like frosting.
If you want the chocolate to set on top, scrape it in so that it clings to the top of the glass. If you just plop a dollop in, it will partially sink in the glass. It’s difficult to get the top perfectly covered so don’t stress about it. You’re going to stir it all together anyway!
Nutrition information is based on using whole milk (dairy).