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Inspiration & knowledge
Investor Blog
Investing in the digital economyWritten by Hans Oudshoorn | 5 minutes
With the rise of the internet - according to the Cybersecurity Ventures company, an estimated 6 billion people will be online by 2022 - not only will we share joys and sorrows online, but the whole world is within reach via our PC or smartphone. Whether it concerns the online purchase of clothing or stock exchange trading, the fact is that more and more companies offer their services and products online.
The coronavirus seems to accelerate the digitization of the world. Compulsory working from home not only saves travel time but also ensures that meetings take place via online platforms such as Microsoft Teams. And what about groceries ordered via the internet? Queues for the delivery!
More and more restaurants are offering their menus digitally for take-away or delivery. Also, e-health is emerging: online treatment programs within (mental) health care. Recently I even had a blind beer tasting via the world wide web for the first time. The possibilities were already endless, but social distancing and the introduction of the 'one and a half meter economy' seem to be a breeding ground for new and accelerating existing online initiatives.
In an earlier article, I discussed the importance of cybersecurity (internet security) and the possibilities to invest in it. Now that the coronavirus is spreading further in the digital economy and with the questions I have recently received from investors about the investment opportunities within the sector 'digitization' or 'the digital economy', I want to give you support with this article.
From digitization to digital economy
Digitization is the transition from analog information - from a paper book or photo to audio and film material - to a form that can be used by computers. Digitization can relate to the data itself; from scanning documents for online use (from road maps to modern navigation systems) to using digital photography.
It may also concern procedures (the digital submission of notarial deeds to the land register instead of old-fashioned on paper) or the influence on society in general (increasing use of digital information and devices).
And the bridge to the digital economy? Digitalization and the ease with which connections can now be made to other business or information systems - also known as connectivity - have permanently changed the way people communicate and companies do business. And with that how markets and economies function. In other words, digitization has affected all aspects of traditional markets. Both on the demand and supply side of the economy.
PwC Nederland's' Europe Monitor - The Economics of Digital '- freely translated - outlines this as follows:' On the demand side, the influence of consumers is no longer limited to purchasing decisions. They can now also participate in all stages of the production of goods: from an idea and design to crowdfunding and the production through cheaper prototypes based on, for example, 3D printing. In short, not only buy a dark blue chair but also choose which upholstery you want and determine which wood the chair should be made of.
On the supply side, companies have evolved from serving the masses as efficiently as possible, too - where possible - fully automated customization and real-time solutions. By using the power of data and advanced algorithms (smart calculations), companies can now reach the intended consumer at the desired time, using the right sales message.
There is no clear definition of the digital economy. Today it is increasingly seen as "doing business through internet-based markets." For that reason, it is also called the 'internet economy' or the 'new economy'. Sometimes reference is made to the English term 'Web Economy'
While the internet plays an important role, the digital economy is more than that. In an interview, Corina Kuiper, associate professor at Business School Netherlands and founder of the Innovation Family, gave the following interpretation to the term: 'Digital economy connects everything with everything, data with data, data with people and people amongst each other. In other words, it is always possible to be online, robotizing, analyzing data, and using this to connect things and people'.
Digital economy: growth ahead
Companies that want to be a successful part of the digital economy also offer their services and/or the sale of products via the internet. Companies that traditionally only had brick and mortar stores - such as Ahold Delhaize supermarkets and McDonald's restaurants - are now adopting a clicks and bricks strategy. In other words, in addition to physical stores (bricks), they have a good online strategy (clicks) where the customer can order via a website and have the groceries delivered at home. But there is still a world to be won by many companies. A large study by the OECD shows that in 2017 95% of the companies within the scope of the international organization had broadband (internet) connection, but only 23% had an e-commerce strategy.
In their study 'Digital Spillover', researcher Oxford Economics has calculated that the digital economy amounted to the US $ 11.5 trillion in 2016 or 15.5% of total GDP worldwide. A rate estimated to rise to 24.3% in 2025, equivalent to about US $ 23 trillion. In short, expected robust growth for the digital economy involving dizzying amounts. Incidentally, the research appeared before the world was affected by the coronavirus. The current situation may boost the growth trend of the digital economy.
Investing in the digital economy?
The expected growth of the digital economy and the related development and implementation of online sales strategies means an increasing demand for and an increase in expenditure on I (C) T services and products. You can, of course, buy Dutch ICT shares from Ctac or ICT Group. Or from the American 'tech classic' Microsoft or relative newcomer Slack. However, investing in individual shares is generally riskier than diversified investing through, for example, an investment fund or ETF.
However, as the sector is at the start of development, the range of investment funds and ETFs (for private individuals) is not yet large. During my search I came across two investment titles to accentuate and anticipate the expected growth of the digital economy within the portfolio: the iShares Digitalisation UCITS ETF (ISIN IE00BYZK4883) and the Pictet - Digital - I - Acc fund ( ISIN LU0340554673). For those looking for the latter fund within Binck's systems, there is a slightly different name: Pictet Digital Communication Acc. However, this concerns the fund with the above-mentioned ISIN.
Before I zoom in further, just a note. Regular readers know that I always discuss two investment titles side by side. This time, however, the iShares ETF is dropping: although the ETF follows cost friction after the benchmark, it scores only 2 stars at Morningstar. Risk and return, compared to comparable investments in the 'digital economy' category, are not completely balanced for this fund.
Fortunately, the Swiss house Pictet traditionally has a good eye for 'the markets of tomorrow'. The fund has 60 shares in its portfolio.
The fund has the MSCI ACWI Euro as a reference index. Since its inception on June 30, 2008, the fund (14.16% per year) has delivered a better return, in the form of price gains and dividends, than this index (7.29% per year). The fund, therefore, scores (very) well at Morningstar; four stars. The dividend, about 0.5-0.75% per year, is automatically reinvested. The running costs are 1.16%: defensible, given the good performance.
What else? As a nice extra, the fund invests in shares that score well on sustainable entrepreneurship and have a smaller CO2 footprint than their peers. Overall, the fund receives three globes from the Morningstar Sustainability Rating ™.
And the main risks? There is currency risk. The fund is listed in euros, but it contains many foreign companies. And of course, you run market risk. When financial markets are under pressure, you will experience that too. In terms of investing as a football coach, it is a midfielder with a sense for attack.
To summarize: the title is interesting for long-term investors who can and want to bear equity risk and who want to add a nuance to their portfolio with companies that are driving the development of the digital economy. And who (want to) have an eye for sustainability.
Hans Oudshoorn is investment trainer at BinckBank. He wrote the Dutch book 'Beleggen voor Dummies' and writes columns in several Dutch newspapers such as DFT, FiscAlert and NRC Handelsblad.
The information in this article should not be interpreted as individual investment advice. Although BinckBank compiles and maintains these pages from reliable sources, BinckBank cannot guarantee that the information is accurate, complete and up-to-date. Any information used from this article without prior verification or advice, is at your own risk. We advise that you only invest in products that fit your knowledge and experience and do not invest in financial instruments where you do not understand the risks.
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By William Parker, Ph.D., Duke University Medical Center
What was the study about?
In 2008, a small study by Stephen T Shultz showed literally a 20-fold increase in the risk of regressive autism in children exposed to acetaminophen (paracetamol), the most commonly used medication in children. Although the results were statistically significant, and although the results suggested that acetaminophen was a causal agent (rather than simply another effect of autism or whatever caused autism), the study was immediately and publically criticized. Eight years later, I began work with some of my colleagues at Duke and with a team at Harvard, reviewing a broad range of evidence looking at the potential role of acetaminophen in the induction of autism.
What did we find?
What we found and published after more than a year of work was extremely unnerving, suggesting that the original 2008 study by Shultz was possibly correct in all regards, and pointing strongly to a need for public education regarding what is known regarding the role of acetaminophen in the development of autism.A dozen very compelling papers looking at the adverse effects of acetaminophen on the developing human brain have been published since 2008, most in the last four years. We also found an additional dozen lines of evidence, including work in laboratory animals, pointing toward acetaminophen use as damaging to the developing brain. Importantly, no study has ever suggested that acetaminophen is safe for neurodevelopment. We found no controversy about the topic. But sadly, each time new evidence is published, the medical community has disregarded that evidence. As our review was being published, I spent time catching up with experts who have publically assured the world that acetaminophen is safe for the developing brains of babies. In every case, no expert would stand behind their claim. When presented with the currently available evidence, all experts either refused to comment (even privately) or else explained that they had been quoted as an expert based on their clinical experience, not based on any knowledge of the peer-reviewed literature regarding the dangers of acetaminophen. They were basically caught off guard, being asked about accepted clinical practice at their institution without being aware that dozens of studies published over the last 10 years are all suggesting that the standard practice is tragically misguided.
The bottom line is that acetaminophen exposure after birth, in combination with oxidative stress (a result of the body's inability to keep up with excess inflammation) is very likely a cause of autism and perhaps other neurodevelopmental disorders such as ADHD and lowered IQ. It has been argued that signs of autism can be seen before birth, and therefore post-birth exposures cannot be responsible for the induction of autism. However, the signs of oxidative stress are probably evident before birth, and the actual damage leading to many cases of autism may be induced only after birth when the mother's liver was not available to help with the metabolism of acetaminophen.
What should parents and clinicians know?
Parents need to be aware of some key issues. First, acetaminophen is not intended to be used for colds, and studies suggest that it does not work well, if at all, for infant pain. Second, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that most fevers do not need to be treated because they are not dangerous. Fevers are actually a defensive response from the immune system and help fight disease. The Academy has published some helpful information about when to treat a fever, and how to help treat a fever without using drugs. (https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/fever/Pages/Treating-a-Fever-Without-Medicine.aspx) Third, parents need to be aware that well-intended family members, medical professionals, and other caregivers, being unaware of current evidence, may give their child acetaminophen. Finally, it is possible that the nutritional supplement N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), an amino acid derivative available in nutrition stores and used to counteract acetaminophen overdoses in adults, may effectively block adverse side effects of acetaminophen if given at the same time as the acetaminophen. But this idea is speculative, and as far as is known, there is no absolutely safe way to use acetaminophen in infants and small children.
The nitty-gritty details
The key points we identified in that review are enumerated below. In addition, the list below contains some updates to the review, provided to me in large part by Dr. Ann Bauer, who began a study of this topic shortly after the original 2008 paper was published.
- Twelve peer-reviewed studies now demonstrate that acetaminophen exposure is neurotoxic to the developing brain of humans. All but one of those studies evaluated the effect on children following exposure as a fetus. Effects of exposure evaluated by various groups included lowered IQ, autism, and behavioral problems. The studies were typically controlled for confounding factors, indicating that acetaminophen use was a cause of disease and not an effect. However, the original 2008 study is still the only one evaluating the effect of exposure after birth, and that study found more than a 60-fold greater risk (literally) of developing autism following exposure after birth than studies looking at the risk of exposure before birth.
- Laboratory animals develop permanent brain damage characterized by problems with social function when they are exposed to acetaminophen during an early period of brain development that corresponds to human infancy. Damage can be induced in the developing fetus during pregnancy, but the dose required is far more than levels normally seen in humans. But after birth, the amount that it takes to cause permanent brain dysfunction in laboratory animals is less than the amounts that human infants typically receive (on a per weight per day basis).
- A very wide range of factors, all associated with inflammation and oxidative stress, are associated with an increased risk of autism. Thus, it appears that whatever is inducing increased rates of autism probably acts in concert with inflammation and oxidative stress. This conclusion is consistent with the hypothesis that acetaminophen exposure to infants and children after birth is a leading cause of autism. As an aside here, we know that inflammation is on the rise in Western society, and that autism is an inflammation-associated disorder. We have worked with an epidemiologist, Cindy Nevison, and found very strong evidence that the prevalence of autism is truly increasing. (Increasing awareness, changing diagnostic criteria and other factors do not account for the measured increases in prevalence.)
- Margaret McCarthy, chair of Pharmacology at the University of Maryland, has elucidated the mechanism by which acetaminophen damages the developing brain, and has explained why acetaminophen is more dangerous to males than to females. This potentially accounts for the increased propensity for males to acquire autism compared to females.
- Acetaminophen substantially alters brain chemistry of human adults and temporarily impairs awareness of social issues in adult humans. Although the drug could naively be considered to be anti-inflammatory, exposure to the drug actually causes inflammation, even in healthy adults, and depletes metabolic components needed to deal with inflammation. Further, the drug is immunosuppressive, blocking an important immune function (the febrile response).
- No study has ever shown acetaminophen to be safe for the developing brain of a human or a laboratory animal. A major manufacturer of acetaminophen in the US acknowledges that the drug was never proven safe for brain development when used during pregnancy or in childhood. All safety tests that have been conducted were performed with the assumption that any side effects would be acute in nature (e.g., bleeding or organ damage soon after administration of the drug). One very recent study has suggested that acetaminophen use during pregnancy may be safe if used to treat fevers only, but use to treat fevers is not the most common use of acetaminophen during pregnancy.
- A very wide range of circumstantial evidence points toward the potential for acetaminophen to be at the root of many if not most cases of autism. Alternative explanations are lacking for much of this circumstantial evidence:
- The epidemiology of autism matches the historic use of acetaminophen, with both rising sharply in the early 1980s following the identification of Reye Syndrome as a possible side effect of aspirin use in children. (See note above regarding the view that the increased prevalence is a real increase rather than an aberration caused by issues concerning awareness and diagnosis.) This evidence alone is considered very weak, but it is necessary for this hypothesis to go forward.
- The qualitative nature of autism apparently shifted from infantile to regressive at the same time that acetaminophen use in infants and children became more popular, in the early to mid-1980s.
- A wide range of inflammatory conditions that affect the potential to tolerate oxidative stress are associated with autism. It is expected that these conditions will adversely affect the metabolism of acetaminophen. A notable exception is cystic fibrosis, a condition of oxidative stress not known to be associated with autism. Cystic fibrosis is also unusual as a condition of oxidative stress that actually enhances rather than impairs metabolism of acetaminophen.
- The number of possible environmental suspects for the induction of autism at a level that would account for the epidemic is dwindling, leaving acetaminophen use in infants and small children as one of the few remaining suspects. A good suspect is one which is newly (since 1980) and widely introduced into the population, and which should be associated with a profoundly large (10-fold or greater) increase in the risk of autism. Most suspects tested to date have shown moderate and sometimes variable (dependent on the population studied) associations with autism.
- Genetic variants associated with autism, many associated with oxidative stress, likely influence the metabolism of acetaminophen.
- Circumcision has been identified as a significant risk factor for autism, and the only reasonable explanation put forth for this observation is that acetaminophen use during the procedure is probably inducing autism.
- History demonstrates to us that it is a mistake to ignore the observations of parents when it pertains to autism. Many parents who have historically blamed vaccines for their child's autism may have actually observed the effects of acetaminophen. In the 1990s, vaccination was advertised as the number one indication for use of acetaminophen.
- Levels of acetaminophen use potentially explain previously unexplained epidemiologic observations, such as the very low rates of autism in Cuba, the very high incidence of autism in South Korea, and the culture-dependent variation in autism among the Jewish population.
- The idea that acetaminophen use, particularly in infants and small children, is responsible for many if not most cases of autism is an attractive hypothesis, as it satisfies Occam's Razor in being a simple explanation that explains a wide range of observations.
What's unknown and what should be done next
Given the preponderance of evidence described above, we conclude that parents and doctors should know all available facts so that they can make informed decisions about the use of acetaminophen. At the same time, we note that the amount of damage caused by current levels of acetaminophen use in babies and children is unknown and that an incisive study addressing this issue needs to be done as quickly as possible, with all available resources at its disposal. Despite the fact that acetaminophen is the most popular drug used in infants, children, and pregnant women, neither the benefits nor the risks of using the drug in those populations have been thoroughly evaluated. The cost of an incisive study would be less than the average cost of raising and caring for three individuals with autism. Just three.

subset: commoncrawl


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Retina graphics on the New iPad and iPhone 5 widescreen support! 10 Pin Shuffle™ is now Universal! Download once and play on both iPhone and iPad. Now with Game Center leaderboards and achievements and Retina display support for the New iPad and iPhone 4. 10 Pin Shuffle™ is one of the most addictive, "pick up and play", 3D bowling games available in the App Store and now you can experience it on the iPad and iPhone with Enhanced High Detail Graphics!
"Top 100 Games of 2010" - iLounge.com
"Bar game fun arrives on your iPhone with stellar graphics." – MacWorld
"Just so darn addictive. This game has a permanent place on our iPhone already." - AppSmile
10 Pin Shuffle™ contains three great games in one, played in a realistic 3D environment!
[1] SHUFFLEBOARD the game you've enjoyed in your local bar. Play against a friend or a computer opponent trying to out-shuffle each other's weights or blast them off the table.
[2] BOWLING with real 3D pin physics! Similar to 10 Pin Bowling except played on a shuffleboard table using weights/pucks instead of a bowling ball. If you liked Wii Sports Bowling then you're going to love your 10 Pin Shuffle™ bowling experience.
[3] 10 PIN POKER is a combination of Shuffleboard, Bowling and Five Card Draw Poker. Earn playing cards for Strikes and Spares. Draw new cards when you have five. The player with the best five card poker hand after 10 frames wins.
PEER-TO-PEER MULTIPLAYER !! Challenge a friend to a game of Shuffleboard or Bowling using either Bluetooth or a local Wi-Fi connection.
The powerful "Newton" 3D physics engine provides the most realistic pin collisions of any ten pin bowling game available on the App Store to date. Play on your own, against a friend or against one of several computer opponents of varying skill levels.
* Impressive 3D graphics.
* Full screen graphics on iPhone 5 and iPod touch 4-inch devices.
* Hi-resolution graphics on all Retina devices including the New iPad.
* Hi-definition graphics on all iPads.
* Game Center leaderboards and achievements.
* Real 3D physics engine and accurate pin physics.
* Peer-to-Peer multiplayer over Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.
* Instant replays of great shots.
* Unlock new opponents of increasing skill levels.
* Crowd reactions that reflect your moves in real time.
* Realistic sound effects capture every nudge, bump, and collision on the table.
* Controls that are easy to grasp, but challenging to master.
* Turkey rewards and winners animations.
* Bowling statistics and game scores are tracked and saved each game.
* Listen to your iPod music library while you play.
* Resume game if iPhone is interrupted.
* Works on all iOS devices from OS 4.3 to OS 6.x
* Three fun games for the price of one!
For Peer-to-Peer play have either Bluetooth or Wi-Fi enabled, but not both. They use the same antenna and can cause connection problems.
Visit our website: http://www.10PinShuffle.com
Follow us on twitter: 10PinShuffle
From Digital Smoke, developers of the popular Solitaire City™ range of games, also available on the iTunes App Store.


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Behind the scenes.
As partner of Lionhouse and architect working in the zoo sector I sometimes get the chance to see the staff only areas of a zoo in use; a glimpse behind the scenes, hidden for the 'ordinary' visitor.
A few months ago I visited the facilities of Stichting AAP in Almere, The Netherlands. This organisation provide care and shelter to exotic animals which have suffered severe abuse or neglect.
Unlike zoos, Stichting AAP are not a visitor attraction. Their main objectives are the basic needs of the rescued animals. The holding quarters are therefore practical and efficient, without any unnecessary frills to please the public.
They do, however, try to involve the public in their work by offering guided tours behind the scenes. My host led me along the offices, the quarantine building and veterinary unit, the different animal houses and outdoor enclosures.
As he explained the process of rehabilitation of the rescued animals and showed me the daily routine of the staff – feeding, cleaning, observation etc. – it surprised me how fascinated I always get by the unadorned truth of these 'behind the scene'-experiences, the authenticity of it.
That got me thinking.
Immersive zoo design
Most of today's zoos have taken the direction of theming and true-to-nature looking exhibits in order to immerse the audience in exotic worlds, to stimulate their appreciation of the animal kingdom and to convey the message of conservation. While the same may also be achieved by giving the public the chance to experience the daily reality of animal husbandry.
So, should zoos open up kitchen as contribution to the message?
From the point of view of thematic or environment immersion the paradigm is to hide elements that disturb the illusion of nature; structures such as stables, off-exhibit housing and other animal and/or keeper facilities. At Lionhouse Architects we have therefore become accustomed to let our designs blend into the surroundings.
During a recent visit to a Dutch zoo a staff member confessed that, at first, one was reluctant to let the visitors step out of the 'story' that was created. Even though during winter most of the animals were in their stables and out of sight of the spectator. After all, deciding to provide the opportunity to see the animals meant having to reveal their ordinary accommodations, the unadorned truth.
However, once the zoo did decide to allow the public behind the scenes on cold winter days, the reactions were very positive.
People were enthusiastic to experience what it entails to care for wild animals.
Open kitchen zoo design
And since we now live in a time where people are once again looking for purity and authenticity, a time of 'How it's made', 'Grow your own' and 'Do it yourself', this is not altogether surprising.
Perhaps you have seen Animal Planet's new docuseries THE ZOO. This series gives viewers a first-ever look at the day-to-day happenings behind the scenes at The Bronx Zoo and the important work being done to conserve wildlife. It has become required viewing for the team at Lionhouse.
And although this is not quite the same as physically open up kitchen for the visitors present, the popularity of this series does underline the interest among the public to see what goes on in a zoo.
So why not let the animal facilities play a more important role in the story you want to tell. Stop hiding these valuable assets and start making the stables, holding rooms and other structures part of the visitor experience.
Of course only if the behavioural needs and behavioural management of the species are taken into account and the five freedoms of the animal are not compromised. But that goes without saying.
Provision of a high standard of public viewing experience, that demonstrates fully the animals and their behaviours, and which is consistent with the educational messages and strategies relevant to the species, the organisation and EAZA."
EAZA – Standards for the Accommodation and Care of Animals in Zoos and Aquaria
Accommodation – Space, Exercise and Grouping
Care to share your thoughts on this or interested in finding out how to open up kitchen at your zoo, please do not hesitate to contact us!
Stichting AAP
The Animal Advocacy and Protection Foundation provide shelter for exotic animals that do not lead animal-worthy lives due to human conduct like illegal trade, private ownership, exploitation in the entertainment industry or scientific research. Many primates and other exotic mammals are still forced to live under very poor circumstances. At Stichting AAP the animals are given the professional care that they need so that they can settle down and recuperate.
Immersive design (wiki)
To design intact worlds that are coherent, have an interior logic, contain history, geography, surface, metaphor, respond to and drive narrative, and allow an audience to be fully immersed in both environment and story. By definition an immersive designer is engaged in the embedding of story into environment, whether for passive or interactive media, in virtual or physical worlds.


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You may remember Liberace.
Colourful, vibrant and vivacious. My caterpillar, Liberace.
A couple of weeks ago I showed you a video of Liberace as he was just hatching out of his shell. After a few weeks of eating, growing, eating growing, pooping, eating and growing, Liberace cloaked himself in a glittery chrysalis.
And a few days ago, he emerged. And I happened to catch it all on video.
And by "happened to catch" I mean I woke up early on the morning I knew it was going to emerge and sat beside the chrysallis for 6 hours until it happened.
Yeah he was late, and the opening act of a fly crawling across the counter was kindda lame, but when he finally came out, Liberace put on a spectacular show.
Nature. Gotta love it. It's a complete freak show.
Learn more about Monarchs at The Monarch Project.


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The Esoterrorists: Profane Miracles (GUMSHOE)
The Esoterrorists: Profane Miracles (GUMSHOE)
This adventure for Esoterrorists clocks in at 32 pages, 1 page front cover, 1 page editorial/ToC, 1 page blank, leaving us with 29 pages of content, so let's take a look!
This being an adventure-review, the following contains SPOILERS. Potential players should jump to the conclusion.
All right, still around? Great! So famous financier Jonathan Bentley was recently resurrected from beyond the pale in a rather public manner, at a charity ball of his widow Grace Summerville, and this feat was achieved by the famed psychic Cassandra Madrigal. The OV-agents are sent in with cover identities as investigative reporters. That's the basic premise.
Behind the scenes, resentment has festered between Jonathan and his wife – she was smarter and always one step ahead, the true brains of his enormous success…and thus he faked his death with an esoterrorist drug named Fatalix, which also acts as a drug…if Bentley stops heeding the call of the esoterrorist Dellinger, he'll withhold the drug. Bentley thus has fallen deeply into the control of the movement and the gambit of the esoterrorists (the medium is, obviously, a pawn as well) has paid off – Cassandra has retreated from business to live with her secretly loathsome husband, who has also, in his decadence, sired an illicit child – something that the investigators can find out…and the child is horrifically disfigured and can provide a hint regarding the involvement of the financier and his predicament.
The investigators will find a strange substance used by Cassandra during the ritual in the initial investigation of the big gala; it is this substance that will provide a clue. Cassandra, as mentioned before, is pretty much a well-meaning patsy and ultimately can point the investigators towards a street vendor of the occult and esoterrorist operative, one Vincent Marlowe, and point towards a large-scale order by Bentley financials – and yes, a nice chase may ensue here.
Blissfully unaware of the loathsome character of her husband returned from the dead, Grace can be convinced when faced with evidence (or smart investigators) provides access to the GPS-tracker and thus the PCs can track down Dellinger's sanctuary. Here, an ODE, the dementia larvae and Marlowe prepare for a showdown, while Bentley lies comatose and a journal etc. fills in the undoubtedly at this point numerous blanks. There is still some crucial stuff to decide: There is an antidote, but it can either save Jonathan or his illicit child, not both… and there is still the matter at hand to stop Dellinger's plans for a bigger ritual, on live TV – here, a series of obstacles provide some serious customization – and ultimately may boil down to another dangerous boss fight against an ODE created from a very strange Cassandra. The pdf does mention dealing with the two women harmed by the schemes here and the appendix depicting the dementia larva.
…did you notice something? Yeah, neither the actions of Bentley, nor those of Dellinger, make any sense whatsoever to me. I read the module multiple times and it's REALLY, really hard to make heads or tails of them – hence the sudden, convenient journal-exposition dump. Worse, saving Jonathan suddenly makes him realize his love for Grace? SERIOUSLY? That bit had me frothing at the mouth. And this very public figure faked his death for a whole year, while indulging on sprees of decadence with drugs and hookers? Seriously, this module expects you to buy a lot of BS for a system that is based on logical investigation.
Editing and formatting are good, I noticed no glaring accumulations of glitches. Layout adheres to a b/w-two-column standard and the pdf sports really nice b/w-artwork and cartography. The pdf I have does not sport bookmarks, which constitutes a comfort detriment.
I am sorry, I really love Esoterrorists. But Leonard Balsera's Profane Miracles is not a good module, to put it lightly. The motivations of the antagonists are jumbled, its shock-values are for shock only, the whole plan of the antagonists makes no sense whatsoever and the climax violates, to a degree, the summoning paradigms provided by the Summoning Guide. In short, the logic bugs herein not only extend to the meta-level, they can also be found on an in-game level. The exposition-dump that basically jams the whole story down the PC's throats had folks groan at my table, complete with plenty of question marks above their heads. If you just want cheese-and-crackers-no-brains gameplay, this may do something for you…but why are you playing this investigative game then? If you want an actually good, action-packed Esoterrorist module, go for Six-Packed instead – it is much more rewarding and not such a structural mess. My final verdict will clock in at 2 stars.
You can get this module here on OBS.
Endzeitgeist out.


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Smudging is an important purification ritual in many different cultures and traditions. Smudging is the burning of the sacred herbs in cleansing, purification, and prayer ceremonies.
All of the herbs used in the wands are viewed as "sacred" by Native Americans who have used the wands or loose herbs for generations of smudging.
Light a Smudge Stick and extinguish the flame allowing the Sage to smolder. Wave or use a feather fan to disperse the smoke through your Aura and into your Home and your Sacred Spaces. Hold your intent as you Smudge, Clear, and Purify. Use Sage Smudge Sticks regularly to keep yourself, your tools, crystals and homes clear to receive abundant light.
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Non-proofed frozen pastries are smaller in size and cheaper to transport and store. But do they live up to expectation after baking? We ran our own test.
Consumers can be harsh judges of the foods sold in industrial markets. If a product does not look appealing, more often than not they will move on to the next alternative. For the frozen yeast-raised pastry category, that can put business profits under serious pressure.
The issues often lie in the bakery skills of the person responsible for in-house baking and the cost of transport and storage.
Success with pre-proofed dough
Because the personnel in hotels, petrol stations and supermarkets are generally not trained bakers, manufacturers can choose to deliver frozen croissant or Danish pastry dough that has been rolled, folded and pre-proofed. All the restaurant or outlet has to do is put them in the oven and bake as specified on the box – for appealing, crisp pastries time after time.
At Nutrition & Biosciences, we have obtained good results with frozen, pre-proofed pastry dough using an ingredient system comprising an emulsifier, enzyme complex, stabiliser and ascorbic acid. As we described in a previous issue of Bakery Performance, our frozen croissants had almost the same volume after baking directly from the freezer as a freshly made croissant.
Next step: non-proofed
Our recent bakery trials have taken the next step and looked at whether a freezer to oven yeast-raised pastry, which had not been proofed prior to freezing, could match the pre-proofed pastry in volume and quality overall.
The objective was to investigate the possibility to skip the proofing process completely. In this way, we hoped to enable significant cost savings as production would be faster and the frozen pastries reduced in size for efficient transportation and storage. Non-trained personnel would still be able to bake appealing products without the complication of defrosting or proofing beforehand.
We ran the trials using the same ingredient system as in our previous trial with frozen, pre-proofed croissants. After rolling and folding, the croissants were immediately frozen to -18°C.
Smaller to transport and store…
The benefits for transportation and storage speak for themselves. As our pictures show, the frozen non-proofed croissant is only around half the size of the frozen pre-proofed croissant. In other words, a standard box can contain around 70 non-proofed units, compared to just 48 of the pre-proofed – a considerable saving on freezer space.
… and still appealing
But what about the volume, crispness and texture after baking? Take a look at the non-proofed croissant next to the pre-proofed one . The non-proofed croissant is only slightly smaller. And, when we took a bite, both baked croissants were as crispy and light as we had hoped for. We even thought the non-proofed croissant was a little better – but that is just our opinion!
What we have shown is that non-proofed, freezer to oven croissants with good baking characteristics are a possibility. Get in touch, if you would like to learn more.
We tested GRINDSTED® POWERFreeze 406 Bakery Ingredient System from the DuPont™ Danisco® range.
Related Issues


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One year after the Yale College Council quietly passed a resolution calling on the University to adopt a policy of neutrality toward graduate students and hospital workers attempting to unionize, an attempt by YCC members to repeal the resolution did not go so unnoticed.
Instead, with Yale and its two largest unions in the midst of contract negotiations, as well as a major drive by national union leadership to win neutrality for graduate students and hospital workers, the anti-neutrality resolution discussed by the YCC last night brought major efforts by union leaders to defeat it.
YCC President Vidhya Prabhakaran '03 said he met with Local 34 President Laura Smith and Local 35 President Bob Proto at their request, adding that the union leaders argued strongly against the resolution.
"There's been some intense lobbying on the part of the unions," Prabhakaran said.
As YCC members prepared to debate the resolution, Prabhakaran said, leaders from locals 34 and 35, the two largest recognized unions at the University, warned YCC leaders that approving the resolution could undermine efforts by Yale and its unions to avoid the labor strife that has been traditional during negotiations.
Union leaders have repeatedly asked for the University to recognize the Graduate Employees and Students Organization through card-count neutrality, a process by which the University would agree to remain neutral about unionization, pressing neither for nor against it, and recognize a union if a majority of graduate students sign union cards. The University opposes graduate student unionization and card-count neutrality.
YCC Representative Matthew Robinson '03, who wrote the resolution, said he received calls, e-mails and had meetings with Proto, Smith, organizers from Local 34, hospital workers trying to organize and student union activists. He referred to some of the discussions as "heated."
"I haven't gotten an e-mail from a concerned student in this entire week," Robinson said. "However, that's when instead of undergrads, GESO organizers, local 34 and 35 reps and [hospital worker] reps contacted me and began an intense lobbying campaign."
With the amount of attention the resolution garnered, some YCC members who had supported previous resolutions advocating neutrality said they were reconsidering whether the YCC should take a stand on an issue pitting Yale against its powerful labor unions.
"We had no idea this was going to blow up so big," Sam Asher '04 said. "We're in way over our heads here. I've been at the center of this, and I didn't have any idea."
Throughout the day before the meeting, rumors circulated among students about union leaders, television news and professors attending the meeting, creating an atmosphere unfamiliar to an undergraduate council accustomed to resolutions on student long distance phone service and Spring Fling.
"We're talking about intimidation and lack of intimidation in making decisions," Asher said before the meeting, referring to the expected atmosphere. "But that is going to be an intimidating environment."
Union spokeswoman Deborah Chernoff said the outcome of the resolution was not very important to union leaders. She said union leaders had made efforts to talk to YCC members to ensure that they had the appropriate information to make their decisions.
"If people are going to make a decision it ought to be an informed decision," Chernoff said. "We wanted to make sure all the relevant facts are part of that decision-making process."
But with Yale and locals 34 and 35 attempting to foster a new era of better labor relations, union leaders said the YCC resolution, if adopted, could affect the new tone.
"Because we're really working hard to try to resolve this with the University and to try to change our culture, my concern would be that that process would be a disaster for what we're trying to attempt to do, because this is a significant time in our labor history to make some positive steps for change," Proto said.
Dan Smokler '01, an organizer for the union-affiliated Connecticut Center for a New Economy, said the resolution would be counterproductive to achieving labor peace on campus.
"If the resolution is intended to create labor peace, it will not," Smokler said. "It's a YCC resolution, and I think the question is what is the effect of the resolution? It's very clear if we are looking for labor peace and we are looking for a fair way to bring together the union and University then this resolution is not the way."
Asher said that over the last two weeks he has reconsidered his views on the YCC's role in labor, and came to the conclusion that it should be limited to advocating ways to avoid labor disputes, rather than prescribing a method for settling the unionization issue.
"The issue here is how as the YCC, how do we stick up for the best interest of undergrads first and foremost, and that's to minimize labor strife." Asher said. "This resolution I'm afraid could very well polarize the issues and maximize labor strife."


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Why this forum allows to write as unregistered? I think it's a bit stupid. I want to know who I'm talking to and if it's the same person.
Why this forum allows to write as unregistered? I think it's a bit stupid. I want to know who I'm talking to and if it's the same person.
My Games: Harem Heroes, Kamihime Project
I would agree with this on most forums, but R18+ erotic stuff is quite a delicate topic in current-day society, so I understand why some people would prefer to go by as unregistered here. It can get really confusing though.
Current: Kamihime - ID:24044 - Rank 99 (Overall ATK - Fire: 46923 Eidolons: Adramelech/St Nichol/Mastema/Jack/Tiamat/Quetza), , ソウル戦記 - (Overall: 504,002), TA:BA - (Pre-reg Yukikaze) ID: 1195816, DMM IWZ - DF Performance: 2,302,174 - つ ◕_◕ ༽つ
Old or on halt: LoV - fromelette (lvl 56), QoV - fromelette lvl 42, Pero - ID: 1195816 (SED: 1,170,698), Idol Wars Z: http://api-x.idolwars-nutaku.dmmgame...ata/index/8220 (link only works when logged in game) - DF Performance: 1,546,834 (1,899,968 with last gacha) - HBC US aka Megu Wars / FKGirl, FKG - fromageomelette ID: 358241593 - lvl 124 (Helper: PWR 120844 / SPD 594)
This place was originally made as an extension of an anonymous board. Until the time comes where I have no choice but to disable it, then guest posting will be allowed.
Anons on an 18+ board - I thought making an account counts to help protect your privacy
Well, shit Im not making any sense. I know one site has way more anons - Aigis Wikia (the Engl version)
Nutaku: July 2016 | Flower Knight Girl: 835228859 | DMM: 646263953 飢えたハンター
Plays Flower Knight Girl, Aigis, Kamihime
Dropped Harem Heroes. Staff deleted my nice reason for not spending $.
Signature made by Myrdin


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The best is yet to come, at least for upcoming PlayStation games in the 4th quarter. You might have already played exclusives such as Uncharted 4: A Thief's End, Ratchet and Clank, The Witness, and other amazing games this 2016, if not, simply search the library of PS4 games at Harvey Norman to get the latest and best titles in PS4 right now.
Here are the upcoming 4th quarter games this year to look forward to:
NBA 2K17 | Release Date: Sept. 20, 2016 – This is one for the basketball fans. After a very strong performance with NBA 2K16 compared with NBA Live 2016, this year's instalment carries big hopes for continued momentum. Legend Edition Gold and Early Tip-Off Edition were also available for collectors and enthusiasts alike.
Final Fantasy 15 | Release Date: Nov. 28, 2016 – Square Enix previously announce the FF Versus 13, a complimentary game to the upcoming FF 13. Fans, including myself got excited to have multiple Final Fantasy games to play, but years passed and not a single Versus 13 was released. All of a sudden, E3 2013 announced the brand new moniker: Final Fantasy 15. This game has a large shoe to fill, but the majority of fans believe it will fly.
Mafia 3 | Release Date: Oct. 7, 2016 – Same with most games nowadays, Mafia 3 takes place in a fully-explorable open-world. You'll be able to venture out to the 60s version of New Orleans playing as Lincoln Clay, a 'Nam veteran with a serious vengeance against the mob. Brutal action, amazing car-driving, and spot-on soundtrack. What's not to like?
Battlefield 1 | Release Date: Oct. 21, 2016 – The popular DICE franchise is back in a splashy reveal event, where the game's creator promised fans a surreal experience of World War 1. We'll have sabres, horses, flame throwers, and zeppelins in addition to a couple of notable historic guns. The Battlefield games just brought a refreshing variety to the military shooter space.
Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare | Nov. 4, 2016 – Another popular shooter franchise going to another direction. COD is doubling down on the future with a trip to the outer space. The gunplay looks similar to past games, but the armour and gadgets are bound to get some high-tech upgrades.
Dishonored 2 | Nov. 11, 2016 – So much has changed since master assassin, Corvo Attano save a damsel in distress, Empress Emily Kaldwin from her family's betrayers. Dishonored 2 gives you control over both Corvo and Emily, letting you access mind control and master assassin's blink abilities.
Rise of the Tomb Raider | TBA 2016 - Nope, it's not an Xbox One exclusive anymore. Lara will also be unleashed on PS4 in late 2016. It may be a long wait, but it'll be worth the wait. After the harrowing adventure in the first game, Lara has done it again, now going out into the great unknown in search for ancient crypts and archaeological discoveries.
Day Z | TBA 2016 – What's up with these games without clear release dates! It's getting our blood pumped for all the right reasons – but still. What makes Day Z extra special is the brutal creativity of the players. One day you're trading food cans amicably with a farmer, and the next thing you know you're being chased by hordes of hungry zombies – and they're not after your food can. And that amount of zombie in the trailer waiting to be shot to pieces? Pure bliss.
Found a game you'll enjoy playing? Can't wait to play great titles now? Check out the PlayStation 4 games at Harvey Norman and quench your need for awesome gaming while waiting for these upcoming games.
A full-time blogger & Digital Marketing Expert in India. An early adopter who loves to try out various Digital, Blogging & Social media tools along with exploring some cool iOS and Android apps.


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Salesify Ranked One of Deloitte's Technology Fast 500™ for Second Consecutive Year
Nov 14, 2014, 01:32 ET
REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Nov. 14, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Salesify, Inc. today announced that it ranked No. 319 on Deloitte's Technology Fast 500™, a ranking of the 500 fastest growing technology, media, telecommunications, life sciences, and clean technology companies in North America. The leading provider of enriched, relevant, and globally actionable marketing & sales data that combines Big Data and BI with best-in-breed sales and marketing services joins this very select group for the second year in a row.
Salesify CEO Gurdeep Chimni credits the powerful big data sales intelligence platform TechLeads Online for fueling the tremendous growth over the past few years. He commented, "The sales intelligence derived from our proprietary platform and its highly-targeted nature has benefited us and our customers significantly. This type of enriched data, deployed at scale, enables increased identification of marketing- and sales-ready leads and opportunities, along with compressed sales cycles and significantly higher conversions within the enterprise segment." He went on to say, "Traditionally, Marketing and Sales have relied on filters that only provided company level information and contact details with titles. Our data disrupts this old paradigm by giving sales intelligence that was previously unavailable, which can enable their sales and marketing efforts to be very efficient."
Salesify CRO Raj Hajela added, "Exposure to the data makes all the difference in our customers' decisions to choose Salesify and, in many cases, exceed their global sales and marketing objectives. It is very gratifying to hear from several customers that our leads, data, and services are some of the best that they have ever acquired."
Oliver Deng, Chief Product Strategy Officer, believes that the industry's continued need for marketing and sales departments to drive and increase sales while still controlling costs is one of the major reasons for Salesify's unfailing, profitable growth in every single one of its nine years in business. "The sales intelligence that we generated by our TechLeads Online platform is allowing customers to gain market share and penetrate new markets. This intelligence has enabled our customers to develop new strategies to gain an advantage over their competitors."
"For 20 years, the Deloitte Fast 500 rankings have honored the innovation that is part of these companies' DNA," added Jim Atwell, national managing partner of the emerging growth company practice, Deloitte & Touche LLP. "We're glad to be serving these high-growth companies, and helping the technology sector recognize the great strides and transformation these companies are making in their respective areas."
About Salesify, Inc.
At Salesify, we help customers close deals faster. We have Integrated Service Solutions that let customers have meaningful conversations with their prospects sooner & fine-tune marketing campaigns to highly relevant targets. Our Customer Intelligence Platform, powered by Big Data, has deep insights on companies, install base of your competition's products, and targeted role-based contacts.
SOURCE Salesify, Inc.


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You're heading into that portion of the year where if you buy a few Christmas presents per month, you might not bankrupt yourself in December. Think of the smile on Grandad's face when he unwraps a bit of vinyl from this list. He might have said he wanted new slippers but…
Because Music | September 13th
In an attempt to recapture the naive self-sufficiency of his earliest recordings, Joseph Mount temporarily reclaimed Metronomy as a solo project in 2016 and produced Summer '08, a nostalgic set capturing the chaos of the band's beginnings. At the time, it was billed as a back-to-basics statement of intent. In reality, Summer '08 seems to have functioned as a palette cleanser for Mount, as evidenced by his subsequent, sterling work branching out on productions for Robyn and Jessie Ware. And yet, this sixth LP provides the most compelling evidence yet that Mount has turned a corner creatively.
Perhaps it's swapping the bustle of Paris for the bucolic surrounds of Kent, perhaps it's reuniting with the rest of the band: whatever the reason, Mount sounds more relaxed than he has in years. Consequently, Metronomy Forever possesses a playfulness and an effortless sophistication that was often lacking from the comparatively sluggish Summer '08.
'Wedding Bells' is an instant highlight, a cross-pollination of Kim Wilde's 'Kids In America' and John Hughes-movie wistfulness, while 'Salted Caramel Ice Cream' is ridiculously moreish, its buoyant melody liberally sprinkled with kitsch keyboard effects. Lead single 'Lately' is better still, its haunting vocal hook descending incrementally over taut guitar and sparkling keyboard arpeggios.
Structurally, Mount is taking risks too. Designed to evoke a radio-like listening experience, the album offers a constantly shifting carousel of styles, often interspersed with interludes. In less experienced hands, such a format could feel disjointed, but in Mount's it's immersive. Gemma Samways
Self-Release | 13th September
Your mind ought to be your friend – working with you, not against you. It is, ultimately, the thing that you follow. You can't 'unfriend' it, or 'unfollow' it (that option where you remain 'friends' but you don't have to heed its stupid posts).
Anna Lisa's EP, Unfollowed, pulsates with Gen Z dread. The five tracks sound as vulnerably 4AM as Kate Tempest's Let Them Eat Chaos. Dark electronic bass beats are like palpitations or migraine throbs. 'Full' sustains a dizzying, eddying pattern of notes. 'Purple' has a queasy synth functioning as a nauseous echo to the vocal. "Howling like a demon", "trying to make it out in one piece" and "staring at the ceiling" are prominent actions. Has she unfollowed her self-sabotaging inner monologue? Not yet. Jon Kean
Asylum/Atlantic Records | September 13th
From early Soundcloud success, teen movie anthems, and transformative mixtapes, it's fair to say Charli XCX has shed any doubts about being merely a one-hit wonder. Love her or not, her presence is inescapable and entirely uncompromising as she prepares to release her third studio album – the eponymous Charli.
Certainly, it's her most eclectic release to date, though the monotonous, hyperactive trills of 'Next Level Charli' definitely wrongfoot this notion. It's composed as though on a sugar rush.
When it peaks, though, it's clear to see why there's so much buzz surrounding the artist. Take '1999' with Troye Sivan, which shines through as a vibrant, glossy pop marvel, a jewel in the crown of her career. Because let's be honest, she's royalty-tier now. Harriet Taylor
Luminelle Records | August 30th
Montréal's Bodywash sit comfortably between experimental chaos and a calm serenity on their outstanding debut album, Comforter. 'Reverie' kicks off the hazy, dream-like atmosphere of the record, and the track's beat transitions maintain an upbeat energy throughout, contrasting with its closing counterpart. 'Twins' presents Bodywash at their finest, blending harmonic vocals and pulsating synths as the band seek peace and emotional stability, a concept later torn apart as the spectacular 'With Heat' layers heart-wrenching guitars with a bittersweet sense of longing. Imaginative and emotionally raw, Comforter remains hypnotic throughout every track, as the gold-tinted waves of 'Sunspots' move effortlessly through 'Eye to Eye' and into the distorted soundscapes of 'Reprise' and 'Paradisiac'. Kelly Ronaldson
Handsome Dad Records | September 13th
Family ties inspired Jacob Read AKA Jerkcurb's obsession with all things Americana of old. With his parents residing there before he was born, Air Con Eden is the sound of Read piecing those memories together through nostalgia-soaked love letters and whimsical ballads. His bedroom pop sensibilities remain, but this is a vision that feels vastly widescreen this time around.
Read weaves charming stories throughout his songwriting in the same vein as Metronomy's Joseph Mount, one of the UK's most creative forces, and Read has an equally adept ear for a hook, even if it's on a more stripped-back basis. 'Water's unfussy keys are a perfect example; melancholic, desolate and barely there, yet enticing. Jacob Read can seemingly produce something essential from almost nothing. Lee Wakefield
Domino Records | September 13th
A long drawling howl flows into plucking guitars, disjointed harmonies and contrasting rich layers of metallic twanging. As they soften, the words "not today" repeatedly break through, driving forward the pulsating cumulation. Here, (Sandy) Alex G is displaying an expansion of his melodic talents. His latest release House of Sugar is characterised by its combined elements of country music with dense and meticulously-curated textures from strings and fuzzy synthesisers. It feels like a natural progression from low-fi bedroom creations to a slicker studio operation, with tracks like 'Project 2' toying with 80s drum machines while robotic vocal distortion adds flair to 'Sugar'. This is (Sandy) Alex G's most progressive work yet, proving he's moved away from being a cult prodigy to one of the industry's most prolific artists. Georgia Evans
AWAL Recordings | September 6th
Bat for Lashes' latest release Lost Girls is inspired by night time LA drives, soundtracking an 80s cult classic film which only exists in singer-songwriter Natasha Khan's head. The joyful funk guitar licks, ominous melodies, and tales of coming of age escapades set the scene for the album. The record opens with the buoyant synth-pop of 'Kids in the Dark', equal parts nostalgia and regret. Each song acts as a vignette in Khan's imaginary film noir; 'Feel For You' is the steely, dance number in a pivotal club scene, while the earworm pop of 'So Good' finds our protagonist questioning her lover's commitment. Lost Girls benefits from Khan's unwavering dedication to scoring the scenes in her head, transporting listeners to a world of pleasures unknown. Stephanie Phillips
SugarShack Records | 6th September
On Spotify, one can find a playlist of influences that spurred the creation of Rituals. There are gentle nods to the music of Patti Smith and Lee Hazelwood, though far from cannibalising these works, Breeze takes pleasure in making her music its own self-sustaining pillar to excess, full of candid ruminations, decadent pleasures and morbid curiosities.
Throughout, Breeze shines a black light on the highs and lows of living in the twenty-first century. For instance, the sample that leads 'Heaven's Gate' – taken from a speech given by Marshall White, leader of the infamous nineties suicide cult – embodies the peculiar juxtaposition of Rituals' themes. It's that feeling of witnessing horrific acts with repulsion, the guilty allure of peeking at it between your fingers and the social ramifications. Harriet Taylor
Stolen Body | 6th September
Noise, catharsis and being stand as the pillars of Repo-Man's fantastically avant-garde third record, I Can Live with It If You Can, Son. Released via Stolen Body Records, this blistering collection of new cuts sees the band build upon the discordant doom of 2015's Minesweeping with more venom and aggression than the snarling wit of Mark E Smith and Frank Carter combined.
Taking cues from as far afield as A Place to Bury Strangers, Nick Cave and The Fall, the music confined within its runtime proves to rest just as heavily on its lyricism as it does its sprawling tendrils of progressive riffage. Beyond the crashing waves of droning guitar and hypnotizing jazz passages, it's Bojak's foaming acidity that elevates this record to a monolithic peak. Sean Toohey
Ninja Tune | September 13th
Sampa The Great's debut LP, 19-track The Return, will cement her position as one of contemporary hip-hop's freshest and most intriguing voices. Real name Sampa Tempo, the Melbourne-based artist has spent four years exploring notions of home, and notions of the outsider, harvesting inspiration from her birthplace of Zambia and Botswana, where she was raised. The result is a record that melds neo-soul with hip-hop, gospel and jazz. Though she makes her declaration in the opening tracks, The Return's latter half is, musically, more solid, from the fiery and percussive 'OMG', to triumphant single 'Final Form', to the soulful, aching tenderness of closer 'Made Us Better'. With a host of collaborators including London jazz outfits Steam Down and Blue Lab Beats, Sampa The Great marries warm, textured instrumentation and fiercely delivered lyricism with resounding success. Katie Thomas
Future Classic | August 30th
Very few artists come forth with a knockout debut single, but last February, Georgia Flipo aka G Flip appeared out of nowhere with the 10/10 'About You'. We were ready to be hooked up to whatever drip of incessantly catchy percussion-heavy pop she had coming next. The Australian—deep breath—drum teacher-turned-multi-instrumentalist-bedroom producer has since released a host of brilliantly zestful singles.
The trop-pop warps of 'Killing My Time' and her ode to misanthropy on shuffle jam 'Drink Too Much' have been sure-fire standouts. Thankfully, G Flip has placed these singles on her debut album About Us, a collection of songs written largely about the on-off relationship with her girlfriend. Without those singles, the record's tendency to veer into uninspired piano-laced balladry would regrettably overwhelm the record. Charlotte Krol


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Lieberman: Omitting 'Islamic' Terrorism From Security Document Dishonest, 'Offensive'
Sen. Joe Lieberman slammed the Obama administration Sunday for stripping terms like "Islamic extremism" from a key national security document, calling the move dishonest, wrong-headed and disrespectful to the majority of Muslims who are not terrorists.
Lieberman was off to a good start until he was hit with a case of Muslim Appeasement Delusional Disorder (MADD). Isn't it more disrespectful to non-Muslims that Obama completely dropped the word Islam from the document? There are plenty of us that know that Islam itself is the problem. Maybe one day our politicians will actually be more concerned with the majority of non-Muslims, over the tiny minority of Muslims. But I doubt that day is coming anytime soon.
The Connecticut independent revealed that he wrote a letter Friday to top counterterrorism adviser John Brennan urging the administration to "identify accurately the ideological source" of the threat against the United States. He wrote that failing to identify "violent Islamist extremism" as the enemy is "offensive."
John Brennan is absolutely in love with Islam, and is a huge part of the problem. If you can stomach his pathetic Islamic ass-kissing, please take a look at this video.
The letter was written following reports that the administration was removing religious references from the U.S. National Security Strategy — the document that had described the "ideological conflict" of the early 21st century as "the struggle against militant Islamic radicalism."
Lieberman told "Fox News Sunday" this isn't the first time the Obama administration has tried to tiptoe around referring to Islam in its security documents and that it's time to "blow the whistle" on the trend.
I applaud the Senator for at least trying to keep the words "radical Islam" in the security document. In this case, something is better than nothing.
"This is not honest and, frankly, I think it's hurtful in our relations with the Muslim world," Lieberman said. "We're not in a war against Islam. It's a group of Islamist extremists who have taken the Muslim religion and made it into a political ideology, and I think if we're not clear about that, we disrespect the overwhelming majority of Muslims who are not extremists."
Lieberman is correct that we are not at war with Islam, but he does not realize that Islam is at war with us. Islam has been at war with the non-Islamic world ever since the days of Mohammad himself.
Volume 1, Book 8, Number 387:
Narrated Anas bin Malik:
Allah's Apostle said, "I have been ordered to fight the people till they say: 'None has the right to be worshipped but Allah.' And if they say so, pray like our prayers, face our Qibla and slaughter as we slaughter, then their blood and property will be sacred to us and we will not interfere with them except legally and their reckoning will be with Allah." Narrated Maimun ibn Siyah that he asked Anas bin Malik, "O Abu Hamza! What makes the life and property of a person sacred?" He replied, "Whoever says, 'None has the right to be worshipped but Allah', faces our Qibla during the prayers, prays like us and eats our slaughtered animal, then he is a Muslim, and has got the same rights and obligations as other Muslims have."
The Senator also shows his ignorance on Islam, as Islam has been a religion, and a political ideology combined since the beginning of Islam. It is a complete way of life.
From the Reliance of the Traveller, A Classic Manual of Sacred Law
(n. This section has been added here by the translator because the caliphate is both obligatory in itself and the necessary precondition for hundreds of rulings (books k through o) established by Allah Most High to govern and guide Islamic community life.
Please do some research Senator.
Lieberman, in his letter, noted that prior Department of Homeland Security and Pentagon documents also did not refer to "Islamist extremism." He expressed dismay that the administration's review of the Fort Hood shooting, in which alleged shooter Maj. Nidal Hasan was said to have had contact with a radical cleric beforehand, omitted the term.
Lieberman is on the right track here.
"Unless we're honest about that, we're not going to be able to defeat this enemy," Lieberman told "Fox News Sunday." "It's absolutely Orwellian and counterproductive to the fight that we're fighting."
We are never going to completely defeat this enemy, as it is already spread too far. Now we have to contain it. To do this, we must end all Muslim immigration, and officially ban Sharia Law. If any Muslim calls for Sharia afterwards, they shall be arrested and deported if possible. All pro-Sharia Muslims are to be looked upon as enemies of the state. Just as Nazis were.


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Wanted: Adventurers and Crazy PeoplePosted: September 24, 2015 Filed under: Festival missions, missions, outreach 5 Comments
Well, Burning Man 2015 is over. Up until now, I've taken that mission a year at a time. There have always been so many unknowns, so much expense and so much work and planning involved that one step at a time seemed to be the best approach. The destruction of the dome in the almost unrelenting high winds is largely the catalyst that has got me thinking more long term about my future there. The dome was really useful on a lot of levels – as kitchen space, a place to hang out, and a place to offer hospitality to others, which often resulted in ministry happening right in our camp in an informal approach (though the ministry was often quite deep).
I went alone this year. That also made me aware of my need to plan and make decisions.
So the dome needs to be replaced with…something. With what? It depends. I don't expect to go alone again, but last year it was just three of us and the year before, just four. The little 20′ PVC dome was great for us. But what if we want to take a larger team?
So the main thing I need to know, upon which how to plan depends, is, can we get a team to go, and how big of a team?
So this is a preliminary call for team members. We need reasonably healthy people, including some who are good with building and tools. No ministry experience is necessary. We will train you. It isn't even necessary that you be a Christian. If you want to be a part and contribute to what we're doing, we have stuff for you to do. We need people who can embody the Ten Principles of Burning Man (Look them up. Self reliance is one of them).
Beyond Burning Man
But Burning Man is not the only thing we do. We have a vision to plant churches at festivals. I've written about why this is important in other blog posts, but in a nutshell (a) the world is being changed at these festivals and (b) festival goers are spiritual seekers and are open to spiritual discussions. We potentially established churches at three festivals in the UK this past summer.
So we hope to build a pool of people who are interested in participating in this vision. You may have been part of some leader's vision in the past where you basically were locked into what that leader's vision was, but our methodology is different. We want people to join us, and support the vision with their own vision, creativity, and ideas.
If this interests you, we'd like to hear from you. Here is a link where you can get on a list to receive e-mails. You can also follow this blog. I also have a FB page by the same name, My Foolish Mission.
Even if you feel you can't travel to these festivals, there is a LOT you may be able to do: You can pray! You can help get the word out. There may be things that need to be built, costumes to make, etc. Words of encouragement are really helpful! Don't hesitate to get in touch!
5 Comments on "Wanted: Adventurers and Crazy People"
Send this to Kaitlin ,,, I'll look for her email
Sent from my iPhone
I'm intrigued since I'm a world adventurer and radical Christian for my precious Jesus. I'm 67 and going strong, just finished GCTS seminary, been to 23 countries and LOVE evangelism. I'm retired and ready for new horizons. Please put me on your email list, I may join you. I live in Franklin, NH, got your email through Hilary Davis.


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Fenceline Cider is making moves in the wine business.
The cidery in Mancos has purchased all winemaking equipment from Guy Drew Vineyards, whose owner will be joining the Fenceline team as production manager.
Fenceline owners say the move will allow the cidery to harvest, press and ferment all its grapes in Mancos.
"Having full control of the product from start to finish will allow us to develop higher-end wines and cider more efficiently," said Fenceline co-owner Sam Perry. "Also, Guy's 20-plus years of large-volume winemaking experience will allow Fenceline to supply its growing number of wholesale accounts in the region."
The conversation began earlier this year after Drew's McElmo Canyon property was foreclosed. The business was operated by Guy and Ruth Drew for the past two decades. Drew said the move was primarily a business decision on his part.
"After purchasing and planting and investing a lot of money in growing grapes, it is not viable for most grapes," he said. "It's just too cold in the wintertime."
He added that the mortgage on his 155-acre parcel in the canyons was too burdensome. According to the Montezuma County Assessor's Office, the McElmo Canyon property along Road G was purchased June 26 by Reece and Leslie Ann Malles for $850,000.
Drew said that he will, however, continue to grow grapes at other locations in the county, where climate and elevation are more conducive to their growth.
"A number of ideas were tossed around, and ultimately, we decided that it was best for Fenceline to just buy out Guy Drew Vineyards," Perry said.
Under state law, cider is classified in the wine category for liquor licensing purposes, Drew said. Fenceline also has begun its foray into the wine world, although it is known for its ciders.
Drew said the wine equipment Fenceline purchased totals about $300,000. The additional equipment will help Fenceline double its production capabilities and expand its wine offerings, according to a statement released by Drew and Perry. Guy Drew Wine sales will continue into late fall at its McElmo Canyon location.
In his new position as production manager, Drew will be responsible for all cider and wine production at Fenceline Cider and Wine. He said the move will allow him to continue to pursue what he loves to do, and allow him to expand his expertise into the cider realm.
"It's an incredible opportunity," he said.
Perry said the move will help keep Fenceline local. "This will be a huge boost to our wine program because it will allow us to source all our fruit, fresh, right here in Montezuma County," he said.


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A model for an open-ended task-based approach in grade 11 mathematics classes
Mahlobo, Radley Kebarapetse
MetadataShow full item record
In this investigation, two schools - a control school and an experimental school – were compared in terms of learner performance in two traditional grade 11 mathematics tests, namely the pre-intervention test and the post-intervention test. Both schools completed the two tests simultaneously. Educators saw both tests before intervention. In the experimental school, four grade 11 mathematics classes were studied. The four classes were given worksheets that complied with an open-ended approach (OEA) to mathematics teaching and learning for learners to work independently on, with the teacher only facilitating. The learner-centredness expressed in the OEA complied with learner-centredness as envisaged by the National Curriculum Statement (NCS), and was predominantly constructivist in character. Throughout the five-month intervention, the author observed proceedings in two of the four classes in the experimental school, ensuring that questions the teacher asked complied with the OEA. The two classes would be referred to as monitored classes. The other two classes at the experimental school worked on the worksheet, with the teacher having been briefed about what was expected of the learners using the worksheet -basically that the learners would have to take own initiatives in solving the mathematics problems with minimal teacher intervention. The two grade 11 mathematics classes were monitored, but not as frequently as the monitored classes. The classes will be referred to as unmonitored classes. At the control school the educators followed their usual (traditional) teaching approach. Both the experimental and control schools followed the same grade 11 mathematics work schedule. The educators in the control school taught without any interference from the author, but the classes at the control school were occasionally observed by the author. In addition to the intervention comparison, the author also gathered qualitative information about participating educators' and learners' experiences and opinions about the OEA at the experimental school by using interviews. The results of the pre-intervention test showed no statistical difference between the experimental and control school performance, meaning that the learners from both schools were of comparable pre-requisite knowledge. In the post-intervention test, learners from the two monitored classes meaningfully outperformed those from the two unmonitored experimental classes and those from the control school. However, there was no significant difference in performance between learners from the two unmonitored classes and those from control school, The study concludes that the appropriate OEA intervention was responsible for the good results of the monitored classes., and then uses the gathered qualitative information to design a model for the successful implementation of' OEA in mathematics classes.
- Education [1567]


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Blue Note Hawaii
Hawaii's premier venue for live music in the most intimate setting, 365 days a year, two shows nightly! Kenny G, Chaka Khan, and Maxi Priest have already graced the Blue Note stage. Enjoy local contemporary cuisine and cocktails from our full service bar and restaurant.
2335 Kalakaua Avenue
Honolulu, HI 96815
Phone Numbers
- Local Phone: 808-777-4898
Email:[email protected]


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Ferienwohnung Kaiserblick Kramer
Lendgasse 20, A-6345 Kössen
(0043) 6641425678
- email@example.com
holiday apartment in Kössen
safe for later
Ferienwohnung Kaiserblick Kramer
Lendgasse 20, A-6345 Kössen
(0043) 6641425678
Our house in a sunny secluded location overlooking the Kaisergebirge lies only about 5 minutes walking distance from the center of Kössen. Restaurant, pizzeria, shopping nearby. The cross-country ski run and the Hochkössen cable car are just in distance. Garden with barbecue and seating.
With SwimmCard Kasierwinkl (SC) you have free admission to the eastern bank and lake promenade Walchsee, Outdoor Forest Pool Kössen and Outdoor Pool Reit im Winkl. The pools are open from may to september.
With the Swimmingcard indoor pool winter you get in winter free admission to the indoor pool Reit im Winkl.
Are rooms still available?Check now
Apartment, shower and bath tub, 2 bed rooms
78 m²
Show details
€ 120,00
Newly furnished apartment with 2 bedrooms, kitchen, TV, dishwasher, shower, bath, toilet. In a central location. With a view of the Kaisergebirge.
bathtub, bed linen available, cable TV, coffeemaker, dish sink, dishes available, dishwasher, electric stove, French bed, furniture suite, garden, garden furniture, good as new room/apt., hairdryer, kettle, kitchen, kitchen and table linen, microwave, no pets allowed, non-smoking room/apt., refrigerator, separate bedroom/living room, separate beds, shower, terrace, toilet, TV, vent hood, WiFi
Would you be interested in another date for this unit?Additional availability
INCLUSIVE: KW card with many discounts, car parking, swimming card Kaiserwinkl for summer, swimming card indoor pool Reit im Winklfor winter.
EXCLUSIVE: 1,90 € local tax per person, final cleaning of € 50,00
Check In: at 17:00 Uhr
Check Out: to 10:00 Uhr
Ferienwohnung Kaiserblick KramerLendgasse 20
A-6345 KössenGPS 47.6603058 / 12.4075011
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Sonic Colours: Ultimate review – continuing the cycle
Widely considered to be the best modern day Sonic The Hedgehog game, does this former Wii exclusive still hold up today?
Exactly how Sonic The Hedgehog has managed to make it this far is a mystery that not even the most ardent fan can explain. Sega certainly doesn't understand it and nor would anyone else looking at the franchise dispassionately, and the fact that it's barely had a decent game in close to two decades. Despite that, Sonic still features on the lunchboxes and T-shirts of children around the world and only last year had a successful live action movie, proving that even casual fans will happily ignore 20 years of hurt in favour of reminiscing over the series' glory days during the Mega Drive era.
Nostalgia is a powerful drug but clearly there's something intrinsically entertaining about Sonic's cast of characters and the simple pleasures of running really fast in one direction. That is, however, a pleasure that the post-Mega Drive games have uniformly failed to capture, with but two exceptions: 2017's Sonic Mania (which doesn't really count as it is part remake and was essentially made by fans) and Sonic Colours on the Wii.
Originally released in 2010, Sonic Colours has 3D elements but is primarily a 2D platformer similar in style to the originals but using the Wii to create a slightly more modern twist to the visuals and gameplay. Colours is often held up as the best game of the 3D era and so it makes perfect sense for Sega to remaster it for Sonic's 30th anniversary¸ given the pandemic has postponed their plans for a brand new game. But knowing that Sonic Colours is the best only underlines how bad all the others are…
Being named the best modern Sonic game is perhaps the mildest form of flattery possible but when Sonic Colours was first released it offered a ray of hope that the series could drag itself out of the mire. Excited talk about once again rivalling Mario for the platform mascot crown were clearly overstated though, as not only was there never any sequel but the series immediately devolved back into the likes of Sonic Lost World and Sonic Boom. And whatever else you say about Sonic Colours it is definitely better than those two.
The majority of Colours' gameplay is very similar to the old Mega Drive games but because it features 3D visuals the camera is able to swoop and move around the play area, even as your finger remains firmly stuck pushing right on the control stick. The camera also occasionally moves behind Sonic for some more modern into-the-screen racing sections, with the obvious idea being that the game would encompass the best of both worlds.
As usual there's also a needles gimmick, in this case the Wisps, which have shown up in a few other games since and which work as Super Mario Galaxy style power-ups that transform Sonic into different forms for a short time. These have to be unlocked in turn and range from a drill to a rocket to a laser that pinballs you between conveniently placed gems.
Wisps are generally used to either make a tricky section easier or to navigate a shortcut, with the game encouraging you to return to previously beaten levels to try them out with a different type of Wisp that you didn't have the first time round. Wisps don't add much to the game but they don't detract either, with the story thankfully not trying to add any unnecessary melodrama to their lore and, unusually for a Sonic game, actually being quite funny at times.
Predictably, it's the into-the-screen sections of the game which are the weakest, even though they're easily the prettiest. As ever, you've very little control of what you're doing, which makes the fact that simply moving left or right seems so irritatingly imprecise. But then the controls in general are unnecessarily fussy, with too many abilities assigned to the same buttons and too much auto-aim where the game thinks it knows better than you where you're trying to get to.
There are other longstanding issues including leaps of faith and other unseen obstacles that you couldn't possibly anticipate the first time round, which is something most other platform franchises dispensed with decades ago. The difficultly is generally low but it's also uneven, adding to the frustration.
In terms of being a remaster, the only major difference is 60fps visuals and 4K resolution, as well as improved lighting and a remixed soundtrack (which you can't switch between manually). As is often the case, all this manages to do is keep the game consistent with your memories, so it barely feels like an improvement at all.
There are a few new features but they're very minor, with the most significant being a single new Wisp type: a ghost which is nowhere near as fun as the others because the rest of the game has clearly not been designed with it in mind. There's also a new time trial mode with Metal Sonic but there's only six of them – one per world – and they don't amount to much.
What there is a lot of pre-launch is minor bugs and glitches, which are apparently even worse on the Switch version. This very much gives the impression that the game was rushed out quickly as a stopgap anniversary celebration, especially as the cut scenes haven't been updated at all and now look noticeably worse than the in-game graphics.
Odd as it may sound, you never know what to expect when playing a retro game for the first time in years. Will it still look and play as you remember it or will it have aged prematurely, its outdated graphics revealing that it was never really as good as you used to think?
Sonic Colours comes somewhere in the middle of those two extremes. It's not aged particularly well, especially as Sonic Mania has come out in the meantime, but for what it's worth it is still the best of the 3D games. However, that means even less now than it did in 2010 and if your reasons for playing it are anything other than nostalgia this is only going to further colour your feelings against the franchise.
Sonic Colours: Ultimate review summary
In Short: Technically it's still the best modern Sonic, if you don't count Sonic Mania, but time has not been particularly kind and neither has this unambitious remaster.
Pros: Good level design and the Wisps are mostly a lot of fun, while also not being too distracting. In-game graphics hold up reasonably well and the script is occasionally amusing.
Cons: Imprecise and overly fussy controls, with too many 3D sections. Too many leaps of faith and unavoidable obstacles. Remaster adds nothing of note and there are a lot of bugs.
Score: 6/10
Formats: PlayStation 4 (reviewed), Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC
Price: £34.99
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Blind Squirrel Games and Sonic Team
Release Date: 7th August 2021
Age Rating: 7
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Source: Read Full Article


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October 12, 2017 | Josh Sullivan
September's market activity should be viewed as a slight speed bump as opposed to a shift in direction. Overall sales volume declined 3.4% YoY while inventory fell for the 17th consecutive month in a row. Although overall inventory is steadily declining, we saw the largest proportion of new listings added for September in over a decade.
Washington, DC
Similarly to August, the District was the only region within the Metro area to report a drop in median sales price for the month of September. Sale prices dipped over 6% compared to this time last year, reaching $501,000. Along with diminishing sale prices, sales volume throughout the District struggled as well, dropping nearly 14% YoY. Though all property types experienced a decrease in sales activity, detached single-family residence closings declined nearly 20% YoY. Townhome and condo sales fell 6.9% and 16.4%, respectively. While September proved to be a difficult month for the DC market, this is not indicative of a market-wide slow down.
Arlington County, VA
Arlington was one of the few jurisdictions throughout the DC Metro to have more market activity than this same time last year. Both median sales price and sales volume improved YoY, while inventory levels remained largely unchanged. Arlington's sale price rose 3%, reaching $527,500 for the month of September while closings climbed almost 9%. Sales of detached single-family residences improved considerably with over 30% more closings last month. Townhome closings fluctuated slightly, decreasing 8.7%, while condo sales grew a mere 1.5%.
Fairfax County, VA
Fairfax County's activity for September is more in line with what the overall market has been experiencing as of late. Median sales price for the county remained unchanged, reaching $460,000 last month. While price levels plateaued for September, overall sales volume dropped almost 5% YoY. Both detached single-family residence and townhome sales suffered, decreasing 8% across both property types. Condo sales showed a slight uptick in activity, improving 8.1% YoY, but 267 closings were not enough to outweigh the decrease in detached residences and townhome sales.
While the past few months have cooled down compared to the proceeding, record-setting months, this is not a trend that is likely to continue. Inventory continues to decline while median sales price for the region continues to climb. The slight dip in demand is an anomaly, and we expect buyer's confidence to ramp back up in coming months, returning to typical market levels.


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Researchers at Purdue University believe that adding externally mounted red and blue LED lights to aircraft might one day help reduce midairs with birds. They found that LED lights in these color spectrums lead some birds in the opposite direction, according to a study published yesterday.
While lights have been used to try to create "avoidance behavior" in birds before, the Purdue researchers came up short in finding literature to support what kinds of light might work. In collaboration with the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the Purdue researchers thus conducted tests to see what kind of light could help to shoo birds away from airplanes.
Researchers used a single-choice test, in which the bird chooses between a light on and off rather than between two colors, said Esteban Fernandez-Juricic, a professor of biological sciences at Purdue who led the study. The test, which was repeated with five different wavelengths of light, found that birds consistently avoided LED lights with peaks at 470 and 630 nanometers, which appear blue and red to the human eye. Ultraviolet, green, and white light didn't generate any obvious pattern of avoidance or attraction, researchers said.
Fernandez-Juricic said they will now move to test other bird species' responses to different types of light, as well as modifying the test and doing more experiments.


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What Buyers Should Consider When Purchasing a Home With a Shared Driveway
When shopping for a home, there's a possibility that you may come across a property that's sharing a driveway with the home next door. That means that one driveway needs to be shared between the two adjoining neighbors.
If shared driveways are common in the community that you're looking at buying in, then you shouldn't be surprised to find out that the property you've got your eye on has one. That said, the purchase price should reflect that. For instance, a home with its own private driveway might possibly sell for more money than a home with a shared driveway. This will be helpful when putting in an offer on a home.
Before buying a home with a shared driveway, there are a few things you should take into consideration first.
Determine Any Existing Covenants
It's important to identify whether or not there are any covenants that outline the rules of sharing the area.
For instance, is the driveway shared equally between both neighbors? Who is responsible for maintenance and repair of the driveway? What are the restrictions, if any, about parking vehicles? How and where is the shared driveway easement recorded? The answers to these questions are important before a decision is made on whether or not to buy a home with a shared driveway, as it can impact how you enjoy your home.
For the most part, there are written rules regarding shared driveways that are recorded on subdivision plans as easements or covenants on the deeds of the homes that are sharing the driveway. However, there may also be times when a separate deed for the shared driveway under the easement exists. If there is ever a dispute between the two property owners regarding the shared driveway, it will be important to identify how the deeds are recorded.
Get a Copy of the Survey
If you are considering purchasing a property with a shared driveway, make sure to ask your real estate agent to obtain a survey map and the recorded information about the shared driveway first. This will help you determine the actual ownership interest and exactly where the easement boundaries are located.
It should be noted that a shared driveway doesn't necessarily mean equal ownership with the neighbor. It's possible that one property owner owns the whole driveway while the other owner only has certain rights to use it. The surveyor who prepares the survey will mark off the boundaries of the property so you can identify how much of the driveway you actually own.
Ask For a Copy of Any Agreements
The seller should provide you with a copy of any agreements that might exist related to the shared driveway. In many cases, there are rules already in place that stipulate how the shared driveway is to be cared for and how disputes should be handled.
Most of the time, there is little issue with sharing a driveway as long as both neighbors act in a considerate manner and practice common sense. However, there are certainly times when disagreements arise as a result of how a shared driveway is being used.
For example, one neighbor might take up too much of the space for parking, or is causing damage to the driveway. There are definitely plenty of scenarios that can play out when two neighbors are sharing the same driveway, which can be a huge disadvantage in terms of a buying a home with this type of easement.
It's pretty common for there to be written rules included in the legal documentation for the property where the shared driveway is.
If the seller doesn't have any or wasn't even aware that the driveway was shared, such information should be researched during the title search of the property.
Be Very Detailed With Your Purchase Contract
If you're concerned that a potential dispute could arise, consider writing up an offer that requires the seller to provide a written document outlining the shared driveway and how it is to be shared and used between both property owners.
The agreement should be very detailed and include stipulations regarding how maintenance and repair costs are to be allocated and completed, how much of the driveway is actually owned by one neighbor over the other, what your specific rights regarding use of the driveway will be, and so forth.
The Bottom Line
Put in an offer only after you've identified how much – if any – ownership you would have of a shared driveway and what the current rules are governing how it is to be maintained. You want to be certain that you can comfortably live with the current arrangement before you decide to buy a home with a shared driveway. Luckily, your real estate agent will be able to help you gather the appropriate documentation regarding the rules and use of the shared driveway so you can make an informed decision.


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Assouline Gathers Fashionable Folks to Toast The Luxury Alchemist
This past Wednesday, we walked up to The Plaza's red carpeted stairs into the marble floored hotel entry where we were greeted by a friendly hostess. She directed us to another flight of marble stairs with golden handrails to "The Most Sophisticated Bookstore in the World." On the evening Assouline, a luxury publishing company, hosted Luxury branding expert Ketty Pucci-Sisti Maisonrouge with a fabulous cocktail party. As you would expect the author met with book lovers and signed copies of The Luxury Alchemist, a book that details how to transform an idea into a luxury brand.
Ketty Pucci-Sisti Maisonrouge sat at an elegant table in front of a large window overlooking Fifth Avenue. Surrounded by bouquets of yellow roses and an abundance of her yellow hard-covered books, the pretty and petite Professor at Columbia Business School greeted French friends as the french do with two air kisses to each cheek. The French speaking patrons dressed in Hermès and Dior stood in line with several copies of The Luxury Alchemist. Who wouldn't want to learn how to build a luxury brand while enjoying cocktails? At the soiree a tall waiter dressed in a black suit, white shirt, and white gloves offered us along with the other guest a glass of white wine as we waited for the author to sign our book. Eventually, it was our turn and she smiled and autographed the copy of her book with the inscription "May all your lead turn to gold."– Sonja Killebrew