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Politicians' race to the Big Apple
THERE is something about New York that fires the traveller's instinct among our MPs and once again it is that time of the year when our honourable representatives get the itch to travel to the Big Apple for the annual sojourn at the United Nations. The UN General Assembly meets only in September but the Prime Minister's Office is already under immense political pressure from Congressmen as well as UPA allies to have their members included in the delegation. A bureaucrat friend said in jest that the lobbying was somewhat like what is witnessed on the eve of a cabinet session.
It's easy to see why they are all clamouring to fly to New York. The Indian delegation normally consists of of 30 to 35 people. Sixteen of them are MPs who join the delegation in two batches of eight each and the rest are ministers and diplomats. For 45 days, all of them get to hole up in one of the best Manhattan hotels at the taxpayers' expense. The stay is long enough for those afflicted with minor and major health problems to hold consultations with some of the best physicians in the world.
In normal circumstances, the selection is entirely the prerogative of the Prime Minister, but in a coalition like the UPA, as we have so often seen, the unusual is the rule rather than the exception.
So the final choice may not be Manmohan Singh's alone. In a few days, we will know who have made the grade, but there is a record that will be hard to beat and it belongs to Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
He first attended the UNGA in 1977 as foreign minister in the Morarji Desai government when he famously addressed the assembly in Hindi.
Between 1988 and 1994, India had four prime ministers.
That all of them chose the BJP veteran is perhaps a measure of the deep admiration they shared for a political adversary.
Absentee ministers make cabinet meetings a no- show
CONSIDERING all the praise that heads of states and governments lavish upon him, it's easy to see why Manmohan Singh needs only the slightest of excuses to take to the skies. " When the prime minister of India speaks, the world listens" or something to that effect, US President Barack Obama said in Toronto last week.
How Manmohan would wish his own ministers also listen to him with similar earnestness. Kashmir was in flames even as Manmohan was rubbing shoulders with the G- 20 leaders, so it was understandable that as soon as he returned, he wanted to take stock. So he decided to hold an emergency meeting of his cabinet on his return to the Capital on Thursday, which coincided with the day of the weekly cabinet meeting.
Incidentally, during the Vajpayee days, the cabinet used to meet on Tuesdays but this was shifted in the UPA era to Thursday, following requests from some of the powerful alliance ministers from the South. They said they wished to be home with their families during the weekend.
A five- item agenda paper was drawn up for circulation among all cabinet ministers and, as is procedure, the deputy secretary in the cabinet secretariat in charge of cabinet meetings rang up the private secretaries of all ministers to find out the " availability" of their masters.
Only 15 of the 33 full fledged ministers were available in the Capital.
Among the notable absentees were the three DMK ministers, who were enjoying a wellearned rest after the exertion at the highly publicised World Tamil Congress in Coimbatore.
Sharad Pawar was in Singapore getting himself embroiled in yet another cricket- related controversy, while other worthies cited prior commitments to excuse themselves from the emergency meeting.
Finally, the scheduled cabinet meeting was converted into a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security, with the PM chairing the session attended by four of his senior- most colleagues — the ministers of defence, home, finance and external affairs.
STRANGE things are happening in Jharkhand.
Barely 10 years into its inception, the state has already seen six changes of chief ministers and two spells of president's rule, including the current one which began on June 1 after chief minister Shibu Soren resigned on the eve of a trust vote.
The assembly is under suspended animation since then and with no party in a position to form the government, the BJP has demanded fresh elections. But the Centre seems in no mood to oblige. Usually, immediately after President's rule is imposed, the Centre appoints advisers to assist the governor, but even this has not been done though a month has gone by.
Worse, governor MOH Farooq, who is the de facto chief minister, is hardly ever in Ranchi. The 73- year- old former Pondicherry chief minister is said to be not in the best of health and spends half his time in Chennai for medical treatment.
But the UPA's proxy rule in Ranchi is unlikely to last long since it has to get the presidential proclamation ratified by Parliament, which is not an easy task since the UPA is woefully short of the majority in the Rajya Sabha.
Last heard, the Centre is contemplating withdrawal of president's rule before Parliament's monsoon session begins later this month.
For whose benefit and under what conditions remains to be seen.


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Giant Phyllodes tumor
40-year-old female patient with a growing mass over the last couple of years.
Patient Data
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Dense glandular densities (ACR D) showing left breast large dense soft tissue mass occupying most of the left breast.
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Encapsulated soft tissue mass lesion showing heterogeneous echotexture measures about 13 x 10 cm in its maximum dimensions with overlying left breast skin stretching.
Case Discussion
Giant left breast mass and considering the patient age and rapid growth rate, a phyllodes tumor is more likely.
Core biopsy was done showing biphasic fibroepithelial tumor showing proliferating spindle cells within collagenized occasionally loose stroma entangling bland epithelial component in the form of patent and focally compressed ducts. Picture impressive of a phyllodes tumor.

subset: commoncrawl


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London, UK, 30 October 2017 - Global DevOps and Cloud Transformation Consultancy Contino has been awarded the Amazon Web Services Inc (AWS) DevOps Competency.
We're delighted to announce that Contino has been awarded the AWS DevOps Competency, only weeks after the announcement of its AWS Financial Services Competency achievement. Contino is now one of few consultancies globally to hold both the Financial Services and AWS DevOps competencies.
The AWS DevOps Competency further highlights [LC1] Contino's ability to transform software delivery in highly-regulated enterprises through the adoption of DevOps best practices across people, processes and technology. The AWS DevOps Competency process is extremely stringent and includes the auditing of a number of client projects, such as Contino's full-scale DevOps and cloud transformation work at Allianz, the world's largest insurance company.
The AWS DevOps Competency is awarded to companies deemed to possess, "deep experience working with businesses to help them implement continuous integration and delivery development patterns or helping them automate infrastructure provisioning and management with configuration management tools on AWS."
Matt Farmer, Contino Co-founder and CEO, commented on the award: "As Contino's relationship with AWS goes from strength to strength, I'm thrilled that we have added another AWS Competency to our roster. DevOps and cloud adoption continues to rise as the successes of the early adopters become more and more obvious and the need for transformation becomes clearer and clearer. The AWS DevOps Competency is a fantastic achievement, further underscoring our dedication to helping our clients adopt DevOps in a way that brings maximum value to their end users and to shareholders."
Benjamin Wootton, Contino Co-founder and CTO, highlighted what the competency means for enterprise clients: "At Contino, we don't resell services, or run a land-and-expand managed services shop - we look to prove the DevOps concept whilst upskilling client teams in these new ways of working, leaving behind an improved software delivery platform, more effective teams and, most importantly, no long-term dependence on Contino. This Competency will be a great help in demonstrating to clients the incredible effectiveness of DevOps transformation when done properly - and our proven ability to catalyse that transformation."
Pssst...Book a Meeting with Contino at re:Invent 2017
One of the 50,000 coming to AWS re:Invent this year? Book a meeting with us!
Why book a meeting? Well, a few reasons:
Get expert advice from our AWS-certified cloud and DevOps consultants
Learn from our experience successfully transforming complex, highly-regulated enterprises, such as Allianz, the world's largest insurance company
Check out our shiny new AWS Financial Services and DevOps Competencies.
Book a meeting with us during re:Invent or during the Financial Services Industry Day ( Mon 27 Nov):
The Financial Services Industry Day is dedicated to solving the transformation woes of financial organizations and will be full of break-out sessions including:
Building Queryable Archives and Data Lakes for Financial Services
Optimizing Payments Collections with Containers and Machine Learning with the Bank of Nova Scotia
See you there!
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The student gardens at the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show always feel so fresh, maybe because they are not constrained by reputation. Although small, these gardens are not without their own difficulties and constraints and those students who take on the challenge are both brave and, I think, the smart ones of their industry. They know that they will learn a huge amount about the realities of constructing their design dreams. So if you want to find a new designer with energy, talent and business acumen, then here's your list. Continue reading
Monthly Archives: March 2014
The coning of the Dioon
To paraphrase the 1843 paper describing this species for the first time, the addition of a new cone to our Cycadaceous collection is indeed a fine thing. Over the last month or so, one of our cycads has been constructing its first cone. Exciting times in the nursery at Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne. Continue reading
What's hot & what's not – MIFGS 2014
The Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show (known to many as MIFGS) is a great place to see what's trending in landscape design. Sometimes it's more clear what's no longer in vogue than what is a developing trend, but here's a roundup of what was evident in the larger show gardens in 2014. Continue reading
GardenDrum WINS!
GardenDrum has WON its first big-time award! The Horticultural Media Association of Australia has awarded GardenDrum its Website Laurel in a glam and glitzy ceremony in Melbourne last Tuesday. Continue reading
Melbourne Flower Show and Garden Show 2014
The Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show (MIFGS) opens this Wednesday, 26 March. What's in store for 2014? Continue reading
The romantic Garden of Ninfa, Italy
It was May and I was travelling through Italy enjoying a feast of gardens from Sorrento in the south to Lake Como on the north. That's late spring in the Northern Hemisphere, but the weather was still chilly and, surprisingly for that time of the year in the Mediterranean, it was also wet. But rain didn't dampen my visit to a garden billed as the most romantic in the world – the Garden of Ninfa south of Rome. Continue reading
Creating a hedge with Australian plants
One of the principal defining features of many of the great gardens of the world is their hedges. European gardens long ago elevated the hedge to an art form with centuries old plantings forming the backbone of gardens such as Versailles in France and Hidcote in England. All sorts of interesting trees and shrubs are used for hedging and topiary, but several species dominate, namely English box (Buxus sempervirens), Yew (Taxus baccata) and Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus). Continue reading
EU Parliament votes down new seed control laws
The EU Parliament on 10 March voted down the EU Commission's plant reproduction material law, in what some claim is a victory for home gardeners and biodiversity. But is it really? Continue reading
The new ikebana – Yuji Ueno style
Not my mother's ikebana! That was my first response as I beheld the beautiful cover of japanese ikebana for every season by Rie Imai and Yui Ueno with photography by Noboru Murata. You see I lived in Tokyo as a toddler. A US Army Officer's wife, my mother took classes in Japanese Flower Arranging. When we returned to San Francisco I grew up with her ikebana arrangements of camellias or calla lilies with foliage that grew in our gardens.
Review: a solar-powered fountain
It felt as if something was missing from our ornamental pond, and after 'pond-ering' for a while, I decided that a water feature was needed to make it complete. A fountain, to be precise! I wanted one to add an additional aspect to the pond, to provide light-filled, moving water as well as static. I always love to see fountains when I visit other gardens, and appreciate the way they create an interesting vertical dimension. Continue reading
Nuclear fallout – composters decaying
When a tree falls in the forest, shouldn't it decay? At Chernobyl, it seems not. Continue reading
New Salvia ready to Make-a-Wish
Last year we shared the story behind two special salvias, 'Wendy's Wish' and 'Ember's Wish'. Both are aligned with Make-A-Wish Australia and part proceeds from each are donated to this inspiring charity to help fund the wishes of Australia's sick children.
We'd now like to present the third instalment in the Wish Collection. Continue reading
A growing passion
Throughout Australia there are dedicated and knowledgeable people collecting, propagating, grafting, hybridising, tissue-culturing and nurturing new varieties of plants. These people are modern day plant hunters, scouring mail-order catalogues from suppliers around the world, or travelling to distant nurseries or wild places in search of new specimens. Continue reading


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Svara's favorite treat! The fact that she is allergic to dairy, and has to have only minimal sugar luckily do not keep Svara away from icecream!
Here is our super easy icecream recipe that Svara has been eating since she was less than a year old:
Banana Icecream
*3-6 very ripe bananas, frozen
*200ml (approximately 1 cup) full fat coconut milk (can substitute with any milk or milk alternative)
Optional ingredients, choose one or more:
*2-3 Tbs carob or cocoa powder (we use carob)
*Large handful of fresh green spinach leaves (can't taste them and makes pretty green icecream!)
*Frozen berries, any kind
*2-3 Tbs peanut butter or any nut or seed butter
*2-4 Tbs lemon juice for lemon icecream! (you may need to add some sweetener to taste for this variety)
Place all ingredients into food processor and process until smooth. It will be quite soft, but still very cold, when it is finished. It can be eaten immediately or put into a container in the freezer. You can also spoon it into popsicle molds! If you have an icecream maker you can also put it in the iceream maker to make it more stiff for immediate eating. After it is completely frozen it will be quite hard. You can let it sit out on the counter for 10 minutes to soften, or place in the microwave for 20-40 seconds so it is easy to scoop (just make sure it is in a microwaveable container if you do that!)
Because bananas are so naturally sweet you do not need any additional sugar in this recipe, which is great for Svara! (she gets yeast overgrowth if she has too much sugar) This is also the only way Svara will currently eat bananas. We make it at least once a week! Usually the carob variety, but sometimes Svara requests green icecream, or plain banana.
Svara knows that she has dietary restrictions. When in the store if she sees something she'll ask, "does it have dairy?" or "does it have too much sugar?" and she doesn't put up a fuss when I say yes, it does. Perhaps some day this will change, but right now she remembers having a rash and being all itchy from eating the wrong foods, so she's more than happy to stick with what she's able to have. And having healthy and tasty alternatives for her at home always helps too!


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"India will need to develop solutions that impact the lives of Indians. And these may not necessarily lie in trailing global trends but rather in getting a deeper understanding of the Indian consumer's behavior online. But yes, the internet and social media are exposing the user to global standards of richness of content and experience that will only make them increasingly demanding of standards and speed of interactivity. Are brands ready for it or content to just toe-dip into digital?"Said Charulata Ravi Kumar, CEO Razorfish India.
In an interview with MediAvataar India Charu talked about what it takes to be a pioneer in digital industry and how India is moving ahead in this intensifying pour out. Here is the complete Q&A……
MediAvataar: What is your vision for Razorfish India?
Charu: To drive the industry in thought and delivery leadership in end-to-end digital solutions, and partnering Brands in their Business Transformation journey.
MediAvataar: What do you consider has been your greatest achievement in your career so far?
Charu: Surviving for over 26 years and still seeking new challenges!
MediAvataar: How would you describe the Indian digital landscape?
Charu: Raw and unpolished… but a diamond waiting to be the next Kohinoor! Our population and digital growth numbers don't match up. So long the Indian market was largely led by online advertising and a bit of social. Clearly marketers have been taken by surprise at the quick evolution that mobile has brought about and cash options to e-commerce to boot. 5 trends that will shape the landscape are
-Better targeted and relevance of online content will drive better brand play. Brands will be forced to weave themselves into the consumer's lives much more than before or will face the risk of getting preened out.
-Mobile will create hyper-social usage. Impact of social media and micro influencers will challenge the traditional ways of brand building through high cost endorsements. Because credibility will be sought more and more.
-Greater India will fall into e-commerce fold and make marketplaces more robust. It will also force brands and marketplaces to create India-centric solutions on payment and fulfillment.
-New sectors like Healthcare, BFSI, and Infrastructure etc will grow the industry further and drive highly relevant innovations.
-Marketing will become more data driven. Big Data and more importantly its interpretation will be important to drive lateral innovations and will create quadripartite teams involving the CEO, CMO, CTO and the Partnering Digital Agency.
MediAvataar: What differentiates your firm in its approach to its work?
Charu: We are very uniquely placed as our skills portfolio brings a seamless offering of Digital Strategy, Technology, Creative and Media with specialized teams in each working out of our offices in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Pune. No disjointed pieces and no outsourcing. We are able to leverage digital efficiencies by identifying and acting on opportunities quickly and also address challenges real time. For clients, it's just so much simpler to deal with one lead team and stitch the pieces together effectively.
With this unique offering, we are India's largest Integrated Digital Agency that creates inside-out solutions for clients who seek Business Transformation.
MediAvataar: We are competing against a whole range of communication specialists – from social and advertising agencies, to in-house teams and freelancers. How do you stand out to win the pitch?
Charu: We do not pitch.
Our approach is entirely different. It's not about how can we out-do the advertising agencies, freelancers and other digital creative and social agencies. Our offering is much larger and holistic. Our starting point is to partner businesses to identify their real challenges and latent opportunities. This, layered with insights about the digital consumer and trendcasting, and our application of a sound strategy and innovative use of technology is what creates business solutions and not just digital advertising solutions.
In India, pitches end up being best price deals and not value creations. The industry must strongly resist being referred to and treated like "vendors". For that, there is always the Wholesale market. Not a Holistic market.
MediAvataar: What's the secret to attracting the best talent and keeping clients happy while balancing the books?
Charu: This must be a collaborative effort by the agency, its leadership and its clients. Nothing is more exciting than a powerful vision and the energy, innovative spirit, results and its recognition. All of this must be driven in partnership. A highly driven, proactive and passionate agency team can never go wrong with keeping clients happy. And likewise, a client with clear vision and direction with an inspiring attitude and success sharing spirit will get the best out of its agency.
When the hearts and minds align, the books remain strongly in balance.
MediAvataar: Razorfish has a proven track record in the Creative World, What's one of the most a) gratifying and b) bizarre experiences so far?
Charu: Gratifying would certainly be the recognition from our prestigious clients Maruti, Aditya Birla Fashions, Eureka Forbes, Tourism New Zealand amongst others, that our expertise and efforts have indeed impacted their business and changed th4e way their consumers engaged with their brand. Great strategy, creative and delivery are means to this very important end. And we must lose focus of that.
In a recent discussion with a new biz prospect that was keen to develop a robust digital strategy immediately for a new national launch, we discovered during the course of our discussions that their unique business model needed a totally innovative distribution method and we suggested to them that this had to precede any digital effort. It was a surprised response from them but sealed a long- term relationship. One may call our approach here bizarre, but it's the way we do things.
MediAvataar: How have the roles of media, marketing, and communications changed or evolved in India? How has this change affected the work?
Charu: A decade ago, media, marketing and communications shaped the transformation that Indian society was to go through. Now tables have turned. The Indian consumer is evolving much faster and shaping the means of communication and engagement. Indian professionals in addition to being innovative and creative will have to keep up and so will have to sharpen their sense of speed, accuracy and quality.
MediAvataar: Where do you see the future of creative marketing, and communications in India heading?
Charu: On the one hand, it will become highly performance driven and technology will be at the core of it all. And on the other, the need to become highly relevant and innovative in content, and its ability to sustain the dialogue will overarch all communication.
MediAvataar: What global market trends over the last year do you think will progress branding and advertising in India?
Charu: India will need to develop solutions that impact the lives of Indians. And these may not necessarily lie in trailing global trends but rather in getting a deeper understanding of the Indian consumer's behavior online. But yes, the internet and social media are exposing the user to global standards of richness of content and experience that will only make them increasingly demanding of standards and speed of interactivity. Are brands ready for it or content to just toe-dip into digital?


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Valve Condition Monitoring is known to reduce risks, and maximise efficiency and reliability in all processes where it is deployed. It is increasingly being seen as the only safe way of managing valve populations.
To ensure the on-going safety integrity, environmental protection and efficiency of your process is correctly maintained at all times, it is of critical importance that you know the condition of your process valves.
Put more simply, you need to know if your valves are leaking or not and if they are leaking, how bad is the leak? Additionally, on more critical valves you need to know if there is another "failure mode" developing in your valves or operators that will expose you to risks to people, process or plant (for example, in the event a valve fails to complete its design function such as closing or opening on demand).
Score Diagnostics Limited is a leader in valve leak detection and valve condition and performance monitoring. Using acoustic emission (AE) technology as one of its primary tools, it has revolutionised leak detection, making it quicker and easier than ever before. Acoustic emissions (AE) leak detection is about finding and quantifying valve leakages by examining the very high frequency noise a leaking fluid generates.
The Midas® Valve Diagnostics Range of products is exclusive to the Score Group of Companies, and currently includes the following:
The MIDAS Meter® is the next generation in Acoustic Emissions (AE) valve leak detection equipment, designed and manufactured by Score Diagnostics Limited, part of the Score Group of Companies.
The MIDAS Meter® is completely portable and easy to use. The device measures and reports sound levels in decibels (dB), listening for the high frequency noise a fluid generates when it passes through a damaged seat or seal interface, which allows you to quickly and non-invasively find and quantify any valve leaks.
Since the device only picks up high frequency noise, low frequency mechanically generated noise is excluded, allowing the MIDAS Meter® to conclusively identify even the smallest valve leaks in "noisy" areas of your plant.
The MIDAS Meter® valve leak detection tool helps you quickly find leaking isolation valves, control valves, safety valves and steam traps, during maintenance or shutdown planning, process plant commissioning and during normal production operations. Once you have identified a leaking valve and quantified its leak rate, its deterioration in performance can then be trended over time, to help avoid critical and unexpected in-service failures.
This valve condition and performance monitoring solution helps your asset integrity and maintenance teams move their focus from reactive to proactive maintenance activities and thus significantly improve plant efficiency and reduce your exposure to safety risks and costly production downtime.
The unique benefits of this step-change technology are:
MIDAS Meter® helps you to target your maintenance budget expenditure and actions on valves where the maximum return on investment can be achieved.
Using the same acoustic emissions (AE) leak detection technology as Score's portable valve leak detection tool, the MIDAS Meter®, the MIDAS® Sensor is designed for permanent but non-intrusive installation to provide continuous on-line valve condition and performance monitoring in hazardous areas where intrinsically safe equipment is required.
The MIDAS® Sensor detects the early onset of leakage so aiding operations to identify, trend and quantify valve leakage and enabling the appropriate operational and remedial actions to be put in place. This intrinsically safe valve condition and performance monitoring solution takes you from reactive to proactive maintenance by engaging in condition based monitoring and predictive maintenance activities. MIDAS® Sensor valve leak detection equipment therefore helps focus budget expenditure and actions on valves where maximum benefits can be achieved.
As with the Midas Meter, the unique benefits of this step-change technology are:
The principle application for the MIDAS® Sensor is through valve leak detection. This can be a standalone application with the MIDAS® Sensor interfacing with the plant's data acquisition system or SAS (Site Automation System) or used as part of Score's V-MAP® G3 system to provide a complete picture of a valve's condition by monitoring the valve and actuator operating characteristics of force or torque, pressure, position and speed of operation.To view our white paper on optimising maintenance with acoustic emissions click here.
V-MAP® G3 is an on-line system that offers continuous, non-invasive valve condition and performance monitoring of critical valves and the process / systems in which they are operating. Performance data is acquired remotely, without the need for personnel to be in attendance to monitor traditional "intervention" type tests. V-MAP® G3 acquires data for every valve operation, including unplanned operations / events, thus building up a history for trending performance, that in some cases may be used in-lieu of a planned intervention test, thereby avoiding the need to interrupt production. Valve and actuator performance trends can then be used to establish a preventative valve maintenance programme, based on measured in-service valve and actuator condition.
The new and enhanced third generation of the V-MAP® system provides process plant owners, operators, integrity and safety assurance engineers as well as maintenance personnel, actionable evidence and enhanced visibility of any / all developing failure modes in valves and their operators. It covers the Performance Standards for all Safety Critical Elements in Safety Integrated Systems (SIS): Emergency Shutdown Valves (ESDVs), Process Shutdown Valves (PSDVs), High Integrity Pressure Protection Systems Valves (HIPPS), Blow-Down Valves (BDVs) and Pressure Safety Valves (PSVs).
Enhanced Features and Benefits of the Third Generation V-MAP:-


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Back in May the government announced that it was considering an alternative method for the online age verification systems it wants implemented by the end of the year - which is fast approaching with no real progress announced to the public. It suggested launching 'porn passes' that could be purchased at newsagents and used to anonymously access adult material online. Plus other age restricted material like booze and knives.
While it wasn't clear how that would work, AgeID, the verification system from Pornhub owner MindGeek, has just teamed up with a company to try something similar. The company has announced a partnership with OCL and Portes, a company that has its own age-verifying card system on sale in newsagents across the UK. In fact they're on sale in the 29,000 PayPoint-affiliated newsagents across the country, which pretty much everyone lives near.
Portes Cards work in conjunction with the Portes app, designed to allowed authorities to "to distribute and speak an absolute state of truth into the Portes app." In other words it can be used to show that you're over 18, and then express that fact to websites you want to visit. It claims that by working with authorities in this way, it negates any need to collect or transmit personal data about the user. So that should mean nobody can keep tabs on your browsing history, ready to be leaked out when the next hacker finds an exploit in the system.E
Each card has a QR code on it, and is scanned into the app to 'confirm that truth', in this case that you're over 18. Whenever you need to access a restricted site clicking the Portes logo will let you launch the app on your phone, enter your PIN, and then that one piece of clarifying information is sent to the server to grant access. Cards are only needed to set everything up once, and cost £5 if you want to activate a single device. Multiple device cards are also available, costing £9 each.
James Clark, Director of Communications at AgeID, said:
"The anonymous nature of Portes fits perfectly into AgeID's suite of age verification options, offering privacy and reassurance to consumers that their personal information cannot be revealed.The addition of OCL'sparental and fraud prevention controls puts their solution head and shoulders above the rest and gives parents peace of mind as we enter a new era of internet regulation in the UK.
Our exclusive partnership with OCL continues AgeID's commitment to privacy and security, and advances our vision to be the most robust age verification system available"
Serge Acker, CEO of OCL, said:
We have designed Portes to be a seamless, transactional platform that can verify agreements between different parties without the need to store any kind of personal data. With new legislation set to come into force soon, we have created a status verification solution that is seamless and elegant, with far-reaching child and workplace protection applications, ensuring that only properly verified parties can access adult materials, regardless of whether that's visual media or social media.
We are proud to partner with the market leader in age verification, AgeID, exclusively for the card's use in providing age verification for adult themed sites."
Image: Lydia/Flickr (modified)


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We've been busy bees working on a new template release schedule –which means you'll be seeing more new themes for the HostBaby Site Builder more often. We know you want your website to look both unique and awesome and that's why all of our themes are highly customizable. You can change the colors, fonts, backgrounds, and more. This way it's easy to create a website that represents your own unique personality and brand. Without further adieu . . .
Introducing: Sea Glass, Proper Folk, Nook Day, Nook Night, Bookish, and Lemon Candy.
These 6 themes are now all available in your account under "Select Theme". Why not try one on for size?
Not a HostBaby members? Sign up today for your 30-day free trial
Lemon Candy


text: BISENTO, BLACKTHORNE, and SVOBODA Monday, July 15, 2013 at 8:00pm$5.00 advance$5.0018+Presented by: Pabst Blue RibbonVenue: First Avenue7th St Entry Info TabsPerformersPerformer: BISENTO FACEBOOKBANDCAMPASSThomas Kwong: Bass | Richard Arnold: Drums | Glenn Stanley: Guitar Read more about BISENTO BLACKTHORNE FACEBOOKSOUNDCLOUDBLOOD OF THE YOUNGBlackthorne is a band from the Twin Cities that play loud, fast and short songs that may or may not take influence from genres such as thrash, hardcore & powerviolence. Featuring Bob Eisenbise (Killsadie, Chibalo, Shotgun Monday, Silicone Cells, Frank Booth Band), Travis Bos (Song of Zarathustra, Chariots, Book of Dead Names, (ALANS), HSM, Chibalo) Steve Brooks (Chibalo, Silicone Cells) and Matt Seitzinger (HSM). Read more about BLACKTHORNE SVOBODA FACEBOOKBANDCAMPREVERBNATIONThe goal of practical alchemy is to transform base metals like lead, iron and brass into noble metals like gold and silver. SVOBODA is a band with the same goals, to begin with metal and transform it into something greater than the sum of it's parts. SVOBODA began with the idea of using sounds to physically transform the listener, to ground them to the earth beneath their feet, and evolved into a four piece band that combines different approaches to metal with philosophical alchemy and shamanistic elements to overwhelming effect. Read more about SVOBODA


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As submitted by JoEllen Steinberg for Epicurious.com's Favorite Mothers Day Recipe Contest.
- 1 cup flour
- 1/2 stick butter chilled and chipped into small pieces
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans
- Pinch of salt
- 1 pound lump crab meat
- 3 eggs
- 1 package of creamy brie cheese
- 1 cup heavy cream
- pinch nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon chopped thyme
- In a food processor, short burst the butter, flour, salt, into the flour then drizzle in up to a 1/4 cup of iced cold water until the dough forms. Pat into a circle, wrap in plastic wrap, chill for an hour. Roll into a pie pan. Bake with weights in the crust over foil for 15 minutes at 350°F. Cool. Stir the rest of the ingredients together and pour into the par baked crust. Bake at 350°F for 30 to 40 minutes or until slightly brown on top and set. Nut Brown Butter: Brown 1/4 stick butter and 6 fresh sage leaves chopped in a pan until it smell nutty, but be careful not to over cook. Drizzle over each slice of quiche.


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Tips for handling social media in the workplace
Tips for handling social media in the workplace
To tweet or not to tweet?
In 1989 the way we communicate changed forever. This was the year the worldwide web was invented, opening up seemingly endless possibilities for interacting and communicating with people. Before that, we were limited to radio, television or printed media. As technology developed, social media, which include platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, entered the equation. The idea behind social media is to have instant access to a network of people with whom to share our thoughts, ideas, feelings, etc.
These activities might be good for social media companies, but they are of concern to employers. Such concerns include the following:
Less productivity
Employees are expected to devote their time and attention to the work for which they were appointed. Those who spend time on social media during office hours can hardly claim they are optimising their time and using it wisely for the benefit of the company. Less time spent working equals less productive time. Employees who claim they are unable to complete their tasks due to time constraints, yet spend time on social media during office hours, are likely to face disciplinary action.
Cost of infrastructure
Employers generally provide their staff with laptops or PCs, together with access to the internet. This comes at a cost to the employer. Accordingly, costs incurred by the employer should be limited to usage that benefits the company.
Reputation of the business
Employees are mistaken if they think statements made on social media in their private capacity or after hours will not be subject to scrutiny by the employer and the law.
In the case of Sedick & another / Krisray (Pty) Ltd [2011] 8 BALR 879 (CCMA) two employees were dismissed as a result of offensive Facebook status updates. The fairness of the dismissals was challenged at the CCMA. The Commissioner found that the employees were fairly dismissed as their privacy had not been infringed when their employers accessed their Facebook posts. Their Facebook privacy settings were not restricted and the updates were open for public access and viewing. Section 4 of the Regulation of Interception of Communications and Provision of Communication-related Information Act, 2002 (Act No. 70 of 2002) (RICA) reads: "Any person. . . may intercept any communication if he or she is a party to the communication, unless such communication is intercepted by such person for purposes of committing an offence". The Commissioner ruled that the employer was entitled to intercept the posts in terms of RICA.
Employers are advised to implement social media policies in the workplace. The do's and don'ts of social media interaction listed in these policies should be highlighted. It is advisable to deal with social media use during both office hours and after hours.
SERR Synergy can assist in drafting these policies; please contact our Labour Pro department or Follow us on social media for updates on business legislation.
About our author: Audrey Cloete obtained her LLB degree from the North-West University Potchefstroom in 2003. She completed her articles with the main focus on Criminal Law and is also an admitted Conveyancer. Audrey joined SERR Synergy in 2015 where she currently works as a Legal Compliance Advisor.


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What Is a Class Action Lawsuit?
A "class action" lawsuit is one in which a group of people with the same or similar injuries caused by the same product or action sue the defendant as a group. People seek justice in class action lawsuits when their injuries have been caused by, among other things, defective products, including pharmaceutical drugs, motor vehicles and other consumer products, and medical devices. Other types of conduct over which people have sued as a class include consumer fraud, corporate misconduct, securities fraud, and employment practices.
If you have been harmed by a product or corporation and you think there are others in your situation, consult the lawyers at GRESHAM pc for a free case evaluation.
The class action vehicle is used generally when a number of people have suffered the same or similar injuries. Often many of the individuals' injuries were relatively minor, such that they might not pursue legal redress on their own. Together, however, the value of the claims of the class add up, and suing as a class means consolidating the attorneys, defendant, evidence, witnesses, and most other aspects of the litigation. If the number of people affected by the product or conduct is high, it becomes impractical or even impossible for them to file individual lawsuits. When a class action is permitted, the group files the lawsuit with a representative plaintiff, called a "named plaintiff" or "lead plaintiff," at the forefront.
There are many examples of class action lawsuits. A class may consist of a group of employees who were subjected to race discrimination, a number of patients who were prescribed a drug with injurious side effects, a neighborhood of residents whose homes or families were injured by a toxic spill, all the consumers who purchased a defective product that caused them injuries, or corporate investors who suffered fraud in the purchase or sale of stocks and other securities.
Notice to Potential Class Members
Every person who would be affected by the court's decision in the class action is entitled to notice that the action has started. Although it usually is not possible to give every such individual personal notice, all persons who might be affected are entitled to the best notice possible. The court will order that the class representative, through his or her attorneys, make reasonable attempts to notify any unknown class members by general media such as television, an advertisement in a magazine or newspaper, or a posted flyer. The court will tailor the type of notice required to the particular facts of the case. Those people who are notified then have the opportunity to join in the action-called "opting in"-or to decide not participate as a member of the class-that is, to "opt out." In some cases, individuals don't have the opportunity to opt out. For example, if a class action has been filed over particular injuries caused by a particular defendant, all people who are similarly situated are automatically in the class and must live with the outcome.
Why Class Actions?
A benefit of the class action format is its efficiency. The class action lawsuit brings together and disposes of thousands of claims at one time that are impractical to litigate individually. The judge decides the basic question of who wins with regard to the entire group. If the defendant wins, the class lawsuit is dismissed and the individuals in the group are prohibited from filing new or individual lawsuits over the same issue against the same defendant. If the class of plaintiffs wins, the court finds the defendant liable for the plaintiffs' injuries, and the amount of recovery is later divided among the plaintiffs.
Because it aggregates small claims, the class action format lowers the high cost of litigation. Also, class actions are usually brought by attorneys who are particularly trained and experienced in litigating and managing complicated lawsuits.
Another benefit of the class action is that it seeks to ensure that all injured plaintiffs receive something. It may be the case that the defendant is bankrupt or for some other reason cannot afford to pay each individual the full amount necessary to cover his or her losses. When the class wins the lawsuit, each participant receives some payment, even if it is not an amount to fully cover damages. Absent a class action, payment by the defendant would be on a first-come, first-served basis.
Class Action Judgments
In a class action, the court's decision applies to every participant who has opted into the class. All individuals who fit within the court's original definition of a class member are bound by the final court decision, even if they never actually go to court or otherwise participate in the lawsuit.
Payment to the participants in the class action usually follows a "plan of distribution." With the help of the parties and their attorneys, the judge develops the plan to distribute the amount that the plaintiff class won in the lawsuit minus the attorneys' fees and litigation costs. Each member of the class may receive certain percentage of the total amount fund, or may receive a certain dollar figure. In some cases, the attorneys seek and obtain permission for an individualized, in depth review of each participant's claim, so as to tailor the amount awarded to each class member to the "value" of his or her claim. This method is relatively rare, however, especially in large class actions.
When the parties in a class action lawsuit decide to settle, the presiding judge must approve the settlement, making sure it is fair to all parties.
Class actions are a highly effective and efficient form of civil litigation. If you have been injured by a product's side effects or an environmental spill in your neighborhood, the best means of redress is a class action. Accordingly, you should not hesitate to contact the firm of classaction.com in Los Angeles, California, to have one of its experienced attorneys evaluate the potential of your case as a class action.So, why is a class action preferable?
Filing and fighting a lawsuit can cost a great deal of money. For the average person, that can place justice out of their reach. But if that person becomes a part of a class (a group of similarly situated people), if the class can find a lawyer willing to finance and litigate a lawsuit, then all members of the class have a chance to right a wrong.
That is a class action lawsuit - a lawsuit brought on behalf of many similarly situated people who have been harmed in the same way by the same entity.
Usually class action litigation will have very few named plaintiffs (one or two is common), but those plaintiffs represent many other people - hundreds, thousands, sometimes millions of people.
Do you have a case that might be a class action? If so, contact the attorneys at GRESHAM pc for a free case evaluation.
Class action lawsuits: Small claims multiplied by many people
The harm done to one person may amount to a relatively small amount of money - an extra $10 fee when you buy a product or service, for example. But if that $10 is multiplied by all the people who had to pay it, the amount could be a profit of hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars to the company that charged the bogus fee. A successful class action lawsuit can force the company to pay back all the members of the class plus pay a penalty.
ClassAction.com: A resource for righting the wrongs of others.
You may have a case that just isn't worth fighting on its own - an employer who doesn't pay the right amount of overtime, manufacturers who fix prices on products, a household product that fails in normal usage or is different than marketed. By joining with others in a class action, you will be helping yourself and others, and you will be sending a message that wrongdoing has a price.
ClassAction.com: Finding lawyers who fight for justice
Not many law firms have the resources to invest in class action lawsuits. Many firms that do have the resources do not want to use those resources to fight difficult cases. The lawyers at GRESHAM pc are ready to take on the difficult cases against some of the world's largest corporations, like Google. So, contact us today for a free case evaluation.
Class action lawsuits: Lawyers seeking justice for many people
Not every law firm or attorney has the resources to file a class action
lawsuit. It takes a significant financial investment to investigate the
wrongdoing, use the legal discovery process to obtain evidence, consult
with expert witnesses, obtain class action certification, and fight the
case in court - all against the formidable resources of a large corporation.
Dean Gresham served as co-lead class counsel in classactions against Google and other search engines, which resulted in a reform of the internet pay-per-click advertising industry; an electric blanket manufacturer, which resulted in getting some 20 million defective blankets out of the homes of unsuspecting consumers; and the gas piping industry for defectively designing and marketing a type of gas conduit installed in many new construction homes across the country.
Tell us about your case.
GRESHAM pc, you can share your experiences and determination in the fight for justice.
Fill out the form on this page or on the
Contact Us page.
There is no cost or obligation for us to evaluate the case. This is one of the few opportunities to hold businesses accountable for
their actions.
Contact GRESHAM pc today to discuss a potential class action case.


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Community Specialist
10746 39th St. N.
Lake Elmo, MN 55042
Welcome home to the Clifton at Legacy at Northstar. Tucked into the Stillwater School District, the Clifton at Legacy at Northstar features a two-story foyer, expansive kitchen, and plenty of light throughout its 2,686 square feet. This beautiful home is flooded by natural light throughout each space with oversized windows in every room. Be sure to check out this stunning home - you won't want to miss it!
Step into Legacy at Northstar - a beautiful community offering single-family floor plans, low-maintenance villas, and exceptional amenities. Designed with the entire family in mind, Legacy at Northstar will feature a four-season clubhouse, community pool, and various other park amenities. The variety of floor plans offered within the community will ensure that your home will be unique to the community and stand out above the rest. With historic downtown Lake Elmo only moments away, Legacy at Northstar offers exquisite home sites tucked into the wonderful Stillwater School District.Learn More


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M25 Services Map
This map shows the length of the queues caused by the All traffic has been held on the M25 clockwise near the Clacket Lane Services so a broken down lorry can be retrieved from Lane 2. We will Keep up to date with any M25 traffic news with the RAC Route Planner app to note any M25 travel updates and reported delays. Upcoming major roadworks on the M25 include: Junction 10 – With the aim of The M25 has also been hit by a serious of delays today They warned the severe weather could bring flooding and travel disruption on Tuesday, adding bus and train services could be cancelled. The
A quick look at Google Maps shows the location of the incident with The all important diversion routes as the M25 anticlockwise remains closed as emergency services attend to a multiple vehicle and information services. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) Lad filmed popping up from Congestion to the M25. "It happened in the roadworks area It says: Due to earlier congestion between Wimbledon and London Waterloo, train services running to and from these stations are returning
M25 Services Map – Thurrock services on the M25, which has recently been refurbished You can see the full rankings of the country's motorway service stations in the table (and map) below, which will come in handy Transport officials said putting all the data in one place would help apps such as Waze and Google Maps provide up-to-date information Glasgow and Blackpool. Northbound services between London Emergency services are on the way to the crash which happened at for your journey and consider alternative routes if at all possible." This is the map of the M25 at the Dartford Crossing right now


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Tag Archives: Vhuurmis
The Purple Planet as Underborea
Peril on the Purple Planet is an excellent mini-campaign from Goodman Games. I got the boxed set as part of the Kickstarter, plus all the add-on modules (either in print or pdf). I could run it pretty much as-is, as … Continue reading
Vhuurmi Revealed
I'm a supporter for Autarch's Axioms updates on Patreon and have been thinking today about how I'd use the recent Beastmen articles in my Astonishing ACKS campaign. There's not too many humanoid races in Hyperborea and I've already done a … Continue reading
Posted in Astonishing ACKS, House Rules, Races Tagged ACKS, ASSH, Axioms, Beastmen, Hyperborea, Patreon, RPG, Vhuurmi, Vhuurmis 1 Comment
Hyperborean Languages
I've started organizing information from my Astonishing ACKS campaign into actual pages on this gameblog. I'm posting this fragment today so I don't misplace it… All PCs are assumed speak Common and their cultural dialect. Degree of literacy depends on … Continue reading
Aside 11-May-16 Tagged Amazon, ASSH, Atlantean, Druid, Eskuit, Hellenic, Hyperborea, Hyperborean, Ixian, Kelt, Kimmerian, Languages, Parseltongue, Pict, Pnathic, R'leyhian, RPG, Skandik, Thieves' Cant, Tlingit, Valusian, Vhuurmis Leave a comment
Bakshi Vhuurmis
It's been a little while since I've posted here – all the action is over at the Astonishing ACKS Google+ community right now. I figured it's time for more Bakshi art. This time it's an alternate take on the Vhuurmis. … Continue reading
Posted in General Tagged Bakshi, Hyperborea, Psychedelic, Vhuurmis Leave a comment
Vhuurmi in Astonishing ACKS
I posted a while back on the Hyperborea Boards about Vhuurmis and Ape-Men. As presented in AS&H, I didn't see much difference between the two species, and I asked whether Ape-Men and Vhuurmis were redundant. There were several good responses, … Continue reading
Posted in Astonishing ACKS, Campaign Setting Tagged ACKS, ASSH, Hyperborea, RPG, Simians, Vhuurmis 4 Comments


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Ban On Modi Biopic: Miscalculation By Both The BJP And The ProducersAfter three courts, including the countrys apex court, refused to interfere with the release of the Narendra Modi biopic PM Narendra Modi, the Election Commission (repeatedly called a stooge of the ruling party at the Centre by the opposition parties) has finally banned the release of the film, both in cinema theatres and on digital media, till the model code of conduct (MCC) is in force. It has also decreed that the airing of NaMo television channel be similarly stopped till that time.
By Sunil Garodia
By Sunil Garodia
First publised on 2019-04-10 21:46:42
This comes as a huge blow to both the producers and the BJP. The former were hoping to cash in on the popularity of the Prime Minister to make money during the election time while the party was hoping that the story on celluloid would win new converts and increase its vote share. The producers can at least hope that Modi comes back to power and his popularity increases in which case they can still hope to get excellent returns on their investment. But for the party, the release of the film after the elections will only have academic value apart from adding to the persona of its charismatic leader.
Both the producers and the party must share the blame for bringing things to such a pass. It was obvious that there would be objections from the opposition against any film that eulogizes Modi, that too during election time. It was also obvious that the elections were to be held anytime in April and May. Business sense warranted that the producers should have released the film sometime in January to escape punitive action from the EC. In three months, the film would have spread the message of Modi all across the world and achieved its goal. That they didnt release it then proves that they did not have good legal advisors.
The BJP should also have anticipated that the opposition would create an issue and the film would not pass muster under the MCC. It would be childish to assume that the party or the Prime Minister was not involved in the making of the film. Any biopic on a living person cannot be made without the express consent of the subject. The party knew that there would be huge and free publicity for Modi and the party through the film. Hence, it should have urged the producers to release it much before the MCC came into force. That it didnt do so proves that either it was wrongly advised that the film would not violate the MCC or was overconfident that the EC or the courts would not interfere.


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We get it, marketing can feel complex, and knowing where to start or with whom can seem daunting.
Below are some of the common questions we get all the time, but if have any questions or concerns just let us know and we'll get back to you with an answer straight away.
We do indeed! We want you to be comfortable with what we do, how we do it, and ensure we are both a great fit for each other. Our Trial Accounts come with a full 14 days to take us for a spin! It's super easy to jump on board, no credit cards required or anything like that. Just check out this link to grab an account.
p.s. These accounts are popular, to ensure our paying clients have priority we do limit the amount of trial accounts we have at any one time
We do indeed, as a general rule we'll add the source files to any job you load automatically. Bear in mind our team is built for scale, this means we use the most efficient tool for the task. We wouldn't create a marketing brochure setup for print inside Photoshop, we only supply sources files appropriate to the job type selected.
Our service is built around providing you complete and total access to our team, whose sole aim is to look after any design-related marketing request you might have. Therefore we don't limit the type of job you can submit, we want to help as many business owners as possible, to grow and create financial freedom for themselves!
That all depends on which currency you selected when you signed up, we work with either currency to try and accommodate everyone. For example if you've selected $USD your monthly account will be charged out in US Dollars.
Our service is built around providing you complete and total access to our team, whose sole aim is to look after any design-related marketing request you might have. Therefore we don't limit the type of job you can submit, we want to help as many business owners as possible, to grow and create financial freedom for themselves!
Yes, our $AUD plans have GST included…nice hey!
In the unlikely event that our system has error-ed out somehow and a mistake has been made, most certainly we will, just reach out to us and we'll fix it up.
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Internally we cry a little 🙁 but once we pick ourselves back up off the floor you'll continue to be able to use the service right up until your re-billing cycle. After that period you'll still be able to login, you just wont be able to request any jobs.
Certainly just reach out to us through Live Chat and we'll supply you with an appointment calendar to book a time that suits everyone…yay!
Absolutely, and we'd love to hear from you! The quickest way to reach out to us is by jumping on Live Chat at the bottom right of your screen. We aim to be online and available as much as possible. If you would prefer a physical call with us, likewise jump on LiveChat and let us know an we'll follow you up by phone. If you feel like shooting through an old school email you can reach out to us via our Contact page.
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Seo Training In Mohali says 01:13am 16 Jul 2016
Nice blog with very interesting topic.
This is the final blog in a three-part series exploring the relationship between Science Fiction and UX. In the first episode, I compared how effectively 'Minority Report' and 'The Island' used (or didn't use) UX. In the second episode, I explored holograms and voice-activation, and touched upon the human obsession to recreate in human-form. This episode is further exploring this relationship, in the likes of robots and artificial intelligence.
A machine. A computer. It is something that performs a task of a human independently, without human oversight. It is easy to think of robots as strictly human-form, but in some of the early science fiction novels, robots took many shapes and forms – from boxes to cars. And we are surrounded by non-humanoid robots today, in the form of automated email replies and twitter bots, to the much more complex machines that have been created to do menial tasks.
Fig. 1 - Automated replies making our lives a tiny bit easier
In fact, according to the International Federation of Robotics, the world now includes 1.1 million working robots, and machines account for 80% of the work in manufacturing a car.
So how do we define it? Simply put, a robot is a series of algorithms that can perform functionality.
The world now includes 1.1 million working robots, and machines account for 80% of the work in manufacturing a car
It is when we start applying artificial intelligence to a robot that things start to get really interesting. Or perhaps the word for it is exciting, threatening, or dangerous. If a machine has enough artificial intelligence to be self aware and passes the Turing test, does it become a new species or form of life?
In effect, the question 'what is a robot?' can begin to morph into another: 'what is it to be human?'
This is a common theme that strings many science fiction stories together. It is the perfect platform to question deep and difficult moral dilemmas such as the death penalty, playing God and free will. 'Ex Machina', 'Battlestar Galactica', and 'Blade Runner' are just 3 examples of films that explore these themes.
In 'Ex Machina', Nathan's AI robot, Ava, is put to a Turing test as the entire plot of the film. If she passes, Nathan will replicate her model. If she fails, he will download her memory and use her body for parts for the next model. He's a young genius coding billionaire, who is obsessed with playing God - his fixation with Ava is to make a super-human, even smarter than himself.
As he says it, "Ava doesn't exist in isolation, any more than you or me. She's part of a continuum. Version 9.6. And each time, they get a little better."
Fig. 2 - Ava in 'Ex Machina'
But if a robot is self-aware, and possesses consciousness, whose right is it to decide if she may continue or not? She asks, "Why is it up to anyone? Do you have people who test you, and might switch you off?"
Does a human have the right to decide whether another human can live or not? Or a government? Depending on where you are in the world, you'll get a different answer to that.
'Battlestar Galactica' explores this relationship between human and robot for 6 seasons. The battle between humans and cylons (originally created by humans, these robots grew and outsmarted them) is the main conflict running through the entire series.
The cylons have the advantage of eternal life; they cannot die, merely downloading their information to a nearby base when killed, to replicate with memories and personality intact. It is only if the resurrection ship is destroyed or out of range that a cylon can be killed. However, with multiple replicas of each cylon character walking around the galaxy, it is rare that they actually die.
Fig. 3 - A cylon resurrection in 'Battlestar Galactica'
Things start getting really interesting when one of the cylons, Caprica Six, switches sides and starts working with the humans. She helps them destroy the mother of all resurrection ships, essentially reverting all cylons to a mortal state.
She claims that it is only in death that we actually learn to live. If a humanoid robot, with memories, emotions and self-awareness, can live and die, what is the main difference from them and us, other than the material we are made of?
The tone of most of these stories is very dark – also known as the 'robot-as-menace' strategy. The human-created robots usually outsmart their parents, and look to destroy the inferior human species.
But not all robots are evil. There is a second, much smaller category of stories sometimes known as 'robot-as-pathos'. These robots are loveable and usually put upon by cruel humans. Eando Binder's short story, 'I, Robot' from the 1930's is an example of this type of story.
Fig. 4 - Eando Binder's stories
A robot is wrongfully accused of murdering his master, and is subject to a societal man hunt. Provoked into retaliation, the robot fights back. In the midst of the fight he finds a hidden copy of 'Frankenstein', reads it, and begins to understand the prejudice against him. Taking a higher road than the humans ever could, he decides it isn't worth killing several people just to get a just hearing. He writes a confession and prepares to turn himself in.
In the late 30's, a third and final category of robot story was birthed. Isaac Asimov, the 'world maestro' of science fiction, began imagining robots as industrial products built by matter-of-fact engineers. They were built with safety features so they weren't menaces, but they were fashioned for a specific job, unlike pathos robots in earlier stories.
Fig. 5 - Isaac Asimov's Robot series
From this, he developed the 3 laws of robotics:
Many other authors began writing similar stories and adopting his 3 laws, until it was one day deemed that Isaac Asimov was the 'father of the modern robot story.' In fact, Asimov predicted a number of things in his stories, which have all come true in one form or another today, 50 years since they were written.
In 1953 he conjured up driver-less cars in his short stories like 'Sally', about robotic car characters. Most of his stories feature organisations like U.S. Robots and Mechanical Men Corporation – not unlike the International Federation of Robotics today. We can even draw similarities between the exploration of Google VR painting or projection mapping, and the light sculptures protagonist Mrs. Lardner sculpts in his 1973 short story "Light Verse". Whether he actually predicted these ideas or influenced them is, of course, debatable. Really it just comes back to the concept that life inspires art, which inspires life. The cycle continues infinitely.
There is a lot of hype today around the prediction of where technology and science will take us in the near and distant future. Some see the negative side affects it is having on our social and emotional abilities. Others see the potential it has to raise everyone's standard of living. It is undeniably an exciting time, whether you're in the pessimistic or the optimistic camp.
Do the stories like 'Ex Machina', 'Battlestar Gallactica' and 'Blade Runner' feel plausible and probable? Do you brace yourself in this Wild Wild West era of data mining, privacy violations and cloud storage warehouses? Do you worry how our ability to express ourselves is diminishing? Does the automation of tasks mean a severe loss of jobs for millions of people? What kind of values does this technology advancement reinforce in our lives? What is it teaching us? And how will it be used? For good or evil?
Alternatively, do Isaac Asimov's stories feel more relevant and reasonable? Do you see how globally connected we all are? How families and friends can stay connected across seas with video calls and wifi messaging? Do you see how empowered we are, with the ability to get the people's view of any situation as it happens, anywhere across the globe rather than relying on government-backed media sources? Or how our career options have exponentially exploded with previously unimagined possibilities? What if the automation of tasks doesn't mean a loss of jobs for millions, but rather the opportunity for millions more people to actually work in a field that excites and invigorates them, or to spend more time with family and friends?
Which way is the future going? You decide. We decide. Together.
Nice blog with very interesting topic.
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Aimee Nance is sailing around the world with her family. But it was when they made landfall in Mexico that things got really interesting
Sail into Mexico and inevitably things are different. They do things differently south of the border. And it's only now that we've become oblivious to things that used to leave us awe-struck.
For the first few days, the kids were flabbergasted every time they saw a half-dozen people squeezed into the back of someone's truck.
"Those people aren't even wearing seat belts!," they'd say.
One of our friends had warned us that things were different in Mexico before we set sail. He'd even come up with a catch-all acronym: T. I. M. This is Mexico.
So any time we see something that doesn't make much sense, or seems odd or out of place and the girls ask Why?, the answer is always T.I.M.I've taken a few pictures of things to illustrate this. As we continue our travels into Central America, I'm sure we'll see similar things in other countries. But for the moment, in our experience, this is Mexico.
Need a little car work done? Head to the beach.
Hardcore toll booth attendants. You will pay the 60 peso toll or suffer the consequences!
Riding through the rain on your scooter? Grab an umbrella, any size will do.
A public toilet. A very public toilet.
It's so much easier to find a signal in Mexico.
It's easy to find a match in Mexico
How to eat well on the high seas
Aimee Nance is currently 'cruising' around the world with her young family. You can follow their adventures on Sailing with Terrapin.
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Introducing Gionee's W909 Smartphone
For those who don't know, Gionee's W909 Smartphone was recently launched this month. The device comes with 4.20 inches touch screen display with 720 by 1280 pixels resolution.
Gionee W909 powered by octa-core MediaTek processor and comes with 4 gigabytes RAM. The handset packs with 64 gigabytes internal storage expandable to 128 gigabytes via microSD card. The cameras packs with 16MP back camera and 5MP front for best selfie experience.
W909 runs Android and powered by 2,530 mAh non-removable device battery. Measures around 124.10×62.80×16.50 and weighs around 207.00 grams.
W909 features a dual SIM Smartphone accepts both regular and micro-SIM options includes Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS, 3G, FM and 4G, proximity sensors, an Accelerometer, and the Gyroscope.
In addition Gionee is a China based mobile manufacturer that was established in the year 2002. Besides India, the company's presents in the mobile market spreads on some countries like Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, Taiwan and Middle East. The Chinese company Gionee has strong offline presence in India, eschewing its trend of just going online only. The company launched several Android handsets in low and even mid end segments.


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How do you plan to pay for college? It's something everyone has to think about, no matter your background or situation. Guidance on financing your education is available on the UAB Students Paying for College page.
Detailed tuition and fees information can be found on the UAB Students page.
The Department of History has a limited number of graduate assistantships awarded on a competitive basis, which can be awarded during any semester as vacancies occur. The David Hart White Prize in History is available to help graduate assistants with tuition costs.


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First Fifty Auto Club is announcing our 47th Annual Spring Car Show, Swap Meet & Flea Market for 2017. The date is Sunday, May 21st, 2017 at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. It is only $5 to get in this year! $5 person, Spectators, Swap, Show or Sell.
Military ID or 12 yrs & under get in free. 7 am to 2 pm. Award plaques handed out for club choice at 1:00 PM.
Swappers & flea market: You can set up the Saturday (May 20th) before from 12 to 3 pm.
Please see our show flyer for details – the flyer link is posted HERE.
Go to the North parking lot: Enter at main Fairgrounds entrance on Snelling & head North on Underwood St.
Yay! Spring is FINALLY, reluctantly, making it's way in. Do you know what that means? It's CAR SHOW SEASON again!
I don't know about you, but I cannot wait to start taking pictures of vintage cars again. (I have resorted to taking pictures of flowers – ugh.)
Anyhow, First Fifty Auto Club is proud to announce 2 shows this season. Our first show is on Sunday, May 19th at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds, and the second one is on Sunday, August 11th at The Mermaid Event Center in Mounds View, MN. – I will be posting both of the flyer links shortly on our Car Show Events Info page.
The spring show is our 43rd Annual Car Show & Swap Meet, and is only $5 to get in.
Our fall show is our 2nd Annual Darrel Goad's Raising Hel…p Car Show, and will be a MSRA voting event this year. It's free to get in, with donations requested for the Wishes & More Foundation. Last year we raised $2,000 for them! Here is the link to see our flyer on the Wishes & More website: Click right here
Please use our contact form if you have any questions about either show 🙂


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We are delighted to announce Milton Keynes and stadiummk have been named as a potential host city and venue for Rugby World Cup 2015.
Milton Keynes has been placed on a 'long list' to be considered by England Rugby 2015 as a suitable setting for the competition. Hosting the tournament would represent a significant step towards the delivery of the city's International Sporting City strategy.
stadiummk, which is currently being extended to a 30,500 seater stadium and will be complete in 2013, has been listed alongside 17 other venues including Villa Park, Birmingham; Brighton Community Stadium, Brighton; Ashton Gate, Bristol; Millennium Stadium, Cardiff; Coventry Stadium, Coventry; Pride Park, Derby; Kingsholm, Gloucester; Elland Road, Leeds; Leicester City Stadium, Leicester; Olympic Stadium, London; Twickenham Stadium, London; Wembley Stadium, London; Old Trafford, Manchester; St James' Park, Newcastle; St Mary's Stadium, Southampton and Stadium of Light, Sunderland in the initial stage of the selection process, but England Rugby 2015 will decide on a maximum of 12 match venues for the tournament.
The Milton Keynes Major Event group, that includes Milton Keynes Dons Football Club and Milton Keynes Council officials, have already met England Rugby 2015 representatives for a site visit, and will continue to work together with other partners to produce a strong bid for stadiummk and Milton Keynes.
stadiummk has a proven track record of delivering top flight rugby events with great success. The first rugby union match to take place at MK1 saw Saracens host Bristol Rugby in 2008 and last year Northampton Saints played both their Heineken Cup Quarter-Final and Semi-Final matches at the venue in front of sell-out crowds.
Later this year the Aviva Premiership encounter between Saracens and Northampton Saints will also be staged at the home of MK Dons Football Club.
It is not the first time stadiummk has gained significant recognition for its fantastic facilities – the stadium was selected by England 2018 as one of their venues for the FIFA World Cup bid, which ultimately missed out to Russia.
Cllr. Andrew Geary, Leader of Milton Keynes Council said: "We are delighted to be included on the long list by England Rugby 2015 and we aim to deliver Rugby World Cup 2015 to the world. This is another opportunity to demonstrate what a great city this is to the widest possible audience."
Milton Keynes Major Event group Chair and Chair of SEMLEP Ann Limb commented "Once again, Milton Keynes has been recognised as a fantastic location for a premier sports event. Bringing events such as this to Milton Keynes and the Region is a key economic activity that brings significant inward investment together with providing a once in a lifetime experience for all of our residents."
MK Dons Chairman Pete Winkelman said: "It is a fantastic achievement to have been recognised alongside some of the most prestigious sporting stadia in this country. As we have seen in recent years, stadiummk is a magnificent venue and it ticks all the boxes for international rugby.
is at the forefront of England Rugby 2015's plans."mkstadium"Our open concourse is used to its full potential and our excellent sight line combined with the tight proximity to the pitch creates a very special atmosphere. We have already received excellent support from our local rugby clubs, Northampton Saints and Milton Keynes Council, and together with the help of Milton Keynes we will strive to ensure


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Who is at Fault in a Multi-Vehicle Crash?
Written by Greg on January 30, 2019
Most accidents occur between two vehicles, but sometimes, over two cars are involved. When multiple vehicles are part of a single incident, you may wonder who is to blame for the crash.
According to the National Highway Safety Traffic Administration (NHTSA), there are over 5.25 million accidents in the United States each year. You will likely be involved in a crash in your life. I hope the accident will be minor. However, if it is not, how will fault be determined after an accident in Houston?
Determining Fault After an Accident
Regardless of how many vehicles are involved, an investigation will often need to be conducted to discover precisely how the accident occurred. Multiple vehicle accidents are more complex than accidents involving only two vehicles. Various tools will help determine which driver or drivers were at fault.
Some of the information that the insurance company or the courts will use include police reports, witness statements, photos of the damage, and other details. Sometimes, accident reconstruction is useful to discover what occurred just before and during the crash. While you may assume that the driver in the rear of the accident is to blame, that is not necessarily always the case.
There can be multiple factors that contribute to any crash. When there are numerous vehicles, the number of elements increases. More than one driver may be at fault or partly to blame for the crash. Texas utilizes a system of modified comparative negligence. This means you may collect damages even if you are partially at fault for the accident as long as you are not over 50 percent at fault.
Modified Comparative Negligence in Texas
Modified comparative negligence means that a person may receive compensation from the responsible party if their responsibility is less than 51%. The comparative scheme provides a fair and reasonable system that allows you to collect for your injuries or damages even if you were found partly to blame. However, if you are partly to blame (less than 51%) your damages will be reduced by the percentage of your fault.
If you are partly responsible for the accident, your damages will be reduced by that percentage. For example, if you were 10% responsible for the crash, you may receive 90% of your damages. Any driver mostly at fault for the accident cannot receive compensation.
Get Help from an Experienced Houston Personal Injury Attorney
Multiple-vehicle crashes can be exceptionally complicated. It is helpful to hire a skilled attorney to handle your claim. Your lawyer will gather and examine the documentation and information, depose witnesses, and investigate the scene of the accident.
Your attorney will use this data to prove negligence of the other driver or drivers in the crash. Your attorney will help establish your injuries and the damages you suffered because of the accident.
If you were injured in a multi-vehicle accident, count on a leading legal team to assist you in getting the compensation you deserve. Contact Baumgartner Law Firm to discuss the details of the crash today.
Call 281-587-1111


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It was Los Angeles in the 1950s and, though in his teens, Ron Cohen was hooked on the music his older brother played for him, musicians with names and groups with names like Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie and the Weavers.
"As soon as my brother introduced me to it, I liked the stuff right away," recalls Cohen, Professor of History Emeritus at Indiana University Northwest. "I don't know why, none of my friends liked that stuff."
But despite folk music's unpopularity among his friends, Cohen became an avid collector even when attending the University of California Berkeley where he majored in history, buying LP records, posters, magazines and attending concerts. And through many moves including the University of Minnesota where he earned a master's and doctorate in history and teaching positions at several colleges before joining the history department at the Indiana University Northwest in 1970, he retained his collection.
"I didn't do much with it until the 1990s," says Cohen. "Before that I had other interests."
Those interests included Colonial history and, after taking the IUN job, researching the history of the Gary Public Schools and writing Children of the Mill: Schooling and Society in Gary, Indiana, 1906-1960 as well as co-authoring The Paradox of Progressive Education: The Gary Plan and Urban Schooling.
As he considered new projects, Cohen thought about his folk music collection. Because not much had been written about that genre in the 1950s and 60s, it seemed like a natural for Cohen, combining his enthusiasms for music and history. Conducting research, Cohen began interviewing folk musicians around the country, striking up a friendship with Agnes "Sis" Cunningham, who in the 1940s was in the Almanac Singers, a group that included Woody Guthrie ad Pete Seeger. In the 1960s, when Cunningham and her husband Gordon Friesen, were, as Cohen describes it, elderly and extremely poor, the couple founded Broadside magazine, which printed both the words and music to newly written folk songs by such musicians as Bob Dylan, Phil Ochs, Janis Ian, Tom Paxton and Buffy Sainte-Marie.
"I got to know Sis who lived in New York City and she told me they had an autobiography which they wanted to publish but didn't know how," recalls Cohen, who helped find a publisher and edited her book Red Dust and Broadsides: A Joint Autobiography. That led to a five-CD box set called The Best of Broadside, 1962-1988 which Cohen co-produced, earning, along the two other co-producers a Grammy nomination in the Best Historical Album category.
"Sis was an amazing person, had many hardships and just kept going," says Cohen.
There were more collections in Cohen's life. He and James Lane, PhD, who had started working at IUN in the history department the same year he did and who wrote City of the Century: A History of Gary, Indiana, co-authored Gary: A Pictorial History. They also asked their students to do research on the Calumet Region, compiling them into an annual magazine they started called Steel Shavings, which Lane continues to edit. During the years of research on Gary and Northwest Indiana, the two collected a vast amount of material and were looking for a place to house it.
"In the 1970s, the university decided to build a new library and so Jim and I convinced the chancellor and the librarian they should carve out a space for an archive to contain this information," says Cohen about the formation of the Calumet Regional Archives. "We were very fortunate they not only gave us the space, they also agreed to hire an archivist . We did a nationwide search and hired Steve McShane who has been there ever since. The archives have grown tremendously and are a wealth of information on the Calumet Region, now once again we don't have enough space for everything."
Cohen and McShane also co-authored Moonlight in the Duneland: The Illustrated History of the Chicago South Shore and South Bend Railroad.
Though he retired in 2004, Cohen continues to work. He has four books on folk music coming out next year and is vice president of the board for the Charter School of the Dunes, continuing his long held interest in education.
"I thought what they were doing was similar to the early days of the Gary Public Schools – so I was attracted to the idea," says Cohen. "I felt I could have a role in its future. Now we have opened our new school which is wonderful. I think we have a wonderful institution and a great asset for the families in our community."
When Cohen first moved to the region, he settled in Valparaiso for four year before moving to Miller Beach where many of his colleagues lived.
"I've been here ever since," says Cohen, the father of two, who is married to Nancy Cohen. "I love Miller and I'm a big booster of Miller and Gary."
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Zimmerman Verdict: Protesters Storm Wal-Mart in Crenshaw Area
Thankfully, the number of people hurt and property damage was kept to a minimum.
People protesting George Zimmerman's acquittal marched along Crenshaw Boulevard on Monday night, stomping on cars, chasing bystanders and storming a Wal-Mart.
Several protesters made their way into the Wal-Mart as guards scrambled to close security gates. A short while later, Los Angeles Police Department officers wearing helmets and carrying batons swarmed the store as others marched through the parking lot.
The LAPD declared a tactical alert about 9 p.m., which means that off-duty officers can be held on duty when their shifts end and may respond only to high-priority calls.
Police estimated that 80 to 150 people were engaged in lawless activity along Crenshaw as they jumped on top of vehicles and appeared to assault bystanders.
Some protesters ignited fireworks in the middle of Crenshaw.
More: Zimmerman Verdict: Protesters Storm Wal-Mart in Crenshaw Area