text:
Model: d-w515
Author: Pamela S. Thibodeaux
Bio and Other Titles by Pamela S. Thibodeaux
As a best-selling novelist and songwriter, Camie has penned numerous accounts of the secret love she holds in her heart... Country-Music Superstar Kip Allen has changed from the shy, humble boy, to the epitome of "star"... Can the two rediscover each other after one night of his Home is...
As a best-selling novelist and songwriter, Camie has penned numerous accounts of the secret love she holds in her heart... Country-Music Superstar Kip Allen has changed from the shy, humble boy, to the epitome of "star"... Can the two rediscover each other after one night of his Home is where the Heart is Tour?
Camie's heart throbbed with excitement as she waited to be escorted to her seat. She'd won a front-row seat and backstage pass to the biggest concert of the year. Country Music superstar Kip Allen had come home!
Everyone raved about the homegrown country boy who had made it big—three albums in five years, all gold. Camie remembered the shy, humble guy with rusty-gold hair and sea-green eyes who came to life when he had a guitar in his hands.
Her mind wandered back to high-school days and the many times he could be found on the outdoor patio where students congregated during lunch and break times, strumming his guitar and crooning a song, with girls gathered around him like bees to a hive.
Now look; the little amphitheatre which usually hosted a live radio broadcast of French music and humor was packed wall-to-wall with people who'd watched Kip grow up, and then make it to the Big Time.
He'd been on the road for more than a year during his Home is Where the Heart is tour—even had his parents flown out to meet him at Thanksgiving and Christmas, but his final performance was here, in his hometown of Eunice, Louisiana on Valentines Day. Perfect ending to the tour, Camie mused, if home truly is where his heart is.
The lights dimmed. She sat mesmerized as he appeared on stage and began to croon one love song after another, mixing in a few boot-stomping hits—Words she knew intimately.
Too soon, the concert was over, and security officers rushed her backstage.
Waiting in the shadows apart from the throng of frenzied fans who were vying for autographs and pictures, she watched with concern as Kip raked his fingers through his hair. He heaved a tired sigh, insisted on no more autographs, and then headed for his dressing room.
Camie stepped forward, "Just one more autograph?"
Kip turned at her soft request. His eyes lit with recognition, and he gave her an unreserved smile. "Camie!" He enfolded her in a big hug. "What are you doing back here?"
A flush warmed her skin at the velvety-roughness of his voice. "I won the prize package from the radio station. You know: Front row seat, backstage pass, autographed C.D., etcetera, etcetera." Her heart raced at his nearness, her body trembled in his strong embrace. Feeling way too comfortable in his arms, she disentangled herself and took a step back.
He grinned. "Great. You look good."
Her heart skipped a beat. "So do you."
Electricity sizzled between them.
Always had.
Even in high school.
Theirs had been a subtle romance, underscored by sensual currents that had hummed whenever their eyes met or they ventured into a conversation—both too shy to take the relationship further.
"What ever happened to us?" She wondered aloud, finding it difficult to speak past her heart hammering in her throat. "I still get all tongue-tied when you're near."
He smiled, that lazy, heart-stopping grin that drove females from age five to fifty into a frenzy.
"You do?" he queried, pulling her closer once more.
The husky softness of his voice sent delicious shivers down her spine, and she choked on a yes.
"Me too." He stroked her cheek.
Her senses swirled at the tender touch. She placed her hand over his and gazed into his sea-green eyes. Whether a moment, an eternity, or the simple span of a heartbeat passed, she wasn't sure, but she relished the encounter.
He dropped his hand from her face and broke eye contact. "I don't know what happened. I wanted to roam, you wanted a home." He chuckled at the corny rhyme. "Sounds like the makings of a hit."
Camie shook her head. He was right; they'd dreamed different dreams, wanted different things, but somehow their destinies were entwined. Their lives paralleled each other more than he knew. "Want to go for a cup of coffee or a cold drink?"
He brought his attention back to her face, and once again, she was unable to pull her eyes away from his hypnotic gaze.
"I'd love to, but where? There's no place I can go and not be mobbed. You'd think that in my own hometown, I wouldn't be such a big deal."
Camie heard the tension and fatigue in his voice. "How about my place? I have a nice, quiet home in the country."
The look in his eyes warmed her all over, but Camie had news for him; the invitation was not a come-on. Ignoring the limousine surrounded by anxious fans, they dashed into the patrol car driven by her father.
"Hungry?" she asked, after her father saw them safely into her house.
"Starved." He took a step toward her, evidently no longer shy, but rather, confidently aware of his effect on women.
Once again, the look in his eyes left her breathless…
Kip and Camie have very similar dreams, but go about it in very different ways. A short, but wonderful tale of love, reunion and how love triumphs.


It is finally here….Spring Break! It has been a chilly weekend, but expecting warmer weather this week. We are heading to the beach house where it will be cooler there than here. That's OK. It will be nice to get away from it all for a few days. Not to mention I have missed my favorite thrift stores on Oak Island and Southport, NC.
Today I have a great roundup of Spring Tablescapes & Centerpieces to inspire your creativity.
Thanks so much for including my tablescapes in your roundup! Sharing on FB! Hope you have a marvelous time at the beach and that it warms up for you!
I love all of the bunnies, Christy! This totally put me in the mood. I wonder if I can pull mine together like that again???? lol Happy Easter!
Great roundup, Christy! Thank you for including my Easter centerpiece. Hope you have a great time at the beach. We may be going to N. Topsail this coming weekend. Hopefully, we can get together sometime when we're both there this summer.


5. Plants – plants, plants and even more plants!
This commendation means a lot for all of us. The title awarded by the Central Office of Certification is an appreciation for the companies which are well known for their reliable employment policy, employee-oriented solutions and human resources management.
These are trustworthy companies which take care of employee's development and stable employment as well the good work environment.
We are really proud that Decora S. A. has become one of the prize-winners!
Bring BOHO style to your modern interior.
Plants – bring the outside in by covering every surface with greenery.
Ethnic patterns – more is certainly more – mix and match fabrics and textures.
Vintage furnishing – add vintage furnishings and accessories.
Wood – remember that ethnic textiles work beautifully with soft teak and warm wood colours.
Within 4 days, not only did our almost 200m2 stand host the numerous Decora's team, but also over 500 visitors. Similarly to the previous year, exquisite coffee was served by guys from the BRISMAN coffee bar. We presented our professional sales concepts and also, obviously, our innovations in all the product categories. The press was marvelling at our innovative ecological underlay – MULTIPROTEC ECO http://www.domotex.de/…/n…/media-library/video-detail.xhtml…. The Arbiton floors which have just entered the market aroused great interest. We talked about HD Mineral Core, pointed to its properties and taught to install it.
We are proud that we could take part in Domotex 2018 and would like to thank all those who were there with us.
Decora SA - Floor Experts Team!
On 17 – 19 September 2017 the company Decora exhibited its products at the largest floor show in the UK - Flooring Show. It was the 55th edition of the Fair and there were more than 200 exhibitors from around the world. Our exhibition stand with profiles, subfloors and baseboards attracted many visitors.
an international flooring exhibition, will celebrate its 55th edition in 2017, and continues to be the best-loved and biggest event on the industry's calendar. You are invited to visit our stand at Harrogate between 17. and 19. September 2017.
Net curtain fabric in the release of blinds!
Is this offer for our customers? Yes, more than half of windows on the market are equipped with transparent net curtains. Shadow roller blinds have a chance to replace them. Why?!
Contact the customers and extend their shelves with our unique blinds. Shadow shades are available on stock (also in the START UP or PROMO STAND variant).
Ready, steady ! LARS !!! First of the market skirting board with wide mounting channel and a 3D embossed wood structure ist ready for shipment to our customers. Contact your clients and propose our unique solution. Let them touch it at feel the difference!!!
LARS skirting boards +accessories along with marketing materials are available on stock.
Let s start selling! LARS skirting boards +accessories along with marketing materials are available on stock. Let s start selling!
Domotex 2017 is behind us! There was plenty going on! Our stand was visited by over 500 people, nearly half had some delicious coffee with us, served by an award winning barista. We talked, presented our offer, established contacts. We were proud to showcase our accessories for LVT floors – a series of linings dedicated to these specific floors and the ideally adapted, waterproof FADO baseboard. Our concept of linings under laminated panels, distinguished in consideration of the 4 primary consumer needs, was met with huge interest. There was an abundance of people eager to test our installation convenience features in the form of SMART linings. There were also new offerings – the LARS baseboard and the LATIKA ceramics baseboard, which will soon become a constant feature of our Arbiton baseboard offer. We wish to kindly thank all those who were there with us and are glad that you could be a part of this success and, of course, look forward to seing you again in Hannover on 12-15 January 2018 at the next edition of the Domotex trade fair.
The 21st of January 2017 saw the conclusion of the BAU 2017 World Architecture, Building Materials and Systems Trade Fair in Munich. Under the Ewifoam brand our company presented its leading products for laminated and vinyl floors. Our team was very thoroughly prepared for this event in order to showcase to our customers the vast array of our offer's benefits.
BAU - The Leading Trade Fair for Architecture, Materials and Systems in Munich, Germany is held every two years. It sets standards and is the industry's most important gathering. It will start on the 16th of January 2017. During 6 days Decora is going to present products branded as Ewifoam in two leading categories – accessories for laminate floors and accessories for LVT floors.
Running from 14 to 17 January 2017 in Hannover, Germany, the DOMOTEX tradeshow will once again serve as the epicenter for all things concerning floor coverings. Decora will take part as Arbiton brand and also present two categories of products – for laminates and for LVT.
On 18 – 20 September 2016 the company Decora exhibited its products at the largest floor show in the UK - Flooring Show. It was the 54th edition of the Fair and there were more than 200 exhibitors from around the world. Our exhibition stand with profiles, subfloors and baseboards attracted many visitors. During the presentation of the products we placed the greatest emphasis on accessories for LVT. Arbiton brand, which was presented for the first time at the fair in the UK, arouse a special interests among visitors.
The use of white baseboards will add an original character to any interior.
Thanks to this unique design S-Board products can be placed directly on the existing floor, without substructure.
The floor is only 22 mm high and consequently can be installed on surfaces where conventional terrace systems cannot be applied due to high substructure. The S-Board system saves not only space, but also signifi - cantly reduces costs and installation time. The installation of the S-Board floor system is amazingly quick and simple – anyone can do it.
Among the system's most prominent advantages is the possibility of installation on existing surface – whether made from concrete, sett or ceramic tiles. The surface must be stable and inclined at least 3%. On the bottom of the boards there are special drainage ducts for removing water. S-Boards are very convenient to use. The flexible coat prevents the formation of splinters and ensures safe and comfortable contact with feet. The composite board's one-of-a-kind structure, with rubber responsible for shock absorption, lends exceptional durability to the S-Board system.
Ewifoam und Arbiton – the Professional Floor Expert – showcased a concept of accessories for all types of floors at this year's edition of Domotex fair. Solutions for LVT floors, enjoying massive popularity throughout recent years, attracted most of the attention. We also presented new floor underlays. Vinlay Rapid for LVT Dryback floors was the top innovation. This is a professional underlay for application across the entire surface of the floor. The revolutionary method of floating laying of LVT Dryback floors translates into quick installation, without costly adhesive.
The clients also appreciated Dora and Fado, water-proof skirting boards. Fado's wood grain and functionality is aptly named as the Perfect Match - the skirting boards seamlessly match the most popular floors on the market. The white Dora is a universal skirting board that is at home at any room. Domotex 2016 is best summarized as hundreds of visitors, successful business talks and well deserved appreciation.
This year again our German company - ewifoam ® - had an opportunity to show its exhibition at construction fairs: Branchentag and Eurobaustoff. Both events took place in November 2015. As specialists in the field of floor underlays, we presented our new sales concept and many product solutions.
Apart from new products, ewifoam ® also presented a new marketing concept to its clients, supporting the sale of professional products.
Decorate your interior with light! The LED system is a unique decoration system for rooms, designed for independent assembly by the customer. The presented solution is even several times cheaper than the traditional constructions (such as e.g. suspended ceiling). In order to assemble the system on the wall you do not have to use professional aid or be an electrician. The placement of 120 diodes per 1 running meter makes the light intense and perfectly diffused.
The application of the lighting board as a decorative element is one of the most popular trends in the recent years with regards to the arrangement of interiors.
The LED board allows to illuminate your ceiling and wall at the same time.
How to illuminate your interiors?
The lighting boards mounted several centimetres from the ceiling emit both delicate and cosy as well as clear and strong light, which can successfully replace the additional standing or ceiling lighting or wall lamps. If you are looking for an original idea for lighting your interiors, the LED board is exactly what you need!
Every two years construction professionals from all over the globe come to Munich, to BAU, the World's Leading Trade Fair for Architecture, Materials and Systems.
This year's edition of the fair, held on January 19-24, broke records in many aspects. For the first time in its 50 years of history, the exhibition enjoyed over 250,000 visitors, and 72,000 of them arrived from countries other than Germany. The huge, international-scale interest shows how hungry the market is for cutting edge products and innovative construction technologies.
Many of the 2,000 exhibitors showed exactly that - trend-setting, breakthrough solutions. There is no doubt that no major player in the construction industry was missing from this most important construction fair.
Before us the New Edition of the world's biggest Fair for architecture, materials and build systems "Bau 2015", which will take place between January, the 19th-24th 2015 in Munich. More than 2000 companies from over 40 countries will present their offer. The popularity of this Exhibition shows itself in the lack of free stands for the exhibitors already a year before the exhibition. The organizers expect over 230.000 visitors from all over the World! We couldn't miss it at all! We will present to you all our new products with a great pleasure.
We invite each and every one of you to visit our stand!
On 6-10 May 2014 there was held API Turkeybild Istambul fair in which Decora took part for the first time, exhibiting its full range of products. This is associated with the company's sales expansion to the Middle East, Persian Gulf countries, Central Asia and Turkey. The fair in Istanbul was a great opportunity to show our broad range of products. The fair in Istanbul is the largest event in the construction industry covering the aforesaid markets. Our stand was hugely popular.
We acquired about 300 new business contacts and we have a perspective for the development of sales in this part of the world.
on reappointing Mr Waldemar Osuch as the Member of the Management Board of the Company and entrusting him the position of the President of the Management Board.
Between 1st - 3rd April 2014, Decora participated for the first time at the DOMOTEX Trade Show in Russia - specialist exhibition presenting the offer of the leading manufacturers of flooring industry.
The company introduced some new products for 2014, which for special attention deserves WPC decking, VEGA and INTEGRA skirting boards and a new range of floor underlays Arbiton Professional. A great attention was also paid to our experience corner, where anyone could test, inter alia, our new underlay absorbing electromagnetic radiation - SECURA Electro Protect.
DOMOTEX Trade Show Russia proved to be not only an opportunity to learn current trends for flooring and carpets, but also the tendency of the Russian market for the industry.
On 8th -11th January 2014 took place 45th Edition of Heimtextil trade fair in Frankfurt by Main. DECORA Company had come out as an exhibitor the first time in its history.
The greatest interest had gained at Decora stand the pleats type "honeycomb" roof windows, blinds type "shangrila" in the collection of Glamour and a very elegant cassette for roller shutters standard Cube.Thanks to some new contacts buit up in the fair we hope to increase the number of distributors throughout Europe.
In this year Heimtextil visited almost 67.000 visitors from 133 countries made their way to Frankfurt to see the latest products and solutions shown by 2,718 exhibitors. The significant increase in the interest both of the trade fair visitors and exhibitors in the relation to previous years, Heimtextil in Frankfurt can be regarded as a very successful venture..


text:
Miércoles, 02 Marzo 2022 08:45
Researchers identify the role of three key molecules in the pig immune system against one of the viruses most dangerous to the swine industry
A study on Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome virus analyzes the role of what are known as Viral Transcription Factors, molecules responsible for the differentiation of immune system cells, and concludes that three of these molecules are expressed with greater intensity in the most virulent strains of the pathogen
Publicado en Nature science
A study finds that the success rate of vaginal delivery by mothers with priorC-sections declined during the early months of the pandemic
The study shows a decline in the success of natural childbirth during the first wave of Covid-19 in women who previously hadC-sections, although the research team responsible for the study notes that this difference has declined over time, and that the number of successful pregnancies remains high
Publicado en Biomedicine and health
A study proposes the Atlas cedar as an alternative to mitigate the effects of climate change in forests on the Iberian Peninsula
A study carried out by an international team and published in a special issue of the journal Forests on adaptive forestry analyzed the usefulness of the Atlas cedar, a North African species, in mitigating the effects of climate change in the forest systems of the Iberian Peninsula's Mediterranean Arc
Silvadapt
SENSORFINT PROJECT | An International Network Shares Information on Non-destructive Technologies for Food Analysis
A research group at the University of Córdoba, coordinated by Professor Dolores Pérez Marín, leads this collaborative project drawing together more than 30 countries and 200 international researchers, bringing to bear their experience with non-destructive spectral sensors for innovation in quality control, safety and the traceability of agri-food products
Publicado en Technology
quality analysis
Dead or alive? Identifying factors that predispose trees to death after windstorms in Central European forests
Soil, growth pattern and species heterogeneity in the forest determine tree survival after windstorms, according to a study by the University of Cordoba and The Silva Tarouca Research Institute in the Czech Republic.
DAUCO
IN-HABIT PROJECT | European Cities Include Disadvantaged Neighbourhoods in their Process to Create Healthy Spaces
Cordoba's Las Palmeras area is one of the intervention areas for the testing of new inclusion measures for urban well-being as part of the European IN-HABIT project, led by the University of Córdoba
Publicado en Social sciences and law
socioeconomic inequalities

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
"""This module defines the base Modem() class."""

import serial
import threading
try:
    import Queue as queue
except ImportError:
    import queue
import time
import os
from humod import errors
from humod import actions
from humod import defaults
from humod import at_commands as atc

class Interpreter(threading.Thread):
    """Interpreter thread."""
    def __init__(self, modem, queue, patterns):
        self.active = True
        self.queue = queue
        self.patterns = patterns
        self.modem = modem
        threading.Thread.__init__(self)

    def run(self):
        """Keep interpreting messages while active attribute is set."""
        while self.active:
            self.interpret(self.queue.get().decode())

    def interpret(self, message):
        """Match message pattern with an action to take.

        Arguments:
            message -- string received from the modem.
        """
        for pattern_action in self.patterns:
            pattern, action = pattern_action
            if pattern.search(message):
                action(self.modem, message)
                break
        else:
            actions.null_action(self.modem, message)

class QueueFeeder(threading.Thread):
    """Queue feeder thread."""
    def __init__(self, queue, ctrl_port, ctrl_lock):
        self.active = True
        self.queue = queue
        self.ctrl_port = ctrl_port
        self.ctrl_lock = ctrl_lock
        threading.Thread.__init__(self)

    def run(self):
        """Start the feeder thread."""
        while self.active:
            self.ctrl_lock.acquire()
            try:
                # set timeout
                input_line = self.ctrl_port.readline()
                self.queue.put(input_line)
            finally:
                self.ctrl_lock.release()
                # Putting the thread on idle between releasing
                # and acquiring the lock for 100ms
                time.sleep(.1)

    def stop(self):
        """Stop the queue feeder thread."""
        self.active = False
        self.ctrl_port.write(b'\r\n')

class Prober(object):
    """Class responsible for reading in and queueing of control data."""

    def __init__(self, modem):
        self.queue = queue.Queue()
        self._interpreter = None
        self._feeder = None
        self.modem = modem
        self.patterns = None

    def _stop_interpreter(self):
        """Stop the interpreter."""
        self._interpreter.active = False
        self._interpreter.queue.put('')

    def _start_interpreter(self):
        """Instanciate and start a new interpreter."""
        self._interpreter = Interpreter(self.modem, self.queue, self.patterns)
        self._interpreter.start()

    def start(self, patterns=None):
        """Start the prober.

        Starts two threads, an instance of QueueFeeder and Interpreter.
        """
        self.patterns = patterns
        if not patterns:
            self.patterns = actions.STANDARD_ACTIONS
        if self._feeder:
            raise errors.HumodUsageError('Prober already started.')
        else:
            self._feeder = QueueFeeder(self.queue, self.modem.ctrl_port,
                                       self.modem.ctrl_lock)
            self._feeder.start()
            self._start_interpreter()

    def stop(self):
        """Stop the prober."""
        if self._feeder:
            self._stop_interpreter()
            self._feeder.stop()
            self._feeder = None
        else:
            raise errors.HumodUsageError('Prober not started.')

# pylint: disable-msg=R0904
# pylint: disable-msg=R0903
# pylint: disable-msg=R0902
# pylint: disable-msg=R0901
class ModemPort(serial.Serial):
    """Class extending serial.Serial by humod specific methods."""

    def send_at(self, cmd, suffix, prefixed=True):
        """Send serial text to the modem.

        Arguments:
            self -- serial port to send to,
            text -- text value to send,
            prefixed -- boolean determining weather to strip the AT
                        command prefix from each output line.

        Returns:
            List of strings.
        """
        self.write(('AT%s%s\r' % (cmd, suffix)).encode())
        # Read in the echoed text.
        # Check for errors and raise exception with specific error code.
        input_line = self.readline().decode()
        errors.check_for_errors(input_line)
        # Return the result.
        if prefixed:
            # If the text being sent is an AT command, only relevant context
            # answer (starting with '+command:' value) will be returned by
            #return_data(). Otherwise any string will be returned.
            return self.return_data(cmd)
        else:
            return self.return_data()

    def read_waiting(self):
        """Clear the serial port by reading all data waiting in it."""
        return self.read(self.inWaiting())

    def return_data(self, command=None):
        """Read until exit status is returned.

        Returns:
            data: List of right-stripped strings containing output
            of the command.

        Raises:
            AtCommandError: If an error is returned by the modem.
        """
        data = []
        while 1:
            # Read in one line of input.
            try:
                input_line = self.readline().decode().rstrip()
            except serial.serialutil.SerialException:
                time.sleep(.2)
                continue

            # Check for errors and raise exception with specific error code.
            errors.check_for_errors(input_line)
            if input_line == 'OK' and self.inWaiting() == 0:  # Final 'OK\r\n'
                return data
            # Append only related data (starting with "command" contents).
            if command:
                if input_line.startswith(command):
                    prefix_length = len(command)+2
                    data.append(input_line[prefix_length:])
            else:
                # Append only non-empty data.
                if input_line:
                    data.append(input_line)

class ConnectionStatus(object):
    """Data structure representing current state of the modem."""

    def __init__(self):
        """Constructor for ConnectionStatus class."""
        self.rssi = 0
        self.uplink = 0
        self.downlink = 0
        self.bytes_tx = 0
        self.bytes_rx = 0
        self.link_uptime = 0
        self.mode = None

    def report(self):
        """Print connection status report."""
        format = '%20s : %5s'
        mapping = (('Signal Strength', self.rssi),
                   ('Bytes rx', self.bytes_rx),
                   ('Bytes tx', self.bytes_tx),
                   ('Uplink (B/s)', self.uplink),
                   ('Downlink (B/s)', self.downlink),
                   ('Seconds uptime', self.link_uptime),
                   ('Mode', self.mode))
        print()
        for item in mapping:
            print(format % item)

class Modem(atc.SetCommands, atc.GetCommands, atc.ShowCommands,
            atc.InteractiveCommands, atc.EnterCommands):
    """Class representing a modem."""

    # pylint: disable-msg=R0901
    # pylint: disable-msg=R0904
    status = ConnectionStatus()
    baudrate = defaults.BAUDRATE
    pppd_params = defaults.PPPD_PARAMS
    _pppd_pid = None
    _dial_num = defaults.DIALNUM

    def __init__(self, data=defaults.DATA_PORT,
                 ctrl=defaults.CONTROL_PORT):
        """Open a serial connection to the modem."""
        self.data_port = ModemPort(data, defaults.BAUDRATE,
                timeout=defaults.PROBER_TIMEOUT)
        self.ctrl_port = ModemPort(ctrl, 9600,
                timeout=defaults.PROBER_TIMEOUT)
        self.ctrl_lock = threading.Lock()
        self.prober = Prober(self)
        atc.SetCommands.__init__(self)
        atc.GetCommands.__init__(self)
        atc.EnterCommands.__init__(self)
        atc.InteractiveCommands.__init__(self)
        atc.ShowCommands.__init__(self)

    def connect(self, dialtone_check=True):
        """Use pppd to connect to the network."""
        # Modem is not connected if _pppd_pid is set to None.
        if not self._pppd_pid:
            data_port = self.data_port
            data_port.open()
            data_port.write(b'ATZ\r\n')
            data_port.return_data()
            if not dialtone_check:
                data_port.write(b'ATX3\r\n')
                data_port.return_data()
            data_port.write(('ATDT%s\r\n' % self._dial_num).encode())
            data_port.readline()
            status = data_port.readline()
            if status.startswith('CONNECT'):
                pppd_args = [defaults.PPPD_PATH, self.baudrate,
                             self.data_port.port] + self.pppd_params
                pid = os.fork()
                if pid:
                    self._pppd_pid = pid
                else:
                    try:
                        os.execv(defaults.PPPD_PATH, pppd_args)
                    except:
                        raise errors.PppdError('An error while starting pppd.')
        else:
            last_pppd_result = os.waitpid(self._pppd_pid, os.WNOHANG)
            if last_pppd_result != (0, 0):
                # Reconnect.
                self._pppd_pid = None
                self.connect(dialtone_check)
            else:
                # Modem already connected.
                raise errors.HumodUsageError('Modem already connected.')

    def disconnect(self):
        """Disconnect the modem."""
        if self._pppd_pid:
            os.kill(self._pppd_pid, 15)
            os.waitpid(self._pppd_pid, 0)
            self._pppd_pid = None
        else:
            raise errors.HumodUsageError('Not connected.')

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Grammatophyllum rumphianum är en orkidéart som beskrevs av Friedrich Anton Wilhelm Miquel. Grammatophyllum rumphianum ingår i släktet Grammatophyllum och familjen orkidéer. Inga underarter finns listade i Catalogue of Life.

Källor

Externa länkar

Orkidéer
rumphianum

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Does that will make for good business to you personally? Well what about this. Are you aware that pictures with your site don't element in one bit when someone is searching the Internet to your genre of products or services. You see, the various search engines function digitally and photos can not be changed to digital data in how that words can. So pictures are nice when individuals get to your website but they won't draw them in.


Punk Latitudes is a showcase of legendary bands and immersive programming from guest curator Sasha Lord, in support of the inaugural arts and dialogue festival, By The People. Punk Latitudes will feature musical performances from Sneaks, Taraka Larson (Prince Rama),The Messthetics, and Loud Boyz. Between sets, DJs Baby Alcatraz & Alec Mackaye will spin a mix of soul & several decades of punk. The performances will be framed by LA based punk video pioneer Bradley Friedman featuring past to present videos, a panel discussion also including Bradley Friedman, DC punk community authors, musicians, curators, and journalists who have documented the underground music scene. The showcase title Punk Latitudes is a reference to DC and LA being at similar geographic latitudes, DC at 38° and LA at 34°. Despite both of these cities having well known dominant powerful industries, (entertainment and politics) this factor does not hinder the thriving underground culture. In the spirit of the By The People mission to create a space for discourse, Punk Latitudes will foster dialogue bridging the culture from the east and west coasts, as well as from emergent to legendary artists.


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For the Love of Spock (2016)
Not Rated | 111 min | Documentary, Biography
An examination of the enduring appeal of Leonard Nimoy and his portrayal of Spock in Star Trek: The Original Series (1966).
(archive footage)
Catherine Hicks
Adam Nimoy
2 wins.
30 November 2016 | deebz270
| Biographical documentary of the actor - Leonard Nimoy
It is not that often that one is moved emotionally when watching a biographical documentary, but this had me both laughing, smiling, nodding, empathizing and yes certainly shedding the odd tear... .
This is quite simply a superb tribute to the life and times of one of the most influential and inspiring celebrities of our time - Leonard Nimoy(1931-2015).
Peppered with rostrum footage of many of the actors connected with Star Trek. Particular noteworthy were the sentiments of George Takei (Sulu), Bill Shatner (Kirk), Walter Koenig (Chekov), Nichelle Nichols (Uhuru) and Neil DeGrasse Tyson... Sentiments, equally echoed by the entire cast of the new film series.
Even if you are not a 'Trekkie', this film will reach, where no other bio-documentary films have gone before.
Beautifully and thoughtfully directed by his son Adam Nimoy. Which no doubt Spock would have approved of and would probably have found... quite fascinating.
The movie was considered to have had been Kickstarter's most successful documentary project due to its funding ($662,640 over a period of four weeks).
Leonard Nimoy: The pendulum swung completely when that first movie came along, from being an actor and character-oriented Star Trek, to an effects-oriented Star Trek. And the feeling was, "we didn't have the money before. Now we got the money, we got to give them ...
The end credits list all of the contributors to the Kickstarter campaign which made this movie possible.
Documentary | Biography
Canada, USA
06 August 2019 | MovieWeb
What We Left Behind: Looking Back at Deep Space Nine Review: An Amazing Documentary
03 June 2019 | TheHDRoom
'What We Left Behind: Looking Back at Star Trek: Deep Space Nine' Blu-ray Dated with Special Edition Option
19 March 2019 | Variety
Gravitas Ventures Launches Streaming Service Gravitas Movies (Exclusive)


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How AI is Changing the Video Gaming Industry
Posted on 3 July, 2020 3 July, 2020 by Toshendra Sharma
With the growing and evolving technology, the gaming industry is advancing. In the last two decades, there have been many revolutionary changes in the industry; for example, Fortnite by Epic Games has built a virtual space for socializing and PlayStation VR by Sony that has brought high definition virtual reality to our living rooms. The next big thing in gaming comes from Artificial Intelligence, which is the most revolutionary technology of our time.
As the advances in the field of AI have moved from experimental labs to usable development tools, some questions have to be tackled by an AI developer and augmented reality expert. Deep learning, which is a part of Machine Learning and a kind of self-learning AI has been instrumental in computer vision but hasn't marked its effect in commercial game development. The advancements in AI are a part of unbeatable software that improves itself by playing video games like OpenAI's Dota 2 bot and the AlphaGO program by DeepMind. If these terms are too complicated for you, it is recommended to go through artificial intelligence training before splurging into the video gaming industry.
Learning of the Blog
History of AI in gaming
Gaming and AI
This blog aims to explain the changes that AI is bringing in the video gaming industry and how it will affect the future.
Gaming and AI are not two complete parallel fields. It has been converging since the Pong paddle and Pac-Man. Gaming is an essential key for development in AI, and researchers have been experimenting with the two for decades. As early as 1949, Claude Shannon thought of a chess game with a computer, and in 1992, Wolfenstein 3D was released. Wolfenstein worked on the Finite State Machine (FSM) algorithm, where all possible situations were fed to the bot by the artificial intelligence expert. Another success for AI in gaming was Sim City in 1989s. The rudimentary gaming AI led to close to real simulation. Following the footsteps, Total War in 2000 had virtual fighters with human-like emotions. With time both the industries have grown huge, and now they present endless possibilities; we shall see how!
Since the early days, game developers have programmed software in such a way that, along with pretending to be human, a virtual world is created without human expertise. Today, modern AI is not the center of game designs but rather circles around the creation of complex systems' set that leads to emergent gameplay. Red Dead Redemption 2 is a hyper-realistic Western game by Rockstar is an example. The contribution of AI to the gaming industry overshadows the gaming business sector. The rapid blending of the gaming industry with real-world experiences has attracted investors. They are won over by AI-powered tools because of the upward graph of monetization opportunities. The control has been handled over to intelligent systems changing the nature of games. The user preferences are evergreen and dynamic, and to tailor to this not only software but also the technology has taken on a dramatic role.
Now we are going to look at ways in which AI has revolutionized the video gaming industry:
Changing Developer Skills
To hone their creativity and technological capabilities, game developers have always adopted cutting edge technology. Reinforcement learning – a subset of machine learning has acted as a game-changer. The rising adoption of AI has changed the way games are developed. Pathfinding, rule-based AI such as fuzzy logic, and genetic algorithms are drastically changing the notion of Game AI. Along with the knowledge of traditional game development skills, AI techniques are required to make more interactive games.
Improving the Gaming Experience
Detail attracts today's gamers a lot-from visual appearance and high-end graphics to immersive and interactive games matter. AI is capable of playing a crucial role in taking gaming to the next level by real-time customization of scenarios.
Smarter Games
Along with scripting, many game AIs and heuristic algorithms are incorporated for controlling Non-playable characters. The characters learn from the player's actions and modify behaviors accordingly. Nintendo- a real-time simulation video game works on this concept. The future target is to design robust systems capable of understanding and to react to noise, speech, and in-game sounds. This requires reinforcement learning and pattern recognition so that characters self-learn and evolve accordingly. The adoption of modern AI techniques is prevalent in games like The Sims and F.E.A.R but yet limited.
Half of the game revenue comes from mobile games, and this validates the rise of the mobile game industry. Immersive and interactive gaming is possible because of the high processing power of smartphones and tablets. The lack of a gaming console is challenging to suffice. To impart 'smartness' to mobile games, mobile game developers have shifted to AI algorithms and machine learning frameworks. Facebook's Caffe2 and Google's TensorFlow Lite have come to the AI developers' rescue.
Realistic Gaming
In the last decade, 3D visualization techniques have shown an incredible advancement, such as the inclusion of Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality in games. AI is helping developers meet reality resemblance challenges, along with creating visually appealing games. The future is the games that choose the best possible alternative after interpreting and anticipating your activity in real-time.
The gaming industry is now one of the most profitable as games are more than a source of entertainment. The demand of the community is proportional to the growth of the industry. AI is playing an essential role in making games real and intelligent. It is an exciting time for game developers to roll out all tricks up their sleeves. Do you want to build your own set? Take the first step with the best artificial intelligence course as a part of artificial intelligence training for gaming.
CategoriesArtificial Intelligence Tags#AI jobs, AI Certification, ai developer, AI Expert, AI in Video Gaming, AI online Training, Artificial Intelligence Training
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Strange Schools with Stranger Rules Variant by Robison Wells, a book review.
Variant, as the first in a sequel, reveals a complex dystopian world recently discovered by the main character, Benson. Benson starts the book as a confused foster kid looking for a way out of his dead-end life and develops into a quick-thinking leader. Taking place in a desolate private school with no teachers on campus, one can wonder how you could even relate to the plot or problems uncovered in this novel. Variant surrounds the struggle within students of whether or not to try and escape from the school, which isn't something most of us are faced with every day. However, it portrays two quite different themes: one to do with being cautious and the other, teamwork. With this, the story goes into the fact that in some situations you can't quite trust anyone, but at the same time includes lessons about working together for a common goal. The varying between the two is what causes an inner conflict with Benson, similar to the one other students are having.
Starting out as Benson is being driven to his new school, he explains how this school is private and would be considered "fancy." He starts to think something is up when staff tell him he has to wear a tracking device, however he doesn't realize just how weird it will get. From there, it goes into details of the odd "detentions" that no one has come back from, and strange punishments. He is faced with the choice of three gangs within in the school and he chooses Variant, explaining the title.
Since the novel is very sci-fi dystopian, readers can expect to be intrigued by the unusual, often outrageous occurrences. Fitting even under the category of mystery, leaving your questions unanswered, Variant can be appealing to nearly any reader. As with any good book, the storyline leaves you with a unique perspective on life and the world around us. Even yet, the adventures don't stop in Variant, but continues into the sequel, Feedback. This sequel becomes a world almost right in front of you, similar to the books Divergent by Veronica Roth, and The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. Variant is a must-read book for teens or even adults, with its fast-paced plot and unique characters.


90 day menu, designed by Registered Dietitian, that outlines when to give which foods to your baby when starting on solids.
1. 90 Days menu to help you introduce solids to your baby.
2. It outlines how to introduce different foods, what to give at each meal, the appropriate amount of food to give, guidelines and short recipes on food preparation.
3. All the important principles on solid introduction in a practical and helpful way.
4. Valuable guidelines on what to do after the first 90 days.


Shades and white –Baiyu celebrates this spirit as it introduces #SOIfriends through its monsoon launch. The Baiyu collection is an ode to the rainy season in Japan known as baiyu, which literally transforms to 'plum rain', because it coincides with the season of plums ripening.
Founded almost two decades ago, Shades of India is internationally known as one of India's most creative textile companies. Led by Mandeep Nagi (Design Director) and David Housego (former UK journalist), the brand combines contemporary design with the inspiring workmanship of traditional craft.
Drawing inspiration from classic Japanese motifs derived from Sashiko patterns, the clothes have beautiful complimentary colors with clever cuts that cater to the contemporary women of today- who are feminine, free spirited and independent.
Thus #SOIfriends features five women who are all from different walks of life and age groups. They find a common thread in the design story of Baiyu.
The collection comprises kurtas, tops, scarves, dupattas, pyjamas, skirts, tunics, accessories and bags. So celebrate friendship with SOI this monsoon!


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Death toll in northeast Nigeria attack reaches at least 142
The insurgents also burned scores of homes and buildings in the assault
Published: September 22, 2013 20:51 AFP
Maidugari: The death toll from an attack in northeastern Nigeria that saw insurgents dressed as soldiers set up checkpoints and gun down travellers on a highway has risen to at least 142, an official said on Sunday.
"We recovered 55 bodies on Wednesday and 87 on Thursday," Abdulaziz Kolomi, an official with the environmental protection agency in Borno state where the attack occurred, told AFP. The previous toll from the attack late on Tuesday in the Benisheik area was 87.
The insurgents, suspected to be from Islamist extremist group Boko Haram, also burned scores of homes and buildings in the assault and left corpses scattered on the roadside.
The motivation behind the assault was not immediately clear, but Boko Haram members have repeatedly carried out revenge attacks against residents over the emergence of vigilante groups that have formed to assist the military.
Benisheik was also the scene of deadly clashes on September 8 between suspected Boko Haram gunmen and vigilantes.
Residents described a gruesome assault on Tuesday, saying the attackers singled out people from Borno, while letting people from other regions pass through checkpoints.
One security source said in the wake of the attack that "they came in droves, driving about 20 pickup trucks".
Army General Mohammad Yousuf, who briefed the state governor on the attack, said troops ran out of ammunition while combatting the assault. He said the insurgents were armed with "anti-aircraft guns".
Northeastern Nigeria has seen an outburst of violence in recent days, leaving scores of people dead and casting doubt over the effectiveness of a military assault seeking to end Boko Haram's four-year insurgency.
The insurgents say they are fighting to create an Islamic state in Nigeria's mainly Muslim north, but their aims have repeatedly shifted and much of their recent violence has targeted defenceless civilians.
In mid-May, Nigeria declared a state of emergency across the northeast, Boko Haram's stronghold, and launched a sweeping offensive aimed at crushing the group's four-year insurgency.
While the military has claimed major successes in the campaign, the attacks may have simply shifted from cities to more remote areas.
The phone network in Borno has been switched off since the emergency measures were imposed, a move the military said was aimed at blocking the Islamists from coordinating attacks.
Some have suggested that the lack of phone service has prevented civilians from sounding the alarm during attacks. It has also made it difficult to verify information from the region.
The insurgency was estimated earlier this year to have killed at least 3,600 people since 2009, including deaths caused by the security services, but the current toll is likely much higher.
Nigeria is Africa's top oil producer and most populous country, roughly divided between a mainly Muslim north and predominately Christian south.
All homes on one of Tonga's islands destroyed, 3 dead


But decided I liked them cut clean instead.
I'm still working on the brackets that bolt the posts to the footings. They need a bit of tweaking, and it turns out I don't have enough of the lag screws to do the job anyway.
A lot of people think that these brackets are to hold the posts up, but really, they're there to hold the post, the whole bent, *down* to the big concrete footing. It's earthquake protection for hopping, and moving from side to side. They wouldn't hold them if they wanted to topple over... but they won't do that as they are all hooked together... like a table with 15 legs.


If you are injured in a car accident and have sustained injuries to your muscles, bones, ligaments, tendons, or joints, part of your therapy and healing will likely include seeing a massage therapist. The massage therapist will help you get your body back to normal and also help you with the mental aspects of your recovery. Here are a few of the important benefits a car accident victim can expect when seeing a massage therapist.
Car accidents can create a variety of injuries. Many are to the skeletal and muscular system. If your muscles are injured, you will need to let them heal. This means not using them for an extended period of time. When muscles aren't used for a long time they weaken and can even atrophy. Your physiotherapist will create a program that includes physical therapy exercises and Massage Therapy to help you regain your strength.
When muscles and bones are injured in a car accident, you can develop issues with your range of motion in your joints, ligaments or muscles. Massage therapists that use remedial massage are great at increasing your range of motion. The remedial massage therapist will examine any injuries and develop a program that will include bone healing and range of motion massage therapies. This approach can greatly improve your range of motion, bringing back a sense of normality to someone who has been in a car accident.
A massage therapist is also somewhat responsible for bringing confidence back to their patients who've been injured. Car accidents can result in mental injury as well as physical with the mental injuries sometimes much more difficult to fix. A massage therapist will use their time with a patient to provide positive messaging and reinforcement that assist a patient with their mental recovery.
Massage therapists can play a critical role for those who have been injured in car accidents and require continuing physical therapy to get back to full health. Seeing a remedial massage therapist will result in the patient gaining many benefits from the therapy.
In spite of all the technology available to jot down information like important notes, there are still many reasons to take what feels like a step backward and write your notes by hand.
You may look at the abundant stash of digital equipment you've gathered to support your business enterprise goals and wonder, "Why would I let this amazing technology go to waste?" Quite simply, there are some tasks that benefit from a more traditional — or some may even consider it old school — approach. More importantly, you don't have to completely abandon your technology in your quest to take truly beneficial notes, as you will soon discover.
Research shows that hand writing notes is one of the most effective ways to study and retain new information. According to a study published in Psychological Science, taking notes by hand requires extra processing of the material written. The reason for this seemingly simple phenomenon is that committing information to paper through writing stimulates a part of the brain called the Reticular Activating System (RAS). The RAS serves as a filter for all that your brain needs to process, prioritizing the information upon which you are immediately focused.
Essentially, writing your notes means you may find it at least slightly less likely to refer to them in the future, thanks to better retention. Your new associates and business prospects will appreciate your sharp memory and attention to detail.
If any aspect of your home-based business requires writing tasks and capabilities, such as writing blog posts to support your website, note that writing by hand can help you improve your writing skills. Writing out an early draft, or even just jotting down notes from your research, can help you gain a better understanding of the topic, how it relates to your business and the best approach to writing the post. Think of all the outlines you wrote out in school and how useful they were to guiding your writing. The same benefits are there, no matter how much or little writing you do for your business.
You can have the best of all worlds with the right electronic devices to support your business goals. A mobile phone along with its accompanying smart writing stylus is a prime example of tech gadgetry that lets you do it all. For example, the Samsung Galaxy Note8's intelligent S Pen lets you write, draw and even doodle with incredible accuracy. You get the sensation and memory retention benefits of hand writing while still being able to save every document for future reference.
It is easy to become distracted during meetings, training sessions and seminars if you are not an active part of the event. If you pull out your laptop to jot down a few notes, you may find yourself wandering over to Facebook or answering a few emails. Using pen and paper — or the electronic equivalent — to dash out ideas can help you stay focused, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education.
Whether you are drafting your notes with a classic pen and legal pad combination, or a smartphone and stylus, you will discover a newfound depth that can help bolster your daily business practices.
It's become something of a buzzword in the industry over the last few years, with umpteen autobiographies and business journals really putting a spin on the term "leadership".
In truth, this isn't something that you can pick up a book and learn in a flash. Sure, if you were to turn to the best online MBA, you would probably see some real progress, but a lot of people rely on pure experience over a long period of time.
The problem with a lot of the autobiographies is that they are very opinion-based. In the business world especially, there are a lot of opinions doing the round. This, in turn, creates a lot of misconceptions which can cloud the issue of leadership somewhat.
Bearing this in mind, today's post is going to tackle some of these leadership myths, and highlight what's really true about the elusive L-word.
This is one of the most ridiculous myths of all. There's no doubt that every person in the world is born with a different personality, and some of these personality types will be associated with leadership more than others.
However, to suggest that leaders can't be made would be a gross inaccuracy. Many believe that leaders are created through the circumstances that they find themselves in. There will be occasions when they naturally find themselves in said circumstances, and others where they strategically place themselves in these situations to try and develop themselves. To coin the same example, studying for an MBA is a case of someone aiming to creep out of their comfort zone and ultimately develop their leadership qualities.
This is another myth that couldn't be further from the truth. One of the most important things that a leader needs to be able to do successfully is delegate. This is a point that few would disagree with.
It's plain wrong to suggest that leaders won't delegate the most important tasks on their agenda though. On the contrary, they will find the right person to do the job. In some situations, this might involve them carrying out the task themselves, but on others they will be more than happy to delegate accordingly.
One of the biggest stereotypes of leaders is that they are imposing figures that are full of charisma. The main reason behind this misconception is that it's these types of leaders which tend to find themselves in the public domain. In other words, they put themselves in the shop-window, and everyone else thinks that there is no other way to be a leader.
However, if we were to view leaders around the world, the overriding characteristic would be influence. Some might do this through more vocal ways than others, but the key attribute beneath everything is the ability to influence others. Others will respect them, and it's not necessarily for the way that they portray their ideas.
Andrew Argue Course Cost: What Are You Paying For?
Everyone wants the facts before they commit to any purchase. Thanks to how we all conduct our reviews before committing to a purchase, we're able to go in-depth and really explore the pros, cons, and the overall costs. Everyone has the power to be informed, but when it comes to items that don't have a retail price tag, such as the cost of working with Andrew Argue, then things get a little interesting.
If you've ever looked up an Andrew Argue course review, then you've had a chance to peruse everything you get when you hop into one of his webinars or attend a private consulting lesson. Andrew's students are out there, dominating the playing field with their newfound tax knowledge and business sense.
Andrew Argue claims he can help grow your accounting or tax business. Here at HomeBusinessWiz.com, were a little skeptical of this claim. When you are working from home and creating your own tax or accounting business, being super profitable is everything. If someone were to approve you and tell you they could help grow your business leaps and bounds, most people would doubt them. So we looked deeper into Andrew Argue and what he offers.
If you're sizing up the price and trying to figure things out, the Andrew Argue cost is going to surprise you. Everyone likes to know exactly what they're paying for, so Andrew Argue custom tailors everything to your specific needs. He understands that there's no simple solution that applies to everyone. His students are out there commanding their businesses and building seven-figure incomes, and he taught them what they needed to know.
Argue hopes you enjoy the free mini-webinar he offers and also offers more extensive services. All of Andrew Argues services are custom tailored to his clients. He offers everything from 12-month programs for an accounting firm to one on one training, he even offers live seminars.
Custom information, custom prices; its how he operates. Andrew believes that you should get what you pay for, and you should value your purchase. The last thing he wants is for you to feel as though you didn't get value out of your purchase.
What sets Andrew Argue apart from other accounting training is his programs are a mixture of lessons. He will teach you how to obtain hyper-profitable clients and maintain good relationships. All of his course is online and can be accessed at any time via a computer, tablet or cell phone. Because not everyone learns the same, the course material range from video lessons, workbooks, text and quizes.
You're going into an industry that has a lot of established fortune 500 companies that you need to compete against, so when you wonder what you're paying for, know this: You're getting the advantageous edge that others aren't, and you can't get that with anybody but Andrew Argue.
If you find yourself thinking about getting a job to support yourself while going to college, rest assured that you're not alone. According to data from the U.S. Department of Education, over 78% of undergraduate students work, and this has changed very little since the 1990s. If anything, this number could grow as college prices and the costs of living go up. However, you also have to keep in mind that your studies require time as well, so choosing the right job is crucial.
Why Work As A Student?
Depending on your financial situation, working through college may have long or short-term benefits for your finances. Many choose to work to lower the amount they have to borrow in student loans to pay for their education. Student loan debt is one of the largest sources of debt in the country, over $1 trillion dollars, so this is certainly a wise decision. However, others who may have been able to get scholarships or other means to lower their tuition costs may choose to work to simply have spending money for various activities during their college years, similar to the role that a high-school job plays for many.
Even if money isn't an issue (a rarity) working in a professional environment offers benefits for college students beyond a paycheck. For example, more and more entry-level jobs are demanding some experience working with top candidates. Ideally, if you can find employment in your field of choice, it will make you that much more of an appealing candidate, as well as adding a new dimension to the education you are getting in your classes. Even if your job isn't an exact match, there are important skills to be learned. Working while you are in school can help you meet deadlines, work under pressure, and be better at managing time, all essential skills in the working world.
Many colleges have a career development center, and while a lot of their efforts focus on your first jobs out of school, they also understand that experience during your college years can make all the difference. They may be able to connect you to relevant internships, but don't be afraid to do the work on your own and find jobs that you think may be directly or indirectly relevant to your career path and see what they think. You may be surprised what looks good on a resume if you portray it correctly.
In some cases, companies may offer employment designed for your needs. Vector Marketing offers work for students, with flexible schedules that work around your classes rather than forcing you to make tough decisions between one or the other. Many other companies will seek out students as well, and while these may not pay the most, they do provide valuable experience. In general, one of the best things you can do during the interview process is making things clear that you are a student and know how your chosen classes will impact your schedule. Yes, this may take you out of the running for some jobs. But ultimately, these types of jobs would only lead to friction later, so consider it a blessing in disguise.
College students of all stripes are likely to pursue some type of employment during their education, whether they are trying to finance their way through college or accompany their education with relevant workplace experience. However, not every job is conducive to a student's lifestyle. Be sure to find something that is flexible and ideally will have applications for your future career path. It can be hard to keep your eyes on the prize when daily demands pop up on your finances. But working now can pay dividends later if you find a proper balance.


Eirene earns a full house!
STYAL Golf Club's lady captain Eirene Cundiff is looking to make over £3,000 for her chosen charity - the East Cheshire Hospice.
STYAL Golf Club's lady captain Eirene Cundiff is looking to make over £3,000 for her chosen charity - the East Cheshire Hospice.
And her charity team day attracted a full house of 32 teams who helped to swell funds toward her target.
"I was delighted with the turn-out and it puts me well on course to reach my target by the end of the year," said Eirene.


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Historical Lore
World Theme
Human Era
Present Era
Mortal Rules
Wizard Rules
Donators and Creators
Roles and Machine
Jaochi
The Realm of the Black Bear
The Courts of Chaos
The Eldar
The Knights of Drin
The Monks of Antana
The Society of the Raven
The Scythe
The Snowfolk
Newbie Line
Game Slate
Geographical Explorers
The Society of Killers
Current Boards
Archived Boards
Voting Tips
Player Blogs
Glod opens lockers.
Esjay settles in the north.
Exploration Event!
(Castro): Tagteam.
(Luthien): Update to Quest Rules
(Luthien): New Arch of World and Map
(Apoc): Day one, a club and a goblin
Name: Juanka
Race: Dwarf
The orc wars spanned many years, but the unification of the realm was the decisive factor in the eventual victory of the humans. The last great Orc War, the War of Faith, began in the year 484 and lasted three years. It began when the mountain orcs united under a vengeful half-orc, Alzarov (formerly Garath), and began to pillage villages to the south, north and west of Tantallon. Alzarov, the son of a woman raped by orcish invaders, had been turned out of his village when he was still young by humans who bore great prejudice against orcs. This event made him determined to revenge himself against humans by driving them away from the world altogether.
The War of Faith was perhaps the most destructive of all orc wars. The destruction of the abandoned mages' tower and the Manor north of Tantallon date to this war. Arnog Trueheart the Fierce created an alliance of human and dwarven forces who finally laid siege to the Mountain Orc stronghold. In the ensuing battle, Alzarov either vanished or was killed, and the orcs surrendered to Drin, Arnog's son (Arnog had been killed in battle a few months earlier, in 487.) A peace treaty was signed between Drin and Kazarov, King of the Mountain Orcs, and the Mountain Orcs were brought under the nominal control of Drin. It is to celebrate and honour the victory of Drin that the order of the Knights of Drin were officially founded, formalizing a knightly tradition that had been in effect since the time of Arutha.
However, some orcs refused to accept the surrender of Kazarov, which was viewed by many orcs as a betrayal of all orc history. In addition, many humans and dwarves began to chafe under what was viewed as an increasingly imperial tendency in Drin, who although generally considered kind, can also be quite stern and has decidedly expansionist tendencies.
A group of these renegades, driven out after the last Orc War, rallied together under the leadership of a fighter named Halforc. Halforc was also the product of an orc-human mating, but in this case of a different type. Halforc's father had left his own village after being ridiculed for his ugliness and poor health habits, and had married an orc woman whom he had met in his wanderings. Halforc himself was motivated by his emphasis on the similarities shared by both humans and orcs: their hungers, physical drives, sexual predilections, and rugged individualism. He was contemptuous of both the new "Reign of Order" proclaimed by Drin, and of the Mountain Orcs whom he felt had scurrilously surrendered to that reign. He gathered a band of like-minded thinkers in a group called the Scythe. The name of Scythe refers to the brutal and swift blade which decapitates the field of identical and orderly stalks of grain.
Halforc sought the advice of the orc shaman, who told him to move his group south to a site just next to Asyvan's domain. The Scythe camp has grown as additional disaffected subjects of Drin have flocked to the group. Halforc himself has been absent for the past few years, apparently having travelled to the west to search for allies among the western orc lands. His lieutenant still leads the Scythe, however, and the group continues to ravage the forces of Drin. Sometimes they have even managed to sway the very forces of Drin himself, as when they won over the heart of a now-nameless knight who surrendered the once-impregnable Knight's Stronghold to the forces of evil.
Scythe orcs distance themselves from the Mountain Orcs, whom they view as traitorous and bootlicking, and instead practice the old orcish religion as continued by the orc shaman in Dalair. Dalair, situated between the Mountain Orcs and Nepeth, has grown over the past sixty years from a small farming community (apparently new at the time that Nepeth was established) into a source of continual peril to the realm at large.
It is in Dalair also that a group of evil spellcasters discovered the access point into the Plane of Chaos, while conducting research into summoning entities from other planes in an effort to gain power. Over the past few decades, this loose-knit band has become an organized if nihilistic religion, known as the Courts of Chaos. Although dismissed as a cult by the more established forces of Drin, Chaos is growing into a challenge to the major world religion, Antana.
The religion of Antana apparently emigrated into this world with the earliest human settlers, and now wields great power within the realm, especially through its main instrument of proselytization, the Monks of Antana. While there are proofs of the presence of other indigenous religions in the world which predate Antana, most are either now viewed as cults, as in the Cult of Losoth, or are completely lost, as in the Gnoll religion. Antana as a faith came to these shores with the first human settlers, and originally admitted only humans. However, since the treaty of the Elf wars, the rules have gradually been relaxed, welcoming elves and half-elves too. The secular power of the religion is reflected in its many structures, which include a monastery and a convent.
As the realm has expanded, it has also grown in its sophistication and civilization. Neville, once a tiny, semi-inhabited village, now has a bustling population and a busy marketplace. Hobbits, ever looking for expansion of the trade that is the lifeblood of these sociable middle-class burghers, have made Hobbitat into one of the premier towns of the realm. Other towns, such as Zhamarr, which were originally separate duchies outside of the realm, are also falling deeper in the sphere of influence of the Trueheart court.
I anticipate that as our adventurers and seekers venture ever farther into the exploration of the world which our realm inhabits, that even more fascinating indications of the history of Ancient Anguish will emerge from the mists of history and geography.


text:
Unemployment Rate Remains Unchanged as Employers Add 250,000 Jobs
The strong economy continues as we head into the mid-term elections next week. But with it, talent shortages continue as well. Here's the latest jobs report, with executive recruiters from Pitcairn Partners and Executive Search Partners weighing in.
November 2, 2018 – Employers added 250,000 jobs last month as the U.S. unemployment rate was unchanged at 3.7 percent, according to the most recent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report. Wall Street analysts had expected an increase of about 195,000. The September gain is the 96th consecutive month of job growth. The number of unemployed people stands at 6.1 million.
The report said that Hurricane Michael, which made landfall during the report's reference week, "had no discernible effect on the national employment and unemployment estimates for October."
The labor market, the Federal Reserve said, "has continued to strengthen and … economic activity has been rising at a strong rate. Job gains have been strong, on average, in recent months, and the unemployment rate has stayed low." The Fed is forecasting the economy will grow 3.1 percent this year — that's up from the 2.8 percent it projected in June.
Where Job Growth Occurred
Healthcare added 36,000 jobs in October. Within the industry, employment growth occurred in hospitals (+13,000) and in nursing and residential care facilities (+8,000). Employment in ambulatory healthcare services continued to trend up (+14,000). Over the past 12 months, healthcare employment grew by 323,000.
In October, employment in manufacturing increased by 32,000. Most of the increase occurred in durable goods manufacturing, with a gain in transportation equipment (+10,000). Manufacturing has added 296,000 jobs over the year, largely in durable goods industries.
Construction employment rose by 30,000 in October, with nearly half of the gain occurring among residential specialty trade contractors (+14,000). Over the year, construction has added 330,000 jobs.
Transportation and warehousing added 25,000 jobs in October. Within the industry, employment growth occurred in couriers and messengers (+8,000) and in warehousing and storage (+8,000). Over the year, employment in transportation and warehousing has increased by 184,000.
Employers Look to Continue Hiring Plans
U.S. employers are expecting hiring to pick up in the fourth quarter, with 22 percent of employers planning to add staff, according to the latest "Employment Outlook Survey," released today by ManpowerGroup. Employers in all U.S. regions and industry sectors are looking for headcount to grow.
Employment in leisure and hospitality edged up in October (+42,000). Employment was unchanged in September, likely reflecting the impact of Hurricane Florence. The average gain for the 2 months combined (+21,000) was the same as the average monthly gain in the industry for the 12-month period prior to September.
Related: Confidence In Economy Resulting In Bullish Hiring Projections
In October, employment in professional and business services continued to trend up (+35,000). Over the year, the industry has added 516,000 jobs.
Employment in mining also continued to trend up over the month (+5,000). The industry has added 65,000 jobs over the year, with most of the gain in support activities for mining.
Employment in other major industries—including wholesale trade, retail trade, information, financial activities, and government—showed little change over the month.
Search Consultants Weigh In
"While the U.S. unemployment stands at 3.7 percent (the lowest since December of 1969) it follows a trend of continued job gains for over the past eight years," said Walter Baker, managing partner and founder of Pitcairn Partners. "Nonetheless, the mid-term elections could significantly impact the labor market and also influence company's future hiring decisions. Aspects like immigration policy, healthcare strategy and budget, to name a few, can certainly have an impact on the availability of talent going forward."
Related: 5 Employment Trends That Demand New Ways of Managing
"Within a longer-term perspective, the war for talent predicted almost 20 years ago by McKinsey is here to stay," he says. "The talent shortage isn't a passing phenomenon, and the lack of skilled workers needed to drive business strategy is a serious threat to the profitability of organizations as well as the GDP of both developed and developing nations. Expected shortages are not limited to any geography," Mr. Baker said.
"China, for instance, may have a deficit of 6.7 million highly skilled workers by 2030, with the U.S. right behind it with a deficit of 6.6 million workers. Five other countries could have deficits of 2 million or more workers. The implications are huge. Top level talent is attracted by the opportunity for growth. To attract this level of talent, companies must ensure leadership talent is in place and aligned to execute business strategy," he said. "Those that do not will face an uphill battle to identify and attract impactful leaders that can deliver results."
"The U.S. economy is strong and projected to remain that way for the next three years – at least," said Gary Erickson, managing partner for Executive Search Partners. "And the employment rate which is already low will continue to drop. Effectively we are beyond full employment. Demand for high quality employees is outpacing supply and one of the hottest sectors is IT, the sector that Executive Search Partners focuses on," he said. "Attracting and retaining top technical talent has become critical for the survival of just about every company."
"For IT workers this is great news as salaries should continue to outpace inflation and opportunities to accelerate career growth (new job) are and will remain strong," Mr. Erickson said. "There is a very strong competition for technical talent and it's not just about salaries. To attract technical talent, copy the best – look at Google, Apple, and Amazon. This includes offering very competitive salaries, bonuses, stock, excellent benefits, excellent training programs, work life balance, fun and a growing company."
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor; and Andrew W. Mitchell, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
Options Group, On Track for Record Year, Expands Partnership
Heartland Dental Retains Hanold Associates for Chief HR Officer Search
Wilton & Bain Launches Women's Forum to Drive C-Level Change
Building a Talent Function for the Future
As Job Growth Continues, 'Robust Hiring Year' Expected


Witchcryer Release Video For "Cry Witch"
South African-born blues-rock guitar virtuoso Dan Patlansky is currently out on the road across Europe in support of his incredible new album.
There isn't a bad track on Dan Patlansky's latest offering Introvertigo. There are no fillers, you don't find yourself skipping tracks, you just sit back and enjoy the album at it's fullest. However, where Patlansky comes into a league of his own is with his jaw-dropping live performances.
Having recently wowed the audience at HRH Blues in Sheffield Dan Patlansky will resume his UK tour in support of Introvertigo at the start of May. National Rock Review recently caught up with the man himself whilst in London to talk about his new single "Sonnova Faith", life on the road and his plans to return to the studio to record the follow-up to Introvertigo on his return to South Africa this summer.
NRR: Thanks for taking the time to speak to us here at National Review, it's always good to talk with you. So I've got some questions around your new tour, your current single and everything that you've got going on.
NRR: Firstly, you are out on the road at the moment, you are touring the UK in support of Introvertigo. I was just wondering how have the shows been going so far?
Dan: So far it's been fantastic. We've only done two, but they've been really good. The songs are really translating great live, we've been touring these songs for quite a while now and they've really settled into the live platform really well. It just really is a pleasure to be back in the UK. I'm now looking forward to the rest of the tour.
NRR: Speaking of the tour, you've got another great guitarist out on the road with you, Ash Wilson. What's it like having Ash out on the road with you this time?
Dan: It's absolutely fantastic, I couldn't think of a better support act to have on the road. He's a fantastic bloke and I'm a big fan of his music; great guitar player, great singer and just an all round nice guy. So it's a real pleasure and I think it's a good night out, having him on the road with us, I really do.
NRR: We caught your performance at HRH Blues recently, I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed it and in particular your acoustic segment.
NRR: We got to see a little bit of a different side of your playing, which I had never seen before. I know you've done an acoustic album a long time back, but I was just wondering do you enjoy performing acoustically and would you ever consider including an acoustic segment in one of your shows?
Dan: Yes certainly, I mean obviously my first passion is the electric guitar thing, but you know the acoustic kind of limits you guitar playing wise, it makes you rethink the song and makes you rethink how to play, and it makes you rethink the singing. I find that really refreshing, especially after spending the amount of time we do with the full band and the electric thing, I do find it a refreshing thing. So hopefully, in the tours to come, we can start adding that in and kind of be our own support act if you know what I mean and start off acoustically.
NRR: I think that would work really well, that would be great. I've got to ask you about "My Chana" because I've seen you do that a few times now and every time it just completely blows my mind. It just seems like you totally lose yourself in the music and I was just wondering with that track, is it the same every night, or do you actually go off-piste a bit and improvise, or is it fairly standard how you perform it each night?
Dan: I mean I think certain things kind of happen every night on the showmanship side, but for the most part it's completely improvised and we all go in a different direction every night and that kind of keeps it fresh for us and keeps it exciting. You know sometimes it goes in a direction we don't want it to go in, but I suppose that's the nature of improvising and it kind of keeps us on the edge of our seats and that makes it really enjoyable to play.
NRR: Obviously, we also got to see you jam with Laurence Jones at the weekend. I was just wondering what was that like for you? I know you did the Jimmy Reed cover. How did you come to connect with Laurence?
Dan: One of the first tours I did to the UK we played in Poole down south and I had a double-header show with Laurence and we actually jammed on that night too. I've been in touch with Laurence for the last couple of years, I'm really good friends with him and so when we found out that we were on the same bill on the same night it was just a great opportunity and great excuse to play a song together. So it's always a pleasure playing with Laurence and I'm a big fan of Laurence's playing, I think he's fantastic.
NRR: I was just wondering, besides Laurence, if you could choose any other guitarist to sit in with who would you choose?
Dan: I would without a doubt choose David Gilmour, he's been a massive influence from when I was really, really young and I would love to meet the guy and obviously playing with him would really be a dream come true.
NRR: From the new album Introvertigo, you just recently released your new single "Sonnova Faith". I was just wondering could you tell us a little bit about that song and the inspiration behind it.
Dan: Yeah, I mean that song is pretty much a dig at kind of people in power in religion that kind of I suppose in a way steel and make promises they can't keep. So it's pretty much when communities donate money to religious organisations and then the people in power buy Ferraris or Lamborghinis with the money, so that's pretty much what that song is about. I suppose it goes far beyond that, it goes to political figures too and anyone in power really.
NRR: Obviously, you are from South Africa, I was just wondering how different is the blues scene back home compared to over here in the UK?
Dan: Yeah, I've got a great following back home, but I think it's a lot smaller than in the UK. The UK's blues scene is very, very healthy and a real pleasure to play in and I think the audiences this side of the world are far more discerning and far more educated on the blues and the blues rock and it keeps us on our toes. They know what they like and they know what they dislike and it's just that's who I kind of want to play for and it's a real pleasure.
NRR: It really feels like you've established quite a connection with the British crowds, it's almost like we've adopted you over here already.
Dan: That's good to know (laughing).
NRR: What's your favourite thing about our little island?
Dan: Well it's really again the scene and the passion for live music, there's a culture for live music here I feel and it doesn't exist in a lot of countries. It definitely exists here, that culture of going to see bands live and enjoying music and buying music, it's a really special thing. I suppose that's kind of a been running a long time here in the UK because a lot of American artists have had to come to the UK before they made it in America like Jimi Hendrix and guys like that, so there's definitely legacy here.
NRR: You've got quite a back catalogue, a lot of people don't realise, I think you've got about eight or nine albums behind you. What's your favourite track to perform live and why?
Dan: Probably my favourite track to perform live is "Still Wanna Be Your Man" off the new album, just because I find it's a fantastic platform to express through, and it's kind of like the slow blues of the album. I always find a slow blues the most natural thing for me to play so that's always my favourite part of the evening of any show is playing that song.
NRR: Do you still enjoy playing the old stuff like "Daddy's Old Gun" and tracks like that?
Dan: Yeah, definitely they've kind of morphed into different songs over the years and they kind of take on a new life every time we play them and they go in slightly different directions. I suppose we have to do that to kind of keep them fresh and keep them musical for own ears, but definitely still enjoy playing those.
NRR: Who was the first band you saw perform live and how did that first live experience affect you as a musician?
Dan: You know when I was a kid, not many bands came to South Africa, it was quite isolated musically. So I think the first band I ever saw was Def Leppard when they came to South Africa in the early 90s, which to be honest I'm not really a Def Leppard fan, but it was an incredible experience seeing you know a rock band on a big stage in an arena. Yeah, it was just fantastic to see and hearing music that loud for the first time and that powerful it was definitely something I won't forget.
NRR: Out of your whole record collection what's the one album you couldn't live without?
Dan: For me, it would be Pink Floyd "Wish You Were Here" without a doubt, that is definitely my all time favourite album.
NRR: What else do you have in store for the rest of this year?
Dan: Well yeah, we are heading into the studio when I get back to South Africa in June. We track a brand new album and we hope to release that album this time next year in the UK. I really look forward to having a fresh set of songs to perform and to play and yeah, that's the immediate plans.
NRR: Thanks again for taking the time to speak to us, we really appreciate it. Good luck with the tour that you've got going on right now and hopefully we will catch up with you again very soon.
Dan: Thank you Adam, I appreciate your time.


CY PARTNERS ARE FRUTAROM'S FLAVOUR OF THE MONTH!
Flavours and Fragrances giant Frutarom UK, has invested heavily in recent times and recruited a number of key personnel to both their sites in Teesside. They engaged CY Partners, the North East based recruitment consultancy, to source a number of key scientific professionals for their R&D, production, QC and engineering functions.
The sustained, multi-role recruitment campaign has seen appointments made from the local North East candidate pool, as well as attracting successful candidates from across the UK and Europe.
Here are the thoughts of Mags Balnaves, HR Manager at Frutarom.
"Over the last two years, Frutarom UK has built up an effective 'recruitment partnership' with CY Partners who have helped us find excellent calibre people to join our Technical Team at our sites on Teesside.
Graham and Probier are true recruitment professionals who have worked hard to gain an understanding of our business, its operations and the people within, in order that they are fully aware of what we are looking for in terms of experience, skillset and personal attributes. They also keep us informed of current recruitment market trends so that we are able to respond to external factors if necessary.


Anywhere on Court or Smith St where there are already parking meters are where the carshare spaces should go. I am sick and tired of regular alternate side non metered spaces being taken by citi bikes and now potentially car share. The city should accept the loss of revenue from the meters or institute a real resident parking program instead of taking away non metered alternate side parking spaces for this project (and citi bike, which took up exactly 0 metered spaces).
On a regularly scheduled bus route, near the park, almost a straight walk over to the nearest subway down congress, then bergen.
Easy access to Hamilton Ave, the BQE in both directions, and the tunnel from here.
Let's select blocks that are not in the vicinity of the citi bike reserved spots. Having reserved parking not spaces and reserved citi bike racks places an unfair parking crunch for tax playing residents. Case in point -- the locations on 4th place right off a huge citi bike location. Pick another block like Nelson, or 3rd place on the east side of court street. Let's be fair to everyone and let everyone share the burden. Better yet, resident parking stickers to keep out of state plates out of the limited parking spots.
This is NOT a good location for car share, we are already so limited in parking spots with the CityBikes at this corner and there happen to be a few private garages located here. I am sure you can find other locates that would be more suitable. I intend to spread the word to as many residents I can to get this location off your agenda.
Court street near the subway stop would be ideal!
This is a great location for car share due to the fact that we already have Citi Bikes on this corner. It makes sense to place car share spots near bike share docks, since people can bike over to a car to pick it up and then drop it off to bike home.
This is not a good location for car share do to the face that we already have citibikes on this corner. Where do you expect residents to park their cars. There are so many other blocks that would be a better location. I will be talking to whoever I can to get this location off your agenda.


Begin by inserting the flat end of a spudger underneath the battery to separate the glue from the battery.
It is better to use a plastic card if you have one.
Gently lift up the battery as you continue to separate the glue from the battery.
Lift up just enough to see where the glue is, so that you don't bend the battery.
Once the glue has been separated, gently lift up the battery and you will notice two wires attached to the motherboard.


text:
http://so-l.ru/news/y/2019_12_10_will_lara_trump_run_for_congress_trump
Taiwan Is Not Worth A War With China (For 1 Key U.S. Ally, That Is)
The United States Must Contain North Korea
Real Empire State: New York's Government Is Twice The Size of Florida's
Japan Planned to Attack Pearl Harbor (Yes, Again)
It Wasn't Luck That No U.S. Soldiers Were Killed In Iran's Strikes On Iraq
F-35s Are Dead: The Sixth Generation of Fighter Aircraft Is On Its Way
India May Build Its Own Carrier-Based Jet
Surprise: Iran Never Saw This F-22 Stealth Fighter Coming
Russia Is Worried About Britain's Astute-Class Submarines
Will Lara Trump Run For Congress? Trump Scion Speaks Out
Mary Margaret Olohan
Politics, Americas
Rumors have been swirling.
WASHINGTON – Senior Trump campaign advisor Lara Trump clarified Tuesday that she is not running for Congress.
Trump spoke Tuesday at POLITICO's Women Rule Summit in Washington, D.C., where she discussed her father-in-law, President Donald Trump, in addition to her love for animals and her thoughts on impeachment. Trump also clarified during her conversation with POLITICO White House correspondent Anita Kumar that she will not be running for office in New York to replace outgoing Republican Rep. Peter King.
Trump's name has been floated as a replacement for King, Kumar noted.
"That was a shock to me," Trump said, "I'll be very honest with you. I am not running for Congress. I am solely dedicated right now to making sure the president is reelected in 2020."
"Listen, you can't rule anything out," Trump added. "You never know what could happen. I don't live in that district, but I'm truly honored that anyone would consider me. And I was sort of shocked at first I earned it was when a reporter called me and said, could you comment on the poll about you running for Congress? And I was like, I'm sorry. I'm not sure."
Trump also discussed her thoughts on impeachment.
"I think the bottom line here is that the people who will ultimately judge him will be the voters as we approach November 3rd of 2020," she said. " And really, listen, if you don't like the president, that's your time to vote him out of office. It should not be done based on impeachment."
Trump added that she believes the public is exhausted by the impeachment drama.
"I think most people are tired of it," she said. "I think most people prefer Congress to focus on their job, doing things for the country, moving things forward."
She also said that she generally does not hear criticisms of her father-in-law from voters.
"I'll be honest with you, I generally don't hear that sentiment," she said. "Most places I go, whether it's on an airplane, in an airport, traveling all over this country, my home state in North Carolina, I get such positive messages from people. I can't tell you the number of flight attendants and pilots who have slipped me a napkin that says, 'Keep fighting.'"
Читать на сайте The National Interest


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'A scam': Obesity experts slam soft drink industry's sugar cut pledge
By Esther Han
June 25, 2018 — 6.17pm
Health experts have overwhelmingly given the soft drink industry's plan to slash sugar by 20 per cent the thumbs down, with key figures labelling it a "scam", "window dressing" and "smoke and mirrors".
The Australian Beverages Council, flanked by federal Health Minister Greg Hunt, announced it would reduce sugar by 20 per cent within seven years, based on 2015 sales data, across all categories of non-alcoholic drinks, including bottled water, in a bid to tackle obesity.
But health experts, who have long called for a sugary drinks tax, a mandatory health star-rating system and restrictions on marketing to children, reacted with disbelief and scepticism.
Professor Rob Moodie, a global health expert at the University of Melbourne, said the pledge didn't amount to much because the industry was on track to reach its target without any extra effort.
"It's a scam. We know that sales are dropping so they'd probably reach the [10 per cent reduction by] 2020 target without changing the sugar content at all," he said.
"The sales are dropping at a much slower rate than what is needed to keep our children healthy, so even though obesity levels may have plateaued in children, they have plateaued at Mount Everest, not at Mount Kosciuszko."
Obesity Policy Coalition's Jane Martin called the pledge 'window dressing'.
Jane Martin of the Obesity Policy Coalition, which is spearheading the Tipping the Scales campaign, urged the government to impose a "raft of measures", including a sugary drinks tax of 20 per cent, if it was serious about curbing soaring obesity rates.
"The industry's announcement is window dressing. It's not about making products 20 per cent less sugary, it's about sales volume," she said.
"If we had a health levy, it would achieve changes to the food supply, to the amount of sugar in these drinks, plus it would nudge people to healthier choices."
Associate Professor Gary Sacks from Deakin University.
A study involving Ms Martin showed that a 20 per cent tax would would reduce the number of new cases of type two diabetes by 770 a year, heart disease by 240 a year, and stroke by 70 a year.
"Sugary drinks contribute to being overweight and obesity, they don't make you feel full, they provide no nutritional value, they're not part of a healthy diet," she said.
Associate Professor Gary Sacks, a fellow at Deakin University's Global Obesity Centre, raised concerns about Mr Hunt's official endorsement of the industry's plan, saying the pair's close relationship was potentially a major concern for public health.
"Previous analysis of Australian Beverages Council documents has shown that they have actively lobbied against a tax on sugary drinks, a measure that has been shown to be effective in several other countries," he said.
"This pledge is likely to be just smoke and mirrors ... a further attempt by the industry to stave off a tax on sugary drinks."
A tax on sugary drinks has been implemented in more than 26 countries. It is backed by the Greens in Australia, but opposed by the two major parties.
Professor Bruce Neal from the George Institute for Public Health, said the proposed reductions were not nearly ambitious enough.
"The UK achieved these sorts of reductions within two years of announcing a sugar tax. There is simply no reason we cannot do this in a much shorter timeframe," he said.
"We need a really clear explanation as to why Australians should have to wait for seven years."
Leanne Wells, CEO of Consumers Health Forum of Australia, said while the industry's pledge was encouraging, it was a modest first step.
"If it is to be a self-regulatory process it leaves open the risk of products continuing to include sugar-rich drinks," she said.
"We would like the Health Minister to initiate a much more holistic approach on diet that would include more effective curbs on promotion of unhealthy food to children and in association with sports."
Esther Han
Esther Han is a journalist at The Sydney Morning Herald. She has covered state politics, health and consumer affairs.


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B=`basename $0 .sh`
cd `dirname $0`
source ./rungraphd

# An explicit right=null matches two links with no right side.
#
# Whether or not links are explicitly tagged as such with "->"
# doesn't matter.

rm -rf $D
rungraphd -d${D} -bty <<-'EOF'
	write ((-> name="lefty") (<- name="righty") name="topnode")
	read (right=null result=((name)))
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	EOF
rm -rf $D