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Is the transfer of an interest in a single-member limited liability company (LLC) — a “disregarded entity” — valued as a transfer of a proportionate share of the underlying assets owned by the LLC or as a transfer of an interest in the LLC subject to valuation discounts for lack of marketability and control? According to a recent en banc Tax Court decision, Pierre v. Commissioner,1 a disregarded entity is not to be forgotten.

https://www.wealthmanagement.com/estate-planning/disregarded-not-forgotten-0

After being involved in a car accident, you may be taken to the emergency room for treatment. This can be a confusing and overwhelming experience, especially if it is your first time. If you are injured in an automobile accident and have found yourself in an emergency room, it is important not to panic. Here are some important things to keep in mind if you find yourself in this situation. After experiencing a car accident, it is important to seek medical attention right away. If you show signs of needing urgent care, the first responders will take you to the closest emergency room. Whether or not your condition seems serious, do not hesitate to get checked out if you have any suspicion of potential injury after the accident. Remember that some injuries do not present symptoms until hours or days later. So, it is important to seek treatment and diagnosis immediately. Receiving treatment at an E.R. can help diagnose or rule out any life-threatening trauma or injuries and provide peace of mind for both you and your loved ones. When you arrive at the emergency room, you can expect to be examined by a doctor and possibly receive diagnostic testing such as bloodwork, X-rays, or a CT scan. Depending on your symptoms, the doctor may decide that a more detailed look into your condition may be necessary. While these tests are not always required to diagnose your condition, they can provide valuable information that will help in providing you with the best possible treatment. They will then determine if you require admission to the hospital or if you can be discharged with further instructions for self-care at home. This is based on their individual evaluation of your situation as well as any underlying health conditions that may affect your recovery time. It’s critical to be honest about what happened and provide all relevant details to ensure that the ER staff can make an accurate assessment and provide necessary treatment for the best possible outcomes. If you are discharged from the Emergency Room, it is important to follow up with your primary care physician as soon as possible. Seeing your primary care doctor can improve your treatment plan and ensure an effective recovery process. Ultimately, this will save time and money by preventing any further personal injuries from occurring. If a personal injury has already occurred, it is wise to contact an experienced personal injury attorney to receive the medical compensation owed for your injuries. Following up with your primary care physician and an attorney post-ER discharge is key to protecting yourself in the long run. A car accident can leave many people feeling overwhelmed and at a loss as to how to proceed. Hiring a qualified personal injury attorney is essential in navigating the process, protecting your rights, and seeking the best possible outcome. After the accident, you may find yourself with mounting medical bills, lost wages, and stressful legal proceedings. For any victim of an auto accident, hiring a personal injury attorney is one of the best decisions they can make for themselves and their families. An experienced personal injury attorney has the knowledge and expertise to pursue appropriate compensation from all liable parties, negotiate on your behalf, and successfully handle legal proceedings in court should it be necessary. Additionally, having the support of a personal injury lawyer offers peace of mind knowing that you don’t have to manage the complexities of filing insurance claims, dealing with medical bills, or undergoing those stressful litigation processes alone. A personal injury attorney is your best ally in such a situation, providing expert legal advice to ensure that you receive the compensation you deserve. They have the specialized knowledge needed to get a favorable outcome from your case, whether it’s through settling out of court or taking the case to trial. With an experienced personal injury attorney on your side and at your side, you can rest assured that your interests will be well-represented in the legal system. If you are ever in a car accident, it is important to seek medical attention right away, even if you don’t think you are injured. The emergency room staff will be able to properly assess your injuries and determine if you need to be admitted to the hospital or can be discharged. Either way, make sure to follow up with your primary care physician and a personal injury attorney as soon as possible. Your health and safety are the number one priority, and an experienced and reputable attorney will help you get the compensation you deserve. Taking the first step is as easy as scheduling a free consultation. If you have an injury from an automobile accident, call us today. We can advise you from the start and help you get the compensation you deserve.

https://www.woodatter.com/personal-injury-blog/personal-injury/what-to-do-after-car-crash-emergency-room/

Abstract. The identiÞ cation of Polish RES’ problems and barriers as a selection of relevant information for government, society and economy. Information in the XXI century (both in social and economical aspect) is very important issue. Processes of globalization cause that the access to the majority of places and events which took place there is merely unlimited. The pure information is easily accessible. In spite of this fact, the increasing specialization of human activity leads to strong need of knowledge necessary to decode seemingly eligible information and communication. In order to collect information it is necessary to gain knowledge. The mentioned process can be clearly noticed in the area of energy sector in Poland and due to speciÞ c nation conditions in can be particularly recognized in the area or RES. In connection with this factor the authors of the article present the information concerning problems and barriers related with RES. It was gathered and analyzed by the experts of the Public Board of the National Programme for Reduction of Emissions. With this data Polish government will be better equipped to fulÞ ll European obligation and reach European Union goals in respect of CO2 emissions RES and reduction which intensively inß uence Polish society and economy.

https://www.wydawnictwo.wsge.edu.pl/Identyfikacja-barier-i-problemow-nzwiazanych-z-polska-energetyka-nodnawialna-jako,134481,0,2.html

Visiting Spain to date a Spanish female might be tricky. This is due to the fact that Spanish women are primarily nightclub goers. They will most likely not wear makeup, but actually will be well-dressed. If you want to have the full picture of any Spanish woman, you should visit her country during the summer season, if the women will be in the best shape. However , you should be suspicious of stereotypes while preparing for a particular date with a Spanish woman. While Spanish ladies are very sociable and approachable, you must be prepared to encounter the fact https://russiansbrides.com/spanish-brides that they may necessarily find out your language. These women contain strong relatives values and are unlikely to be on Sundays. Consequently , you should be happy to learn the terms and phrases before you begin internet dating a Spanish woman. Whether it’s a man or maybe a woman, you will need to make sure to value your Spanish lady simply because an individual rather than as a ‘celebrity’. Despite this, meeting a Spanish woman is easier you might believe. If you’re a person, you’ll have to produce a genuine work to get to know her. It is critical to show her you respect her culture and appreciate her techniques for life. The simplest way to win over a Spanish female is with romantic gestures, that make her look and feel appreciated. However , you must make sure you tend not to woo her during a combat. If you can find a way to win find your love her cardiovascular system, you’re in for a treat!

https://xuecafe.us/dating-tours-with-spanish-girls/

The CI Family continued its strong start to bowl season with two more wins over the past week. Four more NFL coaches added wins over the weekend, including Saints Offensive Coordinator Pete Carmichael and Cowboys Offensive Quality Control Coach Chase Haslett (@Coach_Haslett) in addition to the two Rams coaches highlighted below. Keep reading for more highlights from this past week. It's been a struggle at times offensively this season for Los Angeles, but the presents were abundant on Christmas for the Rams playmakers. TE Tyler Higbee had a career day, catching nine passes for 94 yards and two touchdowns to become the franchise's all-time leader in touchdowns by a tight end. In the ground game, RB Cam Akers also set a new personal record with three rushing touchdowns to go along with 118 rushing yards and two receptions for 29 yards. Throw in an 85-yard pick-six by CB Cobie Durant and three field goals from Matt Gay and the Rams became just the second team this season to break the 50-point mark. Overall, LA churned out 26 first downs and 388 yards of offense. Congratulations to Asst. Head Coach/TE Thomas Brown (@iamthomasbrown) and Asst. OL Coach Nick Jones (@CoachNickJones) on the win and offensive output! Brown is in his third season with the Rams and first working with the tight ends after coaching the running backs his first two seasons. Last season, he helped guide the Rams to the fourth Super Bowl in franchise history as the offense finished in the top 10 of the league. Brown spent the 2019 season coaching running backs at South Carolina and the three seasons before that as the offensive coordinator and running backs coach at Miami. In total, Brown boasts six seasons coaching running backs at the Power 5 level with additional stops at Wisconsin and Georgia. With the Badgers, he was instrumental in the development of Melvin Gordon, who finished runner-up in Heisman voting in 2014. Jones is in his second year in the City of Angels after spending the 2019 campaign as a Diversity Coaching Fellow working with the Falcons' offensive line. At the college level, he coached at Colorado State and Air Force, coaching tight ends and special teams at both stops. After playing for three seasons with the Seahawks, Jones began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at his alma mater, Georgia. There was no deicing necessary as Air Force's offense took off fast and never looked back in a 30-15 win over Baylor in the Armed Forces Bowl. With temperatures in the low teens and a wind chill below zero, the Falcons invaded Fort Worth and looked far more comfortable than the program located just 100 miles away. Air Force RB Brad Roberts got the scoring started with 5:20 left in the first quarter when he plunged into the end zone from two yards out. With the Falcons holding a 9-7 lead at halftime, Air Force QB Haaziq Daniels came out firing in the second half, connecting with WR Amari Terry on a 68-yard deep ball that setup a two-yard scoring run from Daniels. The Air Force signal caller later found TE Caleb Rillos open for a 15-yard scoring pass that effectively put the game away late in the third quarter. Despite entering Thursday night only averaging 68 passing yards per game, the Falcons opened things up against the Bears, completing seven passes for 103 yards. Congratulations to Air Force WR Coach Ari Confesor (@CoachAC3) on the win and strong passing attack! After arriving in Colorado Springs in 2019, Confesor has helped guide the Falcons to three bowl wins and a share of the MWC Mountain Division title in 2021. Confesor spent the 2018 season as the pass game coordinator and wide receivers coach at Holy Cross and previously spent eight seasons at Rhode Island, where he worked in a variety of capacities including coaching wide receivers, defensive backs, linebackers and co-coordinating special teams. From 2012-13, he served as a scouting assistant for the Kansas City Chiefs. Special teams can often turn the tide of a game and Tuesday's Famous Idaho Potato Bowl was a perfect example. San Jose State raced out to a 13-0 lead after scoring its second touchdown with 6:36 remaining in the first quarter. But on the ensuing extra point, Eastern Michigan DL Sterling Miles came up with a block, his third blocked extra point of the season, and DB Tristin Hines picked up the loose ball and raced 97 yards for the defensive two-point conversion. The conversion sparked a 33-0 run for the Eagles, capped by a 51-yard field goal by Jesus Gomez midway through the third quarter. The kick was Gomez's second-longest of the season, four yards short of the school-record 55-yard field goal he made earlier this season. The 41-27 win was just EMU's second in program history and gives them nine wins for the year, the second-most in the program's 131-year history. Congratulations to Eagles Special Teams Quality Control Ryan Stokes (@CoachStokes_EMU) on the win and outstanding special teams play! Stokes completed his first season in Ypsilanti in 2022 after coordinating the special teams for Indiana State from 2020-21. He also worked with the Sycamores' wide receivers during his time in Terre Haute and previously coached on staffs at Indianapolis, Grand Valley State and Saint Joseph's. One more CI coach will be in action tonight when the Chargers travel to Indianapolis to take on the Colts on Monday Night Football. Good luck to Los Angeles WR Coach Chris Beatty (@BeattyCoach)!

http://coachesinc.com/news/ci-highlights2022

*Please note that this glossary is intended to provide informal definitions that capture primary ideas. It does not provide formal legal definitions as would be used in court. Claim/Cause of action – The legal and factual reason or grounds for bringing a legal action. Complaint – The initial document submitted to the court, in which the plaintiff lays out the underlying facts and motivation for the action. Consolidated action – Where two or more actions involve common questions of law or fact, the court may consolidate them into a single action with a single title that results in a single verdict. Alternatively, claims may be consolidated for pretrial purposes only. (See Multidistrict Litigation (MDL)). Decree – A court decision or order. A Consent Decree is a voluntary agreement between two parties in which a person or company agrees to take specific actions without admitting fault or guilt. A consent decree must be approved by the court. Defendant – The individual or entity sued in a court of law. Dismissal – The termination of a legal proceeding, for a specific procedural reason, without trial or prior to its completion. Docket – The formal record that contains all the proceedings or important court actions for each case. Each docket is given a serial number called the docket number. Due diligence – Reasonable effort to satisfy a legal requirement. Finding – A court or jury decision on issues of fact. Fine – A sum of money imposed as punishment for a wrongdoing. Fraud – An incorrect representation of a factual matter, with the intent to deceive someone, that results in a loss. Gross negligence – A conscious and voluntary failure to take reasonable care to prevent damage or injury. (See Negligence). Indemnify – To reimburse another for his/her liability, damages, or costs. Typically, an obligation to indemnify comes from a contract, like an insurance policy or a settlement agreement. Injury – In a legal setting, this refers to any harm caused to someone by the actions of someone else. Lawsuit – A civil action filed in a court, in which a plaintiff claims to have suffered an injury caused by a defendant’s actions. Liability – A legal responsibility for something (for example, responsibility to pay for damages caused). Loss – The financial value placed on an injury caused by someone else’s negligence. (See Damages). Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) – A centralized process to consolidate numerous related cases in a single court, so that multiple courts do not have to answer overlapping factual questions, thus saving time and money for both the court system and the parties involved in the cases. MDLs are initiated by the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation. Natural resource trustees – Under the Oil Pollution Act, a group of federal, state, and/or tribal government representatives who act on behalf of the public where natural resources have been injured. Negligence – Failure to take reasonable care to prevent damage or injury. (See Gross negligence). Order – In a legal setting, a verbal or written direction from a court or judge. Parent company – A firm that owns enough stock in a “subsidiary” company to control it. Party – Someone with a direct interest in a legal issue or proceeding (for example, the defendant). Plaintiff – The individual or entity who initiates a lawsuit. Plea agreement – An agreement in a criminal case between the accused and the prosecutor, in which the defendant pleads guilty to a particular charge in exchange for a concession from the prosecutor. A plea agreement must be approved by the court. Punitive damages – Fines assessed by a court against a defendant that are meant to punish the defendant for his/her conduct and to deter future wrongdoing. Typically, punitive damages are awarded in addition to the damages necessary to fully compensate the plaintiff for his/her injury. Question of fact – An issue involving the resolution of a factual dispute. Questions of fact must be decided by a jury, not a judge. (See Question of law). Question of law – An issue involving legal interpretation or application of the law. Questions of fact must be decided by a judge, not a jury. (See Question of fact). Racketeering – An organized conspiracy to obtain money through illegal means, such as bribery or coercion. Responsible party – The party responsible for a wrongdoing. Under the Oil Pollution act, the owner or operator or a vessel or facility that discharges oil is a responsible party and is liable for the oil spill’s removal costs. Subsidiary company – A company that is controlled by a “parent” company, which owns a majority of the subsidiary’s stock. Tort – A civil wrongdoing that causes injury to a person or property. Willful misconduct – An intentional violation with full knowledge of its potential to cause injury.

http://eli-ocean.org/gulf/legal-glossary/

When it seemed that it would never come… a PhD (doctor?) in sight! Five years ago I had the chance to join IrsiCaixa´s great team of researchers to begin my doctoral thesis entitled Synonymous changes in the Human Immunodeficiency Virus genome as a strategy to study virus biology, under the direction of Miguel Ángel Martínez. I still remember the day Miguel Ángel phoned to tell me that I had been selected. It took me some time to realize I had obtained a fellow to perform a PhD. I could not feel more fortunate, taking into account how difficult it is to find a good place and a project that motivates you. And now, once the PhD phase is closed, I still feel fortunate. During this time I have experienced all kind of stuff, from ups and downs, joy and frustration to a short stay abroad. A PhD full of challenges but very gratifying. I have discovered and developed several skills I did not know I could have. And at the end performing a PhD is based on that, on growing and learning and overcoming the difficulties. One of these difficulties is learning how to present and explain your results, and the biggest challenge was my thesis defence. Looking now at the big picture, it was not that big deal, but the feeling of being that nervous the previous days will be unforgettable. Even though, it was a day I will always remember, full of emotions and a lot of happiness. It is indescribable when you have a look and see that all the people you love and all your mates are there to see you shine. Because it is there when you realize that performing a PhD is not only professional growing, but also personal. I have made very good friends and I take with me very good moments and experiences. Thanks to all of you to make that day one of the best of my life. And thanks to IrsiCaixa people because you have become my family.

http://irsicaixapre.e-presentaciones.net/en/when-it-seemed-it-would-never-come-phd-doctor-sight

Having a web business is a great way to generate money. You may promote other people’s products, compose articles and manage social websites accounts for corporations. You can also get a bit of money by selling your own goods and services. Whether you are interested in selling clothing, household items, or digital products, you will find a site which is best for you. It can be overwhelming to sell things online. Networks like Craigslist allow you to list and sell your goods and services for the small fee. You will also find specialty websites, such as Etsy, where you can create a retail store and sell your handmade goods. The site will probably pay you a commission for each and every sale you make. The primary part of making money on the net is to establish your personal company. It’s an obvious affirmation, but you’ve got to be ready to have some critique. Once you have defined your manufacturer, you can start creating content that will attract website visitors. The internet is included with niche items, and so you’ll have to always be knowledgeable about this issue matter in order to get people to purchase from you. Should you be good at authoring, you can promote e-books or perhaps offer writing services. If you know how to use Facebook, you can be paid out to tweet for a firm. The Internet is additionally awash in freebies. There are websites where you can upload videos without making money online using a virtual data room paying anything at all. There are also social media websites where you can earn money for posting a handful of words upto a company.

http://videos.aryzauq.tv/earning-profits-on-the-web-how-to-get-started/

As I dodged and deflected the light bullets raining down like a torrential downpour, I looked at the enemy in the distance. It's like she's something straight out of a beautiful painting, a beautifully unrealistic being with 20 wings…… The battle against the mysterious being that suddenly appeared in front of Kaito-san and I became more and more intense as time went on. This strength, this magic power…… I'm not sure who this person is, but there's a chance that she's a god from somewhere. It's just an estimation but perhaps, this angel's combat ability…… may equal to or better than Kuro-san. Considering that each of those light bullets raining down on me contained enough magic power to wipe out an entire island, what I'm certain about is that I'm fighting against a monster beyond human comprehension. If this opponent is comparable to Kuro-san…… I was already helpless compared to the past Kuro-san, so it should be normal for me to feel despair knowing that I'll be fighting against an opponent that I'm no match against. However, the emotions I felt welling up within my heart were completely different. I was certainly much more powerful in terms of both physical ability and magic power than I had back when I was Alicia. But when I just came to this world, what came to my mind when Kuro-san defeated me was "When did I become so weak". It may be contradictory, but I had indeed felt like I had become weaker than when I was Alicia. Back then, I never lost heart, no matter how strong my opponent was. If the me at that time couldn't win against someone, I will grow while in battle against that person to become strong enough to win…… If it was for the people I cared about, that's something I was able to do as a matter of course. I guess you could say that it was all about my mentality. The Heart Tool is a special power that becomes stronger the brighter one's heart shines…… It's a power that can turn a sword into an invincible blade or a blunt one, depending on the user's mind. My heart was broken once, and I lost the strength I once had. I didn't lose the power of Ἑκατόγχειρες itself, but as long as my heart is broken, Ἑκατόγχειρες would never reach its true power. With Kuro-san's guidance, I was able to make use of my magic power to the fullest…… but I haven't grown a bit since then. The feeling I once had, where I could be as strong as I wanted to be…… had been lost for a long time. "The bonds I weave are my strength"…… That's what I used to say when I was Alicia. Those words are unmistakably the truth…… but having lost my heart, my bonds…… I've become incredibly weak. But now, it's different. The light bullets released by the mysterious angel were certainly getting faster and faster in speed and power, but I could feel my speed was getting faster and faster along with it. My heart that should have been broken…… before I knew it, Kaito-san picked it up and gave it a new shape. As Alice, I had been reborn with a new heart. A smile reflexively appeared from my lips. It's back…… My power…… My strength! My heart pulsed so fast as if it's going to burst open. A searing heat dwells within my entire body, and as if to match with my emotions, the light of Ἑκατόγχειρες dancing around me pulsates. This is the ultimate form of Ἑκατόγχειρες, the ability that I wasn't able to use in my battle with Kuro-san. Bringing all the bonds I accumulated into my body, I add them to my power. The power that once weaved the wishes and hopes of people around the world to defeat the Evil God…… Just as there is no end to people's desires, there is no limit to my power. With endless infinite power in my body, I drew my blade to kill the unknown god. ……Well, that battle ended up being called off. ……Whatever, I guess that doesn't matter. The big problem for me was after that. I've caught up with my old self. The moment I realized that it was all thanks to meeting and falling in love with Kaito-san…… I suddenly feel terrified. I want to stay with Kaito-san, laugh with him, forever and ever…… That was unmistakably my wish. But I suddenly felt uneasy, wondering what Kaito-san would think about this. I was trying to fall in love in order to fulfill my best friend's wish and die. Frankly speaking, I think that's something a terrible person would say. If I conveyed my love to him that contained the desire for ruin within it, I wonder if Kaito-san would despise me Would he pull away from me Just the thought that happening scared me so much. On one hand, I'm sure Kaito-san wouldn't do such a thing, he would accept me with open arms…… but thinking about the possibility of that not happening wouldn't leave my mind. But more than that, I didn't know what I wanted to do. Whether I want to live or I want to die…… I wasn't so sure about how I felt now. In the end, that hesitation I was feeling was crushed by Fate-san's straight punch…… To be honest, it was quite unexpected that Fate-san had such a passionate side to her. I guess there's that "one day in every 20,000 years" where Fate-san is acting decisively when she makes up her mind. As I'm dozing off, I slowly opened my eyes, feeling pleasant warmth, I saw the face of my beloved. Ahh, speaking of which, after playing with Kaito-san today, we had a fancy reading time together, didn't we Mhmm, I must have fallen asleep. I slowly pulled my face away from Kaito-san's shoulder, which I had been using as a pillow. To be frank, I didn't want to leave that warmth that even warms my heart but…… I'll just make up for it by having him pamper me a lot tonight. As I was thinking about this, Kaito-san looked at the clock on the wall, and as if he thought of something, he spoke. Holding onto the happiness that filled my heart, I grasped the hand that Kaito-san held out to me. Muttering that, Kaito-san wryly smiled. He then looked at me with his gentle and warm expression, as if he's thinking that "it couldn't be helped"…… the expression on his face that has become my favorite. Human life really is unknown. The past me wouldn't have imagined that a day like this would come to my life. I realized how happy and warm it is to love someone you care…… After living for hundreds of thousands of years, I finally understood.

http://www.cpt10.com/cpt10coI_Was_Caught_up_in_a_Hero_Summoningbut_That_World_Is_at_Peace508795/read_2171.html

Mr Armstrong, it is good to see you again; you are most welcome. We assume that members have read the report of the public briefings, and we will simply summarise its key points. At the minute, the Minister is in the Executive Committee seeking approval to introduce the Bill to the Assembly, and we expect that to happen within the next few weeks. The Bill will eventually come before the Committee, formally. Another document, a summary of the main provisions of the Bill, has been produced by my colleague John Brogan. The Committee should find that very useful, along with the explanatory and financial memorandum. We were staggered by the response to the briefings. In our temerity, we thought that 50 people would attend each of the eight briefing sessions, and we booked hotels accordingly. That assumption was based on previous experiences — such as during briefings for the Taxis Bill —during which, sometimes, no one turned up. Of the 15,000 invited, approximately 1,800 to 2,000 attended, and, in fact, at the Comfort Hotel venue in County Antrim people were turned away, and the volume of traffic caused congestion in Antrim town centre. Therefore, those figures do not reflect the number of people who wanted to attend. The Department made some presentations, as did the Road Haulage Association — which was very supportive — the Freight Transport Association and a company of independent solicitors called Aaron & Partners, who are involved in transport law and with traffic commissioners in Great Britain. The presentations were, for the most part, well received; people sought information on how the regulations will work, when they will be introduced, how much it will cost, and what individuals need to do in preparation for implementation. That was pleasing; it vindicated the briefing process. The Department was impressed by the reception and response. We approached the process with fear and trepidation, wondering whether we would get hammered or, proverbially, knifed. However, that did not happen. Some people were not keen on the proposed legislation, but the majority of people wanted information. We are listening to the industry and received a huge amount of valuable information that will help us steer our course over the coming months. Before we return to the Committee for the consideration of the Bill, we will have completed much work on its detail. In essence, that is not required until the regulation stage. We received tremendous help from people in the industry, which highlighted issues that we must address. We expected certain issues to be of major concern. For example, we thought that cost and the issue of operating centres would cause huge concern. However, although those issues were raised, they were not over-problematic and raised less concern that we had predicted. We expected the issue of competition from Irish operators to cause concern in regions around the periphery such as Armagh, Omagh, Enniskillen and Derry. In fact, that matter was only mentioned in four of the eight venues, and even then it was very low-key, which surprised us. Mr Oliver’s comments this morning on flagging out reflect that. The majority of queries came from individuals, who wanted to know how the new Bill will affect them. That is a legitimate question, and, in the majority of cases, we answered those queries. We issued questionnaires to those who attended at all of the venues, which asked about the nature of businesses, fleet size, numbers of operating centres, costs, and what they anticipated the impact of operator licensing would be. We achieved a response rate of about 13%. Although we would have liked that figure to be higher, statistically, it was quite good. Responses were, generally, useful and have been fed into the regulatory impact assessment, which will be available to the Committee in due course. For example, 60% of operators said that the new regulations would have virtually no impact on them. We expected a negative reaction to the Department’s plans. Therefore, we were surprised that 60% of operators felt that the proposed licensing scheme would have little or no impact on them. At almost every venue, we discussed the frequency of maintenance checks, what those checks would involve, what qualifications those conducting the checks would require, what standards would have to be met, and so on. A number of concerns were raised that, although not relating directly to the Bill, are of interest to the Department. For example, some people at a number of the briefings mentioned what they view as inconsistency in DVA test pass rates. They expressed concerns about how failure in a Driver and Vehicle Agency test impacted on an operator’s repute. Such concern is not unfounded — DVA testing statistics indicate that almost 50% of vehicles fail first time round. That is not good for DVA capacity, it is not good for operators, and it is costly. Some attendees questioned whether improved roadworthiness would actually improve road safety. There was also confusion about whether certificates of professional competence (CPC) would be required by transport managers, or drivers, or across the entire industry. Single vehicle operators who take their vehicles home also expressed some concern about what they would be permitted to do, what they would have to change, whether they would have to hire operating centres, and so on. Those are all genuine concerns that must be addressed. Exemption from licensing requirements occupied one of the biggest areas of discussion. At this stage we do not know who will be exempt, and who will not. The Bill will give the Department the enabling powers to grant exemptions, so we have not got into the detail of that. However, at the briefings we handed out a list of the exemptions as currently seen in GB to give a guide to what is happening — not necessarily what will happen. Although exemptions will only be included in regulation at a later point, it is an issue that should be addressed early on. We have to find solutions that are distinct to Northern Ireland, because our circumstances are different to those in GB. For example, in relation to driveways, the regulations have been in place in GB since 1937, so everybody in business there has been aware of those since they started. However, that will be new to many people in Northern Ireland. We must decide whether to apply the same standard in Northern Ireland, or make it slightly different. Do we grant grandfather rights, or do we have traditional arrangements to phase it in? We explained the main drivers of the Bill in relation to enforcement and the fact that there will be more and tougher enforcement. That did not seem to be a problem and, indeed, most people said that they would welcome enforcement. Although not necessarily relating directly to the Bill, other interesting issues were raised. Questions were asked about: tachographs; the number of tractors being used for construction and general haulage work; insurance costs; competition from foreign operators; and, unsurprisingly, the topical matter of rising fuel costs. While the people that we spoke to were not opposed to licensing, we were repeatedly urged to adopt a pragmatic and sympathetic approach to its implementation. We are going to try to see what we can do on that. In addition to those public meetings, we held briefings with the Northern Ireland Local Government Association (NILGA), the Rivers Agency, Roads Service, Belfast City Council, Northern Ireland bakeries, and the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB). We targeted specific groups that we feel will be impacted by the licensing scheme, and we talked to them and, in some cases, made presentations. We have also offered to give briefings to other groups such as the Ulster Farmers’ Union, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Northern Ireland fruit and vegetable growers, and the Belfast Chamber of Commerce. We are waiting on a response from those organisations to our offer. We have had quite a bit of exposure on the proposed licensing scheme and received useful information. We have been inundated with telephone calls, and we have responded in writing to over 160 queries that we received via email. There is a huge interest in what we are doing, and we are trying to satisfy that by supplying the information as we go along. As the process moves forward, we will consider a number of key issues, including exemptions, standards in operating centres and transitional arrangements, which are critical. Finally, we will consider what alternatives to the role of the traffic commissioner in Great Britain are available to us. Thank you for the presentation. Many single operators are concerned about the limit of 3·5 tonnes, above which they will need a licence, and also about the use of driveways. Do you know how many single-vehicle operators took part in the consultation process? With regard to planning, is it correct that the area space in which single operators work from will be restricted? The Planning Service is a separate part of DOE. We do not delve into planning issues, which are viewed separately. We are looking at this from a road safety point of view. The standard for operators in Great Britain is that they have to be able to drive in and out of their premises before they are allowed to park at home. That is because a significant number of children in particular have been killed by lorries reversing over footways. That standard will probably cause difficulty for a number of operators in Northern Ireland. Some 9,000 of the 15,000 operators in Northern Ireland are single-vehicle operators. That is a significant proportion, and we need to address that issue. We will consider the consequences of applying that standard in Northern Ireland. It may be impractical to apply it as it could have too big an impact. However, a balance is required between that and the road-safety criteria. The issue of operators who park their vehicles at home is one of our biggest difficulties with regard to operating centres. Obviously, operators with huge lorries will not be able to park them at the side of the driveway. No one wants a monster beside their house. They will not be allowed to park on the roads; therefore, they will have to look for somewhere else. We have to consider issues for operators with smaller vehicles — those between 3·5 and 7 tonnes. We may consider restrictions for reversing in and driving out of areas or we may consider providing them with some form of grandfather rights. All such issues will have to be considered with road safety in mind, because as soon as a child is killed by a vehicle reversing over a footway, we are going to be vulnerable. I agree that there should be a level playing field. However, there are a substantial number of single-vehicle operators, and they have to be considered. A number of responses to the consultation were to do with enforcement. What is the current level of enforcement? I presume that that will have to increase. How many more officers will be required? I will have to offer a disclaimer on that issue: enforcement management, and cost, is a matter for the chief executive of DVA, not for me. However, I am aware that, irrespective of the legislation, there will be a significant increase in the number of enforcement officers over the next couple of years. I am not certain of the figures, so it would be better for the chief executive to detail that, or I can check with him and come back to the Committee with the information. One of the issues with the Bill is that because the whole industry will be regulated, the funding for greater enforcement will be vastly increased. Currently, only a quarter of the industry pays a fee; in the future, the whole industry will do so. You heard what Mr Oliver said about flagging out. The Committee received a letter from the departmental Assembly liaison office (DALO), which says that there are no immediate plans to reform operator licensing legislation in the Republic. Are you satisfied that, despite the lack of progress in the Republic, the necessary progress can still be made in Northern Ireland to protect road safety and resolve environmental issues such as parking on housing estates? I will answer that question by referring to the ‘Commercial Vehicle Testing Review’ that was published by PricewaterhouseCoopers for the Road Safety Authority (RSA) in the Republic of Ireland. There seems to have been some confusion about what that document said and did not say. Improvement 24 of the review recommends that the RSA should have operator licensing over the whole industry, including the own-account sector. It said that if the RSA was not going to do that, it should insist that some of the standards should be met — for instance, on the undertakings that are to be made. In February 2008, Gillian McIntyre and I met Department of Transport officials in Dublin, and they confirmed that they are not introducing operator licensing for the own-account sector. Two weeks ago, I contacted the Department and it confirmed, through the Road Safety Authority, that it will not introduce own-account operator licensing. However, it will tighten up on enforcement and require operators to give undertakings on maintenance. Therefore, in the future, a driver who operates in the Republic of Ireland should find it more difficult to avoid compliance than they currently do. In the briefings, 11% of respondents said that they would consider flagging out; we were surprised that the figure was so low. Even those people said that they were considering flagging out, rather than saying that they will do it. Given that enforcement will tighten up in the Republic of Ireland and the fact that there are other disbenefits to flagging out, I do not see it as being a major issue. Do you remain optimistic that progress can be made? If flagging out were to become a problem after the implementation of the Bill, would there be any easy ways in which the Bill, under its current formulation, could deal with that? Anyone who runs a business with vehicles in Northern Ireland must have a licence under the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994 (VERA), which is part of UK law. Under subordinate legislation, on which we are currently working, a graduated fixed penalty and deposit scheme will be brought forward. That will try to set the penalty for road transport and traffic offences in keeping with the level of the offence. For example, a fine for speeding would be greater depending on the level of speeding, and a heavier fine would be imposed according to the greater contravention of transport law. The deposit part of that scheme is specifically to enable enforcement against foreign drivers. So if people do flag out, and if foreign operators from Ireland and other parts of Europe are driving in Northern Ireland or the rest of the United Kingdom, they will be obliged to pay a deposit at the roadside that is equivalent to the penalty so that they cannot simply take a ticket and get away without paying the penalty. That measure will act against those who are not licensed in the United Kingdom. Subject to GB timetables, we hope to introduce that proposal to Northern Ireland in April 2009. Can you remind me of your proposal for the fee structures? Will those be brought into line with current GB fee structures? I note that the fees in GB are to be reconsidered; perhaps the fees will be reduced there, although that is unlikely. In Northern Ireland, an operator with 10 vehicles pays a fee of £3,150; in GB the fee for that is £2,381. I presume that the disparity between fees in Northern Ireland and GB will come down. During the consultation, we gave an undertaking that the fees would initially be tied to the fees in GB. There does not seem to be an awful lot of logic in doing it differently, and we are holding to that view. Costs will be tied to the current level of fees in GB. The fees in GB are being reviewed, and it is hoped that they will go out to consultation in the next few months. I met Department for Transport officials in London last week, and we discussed fees. They will keep us informed on the structure and level of fees. The main difference in the fee structure is that, instead of having a three-part fee as is the case at present in GB, the vehicle fee will be attached to the vehicle test fee. Therefore, when someone applies for an operator licence, he will not have to worry about fees for vehicles because that will already be catered for as the vehicle has already been tested. As for the level of fees, I have no indication from the Department for Transport whether they will go up or down. Not much goes down these days, but I cannot comment because I do not know what the proposed fee levels will be. We talk about single operators perhaps not getting the money that they should be getting, yet it is the single operator who will be most affected by this increase. The fee for single operators with one vehicle is about £150 per year for the first five years, and then drops to £100 per year because they will not have to reapply for a licence. You apply for a licence only once and get it for ever, as it were. The licence is then reviewed each year and you pay a vehicle fee and grant fee. A tyre for a commercial vehicle of 3·5 tonnes or more costs from £250 to £400. Therefore, £100 to £150 per year is a very small amount in the overall costs of running a business. I am not saying that it is not a cost, but that amount did not seem to cause any difficulty with operators. In public briefing sessions they said that licensing was not a major cost in running a business, and they did not see it having a major impact. In fact, 60% of people said that it will not have an impact. I have one point about your public briefing sessions and the questions that you were asked. For example, there was a question about a CPC and where to get one. We would not know the answer to that. For laypeople such as ourselves, it would have been beneficial if you had provided the Department’s answers to the questions, because we could be asked such a question and we simply would not know the answer. Would you like us to go through some of the sample questions and answers? You have given us some of the questions that were raised at the public briefing sessions, but you have not given us any answers. There is a fair bit of work involved but we could certainly do something on that, if you wish. We have a summary of the main provisions of the Bill, but can you give the Committee a broad overview of the Bill as it is taking shape? I wrote the summary of the main provisions. You have to bear in mind that I am not a legal person. In some cases, my interpretation might not be exactly right. I hope that I am right, but I want to make that qualification. You will be familiar with the Taxis Act ( Northern Ireland) 2008. That was drafted in a nice way in that there were chapters and sections that helped the Bill to flow. We do not have the same luxury in this case in that the Bill just starts and flows right through to the end. The Bill is drafted in a way that reflects primary legislation in GB — the Goods Vehicles (Licensing of Operators) Act 1995 — but it deals with who needs to have a licence and what type of vehicles will be authorised under the licence. The Bill moves to the application process and covers the power to ask someone for an application, the information that may be required through the application form, the requirement for the Department and the applicant to publish a notice of the application, and who can object and make representations on the notice of application. It then moves to the determination of the application: what the Department will take into account in its determination; how it will deal with operating centres on environmental grounds; what it will do once the determination has been made; how it will issue the licence; the details that will be included in the licence; and the duration of the licence. The next stage covers any variations of that licence in years to follow and, again, the application process for a variation of the licence and the need to repeat the notification in local newspaper the objections and representation issue, and how the Department deals with the application for variations. It outlines the Department’s power to attach conditions to the licence and its power to issue interim licences and interim variations, which will allow an operator who makes an application to begin work during the period when the application is being processed and the determination is made. It allows the operator to continue operating if the application is for a variation to an existing licence. The Bill then moves to the power to carry out some form of disciplinary action against an operator who has not been complying with the conditions or the undertakings of the licence. It is a power to revoke, suspend and curtail the licence, which is reflective of what the Committee will be familiar with in the Taxis Bill. There will be very similar provisions. Donald mentioned that the application for a licence is a one-off procedure, but the Bill provides for operating centres to be reviewed on a five-yearly basis. There will be a process for the transfer of an operating centre. That will allow the title to the operating centre to be transferred from one licence to another, if, for example, businesses are merging or someone retires and passes his business to someone else. It outlines in more detail the environmental matters that will be taken into account in relation to operating centres. The Bill will give the Department the power to hold a public inquiry. That is already in place in GB, and the power is held by the traffic commissioner. The power would be to hold an inquiry for the determination of an application. If the determination went against the operator, or was instigated at the behest of the objector or someone who has made a representation against the granting of a licence, he or she would have the power to ask for a public inquiry to be held. There is a two-stage review of decision and appeal procedure built into the Bill. The first stage would involve the Department carrying out a review of the decision made at the request again of the applicant, and the second stage would grant the right to make a formal appeal in connection with any aspect of the operator licence. The remainder of the Bill consists of miscellaneous matters, such as fees. It is particularly important to note that the Bill applies to the Belfast harbour estate and other harbour areas. Current operator licensing laws do not operate in harbour areas, and that causes difficulties for enforcement staff. Generally, the Bill is not as much of a skeleton as was the Taxis Bill in relation to a series of regulatory powers. However, in parts there are quite a lot of regulatory powers. The Department dropped some of the detail that is contained in the Act that applies in Great Britain. In due course, we will bring subordinate legislation, in the form of Orders, to the Committee. Thank you. I am trying to get a handle on how the conditions attached to licences will pan out. The Department will be able to attach an increasing number of conditions to the licence. One possible condition is the requirement for the licence holder to inform the Department of any event which affects the licence, which is par for the course. However, another condition is the prevention of vehicles from causing danger to the public while entering or leaving an operating centre. That strikes me as more of a criminal matter, and I am unclear about a third possible condition to prevent or minimise the adverse effects of the operating centre. That seems akin to attaching conditions to a standard driving licence that the applicant must not drink and drive, speed or drive a car that is not roadworthy. Will you elaborate on what that third condition means? That condition could apply, for example, when an individual advertises an operating centre about which the Department receives representations from landowners that the use of the operating centre, as applied for, could impinge on their enjoyment of their land. The Department has the power, for example, to agree with the applicant that he or she will operate within certain hours or limit the size or number of vehicles used in the operating centre. I am trying to get my head round that condition. Some members deal with planning applications almost every day. I listened to Mr Flanders describe a particular application to build houses that would surround an operating centre. Under those circumstances, such conditions are normally built into environmental health considerations as part of the planning application. Presumably, if an operator wants to establish a business in a new or changed venue, he or she would have to submit either a fresh planning application or, if wishing to diversify from farming to road haulage in a rural area, a new planning application. I am trying to work out how the operator licensing fits in. So far, and until you tell me otherwise, it seems as though you are duplicating, or mirroring, the responsibility of another wing of the Department. The vast majority of applications that we will receive over the next five years will be from existing operating centres. An application from a centre that has been operating for four years, for example, will be approved. Therefore the Planning Service will not have a role in such a scenario. I thought that such businesses had to be operating for at least 10 years. That is only if conditions are attached. The vast majority of the applications that we will receive over the next five years will be from the 12,000 to 15,000 businesses that are already up and running. We will apply conditions about how they operate on their sites. It could be argued that applying conditions to brand new sites would duplicate work. However, I am not certain that that would be the case. We are working on the basis that existing sites already have merit. We will tell the operators that they will have to meet access standards and that there may be time restrictions and loud music restrictions so that other people do not get disturbed. The Bill provides a balance in that the Department will be granted the discretionary powers that the traffic commissioners have, and we will be able to grant licences. It will make life easier for the operator and for the people in the area if licences can be granted with agreed conditions or restrictions. That will be better than simply saying yes or no. Your section of the Department is not normally the arbiter for such issues. That is usually the job of local councils through their health and environmental services departments. I am trying to tease out how the practicalities of the process are going to work. A new operator setting up an operating centre will be required to go through the planning process. For the foreseeable future, the majority of applications that we receive will be from existing operators. When they submit an application and advertise, the people who live in the vicinity of the site will have an opportunity to make representations on environmental grounds. In addition to that, we will have a statutory list of consultees whose opinions we will seek. Included on that list are the PSNI and the Planning Service. Therefore, the Planning Service will have a role in the process. Any declaration from the Planning Service that it is unhappy with an application will be taken into consideration. My point was that it is the health and environmental services departments of the respective councils that have the expertise on environmental concerns. I am sure that the Department has its own expertise, but usually the arbiters of issues over potential environmental hazards are the health and environmental services departments of the councils. I am trying to determine the outworkings of the process. Any new application will go through the process. Inevitably, as part of the consultation process on planning, the health and environmental services departments of the various councils act as the consultees. There could be a situation in which a group of residents have moved to a development that has been built only in the past five to seven years. That development could be in close proximity to an existing site for which an application has been submitted. Were those residents to object to the application, the Department will decide whether to grant a licence. However, the health and environmental services department of the relevant council would presumably act as the arbiter as to whether there is a potential noise nuisance. Will the individual councils be statutorily consulted as part of the process? Yes the councils will and the Environmental Heritage Service, as it currently exists, will also consult as part of the process. Would that apply to new applications in addition to established applications? This would apply to any application whether new or existing. Mr Armstrong alluded to the reversing and the driving into driveways. In rural areas drivers could, as Mr Armstrong pointed out, drive around the building to do this as there would be sufficient space to turn. However there may not be room for this in urban housing developments and the driver may have to park a three and a half ton lorry on the footpath outside their property. Mr Armstrong also mentioned that there were currently 9,000 operating centre business, many of which could be in private urban developments. How would the proprietor be able to reverse from their driveway without causing a risk to road safety? I indicated at the end of my short presentation that one of the big issues that the Department needs to examine is operating centres. That is, what actually constitutes an operating centre. A balance needs to be struck between introducing legislation that will have an impact on a person who has been carrying out their business for a number of years and the issue of road safety. The Department has a number of options available in this area including, whether we establish an introductory period of time over which the standard can be brought in; or whether grandfather rights are granted to those businesses that have existing parking arrangements; whether the standards are applied as they are or whether the standard is dropped locally. The Department will need to examine all of these options and decide on the best fit for Northern Ireland. In preparations we have already begun a process of consultation. It is a very difficult issue, as legislation will have an impact in someway if drivers cannot drive in and reverse out of their properties. However, the issue of drivers trying to drive into driveways, not capable of taking their vehicles totally different. We do not know what proportion of the 9,000 business proprietors do park their vehicles at home, in the road, or can drive in and drive out of their properties without causing a road safety issue. To apply the current GB standard would be problematic at present and the Department needs to investigate the issue in a lot more detail before we move forward. Unfortunately I do not have an answer on this at present. What is the GB standard at present? The GB standard is that if a vehicle is parked at home, in an operating centre that it must be able to drive in and out in a forward direction. In other words the vehicle must be able to be driven in, turned and driven out again without reversing over a public footway. That is the road safety issue in question and it is a valid one. Sorry Donald, I did not quite catch that. Do you mean that the vehicle must be able to driven in, turned and driven out again in a forward direction? Yes. It must be able to go into the site and out again in a forward direction. Basically, this means that it must be go in and turn again and that the vehicle cannot be reversed in or out. This represents a problem for people who park at the side of their house and I accept that it is a problem. However, there is also a problem for road safety and people have been killed as a result of the parking or moving of vehicles in this way. Again, I do not have a definitive answer on this yet and I freely admit it. However, one of the areas of difficulty that the Department have got to work with is what the standard is going to be and how that standard is going to be implemented. Thank you very much to all the witnesses who have attended today. The Committee now has plenty of reading to do on this subject, which I am sure we will revisit again.

http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/assembly-business/official-report/committee-minutes-of-evidence/session-2007-2008/april-2008/goods-vehicles-licensing-of-operators-bill/

Sitting just west of Pine Coulee reservoir is 5 quarters (791.23 +/- deeded acres) with an additional 160 +/- acres of grazing lease. There is a two storey, 1555+ square foot home, sitting on the east side of the property with a mature treed yard. A second story deck facing south captures all the warm south sun. Nestled on the south side of the hill with breathtaking views to the south and west of the Porcupine hills and the Rocky Mountains. The property is fenced ready to start running your cattle or start your herd. There are some shelters and two barns for livestock needs. Two corral setups, and 2 drilled wells located on different quarters with Oxley Creek running through various parcels there is water for the animals all around. There is also approx. 50 acres seeded to hay on the north side of township road 145A . Just a short 21-minute drive from Stavely, or just over 1 hour south west from Calgary.

http://www.sellingcalgary.pro/listing/rural-willow-creek-no-26-md-of/a1212714-291-range-road

In the world of wine, there are many debates. Is natural wine better than conventional? Does wine taste better in a glass or out of a can? But perhaps the most hotly contested debate of all is this: which is sweeter, chardonnay or pinot grigio? Let’s explore both sides of this argument to see if we can come to a conclusion. So, which is sweeter, chardonnay or pinot grigio? Chardonnay is a white wine made from the green-skinned grape of the same name. It is one of the most popular wines in the world, and its popularity is only increasing. Chardonnay is known for its rich, creamy texture and its complex flavor profile that can include notes of citrus, stone fruit, butter, and oak. Chardonnay is often thought of as a “sweet” wine, but that sweetness is usually balanced by acidity. Pinot grigio is another white wine made from grapes of the same name. Pinot grigio wines are typically lighter in the body than chardonnays and have a brighter, fresher flavor. They are also known for being slightly sweet, but again, that sweetness is usually balanced by acidity. Pinot grigios are sometimes compared to chardonnays because they share some common flavor profiles; however, pinot grigios are typically less complex than chardonnays and have a more straightforward flavor. The answer may surprise you: they’re both pretty similar in terms of sweetness! Both wines are typically balanced by acidity, which gives them a refreshing sweetness that isn’t cloying or overwhelming. If you’re looking for a sweeter wine, you might want to try a dessert wine like Riesling or Moscato d’Asti. But if you’re looking for a delicious, refreshing white wine that isn’t too sweet, then chardonnay or pinot grigio is definitely the way to go.

http://www.yourwineyourway.com/chardonnay-vs-pinot-grigio/

Jamaica forward Shamar Nicholson (11) celebrates his goal with Kevon Lambert (21) during the second half of the team’s international friendly match against the United States on Wednesday. National striker Shamar Nicholson has described his goal against the United States for the Reggae Boyz in their friendly international on Wednesday in Washington DC as the best goal of his career. Nicholson, who came on as a 55th-minute substitute, picked up a ball outside of the box and made room for himself before unleashing a rasping right-footed shot past the US's custodian Zach Steffen. The 22-year-old, who plies his trade for NK Domzale of Slovenia, told STAR Sports on his arrival at the Norman Manley International yesterday that he is very delighted with goal. "It is a great feeling because it was destined to happen because I made my debut against the US two years and so to score my first goal against them is a wonderful achievement," said Nicholson. "I have scored a lot of good goals, but this is the best one that I have scored in the career so far," he said. "I think this one was really fantastic because when I look back at it, I am like wow, I can't believe that I score a goal that." The former Boys' Town player added that the goal given him a lot more confidence going into the Concacaf Gold Cup tournament later this month. "My confidence level is at a level that where it is very high, but this was a friendly game because we have the Gold Cup coming up and so now is just to keep the head work a lot harder," said Nicholas, who netted 13 goals for NK Domzale in the Slovenian league this season. "It is just hard work for me this season because when you work hard then you will get the reward and the goals will come and so that is key for me this season," he said. "To score 13 goals in Europe big for me because it is Europe and no league is Europe is easy and if you get into double figure is a good accomplishment," Nicholson said.

http://wwww.jamaicastar.com/article/sports/20190607/best-goal-my-career-%E2%80%93-nicholson

I've read somewhere that voxels are very suitable for turning 2D medical scans in 3D objects. I'm not a doctor, just a computer graphics enthousiast, but it would be nice if 3D coat could have this option to. In Belgium we have a company called Materialise that 3D prints data from CT scans. I would love to see this option available for the general public. They do plastic surgery and orthopedic reconstruction with 3D prints. This could open up a whole new market for 3D Coat with it's amazing voxel sculpting tools. You would have to be able to handle exact dimensions and sizes of the limb you're trying to replicate. Haven't you thought about this Andrew? There is no such solution available at the market at this moment. Go making some big money with your software Andrew. Interests:Veterinary medicine and surgery, Veterinary education, medical and surgical simulation, animal welfare, animals in society, intersection of art and science. There are readily available open source programs for medical modelling that can be used to generate models from CT and MRI datasets. I have used Slicer 3D (https://www.slicer.org) and InVesalius (http://www.cti.gov.br/invesalius/). These programs are not quite as slick as Mimics (Materialise) but can get the job done. The hang-up for this process is gaining access to the medical data, due to privacy concerns.

https://3dcoat.com/forum/index.php?/topic/18796-medical-imaging-and-3d-coat/

New Delhi: At a time when the Covid-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected people with diabetes, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on Monday released a guidance document for the management of Type 1 diabetes. The first nationwide diabetes prevalence study, funded by ICMR, reported a narrowing of urban-rural difference in the burden of diabetes. As per the study, the disease has become apparent in the age group of 25-34 years in both urban and rural areas. While Type 2 diabetes is more common among adults, the ICMR study found more and more children being diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in India. India has nearly 95,600 cases of Type 1 diabetes among children below 14 years of age, and every year, around 15,900 fresh cases are being reported in this age group. An estimated of 2.5 lakh people in India suffer from type 1 diabetes. Individuals with Type 1 diabetes need support to survive, using insulin and other therapies, and to live their entire life with stigma, restrictions, or disabling complications due to their illness. Intensive management of all aspects of diabetes, especially glycemic (blood glucose) control, is now the gold standard in Type 1 diabetes management, the ICMR guideline said. In India, there exists a considerable variability in the quality of diabetes care, which depends upon various factors such as accessibility to services, affordability of drugs, attitude among others.

https://7bharat.com/type-1-diabetes-rising-among-kids-natl-study-ranchi-news-times-of-india/

Beyond being the preferred sandwich filler of growing kid (and many grown-up children), peanuts are real nutritious stuff and have a broad variety of health benefits. For best natural peanut butter. Peanuts are abundant in monounsaturated fats, which are emphasized in the Mediterranean cardiac-healthy diet. Diet research based on peanuts has shown that this little leguminous food is a perfect friend for a safe heart. A predominantly monounsaturated diet, with peanuts and peanut butter, illustrated, decreased the likelihood of cardiovascular disease by around 21% relative to the American diet in one of the prospective double-blind cross-over trials affecting 22 participants. Besides their mono-unsaturated fat quality, several other nutrients have also been shown to improve cardiac safety in various studies. Peanuts are healthy vitamin E, niacin, folate, calcium, and manganese sources. Moreover, peanuts have resveratrol, the phenolic antioxidant often present in French paradoxical red grapes and red wine: the reason that citizens in France consume a diet that is not weak in fats, but which has a smaller incidence of cardiovascular disease than in the U.S. This is no surprise that various scientific experiments have generated all the essential nutrients such as peanuts. On the tossed salads sprinkle with the peanuts. Add peanuts and vegetables to healthy sautéed chicken. Combine sliced green chops, grated ginger, Serrano chili, and peanuts into a basic south-east Asian salad. Taking the olive oil and serve with soy sauce. Seek peanut butter and raspberry, peanut butter and honey or peanut butter and sliced strawberry, pore, and/or raisins instead of a peanut sandwich and jelly sandwich. Peanuts are among the eight food categories in the United States, which involve labeling on food packaging, known as key food allergens. See our post, An analysis of adverse food reactions, for helpful details on this subject. Peanuts have also been known to have large amounts of oxalate. Oxalates are organic acids present naturally in a large range of products which can be significantly reduced in a meal schedule to avoid overaccumulation within the body while such medical requirements are encountered. Our detailed oxalate article will remind you in-depth about these organic acids, diet, and safety. Peanuts are vulnerable to fungal invasions and molds. Aflatoxin, a fungal poison called Aspergillus flavus, is especially troubling. Although improved storing and handling techniques have practically removed the possibility of ingesting aflatoxin, aflatoxin is considered to be 20 times more dangerous than DDT and often to be correlated with a reduced mental delay and intellect. To help prevent the consumption of aflatoxin, the US FDA also enforces a rule that the maximum level of aflatoxin authorized for all food and beverages, including peanut butter and other peanut items, is 20 parts per billion. In the United States, peanuts are almost ubiquitous: baseball games, circus animals, a cup of drinks, and the iconic jelly and peanut butter. However, scientifically, peanuts are not nuts, contrary to what their name suggests. They are legumes and they are associated with the legume family with other foods including peas, lentils, chickpeas, and other beans. Peanuts evolve in an incredible manner. In reality, they begin as an above-ground flower that bends to the ground because of its heavyweight. Finally, the herb burrows underground, and the seed matures.

https://absbuzz.com/why-peanut-butter-is-most-healthy-foodstuff/

Two of the posters for the VI Slet, 1912. and too busy to deliver the poster as soon as it was needed, so a competition was held to select another artist. Mucha's design was painted in August, 1911, and published January, 1912. competition held in April, 1911 by the Slet organizers. It was published in April 1912. Celebrating the 50th anniversary of Sokol, and occurring at a time shortly before the horrors and disruptions of WWI, the sixth festival celebrated a new sense of Slavic identity and independence. It lasted five weeks. More than 30,000 Sokols participated, including teams from the USA, France and other Slavic countries, as 300,000 spectators watched. 22,000 uniformed Sokols took part in the grand parade. A special Ancient Olympic theme, "Marathon," was adopted for the festival, with a grand spectacle performed by 1,500 athletes. Over 1,200 special trains had to be arranged to carry the thousands of foreign visitors to the event. Several of the cards below show photos or paintings of the events, and give some idea of the enormous stadium, and the huge crowds in attendance. Below, a Poster stamp for the jubilee, issued in Jicin. This was also the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Sokol chapter in that town. Štefan Šuták informs me that this label was issued in six different colors - red, brown, blue, ultramarine, green-blue, and green-gray! TJ Sokol Jicín is the oldest organization in our town. It was founded November 5, 1862 and was the fourth Sokol unity, following the example of the Sokol of Prague. Followed by Jaromer, Nová Paka, Kutná Hora and Jicín. The Sokol thought was brought to Jicin by college students who arrived home in Prague in 1862 for holidays. The idea was taken up, the committee was appointed and the trainers selected. The beginnings were very difficult, practicing outdoors, but with dedication to patriotic consciousness and enthusiasm. Below, a postcard with one of the official images for the event. The artist is František Hornik. Note the similarity to the poster design (top of page). The artist preferred this version, and it was the one given preference on the post cards - note number on back - "1" - the other version was also issued as as postcard, it has number "22" - see below. There were over 40 "official" postcards issued for this event - 11 were published in October, 1911, as part of the advance publicity, and then 30 festive colored cards plus 5 monochrome cards were published in July, 1912, during the festival. Official cards can be identified by the medallion trademark printed in the upper left corner of the address side, and by the printer's credit at bottom left - "Minerva" Praha. And the same image on poster stamps.

https://alphabetilately.org/Sokol/1912.html

The initiative promotion of contemporary art, curated by AMACI - Associazione dei Musei d'Arte Contemporanea Italiani, is realised with the support of the Direzione Generale Contemporary Creativity of the Ministry of Culture, in collaboration with the General Directorate for Public and Cultural Diplomacy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI). In its eighteenth edition, with online and on-siteprograms,the event will revolve around the theme of ecology and environmental sustainability, in particular the relationship between nature and human action, highlighting the need to rethink the art system in response to the global climate crisis. The artist Giorgio Andreotta Calò has been entrusted with the creation of the guiding image for the event, Icarus, which represents an invitation to reflect on the environmental crisis.

https://ambmanila.esteri.it/ambasciata_manila/en/ambasciata/news/dall_ambasciata/2022/09/giornata-del-contemporaneo-2022.html

The personal papers of Elsie Flink, Waterbury resident and personality. Flink worked at several local factories and was a member of St. John's Church. She participated in a study about radium poisoning since she was one of Waterbury's Radium Girls. English , French , Swedish . The Elsie Flink Papers are the personal papers of Waterbury resident Elsie Flink. The papers span circa 1895 through her death in 1996, with additional oral histories about Elsie from friends who knew her in 2020. Of special interest are two photographs from WWI – depicting the view from a trench and a bombed building. Additionally, researchers may be interested in two newsletters from the Center for Human Radiobiology from the 1980s which detail research into the long-term effects of radium poisoning. The collection is paper based and contains physical objects. Document types include: correspondence, postcards, greeting cards, black and white photographs, color photographs, a small scrapbook, a book of common prayer, newspaper clippings, and hand written notes. Physical items include: painted silver leaves, pressed flowers from the Holy Land, a photograph in a daguerreotype case, 6 pins/broaches of which two are photographs, 3 small keys, a locket, a small cross for a necklace, 3 medallions, 1 small tin from Fascia's Chocolates in Waterbury, and 1 wrapper of a complimentary soap from the Elton hotel located on the Green in Waterbury. The collection is housed in one manuscript box, and trinkets are housed in a small box. The collection is arranged chronologically. Elsie was born on November 8, 1894 in Worcester, Massachusetts. Her parents were Hilma Flink and Karl E. Flink and genealogy records indicate that Hilma and Karl immigrated from London to the United States, though they were originally from Sweden. Hilma died when Elsie was a small child, and she and her brother went to live with relatives. Olaf William Flink was Elsie's brother. He served in the military as a Chief Mechanic. He died of Meningitis in a hospital in France in 1918. Elsie married in 1918, but her husband left her shortly after and she remained independent. Manufacturing Company. In the 1950s she inherited a small house in Middlebury, which can be seen photographs. Later in her life, she lived at the Elton Hotel. Elsie was a member of St. John's church in Waterbury and was active in their choir and volunteered with the church's elderly feeding program. She had been a member of the church since she was 13 years old. In a newspaper article celebrating her 100th birthday, Elsie told the reporter that she once driven a car at 90 miles an hour. Elsie loved cats and several photographs from the 1990s depict her holding one or two cats on her lap. Being a Radium Girl, Elsie used to say that she glowed in the dark. She was incredibly smart, feisty, independent, and well loved by everyone who met her. This collection was donated by Clair Rundhaug in 2020.

https://archives.library.wcsu.edu/caoSearch/catalog/ctwmhi_2021-M062

Canned food is a great way to store meals and snacks for long-term use. But how long can canned food actually last? Many people wonder if canned food can last up to 100 years. The truth is, it depends on a few factors. Canned food has a shelf life of two to five years when stored at room temperature in a cool, dark place. This is because of the metal in the cans, which can corrode over time and cause bacteria to form. If you store your canned goods in moist or hot conditions, the shelf life will be even shorter. However, canned goods are still safe to eat after the expiration date has passed as long as they’re stored properly. If you open a can and it smells or looks bad, then it’s best not to consume it. If it looks, smells, and tastes okay then it should be safe for consumption. It is possible for some canned goods to last up to 100 years if they are properly preserved and stored in ideal conditions—namely cool temperatures between 45 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit with low humidity levels (around 35-40%). However, this kind of storage requires specialized facilities that most people don’t have access to. In order for cans to last 100 years without going bad or becoming unsafe for consumption, they must also remain unopened during that entire time period. Once opened, they must be refrigerated immediately and cannot be left out at room temperature anymore or the bacteria inside will start growing quickly again. Overall, it is possible for some canned goods to last up to 100 years if they are stored properly and remain unopened throughout that time period; however, this kind of storage isn’t something most people have access to on a regular basis so it’s best not to count on your cans lasting that long in most cases. Conclusion: While some cans may be able to last up 100 years if stored correctly in ideal conditions with low humidity levels between 45-70°F and remaining unopened throughout that time period; this type of storage isn’t something most people have access too so it’s best not rely on cans lasting that long in most cases. Canned food has been around since the early 1800s. When it was first invented, it was a revolutionary way of preserving food for longer periods of time. In the present day, canned food is still a very popular way to store food, but can it last 10 years? Canned food is perhaps one of the oldest and most commonly used forms of food storage. It has been around for centuries and is still popular today because it is convenient, relatively inexpensive, and can last a long time if stored properly. But just how long can it last? Can Canned Food Last for Decades? Canned food is a convenient, shelf-stable way of preserving food for long periods of time. But how long can you actually keep canned food before it spoils? The answer depends on several factors, such as the type of food, the packaging material, and the storage conditions.

https://arthurhenrys.net/can-canned-food-last-100-years/

Canned food has been one of the most accessible and convenient sources of nutrition for dogs for many years. It can be found in almost any pet store, grocery store, or even online. Despite its convenience, there are some concerns about the quality and safety of canned food for dogs. The primary concern with canned food is that it contains a lot of additives and preservatives. Many brands use artificial colors, flavors, or other additives to make their products more appealing to consumers. These additives can potentially be harmful to a dog’s health if consumed in large amounts over time. Additionally, canned food often has a high sodium content which can increase the risk of dehydration or other health problems in dogs. Another potential issue with canned food is that it is often very high in fat and calories. While this may sound like a good thing, it can actually be detrimental to a dog’s health if they are not getting enough exercise or not eating a balanced diet. If a dog eats too much canned food without getting enough exercise, they could end up overweight or obese. Finally, canned food does not always provide complete nutrition for your dog. While most brands will have some essential vitamins and minerals included in the ingredients list, many do not contain all the nutrients that your dog needs to stay healthy. To ensure that your dog is getting all the necessary nutrition they need from their diet, you should consider supplementing with additional vitamins and minerals. Overall, while canned food can be convenient and accessible for pet owners, there are some potential risks associated with feeding it to your pup. It is important to consider these risks when deciding whether or not to feed your dog canned food as part of their regular diet. Ultimately, you should consult with your veterinarian before making any dietary changes for your pup. Is Canned Food Bad for Dog? When it comes to your pup’s diet, you want the best for them. That often means choosing between fresh and canned food. But is canned food bad for dogs? When it comes to the health of our furry friends, we all want what’s best for them. Canned dog food is often thought of as a convenient and easy way to feed our pets, but many people wonder if it is bad for their dog’s health. When it comes to nutrition, canned dog food can be a great option. Is Canned Food Unhealthy for Dogs? Many pet owners are wondering if canned food is unhealthy for their dogs. The answer to this question depends on a few factors, including the specific type of canned dog food and the overall health of your dog. Canned food is usually more nutrient-dense than dry kibble, meaning it contains more vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients in each serving. Are Canned Food Good for Dogs? Canned food is a popular choice for many dog owners, as it is convenient and easy to use. It also contains more moisture than dry food and can be beneficial for dogs that may have difficulty eating dry kibble. While canned food can be a good choice, it is important to understand the pros and cons of feeding your dog canned food. Is Canned Food OK for Dogs? Canned food is a convenient product for pet owners, and many pet parents wonder if it’s okay to feed their pup canned food as part of their diet. The truth is, canned food can be a great part of a balanced diet for dogs. Canned dog food offers some key benefits for pet owners and their pups. Is Canned Food Bad for Dog's Teeth? Canned food has been a staple in the diets of many pet owners for decades. It’s generally considered one of the most convenient and cost effective ways to provide your pet with a healthy and balanced diet. However, there is some debate about whether or not canned food is bad for your dog’s teeth. Is Canned Food Better for Dogs? Canned food can be a great option for dogs, as it is easily digestible and contains a variety of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. The moisture content in canned food is also beneficial for dogs who do not drink enough water on their own. However, there are certain drawbacks to feeding your dog canned food. Are Canned Dog Food Bad? Canned dog food is a popular choice amongst pet owners, however there are some people who worry that canned food is bad for dogs. The truth is that there are both pros and cons to feeding your pup canned food. Pros: Canned dog food tends to be higher in protein than dry kibble, which can be beneficial for active or growing dogs. What Is the Healthy Food Slogans?

https://arthurhenrys.net/is-canned-food-bad-for-dogs/

Huntington National Bank sells shares of The Cooper Companies, Inc. (NYSE:COO). According to the organization's most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Form 13F, Huntington National Bank decreased its ... Impax Asset Management Group plc acquires shares of The Cooper Companies, Inc. (NYSE:COO). Impax Asset Management Group plc reportedly purchased The Cooper Companies, Inc. (NYSE: COO) during the third quarter, as stated in ... The investment advisory firm Vestmark Advisory Solutions Inc. increased its stake in The Cooper Companies, Inc. (NYSE: COO) during the ... The most recent filing that Geneva Capital Management LLC has made with the Securities and Exchange Commission reveals that during ... Piper Sandler analysts raised their price target on Cooper Companies (NYSE:COO) to $375.00. In a research report released Wednesday, investment analysts at Piper Jaffray raised their price objective for Cooper Companies (NYSE: COO) ... On Friday, January 6, Jody S. Lindell, a director at The Cooper Companies, Inc. (NYSE: COO), sold 1,000 shares of ... Analysts give The Cooper Companies, Inc. (NYSE:COO) a “Moderate Buy” rating on average. According to Bloomberg Ratings, the stock of The Cooper Companies, Inc. (NYSE: COO) has received an average rating of "Moderate ... Short interest in The Cooper Companies, Inc. (NYSE:COO) fell 9.5% in November. There was a sizeable cut in the number of short positions on The Cooper Companies, Inc. during November (NYSE: COO). ... Cooper Companies (NYSE:COO) PT has been reduced to $355.00. In a research report that was made public on Friday, it was reported that Robert W. Baird lowered the price ... Cooper Companies (NYSE: COO) increased its performance outlook for FY23 on Thursday. The company provided earnings per share projections for ...

https://beststocks.com/tag/coo-analyst-rating/

The complete text of this morning's agreement between AMD and Intel was filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, and was made public early this afternoon. The agreement explicitly brings to an end three different legal disputes: the 2005 AMD antitrust suit against Intel in Delaware; the 2005 AMD antitrust suit against Intel in Tokyo, Japan; and Intel's objections to AMD's restructuring plan, specifically to spin off GlobalFoundries from a subsidiary to an independent unit. The agreement acknowledges the gist of AMD's complaints about Intel's prior conduct, but Intel does not in turn acknowledge having acted as AMD suggested. But from there, the agreement effectively acts as if to say, "You know what? Let's forget about all that and start over." "To avoid the time and expense of litigation, and without any admission of liability or fault, the Parties wish to fully, finally and forever resolve, compromise and settle the Actions on the terms and conditions set forth below," the agreement explicitly reads. "Further, Intel and AMD acknowledge that for most of the last three decades, their relationship has been difficult, challenging and often acrimonious. Intel and AMD wish to change that relationship going forward, both by 'wiping the slate clean' as to all past grievances, and by approaching future grievances in a constructive manner designed to address and resolve such grievances amicably, if possible." The business practices which Intel has agreed to abide by, are very carefully worded so as not to suggest that Intel never abided by them in the first place. For example, the agreement does not say Intel will "discontinue" any practice, or "refrain from" doing something, which would imply that it did so in the past. No rebates to OEMs for exclusivity. Intel won't enter into any deals with manufacturers that would give them benefits or awards for restricting their own freedom from being able to purchase parts from any other producer, anywhere in the world. Intel can make exclusionary deals, and no, that is not a typo. There are conditions that have to be met, one of which being that Intel must compete (presumably with AMD) for those deals. The explicit language states Intel is not prohibited: "...to lawfully compete on the merits for selection by the customer for any then-current design award or for satisfaction of any or all of the customer's then-current demand for microprocessors in a manner consistent with this Agreement." So if an OEM is offering exclusivity, it must offer it to both competitors, and in writing. And the winner must execute its agreement with the OEM explicitly, and in writing. Intel cannot reward a company for refraining from advertising AMD parts, or for not entering into marketing agreements with AMD, nor can it penalize a company by saying such an agreement with its competitor is against an existing agreement with Intel. Intel can't rebate anyone for using mostly or entirely Intel parts. That type of exclusivity doesn't constitute a "design award" or a marketing program, and is thus forbidden. Intel can compete for a design award by a manufacturer were mostly or all Intel parts are used, just as long as AMD can compete as well. Intel cannot create artificial technological impairments such as, for instance, a compiler state that would render some software better or faster on Intel multicores but defeated or dampened on AMD multicores. Both AMD and Intel may offer discounts to customers, especially volume discounts. That's been a point of contention with Intel, whose accusations against it in recent months have extended to include the ability to offer deep discounts to OEMs for high-volume purchases. As Intel executives have questioned, since when has discounting been illegal, even for a dominant player? Later in the agreement, it specifies that Intel's ability to offer retroactive discounts -- markdowns on current and future purchases based on volumes of past purchases -- may be preserved as well, depending on the outcome of current regulatory challenges worldwide. The agreement explicitly states that Intel will not challenge the findings of the European Commission, the US Federal Trade Commission, and the New York Attorney General's office, although it may be free to challenge the language of those decisions. AMD will continue to argue against Intel's use of retroactive discounts with respect to these regulatory actions, assuming they continue. As for any other Intel conduct, AMD says it's releasing its complaints against Intel; and Intel in turn is releasing its IP complaints. In the terms of a new covenant, neither party can hold the other party or its customers liable for past conduct.

https://betanews.com/2009/11/12/the-agreement-intel-and-amd-wipe-the-slate-clean/

and masterly view of the very interesting period which it embraces, as would have been given by Mr. Gibbon or Dr. Robertson; but it exhibits proofs of learned research, and may, upon the whole, we think, be read with pleasure and advantage. It deserves no praise on the score of style, which is commonly diffuse and overcharged; and often vulgar and slovenly. We cannot dismiss this subject, without remarking, that there are some interesting questions with regard to the Grecian monarchies after Alexander, which are scarce at all touched by Dr. Gillies. Such are the state of their armies, and the sort of troops of which they were composed, their laws and government,-the tone of the national character and manners,-the state of the natives under their subjection, and the symptoms of internal strength or weakness in their situation. We cannot justly be expected to make up this deficiency; but perhaps the reader will excuse us for putting together a few facts upon some of these points, which will not be found collectively in the work under our review. Ut sibi latrones [i. e. mercenarios] cogerem et conscriberem." Act 1. Sc. 1. In the plays, indeed, of that writer, and of Terence, the mirrours of the later Greek comedy, we find the stage character of the partisan, who has served in the wars of Asia, as much established as those of the slave and the parasite. It occurs three or four times in Plautus, and once in the well known Thraso of Terence: and although the sameness which pervades them may lead us to think that these authors rather copied each other than real life, there must have been a prototype in the received notion of the character, which the publick were able to recognise. In every instance, they are represented as having acquired inordinate riches, and as spending it a good deal in the same manner as an English sailor is supposed to get rid of his prize money. But the parallel will hold no further. The most ridiculous vanity, stupidity, and cowardice, are the constant attributes of the soldier in those comedies. A nation, one would think, must be sunk very low, in which the military character was never exhibited but as odious and contemptible. But, to judge from history, the picture must be somewhat overcharged. The Greeks of that age, though unable to cope with Rome or Macedon, displayed, occasionally, both skill and prowess. Perhaps it was unpopular thus to waste the blood of Greece in wars in which it had no concern; and publick indignation refused to the mercenaries of the Seleucide that admiration and sympathy which are the usual reward of a military life. The third class of troops, in the armies of these princes, were their their native subjects. Though the inhabitants of the finest climates of Asia were generally unwarlike, other parts, especially the mountainous districts, contained a hardy race of men. The skill which barbarians frequently acquire in missile weapons, is formidable to any army not possessed of artillery, and consequently obliged to fight near at hand. Media, the finest province of Asia, produced an incomparable breed of horses; and the kings of Syria, at one time, were able to reenforce their armies from the savage hardihood of the Isurian mountaineers, the obstinate bravery of the Jews, and the dexterity of the Par thian cavalry. The kingdom of Egypt seems to supply less military resources from itself. Yet, if 200,000 infantry and 40,000 horse obeyed the mandate of Philadelphus, so prodigious an army could hardly have been collected without great draughts upon the native population. But this was compensated to their subjects by the peculiar advantages of their situation. They enjoyed the inexhaustible fertility of Syria, Babylonia, and Egypt. The ports of the Mediterranean were crowded with vessels, secure from maritime hostility; and the creation of almost numberless cities, bearing the names of Seleucus and his family, is the noblest evidence of the riches and magnificence of that dynasty. Atheneus speaks of the Syrians, as a people who, from the fertility of their country, had little need to labour, and consumed their leisure in banqueting and diversions. Antioch, the capital, was most distinguished for this character. The beautiful grove of Daphne, situated about five miles from that city, was the scene where its luxurious inhabitants abused the prodigality of nature in every enjoyment of voluptuous ease. It was the more honourable characteristick of Alexandria, to be the seat of literature; and the praise of her sovereigns to have bestowed patronage upon men who, however inferiour to those nursed in the bosom of Grecian liberty, surpassed them in erudition, and have formed a sort of epoch in the history of letters. Less regard seems to have been paid to science by the Selucida; but they cultivated the favourite and almost peculiar at of the Greeks, that of stamping metals with consummate beauty ar ingenuity; and by their coins and medals, the imperfect remains of meir history have often been illustrated. The condition of the native orientals is not easily to be distinguished. The remote and barbarous provinces, wherein but few Greeks were settled, probably felt little more than a nominal subjection, and retained such laws and customs as they might have of their own. Even in the city of Seleucia, Polybius seems to speak of magistrates or judges belonging to the native inhabitants. Their condition, however, where the Greeks were numerous, as in Syria or Cilicia, was probably little better than servile; at least those countries seem to have supplied slaves to the markets of Greece and Italy. licia. In the east, their possessions were equally dilapidated. Immediately after the death of Alexander, an Indian chief, by name Sandrocottus, drove the Macedonians from the Panjab; and Seleucus prudently sold his claim to those distant conquests for 500 elephants. So little is heard afterwards of the provinces lying on the hither side of the Indus, about Candahar, that we may suspect them to have followed the example. Theodotus, a Greek, soon afterwards revolted in Bactria, and established a dynasty which lasted for near a century and a half, till it was swept away by an invasion of Tartars; which is attested at once by the historians of Greece and of China. This little kingdom, stationed, as it were, upon the out posts of civilized life, has excited some interest in modern times; and Mr. Gibbon has thought fit to give them credit for being the instructers of the Tartars, and even the Hindoos, in science. It was not, however, as has sometimes been imagined, insulated, till within a few years of its downfal; the kings of Syria retaining the adjacent province of Ariana, part of the present Khorasan and Sigistan. A far more important people occupied the western parts of Khorasan, the Parthians, who are thought, with much probability, to have been a Scythian clan, which at an early Period had fixed itself in that region. Antiochus the Great kept them with bounds; but after his death they encroached upon Media, and finally usured all the provinces to the east of the Euphrates. The kingdom of Egypt, though ecessarily more circumscribed than that of Syria, was less liable to dismemberment. Its limits were, however, various. Cyrene was its permanent appendage. It contained also, generally, Cyprus, and sometimes Celo Syria, which was its debatable frontier on the side of Asia. Two only of its monarchs seem to have achieved more extensive conquests. In the golden age of Ptolemy Philadelphus, Crete, Caria, and Lycia, were subject to Egypt. At a later period, Ptolemy Euergetes gained more unprofitable trophies, from an expedition into Nubia, the memory of which is preserved by an inscription discovered in that country about the sixth century. But when the Romans came to meddle with the affairs of the east, the kings of Egypt felt their inadequacy to contend; obeyed the mandates of the republick with humiliating obsequiousness; and were rewarded by that great Polypheme, with the privi lege of being devoured the last. tants were prohibited. There is one peculiarity which applies equally to the Macedonians and Greeks of Syria and Egypt. Though each of their royal families was placed upon the throne by no right but conquest; though they had supplanted and extinguished the ancient stock; though their own elevation was recent in the memory of man; their subjects appear to have felt for them, all that blindness of loyalty, which is commonly supposed to follow only long established and illustrious dynasties. No impostor, who made pretensions to royal descent, failed of temporary success; even though he claimed to draw his breath from the contemptible Perseus, or the frantick Antiochus Epiphanes. So irregular is the attachment of nations to their rulers, and so fallacious the reasoning of those who suppose that such sentiments cannot be felt for those whose possession is but of yesterday, and whose title is the sword. FROM THE BRITISH CRITICK. Whistle for it. A Comick Opera, in two Acts. By the Hon. G. Lamb. 8vo. WE have not had an opportunity of witnessing the exhibition of this little piece; but conclude that it must have excited considerable interest in the representation, containing so much that is popular, both in incident and .scenery; viz. the unexpected meeting of two captive lovers of rank and importance, in the subterraneous cave of a troop of banditti; a grand struggle between love and honour; and a most sudden and critical rescue at the very moment the dagger and gallows are about to do their gloomy business. Queen Hoo Hall, a Romance; and Ancient Times, a Drama. By the late Joseph Strutt, author of Rural Sports, and Pastimes of the People of England, &c. 12mo. 4 vols. ACCUSTOMED to consider Mr. Strutt, and indeed to esteem him as one of the most diligent and most expert of our English antiquarians, we little expected to receive from his pen a work of fancy, and that too, of a superiour kind. We have been exceedingly entertained with this perfor mance, which has many characteristick marks of a lively and well regulated imagination. Perhaps the low comick scenes, representing the manners of the domesticks in great families in ancient times, is extended too far; but the superiours themselves are entitled to our warmest praise. Some pleasing poetry is also interspersed, which we have read with great gratification and interest. Altogether it deserves a distinguished place among works of the kind. It will not easily be perused by those who are unacquainted with the phraseology of the times; but a glossary is added, which will remove every difficulty. The drama of Ancient Times is also of considerable merit; but it might as well have been separately printed, which we recommend to be done in a second edition; and that this will soon be required, we have no hesitation in foretelling.

https://books.google.by/books?id=A_40AAAAMAAJ&pg=PA185&vq=%22Page,+squire,+or+groom,+one+cup+to+bring+Of+blessed+water+from+the+spring,+To+slake+my+dying+thirst+!%22&dq=editions:NYPL33433074950431&lr=&output=html_text

The world and his wife have heard of this book, and I was part of that party, and yet I still hadn’t got round to reading it. But when I saw it was being turned into a TV show over Christmas 2022, I was determined to read it before watching it. Because even though I knew roughly what it was about, I had heard such good things about the book, I felt it deserved my initial attention. It’s split into two sections: 1986 and 2017. The former takes up roughly 130 pages, and then 2017 takes up the rest. If I’m honest, I didn’t enjoy the first section nearly as much. I understand it’s important to read in order to understand the relationships and the decisions in the second section, but it felt a bit too rough. A bit too focussed on “boys will be boys” and it got a bit tedious. I was counting down the pages until the 2017 section. It didn’t hold my interest quite as much and it felt a bit stretched. It felt too repetitive and I ended up doing what I don’t like doing, which is skimming and skipping pages. It was all drinking, swearing, flirting and watching bands. Over and over again. Repetitive and a bit boring. I know some people have said they didn’t like the section because the music and films mentioned weren’t to their taste. But I don’t think that’s it, for me. Lots of things I read contain references to media I’m unfamiliar with, and it doesn’t matter. But this didn’t feel concrete. It was all a bit over the place. It started off well, the relationship that Tully and James have and it hooked me instantly, but then there’s this long period where they’re in Manchester and it’s a bit dull. But knowing how much I loved the beginning, I hoped that the later section would be more akin to that. Everyone I’ve heard talk about this book gives it five stars and talks about how beautiful it is. But after some googling, I can see there’s a definite split. There are the five star reviews talking about how gorgeous and tender it is. But then there are the 2-3 star reviews, that like me, liked the start and the end, but felt it went downhill in the first section. So I’m glad I’m not alone in that. People say about how original the story is and unlike anything they’ve seen before, but it reminded me a lot of the 2010 movie Third Star, starring Benedict Cumberbatch. (If you haven’t seen it, I’d definitely recommend it, it’s beautiful). Tully ends up with the exact same type of cancer that my dad died of. It seems strange reading it, its like I’m reading it as if a stranger but also as a friend. Maybe that gave me a different view of the story from someone with no personal experience. I thought it would be more Tully’s story than it was. James is our narrator, and sometimes this works, but I would have liked to have had both point of views, so we could have got an insular view and the outsider view. It does bring up the topic of assisted dying again. I for one approve of it (obviously with regulations), but I know it’s a sensitive subject. I think this book provides a good argument for all viewpoints, but in a tender and empathetic way. It shows how we all wish we could have control over our passing, just like we have a (at least partial) control over our living. It never felt it was a slog or a hardship to get through, but I did have the odd worry that it wasn’t going to be worth finishing. Whilst part of it was enjoyable, overall I’d say I was somewhat disappointed. I didn’t dislike it as such, but what with all the praise and accolades, I was expecting some marvel, and it just fell short of my expectations. It was very much a book of two halves for me. The first was a mish-mash of action, quite nonsensical sometimes. The second half, not much happened in terms of plot, but it was big on heart and emotion. I read somewhere that you really have to read the first half to get an understanding of the second. And, to be honest, having read it, I don’t agree. Okay, yes, you always read the first half of a book so you get to know who everyone is and whatnot. But I think you could go straight into the second half and be completely fine with it. Overall, I’m not sure what to say. Would I recommend it? Probably. Not as the great piece of writing people are saying it is. But I felt, the second half mostly, is important to read. I’m glad I’ve read it, I enjoyed it for the most part, and I’ll watch the TV adaptation, but it probably won’t be one I keep on the shelf for long. EDIT: I have since watched the two-part TV adaptation and that was simply gorgeous, much more palatable than the book for me.

https://booksbyyourbedside.org/2023/01/16/mayflies-andrew-ohagan/

Her mother is Lakota, her father white, and fourteen-year-old Red Dove's dream is to bring her worlds together. With her grandfather's medicine pouch, she has survived the cruelties of the Indian boarding school and the tragedy of Wounded Knee. She's ventured across the ocean to Europe to perform with Annie Oakley in Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show. Now, in Red Dove, Run Through the Fire, she's returning to America, where she hopes to make her dream a reality-and find the place where she truly belongs. Follow Red Dove's adventures through Book One, Listen to the Wind, Book Two, Tell Truth to Darkness, and Book Three, Run Through the Fire. Each can be read as a standalone, and each tells this remarkable girl's story as well as the saga of her people. "I thoroughly enjoyed reading Red Dove, Run through the Fire, the third book of the trilogy about the adventures of a young Lakota girl during the late 1800d. It is a touching fictional tale, but it illustrates accurately the history of the Lakota people and their culture. The truth about Wounded Knee and the boarding schools is presented in a respectful manner to which young people can relate. Students who read this book will not forget what happened to the Lakota people in 1890. As an "Iyeshka" person myself, raised in white culture, I can appreciate the fact that it is a struggle to be successful in both societies. This beautifully written book is a fascinating ending to the trilogy. I recommend all three Red Dove books for young and old."

https://bookshop.org/p/books/red-dove-run-through-the-fire-sonia-antaki/19058590?ean=9781639886517

Obviously, I am a huge fan of Jeff Beck. He had a guitar tone that was instantly recognizable. As most people know, he was one of the “Big 3” guitarist who played in the seminal English, blues rock band The Yardbirds. The Yardbirds started with Clapton on lead guitar but he quit because of his “blues purism.” He thought the band was moving too far into “pop.” Jeff Beck then came in to replace him. Eventually Jimmy Page joined the band. Imagine that dual lead guitar line up – Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck! Eventually they fired Beck and kept Page. Jeff could be, uh, mercurial. After the blues purism of Clapton, Jeff Beck really opened up what the Yardbirds’ sound. If you listen to “Heart Full of Soul” you can hear the psychedelia entering the picture. I think that was the song they’d hired a sitar player to play on, but they didn’t like the sound so Jeff just played the riff it on guitar. There was little he couldn’t do with the instrument. Coincidentally Ozzy Osbourne was able to recruit both Jeff Beck and Clapton to play on his album Patient Number 9 and had actually reached out to Page to play on the record, but he declined. As Meatloaf sang, “Two out of three (Yardbirds’ guitarists) ain’t bad.” Beck plays on the title track (Review: Ozzy Osbourne’s New Song Patient Number 9 With Jeff Beck! On Guitar) of the album and one other song. After leaving the Yardbirds Jeff formed his own band, The Jeff Beck Group. Guitarists were a huge draw and Beck was to be the focus of the band so they used his name to cash in on his Yardbirds fame. He recruited Ronnie Wood (later of the Faces and Rolling Stones) to play bass guitar and Rod Stewart as his lead vocalist. The theory was Jeff’s guitar would pull the guys into shows and good looking Rod Stewart would draw the women. Jimmy Page, who took Beck’s job in the Yardbirds stole that very blueprint for Led Zepplin with Robert Plant. I loved the Jeff Beck Group and posted on them years ago: Artist Lookback: The (Original) Jeff Beck Group: Jeff Beck, Rod Stewart & Ronnie Wood. They only hung together for 2 albums, Truth and Beckola before constant touring and treating Wood & Stewart like sidemen broke the band up. Ronnie Wood joined the Faces on his chosen instrument, guitar. Rod went solo but soon joined Woody in the Faces. The album Truth is one of the most influential albums in blues rock. It’s a stunning record. I could listen to their version of Howlin Wolf’s “I Ain’t Superstitious” and “Blues De Luxe” all day long. “Blues De Luxe” is on my “Rockers Playing the Blues” playlist. The Jeff Beck Group was supposed to play Woodstock but Jeff, who was fond of fast cars, was in a car accident and they couldn’t play. I still wonder to this day what would have happened if they’d made that iconic gig. After the Yardbirds and the original Jeff Beck Group a lot of people may have lost track of Beck. He formed a couple of different bands and put out records. He carried on as the Jeff Beck Group with an all new line up he put together that included Cozy Powell on drums and Bobby Tench on vocals. Then in 1973 he formed Beck, Bogert, Appice with Tim Bogert on bass and Carmine Appice on drums. Carmine’s little brother Vinny played with the Dio fronted Black Sabbath on Mob Rules. Beck, Bogart, Appice did a version of Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition” on that record that inspired Stevie Ray Vaughn to cover it years later. While that was already an incredible resume, in the middle 70s Beck decided to eschew working with a vocalist and put out two of the greatest guitar instrumental records ever. In 1975 he put out Blow By Blow which is another personal favorite. He covered the Beatles song “She’s A Woman.” He has a guitar solo titled “Constipated Duck” which may win the most preposterous song title award. He also covers Stevie Wonder’s “Cause We’ve Ended As Lovers” to wonderful effect. He worked with keyboardist Max Middleton who had been in the second incarnation of the Jeff Beck Group and it’s just a great LP. It almost feels like Jazz. He came back in 1976 with Wired, which I believe may be drummer Blake’s favorite. It was also produced by George Martin. They do a cover of Charles Mingus’ “Goodbye Porkpie Hat” which is worth the price of admission. While I lost touch a bit with Jeff’s work over the years I know he did quite a few critically acclaimed records over the years like Jeff Beck’s Guitar Shop and Who Else!. Drummer Blake turned me onto the video – that I recommend highly – Live At Ronnie Scott’s. If you watch the audience on that DVD you’ll spot all kinds of rock royalty there to listen to Jeff’s guitar wizardry. While I didn’t keep up as much with his solo work, he was a guest guitarist on so many other artist’s records: Mick Jagger, Ozzy, Paul Rodgers and Roger Waters just to name a few. His amazing guitar skills were much sought after. Rock and roll in the 60s was built on the backs of guitar giants like Jeff Beck. Of the three Yardbirds guitarists, Jeff probably gets the least attention. His records – from the Yardbirds to the Jeff Beck Group to his solo stuff – should be on everyone’s turntable. RIP Jeff Beck, guitar legend, 24 June 1944 – 10 January 2023. It’s a sad day indeed. You will be missed. Time is short folks. Cherish every day.

https://bourbonandvinyl.net/tag/jeffbeckgroup/

Last season, the Minnesota Timberwolves made just their second playoff appearance since the 2003-04 season. With the hope that they might be able to take another step forward this season after being eliminated in the first round, they decided to make one of the NBA’s biggest moves of the offseason. They traded Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverley, Jarred Vanderbilt, Leandro Bolmaro, Walker Kessler, and 4 first round picks to the Utah Jazz to land All-Star center Rudy Gobert. At the time, the deal was met with some skepticism as the team already had Karl Anthony-Towns and observers weren’t entirely sure how the two big men would mesh. There were also questions about whether or not they were overpaying for a 30-year old who offered limited offensive ability. Throughout this season, those concerns have proven to be valid. The Timberwolves currently hold a 22-23 record and find themselves in 9th in the Western Conference standings. Last night, Charles Barkley shared his thoughts on the trade. According to Barkley, the trade for Rudy Gobert was the worst trade in NBA history. It may be a bit early to call it the worst trade in league history, especially in a world where the Brooklyn Nets’ trade for Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce exists, but Gobert’s time in Minnesota is definitely off to a bad start. Gobert has seen his numbers dip since joining the Timberwolves and the team as a whole has seen their play decline. Their offensive rating, defensive rating, and net rating are all worse right now than they were last season. The one positive for the Timberwolves is that these picks still don’t look like they’ll end up in the top 10 of the draft, which means they at least shouldn’t have to worry about missing out on somebody like Jaylen Brown because of this trade like the Nets did in their disastrous deal. Still, the Minnesota Timberwolves are definitely not getting what they paid for in this deal.

https://brobible.com/sports/article/charles-barkley-crushes-minnesota-timberwolves-rudy-gobert-trade/

image: Associate Professor Henrik Roager in the laboratory. New research from the University of Copenhagen suggests that a portion of the Danish population has a composition of gut microbes that, on average, extracts more energy from food than the microbes in the guts of fellow Danes. The research is a step toward understanding why some people gain more weight than others, even when they eat the same thing. As unfair as that, some of us seem to gain weight just by looking at a plate of Christmas cookies, while others can snack with abandon and not gain an ounce. Part of the explanation could have to do with the makeup of our gut microbes. This, according to new research conducted at the Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports at the University of Copenhagen. The researchers studied the residual energy in the faeces of 85 Danes to estimate the efficiency of their gut microbes in extracting energy from food. At the same time, they mapped the composition of gut microbes for each participant. The results show that about 40% of the participants belong to a group that, on average, extracts more energy from food than the remaining 60%. The researchers also observed that those who extracted the most energy from food also weighed 10% more on average, or nine additional kilograms. “We may have found a key to understanding why some people gain more weight than others, even when they don’t eat more or eat differently. But this needs to be investigated further,” says Associate Professor Henrik Roager from the department of the University of Copenhagen. nutrition, exercise and sports. The results indicate that being overweight isn’t just related to how healthy you eat or how much you exercise. It may also have something to do with the makeup of a person’s gut microbes. The participants were divided into three groups, based on the makeup of their gut microbes. The so-called type B composition (dominated by Bacteroides bacteria) is more efficient at extracting nutrients from food and was observed in 40% of participants. Following the study, the researchers suspect that part of the population could be disadvantaged by the presence of intestinal bacteria that are a little too efficient at extracting energy. This efficiency can translate into more calories available to the human host from the same amount of food. “The fact that our gut bacteria are excellent at extracting energy from food is fundamentally a good thing, because the bacteria’s metabolism of food provides additional energy in the form of, for example, short-chain fatty acids , which are molecules that our body can use as a source of energy. But if we consume more than we burn, the extra energy provided by gut bacteria can increase the risk of obesity over time,” says Henrik Roager. . From the mouth to the esophagus, passing through the stomach, the duodenum and the small intestine, the large intestine and finally the rectum, the food we eat travels a journey of 12 to 36 hours, passing through several stations in along the way, before the body has extracted all the nutrients from food. . The researchers also studied the length of this trip for each participant, who all had similar eating habits. Here, the researchers hypothesized that those with long digestive journey times would harvest the most nutrients from their food. But the study found the exact opposite. “We thought there would be a long digestive journey time that would extract more energy. But here we see that participants with the type B gut bacteria that extract the most energy, also have the fastest passage through the gastrointestinal system, which gave us food for thought,” says Henrik Roager. Even then, the researchers proposed that the differences in weight gain could be because the gut bacteria of obese people were more efficient at extracting energy from food. This is the theory that is now confirmed in the new study from the Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports. “It is very interesting to note that the group of people who have less energy in their stool also weigh more on average. However, this study does not provide evidence that the two factors are directly related. We hope to explore this further at the future.”, says Henrik Roager. Everyone has a unique makeup of gut bacteria, shaped by genetics, environment, lifestyle, and diet. The collection of gut bacteria, called gut microbiota, is like an entire galaxy in our gut, with 100 billion bacteria per gram of stool. Gut bacteria in the colon serve to break down parts of food that our body’s digestive enzymes cannot, for example, dietary fiber. Humans can be divided into three groups based on the presence and abundance of three main groups of bacteria that most of us have: type B (Bacteroides), R-type (Ruminococcaceae) and P-type (Prevotelle). The energy content of stool samples from 85 overweight Danish women and men was examined. Participants included men and women between the ages of 22 and 66. 40% of the participants belonged to a special group, characterized by a lower diversity of intestinal bacteria and a faster travel time of food in their digestive tract. Next: How did the James Webb Space Telescope transform astronomy this year?

https://brodhealth.com/some-guts-are-better-than-others-at-harvesting-energy/

The enterprise mobility business from Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT) today announced the MC17 mobile computer, its third-generation retail solution designed to improve customer loyalty and provide clear return-on-investment for retailers looking to increase sales by enhancing the customer shopping experience. Ideal for retail environments, including mass merchandisers, grocery department stores, and pharmacy outlets, the MC17 empowers customers to speed-up the checkout process, locate items, check pricing, find complementary products, and receive personal recommendations and tailored promotions. The MC17 can also serve as an associate productivity tool providing store employees with access to a variety of applications for inventory management, price verification and line busting. In addition, the MC17 can be used for gift registry in department and specialty stores. The MC17 is based on the Microsoft® Windows® CE 5.0 operating system, providing a known, user-friendly and intuitive interface for both customers and retail associates. Support for the powerful PocketBrowser from Motorola enables developers to build robust mobile applications that integrate enterprise functionality, such as bar code scanning and mobile printing, without complex coding requirements or CE programming expertise. Microsoft’s web-based .Net server software enables standard Web-based application development and easy integration with current and future POS systems for increased total-cost-of-ownership. Enterprise applications from partners including Agilysis, Modiv Media (formerly MobileLime/Cuesol), Extenda, Pironet, Retaligent, and YACME are in development and planned to be available to the new MC17 mobile computer upon shipment. To help customers protect their investment, the MC17 mobile computer is available with Motorola Enterprise Mobility Services Service from the Start with Comprehensive Coverage. This multi-year service simplifies the repair process and reduces unforeseen expenses by including accidental damage to displays, keypads, and other internal and external components at no additional charge — helping to ensure that customers continue to get the critical communications capabilities they need. Service from the Start with Comprehensive Coverage also delivers rapid in-house turnaround times for product repairs, telephone access to support engineers and Internet access to technical documentation. Service from the Start On Site System Support agreements provide flexible on-site product repair and proactive preventative maintenance visits to help maintain peak system performance. The MC17 will be available to order in the third quarter through Motorola sales, as well as North American, European and Asia Pacific business partners.

https://business-traveler.eu/nachrichten/7278/Motorola-s-Next-Generation-Retail-Solution-Revolutionizes-the-Customer-Shopping-Experience.html

UNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Reynold DE LA TORRE, et al., Defendants-Appellants. Before Flaum, Sykes, and St. Eve, Circuit Judges. Michelle P. Brady, Attorney, Lindsay Karwoski, Attorney, OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY, Indianapolis, IN, for Plaintiff-Appellee. Daniel J. Hillis, Attorney, OFFICE OF THE FEDERAL PUBLIC DEFENDER, Springfield, IL, Thomas W. Patton, Attorney, OFFICE OF THE FEDERAL PUBLIC DEFENDER, Peoria, IL, for Defendant-Appellant in 18-2009. Vanessa K. Eisenmann, Attorney, Michelle L. Jacobs, Attorney, BISKUPIC & JACOBS, S.C., Mequon, WI, for Defendant-Appellant in 18-2218. Ruth F. Masters, Attorney, MASTERS LAW, Oak Park, IL, for Defendant-Appellant in 18-2286. Kristen N. Nelson, Attorney, GIMBEL, REILLY, GUERIN & BROWN LLP, Milwaukee, WI, for Defendant-Appellant in 18-3303. Mario Garcia, Attorney, Terry Tolliver, Attorney, BRATTAIN MINNIX GARCIA, Indianapolis, IN, for Defendant-Appellant in 19-1299. The Zamudio drug organization distributed pounds of methamphetamine and cocaine throughout the Indianapolis, Indiana area. At the top sat Jose Zamudio, who imported the drugs from his suppliers in Mexico and oversaw his network of distributors here. Reynold De La Torre, Christian Chapman, Jeffrey Rush, and Adrian Bennett were four of those local distributors. Maria Gonzalez was Zamudio’s live-in girlfriend. Besides permitting Zamudio to store and traffic drugs out of her home, Gonzalez helped launder Zamudio’s drug money and wired hundreds of thousands of dollars to Mexico and California. Zamudio, Gonzalez, De La Torre, Chapman, Rush, and Bennett all eventually pleaded guilty and were sentenced to lengthy prison terms. Each separately appealed on different grounds, and we consolidated the appeals.1 We affirm the sentences of Gonzalez, De La Torre, and Bennett. We vacate the guilty pleas of Chapman and Rush and remand for further proceedings. As noted above, the FBI intercepted numerous telephone conversations between Zamudio and his drug distributors in Mexico and the United States. A search warrant was executed on Zamudio’s home and the government seized 4.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, five firearms, and over ten thousand dollars in cash. Another 11 kilograms of methamphetamine were seized from Juan’s home, which Zamudio and Juan used to store drugs. Maria Gonzalez was Jose Zamudio’s girlfriend. During at least a portion of the conspiracy Zamudio lived with Gonzalez and she allowed him to store and sell methamphetamine in her home. Her most prominent role in the organization, though, was laundering Zamudio’s drug money. Gonzalez utilized InterCambio Express, MoneyGram, and Western Union to wire drug proceeds from Indiana to Mexico and California. But she did not just launder money herself; Gonzalez recruited her son, his girlfriend, and his girlfriend’s sister to help her by sending wires and making bank deposits. The district court overruled her objection and applied the aggravating role enhancement, which added three levels to Gonzalez’s offense level for a total offense level of forty-three. With a criminal history category of I, the Sentencing Guidelines imprisonment range was a lifetime sentence. The court ultimately sentenced Gonzalez to a total term of 300 months’ imprisonment. Gonzalez appeals the application of the aggravating role enhancement on a different ground than she raised below. At a combined plea and sentencing hearing, the district court informed De La Torre that it intended to impose the conditions of supervised release that were recommended by the probation officer in the presentence investigation report (PSR). De La Torre stated that he reviewed the conditions “carefully,” did not have any objections, and waived a formal reading of the conditions into the record. The court then imposed the conditions of supervised release. Rush was charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine (mixture) and/or 500 grams or more of cocaine (mixture), in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 846. The government filed an information, pursuant to 21 U.S.C. § 851(a), notifying Rush that it intended to rely upon two previous felony drug convictions to seek an enhanced sentence. Both convictions were Indiana state court convictions, one in 2001 for felony dealing in a controlled substance (the “2001 Indiana conviction”) and the second in 2010 for felony possession of methamphetamine (the “2010 Indiana conviction”). The two prior felony drug convictions subjected Rush to a mandatory term of life imprisonment without release. 21 U.S.C. § 841(b)(1) (2018). Chapman was indicted on one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 846, and two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1). The government also filed a § 851 information notifying Chapman that it intended to rely on three prior felony convictions for enhanced sentencing: a 2000 conviction in Indiana for felony possession of a schedule II controlled substance (the “2000 Indiana conviction”) and two 1993 convictions in Illinois for felony unlawful possession of controlled substances (together the “1993 Illinois convictions”). These prior convictions, too, meant that Chapman faced a mandatory minimum of life imprisonment. See 21 U.S.C. § 841(b)(1) (2018). Adrian Bennett, like Rush, received his supply of methamphetamine and cocaine directly from Zamudio to then distribute. Bennett was indicted on three counts: one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 846; one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1); and one count of possessing a firearm as a convicted felon in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1). He initially entered into a plea agreement, wherein he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances. The government filed a § 851 information notifying Bennett of its intent to rely on one prior felony drug offense. Between the time Bennett’s guilty plea was entered and his sentencing, the First Step Act of 2018 became law. See Pub. L. No. 115–391, 132 Stat. 5194 (Dec. 21, 2018). Title IV, Section 401 of the First Step Act precluded the prior drug offense from qualifying as a predicate offense under §§ 841 and 851. Because Bennett was then no longer subject to the enhancement, his statutory imprisonment range was significantly reduced. At the sentencing hearing, Bennett moved to withdraw his plea agreement based on the dramatic change in circumstances. The government did not object and the district court allowed the withdrawal. After some additional discussion, Bennett decided to proceed with an open plea. Without the § 851 enhancement, the conviction carried a statutory range of ten years to life imprisonment (down from a mandatory minimum sentence of life imprisonment). The Sentencing Guidelines range was a term of 262 months to 327 months. After the district court heard argument from defense counsel and the government, and a statement of allocution from Bennett, it imposed a below-Guidelines sentence of 225 months’ imprisonment. The sentence was “based upon the defendant’s remorse, his family ties, [and] his addictions,” and “addresse[d] the defendant’s personal history, his characteristics, as well as the serious nature of the offense, by promoting respect for the law, providing deterrence, and protecting the public.” The court further explained its consideration of the § 3553(a) factors in arriving at the below-Guidelines sentence. Bennett appealed his sentence as unreasonable. We address each defendant in turn, and Chapman and Rush together to the extent their arguments overlap. Gonzalez objected in the court below to the application of the aggravating role adjustment to her offense level, but she did so on a different basis than she presents now on appeal. Section 3B1.1 of the Sentencing Guidelines provides that the sentencing judge shall increase the defendant’s offense level based on whether the defendant played an “aggravating role” in committing the offense. An aggravating role is an “organizer, leader, manager, or supervisor of one or more other participants.” U.S.S.G. § 3B1.1 n.2. Relevant here, “[i]f the defendant was a manager or supervisor (but not an organizer or leader) and the criminal activity involved five or more participants or was otherwise extensive,” the offense level is increased by three. U.S.S.G. § 3B1.1(b). Before the district court, Gonzalez argued that she did not manage or supervise five or more participants—only three: her son, her son’s girlfriend, and the girlfriend’s sister. Gonzalez, however, conflated the requirement for the size of the criminal activity overall—“five or more participants or otherwise extensive”—with the requirement for the number of participants in the criminal enterprise that the defendant had to manage or supervise—“one or more other participants.” Compare § 3B1.1(b), with § 3B1.1 n.2.2 Gonzalez now argues that none of the three alleged supervisees qualify as a “participant” under the Guidelines. Gonzalez advances this basis for her sentencing objection for the first time on appeal, and thus forfeited the argument. It is a completely different argument than the one she presented to the district court, and she denied the judge the opportunity to address the argument. Consequently, our review of the district court’s application of the Guidelines is for plain error only. See United States v. Harris, 791 F.3d 772, 779 (7th Cir. 2015); United States v. Hawkins, 480 F.3d 476, 478 (7th Cir. 2007). To prevail under plain error, Gonzalez must show that “(1) an error occurred, (2) the error was plain, (3) it affected the defendant’s substantial rights, and (4) it seriously affected the fairness, integrity, or public reputation of the proceedings.” United States v. Pierson, 925 F.3d 913, 919 (7th Cir. 2019). For a defendant to receive an offense-level enhancement for being a supervisor of one or more participants, the participant must be “criminally responsible for the commission of the offense, but need not have been convicted.” U.S.S.G. § 3B1.1 n.1. The participant need not have been charged either, as long as “the participant could have been charged.” United States v. Pabey, 664 F.3d 1084, 1097 (7th Cir. 2011). A participant is criminally responsible under § 3B1.1 if he or she knowingly assisted the criminal enterprise. Id. Mere knowledge of the conspiracy, however, is not enough. The record sufficiently supports a finding that at minimum Gonzalez’s son, whom she trusted, knowingly assisted his mother in laundering money. In her post-Miranda statements, Gonzalez told agents that initially her son refused to wire transfer money for her. After she asked him again, he agreed, but told her he would only do it the one time. A total of four wire transfers were made in his name. Gonzalez also recruited her son’s girlfriend, who made nine wire transfers and six separate bank deposits at Gonzalez’s direction. See United States v. Watts, 535 F.3d 650, 660 (7th Cir. 2008) (aggravating role enhancement applied to a defendant who recruited his wife to participate in bank fraud conspiracy based on findings that the wife opened a bank account using false information and attempted to deposit check from co-conspirator). Importantly, Gonzalez never contested any of these factual allegations. There was no error in the district court’s application of the aggravating role enhancement, and certainly not one that was plain. We affirm Gonzalez’s sentence. Flores, 929 F.3d at 450. De La Torre waived his challenge. He was on notice of the now-challenged conditions since the disclosure of the initial PSR, which proposed both conditions verbatim. He did not file any objections. Any doubt that De La Torre did not have sufficient advance notice of the challenged conditions was erased at sentencing. Counsel told the sentencing judge that De La Torre “carefully” reviewed the proposed conditions and had no objections, and then waived a formal reading. De La Torre had ample opportunity to raise objections to any conditions that he knew could be imposed and passed on that chance. We are satisfied from the record that De La Torre intentionally waived his appellate challenge to the conditions of supervised release. Chapman and Rush challenge the validity of their guilty pleas based on perceived errors in the applicable mandatory minimum sentences. For both defendants, the government filed an information pursuant to 21 U.S.C. § 851(a) alleging that prior state law convictions were each a “felony drug offense” under 21 U.S.C. § 841. As a result of the § 851 enhancements, Chapman and Rush each faced mandatory minimums of life in prison. Both opted to reach a plea agreement in exchange for the government amending the § 851 information to allege only one prior felony drug conviction, which lowered the mandatory minimum sentence. Because, they argue, their plea agreements were based on errors regarding the mandatory minimum sentences they would have otherwise faced, the guilty pleas were not entered into knowingly and intelligently and should be vacated. There is no contention that either Chapman or Rush objected to the predicate offenses or requested that the district court vacate their pleas, and thus our review is for plain error. We ultimately agree that there was an error and it affected their substantial rights, and thus vacate both Chapman’s and Rush’s plea agreements and remand for further proceedings. See Burgess v. United States, 553 U.S. 124, 126, 128 S.Ct. 1572, 170 L.Ed.2d 478 (2008) (“The term ‘felony drug offense’ contained in § 841(b)(1)(A)[ ] ․ is defined exclusively by § 802(44) ․.”). Each of the four categories of covered drugs is also defined in § 802. See 21 U.S.C. § 802(17) (defining “narcotic drugs”); id. § 802(16) (defining “marihuana”); id. § 802(41)(A) (defining “anabolic steroid”); id. § 802(9) (defining “depressant or stimulant substance”). The government filed an information identifying the prior convictions pursuant to 21 U.S.C. § 851(a). We must, then, determine whether Chapman’s or Rush’s prior convictions under state law meet the federal definition of “felony drug offense.” To do so, we apply the categorical approach, which requires us to compare the elements of the state statute of conviction to the elements of the federal recidivism statute. United States v. Elder, 900 F.3d 491, 501 (7th Cir. 2018). If, and only if, the elements of the state law mirror or are narrower than the federal statute can the prior conviction qualify as a predicate felony drug offense. Id. Importantly, under the categorical approach, it is only the elements that matter, not the defendant’s underlying conduct. We begin with Chapman’s two 1993 Illinois convictions because, although the Illinois convictions were not relied upon as prior felony drug offenses under §§ 841(b)(1)(A) and 851 for purposes of his binding plea agreement, all parties now agree that these convictions do not qualify as predicate offenses and the error requires vacating the plea agreement. Chapman has two convictions for felony unlawful possession of controlled substances in violation of 720 ILCS 570/402(c) (1993). Subsection (c) is a broad residual provision that applies to the possession of “a controlled or counterfeit substance not set forth in subsection (a) or (d).” Id. The Illinois statute defines “controlled substance” as “a drug, substance, or immediate precursor in the Schedules of Article II of this Act.” 720 ILCS 570/102(f). The Schedules, in turn, are found at 720 ILCS 570/204 (Schedule I), id. § 206 (Schedule II), id. § 208 (Schedule III), id. § 210 (Schedule IV), and id. § 212 (Schedule V). The government first filed a § 851 information identifying three prior convictions—these two 1993 Illinois convictions and the 2000 Indiana conviction—that increased Chapman’s statutory minimum sentence to life in prison. The government agreed to withdraw the § 851 information as to the two Illinois convictions, reducing Chapman’s mandatory minimum sentence to twenty years in prison, if Chapman pleaded guilty. Chapman reluctantly accepted and pleaded guilty. Two of our recent decisions bear directly on the outcome of Chapman’s appeal. Shortly after Chapman pleaded guilty and was sentenced, we held in Elder that an Arizona statute that included propylhexedrine was mismatched with the federal definition of felony drug offense under § 802(44), which does not cover propylhexedrine. Elder, 900 F.3d at 501. Because in 1993 the Illinois schedules listed propylhexedrine as a Schedule V controlled substance, see 720 ILCS 570/212(d) (1993), it follows that Illinois’s § 402(c) is also categorically broader than the federal definition of a felony drug offense. The government did not contest this point, but instead argued that the Illinois statute was divisible and thus we could look to the elements of Chapman’s actual convictions. After the briefing was submitted in this appeal, we decided Najera-Rodriguez v. Barr, 926 F.3d 343 (7th Cir. 2019), which held that 720 ILCS 570/402(c) is not divisible. In light of this holding, the government conceded at oral argument that Chapman’s Illinois convictions do not qualify as prior felony drug offenses for purposes of the § 851 enhancement. Accordingly, the government agreed that this error affected Chapman’s substantial rights and that his plea agreement must be set aside. We accept the government’s concession that Chapman’s plea agreement should be vacated, and offer a brief explanation. Chapman, the government, and the sentencing judge all erroneously believed that Chapman’s multiple prior convictions subjected him to a mandatory life sentence. The record is abundantly clear that Chapman only agreed to the plea agreement because he believed life in prison was his only alternative. That was not true. Without those two prior Illinois convictions, and assuming for the moment that his 2000 Indiana conviction was a qualifying predicate felony drug offense, Chapman’s mandatory minimum immediately dropped from life to twenty years’ imprisonment. See 21 U.S.C. § 841(b) (2018). Yet Chapman agreed to a binding term of imprisonment of twenty-five years—a far greater prison sentence than he could have been sentenced to without any plea agreement at all. And this is all notwithstanding the presence of his 2000 Indiana conviction, the absence of which would cut his mandatory minimum term of incarceration in half, down to ten years. See 21 U.S.C. § 841(b) (2018). Chapman has met his burden of showing that the error regarding the use of the 1993 Illinois convictions as prior felony drug offenses was prejudicial. See United States v. Olano, 507 U.S. 725, 734, 113 S.Ct. 1770, 123 L.Ed.2d 508 (1993). An error such as the one we have here “establishes a reasonable probability that a defendant will serve a prison sentence that is more than ‘necessary’ to fulfill the purposes of incarceration.” Rosales-Mireles v. United States, ––– U.S. ––––, 138 S. Ct. 1897, 1907, 201 L.Ed.2d 376 (2018) (holding that a plain error in calculating the correct Guidelines range affected the defendant’s substantial rights and warranted relief). Chapman’s sentencing transcript reflects more than a reasonable probability of additional jail time. In accepting the binding plea agreement, the sentencing judge expressed concern over the length of the sentence and stated that it was “difficult to find that this 300-month sentence of imprisonment is not greater than necessary.” Without correction of this error, Chapman may be unnecessarily deprived of his liberty and may spend more time in jail than necessary, which we find “seriously affects the fairness, integrity or public reputation of judicial proceedings.” Olano, 507 U.S. at 736, 113 S.Ct. 1770 (brackets omitted). The government’s initial § 851 informations identified three Indiana convictions as prior felony drug offenses: Rush’s 2001 Indiana conviction for dealing in a schedule I, II, or III controlled substance; Rush’s 2010 Indiana conviction for possession of methamphetamine; and Chapman’s 2000 Indiana conviction for possession of a controlled substance.4 We start with Rush’s 2001 Indiana conviction because it is dispositive. commits dealing in a schedule I, II, or III controlled substance ․. Ind. Code § 35-48-4-2(a) (2000). The schedule I, II, and III controlled substances are found at Indiana Code §§ 35-48-2-4, 35-48-2-6, and 35-48-2-8, respectively. To demonstrate the overbreadth of the Indiana statute, Rush points to methamphetamine in schedule II. There, schedule II lists “[m]ethamphetamine, including its salts, isomers, and salts of its isomers.” Ind. Code § 35-48-2-6(d)(2). The federal statute similarly controls “methamphetamine, including its salts, isomers, and salts of isomers.” See 21 U.S.C. § 812, Schedule II(c), Schedule III(a)(3). A seeming match. But a closer look reveals otherwise. The federal Controlled Substances Act also specifically defines the term “isomer” to mean “the optical isomer,” except as used in schedule I(c) and schedule II(a)(4), where isomer means “any optical, positional, or geometric isomer.” 21 U.S.C. § 802(14). Methamphetamine is not listed in schedule I(c) or schedule II(a)(4) and thus, for purposes of federal drug offenses, methamphetamine includes only its optical isomers. The Indiana Code, on the other hand, does not define the term “isomer.” “In Indiana, the lodestar of statutory interpretation is legislative intent, and the plain language of the statute is the ‘best evidence of ․ [that] intent.’ ” Estate of Moreland v. Dieter, 576 F.3d 691, 695 (7th Cir. 2009) (quoting Cubel v. Cubel, 876 N.E.2d 1117, 1120 (Ind. 2007)); see also Johnson v. State, 87 N.E.3d 471, 472 (Ind. 2017) (“Our first task when interpreting a statute is to give its words their plain meaning by considering the text and structure of the statute.”). Ascertaining the “ordinary” meaning of isomer might be a fool’s errand, but it is not one we must undertake here. A statute “should be examined as a whole, avoiding both excessive reliance on strict literal meaning and selective reading of individual words.” Estate of Moreland, 576 F.3d at 695 (quoting Cubel, 876 N.E.2d at 1120). The structure of Indiana’s Controlled Substances Act guides the conclusion in this case. When Indiana intended to limit the specific isomer for a drug, it expressly did so. Indiana’s schedule II controls “[a]mphetamine, its salts, optical isomers, and salts of its optical isomers.” Ind. Code § 35-48-2-6(d)(1) (2000). Elsewhere, schedule III lists certain stimulants and in the preamble notes that each substance “includ[es] its salts, isomers (whether optical, position, or geometric), and salts of such isomers.” Ind. Code § 35-48-2-8(b) (2000). The Indiana legislature knew how to limit a listed drug to include only its optical isomers. It is a general rule of statutory construction that “when the legislature uses certain language in one part of the statute and different language in another, the court assumes different meanings were intended.” Sosa v. Alvarez-Machain, 542 U.S. 692, 712 n.9, 124 S.Ct. 2739, 159 L.Ed.2d 718 (2004). According to Rush, then, Indiana’s generic use of “isomer” in relation to methamphetamine must be broader than optical isomers. We agree. Because the federal definition of methamphetamine includes only its optical isomers whereas the Indiana definition includes something more than just optical isomers of methamphetamine, the mismatch renders the Indiana statute overbroad. The government does not contest that Indiana’s statute, on its face, is broader than federal law, but contends that geometric isomers of methamphetamine do not exist in the real world, and thus the statutes actually mirror each other. The government’s argument suffers a few fatal flaws at this juncture. First, the government asks us to take judicial notice of two expert declarations from different cases in different courts that discuss the isomer forms of methamphetamine. These declarations were not before the district court and are not the proper subject of judicial notice. The Federal Rules of Evidence permit a court to take judicial notice of a fact that is “not subject to reasonable dispute” because it is “generally known” or “can be accurately and readily determined from sources whose accuracy cannot reasonably be questioned.” Fed. R. Evid. 201(b). The isomeric nature of methamphetamine is not “generally known,” at least to us. Nor are the declarations incontrovertible—the declarants were not subjected to Daubert challenges, cross-examined, or tested with competing expert testimony. None of the defendants had the ability to challenge these declarations in the district court.5 Second, the declarations were crafted in other cases with an eye towards the issues at hand in those cases. It seems, for example, that the declarations are primarily focused on proving that geometric isomers of methamphetamine do not exist because the state statute specifically included both optical and geometric isomers of methamphetamine. For our purposes, the declarations do not tell us whether any other types of isomers of methamphetamine could possibly exist. That issue is the heart of the dispute here. In short, the content of the declarations is “arguably subject to reasonable dispute and therefore not a proper subject of judicial notice.” Tobey v. Chibucos, 890 F.3d 634, 648 (7th Cir. 2018). Finally, notwithstanding the declarations, we do not think that the government’s theoretical challenges are pertinent here when the plain language chosen by the Indiana legislature dictates that the Indiana statute is categorically broader than the federal definition of felony drug offense. No matter, our decision is not solely dependent on the definition of methamphetamine and which of its isomers do or do not exist. Indiana Code § 35-48-4-2 reaches at least two other substances that are not included in § 802(44). Specifically, Indiana lists “[p]arahexyl” as a schedule I drug and a “combination product containing tiletimine and zolazepam (Telazol)” as a schedule III drug. Ind. Code §§ 35-48-2-4(d)(16), 35-48-2-8(c)(12) (2000). Neither substance is covered under the definitions in § 802(44). To put it succinctly, Rush could have been convicted under § 35-48-4-2 for dealing in a controlled substance that would not be a felony drug offense under § 802(44). The Indiana law is categorically broader. Rush’s 2001 Indiana conviction for dealing in a schedule I, II, or III controlled substance cannot serve as a predicate felony drug offense under § 841(b)(1)(A) and § 802(44). Having found that Rush’s 2001 Indiana conviction does not qualify as a predicate felony drug offense, this error clearly affected Rush’s substantial rights. If Rush had known that his 2001 Indiana conviction was not a qualifying felony drug offense, it would have changed the calculus and he likely would have proceeded differently. Without two prior felony drug offenses, Rush did not face a potential mandatory minimum life sentence and instead would have been sentenced in consideration of a Guidelines range of 262 to 327 months’ imprisonment.6 The binding plea agreement called for a sentence in the middle of that range, 312 months, which the court imposed. In doing so, the sentencing judge noted that the 312-month term of imprisonment “might be greater than necessary” but that it was “the minimum the [c]ourt [could] give the defendant” because of the plea agreement. Not every error relating to a plea agreement will demand correction under plain error. But based on the facts of this case, Rush has satisfied his burden. We, therefore, vacate Rush’s plea agreement and remand to the district court for further proceedings. Our final co-defendant in this appeal, Adrian Bennett, appeals his below-Guidelines sentence of 225 months’ imprisonment as unreasonable. “We review a district court’s choice of sentence in two steps. First, we assess de novo whether the court followed proper procedures. If the decision below is procedurally sound, then we ask whether the resulting sentence is substantively reasonable.” United States v. Mbaye, 827 F.3d 617, 622 (7th Cir. 2016) (quoting United States v. Warner, 792 F.3d 847, 855 (7th Cir. 2015)). Whether the sentence imposed is inside or outside the Guidelines range, we review the sentence for an abuse of discretion. Gall v. United States, 552 U.S. 38, 51, 128 S.Ct. 586, 169 L.Ed.2d 445 (2007). “A below-guidelines sentence, like a within-guidelines one, is presumed reasonable against a defendant’s challenge that it is too high.” United States v. Poetz, 582 F.3d 835, 837 (7th Cir. 2009). A defendant can only rebut this presumption of reasonableness “by showing that the sentence does not comport with the factors outlined in 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a).” United States v. Patel, 921 F.3d 663, 672 (7th Cir. 2019) (quoting United States v. Solomon, 892 F.3d 273, 278 (7th Cir. 2018)). Bennett does not identify any procedural errors. Nor could he. The district judge’s sentencing was procedurally sound. The judge correctly calculated his Guidelines range, considered all of the § 3553(a) factors, and adequately explained the reasons for the sentence. The district court then sentenced Bennett to 225 months of incarceration, thirty-seven months below the low end of his Guidelines range of 262 to 327 months’ imprisonment. Our only task, then, is to review whether the district court abused its discretion in sentencing Bennett to 225 months in prison, below the Guidelines range. It did not. On appeal, Bennett simply attempts to reargue the § 3553(a) factors, and makes substantially the same arguments he did below. But the district court considered all of Bennett’s arguments at sentencing and took them all into account in crafting an appropriate sentence. It is not our job to reweigh the § 3553(a) factors. For example, Bennett argues that his sentence creates an unwarranted sentencing disparity. See 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a)(6). But other than giving the average sentence for a drug trafficking offense in the Southern District of Indiana and nationally across the United States, Bennett provides nothing more. As the district court stated at sentencing, Bennett distributed significant quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine throughout Indianapolis and the surrounding communities. The harmful effects of his conduct cannot go understated. The district judge imposed a sentence that addressed Bennett’s personal history and characteristics, reflected the seriousness of the offense, and was sufficient, but not greater than necessary. In sum, Bennett fails to identify a specific reason to question the substantive reasonableness of his below-Guidelines sentence. A below-Guidelines sentence will almost never be unreasonable, United States v. Trudeau, 812 F.3d 578, 594 (7th Cir. 2016), and it was not here. Bennett’s sentence is affirmed. We AFFIRM the sentences of Gonzalez, De La Torre, and Bennett, and we VACATE Chapman’s and Rush’s guilty pleas and REMAND for further proceedings. 1. Counsel for Zamudio filed an Anders brief and we address Zamudio’s appeal, No. 18-3361, in a separate order issued today. 2. Despite Gonzalez’s initial confusion, she no longer disputes that the Zamudio drug trafficking enterprise involved five or more participants. 3. In light of our circuit’s recent decisions, De La Torre’s appellate counsel moved to waive oral argument and cede his time to the remaining co-defendants. We permitted counsel to appear by telephone and nonetheless gave counsel the opportunity to make and respond to any arguments on behalf of De La Torre. 4. Because we already vacated Chapman’s plea agreement based on the disqualified 1993 Illinois convictions, we do not reach his 2000 Indiana conviction that was relied upon for purposes of the plea. The analysis of the 2000 Indiana conviction for possession of a controlled substance under Indiana Code § 35-48-4-7 would largely track the analysis of Rush’s 2001 Indiana conviction due to the significant similarities between the two statutes with respect to their coverage of controlled substances. As we will see next, Rush’s 2001 Indiana conviction is not a qualifying predicate felony drug offense. Without deciding the question, we think it is unlikely that Chapman’s 2000 Indiana conviction qualifies as a predicate felony drug offense, though we leave it to the parties and the court to appropriately address on remand as necessary. 5. Granted, Rush and Chapman did not challenge their prior convictions below, which deprived the government of the opportunity to introduce this evidence in the district court. Our opinion takes no position on the scientific merits, nor should it be read as limiting the government’s ability to present such an argument in future proceedings. 6. Even with only one prior felony conviction, such as the 2010 Indiana conviction, Rush would have been subject to a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of ten years, or less than his Guidelines range. See 21 U.S.C. § 841(b) (2018). 7. We do not need to address Rush’s 2010 Indiana conviction because the inclusion of the 2001 Indiana conviction as a qualifying predicate offense is a plain error that requires remand. We note, however, that Rush treated the definition of methamphetamine as identical between Indiana Code §§ 35-48-4-6.1 and 35-48-4-2. We are not convinced that that assumption is correct, but the government did not raise the argument that different definitions of methamphetamine applied to the two sections, and thus likely waived the argument on appeal. Regardless, we do not need to decide the issue.

https://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-7th-circuit/2024598.html

Sony Corp. has introduced a new form factor in its lineup with its latest entry in the home personal computer market. Called the All-in-one PC, the system is basically a flat-panel monitor thick enough to store a high-powered computer. Interior Design Show in Toronto. Part of its Vaio V PC-TV Series, the All-in-one PC is intended to marry TV and PC experiences, said Puneet Jain, senior marketing manager for Vaio PCs in Sony of Canada’s audio visual/information technology group. “”We’ve carved out a niche for Vaio in the market place,”” Jain said. The unit has functionality and features exclusive to Sony. For example, Sony Giga Pocket engine with newly developed Motion Reality technology, delivers similar visual display as a TV in the LCD monitor. The unit also comes with a V-series wireless mouse and keyboard. The computer runs Windows XP Professional and not Media Center because it already has enhanced personal video recording capabilities, along with an integrated future program listings. “”We are in a convergence world with video, audio and features for camcorders,”” Jain said. Jain added that it is a new concept for Sony to enable users to view TV and do their computing needs. He said the system is suitable for bedrooms, dens, kitchens, living rooms or a home office. For Jain, the key to success in the market for All-in-one is with IT resellers. He believes audio-visual dealers will carry it, but there’s a question of where a retailer such as Future Shop display the product: In the computer or the TV section? “”Unfortunately, the market is segmented and our partners may not be confortable selling one or the other,”” Jain said. Sony of Canada does not disclose possible margins on its products. Having said that, Jain said margins would be better than regular desktop PCs. The Vaio All-in-one PC has a suggested list price of just under $3,000. The 17-inch wide LCD unit comes with an Intel Pentium 4 chip, a 200GB hard drive, NVidia GeForce 128 MB graphics card, a memory stick slot, double layer DVD/R and RW drives and a remote control. A slightly different version of the all-in-one PC comes from San Diego-based Gateway. Gateway, which is represented in Canada by Keating Technologies of Markham, Ont., released this month its Profile 5.5, an all-in-one desktop PC that is more IT than consumer electronics product. It comes in three models based on LCD monitor size (15-inches up to 19 inches). According to Gateway, the Profile 5.5 is a space saving desktop powered by a Pentium 4 chip, 40GB Serial ATA hard drive and running Windows XP Professional edition. Software includes Microsoft Works 8.0. Compared to the Sony All-in-one Vaio, the Profile 5.5 lacks DVD writing capability with only a CD-ROM drive. While it does have a wireless keyboard and mouse the product does not include a remote. However, pricing for the Gateway Profile 5.5 is considerably less than the Sony model, starting at US$1,500. Companies such as Sony and Gateway will have a tough time convincing businesses to buy into their all-in-one strategies if history is a guide. IBM pulled out of this market back in late 2002. At the time Big Blue said the LCD monitors on its all-in-one NetVista PC’s were outlasting the ones bundled with its desktop computers. Customers also complained of being unable to migrate the LCD portion of the all-in-ones into any other IT upgrade plans. Where IBM failed Apple has succeeded with its iMac, which is an all-in-one personal computer that has found success in the office and in the home. These are markets where Sony and Gateway hope to find success in with their products.

https://channeldailynews.com/news/all-in-one-pcs/11578

Joanna Papakonstantinou, who earned her Ph.D. in computational and applied mathematics (CAAM) from Rice University in 2009, has received the Edyth May Sliffe Award for Distinguished Mathematics Teaching in Middle School and High School from the Mathematical Association of America. Papakonstantinou has taught mathematics at Episcopal High School in Bellaire, in suburban Houston, since 2014. She serves as faculty sponsor of the school’s Math Club and its chapter of the National Mathematics Honor Society. Before earning her Ph.D. in CAAM, Papakonstantinou also earned a B.A., M.A.T. and M.A. from Rice. She is an associate at Jones College and was a member of the Rice Engineering Alumni (REA) Board of Directors from 2013 to 2018, serving as its president in 2016-17. Her mother is Anne Papakonstantinou, clinical professor of mathematics at Rice and project director of the Rice University School Mathematics Project.

https://cmor.rice.edu/news/rice-alum-receives-edyth-may-sliffe-award-mathematics-teaching

The original item was published from 2/8/2016 5:59:55 PM to 12/5/2016 12:57:00 PM. The Contra Costa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District released their 2015 Annual Report on February 9, 2016. Read about the accomplishments and challenges of 2015, and the District's goals for the future by clicking on the link below.

https://contracosta.ca.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1007&ARC=2777

Throughout his career, Jenkins was known as being somewhat of an unlucky player of sorts. He never made the postseason because he never played for a first-place team. When he joined the Red Sox in 1976, it was the year after they reached the World Series. He also lost thirteen separate 1-0 outings in games where he pitched complete games. Despite his bad luck, he molded a stellar career with many accolades along the way. He led the National League in complete games three times (1967, 1970-71) and strikeouts once (1969). During the span of his consecutive 20-win seasons from 1967-72, he was the Major League leader in wins and strikeouts. He provided a reliable glove in the field, as well. In four separate seasons (1968, 1976, 1981, 1983), he had a perfect fielding percentage. He is one of four players in Major League history to record 3,000 strikeouts with fewer than 1,000 walks (Greg Maddux, Curt Schilling and Pedro Martinez). He also is one of only six players in history to have won 100 games in both the National and American Leagues (Cy Young, Jim Bunning, Gaylord Perry, Nolan Ryan and Dennis Martinez). Fergie Jenkins’ dominance eventually merited a call from Cooperstown and he was inducted into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame in 1991. To this day, he is the first and only Hall of Famer born in Canada. That same year, the 1991 All-Star Game, being held in Toronto, was dedicated to Jenkins. Jenkins has his name etched in the Cubs record books, holding franchise records in strikeouts (2,038) and games started (347). On May 3, 2009, the Cubs retired the No. 31 in honor Jenkins and Greg Maddux. Ferguson “Fergie” Jenkins will forever remain in the upper echelon of the Chicago Cubs.

https://cubbiescrib.com/2018/09/15/chicago-cubs-heroes-wrigley-series-presents-ferguson-jenkins/4/

In a tightly contested final between the country's biggest rivals, the BC-1 Gold U16 men's team led from start to finish narrowly defeating Ontario-1 by a score of 15-13. BC took a comfortable 12-0 lead into half time through tries by Theo Sauder (Vancouver Rowing Club) and Jack Nyren (Castaway Wanderers RFC) with Nyren providing the conversion. In the second half, BC's only points came courtesy of a Nyren penalty. Ontario trailed 15-8 and crashed over for a try in the final play of the game, but the conversion fell short and saw BC successfully defend their national title. "It was a pretty hard fought game. We scored a try in the first half and followed it up with another one. But when they scored it didn't really phase us," said Nyren after the game. "It's a pretty great feeling to hold this trophy - this is my third national championship so this is pretty sweet." Let's hope it is "pretty sweet" for Jack again......go, Jack,go!

https://cwrugby.com/blogs/post/cws-jack-nyren-makes-the-grade-juniors-bc-rugby

I was disgusted by the letter from local resident Kenny Williams about illegal immigration (“Those who don’t oppose illegal immigration are evil,” Jan. 24). Apparently Williams has learned nothing about our country. Williams’ history lesson must have been skewed when he was taught about his ancestors coming here in search for a better life and taking over American-Indian land. It’s sad that Williams cannot take advantage of being exposed to another culture and another way of thinking. As for the language, Williams has probably never sat down to talk with a member of a minority. How could he possibly know that his language was being destroyed? Jobs are given to the best candidates-which should be independent of race. If you want to have a job, you’ll need to work for it. It’s ridiculous to think that jobs are being taken away from citizens, provided all the opportunities that citizens are given. There is no reason that we should discourage immigration any more than it already is. If anything, the United States is forfeiting its power by closing its doors. Our international relations are plummeting because of this. We should follow the example of the European Union and unite the Americas in a similar fashion.

https://dailyutahchronicle.com/2006/01/27/america-needs-to-encourage-immigration/

Did Steve Jobs Ever Go to College or High School? Did Steve Jobs attend college or high school? To find out, let's take a deep dive into the educational history of the tech revolutionary. Steve Jobs is a co-founder of Apple, the world’s most valuable company, and well-known for his charisma and leadership, but also for being a bit of a jerk sometimes. Despite his difficult character, Steve Jobs remains one of the biggest revolutionaries and successful entrepreneurs of our time. Steve Jobs co-founded Pixar, a studio with numerous highly-acclaimed films and 11 Oscars. Pixar was sold to Disney for $7.4 billion back in 2006. In addition to Apple, Steve Jobs started another computer company called NeXT Software which he sold for more than $400 million in 1997. Given all of these successes, it may surprise some that his road to success was anything but straightforward. His story is a wild ride involving things like Buddhism retreats, fruitarian diets, and a non-standard educational path. The latter is what I’ll be focusing on here, as I’ll be taking a deep dive into Steve Jobs’ educational background: whether he went to high school or college, and what Jobs has said about education in general. Did Steve Jobs go to high school? What has Steve Jobs said about college? Steve Jobs attended and finished Homestead High School in 1972 together with Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak. Homestead was close to Jobs’ childhood home in California and offered every possibility for him to pursue his interest in electronics, thanks to a fully-stocked lab and a passionate electronics teacher named John McCollum. However, even in his youth, Steve Jobs was notoriously rebellious towards authority and thus did not make the most of the possibilities offered by Homestead High School. Jobs and McCollum clashed often, and Jobs purposely showed disinterest toward McCollum and everything he taught. Jobs ended up dropping out of the electronics course. The story above directly conflicts with that of Steve Wozniak. Wozniak attended the same electronics course and directly credits McCollum for nurturing his talent and love for electronics. This only goes to show the differences between the two men who notoriously clashed during the early days of Apple. Jobs was the non-conformist rebel, whereas Wozniak was content with working within the system. But, did Jobs’ formal educational story finish with his high school graduation, or did he also pursue college? Steve Jobs attended Reed College in Portland, Oregon, for one semester in 1972, taking humanities, psychology, and philosophy classes. He dropped out of Reed College after one semester and never graduated, later saying it was “one of the best decisions I ever made” in his famous 2005 Stanford commencement speech. But, Jobs did not completely cut ties with Reed College after dropping out, and he kept auditing some of the classes that he found valuable. For example, calligraphy classes at Reed College profoundly impacted young Steve Jobs. He has later gone on record saying that the calligraphy classes of Reed helped him design the first Macintosh, which Jobs called “the first computer with beautiful typography.” Steve also met Professor Jack Dudman, dean of students, while in Reed College, later saying he was one of his heroes in life. In addition, it was at Reed where Jobs dove even deeper into his interest in Eastern philosophy. He was often found in the school library, where he spent hours studying various tomes on Buddhism and Hinduism. So, while Jobs did not finish his college education, it is clear that university still played a part in what Apple and Steve Jobs were to become. Although Steve Jobs did not graduate from college, his attitude towards education is more nuanced than one might think. Jobs didn’t believe in pursuing college only for a diploma. Instead, Jobs valued education aligned only with what one is passionate about, saying that after dropping out, he could finally start dropping in on those classes that seemed interesting to him. Jobs again referenced his decision to only audit classes he was interested in when saying, “You have to trust in something – your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever.” Specifically, this refers to his calligraphy classes at Reed College. Jobs did not see the practical value in calligraphy, but he still pursued it, and only years later he found a use for these skills when designing the first Macintosh computer. In the end, I recommend taking away from Jobs’ story that you should only pursue an education that aligns with your interests and passions. College can be a great investment – but only if you are pursuing a degree that you are deeply interested in and taking classes that you have a personal connection with.

https://degreeless.com/did-steve-jobs-go-to-college/

Are the Dodgers Interested in Joel Pineiro? I apologize for the lack of Dodger talk here lately, as well, the Dodgers haven’t exactly given me a whole lot to work with at this point. If the Dodgers are trying to win the award for “Team to Do the Least in an Off-Season”…..then they’re doing an awesome job of that. Because they are still lost in the shuffle when it comes to teams making moves this off-season. But now there are some rumblings that the Dodgers are interested in the services of Joel Pineiro. Would this be a good move in my opinion? It sure would. It helps the pitching staff tremendously, and at least is a move in the right direction in terms of trying to fix the pitching problems in Los Angeles. Now, while I think it would be a good move, do I think it will be something that the Dodgers will do? Why no I don’t And why should I think that they are going to make this move? They’ve done nothing that shows me that they have great interest in trying to improve this pitching staff. Obviously they want to, but there’s been no action to support that statement. They’ve had plenty of time to make moves here and there, but they haven’t done it. Sure, they’ve made moves to send guys out of Los Angeles (Juan Pierre and Randy Wolf), but they have yet to bring anyone in right now that gets me excited for next season. Their nucleus is fine in terms of in the lineup. But the rotation is not fine. We’ll see just how interested the Dodgers are in Pineiro, however, it just doesn’t look like they have the amount of money that they need to spend in order to get him. So yes, this McCourt divorce saga has been much more detrimental to this team than we previously thought. Is it time to hit the panic button? Not yet. It may be soon though if they don’t do something to improve this pitching staff. Pineiro would be a nice start.

https://dodgersway.com/2009/12/30/are-the-dodgers-interested-in-joel-piniero/

Earlier this year, I predicted that Yasmani Grandal would bat at least .290 and Joc Pederson would hit 25 home runs and bat at least .275. Though the latter is yet to follow through, Grandal has shown signs of achieving the .290 mark in May. After a slow start in April, he’s only done the opposite in May. He’s hitting a scalding .351, with a pair of home runs and 16 RBI. He had a nine-game hitting streak snapped by a pinch-hit appearance but proceeded to follow that up with another nine-game hitting streak. Although Grandal claims he has no idea why he’s hitting so well all of a sudden, the cause can be traced back to Spring Training. He loosened his grip and brought his hands a little closer to his body. However, there was a lot of movement which generated weak or no contact. He still kept the same adjustments and quieted his hands, which have given him more bat control. Though the power numbers are down, hitting in the .350s is a good way to make up for it. Unfortunately, Grandal’s due to cool off at some point, especially since he’s an everyday catcher. Still, if he keeps the adjustments and continues progress with his swing, the .290 mark is not an outlandish prediction.

https://dodgersway.com/2017/05/30/dodgers-top-four-players-may/3/

The Elias Moukheiber Institute for Lebanon (EMIL) condemns the anti-constitutional court ruling issued on Saturday, June 27, 2020 by the southern city of Tyre Urgent Matters Judge Mohammad Mazeh. The ruling bans local and international media outlets from covering statements by US Ambassador Dorothy Shea after she criticized Iran-backed Hezbollah in an interview last week. Media channels who violate the decision could be closed down for a year and fined $200,000. Freedom of expression is a constitutional right which is being breached blatantly at all levels, diplomatic to street, since before the October 17, 2019 uprising. Freedom of the press is at the core of democracy and a beacon of light in Lebanon. EMIL urges all parties engaged in the breaching of local and international laws to take serious and conscious actions towards respecting the fundamental rights of freedom of expression and freedom of the press.

https://emil.org.lb/more_3.php?news_id=245

The nickname of the train has not been decided, but it is positioned as “a new tourist train that creates a special journey”. They explained the purpose of the introduction as, “we will further promote the creation of bustle by leveraging the strengths of the railway as a company that coexists with the local community.” While changing the service area according to the season, they would like to connect users with each region and make it a train that conveys the charm of the region. Based on the Kiha 189 series, which is operated by the Limited Express “Hamakaze”, it will be remodeled with the concept of “a train that gathers the gorgeousness of the region and connects customers with the region.” The image of the exterior, which is based on the current stainless steel ground, will be changed significantly, and the design will be reformed with a blackish brown base so that it will look “shiny on the railway lines and station buildings wherever you go.” This body color is based on the image of “Binroji dyeing”, which uses the fruits of plants of the palm family as a dye, and is an elegant color that is considered to be the highest grade among the dyes with crests. The capacity of the train is limited to only 54 seats in a 3-car formation so that you can spend a relaxing time inside. All seats are high-grade specifications and are planned to be in the price range of Green Cars or higher. A “free space” will also be set up as a place for passengers to chat with each other, and it will be used for events by local people (See the figure below about the route map of the first season). Through joint work with Ichibansen (head office: Shibuya City, Tokyo) led by designer Yasuyuki Kawanishi, they will proceed with the formulation of the basic concept, interior and exterior design, and graphic formulation. The company is an architectural design office with a wealth of experience in the field of public transportation, and as a train design for JR West, they will be in charge following the new long-distance train “WEST EXPRESS Ginga” that debuted in September 2020. With the opening of the Tsuruga extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen, they plan to start operation in line with the large-scale tourism project “Hokuriku Destination Campaign (DC)” to be held in the fall of 2024. As the first step, an operation route connecting Tsuruga Station to Kinosaki-Onsen Station is planned via the Obama Line facing Wakasa Bay and the Kyoto Tango Railway passing through the “Kyoto by the Sea” area. From the second installment onwards, the route will be set for each season, and they will propose a “journey to meet the best” in various parts of western Japan. Since it is a diesel railcar that can run even in non-electrified sections, it has a higher degree of freedom in route selection than the DC electric train “WEST EXPRESS Ginga”, and unexpected developments can be expected in the future. JR West hopes that the new tourism train will serve as an opportunity to revitalize the region, saying, “We will create a virtuous circle that creates bustle in each region by having customers visit the region as repeaters.” In the future, they will announce it again when the train name and details of operation are decided.

https://en.wtmnews.net/202211281349

ALUMINIUM CHINA provides an integrated business platform for branding, networking, and international exchange. It showcases new products, technologies, processes, and applications of the entire aluminium industry chain, including aluminium alloys, processing materials, aluminium parts, manufactured products, related machinery, auxiliary materials, and consumables. ALUMINIUM CHINA is committed to promoting the resource integration and coordinated development of the aluminium industry and value chain and promoting the growth of the industry by connecting suppliers with quality specifiers and buyers from important application fields such as automobiles, packaging, consumer electronics, rail transportation, and aviation sectors. With a focus on cutting-edge market trends, the exhibition provides in-depth insight into industry needs, guides the digital transformation of businesses, and offers new ideas for digital marketing, helping businesses achieve sustainable growth through new and optimized products.

https://eventsget.com/events/aluminium-china-103220

Are you interested in learning more about The Capture Season 2 episode 5 after seeing what you saw tonight on BBC One? You should, for a variety of reasons. Let's look at where this series is right now in terms of plot: There are only two episodes left! It's strange to be this close to the end right now, but that's a direct result of the way the network has broadcast the episodes. This pattern should continue throughout the rest of the episode. Episode 5 is scheduled for next Sunday, while episode 6 (the big finale) will be on the network a week from today. It's 100% fair to say that things will be very chaotic after episode 4. What else would you expect from a show that is bringing you digital doppelgangers as well as all sorts of other big-time twists? Will Isaac Turner meet his digital doppelganger? Will DCI Carey discover who is behind everything?

https://ewwnews.com/article/272852/season-2-episode-5-of-the-capture-the-last-before-the-finale/

Why is it so easy for me to forgive others but so hard for me to forgive myself? Same!! For me, I think it is because I have a lot of expectations and the standards I set for myself is so high that whenever I fail, I can be really hard on myself.

https://faithpixel.com/t/why-is-it-so-easy-for-me-to-forgive-others-but-so-hard-for-me-to-forgive-myself/3252

With his sentencing scheduled for Thursday, disgraced FBI agent Robert Cessario seeks probation for illegally destroying evidence related to the prosecution of a former Republican Arkansas state senator—but critics say prison time is necessary to fight corruption in the federal justice system. Cessario faces up to 20 years in prison. Last month, his attorney argued for one year of probation in lieu of a prison sentence in a brief to U.S. District Judge P. K. Holmes III. In his brief, Cessario’s attorney cited the case of former FBI lawyer Kevin Clinesmith, who was sentenced to one year probation for altering evidence in the Russiagate investigation. He also cited the case of former FBI agent William Tisaby, who received a suspended sentence of one year probation after pleading guilty earlier this year to tampering with evidence in the investigation of former Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens. “Both the Clinesmith and the Tisaby cases involve conduct that is not only substantially similar with the conduct underlying this charge against Robert Cessario, but the conduct of each of these two defendants appears to be almost exactly in line with the conduct of the defendant Cessario,” Cessario’s attorney wrote in the Dec. 12 sentencing brief. The U.S. government responded to Cessario’s brief three days later, agreeing that probation is an appropriate sentence for the former FBI agent. However, conservative activists are calling for Cessario to be incarcerated for his crime. Those activists, including Connie Davies and Patsy Wootton, held a rally Tuesday in Arkansas to demand justice against Cessario. Davies said the data Cessario erased from his laptop could have included exonerating evidence for Woods. She noted that even the Washington DC-based National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers – not known for taking up conservative causes – has criticized Cessario’s conduct in the Woods case as a gross violation of due process. Davies said she finds it plausible that Woods was targeted by the FBI over his outspoken support of then-candidate Donald Trump. Woods was the only Arkansas elected official to support Trump during the 2016 Republican primaries. Woods, who is serving his sentence at a minimum-security federal correctional institution in Texas, said his ordeal is part of God’s plan. The FBI’s sordid history of tampering with and destroying evidence dates back decades, as chronicled by authors John Kelly and Phillip Wearne in their book, “Tainting Evidence : Behind the Scandals at the FBI Crime Lab.” This book features interviews and records from former FBI crime-lab scientist Fred Whitehurst, who came out as a whistleblower in the 1990s about the bureau’s mishandling of evidence. Whitehurst revealed that the FBI mishandled evidence in prominent investigations into the Unabomber, O.J. Simpson, and the Oklahoma City bombing cases. The Department of Justice’s Office of Inspector General found some of Whitehurst’s key allegations to be substantiated in an April 1997 report.

https://freedombunker.com/2023/01/04/fbi-agent-who-destroyed-evidence-to-indict-gop-sen-may-get-wrist-slap/

When the San Diego Padres recently unveiled this year’s promotional schedule, items commemorating the 1998 team and Trevor Hoffman were featured prominently. Also, the San Diego Padres have designated the series against the Arizona Diamondbacks August 16th through the 19th, as a celebration in honor of Hoffman entering the Hall of Fame. Even better, a Hoffman statue will be erected sometime this summer. Hoffman deserves all these honors, but he also deserves an apology from the home team. Trevor Hoffman should have ended his career with the San Diego Padres. Instead, team CEO Sandy Alderson denied Hoffman’s request to meet with owner John Moores and general manager Kevin Towers at the end of the season in 2008. Then, Alderson pulled a one-year deal off the table. In January that year alarm bells over the fate of the franchise had started to ring when Becky Moores filed for divorce. That year the team had recorded 63 wins and 99 losses, but payroll for the 2009 team would be cut from $74 million to $44 million. If Hoffman accepted the Padres’ $4 million offer he would take a $3 million hit. Although Hoffman had no desire to uproot himself, his wife Tracy and their three sons, he felt the team left him little choice but to file for free agency. He would never pitch for the San Diego Padres again and instead signed a free agent contract with the Milwaukee Brewers in January of 2009 for one year at $6 million and $1.5 million in incentives. At the time, Hoffy had 554 career saves, and he added 47 to that total with the Brewers. His 601 total saves still lead the National League, and MLB has named the annual award for best relief pitcher the Trevor Hoffman NL Reliever of the Year award. The American League award has been named after the Yankees’ closer Mariano Rivera who ended his career with 652 saves. By way of comparison, Lee Smith, who ranks third on the list has 478 saves to his credit. But Trevor Hoffman means much more to the Friar faithful than 601 saves or a league award. He closed games for the Padres from 1993 through 2008, one of the few bright spots for a franchise with more losing than winning seasons during that time. His entry from the bullpen to AC/DC’s “Hell’s Bells” electrified many a crowd in Qualcomm Stadium and later Petco Park. And he wanted to end his career as a Padre. Instead “Hell’s Bells” rang out from Miller Park in Milwaukee as Hoffman jogged in to take his place on the mound. Current management should be congratulated for honoring Trevor Hoffman this year. But the Padres also owe Hoffy an apology for the former regime’s disrespect.

https://friarsonbase.com/2018/01/27/san-diego-padres-owe-trevor-hoffman-statue-apology/

Trent Grisham made his highly-anticipated debut last year with the Milwaukee Brewers. He primarily served as the team’s leadoff hitter, slashing .254/.354/.426 with four doubles, one triple, five home runs, and 19 RBI (101 OPS+) over a 33-game sample. He also saw time batting second, third, sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth in the order but no more than seven games in each spot. The former 15th overall pick of the 2015 MLB Draft is looking to make a splash this season with the Padres, likely as the team’s center fielder, and could potentially slide into the batting order as the new leadoff man. At Triple-A San Antonio, Grisham posted a .410/.496/.781 line with six doubles, three triples, nine home runs, and 21 RBI while drawing 18 walks in 26 games batting leadoff. A .781 slugging percentage is crazy high, and I did a double-take when reviewing the numbers to make sure I wasn’t looking at his OPS. On Thursday, Grisham was Jayce Tingler’s leadoff man, so they appear to be trying him out there as a potential long-term fit. Heading into 2020 with just 51 big-league games under his belt, consistency will be a big factor in Grisham’s development, so I could see a scenario where he’s inserted ninth in the order to take some of the pressure off. Once he feels comfortable enough to do so, then you could potentially consider him as the leadoff man.

https://friarsonbase.com/2020/02/29/san-diego-padres-three-candidates-leadoff-year/3/

The graph displays the other subjects mentioned on the same pages as the subject "Lauderdale County (Miss.)". If the same subject occurs on a page with "Lauderdale County (Miss.)" more than once, it appears closer to "Lauderdale County (Miss.)" on the graph, and is colored in a darker shade. The closer a subject is to the center, the more "related" the subjects are.

https://fromthepage.com/cwrgm/cwrgm-public/article/63241

is both a financial planner and fiduciary. She is also the mom of two professional surfers (Summer and Ocean), wife to an artist and fisherman (Ronaldo), and the first to open a woman-owned independent registered advisory business on the west side of Maui. She is the proud owner of Front Street Financial, a lifetime student, and is passionate about helping clients envision, plan for, and create their desired lives. Jennifer enjoys making an impact by serving on the board of the Guilliom Family Foundation, which invests in non-profit organizations around the nation. What is a fiduciary? A fiduciary is essentially the opposite of a narcissist. A fiduciary acts on behalf of those they serve, putting their client interests ahead of their own. Read our blog post “Fiduciary Apple Pie” for more! Often in the late afternoons you can find Jennifer laying in the grass with her dog staring up at the palm trees drawing inspiration and guidance from Mother Nature.

https://fsfmaui.com/about/

He was just sitting there, staring at me, frozen. For a moment, everything seemed to have stopped. Soon the guy burst out laughing. The guy, who had his head bowed and sobbed and laughed, said with a straight face. Well, this was the reaction. It wasn’t unexpected, so I didn’t say more. Of course that was normal. Why would the Seventh Lord who was supposed to be in Enrock be taking part in such a secret auction in the Third Lord’s territory? Saying that, the guy got up from his seat. Then he strode to the podium, stopped the host, and stood in the middle. The sudden situation caused a commotion in the seats where the participants were sitting. As for what he was going to do, he didn’t seem to have any intention of waiting patiently until the auction was over. My eyes met the guy standing on the podium. Naturally, the surrounding eyes turned all at once towards me. I heard conversations from the participants. They seemed to also consider this a fun event. This was tiring. I had been patient with this disgusting auction until now, and this was what it all came about. I didn’t bother thinking about how to sort this situation out. There was no need for that. There’s no need to question how things ended up at this point, I just had to go with the flow. Suddenly, armed men appeared around me and surrounded the place where I was sitting. Were you fighters of Valkilov? All of them were over level 50, and there were some who were over level 60, so it seemed like an elite force. I looked at the guy standing on the podium. Judging from the fact that he was just talking, he acted like he was going to tear everything apart with his hands right away, and yet he didn’t order this elite force to attack right away. It’s probably because he didn’t know exactly how strong my side was, so I guessed he was on his guard for now. It was a very prudent decision. Seeing me still sitting still, he clicked his tongue and gave an order. The other participants around them retreated outside, and the combatants gradually narrowed the distance. The hall became quiet for a moment. The heat, which had been filthy and stinky until a while ago, turned into coolness and ugliness in an instant. Ironically, this atmosphere, which would soon be filled with corpses and blood, felt more comfortable than an auction of buying and selling people. Humans were animals of adaptation, but had I already adapted to this world to this point? I didn’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing. As soon as I opened my mouth, Asher, who was sitting next to me, got up from her seat. And put her hand on the sword. Opponents were dozens, and all were skilled in the 50s and 60s level. On the other hand, there was only one Asher on my side. But I didn’t care in the slightest. Even before the fight, the outcome was already decided. Until now, she had only encountered monsters that are too out of the ordinary, but Asher was a strong person who belonged to the highest rank in this world. If I hadn’t persuaded her and recruited her as an escort, she would have become a knight in the Black Star Order, the elite power of the Overlord Castle. Even if Valkilov was the best organization in the Third Lord’s territory, the status itself was quite different. It was a wolf among a herd of rabbits. The difference in level in the RaSa worldview was so absolute and absurd. One combatant tried to open his mouth. A huge beam of light emanating from Asher’s sword split in all directions. Then, their bodies were torn apart in an instant and collapsed. It couldn’t even be called a battle. Valkilov’s fighters were wiped out without being able to resist once. For me, it was a natural result, but for those who watched, it was not. The participants, who could not grasp the situation for a moment, started screaming and running away in all directions. While the hall was engulfed in chaos, I stared at the guy on the podium, Jack. As I looked at the situation with disinterest in my eyes, the pupil of the man who made eye contact with me shook as if an earthquake had occurred. Then he flew straight away from the podium. He’s running away like that? Asher immediately ran after him.

https://galaxytranslations97.com/novel/i-fell-into-the-game-with-instant-kill/chapter-36-1/

Ambassador Kelly Degnan: I have had a wonderful visit to Guria, from start to finish. Very interesting to learn about some of the efforts here to generate development in the tourism area, to improve vocational training for the wide variety of services that will be needed to support greater tourism, to increase agricultural development, and to bring the internet to more communities. The governor and the mayor explained their master plan for trying to develop this region, to generate jobs, and to make it more interesting for Gurians to stay in Guria, make it possible for them to stay here and work. I think there is a recognition that more decentralization and an effort to include civil society more in the decision making process are going to be very important and valuable for Guria, and I hope that the municipal and the regional governments continue to reach out to their citizens and include them in the development of this province.

https://ge.usembassy.gov/ambassador-kelly-degnans-remarks-to-media-upon-meeting-governor-zurab-nasaraia/

The People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theatre Command announced late Sunday that China had conducted another round in military combat drills in Taiwan. According to the body, its forces conducted “joint battle readiness patrols and actual combat exercises” in the airspace and sea around Taiwan. These drills were focused on land strikes as well as sea assaults. China views democratically-governed Taiwan as its own territory. China has intensified its military, political, and economic pressure to support its claims. It stated that the drills were intended to assess joint combat abilities and “resolutely oppose the provocative actions by external forces and Taiwan independence separate forces”. Taiwan criticised China for staging its second military combat drills on the island in less that a month. According to the defense ministry, it detected 57 Chinese aircrafts and four naval ships operating around the island in the past 24 hours. This includes 28 aircraft that flew into Taiwan’s air defence zone. Some of them crossed over the Taiwan Strait median line, which is an unofficial buffer between both sides. The incursion was made by J-16 and Su-30 fighters, with two H-6 bombers capable of carrying nuclear weapons to the south. The Taiwanese presidential office condemned the drills and said that China made “groundless allegations”. The president of Taiwan stated that Taiwan and China are jointly responsible for the stability and peace in the Taiwan Strait. The office stated in a statement that Taiwan is clear in its position. It will not escalate conflicts or provoke disputes but will defend its sovereignty. Taiwan reported last month that 43 Chinese aircraft crossed the median line in a similar exercise. Over the past three-years, China has repeatedly invaded the airspace and waters near Taiwan. It held war games in August last year, after Nancy Pelosi, the then speaker of the US House of Representatives made a visit. Taiwan strongly rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims and says only the 23 million islanders can decide their fate.

https://globalfordnews.com/china-again-holds-combat-drills-around-taiwan-taipei-slams-beijing/

The endemicity of Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in Kenya has been recognized for over a century, with the first recorded cases dating back to 1915. Production of effective vaccines against incursions of infection in endemic areas is achieved by evaluating the genetic and antigenic characteristics of the circulating viruses. The present study aimed to isolate, serotype, and molecularly characterize FMDV from Kenya from 2013-2018. Isolation was done from 58 field samples on BHK-21 cells, and serotyping of the isolated viruses was carried out using antigen ELISA. Isolated viruses were also analyzed using reverse transcription PCR, and the PCR products were subjected to sequencing. Based on the quality of obtained sequence spectra, only 51 isolates were aligned using MEGA v11.0.8, employing the ClustalW algorithm. SeaView version 5.0.4 was used to edit the alignment, and MEGA 11.0.8 was used to construct the phylogenetic tree and align it with the commercially used vaccinal strains (OK77/78 and OK82/98). With a few exceptions, isolates collected over the same period and those from the same regions consistently clustered in the same lineage or closer to each other. A total of 50/51 strains belong to the East African-2 (EA-2) topotype together with the vaccine strain OK82/98. However, only one strain (1/51) isolated from Tana River county belongs to the EA-1 topotype together with the current vaccine strain (OK77/78). None of these isolates was found to belong to the EA-and EA-4 topotypes. This study emphasizes the importance of regular surveillance and characterization of circulating virus strains for developing effective vaccines against FMD. It’s proposed that future vaccine candidate strains selection could consider EA-2 topotype strains to control FMDV circulating in Kenya.

https://gmpc-akademie.de/articles/gjvr/single/92

WHEN FRENCH ROMANTIC painter Théodore Géricault first revealed Le Radeau de la Meduse (The Raft of the Medusa) in 1819, people were shocked. Inspired by the true story of its namesake doomed naval ship that had run aground off the coast of Senegal three years earlier, the five-by-seven-metre masterpiece depicts people on a makeshift life raft in a clear state of weakness and despair. Because of a shortage of lifeboats, 146 of the Medusa’s 400 passengers endured 13 days adrift, the lack of food and water leading to in-fighting, murder, and cannibalism. To achieve the work’s brutal realism, Géricault had studied cadavers and brought home severed limbs and heads from the local morgue. Dramatic and macabre, the painting captured the imagination of Quebec City-based choreographer, director, visual artist, and performer Alan Lake when he saw it at the Louvre. The artistic director of Alan Lake Factorie transports the painting to the stage Le cri des meduseswhich is having its Western Canadian premiere in Vancouver at the PuSh Festival. On the line from his Quebec studio, Lake explains how he became fascinated by the historical event upon seeing the powerful painting, with its larger-than-life human suffering.

https://homecomputer-service.com/at-push-festival-le-cri-des-meduses-transports-haunting-french-painting-to-the-stage-stir/

Former Australian skipper Michael Clarke has become the talk of the town in the cricketing world, but not for favorable reasons. The former Aussie player’s participation in the upcoming India vs Australia, four-match Test series has come under concern after a video featuring him and his girlfriend went viral on social media. In the video, Clarke can be seen getting slapped by Jade Yarbrough, who can be heard accusing the former of cheating, while he denies it. The video was published by the media outlet The Daily Telegraph. The three-minute-long video was filmed from a distance and has blurred visuals but clear audio. Yarbrough can be heard screaming about the former Aussie cricketer’s alleged relationship with his ex-girlfriend Pip Edwards, who is also a high-profile fashion designer. She can be heard asking Clarke if Pip is traveling to India with him next month. As per reports, the couple was accompanied by Yarbrough’s sister Jasmine and her husband and media personality Karl Stefanovic. The group was reportedly holidaying in Noosa, Queensland before things went wrong. While Cricket Australia is yet to comment on the incident, it is understood that the governing body has already launched an investigation. Will Michael Clarke continue to be a part of the IND vs AUS commentary team? As per media reports emerging in Australia, the 41-year-old could lose out on his commentary deal for the upcoming India vs Australia Test series due to the violent confrontation. The series will be broadcasted by Star Sports, which has the right for awarding or terminating the contract of all commentators, alongside BCCI. The four-match Test series is scheduled to get underway from February 9 onwards. Meanwhile, Clarke revealed his thoughts about the incident during a conversation with The Daily Telegraph and said, “I’m absolutely gutted I’ve put people I hold in the highest regard in this position. My actions in the lead-up to this altercation were nothing short of shameful and regrettable. I own this fully and am the only one at fault”. The former cricketer played international cricket for Australia in 115 tests, 245 ODIs, and 34 T20Is, scoring 8643, 7981, and 488 runs respectively.

https://hotsport.co/2023/01/21/michael-clarke-gets-slapped-by-girlfriend-might-lose-ind-vs-aus-commentary-contract/

A study of the communication habits of Microsoft employees points to the lack of communication between teams in the work-at-home era. The study, which included 61,000 Microsoft employees, found that people who worked from home during the pandemic were less likely to talk to strangers. The survey also found that employees take longer to interact with new hires than in pre-pandemic periods when working in the office. The results of the study, published in the scientific journal “Nature Human Behavior”, analyzed the communicative behavior of employees between December 2019 and June 2020. In March 2020, the behavior patterns were analyzed before and after a distance of 100%. Lo The study was conducted by a team of researchers from Microsoft and the Berkeley Haas School of Business at the University of California, which for the first time examined the impact of an enterprise-wide change to counting. It was learned that communication between members of different teams – people with whom employees had ‘weak ties’ – was less common. According to the report, a tie would only be defined as “strong” if it forms part of 50% of an employee’s ties in terms of time or number of hours spent in communication; otherwise, it would be defined as “weak”. The survey found that employees spend 25% less time collaborating between groups and take longer to connect with new colleagues. However, you build stronger bonds with immediate team members while working from home. The company’s average workweek has increased by about 10% since the full-time remote control. The increase in the workweek may indicate that employees were less productive and taking longer to complete tasks or that they were using up time they would otherwise spend on the way to work. Employees can also spread out their work time for much of the day because they have done homework or other activities with each other.

https://humanresources.vision/news/recent-news/significantly-reduced-interaction-with-employees-microsoft-remote-work-study/

The artist’s book is a genre that is hard to define, perhaps due to its very nature of defying the traditional definitions of a book. Encompassing various disciplines, media and process from sculpture to photography, installation to papermaking, the possibilities for artist’s books are endless, limited only by the imagination of the artist. Out of the Cupboard aims to inspire audiences about the sculptural possibilities of books, and raises the question – what makes a book a book? Can it be a book if there are no pages to turn or no words on the page? Elizabeth Steiner’s Flax Mill Wheel, a wagon wheel bound from handmade ginger paper, concertina’s out to sit as an undulant circle, void of text, inviting the viewer to envisage their own narrative for the object. The page sits on a bed of harakeke, placed inside a black cork box, the paint mixed with metallic black sand from her local beach, appearing as a solid cast iron vessel protecting the treasure it contains within. The container in which an artist’s book is stored is an essential element in communicating the concept of the total work. It is the gateway to the viewers experience and as such prepared with as much thought and precision as the object it contains. The work selected for the exhibition, curated by artists Toni Mosley and Toni Hartill in collaboration with research librarian Leanne Radojkovich, draws on the vast collection of artists’ books at the Angela Morton Room, Te Pataka Toi | Art Library, and artists studios, focusing on artists from the local region both past and present in celebration of Auckland’s Heritage Festival. The exhibition was conceived in response to the festival’s catchphrase; ‘uncover secrets and stories of Tamaki Makaurau’ and includes some rare treasures such as a small 25 page book by Colin McCahon, a limited edition of 20 called 15 Drawings from December ‘51 to May ‘52, which Radojkovich believes is possibly one of the first artist’s books to be published in Aotearoa. L – R. Flax Mill Wheel by Elizabeth Steiner, handmade ginger paper. Unique. Honing by Beth Serjeant. Cork box, pingao flax, flax paper, cast bronze pebble. Unique. 15 Drawings from December ‘51 to May ‘52 by Colin McCahon, Edition of 20. The title of the exhibition alludes to the fact that the artist’s book is a genre that the public knows little about and has limited exposure to due to the relatively small audience that exists and low demand in the art market. For Mosley, who exhibited her first artist’s book as part of her MFA several years ago, continues to incorporate them into her art practice as it’s a genre that she feels allows her to be more playful and add an extra bit of quirkiness to her work that often addresses social issues with light-hearted humour. Her book Assortment (2013), with accordion folded pages stretching a whopping 40 metres, depicts several fully coloured figures on the opening page, which become less colourful as the book progresses, commenting on the threat to cultural diversity posed by Auckland’s restructuring to a ‘super city’ resulting in the amalgamation and loss of colour in our multicultural landscape. Another book contemplating our changing socio-cultural landscape is Elizabeth Steiner’s Plastic Bag Book which pages are made of a selection of plastic bags Steiner has collected from shopping excursions from Bakers Delight to Pumpkin Patch to the de Young Fine Arts Museum. The pages act as a kind of diary of consumerism, exposing and tracking her movements and preferences, leaving the viewer wondering what she bought and if these places still use plastic bags, which are now banned and becoming a relic of the past. Within the collection on display, a variety of structural forms have been chosen, each one strongly connected to the concept of the work. Toni Hartill’s Butter Book – A Buttery Demise completely absorbs the viewer in numerous images and pull-out inserts that bear witness to the destruction of over sixty percent of kahikatea forests in the early 1900s in order to export dairy to the UK. Appearing as a block of butter, it opens out into a wagon wheel, the inserts bringing to mind government files, from which words and phrases have been taken. One of the most intriguing aspects of this genre is the slow reveal – the many layers of details concealed in the structure that take time to discover and require the viewer to become actively engaged in the process of seeing the object. The Wai-te-Ata Companion to Poetry box published by Wai-te-Ata Press is comprised of several poems rendered as three-dimensional objects inspired by the written content, abandoning the white rectangular page. Left: Butter Book – A Buttery Demise by Toni Hartill. Linocut, collagraph, digital. Unique. Far right: The Wai-te-Ata Companion to Poetry (2017) published by The Wai-te-Ata Press. Edition: no. 2 of 20. The process of seeing an artist’s book requires the viewer to touch, hold and interact with the object to allow the books to come to life. Exhibitions like Out of the Cupboard are bringing these remarkable artists books into contact with the general public and, like all good art should, challenge audiences to reassess their assumptions about things they take for granted.

https://inaarraoui.com/exhibition-out-of-the-cupboard/

When life is about to branch in a new direction, the unconscious sends us signs and symbols to tell us we’re embarking. This podcast features Jungian analyst Daniel Ross and Andrea Gaspar-Gonzalez, talking with host Patricia Martin about the ways the unconscious cooperates to guide us on the path of individuation. As co-directors of the Jungian Studies/Jungian Psychotherapy Program, they share poignant personal stories to explain the mysterious early signs that a new direction is being called for in the process individuation.

https://jungchicago.org/blog/entering-the-path-the-journey-of-individuation-with-andrea-gaspar-gonzalez-and-daniel-ross/

Castries, Jan. 25, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Global change and constant developments in the global immigration market are driving the real benefits of various citizenship by investment (CBI) programs and making the right investment decisions. can be difficult to distinguish. . As one of the newest CBI products on the market, St. Lucia has made great strides in offering alternative investment options in one of the Caribbean’s most developed and diverse economies. The island nation has emerged as one of the fastest growing economies in the Caribbean and the country offers a wide range of investments to those looking for options to plan their wealth and diversify their portfolios. and renowned for providing business opportunities. A popular second home for investors and their families, the island is celebrated for offering advanced, modern infrastructure and one of the most modern education and healthcare systems in the region. I’m here. The country’s CBI unit, with the approval of the CBI Board and Emeritus Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Tourism, Investments, Creative Industries, Culture and Information, Ernest Hilaire, has introduced a new investment option to the CBI offering. From January 1st of this year, there will be a new bond investment for investors to buy interest-free government bonds. To participate in St. Lucia’s CBI program, applicants must choose one of four investment options. One of them is the National Action Bond (NAB), a new interest-free government bond available from January 1st. 2023. Previously, the minimum investment amount for government bond investment options was US$500,000. In May 2020, a limited-term special COVID-19 relief bond option was introduced to allow governments to borrow funds for public use during the COVID19 pandemic. In the Special COVID-19 Relief Bond Option, the minimum investment was US$250,000. However, this investment option expired on December 31, 2022. To offer applicants a similar investment option, the government is now introducing a new interest-free government bond, the National Action Bond (NAB). The NAB option has a minimum investment of US$300,000 per application and a fixed government administrative fee of US$50,000, regardless of the number of eligible dependents involved. Also, the NAB must be held for a minimum of five years. The National Economic Fund (NEF) was established to receive eligible investments to finance government-sponsored projects on the island. An applicant can obtain citizenship by making a financial contribution to her NEF through one of the prescribed contribution levels. Donations start at her US$100,000 per applicant. The minimum investment required has been updated for real estate options. The investment has been reduced by a third from $300,000 to $200,000. Applicants can obtain citizenship by purchasing government-approved real estate worth at least US$200,000. This property must be owned and maintained for a minimum of five years after citizenship is granted. Applicants can obtain citizenship by investing singly or jointly in pre-approved corporate projects. Independent investment he should be worth US$3.5 million and create at least three permanent jobs. For co-investments, each investor must contribute at least $1 million. This will result in a co-investment worth $6 million and the creation of at least six full-time jobs. Obtaining citizenship through investment has many advantages. Especially in Saint Lucia because it attracts foreign direct investment (FDI) into the country which is used to advance various projects such as infrastructure development, real estate development, business expansion and employment. innovation. St. Lucia’s CBI program is renowned for its high standards and special benefits. His one of the most popular programs in the world. The program provides citizens with various financial incentives such as tax exemption, permanent residency and access to visa-free travel. According to Moody’s Analytics, the island nation can attract foreign business and investment, especially in offshore banking and tourism, and its manufacturing sector is the most diverse in the Eastern Caribbean region. This makes it an attractive option for those looking to invest in a safe and prosperous country. The following may be suitable for your program.

https://kilitajans.com/a-lucrative-cbi-investment-option-in-2023/

Welcome to your new natural oasis. This house is a dream come true, blending the best of nature and modern style. Designed to take full advantage of the natural beauty of this incredible location, right next to a beautiful stream that you can hear from all the house. Located in the heart of La Ecovilla, within walking distance from the Organic Garden, the Rancho, Yoga Shala, and Pool. The main house boasts 2 bedrooms and 1 bathroom on the ground floor, as well as a big bedroom/playroom or whatever you want to use it for on the second-floor loft. The kitchen is big, fully equipped, and has an open floor to the dining room and living room so you can entertain family and friends without losing the feeling of privacy. The parking area offers plenty of space for your car, boat or motorcycle. And then there's that wraparound terrace—the perfect place to sit back and unwind after a long day at work! You'll also love our secondary home, which sits just behind our main residence with 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms on its own level. It's perfect for parents who want their independent children close by but not too much noise from them (and vice versa). The living room has been designed with an open floor plan so that each room feels like its own little suite—there's even an outdoor dining area for al fresco meals!

https://laecovilla.com/lots/lot-40-casa-bambu/

Former All-NBA center DeMarcus Cousins is expected to work out for the Los Angeles Lakers soon, according to Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes. “Four-time NBA All-Star DeMarcus Cousins is expected to work out for the Los Angeles Lakers at some point next week, league sources tell Bleacher Report,” Haynes wrote. “The official date has yet to be determined, sources say. Cousins, who last played for the Denver Nuggets in the 2021-22 season, has been a free agent for a while now. A four-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA selection, Cousins was on the Lakers roster for a portion of the 2019-20 season, but he did not play in a game due to a torn ACL. The Lakers could use some proven depth at the center position, especially with star Anthony Davis out of the lineup due to a foot injury. Davis was in the midst of a career year for the Lakers before going down, and the team has relied on Thomas Bryant to fill his place in the lineup. Cousins spent time with the Nuggets and Milwaukee Bucks last season. He’s shown that he can accept a smaller role off the bench, and he actually thrived at times in that position for both teams. Across 48 games in the 2021-22 season, Cousins made seven starts and played 15.0 minutes per game. He averaged 9.0 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game while shooting 46.0 percent from the field. The No. 5 overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft, Cousins was one of the best big men in the NBA before injuries severely derailed his career. After making four straight All-Star teams, Cousins ruptured his Achilles in the 2017-18 season. He rehabbed and eventually joined the Golden State Warriors the following campaign, but he has never looked like the same player. The ACL injury he suffered made it even harder for him to find his old form, but he’s transformed himself into a solid role player at this stage in his career. At just 32 years of age, Cousins still may have something left in the tank to help the Lakers this season. Los Angeles has won three straight games and holds the No. 12 spot in the Western Conference. The Lakers are just 1.5 games back of the final play-in spot in the West, and they could use Cousins to help fill the void in the rotation until Davis is able to return.

https://lakersdaily.com/report-demarcus-cousins-expected-to-work-out-for-lakers-soon/

It’s no secret that divorce rates are high. In fact, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the divorce rate in the United States is 3.2 per 1,000 people. That means that there are over 827,000 divorces every year. While some couples are able to amicably end their marriage, others find themselves in a more difficult situation. If you find yourself in the latter category, you may be wondering if a judge can deny your divorce and order marriage counseling instead. It’s no secret that divorce rates are high. In fact, according to recent statistics, nearly 50% of all marriages in the United States end in divorce. While there are many factors that can contribute to the dissolution of a marriage, sometimes it simply comes down to two people who are no longer compatible. In these cases, both parties may be ready and willing to move on with their lives, but what if a judge denies their request for a divorce and orders marriage counseling instead? While it may seem like an unusual decision, it’s actually not uncommon for judges to order couples to seek counseling before granting a divorce. The thinking behind this is that maybe, with some help, the couple can work out their differences and save their marriage. After all, divorce should be a last resort, not something that’s done lightly. So if you find yourself in front of a judge who denies your request for a divorce and orders marriage counseling instead, don’t despair. It may just be the best thing for you and your spouse in the long run. Can a Judge Deny a Divorce Texas? Yes, a judge can deny a divorce in Texas. However, this is rare and usually only happens if there are extenuating circumstances, such as one spouse being unable to be located or the couple having minor children together. If a judge does deny a divorce, the couple will have to wait at least six months before they can resubmit their petition. In Texas, a judge can deny a divorce if he or she believes that the marriage can be saved through counseling. This is called a “denial of divorce.” The court will order the couple to attend counseling and will set a date for a hearing to review the case. If, at the hearing, the judge still believes that the marriage can be saved, he or she can continue to deny the divorce. Is Marriage Counseling Required before Divorce in Georgia? No, marriage counseling is not required before divorce in Georgia. However, couples may choose to attend counseling in an effort to save their marriage. If the couple is unable to resolve their differences, they may then decide to proceed with a divorce. Will a Therapist Suggest Divorce? No, a therapist will not suggest divorce. While therapy can be incredibly beneficial for couples who are struggling in their marriage, it is not the therapist’s place to suggest that they get divorced. The therapist’s job is to help the couple identify and work through the issues that are causing problems in their relationship. If the couple is able to do this successfully, then they may be able to stay together and avoid divorce. However, if the couple is unable to resolve their issues, then divorce may be the best option for them. If you and your spouse are considering getting a divorce, you may be wondering if a judge can deny your divorce and order marriage counseling instead. The answer is maybe. While it is generally up to the couple seeking a divorce to decide whether or not they want to stay married, there are some circumstances in which a judge may feel that counseling could help save the marriage and prevent further harm to the spouses or children involved. If you live in Round Rock, Texas, and are considering getting a divorce, it’s important to understand how the law works in this state. In Texas, divorces are granted on the grounds of fault or no-fault. If you choose to file for divorce on fault grounds, you will need to prove that your spouse did something that resulted in the breakdown of the marriage. Some examples of fault grounds for divorce in Texas include adultery, abandonment, cruelty, felony conviction, and living apart for at least three years. If you choose to file for no-fault divorce in Texas, you simply need to state that there has been an irreparable breakdown of the marriage relationship. You will not need to prove anything about why the marriage failed; rather, you only need to show that it is over and cannot be repaired. Once you have decided which type of divorce you want to file for, you will need to draft a petition and have it served on your spouse. Once your spouse has been served with papers, he or she will have 20 days to respond. If he or she does not respond within that time frame, you can proceed with default judgment and move forward with your divorce without having to go before a judge. However, if your spouse does respond within 20 days and disagrees with any of the terms of your petition – such as child custody arrangements or division of property – then you will likely have to go before a judge at some point during the process. It is during this hearing that a judge may decide whether or not ordering counseling would be beneficial for both parties involved in the case. The court may also order counseling if one party requests it but the other party does not agree; however, this is less common than when both parties agree that counseling could help save their marriage . weigh all options before making any decisions about proceeding with either type of divorce . If you and your spouse are considering divorce, you may be wondering if a judge can deny the divorce and order marriage counseling instead. In most cases, the answer is no. While a judge does have the authority to order couples to attend counseling in some circumstances, they cannot force you to stay married against your will. However, there are a few situations in which a judge could deny a divorce. For example, if one spouse filed for divorce without the other’s knowledge or consent, a judge could decide that counseling is necessary before moving forward with the divorce. Additionally, if there are minor children involved and one parent objects to the divorce, a judge may require both parties to attend counseling in an effort to save the marriage. Ultimately, whether or not a judge will order counseling before granting a divorce is up to their discretion. If you’re concerned that your spouse may try to block your divorce by objecting or requesting counseling, it’s important to speak with an experienced family law attorney who can help you navigate the process and ensure that your rights are protected. If you and your spouse are having marital problems, you may be wondering if there is anything you can do to improve the situation. While it may seem like a last resort, court-ordered marriage counseling can actually be quite beneficial. Here is what you need to know about getting court-ordered marriage counseling. The first step is to speak with an attorney. You will need to explain the situation and why you believe counseling would be helpful. The attorney can then file a motion with the court asking for counseling to be ordered. Once the motion is filed, a hearing will be held where both sides can present their case. If the judge believes that counseling could help save the marriage, he or she will order it. At this point, it is important to find a qualified counselor who specializes in marriage counseling. This is not always easy, but it is worth taking the time to find someone who will be able to help you and your spouse work through your issues. During counseling, you and your spouse will work on communication skills, conflict resolution, and other important topics. It is often hard work, but many couples find that it is worth it in the end. If you are willing to put in the effort, court-ordered marriage counseling can help save your marriage. Alabama: Marriage counseling is not required in Alabama, but the court may order it if both parties agree to attend. Arkansas: Arkansas does not require marriage counseling, but does have a program called “First Step” which offers voluntary counseling services for couples considering divorce. California: California does not require marriage counseling before divorce, but does encourage couples to seek therapy or mediation to avoid going to court. Colorado: Colorado law states that all divorcing couples must attend an educational seminar on the impact of divorce on children, but there is no requirement for marriage counseling. However, many counties in Colorado offer free or low-cost marital mediation services. Connecticut: Connecticut recommends that couples seeking divorce participate in at least 10 hours of marriage counseling with a licensed professional, although this is not required by law. Delaware: Delaware encourages divorcing couples to consider attending therapy together, but doesn’t require it. Florida: Florida does not currently require pre-divorce marriage counseling, although lawmakers have proposed bills mandating it in the past. Georgia:: There is no statewide requirement for marriage counseling in Georgia before getting divorced, however some counties may offer programs or resources related to marital conflict resolution . Hawaii:: In Hawaii , divorcing couples must complete an educational course on conflict resolution , but there is no specific requirement formarriage counseling . Idaho:: Idaho law allows courts to order spouses to participate in up until 12 hours of reconciliation counselling sessions if they believe it would save themarriage , but attendance isn’t mandatory otherwise . Illinois:: Couples who want tomaintain joint custody of their children post – divorce will be requiredto successfully complete parenting education classes , though attendance atmarital counselling sessions isn’t necessary . Indiana:: Indiana doesn’t currently have any statewide requirements or recommendations regarding pre – divorce counselling or mediation , although some counties may offer such programs . No, a judge cannot deny a divorce and issue marriage counseling. However, the court can order counseling as part of the divorce proceedings.

https://lawexpression.com/what-happens-if-someone-refuses-to-sign-divorce-papers/

The world is filled with negative connotations about money, that money is evil or the root of all evil. Nothing could be further from the truth. In this post I’m going to highlight some of the positives of money and why money is good and not a bad thing. The only thing that makes money a bad thing is a person’s attitude towards it, such as that of a thief or someone who is willing to kill for money. But that’s not the fault of money itself, but rather the character of the person pursuing the money. Their character is flawed. If you can change your perception of money and your relationship to it, you will naturally begin to attract more and more money into your life. That’s right, it’s just a tool. You exchange money for goods or services, nothing more and nothing less. It’s no different to trading one favour for another, or swapping a dozen eggs in exchange for a loaf of bread. Centuries ago people used to barter for goods and services by swapping goods and services for the ones they needed. These days money has replaced the bartering system, but the principle is exactly the same. Yes, we all need money to survive and enjoy life, but that doesn’t make it a bad thing, just a necessity like needing fresh drinking water. Perhaps the world as a whole has become too dependent on money, but that’s just the way it is. People can be evil, not money. People will cheat, steal and murder for all manner of reasons and self-gain and money is just one of many reasons people will do these things. Money has done nothing wrong any more than that car that was stolen by a thief. People are the root of evil and not money or gold or jewels. Money is just an object or a figure in a bank account. And why should it be viewed any other way? Having a lot of money gives your peace of mind, lifestyle freedom and you can buy and do anything you want. The only time this paradigm changes is when people’s perception of what money is and means to them changes. Keep your relationship with money a positive one and you will realise just how joyous and wonderful money truly is. Never fear it or revere it. Keep in mind that money is merely a tool to be used and you will attract more of it into your life without even really trying. To attract money you first need to change your thoughts on money and your relationship to it. To find out how to do this, read the following book and put into practice – every day – the words you read on its pages. This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged attract wealth, money is good, positive thinking, think rich. I like your thoughts on why money is a good thing. It brought back memories of a discussion I had with friends over whether having lots of money can bring you happiness. It is a very interesting debate. I for one think that you can be happy regardless of how much money you have. But maybe it is the level of happiness that changes as your income increases. When used appropriately, money is always a good thing and helps us achieve the lifestyle we dream of. Thanks for your comments Andrew. It’s true that money isn’t everything and it is merely a tool. Unfortunately we all need at least some in the modern world and it can be pretty hard to be happy without any money. It’s just the way the world is set up. But money is a good thing. It’s only an issue when people have a bad attitude about money or worship money.

https://manyincomestreams.com/why-money-is-good

Turner and Warner Bros. have announced a new content streaming service called Boomerang which will launch this Spring. Its goal is to bring back all of those Saturday morning cartoons you used to watch growing up into one service for either a monthly or yearly fee. If you recall, 17 years ago, Boomerang launched as a digital TV channel which offered similar content, but it pretty much flopped and eventually lead to its adoption as a Netflix for old cartoons. While franchises like Scooby Doo, Tom & Jerry, Bugs Bunny, The Jetsons and The Flintstones will all be available to stream, original content like Warner Bros. Animation’s Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz, “an uplifting comedic fantasy series that transports audiences to the magical land of Oz and follows the ruby slipper adventures of its brave and feisty princess protagonist,” will also exclusively be made available for subscribers. It’s a simple perk for being a member and to try to keep you from canceling, so there’s no promise that it’ll be any good. Christina Miller, the president of Cartoon Network, Boomerang, and Adult Swim, had the following to say regarding the service. Boomerang will launch this Spring for $4.99/month or $39.99/year. A free 7-day trial will be offered, while subscribers will be able to stream on the web, iOS, and Android-powered devices. The product will eventually expand to other platforms like Apple TV, Amazon Fire, and Roku in the future.

https://matridox.com/2017/03/07/boomerang-is-a-classic-cartoon-streaming-service-set-to-launch-in-spring/

I can’t say I am excited, happy, or festive at this time of the year. It’s Christmas, so rife with memories, mostly good, but all gone down the river that flows behind me. So much of my life has slipped behind me, in that churning never stopping river of time. I just feel alone, anxious and in need of some company. I know, I know, I do see my friends, but I just want a girlfriend again. I woke up two nights ago, alarmed, panicked, and simply anxious. It took half an Ambien to calm me and give me a path to get back to sleep. Having Tony purring next to me helped a little. Last night it was at 6 am, too early to rise on a Saturday but I felt compelled when I was struck with anxiety and fear about staying in bed any longer. No, it would be better to get up and start doing the things I do in my morning routine, however early. I am not in a good place, I am feeling rejected. I’m trying not to take it personally but it sure feels like it isn’t working out. I’ve ordered some custom holiday gifts that never arrived today at the P.O., so the next time I can get them is Tuesday. Ugh. At least that aspect of the holiday is really less stressful, I have two grandchildren to buy for and they send me what they want and I wrap it. For Sam, I have some interesting sample jackets that I got for him, and that custom item is for three different people.

https://maxhartshorne.com/2022/12/christmas-blues-in-the-413.html

Route 2 east and west near Exit 94 were closed for 45 minutes while the victim was transported to the hospital. WESTMINSTER — The driver of an SUV that collided with a tractor-trailer on Route 2 Wednesday afternoon is in serious condition. According to WCVB, state police at the Leominster Barracks were obtained “reports” of the crash at around 3:15 p.m. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) said the crash took place on Route 2 west near Exit 94 in Westminster. Westminster police told WCVB the exit is close to the Fitchburg line. Route 2 east and west were closed around the crash area for about 45 minutes yesterday as the driver of the SUV was transported by helicopter to the hospital. According to MassDOT, by 5 p.m., Route 2 east had reopened and the on-ramp from Depot Road on Route 2 west had reopened as well. In order to conduct their investigation and clean up the debris from the accident, State Police kept Route 2 west shutdown with a detour at Exit 93 until 6:12 p.m. According to WCVB, there is no update on the victim’s condition at the present time.

https://newslinklive.com/2022/06/16/one-person-seriously-injured-in-tractor-trailer-crash-on-route-2-in-westminster/

As an exchange student at Cedar Falls High School in Iowa during the 2018-19 school year, Cătălin Vilae spent his senior year exploring new landscapes — literally and figuratively. Living and studying 5,300 miles away from his home, family and familiar surroundings in Alexandria, Romania, he learned to navigate Iowa’s physical landscape and the information landscape with confidence. He soon discovered just how easy it is for people to share falsehoods, rumors and misleading or manipulated content on social media, often without realizing they are doing so. “People just share stuff without even thinking,” he observes. After graduating from Cedar Falls High School in May 2019, Vilae entered the University of Sheffield in the United Kingdom to study journalism. But like students around the globe, his college experience has been interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and he is back home in Romania. From the United States, to the United Kingdom to Romania: Vilae’s experience proves that news literacy skills apply regardless of national borders.

https://newslit.org/updates/news-literacy-skills-bridge-continents/

Which Hobonichi Should I Choose? The 2023 Hobonichi collection has arrived, which means for many of you it’s time to pick out your new planner. 2023 heralds the introduction of the the English versions of the Cousin, Weeks and Weeks Mega. This is great news for English speaking Hobonichi fans, as it makes all the informational pages, as well as the daily quotes much more useful! If you’re new to Hobonichi, it can be quite intimidating picking out a planner. There’s a lot of options, and the variety of covers can make it almost impossible to choose! We’ve put together a quick guide to (hopefully) help you out. The Hobonichi Techo is an A6 day-per-page planner. It is light and portable, making it easy to carry around and pull out anytime. This classic planner is perfect if you want a compact book with a day per page layout. With a wide variety of covers to choose from, you can dress your Techo up to match your personality, or leave it as is to show off the textured black cover and delicate gold stamping. The Techo has simple gridded pages, with the date, phase of the moon and day of the year printed on the top. The left of each page has a solid line two squares in with ’12’ printed halfway down the page and a knife and fork at the bottom. you could use this to check off tasks, plan out the day, or just ignore it. Each double page spread also features a quote, and an overview of the month, with the days you are on circled. All the pages are printed in black apart from Sundays, which are in red. The Hobonichi Cousin is an A5 day-per-page planner, and the largest book in the Hobonichi line up. The A5 size is twice the size of its A6 Techo counterpart, so there’s plenty of room to use the Cousin for both business and pleasure. The Cousin is the book for you if you want a bigger planner for bullet – journaling, or just like more space to write. The Cousin has simple gridded pages, with the date, phase of the moon and day of the year printed on the top. The left of each page has a solid line two squares in with 6, 9, 12, 15, 21, 0 and 3 printed on the left to help plan your day. There are also 5 check boxes at the top of each page that could be used for a daily to-do list. Each double page spread also features a quote, and an overview of the month, with the days you are on circled. Each month is printed in a different colour, so you can easily see each month on the fore edge of the book. The Hobonichi Weeks is a long, week-per-view diary. The book is slim and roughly the size of a long wallet, making it easy to fit into a handbag or suit pocket. The Hobonichi Weeks is perfect if you want a slimline diary to plan out your week. The Weeks has a full page of calendars for last year, this year and next year, as well as a monthly calendar for December 2022 to March 2024 taking up a double page spread for each month. The weekly pages have Monday to Sunday on the left page, with a gridded memo page on the right for extra information. There are also 75 gridded memo pages at the back (219 in the mega!). Every weeks also comes with an adhesive clear pocket, that can be stuck in the back cover to hold receipts, tickets or even a key. An A6, day-to-view diary that can be used over five years to see how your life changes. The 5-Year Techo features the same date across five years on each daily page for users to write each entry side by side, making the book more exciting as each year passes. The 5-Year Techo is ideal if you want to see the changes in your life over 5 years, maybe you’re having a baby, or have just started a business? Where will you be in 5 years?! The left page of has the same date over 5 years, while the right page is a gridded memo page, perfect for sticking tickets or other memories. The 5-Year Techo is perfect if you’re starting a business, and want a record of how it grows over the next five years, or if you’re having a baby and want to record their first years in one book!

https://nishuraeast.com/which-hobonichi-should-i-choose/

If you’re looking to start a new sport as well as looking for a way to stay fit and you’re confused which sport to go for, The most popular new sport that you should try is padel tennis. Padel gives you a well-rounded physique, just like any other sport. But being fit is just the beginning of what you gain. Padel is played on an outdoor court that is 20 meters by 10 meters long called a paddle court. There is a net running down the center of the court. The exterior of the Court is enclosed by walls. Padel tennis can be a great option if you’re seeking a sport to help you relax and get your mind off of your daily concerns. You won’t have time to think about anything else throughout the game because it takes concentration and puts it on the ball’s motions. Additionally, the layout of the padel court and the confinement of the game within its four walls heighten the sensation of being in a secure space where only the game itself matters. Running improves your heart rate, peripheral system, and capacity for exercise while also strengthening your cardiovascular system. By constantly playing padel tennis, you’ll learn that the initial effort will make more room for your body’s physical and respiratory resistance. Paddle tennis training is a great way to develop attention and mental fortitude. Do you wish to enhance your service? Would you like to get access to more games each week? Or would you prefer to prepare for a competition? You will be the one to determine your short, medium, and long-term objectives. You can discover motivation by setting specific, attainable goals, but they also require dedication, concentration, and teamwork. These are advantages that will eventually affect your life off the field. You won’t have any trouble discovering others who share your enthusiasm for playing padel tennis given its enormous popularity. Try playing with people you know from your family, friends, and social organizations. You might learn interesting things about them that you didn’t know before, especially if you want to make the sport competitive. Winning games and getting better on your own gives you a really rewarding sensation. In turn, this boosts confidence level. Due to the game’s moderate level and exposure to challenges and team spirit, it is also appropriate for young children. All muscles including the heart muscle is vital to our wellbeing. Since these are cardio activities, the heart will remain young for a very long period and circulation will improve. Your entire body, especially your legs, are being toned at the same time. It’s time to start playing padel tennis now that you are aware of its advantages and the positive effects it can have on both your physical and mental health. The court may seem a bit different, but the benefits are definitely the same and worth it.

https://nocapdesign.com/6-reasons-why-you-should-play-tennis-in-a-padel-court/

Finding aid prepared by Prepared by California Historical Society staff. [Identification of item], Alaska Commercial Company Records, MS 28, California Historical Society. Collection also available on microfilm. The founders of the Alaska Commercial Company were among the pioneering Jewish families of San Francisco. Louis Sloss was the company's first president, and Lewis Gerstle its vice-president. The original stockholders were Louis Sloss, Lewis Gerstle, Simon Greenewald, Hayward M. Hutchinson, Albert Boscowitz, William Kohl, August Wasermann Gustave Niebaum, and General John F. Miller. The business of Hutchinson, Kohl, and Company had obtained equipment, stores, and other property relating to the fur sealing business from the Prussian government shortly before Alaska was purchased by the United States. The Alaska Commercial Company (ACC) then purchased these assets from the Hutchinson firm in 1868 in order to begin their business venture. ACC also became the sole and exclusive agent for the Hutchinson firm to take seals from the Komandorski Islands in Siberia. Hoping that negotiations for the lease would meet with greater success if conducted by a company president with legal training and personal connections with President Grant's administration, the officers and trustees resigned on January 21, 1870. General John F. Miller (who later became a U.S. Senator) was elected the company's new president and held this office for 12 years. Amidst fierce competition for leasing rights, ACC was awarded an exclusive twenty-year lease under certain restrictive conditions by the acting U.S. Treasurer in 1870. The lease gave the company the rights to take 1,000,ema000 seals from the Pribiloff Islands in the Bering Sea from 1870-1889. The seals from these islands constituted about 90% of all fur-bearing seals, and had a superior grade of fur which commanded a high market price. The way in which ACC successfully outmaneuvered its competitors for the lucrative lease created animosity among some of the other businessmen who had bid for the lease and was a source of problems for the company in later years. During its 20-year lease, ACC paid the U.S. government $5,925,736.49, compared to the purchase price of $7,200,000 paid by the U.S. for Alaska during a time when the U.S. received little or nothing else for its investment. While the main business of the company from its inception was its lease with the U.S. government for fur seals, large numbers of land furs were secured along the Aleutian Islands, the Seward Peninsula, the Yukon Valley, Kusoquim Valley, and the district around Bristol Bay, Kodiak and Cook's Inlet. Other skins included ermine, mink, wolf, wolverine, marten, lynx, beaver, land otter, fox, bear, and sea otter. All skins were shipped to San Francisco for counting by U.S. Treasury officials, then shipped to London for auction by the firm of C.M. Lampson and Company. ACC was hounded by accusations of fraud and corruption by its competitors, and in 1876 there was a Congressional investigation of the company's activities by the House Ways and Means Committee. Although ACC was cleared of any wrongdoing, the governor petitioned the U.S. not to renew their lease. Despite vindication by federal hearings to review renewal of their lease, ACC was outbid in 1890 by the North American Commercial Company, which purchased the company 's entire plant on the Pribiloff Islands. That same year, the Russian government also failed to renew the Hutchinson firm's lease. By 1890, ACC had branched out into many other ventures in Alaska. They had built six salmon canneries, each organized as separate corporations with their own staff and fishing fleet. They also maintained an extensive chain of trading posts, located at various points on the mainland coast, the Yukon River and its tributaries, the Aleutian and Komandorski Islands in Siberia, and in the Yukon Territory in Canada. The stores provided the natives, miners and prospectors with staple foodstuffs, clothing, tools, and tobacco. ACC chartered the Excelsior, the first steamer to leave San Francisco in 1897 after the start of the Klondike stampede, and transported passengers to Alaska throughout the gold rush years. The company built four steamboats to carry passengers to Alaska, and during its peak years, the ACC fleet included five ocean steamers, fourteen river steamers, seven trading schooners, several river barges and small barges, and one St. Michael tugboat. By 1901, severe competition among Yukon Valley businesses made profit impossible. ACC merged with two rival trading firms, the International Mercantile Marine Company and the Alaska Goldfields, Limited. With its new associates, ACC organized two subsidiary corporations: The Northern Commercial Company, which took over almost all of the mercantile activities of the group, and the Northern Navigation Company, to handle transportation. In 1902, ACC sold to the Northern Commercial Company all of its mercantile assets except sawmills and mining claims. At the same time, ACC sold to the Northern Navigation Company all of its floating property except ocean steamers, in addition to fuel, ship stores, supplies, and goodwill. ACC became little more than a holding company during its last years. Sloss arrived in the U.S. in 1845 and settled in Maxwell, Kentucky. Attracted by reports from the gold country, he crossed the plains on horseback in 1849. He located in Sacramento and went into business with Simon Greenwald. They were joined in their mercantile business in 1851 by Lewis Gerstle, and they became lifelong partners. Their business sold groceries and provisions and later in San Francisco they established a brokerage house which dealt in mining stocks. Later the firm bought and sold California hides, furs, wool, deerskins, operated a tannery, and acquired various shipping interests. Sloss gained a reputation in Sacramento as a progressive merchant and civic leader. He married Miss Sarah Greenbaum of Philadelphia in July 1855. She was the sister of Hannah Greenbaum Gerstle. In 1860 the firm moved to San Francisco, where, in 1868, the profitable Alaska Commercial Company was founded. Sloss served as the first president of the Alaska Commercial Company from 1868-1870, and again from 1887-1892. He also served as an active member of the company's board of trustees for many years. Sloss was said to have exhibited a fondness for politics, and although he never held public office, he served as an elector on the National Republican ticket which resulted in the election of President Grant. During his lifetime, Sloss was associated with numerous public civic and charitable organizations. He served as Treasurer of the University of California, and was a founder and president of the Society of California Pioneers, a Trustee of the San Francisco Public Library, and a member of Temple Emanu-El and other Jewish organizations. His children were Mrs. E.R. Lilienthal, Leon, Louis, Joseph, and Judge Marcus C. Sloss. His son Leon served as president of the Alaska Commercial Company from 1918-1920. Louis Sloss died in San Francisco June 4, 1902. In 1850 he married Miss Hannah Greenbaum of Philadelphia. The Greenbaum sisters belonged to a well-established family represented by Dr. Elias Greenbaum, one of the leaders of the reform movement. In 1850, Gerstle travelled to Sacramento via the Isthmus of Panama, working as a cabin boy to pay for his passage. In Sacramento, Gerstle operated a fruit stand before joining the partnership of Louis Sloss and Simon Greenewald in 1851. Gerstle was a founder of the Alaska Commercial Company and served on the Board of Trustees for a great number of years. He also served as President of the company from 1881-1887. Gerstle also was associated with a number of other business activities. He was a director of the Union Trust Company, the Nevada National Bank and the California-Hawaiian Sugar Company, an investor in the Pioneer Woolen Mills and the San Joaquin Valley Railroad, and a stockholder in numerous other California corporations. Gerstle was active in charity work, including the affairs of the Orphans' and Old Peoples' Home (probably the Pacific Hebrew Orphan Asylum). He was one of the earliest members of Temple Emanu-El and a member of the Vigilance Committee. His children were Sophia Lilienthal, Clara, Bertha Haas, Mark L., William, Alice, and Bella Flieshacker. His son William served as president of the Alaska Commercial Company from 1908-1918, and again from 1920-1940. Lewis Gerstle died on November 19, 1902. In 1911, ACC sold its Kodiak district properties to Wilbur J. Erskine, an old employee, and in 1914 the assets of the Northern Navigation Company were sold to the American Yukon Navigation Company. The Northern Commercial Company was sold in 1922 to a group of former employees, headed by Volney Richmond. In 1940, the last remaining assets of ACC were purchased by the same group. According to Mack Gerstle, the minutes of the company's meetings from 1919-1940 were destroyed, and there is no record of dividends declared during these years. In 1940, after 72 years of continuous operation, the Alaska Commercial Company ended. The Alaska Commercial Company records contain two volumes of official minutes of regular monthly and special Board of Trustees' meetings and annual stockholder meetings, from October 19, 1868-October 19, 1918. There also is one folder of miscellaneous handwritten notes and other papers relating to the meetings and ACC business activities which are reflected in the volumes of the minutes. Volume I consists of 264 handwritten pages, and dates from October 19, 1868 to January 6, 1904. Volume II consists of 134 typed and handwritten pages, dating from October 19, 1868 to January 19, 1870, and then from January 18, 1904 to October 9, 1918. Information contained in the two volumes includes ACC by-laws and amendments, the names of stockholders and the number of shares owned by them, the names of ACC officers and trustees, the inventory of the ACC's purchase of Hutchinson, Kohl and Company's Alaskan assets, plans to obtain sealing leases from the U.S. and Russian governments, stock dividends declared and assessments made on stockholders, plans to build, purchase and sell ships, the number and kinds of skins sold for ACC by Lampson and Company, inventories of ACC's assets at various dates, plans to increase stores and ships during the Alaskan gold rush, sales of ACC property, stores and other assets, copies of some legal documents and newspaper clippings of stockholders' meeting announcements. The minutes do not include discussion of the various decisions reached by the ACC trustees and stockholders during their meetings. Essentially the minutes record only official motions which were agreed upon, formal resignations and appointments of officers and trustees, a few reports and letters read into the minutes, and the like. Northern Commercial Company. Northern Navigation Company. Alaska Commercial Company--Records and correspondence. Handwritten notes and other papers relating to the meetings and ACC business activities.

https://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/c8833vb0/entire_text/

Pray to remain resilient, strong, and alert. Continue to focus on God’s purpose and plan for your life. Seek the support of friends and loved ones when dealing with difficulties or challenges. Father, I exalt and praise your name! I do not want to let you down or make an error in judgment today. I pray for strength, wisdom and courage to do what is right. I choose to be a believer rather than a doubter. I will live with faith and trust in you for everything thing I need. I praise you in advance for seeing me through.

https://oregonag.org/84239

Dadasaheb Phalke is considered the father of Indian cinema, including Hindi cinema. Read also : What are the top 5 highest grossing movies adjusted for inflation?. Who was the first Bollywood actor? It is often considered the first full-length Indian feature film. Raja Harishchandra stars Dattatraya Damodar Dabke, Anna Salunke, Bhalchandra Phalke and Gajanan Vasudev Sane and is based on the Harishchandra legend, with Dabke as the title character. Pollywood may appeal. Pashto cinema, Pashto language film industry in the Pakistani province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. To see also : How much money did jaws make adjusted for inflation?. Punjabi Cinema, the Punjabi language film industry in the Indian state of Punjab. What is the Pollywood film industry? Punjabi cinema, sometimes metonymically called Pollywood or Punjwoodis, the Punjabi film industry centered around the Indian state of Punjab with its headquarters in Amritsar and Mohali.

https://otwoh.com/movies/who-is-first-movie-in-india/

There is no ugly woman in the world, there are only those who do not know how to be beautiful. Most people think of beautiful makeup and clothes when they think of beauty. This is a bit of a misconception because to be beautiful cosmetics and a beautiful dress are not enough. There are several other rules of attractiveness besides makeup. 1. Start with hot water and finish with cold water every time you wash your face so that it does not lose its youthfulness. This is a kind of gymnastic exercise for the skin of the face and prevents wrinkles. Remember: the bigger the difference between hot and cold water, the better. But this exercise is not suitable for people with sensitive skin. 2. According to data, almonds strengthen memory. If you add a little almond oil to a glass of milk every day before going to bed, you will soon notice that your memory is much better than before. In addition, almond oil can be prepared at home. To do this, peel the almonds, grind them and put water with sugar on them. 3. Excess weight is very dangerous for health. Today, every second newspaper, magazine, and internet site advise on losing weight. The most effective way to lose weight is to eat less and move more. Therefore, do not give up on walking and limit yourself to fruits for dinner. 4. Psychologists say that 30 is the most dangerous age for women. It is at this age that women are at increased risk of depression. The reason for this can be different. Someone who did not get an education and started a family is upset when he realizes that by this age he cannot do anything and is completely dependent, someone else is depressed because he has a career and did not start a family until that time. So, to overcome the fear of turning 30, women are advised to look at life differently and make sure that everything is still ahead. 5. They say that red fruits and vegetables raise the mood. Orange colors increase cheerfulness. Blondes overcome laziness. Dark blue helps to overcome depression. 6. Lemon water helps to eliminate shine and other problems that are characteristic of oily skin. It whitens the skin of the face and removes various blemishes. Experts recommend mixing lemon juice with plain water for such treatments. Otherwise, it can have a negative effect. 7. Many people think that pasta is fattening. Actually, this is a mistake. 100 grams of pasta contains only 13% protein, and the starch contained in it is quickly digested. Pasta helps you lose weight, not fat. 8. If you don't want your nails to turn yellow, apply a special liquid for nails before applying nail polish. Use less dark nail polish. 9. If you want others to rate you well, first increase your self-respect. For this, several times " I love myself!", "I deserve this job!" and repeat, "I can do these tasks perfectly." These seemingly simple words will improve your mood and boost your self-confidence in a short period. 10. Grey, black and white are the ideal colors for clothes, they go with all kinds of colors and even help to bring out the color of old clothes. 11. Sugar is the most necessary product for a woman's body. But using it too much can cause all kinds of problems. Eat more fruits to feed the body with the right amount of sugar. For example, lemons contain more sugar than strawberries. 12. A woman would not be able to live a healthy life if she looked like a Barbie doll. To prove this, scientists from the Ministry of Health in the United States conducted research. They made a large doll to test the parameters of "Barbie" on a living person. It was determined that the height of such a woman should be 170 cm, weight 50 kg, chest circumference 99 cm, and waist 45 cm. It turns out that not all organs can fit in the body of a woman with this parameter. Therefore, without going out of your way to losing weight, the main thing is to be thankful that your health is in order. After all, this is the most precious gift. 13. If you want to emphasize the eyes more in makeup, paint your lips in a light color, if you want to emphasize the lips, choose light skin tones for the eyes. 14. Beauty requires sacrifice. Not just during pregnancy. Doctors advise pregnant women to put aside high-heeled shoes. If you follow this rule, you will protect yourself from radiculitis and neuralgia in the future. 15. In the Middle Ages, Europeans used rose tincture to treat colds, toothaches, and oral diseases. Today, you can find rose oil on the shelves of pharmacies and some stores. Experts say that this oil strengthens memory and fights various inflammatory and viral diseases. 16. The skin of the neck is never oily (even if the skin of the face is oily). For this reason, it is better to choose a mask for the neck only for dry and normal skin. 17. Another rule of attractive appearance is to walk beautifully. Always keep your body straight when you walk. Even when walking fast, take small steps and never swing your arms. 18. "If you want to win, always smile," experts say. This sentence has a soul. If you want to be successful at work and in your personal life, don't forget to smile. It's always better to laugh than to sulk. 19. According to the data gathered around the world, men do not like women with bright colors. So, use more natural colored makeup products to flatter your partner. Remember, bright makeup is only for a party, not for everyday life. 20. A woman's best weapon is sincerity. Do not lose sincerity in any situation. This is especially necessary today. Habits: How are they formed? And how do you get rid of bad people?

https://pak4m.com/forum/28/66/241/

Dumpster rental prices can vary depending on the size of the dumpster and the length of time needed. Generally, a small dumpster starts at around $200 for one-time use. Larger dumpsters and those needed for extended periods can cost up to $1,000 or more. If you’re planning on undertaking a large home improvement project, you may wonder how much it will cost to rent a dumpster. Dumpster rentals can vary widely in price, depending on the size of the dumpster and the length of time you need it. Generally speaking, smaller dumpsters (like 8-yarders) will cost around $200 to rent for a week, while larger dumpsters (like 40-yarders) can cost upwards of $700 per week. Feel free to contact us if any kinds anyone looking for Dumpster Rental In Palm Beach, FL. Of course, these prices also depend on where you live and what debris you’ll dispose of. So, how do you determine how much dumpster rental will cost for your specific project? Start by getting some quotes from local companies. Be sure to let them know the size of the project and the estimated amount of waste so they can give you an accurate estimate. Once you have a few different quotes, compare them to find the best deal. And always remember: when it comes to renting a dumpster, it’s better to err on the side of caution and get a larger one than you think you’ll need! How Much is the Smallest Dumpster to Rent? There is no definitive answer to this question as it depends on several factors, including the company you rent from, the size and type of dumpster you need, and your location. However, we can give you some general guidelines. The average cost to rent a small dumpster (10-15 yards) for a short-term project is between $200 and $400. The cost will be higher for larger projects or more extended rental periods. For example, renting a 40-yard roll-off dumpster for a month could cost upwards of $1,000. When considering the cost of renting a dumpster, also factor in the price of disposal fees and any weight limits that may apply. Disposal fees vary depending on your location and what type of waste you’re disposing of, but they typically range from $50 to $100 per ton. Weight limits are usually imposed by the landfill or transfer station where you’ll be taking your waste; exceeding these limits can result in additional charges. Contact several local dumpster rental companies to get an accurate estimate for your specific project needs and ask for quotes. Be sure to let them know the details of your project so they can provide an accurate estimate. What is the Most Common Size Dumpster Rental? There is no definitive answer to this question as it depends on several factors, including the type and amount of waste you need to dispose of and the company you rent from. However, 10-yard dumpsters are generally the most popular size for residential projects like home renovations or landscaping, while 30-yard dumpsters are more common for commercial use. How Many Pounds is a 10-Yard Dumpster? How much will it cost if you’re looking to rent a 10-yard dumpster? Here’s a breakdown of the price by weight and size. Ten-yard dumpsters can hold up to 3,000 pounds of waste. The average cost to rent a 10-yard dumpster is $300, with prices ranging from $200 to $400. What are Common Dumpster Sizes? Four standard dumpster sizes are 10-yard, 20-yard, 30-yard, and 40-yard. The size of the dumpster you need will depend on the amount of waste you have. A 10-yard dumpster can hold up to three tons of waste, while a 20-yard dumpster can hold up to six tons. A 30-yard dumpster can hold up to nine tons of waste, and a 40-yard dumpster can hold up to 12 tons. Dumpster rentals can vary in price depending on the size of the dumpster and the length of time you need it. However, a dumpster rental generally costs between $200 and $500. Copyright © 2023 Palm Beach Dumpsters & Trash Removal Inc.

https://palmbeachdumpstersandtrashremoval.com/how-much-is-a-dumpster-rental/

Recently, the market for rumors about the next generation of Imec Pro has become very hot and it is thought that the people of Cupertino will be very determined to unveil it. Report now Ross Young, The display industry analyst, shows that the company plans to unveil the new 27-inch iMac in the first quarter of next year. Yang refers to the iMac as the next generation of 27-inch iMacs. Rumor has it that Apple plans to remove the 27-inch model and offer the IQs in both the standard and Pro models. The analyst notes that the ICMC will be unveiled in the spring of 2022. It is not bad to know that spring in the Northern Hemisphere starts on March 20 and ends on June 21. This is exactly the period when Apple usually holds its first spring event, often to unveil the new iPad Pro; But it is also possible that we will see the unveiling of the flagship Imec. Earlier, some whistleblowers claimed that the display of the iMac flagship model would be larger than 27 inches; But details released by Yang indicate that the 27-inch display will retain its size. In addition, the device is said to use a mini-LED display similar to the MacBook Pro and supports promotion technology to deliver a 120Hz refresh rate. According to previous reports, the next generation of Imec Pro will be equipped with a Max Deo’s Oman chip consisting of two die. As the name implies, it is expected to consist of two M1 Max chips and on paper promises almost double the performance improvement. The chip can have a maximum of 128 GB of RAM, which is actually twice as much as the latest MacBook Pro configuration. It seems that Apple will also finish in the graphics sector; Because the SOC is said to accommodate 64 graphics cores, the next iMac Pro will become the processing giant and the best choice for professional activities. Looking at the impressive performance of Apple’s current chips, the Max Deo is expected to be a turning point in the design of proprietary chips based on the logo architecture and cause serious problems for competitors. Interestingly, the new iMac Pro will be the first product whose graphics chip, thanks to its integrated design, will have access to 128 GB of wired memory, which is almost three times more than the latest multi-thousand dollar configuration of Nvidia Quadro. Amazing power and strange statistics do not end here; Because the memory width of this chip will reach 800 Gbps and it will have a 32-core neural motor consisting of more than 100 billion transistors.

https://pcjow.com/the-imac-pro-will-arrive-in-the-first-half-of-2022-with-a-mini-led-display/

Pop quiz Philly lax fan: What Attorney General and current Governor-elect was also a standout college lacrosse player in the commonwealth? Attorney General Tom Corbett ’71, a Lebanon Valley College alumnus and former lacrosse player, was elected as the 46th governor of Pennsylvania late Tuesday. Corbett attended LVC from 1967 to 1971, playing on the lacrosse team and helping LVC to the 1968 MAC championship. He and his teammates were honored by the LVC Athletic Hall of Fame in fall 2009 for their achievements. Corbett also paid a visit to LVC last month as the football halftime guest on WMSS’ radio broadcast. Corbett will be inaugurated on Jan. 18, 2011 at the state Capitol. Susan Manbeck Corbett, his wife of 38 years, is a member of LVC’s Class of 1972. Corbett completed his undergraduate education at Lebanon Valley College where he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science. He received his juris doctor degree from St. Mary’s University Law School, and practiced law with the Allegheny County district attorney’s office. In 1980, he became an assistant U.S. Attorney, and was appointed to serve as U.S. attorney by President George H.W. Bush from 1988 to 1992. Corbett completed an unfinished term as attorney general in the mid-1990s, and was elected attorney general in 2004, and re-elected in 2008. While a student at LVC, Corbett was a member of the lacrosse team, a lifeguard, and a member of Phi Lambda Sigma – a social fraternity founded in 1867. He has said he especially valued his coursework in political science with Dr. Alex Fehr, LVC Class of 1950, who encouraged him to pursue a career in public service, and in history with Dr. Elizabeth Geffen, where he recounted that he learned to think critically about cultural, political, scientific, and technical influences. Corbett received the 2008 Distinguished Alumnus Award from the College. This entry was posted on Thursday, November 4th, 2010 at 1:12 am and is filed under Boy's/Men's, College, Features. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

https://phillylacrosse.com/2010/governor-elect-corbett-was-lax-player-at-lebanon-valley-college-for-championship-team/

With so many different gifting options out there, it can be tricky to find the right gift to show your loved ones how special they are to you. When it comes to selecting a gift that your family member will treasure, nothing compares to a high-quality gift that carries personal meaning. For your next holiday or special occasion, consider investing in one of these unique and meaningful gift ideas that, with time, will turn into a timeless family heirloom and be cherished for generations to come. When you think of a family heirloom, a piece of jewelry may be one of the first things that come to mind. A good watch or ring passed down between generations can accumulate immense monetary and emotional value, making it an ideal item to gift as a family heirloom. For an heirloom to be valuable, it should be well-made enough to withstand the test of time and be emotionally meaningful within your family. This makes customized jewelry engraved with family names, initials, and significant dates particularly good choices for a gift that will one day become a treasured family heirloom. Customized lockets containing photos of treasured family memories and loved ones no longer with us also make wonderful heirlooms, allowing future generations to always carry a piece of your family’s past with them. The monetary value that a piece of jewelry accrues comes down to the material with which the product is made and the way that it is cared for. When you are investing in a piece of jewelry that you intend to gift as a family heirloom, you should research the types of materials that accumulate value over time and invest in high-quality, precious materials, if possible. A gift doesn’t have to be made out of silver or gold to make a great family heirloom and a meaningful gift. There’s nothing like the smell of an old family favorite meal cooking on the stove to bring you back to cherished memories spent with beloved family members. Heirloom recipe books, which are made out of high-quality, sturdy materials like wood and leather, are built to be used and reused as they are passed down between the generations. Recipe books are special gifts for their ability to preserve time-honored traditions and bring families together, despite any amount of distance or time, over a good dish of food. Like recipe books, memory books and photo albums have the ability to celebrate special moments, people, and places in your family history by preserving family letters, diary entries, and photos. With space at the back for future family members to add their own prized photos and memories, albums and memory books are interactive gifts that will only accumulate meaning over time. For an extra special touch, consider purchasing a personalized heirloom memory book engraved with family names or initials. As Psychology Today reports, music is particularly powerful for its ability to evoke memories of the past, transporting you back to a time and place from long ago. If you are looking for a timeless, one-of-a-kind gift to pass on to the music lover in your life, then you should consider gifting a customized music box. Some companies offer extensive song libraries or options where you can choose a song with special meaning for your family. If you opt for an LCD video music box, you can even include family videos, giving the giftee the ability to revisit a special moment from the past every time they open their music box. Well-made furniture and other household items like silverware, china, and even electronics also make for a thoughtful gift that can double as a family heirloom. In addition to the sentimental value of connecting generations by keeping a meaningful object within the family, gifting a loved one a piece of furniture, art, or device means one less item that they have to buy for themselves. Giving a premium household object to a loved one ensures they enjoy all the benefits of owning a high-quality piece they may not have otherwise been able to afford. For this reason, you should consider investing in gifts that will enhance your loved one’s quality of life and expand their opportunities to spend fun, quality time with their family. Look into items like exercise equipment, trampolines, moveable heaters for outdoor spaces, and fire pits that can make your family members’ lives a little healthier, happier, and more connected. A gift doesn’t need to be ultra-expensive to be a priceless family heirloom. Although you’ll want to gift items that are sturdy enough to withstand the test of time, the most important aspect of any heirloom is that it carries emotional value. A good gift that will one day become an heirloom brings families closer together by keeping the past alive through shared history and experiences.

https://pittsburghfamilymagazine.com/5-great-gift-ideas-that-serve-as-family-heirlooms/

NERAMAC recruitment 2019: North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation (NERAMAC), a CPSE under the administrative control of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), has invited applications for the post of Managing Director (MD) and the last date to apply for the job is December 30. The post has been vacant since October 16. The Managing Director (MD) is the Chief Executive of the corporation and accountable to its board of director and government. He/She is responsible for the efficient functioning of the corporation for achieving its corporate objective and performance parameters. Applicant should be a graduate with a good academic record from a recognised university or institution. Applicants with a degree in Agriculture, Horticulture or Food Technology with MBA will have added advantage. Applicants should possess adequate experience at a senior level of management in a large organisation of repute. Experience in Finance, Marketing and Production will have added advantage. North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Cooperation Limited (NERAMAC) was incorporated on March 31, 1982, with the objective to purchase the marketable surplus of fruit and vegetable in the North Eastern Region to the maximum possible extent through a network of centres and to make necessary arrangement for its processing and marketing. NERAMAC is a Schedule 'C' CPSE in trading and marketing sector under the administrative control of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region. Click here to know more about NERAMAC Job.

https://psuwatch.com/neramac-is-looking-to-hire-md-apply-before-dec-30/

One of the hardest things you will ever do as a missionary is tracting or knocking on doors. Not everyone is happy to see you and quite frankly, many people are very rude and sometimes even mean. But when you don’t have people to teach or serve, you get to go tracting. Every missionary will have this experience, and honestly, it really doesn’t get any easier the more you do it. I hated it. Most missionaries do. Of course there is is the occasional crazy missionary that loves to go tracting and see how many doors can slam in their face each day. It’s like a game to them. I think they are crazy. But maybe that is just me. It is much more effective as a missionary to use member referrals. These are people that members of the church have referred to the missionaries to teach or contact. Many of these are in the homes of the members, so the awkwardness of meeting the missionaries is gone. Here is a fun video of some missionaries tracting. It’s a parody of Adele’s song, Hello. It always makes me laugh and remember what it was like when I was tracting on my own mission.

https://quietpandemonium.com/tracting-write31days/

One more mandate? This mandate is apart of the EU’s attempt to modernize the way Europeans pay, allowing Europeans to transfer money in seconds, at any time of the day, 365 days a year. Benefits would include easily accessible cross-border payments, promoting a more dynamic pan-European payments market. Europe has seen huge perspectives in the way consumers pay since the pandemic started. Banks were inspired to enhance their mobile offerings beyond banking functions to offer additional services. The accelerating adoption of contactless and mobile banking, more cashless payments and cashless in-store customer experiences have been a welcome change in recent years. This has been seen through the opening of cashierless Amazon Fresh stores in Spain, France and Italy where customers can simply walk out the door and their payment is accepted. Where getting credit used to be a slow process, companies like Klarna have popularized the buy now, pay later (BNPL) concept. This real-time credit is driving preference for specific digital channels and retailers and has unlocked purchasing power for younger generations that was not previously possible, unlocking more future economic prosperity. Despite this boom, ACI Worldwide’s Prime Time for Real-Time report reported that in 2021, real-time cross-account payments accounted for just 6.5% of all electronic payments. Europe has a long way to go compared to its neighbors on MEASA, for example, where 41.3% of electronic payments in 2021 were made in real time. The report found that real-time payments are the key to unlocking economic growth, so now is the time to digitize them. Despite the fact that SEPA (Single Euro Payments Area) is already fully set up as an infrastructure in Europe for real-time payments, adoption has been slow. Where previously sending euros across borders in real time was expensive, the new mandate will make real-time transfers as simple as other popular payment methods such as card. The customer will be able to easily choose this option and not be inhibited or discouraged from selecting it. Europe can look to learn from markets like India, China, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia, where we have seen world-leading growth in real-time payments. Through these markets, Europe can learn that by embracing digitalization, payment volumes will increase. When merchants accept mobile wallet and QR code payments in place of cash or card payments, services become more convenient and accessible, meeting the needs and changing expectations of citizens. Consumers are demanding convenience in the way they pay, and it’s those who offered it in advance that have stood out. We’ve seen this with Klarna’s rapid growth, offering real-time credit with convenience. The European Parliament will have the final say on whether this instant payment mandate will pass, but it seems likely and will certainly change the European payments ecosystem. Banks transacting in the euro zone should start preparing now, and consumers can look forward to a future of seamless digital experiences and convenience. Already supporting both classic SEPA and SEPA Instant payment methods, Quppy is providing the whole range of financial instruments available within the EU zone for the convenience of its customers.

https://quppy.medium.com/the-european-instant-payments-mandate-what-does-that-mean-to-you-63bc7dc7dc28?source=user_profile---------0----------------------------

In recent years, applying for and getting accepted to medical school in the U.S. has become increasingly difficult. In 2020–2021, only 38% of the 53,370 students who applied to U.S. medical schools were accepted. For the most prestigious medical schools, the acceptance rate was just 1.4–2%. Pre-Medicine: The Complete Guide for Aspiring Doctors by Joel Thomas, Phillip Wagner, Ray Funahashi, and Nitin Agarwal is a comprehensive roadmap that guides aspiring physicians through the rigorous process of preparing for and getting into medical school in the U.S. By bringing together multiple authors with different life experiences and perspectives, this unique book has broad appeal to students from diverse backgrounds. The text is organized by five sections: The Pre-Med Primer, Succeeding as a Pre-Medical Student, Applying to Medical School, Medical School and Career Insights, and an Appendix. This invaluable resource tackles challenging topics and addresses uncomfortable questions that necessitate engagement with multiple opposing viewpoints and careful data analysis. The first and foremost goal of this book is to get essential information into the hands of individuals that need it to succeed in their pre-med and medical school journey. This is a must-have resource for anyone who is considering a career in medicine. The no-holds-barred insights shared in this book will greatly optimize the chance of medical school applicants gaining admission to their top choice.

https://radiologyebook.vn/pre-medicine-the-complete-guide-for-aspiring-doctors

We love lists. If you have been visiting Rambling Ever On for any time at all, you already knew that. We’ve had lists about candy, pies, Marvel movies, and many, many other things. Today, we have a list of our favorite Christmas movies. Usually, for this sort of list, we do a Top Ten but in honor of the Twelve Days of Christmas, we decided to make this a Top Twelve. If twelve seems like a weird number to you, just start reading at number ten. Christmas movies are great. Even the less-than-great ones are pretty great during the Christmas season. We aren’t sure if it’s nostalgia or something else, but get us anywhere near the Christmas season, and there is almost nothing that compares to sitting down and watching Christmas movies. So, without further ado, here are the Top Twelve Christmas Movies as voted on by the Rambling Ever On staff. There are some movies that have slipped past my radar throughout the years, and this was one of them…at least until I got married. My wife grew up watching this with her family almost every year, so it naturally became a Christmas “usual” for us as well. Honestly, any number of film and TV adaptations of the Charles Dickens classic could have landed in this list of Christmas movies. The George C. Scott TV version ended up getting the nod, likely because, for many of our voters, it came out when we were children and was incredibly impressionable. The story is the key and there are few greater stories than A Christmas Carol in wonder, power, or impact. Not that I am opposed at all to the current-day adaptations – I thoroughly enjoy the Jim Carrey version and my son loves the 2018 Benedict Cumberbatch modernization – I don’t think anyone could ever top the simplicity of the original half-hour, made-for-TV Grinch movie. It’s so close to the book, and the tweaks to make it better for the screen (making the Grinch green, the music, etc.) are golden. It’s not a perfect film by any means but it does enough right to earn a spot on our list of favorite Christmas movies. While the film is flawed, Tim Allen is given enough room to be both snarky and endearing as the new Santa Claus. (His sarcastic shots at his ex-wife’s new husband Neal are the best.) The supporting cast, primarily Judge Reinhold and David Krumholtz, adds plenty of humor as well. And like all good Christmas movies, the film is filled with plenty of classic Christmas songs as well as a timeless original score by Michael Convertino. Special mention to the standout song “The Bells of Christmas” featuring Loreena McKennit. And the movie is such that I want to watch it every year. I love Ernest’s quotes, like “Smell those Christmas trees. You can keep your Chanel Number 5, just give me a whiff of the old lonesome pine. That symbol of brotherly love, that centerpiece that all mankind gathers around to share the cranberry sauce shaped like a can.” I love his willingness to sacrifice for the cause, stopping in heavy traffic to save a Christmas tree. I love his rendition of “Oh Christmas Tree”. There are so many things we can say about this modern Christmas classic, but we think it would be better to let our friend, Jon Forrest, regale you with his insane-yet-believable-Christmas-candy induced theory that connects Elf to The Godfather. Yes. You read that correctly. Elf is a sequel to The Godfather. We’ll let Jon explain. Similar to Mark’s comment about It’s A Wonderful Life (below), every year I wonder if this is going to be the year I stop laughing at the slapstick humor of Harry and Marv getting it from Kevin’s traps. Every year that year hasn’t arrived yet. I laugh as hard in my 40s as I did when I first watched the movie when I was 12. But it cannot be overlooked that this movie is both funny and fantastic before that. Big laughs come from the sled down the stairs, the pizza delivery guy vs. the mobster movie, Kevin’s face with the aftershave, Gus’s story about the funeral home and so much more. I feel like I came to this movie much later in life than I should have. I honestly don’t remember watching it as a child. And, I have only faint memories of watching it as a teenager or young adult. It wasn’t until I was dating my future wife that I well and truly remember watching this movie from beginning to end. Make of that what you will. Since that “first” official viewing, I have completely loved A Christmas Story. I love the technique of having an adult narrator, though from the perspective of a child. The wording and vocabulary are too intelligent and advanced for a child yet the emotion, the passion, and the points of emphasis are 100% childlike. It’s a difficult tightrope to walk but the film nails it. Generally speaking, I am not a fan of most older movies. Anything produced more than 50-60 years ago rarely appeals to me. However, I love It’s a Wonderful Life! It’s not Christmas until I’ve seen this movie. I’ve easily watched the film 25+ times. As the season approaches, I often wonder if this will be the year that the movie starts to lose some of its charms. But that has not happened yet! “It’s a Wonderful Life” has a little bit of everything: drama, romance, humor, and even alternate reality! The themes are similar to those found in most Christmas movies or TV specials. Yet somehow the film doesn’t rely on these to make or break the experience. It’s a Wonderful Life is a great movie that happens to be set at Christmas time. The lead actor, Jimmy Stewart, delivers a fantastic performance. His acting is smooth and natural unlike many of his contemporaries who were over the top or stiff by modern standards. This movie is tops on our list for a reason. That’s our list. What about yours? We are sure we left out some really great films, or at the least, we left out one of your favorites. Tell us what we missed in the comments. White Christmas is my all-time favorite movie. Not just at Christmas. Love it to my core!! Some excellent choices, including number 1. Hard to argue with that one. I would have “A Christmas Carol” with Alistar Sim on the list. And I would definitely have “White Christmas.” Good work, guys, and Merry Christmas! I do not understand how people like White Christmas. It’s so boring. Most of the movie is the “show” the characters put on. I kept waiting for it to get better, for some other major conflict, but I was disappointed. The movie ended. My response: “So that’s it?” It’s a variety show trying to disguise itself in a movie. Please explain why you like it. Amy came ready to fight! Amy, it’s fine that you and others don’t like it. I do. The human warmth. The story. The character actors, as much or more than the stars. The songs. The dancing. Danny Kaye’s slapstick. It’s a “feel good” movie, and I like it. Not everyone likes it, however, which is fine. Phillip said I dislike it so much because I have no soul or warmth. 🙂 So it makes sense that you like it because you are a heart-warming person! I don’t think those were my exact words. 🙂 FWIW, I don’t like it either, so I guess that makes two of us with no soul or warmth. The White Christmas is an excellent movie that is funny and just great, however, I believe that people are entitled to their opinions no matter how completely wrong they are. The George C Scott Christmas Carol and White Christmas will always be my top 2 because of the music and the emotional response I have when Scrooge wakes up on Christmas morning realizing that he hasn’t missed Christmas and the tear jerker scene of the General entering the ski lodge in uniform to a standing ovation. I cry every time. It is tradition in our family to watch both of these movies right after Thanksgiving. However, I have grown to love It’s a Wonderful Life in the last few years as well. Great list guys! My family always watches A Muppet Christmas Carol and Prep and Landing around this time. My favorite Christmas movie is probably the live-action version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

https://ramblingeveron.com/2022/12/01/the-top-twelve-christmas-movies/

Steady-state upscaling of relative permeability is studied for a range of reservoir models. Both rate-dependent upscaling and upscaling in the capillary and viscous limits are considered. In particular, we study fluvial depositional systems, which represent a large and important class of reservoirs. Numerical examples show that steady-state upscaling is rate dependent, in accordance with previous work. In this respect we introduce a scale-dependent capillary number to estimate the balance between viscous and capillary forces. The difference between the limit solutions can be large, and we show that the intermediate flow rates can span several orders of magnitude. This substantiate the need for rate-dependent steady-state upscaling in a range of flow scenarios. We demonstrate that steady-state upscaling converges from the capillary to the viscous limit solution as the flow rate increases, and we identify a simple synthetic model where the convergence fails to be monotone. Two different sets of boundary conditions were tested, but had only minor effects on the presented reservoir models. Finally, we demonstrate the applicability of steady-state upscaling by performing dynamic flow simulation at the reservoir scale, both on fine-scaled and on upscaled models. The considered model is viscous dominated for realistic flow rates, and the simulation results indicate that viscous limit upscaling is appropriate. Hydrocarbon reservoirs are generally heterogeneous on different length scales (Kløv et al. 2003; Lerdahl et al. 2005; Aarnes et al. 2007). Due to computational limitations, it is not always possible to include important heterogeneities into a full field reservoir simulation. Nevertheless, small-scale heterogeneities may be important for the global flow and therefore should be taken into account. Upscaling is a well-known technique in this respect, see, e.g. Durlofsky (2005) for an overview of different upscaling methods. The overall goal for all methods is to replace a fine-scale model with a coarse model by producing effective properties for each coarse cell. For upscaling of nonbulk flow properties like permeability and relative permeability, one may divide upscaling into two main classes. These are averaging methods and flow-based methods. The latter are regarded to be more accurate, but they are also computationally more demanding as they require solutions to flow equations. Furthermore, one can roughly divide the flow-based methods into local and global methods. Global methods, see, e.g. Kyte and Berry (1975) and Zhang et al. (2006), require solutions to the full fine-scale model, while local methods only consider the fine-scale region corresponding to the target coarse cell. Noting that this is a simplified view, there are also combinations of the two. Global methods typically address the common task of upscaling from a geo-cellular model to a simulation model. Local methods are more generic in nature and are convenient for determining effective flow properties for rock types or facies in geo-cellular models, see, e.g. Pickup and Stephen (2000), Kløv et al. (2003), Rustad et al. (2008) and Nordahl et al. (2014). The work presented here can be seen as a continuation of the work in Nordahl et al., with a focus on multiphase flow parameters. More precisely, we investigate the effects of sedimentary heterogeneity on oil–water relative permeability. Our approach is based on steady-state upscaling, a local upscaling method which has been subject to extensive research over the last 20 years, see, e.g. Smith (1991), Ekrann et al. (1996), Kumar et al. (1997), Ekrann and Aasen (2000), Pickup et al. (2000), Lohne et al. (2006) and Jonoud and Jackson (2008). As most literature, we consider incompressible, immiscible two-phase flow and neglect gravity. From the geological perspective we focus on fluvial depositional systems. These are particularly interesting from an upscaling point of view because of their heterogeneity structure. Fluvial systems typically consist of channels, crevasses and background. The channels are typically highly permeable, with an internal depth trend. Crevasses typically have lower permeability, but still contribute significantly to flow and volume. The background material is typically tight with little or no permeability. While channels can be around five meters tall (depending on the size of the depositional system), they can meander and erode into each other, stacking in complex patterns. Crevasses may be less than a meter tall. Hence, we have extreme contrast between reservoir properties at the scale of several meters, with a geometry we cannot represent in current full field simulation models. That is, the finest grid resolution we realistically can run full field flow simulations on is typically not able to represent the geometry of the main sedimentary heterogeneities of fluvial reservoirs. Moreover, fluvial reservoirs are among the most common depositional systems found in reservoirs. For any type of flow-based upscaling method, the imposed boundary conditions can have an important effect on the upscaling results. This is one of the aspects that make upscaling ambiguous and a difficult exercise. Moreover, disregarding gravity, the viscous and capillary forces are the acting forces on the fluids in a reservoir. The results from steady-state upscaling is known to be rate dependent due to the balance of these two forces (Ekrann et al. 1996; Kumar et al. 1997; Ekrann and Aasen 2000; Virnovsky et al. 2004; Lohne et al. 2006). Capillary forces dominate for small flow rates or on small-scale heterogeneities, while viscous forces dominate for high flow rates or on larger scales. Hence, as the flow rate tends to zero, it is expected that the viscous forces can be neglected. Similarly, for high flow rates it is expected that capillary forces can be neglected. These limits are referred to as the capillary and viscous limits, respectively, and they are interesting since they are computationally less demanding. However, these limits are only encountered in practice at some scales and some parts of the reservoir. The effect of small-scale heterogeneities on relative permeability, typically heterolithic reservoir zones, has been studied before (e.g., Rustad et al. (2008)). Two important publications where the transition between capillary and viscous forces are studied are found in Virnovsky et al. (2004) and Lohne et al. (2006). There is a couple of differences to note between the work presented here and in Virnovsky et al. (2004) and Lohne et al. (2006). The first is that the steady-state simulations done here are on three-dimensional models with corner-point grids. This enables the use of the ReservoirStudio softwareFootnote 1 providing realistic models of heterogeneity at a scale where the balance between capillary and viscous forces is unclear. Secondly, all upscaling in this work are performed with codes from the Open Porous Media project (OPM),Footnote 2 and are freely available under the GNU GPL license. However, models and geomodelling packages are still unfortunately proprietary and hence not easy to reproduce results from. It would be valuable to be able to decide whenever the capillary or viscous limits are fair approximations for steady-state flow. A recent work (Jonoud and Jackson 2008) addresses this problem, but originally for two-dimensional models. Although it might be possible to extend their method to three dimensions, the ambiguity that is present for two-dimensional models is even more involved when moving to three dimensions. Our contribution to this problem is a scale-dependent capillary number, which is shown to better predict the balance between capillary and viscous forces in our models compared to the traditional capillary number. For the reservoirs considered herein, heterogeneity typically introduces large differences in capillary pressure compared to capillary pressure gradients from saturation distribution inside a single rock type. For this reason, we restrict our attention to models with several rock types. This paper is outlined as follows. We start by presenting the governing flow equations in Sect. 2. Thereafter, in Sect. 3, we explain steady-state upscaling in more detail. In particular, we discuss and define appropriate boundary conditions for the steady-state flow equations. We also describe the capillary and viscus limit approaches. In Sect. 4 we introduce a dimensionless scale-dependent capillary number to represent the capillary and viscous force balance in our models. The aim is to be able to predict when steady-state upscaling differs from its capillary and viscous limits. In Sect. 5 we test the steady-state upscaling approaches on a variety of reservoir models, both synthetic and realistic. The overall goal of this section is to get a better understanding of steady-state upscaling and to address the main advantages and challenges. We show how the results depend on the flow rate and on the choice of boundary conditions. In the last part, we consider a larger fluvial reservoir model similar to those considered in Nordahl et al. (2014). The aim is to study how well steady-state upscaling is able to reproduce fine-scale flow pattern and production data in a dynamic flow scenario. Finally, in Sect. 6, we discuss the results of this work and make the final conclusions. where \(p_c=p_c(\mathbf {x},S_w)\) is the capillary pressure. In total we have four equations, Eqs. (4–6), and four unknowns, \(S_p\) and \(p_p\), for \(p=o,w\). The pressure equation (Eq. (7)) is elliptic, while the transport equation (Eq. (8)) is parabolic or hyperbolic dependent on the ratio between the terms. The equations are nonlinearly coupled due to the pressure dependency in u and the saturation dependency in \(\lambda _p\) and \(p_c\). When deriving the pressure equation, it is assumed that the capillary pressure \(p_c\) is a monotone function of \(S_w\) only, thus independent on the spatial position. In general, this assumption is not satisfied, but we believe that the introduced error is small. Testing and comparison with a fully implicit solver substantiate this. Calculate the fine-scale saturation distribution, \(S_w(\mathbf {x})\), at steady state. Calculate the phase permeability distribution, \({\mathsf {K}}_p(\mathbf {x},S_w) = k_{rp}(\mathbf {x},S_w){\mathsf {K}}(\mathbf {x})\), from input data. Perform single-phase upscaling on each phase separately to calculate the upscaled phase permeability tensor, \(\tilde{{\mathsf {K}}}_p\). In Step 3, single-phase upscaling corresponds to solving the steady-state equation (Eq. (9)) for each phase and then let \(\tilde{{\mathsf {K}}}_p\) be the phase permeability tensor which preserves the flux over each boundary face. The upscaled relative permeability tensor is now given as \(\tilde{{\mathsf {K}}}_p\cdot \tilde{{\mathsf {K}}}^{-1}\), where \(\tilde{{\mathsf {K}}}\) is the upscaled (absolute) permeability tensor. The procedure above gives an upscaled relative permeability tensor valid for the upscaled water saturation, \(\tilde{S}_w\), which is simply the volume weighted average. By varying the initial saturation and the fractional flow at inlet, one produces a sequence of upscaled tensors for different upscaled saturation points, giving an upscaled relative permeability curve. In general, Step 1 is the most demanding, as it requires a full flow simulation to reach the steady-state distribution, \(S_w(\mathbf {x})\). However, in the capillary and viscous limits, \(S_w(\mathbf {x})\) can be calculated directly from the input data. The domain \(\varOmega \) which is to be upscaled for, is assumed to be formed like a shoe-box, that is, a regular hexahedron. This is a natural assumption, as \(\varOmega \) usually refers to a coarse simulation cell. Let \(\partial \varOmega ^{\zeta ,i}\) for \(\zeta =x,y,z\) and \(i=1,2\) denote the six boundary faces on \(\varOmega \) as illustrated in Fig. 1. To obtain the steady-state saturation distribution, we solve Eqs. (7) and (8) over the domain \(\varOmega \) until steady state is reached, i.e., until the saturation distribution no longer changes with time within a given tolerance. The flow equations must be accompanied with some appropriate boundary conditions (BCs). In this work we use two sets of BCs, denoted fixed and periodic. To induce flow, a pressure drop \(\varDelta p\) is enforced in one of the Cartesian directions, hereafter denoted the pressure drop direction. For fixed BCs we set \(p=\varDelta p\) and \(f_w=g(\mathbf {x})\) on inlet, and \(p=0\) on outlet, where \(g(\mathbf {x})\) is a known function. For periodic BCs we set the flux and the fractional flow to be periodic on inlet/outlet. This implies that what flows out at outlet flows in at inlet. A main distinction from fixed BCs is that \(f_w\) and p are allowed to vary across \(\partial \varOmega \). Furthermore, we set the pressure difference between inlet and outlet to \(\varDelta p\). For both periodic and fixed BCs we use no-flow conditions on all other boundaries. Notice that this differs from the common notion of periodic BCs, used, e.g. in Durlofsky (2005), as we do not induce periodic flow on boundaries parallel to the pressure drop direction. With this simplification, we neglect cross flow and our upscaled tensor will be diagonal. For reservoir models where the main heterogeneity structure is aligned with the pressure drop direction, this is a reasonable assumption. The two sets of BCs are given explicitly in Fig. 1. We let \(\mathbf {n}\) denote the outward pointing unit normal vector, \(\eta \) the pressure drop direction, \(\xi \) the two other directions, and \(f\vert _{\partial \varOmega }\) the function f restricted to \(\partial \varOmega \). Additionally, for periodic BCs, it is necessary to specify the global pressure at one point in the domain for the system to be well-posed. Furthermore, an initial guess of the saturation distribution, \(S^0(\mathbf {x})\), must be specified. For the periodic BCs, we use a face-to-face connection on the periodic boundaries, and we have assumed that the grids on the inlet and outlet faces match each other. This assumption is not satisfied for all realistic reservoir models, but may be overcome by mirroring the model in the pressure drop direction. Notice that with periodic BCs no fluids are allowed to enter or leave the model. Hence, the upscaled saturation at steady state is equal to the initial average saturation. In the following we refer to the capillary limit solution by CL. for \(S_w\). Under the standard assumptions that \(k_{rp}\ge 0\) for \(p=o,w\), and that \(k_{rw}\) and \(k_{ro}\) are strictly monotonically increasing and decreasing functions with respect to \(S_w\), respectively, it can be shown that \(f_w(\mathbf {x},S_w)\) is a strictly monotonically increasing function with respect to \(S_w\). Thus, Eq. (14) has a unique solution. Calculating the streamlines for a two-phase three-dimensional problem is in general nontrivial. A class of problems for which the streamlines are identical to their single-phase counterparts has been identified (Ekrann and Aasen 2000). This class is characterized by \(\mathbf {u}\cdot \nabla \lambda =0\), which holds if the relative permeability curves as functions of normalized water saturation are independent on \(\mathbf {x}\). For general problems, tracking streamlines is dependent on the discrete model, so the only steady-state viscous limit we can obtain is the one with constant fractional flow throughout the model. This is equivalent to assuming constant fractional flow on the inlet boundary. In the following, when we refer to VL we mean the viscous limit solution with constant fractional flow. Based on the discussion above, it is necessary to have constant fractional flow on the inlet boundary if we want the general steady-state approach to converge to VL for high flow rates. For fixed BCs this is achieved by setting \(g(\mathbf {x})\) equal to the constant fractional flow that we want to upscale for, i.e., \(g(\mathbf {x})\equiv F_w\) cf. Figure 1. For periodic BCs the fractional flow does not necessarily converge toward a constant for high flow rates in an analytical sense. In our discretization of the fluid flow, we assume a full mixing of fluids in the grid cells. We therefore avoid mixing only when streamlines are parallel to cell boundaries. Thus, for most models, as demonstrated by numerical experiments in Sect. 5.2, we obtain constant fractional flow for high pressure drops. A layered model, as we consider in Sect. 5.1, is an example where streamlines are parallel to cell boundaries, and where the fractional flow is not necessarily constant for high pressure drops. In contrast to the CL approach, there is no natural way of upscaling capillary pressure in the VL approach. Hence, we neglect capillary forces by letting \(p_c\equiv 0\) when considering viscous limit upscaled simulation models in Sect. 5. Upscaling of two-phase flow is dependent on the balance between viscous and capillary forces. Evaluation of the force balance helps to determine which upscaling method is most appropriate. In a multiscale upscaling process, disregarding viscous forces is typically a fair approximation for models on the smallest scale (e.g., lamina scale, mm to cm), while in a full field reservoir model the impact from capillary forces is often negligible. The balance between viscous and capillary forces is thus scale dependent. where u is Darcy velocity, \(\sigma \) is the interfacial tension, and \(\theta \) is the contact angle, often set to \(0^{\text {o}}\). The relative permeability, \(k_r\), is often set to 1 (Dullien 1992). Observe that the capillary number, \(\mathrm {Ca}\), increases with increasing fluid velocity. This reflects that on the microscopic scale the capillary forces dominate for small flow rates, while viscous forces dominate for high flow rates. This transition is reflected in capillary desaturation curves, describing the relationship between residual oil saturation and the capillary number. Such capillary desaturation curves show that below a critical capillary number the residual oil saturation remains constant, while the residual oil saturation decreases with increasing capillary numbers above the critical number (Morrow et al. 1988; Dullien 1992). In this paper we deal with fluids and flow rates for which the capillary number is below the critical value. Thus, at the pore scale the residual oil saturation is assumed constant, and the fluid distribution will be dominated by capillary forces. Instead we are interested in the balance of viscous and capillary forces on a macroscopic (Darcy) scale. For models representing reservoir heterogeneities, individual rock types are populated with particular capillary pressure curves. Such different capillary pressure curves introduce capillary forces not represented by the traditional capillary numbers. and set \(\epsilon =0.1\). We report on the stability of this choice in Sect. 5.2. By using Eq. (16) as an approximation for the gradient of the capillary pressure, we neglect contributions from saturation gradients, e.g. inside a single rock type. For the fluvial reservoir type considered in this work, it is a fair assumption that differences in capillary pressure due to heterogeneity dominate the contributions from saturation gradients, especially close to a steady-state scenario. The variation in capillary pressures in a small-scaled model is typically at the same order as the variation in a coarser model. Hence, \(\mathcal {C}\) is typically smaller in a coarser model through the dependency on \(l_{ij}\). The viscous pressure gradient, \(\varDelta p / L\), is on the other hand not affected by the grid size. Therefore, \(\mathcal {N}\) typically decreases with model size, reflecting that capillary forces dominate on fine-scale models, while viscous forces dominate in coarser models. In this section we apply the steady-state upscaling methods described in Sect. 3 on a range of models, both synthetic and realistic. The purpose is to study the rate dependency in steady-state upscaling and also the impact of different boundary conditions (BCs). In the last part of this section we consider a larger representative model and test the different upscaling regimes on reservoir simulation. The aim is to see how well steady-state upscaling is able to reproduce dynamic flow on reservoir scale. For general steady-state upscaling, the pressure and saturation equations (Eq. (7, 8)) are solved sequentially. For the elliptic pressure equation, a mimetic finite difference method (Brezzi et al. 2005) is used, while an implicit Euler method with upstream weighting of the fractional flow is used for the saturation equation. The BCs for the flow-based local single-phase upscaling correspond to the ones used to solve the two-phase equations, i.e., as seen in Fig. 1, but without the fractional flow conditions. As the initial guess we use the capillary limit distribution unless a steady-state solution to a similar problem exists. All models are represented in corner-point grids. Fluid data are listed in Table 1. The capillary pressure and the Leverett J-function are related as \(p_c(S_w) = \sqrt{\phi /k}\sigma J(S_w)\), assuming a contact angle of \(0^{\circ }\). Hence, the capillary pressure curves are different in the two rocks. As the relative permeability curves are equal for oil and water, only mirrored around \(S_w=0.5\), we only present upscaled water curves for better readability. The results and conclusions are the same for oil curves. First, we consider models where the two rock types alternate in parallel layers. If the flow is aligned with the layers or if the flow is normal to the layers, we can use arithmetic or harmonic volume weighted averaging, respectively. Let \(\alpha \) denote the volume fraction between rock 1 and rock 2. Since the relative permeability curves are identical, the VL solution is independent on \(\alpha \) and is equal to the input relative permeability curve. However, due to the difference in capillary pressure, the CL solution depends on \(\alpha \). In Fig. 2 the analytic results for different volume fractions are displayed. For \(\alpha \) close to 0 or \(100\,\%\), the CL curves are close to the VL curves in both cases. When flow is aligned with the layers (Fig. 2a), the difference between CL and VL upscaling becomes significant at very small portions of the high permeability rock. For flow normal to the layers (Fig. 2b), the difference becomes significant for very small portions of the low permeability rock. This illustrates that even very thin high permeability channels or low permeability barriers can have large effects on the upscaling results. These results have also been used to verify our numerical upscaling routines. Next, we apply steady-state upscaling on the three synthetic models depicted in Fig. 3. The rock and fluid data are all the same as in the analytic examples. All models are \(100\,\hbox {m}\) long and \(5\,\hbox {m}\) thick. We consider flow in the x-direction, that is left to right. The results with fixed BCs for different pressure drops and in CL and VL are shown in Fig. 3. Both the microscopic capillary number, \(\mathrm {Ca}\), and the proposed macroscopic capillary number, \(\mathcal {N}\), are presented in Table 2. For all models, we observe that general steady-state upscaling converges toward CL as \(\varDelta p\) decreases, and toward VL as \(\varDelta p\) increases. This is as expected, since for small pressure drops capillary forces manage to redistribute the fluids toward the CL, while for large enough pressure drops, the viscous forces dominate. For the two first models (Fig. 3a, b), the convergence from CL to VL is monotonic and the general steady-state upscaling curves are bounded by the CL and VL curves. This property does not hold for the last model (Fig. 3c), where the high permeability rock is aligned with the flow, but not percolating. Consider the layered model (Fig. 3a). We observe that high pressure drops (\(\varDelta p > 10^8\,\hbox {Pa}\)) are needed to get results different from the CL solution. First at \(\varDelta p \ge 10^{12}\,\hbox {Pa}\) are the results equal to the VL solution. This is in accordance with \(\mathcal {N}\) reported in Table 2, indicating strong capillary forces. If we use periodic BCs and set the initial saturation distribution equal to the CL distribution, we will have no vertical redistribution of the fluids, and hence all streamlines will be parallel to the layers. Thus, there will be no mixing of fluids between the layers independently of the magnitude of the pressure drop. The consequence is that the steady-state saturation distribution is equal to the CL distribution for all pressure drops. Hence, the upscaled relative permeability will be rate independent. This is verified by numerical computations. The resulting upscaled relative permeability curves coincide with the CL solution with fixed BCs as seen in Fig. 3a. However, the fractional flow will be constant within each layer, and hence this solution also represents a viscous limit [recall Eq. (13)], this one in capillary equilibrium. It is important to notice that this viscous limit is not the same as VL (where constant fractional flow is assumed). The latter VL solution is equal to the input relative permeability curve, which again is equal to the VL solution for fixed BCs, see Fig. 3a. Thus, we have identified two viscous limit solutions that are quite different from each other. We get the same results also with other initial distributions. Next, consider the model with a barrier (Fig. 3c). Figure 4 shows the steady-state water saturation for different pressure drops at \(\tilde{S}_w=0.70\): capillary dominant (\(\varDelta p = 10^{5}\,\hbox {Pa}\)); mixed forces (\(\varDelta p = 10^{8}\,\hbox {Pa}\)) and viscous dominant (\(\varDelta p = 10^{11}\,\hbox {Pa}\)). In VL, the saturation is equal in the two rocks since the relative permeability curves are equal. For \(S_w>0.5\), capillary forces distribute water into the high permeability rock. This makes the barrier less permeable for water, and thus the upscaled relative permeability is lower in CL than in VL. For intermediate pressure drops, say \(\varDelta p = 10^8\,\hbox {Pa}\), capillary forces distribute water into the high permeability rock so that water flows easier there. At the same time, the pressure drop is high enough so that water flows into the low permeability rock, making the barrier more permeable for water. This is evident from Fig. 4. Overall, this results in higher upscaled water relative permeability than in VL, and explains why the convergence from CL to VL is not monotone as seen in Fig. 3c. Upscaling of the two first models (Fig. 3a, b) correspond to arithmetic and harmonic averaging, respectively. By comparing the CL and VL results with the analytic results in Fig. 2 (\(\alpha =50\,\%\)), we see that these are equal. That the general steady-state solution converges to CL and VL serves as a verification that our upscaling routines are correct. For the purpose of judging the balance between viscous and capillary forces in the model, the capillary number should be close to 1 at the transition between CL and VL. The microscopic capillary number, \(\mathrm {Ca}\), is a few orders of magnitude smaller than 1 in the middle of the transition for the layered model (Fig. 3a), while it is off by many orders of magnitude for the two other models. Our proposed scale-dependent capillary number, \(\mathcal {N}\), is about two orders of magnitude larger than 1 in the middle of the transition for the layered models (Fig. 3a, b). For the barrier model (Fig. 3c), \(\mathcal {N}\sim 1\) in the middle of the transition zone. Thus, the proposed capillary number, \(\mathcal {N}\), better estimates the balance of the two active forces for these models. However, we are not able to tell from \(\mathcal {N}\) where the transition from CL to VL starts and ends. In this section we use reservoir models similar to those considered in Nordahl et al. (2014). These models represent a key heterogeneity scale for fluvial reservoirs, since the capillary or viscous dominance is unknown. Moreover, this scale includes the most important sedimentary heterogeneity for these reservoirs Nordahl et al. (2014). Generally, such reservoirs have complex geometry and anisotropic permeability spanning several orders of magnitude. First, we consider several small sections of dimension \(100\times 100\times 5\,\hbox {m}\). This is a typical size of a simulation cell, and the aim is to study steady-state upscaling on these. A wide range of sections from different sectors of the field has been examined. We therefore believe that the results and conclusions drawn are representative for this class of reservoirs. However, due to lack of space, we only present detailed results from one such section. In the second part we consider a larger model, to represent flow within a reservoir zone. This model is large enough to represent flow between an injector and producer well pair, but still small enough to run fine-scale simulations. The aim is to study how well a coarser upscaled model captures the flow pattern and production data, with a special focus on different steady-state approaches. Local upscaling methods like the ones we study in this work are best understood by the concept of asymptotic homogenization. Multiphase flow is governed by partial differential equations, which we then seek to homogenize over a scale of heterogeneity for the material. The heterogeneity of the material gives rise to rapidly oscillating coefficients for the equations. Central to homogenization is the concept of a representative elementary volume (or element), denoted REV. In our case, an REV is the smallest volume over which a measurement can be made that is representative of the reservoir element of interest. A key reference for the REV concept in our setting is found in Bear (1972), while Nordahl et al. (2014) contains a more recent presentation. Still, we recapture here that for the REV concept to be applicable, we depend on separation of scales. That is, being able to identify volumes of investigation where measured reservoir properties vary slowly locally. In other words, identify scales where homogenization makes sense. For the models considered in this work, we have performed an REV analysis to identify REVs for different properties. This was done by cropping the original sector model into disjoint submodels of a given size. Then each submodel was upscaled and the mean and the standard deviation (SD) of the upscaled values were calculated. This was done for different sizes of the submodels, but the ratio between the horizontal and the vertical size was kept constant at 40. Porosity, permeability and relative permeability in the two limits were considered. Porosity was upscaled with volume weighted averaging and absolute permeability with a pressure solver as explained in Sect. 3. For relative permeability we used the \(L^2\)-norm to measure the difference between two relative permeability curves, and the mean curve was interpreted as a pointwise mean. The results for porosity and relative permeability for one sector model are shown in Fig. 5. The target cell size for simulation scale is in our case approximately \(100\times 100\times 5\,\hbox {m}\). Consequently, we can only expect porosity to have a separation of scales here. Permeability is not too far off, but for relative permeability we are not at a representative volume for our simulation cell size. Moreover, relative permeability is probably not at an approximate REV even within the total size of our models (i.e., a potential REV is probably at the kilometer scale here). Hence, we chose to upscale each coarse scale cell separately for our simulation models, rather than attempting rock typing with a selected set of relative permeability curves. Consider the section model displayed in Fig. 6, where the horizontal permeability distribution is shown together with the input relative permeability and capillary pressure curves for the 15 different anisotropic rock types. The model contains complex geometry and the permeability spans more than 4 orders of magnitude. Each rock type has individual flow properties that are not produced from some master curve, such as J-function scaling. We see that the model is periodic in the x-direction. This is because the original model has been mirrored. Thus, we only consider flow in the x-direction. In Table 3 different pressure drops are related to the capillary numbers and typical flow rates. The test procedure is the same as for the synthetic layered model. We perform steady-state upscaling in VL and CL, and with the general steady-state method for different pressure drops. Both fixed and periodic BCs are used. The results are given in Fig. 7. Consider the results with fixed BCs (Fig. 7a). We see that for small flow rates general steady-state upscaling coincides with CL and that the upscaled curves converge monotonically to VL as the pressure drop increases. The results with periodic BCs, see Fig. 7b, have the same behavior, and the results are very much equal. Observe that the CL and VL solutions are equal whether we use fixed or periodic BCs. The upscaled fractional flow (Fig. 7c) does also converge monotonically from CL to VL. In Fig. 8 we see the fractional flow of water at steady state for three different pressure drops when periodic BCs are used. For a small pressure drop (\(\varDelta p=1\,\hbox {Pa}\)), the system is capillary dominated, and we see that the fractional flow is nonconstant. As we increase the pressure drop, and thus the system becomes more viscous dominated, the fractional flow becomes nearly constant at \(\varDelta p=10^8\,\hbox {Pa}\). Hence, we have demonstrated that we converge to VL as the pressure drop increases, even though we have not specified constant fractional flow on the inlet. The difference between the results when using fixed and periodic BCs is illustrated in Fig. 9, where the upscaled relative permeability is plotted against the pressure drop at two different water saturations. We see that the differences are relatively small and that the transition from CL to VL occurs over approximately five orders of magnitude of the pressure drop. The results start to move away from CL at \(\varDelta p\approx 100\,\hbox {Pa}\), which corresponds to very low water flow rates around \(10^{-4}\,\)ft/day, and meet VL at \(\varDelta p\approx 10^7\,\hbox {Pa}\), or at water flow rates around \(11\,\)ft/day, which is about one order of magnitude larger than a typical reservoir flow rate. Furthermore, we see from Table 3 that \(\mathcal {N}\sim 1\) inside the rate-dependent interval. This is also the case for most of the other sections we have considered. However, the values of \(\mathcal {N}\) at the start- and end-points of the rate-dependent region are not the same for all models. Similar conclusions apply to the oil curves. It is evident from Table 3 that \(\mathrm {Ca}\) fails to model the transition from CL to VL with many orders of magnitude. Recall that the macroscopic capillary number, \(\mathcal {N}\) (Eq. (17)), is defined by taking an integral average over a range of upscaled water saturations. In Fig. 10 we have plotted \(\mathcal {N}\) against different choices of \(\epsilon \), which is the fraction of the saturation range that is excluded at each end of the integration interval. We conclude that \(\mathcal {N}\) is relatively stable with respect to \(\epsilon \) as long as \(\epsilon >0.05\). We now examine the different upscaling approaches on dynamic flow scenarios on a larger field model. A fluvial reservoir model from the NCS is represented on a regular Cartesian grid with 400,000 cells, see Fig. 11. The model is originally represented on a corner-point grid, but we have regularized it to make the simulations more efficient. The reservoir dimension is \(2000\times 1000\times 20\,\hbox {m}\), and the discretization levels are 100, 50 and 80 in the x-, y- and z-directions, respectively. The model has seven different rock types, each with its unique relative permeability curve and capillary pressure curve, while porosity and permeability may vary within a rock type. The fluid data are listed in Table 1. Two vertical wells, one rate-controlled injector and one bottom hole pressure-controlled producer, are placed \(700\,\hbox {m}\) apart. They are placed away from the boundary, where no-flow conditions are imposed, to minimize boundary effects. The wells percolate the whole model in the z-direction and are completed in all layers. We initialize the reservoir with \(S_w=S_{wir}\), that is the irreducible water saturation, and \(p=200\,\)bar. The bottom hole pressure of the producer is kept constant at \(200\,\)bar. The injection rate is also kept constant within each simulation, but a series of scenarios with different rates are run. The start date for our simulations is October 1, 2010. As in the upscaling procedures, we disregard gravity, so that we only consider capillary and viscous forces. We use OPM for upscaling and the commercial software ECLIPSE 100Footnote 3 for field simulations. For the ECLIPSE runs we use the fully implicit black oil formulation with the Peaceman well model (Peaceman 1983). The test setup is as follows. First, a fine grid simulation is performed on the original model. This is used as a reference solution. Then, we create a coarse grid and populate it with upscaled quantities. For permeability we use flow-based anisotropic local upscaling, while for relative permeability we use the steady-state upscaling techniques with periodic BCs, though restricted to the CL and VL approaches. In this way, each coarse grid cell has its unique (upscaled) relative permeability curve. We only consider isotropic relative permeability in the coarse model, that is, we use the upscaled relative permeability originating from flow in the x-direction. For other parameters, like porosity and irreducible water saturation, we use volume weighted averaging. The discretization levels in the coarse grid are 20, 10 and 4 in the x-, y- and z-directions, respectively. Thus, there is a total of 800 cells, each of size \(100\times 100\times 5\,\hbox {m}\), which is the typical size of a simulation cell. Before upscaling, each coarse cell is mirrored in the x-direction. The wells in the coarse grid are placed at the same location as in the fine grid. Hereafter, we denote the coarse model by CM and the fine model by FM. Figure 12 shows profile views of the horizontal permeability for these two models. With this setup one would expect numerical dispersion due to the coarser discretization. To overcome this, we have also created a fine grid model with parameters taken from the coarse model. We denote this model the coarse model refined (CMR). For all simulations on FM we use relative permeability curves and capillary pressure curves taken from the original field model. For CM and CMR we use relative permeability upscaled in either CL or VL, and denote these realizations by CM CL, CM VL, CMR CL and CMR VL, respectively. In the VL cases, we disregard capillary forces by setting \(p_c=0\), while we use the upscaled capillary pressure curves produced by CL upscaling for the CL cases. We focus our attention on two different injection rates, 20 and \(200\, \text {m}^3/\text {day}\) (standard cubic meter per day). The corresponding differences in well pressures at water breakthrough for the different models are listed in Table 4. An injection rate of \(200\, \text {m}^3/\text {day}\) corresponds to an average water front velocity of \(\sim \)1.2 ft/day, which is quite typical. Furthermore, the average pressure drop over each coarse cell is about \(1.4\cdot 10^6\,\hbox {Pa}\). Figure 13 shows a scatter plot of the macroscopic capillary number, \(\mathcal {N}\), for all coarse cells with \(\varDelta p=1.4\cdot 10^6\,\hbox {Pa}\). For the majority of the coarse cells, \(\mathcal {N}\) is in the range [1, 4]. We can neither neglect capillary nor viscous forces based on these results, but they indicate stronger viscous forces than capillary forces. For an injection rate of \(20\, \text {m}^3/\text {day}\), \(\mathcal {N}\) is about ten times lower, so we expect relatively stronger capillary forces. Figure 14 displays two coarse cells and their corresponding upscaled fractional flow curves. The results in Fig. 14a illustrate typical upscaled curves for the cells in the flooded region between the wells. This indicates rate sensitivity in individual coarse cells. Note that there are also cells where the rate sensitivity is less, typically in nearly homogeneous cells. Figure 14b is an example of a representative submodel where the convergence from CL to VL is not monotone. This model contains high permeability rock that only barely percolates. Compared to the results for the synthetic model with a barrier (Fig. 3c), this might explain the nonmonotonic convergence. Before moving to the actual simulations, we make a comment on the rate dependency of the solution. Since we have an incompressible system, and if we disregard capillary forces, the water cut as function of injected water is independent on the injection rate. Specially, this means that if we use the VL approach, then all results will coincide. This motivates why we choose to plot the water cut against water injected. After all, in an incompressible system, water injected is simply time scaled by the rate. In Fig. 15 the water cut at the producer is plotted for different models. We have also included the FM case with \(p_c=0\), representing the viscous limit scenario. When the injection rate is \(200\,\mathrm {m}^3/\mathrm {day}\) (Fig. 15a), the FM result is close to the viscous limit (FM, \(p_c=0\)). Simulations (not shown here) indicate that capillary forces are negligible for flow rates above \(50\,\text {m}^3\)/day for FM. For an injection rate of \(200\,\mathrm {m}^3/\mathrm {day}\) the net effect of relative permeability upscaling is small, especially for the CMR cases. The difference between CL and VL upscaling is bigger when the injection rate is \(20\,\mathrm {m}^3/\mathrm {day}\). This is due to increased capillary forces in the model. The difference between CM and CMR is small for the VL cases. For CL upscaling the difference is bigger, and CMR gives a better match with the reference solution. This might imply that for our model the upgridding effect is more prominent in CL upscaling. For all cases, we get earlier water breakthrough for CM compared to CMR due to numerical dispersion. If we employ the theory of Welge (1952) for one-dimensional immiscible viscous displacement on the upscaled fractional flow curves in Fig. 14, we would expect earlier water breakthrough for the VL case compared to the CL case. In the viscous dominated case (Fig. 15a) the water breakthrough is similar for all cases. This might imply that the net effect of the rate sensitivity in individual coarse grid cells is small or that the theory of Welge is not appropriate for this scenario. Figure 16 shows, at two different times, the difference in water saturation, \(S_w(\mathbf {x},t)-S_w(\mathbf {x},0)\), for the three models FM, CM CL and CM VL. The coarse models are not able to capture all fine-scale variations, but the water front and the main characteristics are fairly close. There are only minor differences between the CL and VL cases visible from this figure. To study the relative importance of permeability upscaling compared to relative permeability upscaling, the fine model was run with upscaled porosity, permeability and irreducible saturation, see Fig. 17 (denoted FM with \(\tilde{{\mathsf {K}}}\)). For this case we only compare with CMR to remove upgridding effects. We see that FM with \(\tilde{{\mathsf {K}}}\) is almost identical to CMR VL, but differs from CMR CL. This is in accordance with the small capillary forces in the model and indicates that VL upscaling works fairly well. Furthermore, for this model it seems like CL upscaling works as a fortunate correction to the error introduced by permeability upscaling. This example also demonstrates that permeability upscaling is a significant source of error in the upscaled model. However, the CL case shows that relative permeability upscaling is about equally important. Finally, consider CMR, but now with homogeneous relative permeability calculated by upscaling the whole model as one bulk, both in CL and in VL. All parameters other than relative permeability and capillary pressure are equal to those used in CMR. We denote this model by the homogeneous relative permeability model (HRM). In Fig. 18 the water cut for these scenarios with an injection rate of \(200\,\text {m}^3\)/day is shown together with the results from CMR and FM. We observe that the results do not differ significantly. This example illustrates that it might be possible to use homogeneous relative permeability. Steady-state upscaling has been studied on representative three-dimensional models. The correctness of the implemented upscaling procedures was demonstrated by comparing with analytic upscaling results in the capillary and viscous limits. We have further demonstrated that the general steady-state solution converges toward the capillary limit solution as the flow rate tends to zero, and conversely, that it converges toward the viscous limit solution, defined by constancy in fractional flow, as the flow rate increases. This holds for all models we have considered, except for flow along layers with periodic boundary conditions. The convergence may fail to be monotonic for some models, in accordance with results in Virnovsky et al. (2004). The transition from the capillary to the viscous limit solution is shown to occur over several orders of magnitude of the flow rate (or equivalently pressure drop). This substantiate the need for rate-dependent steady-state upscaling in a wide range of flow scenarios. Numerical examples demonstrate that it is of great importance whether the model contains high permeability rock with poor connectivity. If this is present, the convergence from the capillary to viscous limit may fail to be monotonic. A static dimensionless capillary number that models the force balance for transient flow can only be approximate. Still, our proposed scale-dependent capillary number, \(\mathcal {N}\), gives values close to 1 in the transition from capillary to viscous dominated flow for a wide range of models. It is thus much more suitable for this purpose than the traditional (microscopic) capillary number, \(\mathrm {Ca}\). Furthermore, it takes length scale into account, and it is robust and easy to calculate. We have demonstrated that steady-state upscaling is dependent on the choice of boundary conditions (BCs). However, for the realistic section models considered here, the differences were modest. The flow rate is of much greater importance. In the capillary and viscous limits, and with a periodic reservoir model, the results are the same for these two sets of BCs. It should be noted that the differences probably would have been larger if we had considered fully periodic BCs, so that also the boundaries normal to the pressure drop direction are periodic. This is most prominent for models with layers not aligned with the global flow direction. Fully periodic BCs would furthermore produce a full upscaled tensor. An advantage of periodic BCs is that the upscaled saturation is the same at steady state as it was initially. Thus, it is easy to get upscaled relative permeabilities for a uniform distribution of upscaled saturations. One drawback with periodic BCs is that the flow rate can be significantly reduced if the model is not periodic. This is why we have chosen to always mirror the models. Through the REV analysis for the fluvial reservoir models considered herein, we were able to identify an REV for porosity. This is in accordance with similar results in Nordahl et al. (2014). However, we were not able to identify any REV for relative permeability. This suggests that one should use unique upscaled relative permeabilities for each coarse cell. Simulations on the reservoir scale illustrated that our model is viscous dominated for reasonable injection rates. This was also supported by our macroscopic capillary number. Taking into account the effect of permeability upscaling, viscous limit upscaling seems to be appropriate in this viscous dominated scenario. ReservoirStudio\(^{\text {TM}}\) is a proprietary software from Geomodeling, www.geomodeling.com. The Open Porous Media project, http://www.opm-project.org. Reservoir simulation software from Schlumberger\(^\text {TM}\). The research is funded by VISTA—a basic research program funded by Statoil, conducted in close collaboration with The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters. The authors thank Statoil for giving permission to publish this work. The authors also want to thank Atgeirr Flø Rasmussen, Bård Skaflestad and Halvor Møll Nilsen, SINTEF ICT, and Håvard Berland, Statoil, for support and development of the upscaling routines in OPM, and Sindre Hilden, NTNU and SINTEF ICT, for helpful discussions. Finally, the authors are grateful for the thorough and constructive feedback from the Reviewers, which have helped to improve this paper. Correspondence to Lars Hov Odsæter.

https://rd.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11242-015-0573-y

International business relationships aren’t just for big companies anymore! It may seem crazy, but you can run an Etsy shop out of your basement and have customers all around the world! You can have customers buying your products or services overseas and you can have vendors worldwide that you use to create your products or services. While being a small company you may not have a huge need for regular international business, larger companies can save a bundle by not using their bank to handle international money transfers. Whenever you are in business it is important to watch your bottom line and not overpay for products or services, like international money transfers. Having a small, medium or large business and having customers or vendors internationally means you need to send or receive funds through international money transfers. While you can use your bank for these transactions, it is wise to consider other alternatives. Banks charge higher rates than that of companies that specialize in international fund transfers like TransferWise, OFX.com, or MoneyGram.com. While banks are considered to be ‘safe’ ways to transfer funds, many of these other companies are equally as safe and less expensive. There are of course the subtle difference between the big companies and there are articles on the web that can help you understand this aspect better. This comparison, as well as this one or this one, give a bit of insight on the topic. If you are making the same transfers every month for your business you will want to make sure you have an as direct connection as possible to avoid any transfer mishaps. Transfer mishaps may occur because an account is mistyped for either the banking destination or the account destination. If you are sending funds through a bank and they do not have a direct connection with the receiving institution they need to transfer through a third party per SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Transactions) in order to reach the final banking destination. The more paths a wire crosses the more likely it might encounter a snag in its journey. While SWIFT has formalized transfer messaging it is still not the most direct path for international funds transfers. With all the different parties that might be involved in a wire transfer, it has to be screened for fraudulent activity or money laundering which creates a lag in the transfer process. Banks are completely aware of the methods they must use to transfer funds and can use the general public’s lack of knowledge of international funds transfer to their advantage. Why wouldn’t they? Banks are in business to make money. They are not an organization out to educate the general public about all the ways to do a money transfer especially when their way is the most expensive one!? If you ask your bank to do a money transfer for you, they will be more than happy to help! In fact, they might offer to handle all of the small details, like when and where to do the transfer. This little detail can actually cost you money. If you transfer at any one given time during the day you can pay a higher transfer or exchange rate than if you did it during a different time of day. Why would the bank opt to handle the transaction when they would make less of a commission? That isn’t good business for the bank, but it would be good business for their customers. Working with companies like those listed above they specialize in international money transfers and as such, they know how to do the transfer at the most economical time for their customers. Their business model is to create returning customers for wire transfers by offering competitive rates and educating their customers on how they are saving money when using their services. They can save their small and large customers money impacting their bottom lines. When sending money internationally you need to consider a sender fee, receiver fee, and the exchange rate. In general, the larger amount you send the better rate you receive. So a smaller company doing monthly transfers may pay a higher rate than that of a large company sending more money. You would think that sending only a small amount of funds monthly would less expensive than a large organization, however, the overall costs may be less, the percentage of the amount being transferred is generally not. An FX broker will educate their clients on the best time for international transfers of funds. Different times during the day, week or month can have an impact on the cost of the transaction. Having a company who understands these variations in the exchange market is key to saving money not only the first time you do a transfer but for all the times in the future. An FX broker might ask how often you plan on sending funds and if always to the same location and how much. The broker may point out doing one large transfer each month is better than 4 smaller weekly transfers. These types of questions aren’t because they are trying to pry into your business, but because they want to help you and your business save money. Creating a customer who appreciates the cost savings and the time spent educating them on the process can create a returning customer as well as a walking talking billboard for their business. Why Cryptocurrencies Are Important for Your Business Financial Needs?

https://realwealthbusiness.com/international-money-transfers-cheaper-easier/

Story Text: Divers searching the capsized Italian cruise ship Costa Concordia on Sunday (January 15, 2012) found the bodies of two elderly men trapped at an assembly point on the vessel, a coastguard official said. In the early afternoon, scuba divers looking for survivors instead found the bodies of the two men at a gathering point in the submerged part of the ship. "The bodies of two elderly people have been found. They will be identified as soon as possible" said coastguard official Filippo Marini. "It is a sad piece of news to give. Our divers have found themselves with this very sad situation. The bodies are being brought onto the mainland, they are two elderly people found on the third floor in a meeting area section of the ship," he added. With more than 4,000 people on board, the Costa Concordia capsized off Italy's west coast, after hitting a rock and running aground near the island of Giglio, late on Friday (January 13). The discovery of the two bodies brings the death toll for the incident to five. The bodies of two French tourists and one Peruvian crew member were found on Saturday (January 14).

https://reuters.screenocean.com/record/862117

There are a few things that teachers can do to help get their students to focus on reading. One is to make sure that the students are reading material that is at their level. If the students are reading material that is too difficult, they will likely become frustrated and will not want to continue reading. Another thing that teachers can do is to provide students with a variety of different types of books to read. This way, the students will be able to find books that they are interested in and will be more likely to want to read them. Finally, teachers can encourage students to read by providing them with incentives, such as prizes for reading a certain amount of material. How can grade 2 students improve reading skills? How do you motivate a Grade 2 learner to read? -Encouraging the child to read aloud to you on a regular basis. This will help them to practice their reading skills and feel proud of their accomplishments. – letting them choose their own reading material, whether it be books, magazines, or comics. – setting up a regular time for reading, such as before bedtime or after dinner. – taking them to the library or bookstore regularly so they can explore different genres and find new material to read. There are a few things you can do to help students focus on reading. One is to make sure the material is interesting to them. If they are not interested in the material, they are not likely to focus on it. Another thing you can do is to break the material up into smaller chunks. This will help them to focus on one section at a time and not get overwhelmed. Finally, you can have them read aloud. This will help them to focus on the words and not get distracted. How do I get my 2 year old interested in reading? There is no one answer to this question as every child is different. However, there are some general tips that may be helpful in getting your child interested in reading. First, try to make reading time fun and interactive by reading together and talking about the story. You can also try incorporating reading into daily routines such as bedtime or mealtimes. Additionally, try to provide a variety of reading materials such as books, magazines, or comics that are interesting to your child. Finally, praise your child’s efforts and encourage them to keep reading! What motivates students to focus on their reading? How reading helps develop an advanced vocabulary and comprehension?

https://sbooks.org/faq/how-to-get-2-grade-students-to-focus-on-reading/

It doesn’t matter if you’re a driver or not, it is important to know your rights should you be ever involved in a butler semi truck accident lawyer-truck accident. If you believe you’ve been involved in a semi Truck Accident attorney in roselle-truck collision, it is important to contact an attorney right away. An experienced lawyer can assist you in protecting your rights and secure the compensation you deserve. Numerous state and federal laws regulate the maintenance of commercial vehicles. Some of these laws require regular truck inspections and repairs. You could be able to start a lawsuit in order to recover damages when your vehicle fails to meet these standards. Regular maintenance is essential to ensure that commercial vehicles are safe to use and does not cause serious injury to passengers or drivers. A well-maintained truck is able to prevent catastrophic damage from mechanical failure or failure to secure cargo. Inability to maintain a big commercial vehicle can cause it to veer into other laneways and cause injury. It is possible for companies to delay or not make necessary repairs. This can result in dangerous situations for other drivers. A competent legal professional can investigate the underlying causes of an accident and seek compensation from the parties accountable. A semi truck accident attorney In franklin truck is an intricate machine with a lot of moving parts. It could be life-threatening if an accident happens. This is particularly true if the brakes fail. This can cause the car driver’s to drift into a different direction or collide with a vehicle. A thorough examination is the best method to ensure that a truck is in top shape. This includes inspecting the brake system, wheels and other components. The ideal time to have a east alton semi truck accident lawsuit truck checked is prior to or after-trip, since it will give you the most understanding of what caused the accident. One of the most important things to keep in mind is not to put off fixing your vehicle. The longer you put off repairs longer, the more damage you will cause. A personal injury attorney can assist you in securing your truck and take care of any repairs should it be involved in an accident. While this may sound overwhelming, it is essential to consult with a lawyer in the event that you’ve been involved in an accident with truck drivers. You could be entitled to substantial compensation for your injuries due to the complexity of the law. Every year thousands of truckers are involved in truck accidents due to fatigue. These accidents can be avoided if motorists recognize the signs and take necessary steps to avoid them. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has made multiple rules to prevent fatigued driving. The regulations are intended to prevent deaths from truck accidents. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) also conducted a study that examined 12,000 commercial truck accidents over a period of three years. It found that a trucker’s fatigue was the primary factor in thirteen percent of the trucking crashes. These drivers are more likely to lose control of their vehicle. They are also more likely to speed, drift recklessly and merge in a hurry without paying attention. If you see a driver exhibit these behaviors slow down and get out of the way. You may also report the driver to law enforcement. Many intersections, gas stations, and hotels have surveillance cameras that record driver behavior. These cameras can be used to detect any signs of fatigue. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) sets limits on the hours that truckers can drive. Drivers are required to stop for 30 minutes in the first eight hours of their duty. The rules on hours of service were created to lessen fatigue among truckers. However there are truckers who are under pressure from their employers to make pickups or deliveries quicker. To meet deadlines, they often drive while asleep. Drivers who are fatigued can affect their judgment, just like driving under the influence. Accidents involving trucks are usually caused by inattention. They also have a reduced ability to manage their actions. The fatigue of drivers is increased due to the size and weight of the large trucks. They can weigh as much as an 80,000-pound weight. These huge, heavy trucks can smash a car in less than one second. They are a dangerous threat to everyone on the road. If you suspect that a driver is driving drunk, you should stop the car at a safe distance and call law enforcement. If you can prove drunken driving, the trucker may be held responsible for the incident. The law of product liability can assist you in getting back your losses, no matter if you were involved in a vehicle accident or one involving trucks. A skilled product liability lawyer will help you maximize your financial recovery. If you’ve suffered injuries through a defective automobile or part, you may be able to file a lawsuit based on product liability against the manufacturer. If you’re in the right situations, you may be able to claim compensation for medical expenses, lost wages and other losses. You may be able to get compensation for lost profits if you are a business owner. There are three basic categories of products that can cause an action for product liability including consumer products, commercial goods, and industrial products. You must be able to prove that the following is true before you file a claim: a) the product is defective or defective, in addition,) the defect was caused due to negligence on the part of the manufacturer, and c) the defect is the cause of the injury. A product liability claim is also a great option to obtain compensation for an accident that is not your fault. The most important element of this kind of claim is to show that the defendant was negligent in the creation or production of the defective item. A seasoned lawyer for product liability is the best way to determine if the case is meritorious. This will guarantee you the highest amount of compensation. A minor design flaw in the construction of a heavy equipment piece can result in a collision that is catastrophic and expensive to repair. Manufacturing processes that fail and assembly lines can cause defective products. A mass recall or implied warranty of merchantability may be used to file a product liability claim. This means that the product is supposed perform as advertised when it’s used for its intended purpose. Design is the initial step in the creation of an item. A good product design must have a few key elements such as a reliable manufacturing process in place; b) proper packaging as well as in addition,) a warning and d) properly secured loads. There are a variety of factors that can cause sideswipe accidents. Sideswipe accidents could be caused by driver fatigue as well as lane changes or the driver’s inability see the vehicle ahead of them. It is recommended to contact an attorney right away if have been in a side-swipe collision. Victims of these crashes could be afflicted with serious injuries. They can result in permanent disabilities, spinal cord damage and traumatic brain injuries. Depending on the severity your injuries, you may be eligible for compensation through your own insurance provider or the one of the at-fault party. These types of accidents may occur during merging, lane changes, or attempts to make a turn. Apart from the danger of losing control of your vehicle, you could be liable for significant damage to your vehicle. Additionally, Semi Truck Accident Attorney In Franklin a sideswipe collision can be a leading cause of rollovers, spin-outs and accidents in high-profile vehicles. Drivers often do not check their blind spots before changing lanes. In actuality, modern commercial trucks are equipped with blind spot warning systems. There is still the possibility of you being involved in a side-swipe collision. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) examined accidents that occurred during lane changes to discover why they happen. They found that drivers frequently fail to examine their rearview mirrors, and also the area ahead of them. Another factor that increases the likelihood of an accident involving a sideswipe is variations in size between the vehicles involved. The damage to a larger truck may be more serious if the driver of a smaller vehicle collides with one. The bigger bumpers and bumper reinforcements of a truck may also cause more damage to a small vehicle. In addition to the physical pain of a sideswipe crash the victims are often affected by emotional trauma. They could also be faced with financial losses such as a late paycheck. Eyewitness testimony is the most effective way to determine who was responsible for a side swipe accident. Photographs of the damage could also be used to aid accident reconstructionists identify who is at the fault.

https://scottdewoody.com/2023/01/24/one-key-trick-everybody-should-know-the-one-semi-truck-accident-compensation-trick-every-person-should-know/

If you’re looking for a way to get your nicotine fix, but don’t want to turn to traditional cigarettes or e-cigarettes, then Delta 8 gummy strips might be right up your alley. The nicotine delivery system is made from food grade ingredients and doesn’t contain any chemicals that could harm your health. Delta 8 gummies are the best thc gummies non-nicotine option available on Amazon. Unlike other forms of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), Delta 8 gummies are not FDA approved. However, they can help people quit smoking by delivering nicotine without the harmful side effects associated with most NRT products. As with all types of nicotine, Delta 8 gummies offer temporary relief from cravings, but they don’t replace the need for long-term nicotine addiction treatment. You should also note that Delta 8 gummies may not be appropriate for everyone who wants to stop smoking. If you have certain medical conditions, such as heart disease or diabetes, you should check with your doctor before starting to use any type of nicotine product. Although Delta 8 gummies aren’t currently FDA approved, they’re still considered safe. The brand has been around since 2006 and has received over 1 million customer reviews on Amazon. It’s also been featured in popular magazines like GQ. In this article, we explain what Delta 8 gummies are, how they work, and whether they’re legally available in the United States. We also provide some information about the potential risks and benefits of using them. Delta 8 gummies are manufactured by a company called “Deltaropharm.” They’re made from real fruit extract, which contains natural sugars and flavors. Unlike many gummies, these ones also contain nicotine. They come in three different flavors: cherry, grapefruit, and lime. Each strip is 3 mg of nicotine per piece. This amount is equivalent to one pack of cigarettes. Each package contains 12 pieces, which equals 36 mg of nicotine. This means that each gummy strip delivers about 0.1 mg of nicotine, which is roughly half of an average cigarette. The gummy strips are packaged individually and come enclosed in plastic wrappers. However, they can be stored in a refrigerator and keep their freshness for up to six months. Delta 8 gummies are made with only four ingredients – fruit juice, sucralose, glycerin, and nicotine. There are no artificial colors or preservatives in the gummy strips. They also do not contain any sugar alcohols or synthetic flavoring agents. Delta 8 gummies deliver nicotine through the mouth. When you bite down on a strip, it releases a small amount of liquid into your mouth. You can feel the nicotine spreading throughout your body after chewing. As with other forms of NRT, Delta 8 gummies temporarily relieve cravings and withdrawal symptoms. But unlike other forms of nicotine replacement, Delta 8 gummies also stimulate the release of dopamine in your brain. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter and hormone that gives you feelings of pleasure. When you start taking Delta 8 gummies, you experience a pleasant sensation. These sensations continue until you finish a full strip. Once you swallow the last remaining piece, your body absorbs the rest of the nicotine. Although the process takes a few minutes, it usually feels more like a few seconds. Afterward, you will feel calm and relaxed. Delta 8 gummies are best used when you’ve already started quitting smoking. Even if you smoke every day, you shouldn’t start taking them until you’ve already completed several weeks of nicotine abstinence. It’s important to remember that even though Delta 8 gummies don’t contain tobacco, they are still addictive. Some users report feeling jittery, anxious, and irritable after finishing a full strip. In addition, you may experience dry mouth, nausea, or dizziness. Some users find that their hands shake while chewing or that they have trouble concentrating. Is Delta 8 gummies illegal? Yes, Delta 8 gummies are banned under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). Under the CSA, gummy strips are classified as schedule I drugs because they contain nicotine. Schedule I drugs are defined as substances that have a high potential for abuse, have no accepted medical uses, and are illegal to possess, distribute, or manufacture. As a result, Delta 8 gummies cannot be sold online or in stores. You won’t find them anywhere except at a pharmacy. The good news is that Delta 8 gummies have never been reported to cause any negative health impacts or deaths. Even so, you should always consult a physician before starting to use any type of nicotine replacement therapy. If you have certain medical conditions or take prescription medications, you should definitely talk to your doctor before taking gummy strips. Can Delta 8 gummies give me cancer? No. Delta 8 gummies are not carcinogenic. They are just like any other form of nicotine replacement, including patches and gum. However, there are some potential dangers associated with using Delta 8 gummies. They can increase your risk of developing cardiovascular problems. Delta 8 gummies deliver nicotine to your bloodstream. Nicotine is a stimulant, which increases your blood pressure and heart rate. It can also affect your liver and pancreas, which can lead to damage. Delta 8 gummies can interfere with the absorption of other medications. For instance, if you’re taking antidepressants, anticoagulants, or seizure medicines, you should talk to your doctor first before using these gummies. Delta 8 gummies can make you feel nauseous, dizzy, or anxious. This can happen especially if you combine them with alcohol or caffeine. If you feel like you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, try to take them slowly and avoid mixing them with other drugs. Delta 8 gummies can interact with other medications. Don’t stop taking any medications without talking to your doctor first. There’s no specific timeframe that indicates you should quit smoking. Most experts recommend that you plan to stop within two weeks. During this time, you should cut down on smoking as much as possible and avoid situations where you would normally light up. After that, you can gradually reduce the number of cigarettes you smoke each day. At first, you can try cutting back to one pack every two days. Eventually, you can reduce that to one pack per week. Once you reach the point where you can’t handle another cigarette, you should completely quit. If you’re worried about your physical and mental health, you should consider getting counseling. A qualified smoking cessation expert can help you figure out how to quit, including setting realistic goals, avoiding triggers, and identifying coping strategies.

https://scrambl3.com/the-potential-risks-and-benefits-of-using-thc-gummies/

At all times the student of Christian Science should be aware of the infinite nature of God's power and presence. This is especially true at present, when there appeals to be such instability in world affairs. It is therefore imperative that we understand and hold to the truth contained in the following statement written by Mary Baker Eddy in the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 379): "The real jurisdiction of the world is in Mind, controlling every effect and recognizing all causation as vested in divine Mind." God is Mind, eternal and infinite good, and both cause and effect are embodied in His allness. Good must be unfolding in a way but dimly understood by humanity, which sees only the material events that are daily taking place. The fact that good is operating at all times was made clear by the Master, Christ Jesus, when he spoke of wars and commotions and the distress of nations and followed with this arresting command (Luke 21:28): "When these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh." The counsel that we look up and lift up our heads is to Christian Scientists a positive warning that here and now we must claim for ourselves the spiritual sense of being and the clear understanding that "the real jurisdiction of the world is in Mind."

https://sentinel.christianscience.com/issues/1951/8/53-34/the-jurisdiction-of-the-world

Blessed with many wonderful beaches, Skopelos island offers visitors crystal waters and beaches with exotic beauty. Whoever visits Velanio Beach will encounter crystal turquoise waters, white pebbles and pine trees that literally reach the water. It is located in the southern part of Skopelos while being away from Skopelos Town (Chora) about 7 minutes by car. If you wish to visit the beach, you should firstly cross Stafilos Beach and then follow a pathway. Although the access is not so easy, this enchanting beach will surely reward those who will give it a try. Velanio beach is the only one in Skopelos which has been characterized as nudist beach. However, people who do not like to go nudism visit the beach as well, as it is one of the most popular beaches. On the right of Velanio Beach, there is a beautiful cave where water drips from the rocks at its edge. This is a sign that in this location, there were indeed baths during the Roman era (“βαλανείον” (valanion) = baths in ancient Greek). Swimming in turquoise waters overlooking the dense pine forest is amazing. Finally, once the sun sets and the visitors are fewer, goats are descending to the edge of the beach to drink water. Agios Ioannis (St. John) is one of the most beautiful spots in Skopelos. This picturesque chapel became famous thanks to the wedding ceremony scene of the movie “Mamma Mia”. Just below the imposing rock that dominates the chapel, there is a small and idyllic, hidden beach with crystal clear waters. Agios Ioannis Kastri Beach is located in the northeastern side of Skopelos. It is about 30 km away from Chora and it will take 40-45 minutes by car. From Glossa of Skopelos, it is just 8 km away. The road ends just under the rock where there is also a canteen that is open during the summer season. Many boats arrive at the beach in a daily basis with an abundance of people disembarking. Ideally, it is worth using these boats if you wish to swim in its unique waters as the access to this beach is quite difficult, mainly for families with children. All beaches in Skopelos island are unique! Just ask for more information at the Reception of our hotels and choose the one that suits you best!

https://skopeloshotels.eu/beaches-in-skopelos-island-velanio-kastri/

Carolina Ortiz is a certified financial planner who works out of Mercer Island, Washington, who has 10 years of financial industry experience. Ortiz is an employee of Northwest Asset Management. The advisor has gained experience at Mission Federal Credit Union, Cuso Financial Services, Lp, Usaa Financial Advisors, Inc, Usaa Financial Planning Services, Reboot/Nvtsi, Usaa Investment Management Company and Northwest Asset Management. Ortiz holds Series 63 and Series 66 licenses, which qualify them as a securities agent, and is registered to work in California, Texas and Washington. Northwest Asset Management is a financial advisory business headquartered in Mercer Island, Washington. The firm has offices in 34 locations and a total of 53 advisors. It administers $3 billion in assets across its 8,139 client accounts, placing it among the largest investment advisory firms in the nation by assets under management. The firm advises six charities and foundations. Of its 8,139 client accounts, 28% are associated with high-net-worth investors who have greater than $1 million in investable assets. Northwest Asset Management provides a number of services, such as financial planning services, portfolio management for individuals and small businesses, pension consulting services and educational seminars. Financial management fee schedules largely vary depending on which services the firm provides the client. Fees billed by Northwest Asset Management may include some combination of asset-based, hourly and fixed fees. Carolina has 10 years of experience. Carolina Ortiz has no disclosures.

https://smartadvisormatch.com/advisor-network/washington/carolina-ortiz-4571486

Today it is difficult to find a smartphone, laptop or tablet that does not support a wireless Wi-Fi network. However, users often have difficulties with signal stability. The wireless modem basically has a signal receiving and transmitting radius of 30 m. Usually, difficulties with poor wireless network reception can be solved at home. The appearance of interference can be caused by such factors as: large metal, reinforced concrete structures, thick walls, interference from radio signals from other devices using wireless frequencies (mobile phones, microwave ovens). In this regard, the most effective methods were selected on how to strengthen the Wi-Fi signal. Is it possible to boost the Wi-Fi signal? Amount of interference, etc. The method of amplifying the Wi-Fi signal will depend on the specific case. In any situation, when choosing a router, you need to take into account the area. For a 1-room apartment, a budget model with 1 antenna with a power of 3 dBi is suitable. For a larger area, you need to choose a more powerful design. However, in some cases, even the most modern technology will produce a weak signal, but there is an opportunity to improve it. Before you start strengthening the Wi-Fi router, it is recommended to check the connection speed using special software. How to strengthen the signal of a Wi-Fi router in an apartment and a private house? Any dwelling is often equipped with a sufficient number of modern appliances, which are controlled by push-button systems and electronic applications. Recently, it has become popular to use mobile software to turn on a vacuum cleaner, TV controlled via Wi-Fi. Due to a weak signal, “smart” devices may not respond well to remote control or lose some of their capabilities. Then the internal question appears, is it possible to amplify the signal in domestic conditions. This is more than realistic, and there are many ways to do this. Consider the most popular methods. A fairly simple way to amplify the signal is to install more powerful antennas. The new elements do not extend the radius across multiple rooms. This method will not be a very effective solution to the problem for those who have a lot of “dead” accurate, but it is useful in situations where you need to slightly increase the signal. When using this option, it is recommended to select models with an 8 dBi amplifier. Their cost is comparable to the purchase of a repeater. Important! It is incorrect to judge the range of the antenna. Such an indicator will depend on the design, on the installation site, and the number of obstacles. When in the field an ordinary router with a standard antenna transmits a signal at 50-100 m, then in a concrete building there are difficulties with communication in the process of moving to an adjacent room. A useful way to improve the signal is to change the Wi-Fi transmit power. The router settings provide for a change in performance. Usually, during the installation of the router, the maximum allowable performance level is indicated, but it is useful to check this item again. Sometimes during installation, the power may be set to an order of magnitude lower. Open the “Wireless Network” tab. Then select “Professional”. At the bottom, find the line “Tx Power transmission power control”. On the right side is a scale where it is possible to assess the degree of power. If it is not at the maximum, then it is worth scrolling it all the way. In TP-Link routers, first open the “Wireless” tab, then the “Wireless Advanced” menu and select the “Transmit Power” section. Here set the option “High”. However, this line is not available in all router models. Many connection points operate in the 2.4 GHz band. At this frequency, baby monitors, surveillance systems, some Bluetooth devices, etc. operate. The signal will be weak when a large number of such devices are operating. You will need to replace devices or turn them off while using Wi-Fi. In order to find out which products are interfering with network traffic, it is recommended to turn off the devices one by one and monitor the changes. In such a situation, by elimination, you can find out what caused the weak signal. Few instruments operate at 5 GHz. This indicator is changed in the settings. If there is no such item, you need to purchase a new router. In most cases, to improve Wi-Fi signal reception, you just need to move the router to another point. You just need to find a higher and more comfortable place for the device. You should find a place away from cordless phones, microwave ovens. Important! When reinstalling your router, keep in mind that walls are the main obstacle to a wireless network. The signal will be better if you install the product in the middle of a large room and higher. It is not recommended to place the router on the floor. For good signal propagation, the absence of obstacles and interference in space is necessary. In open areas, coverage will be large enough and with high quality. However, in rooms with reinforced concrete walls, furniture and, above all, sources of magnetic radiation, the waves will be repelled by a large number of obstacles. Of course, not all factors have the same level of influence on signal quality. Amateur radio equipment for on-air broadcasting. Routers are capable of operating on channels 1 to 11. Selecting a different stream allows the device to create a strong signal between all wireless devices. This is necessary when other routers are used within the range of the connection point. They are able to create excessive load on the channel and reduce the range of network reception. To change the channel, you will need to open the router settings and select one of the options: set “Auto” or try to turn on the number yourself. Before that, you can test the signal quality on various channels in order to connect a less loaded one. The task can be made easier thanks to the “inSSIDer” software. For example, in TP-Link brand routers, you need to open “Settings”, then “Wireless Mode” and select a channel. Switching to a different frequency is also an effective method to improve your Wi-Fi signal. Quite often, routers use the 2.4 GHz band, which is inherent in old devices with one weak antenna. However, even with the advent of modern technology, most manufacturers have left the parameter in the same range, but not more than 3 GHz. This allows older Wi-Fi receivers to function normally. When the router provides a larger frequency range for selection, it is recommended to set the frequency to 5 GHz or use hybrid mode, which will make it possible to significantly improve the reception quality and coverage area. The most effective method by which it is possible to improve the quality of Wi-Fi with your own hands is to buy a repeater. It is also called a repeater or repeater. Such a device will receive a signal from the router and distribute it further. The device is installed where there is practically no connection, but not completely. Instead of a repeater, it is possible to configure 2 routers. This method has only one drawback – financial costs. You will need to purchase an additional product – directly a repeater or a second router. Important! The place of installation of the repeater should be selected taking into account the layout of the dwelling. When this is a large 1-story building and the signal is interrupted in distant rooms, then the device should be installed in places closer to dead spots. For tall buildings, a different approach will be needed – a router will be installed on the 2nd floor, and a repeater directly on the 1st floor. For the update period, the router is connected to the PC directly by wire. You should select a working version of the software. You will need to write out the number and series of the device from the sticker. Then this data is entered on the developer’s website. While the firmware is being flashed, the router is disconnected from the network. If the required file has already been downloaded, you need to open the “Update” section in the menu. Next, select the desired file and start the process. Important! Most modern devices independently find the right version of the software. When it appears in the public domain, the router will report this. In the process of setting up the router, it is mandatory to set a password. Otherwise, your neighbors may connect to it. This will significantly degrade the reception quality. In addition, you can take additional security measures, for example, use the WPA / WPA-2 protocol instead of the standard WEP. You should open the “Wireless Mode” and select the “Wireless Security” function. Ideally, it is best to purchase a more powerful receiving device. Routers, like other technology, become obsolete over time, as the Internet develops rapidly. Providers increase the speed and volume of processed data. Older routers often can’t handle this load. In addition, the purchase of a router will be justified when you need to switch to a frequency of 5 GHz. Buying a simple router will not solve signal problems. The article discusses the most effective methods that improve Wi-Fi signal and increase coverage. However, the quality and condition of the equipment used should also be taken into account. For example, when, after the manipulations, the signal level on the phone remained the same, the problem is probably in the Wi-Fi module itself and the antenna.

https://techaisa.com/11-ways-to-boost-your-wi-fi-router-signal-quickly-and-easily/

Dancing for the Rockettes: Fro.. NEXT: 6 Tips to Stress Less and Blis.. When I moved to New York City I inherited the clients of heralded instructor Phoebe Higgins after she departed her studio, and I was in store for some humble schooling. While in Chicago I was accustomed to teaching individual clients, duets, trios, Mat, and Tower Classes. Upon my move to NYC, I was teaching in five different neighborhoods, seven days a week, and sharing the floor alongside some extremely dynamic teachers. I recall watching clients come in for their Semi-private sessions, and I was baffled by the scenarios in front of me. Clients were assigned an apparatus of choice (or what was available). Two to four clients were in the same session performing different exercises at the same time. I remember thinking I had no intention of teaching like that. My schedule was plain and simple: Privates, Mat, and Tower Classes. My situation became different as I began walking into a Semi-private shift twice a week. Previously, I had been used to having Reformers, Cadillacs, Towers, Mats, and all other smaller apparatus grouped throughout the studio. Upon my arrival at the studio in Midtown East, where Phoebe once taught, I will never forget that Tuesday at 7 am. I had 2 clients at 7 am, another at 7:30 am, two more at 8 am, and one at 8:30 am, and it continued from there. By the time 11 am rolled up I had seen 10-11 clients. I recall being in the training room with my face in my hands, I was exhausted. I remember having knots in my stomach on my way to those shifts. The anatomy of the Midtown Studio was something I was not used to. There were two Reformers together in one section, only one Tower in between two Mats, another two Reformers on the opposite side, and one Cadillac with the smaller apparatus spread throughout the room. To me, that setup was not cohesive. I had to use all my former waiter and bartender skills to get me through these shifts. It created eyes behind my head. Months later I spoke to Pilates legend Bob Liekens with frustration about not wanting to teach Semi-privates, his response (as always) was stern. He reminded me that Mr. Pilates did not have a certification program. He further explained that Mr. Pilates gave the go when he thought someone was ready to teach, that Mr. Pilates never demonstrated, that Mr. Pilates was not interested in talking in sessions with minimal instruction, and that the clients in the original studio (Joe’s Gym) knew their regimen. After reading John Steel’s The Caged Lion, Bob’s words were supported. From that point on, I went from teaching Semi-privates twice a week to all the time. I had finally realized the importance of teaching multi-levels, on different pieces of apparatus, within their levels, at the same time. In the beginning, teaching Semi-privates felt like tackling madness, so I had to take a step back. To do so I had to respect the method. Once I nailed it down it became fun and profitable. To teach in this scenario, working according to the anatomy of your studio is key. The question “what apparatus do you have available to you?” must be at the forefront of your mind. I was able to create eyes behind my head, which allowed me to monitor different practices in this scenario, which started with 2 people. One was a beginner and one intermediate, and from there I added on. There was one situation where I had 4 clients and had to cover for a teacher who had an emergency, so I ended up with 7 full Reformers. Keep in mind it was not a Reformer Group class, and I turned it into a Semi-private. I remember having to step back, not only give myself a bird’s eye view, but to also allow me to create complex cueing when I wasn’t available for hands-on instruction, which then helped nurture my assertive eye or “the eyes behind my head”.

https://thecore.balancedbody.com/the-lost-art-of-teaching-semi-privates-part-1/

Three, two, one… Happy New Year! It feels like in that moment the world pauses. Everything comes to a complete stop waiting for the final countdown of the year. One of the few moments in life where time feels still. Some people worry about who they will be kissing, where they will be celebrating, what they will be wearing or even what they will be drinking. Ringing in the new year with a chronic illness has some similarities but makes you question your life more than ever. I’d like to share my three main thoughts on New Year’s as an autoimmune disease warrior; I am sure many of you can relate. 1. It’s already been another year… Another year sick, another year spent with doctors, waiting in offices, worried and still not far along enough on this path I’m on. It’s another year of being poked, scanned, biopsied and prodded at. Most of all, another year I’m still not “better” (even though there is no cure to my illness) and I’m still in so much pain. 2. What have I accomplished? Living with a chronic illness comes with a cost, a high one. It means that no matter what you do your illness ends up interfering in your life, causing you to feel two steps forward and one step back. Maybe I could move or try something new and exciting? I would like to have reached farther in my career, not had so many sick days. I dream of making a difference in the world. And I feel like I get a huge smack in the face from reality saying you just missed 365 opportunities where you could have made a difference in the world we live in today. definitely wouldn’t recommended by the doctor and on my medication, it simply cannot happen. I see so many friends on their first, second or third child. I am still at zero. Since I’ve gotten married the only thing that has changed is my sickness has gotten worse. In return, it seems as if my personal relationships have not gotten better, just stale. I stay home as much as possible and become less social because of pain. I want to press the play button and not be stuck anymore. I know this might sound extremely negative and I’m not practicing being “positive” like many people suggest I do. But I’d rather be honest. Honest with myself and those around me. I do plan to change for the better in this new year. But I won’t make a ridiculous amount of promises just to let myself down. I simply want to say I will be better. Anything past that will just simply be a plus. I plan on becoming the best version of me possible. I will put myself and my health first. I will do my very best to look at life in a different way. I might not share the same New Year’s resolutions like other people, and that’s OK! But one thing I will not stop doing is fighting. The one thing I will feel this new year throughout all my fears and anxieties is grateful. I am truly grateful I’m still here. I’m grateful – life has chewed me up, spit me back out and I still find courage to get up and fight again. I’m learning to be strong. I’m learning more about my illnesses, I’m learning what truly matters the most in life and I’m learning more about who I am. To practice being positive: 2018 will be the year we all become stronger.

https://themighty.com/topic/lupus/new-year-thoughts-lupus/

Former Manchester United defender, Gary Neville has criticized Antony after the forward struggled to make an impact in the 3-2 defeat to Arsenal. Antony, who arrived from Ajax for £90m last summer, was replaced by Fred in the 71st minute of the game. Neville has said it was disappointing that Antony had to go off. He also admitted United’s attacking options cannot be compared to Arsenal’s. “I want to see a little bit more from Antony, to be honest with you. £90 million signing. “I think that to have to take him off is a disappointment because you’d like to think that like Martinelli and Saka, who are also young players, Rashford and Antony could have been the ones on the other side of it that could have counter-attacked for United,” Neville said on The Gary Neville Podcast. Antony has scored only three league goals for United since he arrived at Old Trafford.

https://thepledge.ng/youve-not-played-to-your-90m-price-tag-neville-blasts-man-united-star-antony/

Now, my brain is a single node in a network of nodes. Information passes in, and out, and through it, all the time. Every day I’m asked for the answers to all kinds of questions, and every day I ask different questions of others. I provide opinions. Others provide them back. I can ask individuals by email or I can ask the world via a website. Why hold it all in my head? It would be impossible to do so anyway, but why bother? If I want to know anything, I just need to ask the web. - The Hutchinson Encyclopedia in Full Colour 9th Edition 1990. hardback. pp 1,241. Very heavy. Haven't opened it since the kids grew up. - Good Housekeeping Family Health Encyclopedia: the complete modern reference book for the home. 1989. Hardly ever looked at it anyway and certainly don't need it now there is so much updated medical information online. - Everywoman's Medical Handbook. 1988. To be honest, this was never very useful. I plan to do the BookCrossing thing at some point and release some books into the wild, but I never seem to be able to organise myself and the right book to be in the right place at the right time. Giving away books in public seems to be quite complicated!

https://travelsinvirtuality.typepad.com/helloworld/2004/03/googling_for_fa.html

Dinesh Karthik, a veteran batsman, has said that Team India is capable of fielding two or even three teams due to the large number of choices that are now accessible. The 37-year-old is one of the numerous players who, in recent years, have been granted the chance to compete for India’s white-ball teams. On the strength of his outstanding performance in the IPL 2022, DK was invited back into the T20I team. On the other hand, several young players, such as Arshdeep Singh, Deepak Hooda, Avesh Khan, and Umran Malik, amongst others, have recently made their debuts on the international stage. There are two reasons why these up-and-coming stars have possibilities. The first is that India has been taking it easy on its star players as of late; the second is that India’s think tank wants to test out some new players in preparation for the Twenty20 World Cup. A Twenty20 International series consisting of five matches is presently being played between India and West Indies. Karthik discussed the fierce fight for positions. Karthik said that the 15 players who were chosen would have a significant amount of burden on their shoulders, and he acknowledged that several players may be unfortunate to be left out of the T20 World Cup. At the last Twenty20 World Cup, which was held in the UAE, India was not able to go beyond the quarterfinals. They suffered defeat in both of their first matches, one to Pakistan and the other to New Zealand, which virtually ended their chances of winning the ICC competition.

https://trendycricket.com/dinesh-karthik-talks-about-breaking-the-jinx-in-icc-tournaments/

Obituary of Billy Earl Higginbotham, Sr. Mr. Billy Earl Higginbotham, Sr., of Ragland, Alabama passed away on Wednesday, January 18, 2023. In 1939, Billy was born to Woodrow and Stella Higginbotham and grew up in Ragland, Alabama where he attended Ragland High School. He served his nation in the United States Army where he was stationed at Ford Hood, Texas. While in the Army, he participated in Operation BIG LIFT in Germany and Operation Silver Hand in the Mojave Desert. In July 1963, Billy Earl married Bertha Faye Kay and they were married for almost sixty years at the time of his passing. Billy and Bertha moved back to Ragland, Alabama after his military service. He worked for Goodyear Retread Tires in Birmingham, Alabama and was later hired at the National Cement Plant in Ragland. Billy worked for National Cement until his retirement in 2001. When not working, he loved to spend time hunting, fishing, and golfing. Billy also was a faithful Christian and was ordained as a deacon by the Ragland Freewill Baptist Church on August 16, 1969. He was preceded in death by his mother, Stella McCoy; father, Woodrow Higginbotham; brothers, Leonard Higginbotham and Laverne Higginbotham; granddaughter, Jennifer Ann White; in-laws, Luther and Emma Jean Kay; and nephew, Brian Higginbotham. He is survived by his wife, Bertha Faye Higginbotham; children, Elaine Bean (Johnny), Lavinia Gallups (Steve) and Billy Higginbotham, Jr.; grandchildren, Russell Bean, Emily Kelly (Eamonn), Heather Scott (Brian) and Rachael Layfield (Andy); great-grandchildren, Brody Bean, Dylan Bean, Eryn Kelly, Eoin Kelly, Eason Kelly, Madison Phillips, Melody Layfield and Alexis Layfield; brother, Wayne Richards (Bonnie); and several nieces and nephews. The family will receive friends from 5:00 pm until 7:00 pm on Thursday, January 26, 2023, at Usrey Funeral Home – Pell City. A funeral service honoring his life will be held at Usrey Funeral Home – Pell City at 11:00 am on Friday, January 27, 2023 with Bro. Steve Gallups officiating. Interment will follow the funeral service at St. Clair Memorial Gardens. Condolences may be offered online at www.usreyfuneralhome.com. Usrey Funeral Home of Pell City is assisting the family. Billy Higginbotham, Sr.

https://usreyfuneralhome.com/tribute/details/4163/Billy-Higginbotham-Sr/obituary.html

Jimmy Mambo Parasailing is a specialist parasailing company. This adventurous activity uses a specially modified parachute that holds two people, designed to carry them up and over the sea for several metres, propelled by a launch that serves as a platform for take-off and landing. Trips usually take place in the area of Ses Variades, where watching the sun set is a unique experience in a truly spectacular setting. While in flight, theparasailors, comfortably strapped in with their harnesses, can enjoy the amazing views and capture these magical moments forever with their photographs and video recordings.

https://visit.santantoni.net/en/empresas/jimmy-mambo-parasailing/