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Preferred Ruleset
I keep thinking about starting a few new D&D games from scratch, and I go back and forth about which ruleset to use. Frankly, I have a complete block on the issue, and I totally can't settle on being happy with any one ruleset anymore. It's kind of like a torture. :) Here's what it seems to boil down to -- consider the classic D&D division into material for Players, Judges, and Monsters (i.e., PHB, DMG, MM; or in OD&D, original Volumes 1, 2, and 3):
3E is Best for Players. I think the designers of 3E really took a huge leap forward with the mechanics for player-character creation. Frankly, I love the system and feel totally spoiled by it. I really like having a clean and unified chart for ability scores. I love the unified XP chart and simple, open, additive multiclassing (personally, I would reduce things down to the four core classes, and let multiclassing take care of all the combinative options). I love the feat system to death (although I think there are generally too many feats to manage in play -- I'd reduce it to class bonus feats only to make it manageable, very easily done).
3E has all kinds of potential for game-mastery, being reducible to a very small number of races and classes, with multitudes of combinations available via the feat and multiclassing options. One thing I don't like is the fiddly skill-point system (I'd cut it out or use UA's simplified variant). As an aside, I'm coming to the opinion that any point-based character system feels fussy and broken to me (such as for abilities, skills, spell resorvoirs, psionics, magic item creation, etc.)
OD&D is Best for Judges & Monsters. But that said, trying to actually run a game of 3E is a huge complicated mess for me. Resolving everyone's individual initiative order, laying out battlemaps for every fight, all the combat options and action types and AOOs and complex spells, opposed skill checks for everything, etc., is a big crushing time sink. I would so much rather use OD&D's simple system for surprise, initiative, searching, and combat.
The first thing I'm coming around to is that the worst mistake the 3E designers may have made is to make the monster mechanics fully an extended superset of the PC mechanics. If the players just have one PC each, but the DM preps and runs scores of monsters per session, it really makes sense to have different resolution fidelity (think level-of-detail) to make things easier for the DM. All prior versions of D&D did that, but 3E booted the idea as insufficient. Monster statistics now run a full page each in official adventures; many DMs personally find they can fudge details, but there's no agreed-upon standard for what goes and what stays. There's really no advantage to tracking all the skills, feats, languages, ability scores, hit point adjustments, damage bonuses, save modifiers, etc. for every single monster (how often would players truly notice any difference?) The worst case-study is when the designers decided that the rules implied that independent grapple scores had to be tracked for every single monster and inserted them as yet another new line in the 3.5 MM (an alternative would be to create a simple system based solely on Hit Dice, or just match primary attack scores, etc.).
My preference for monsters would be a version like OD&D where everything has a integral number of Hit Dice, attacks, and damage dice (i.e., no bother distinguishing between different damage die types, ranges, or plus-modifiers; just 1 or 2 or 3 dice of damage, the end).
A side note is how much better the treasure system is in OD&D/AD&D. In 3E, every monster has a standard treasure amount commensurate with its Challenge Rating. That's a huge mistake narratively, because it makes treasure-finding predictable and flat in each encounter. The OD&D/AD&D system has a fairly low "% in lair" chance that must be rolled for each monster (one of just 5 key statistics for each monster type), and if successful, then it's likely that a large amount of treasure appears. While commonly overlooked in AD&D, what that means is that treasure troves occur more rarely, but are larger, and hence a much bigger exciting event when they are discovered. A comparison can be made to a sport like football or soccer (or any casino game), where the scores happen but rarely, and the fans go absolutely wild when they actually do occur. 3E totally overlooked that aspect of the game when the designers normalized treasure appearance.
And the final thing is that even though I like regularized attack bonuses and getting rid of attack and saving throw tables -- I think the actual core mechanic of the d20 System isn't good enough for me. If I look at OD&D/AD&D, what it's very close to is a "Target 20" system as I call it, where a d20 is rolled, bonuses added, and success is any result of 20 or above. I think it's simpler and faster to adjudicate.
Example #1, D&D "d20 System": 10th-level fighter attacks a red dragon. He rolls a 19, adds 15 for his attack bonus (total 34), then compares to the dragon's AC of 32 (technically a subtraction operation), indicating a hit.
Example #2, OD&D, "Target 20" Mechanic: 10th-level fighter attacks a red dragon. He rolls a 12, adds 10 for his level, plus 2 for the dragon's AC. The result is clearly over 20, so a hit is scored.
Notice how in the second case the numbers involved are all lower, and the operation is purely additive. Having ACs look like 5 or 2 is much easier to deal with than 15 or 18 or 32 or up (carries happen less often). Performing saving throws the same way means no DCs ever need to be recorded (special attacks didn't generally scale up in OD&D/AD&D vs. saving throws; in special cases you might note a bonus or penalty to the save, but that's a definite minority of cases). When the 3E designers created the roll-vs-DC system, they instantly doubled the number of statistics that had to be tracked by the DM, because every single spell and special attack then needed a DC target recorded for it.
I could say the same about effects like poison and energy draining. Previously they were simple, straightforward, and very dangerous (yes, save-or-die). In 3E they're fiddly, fussy, complicated, and kind of forgettable (the effect of most poison types is so minimal you wonder why anyone goes to the trouble of procuring them in-game).
So there you have it. I'm completely torn between the fantastic developmental leap between 3E's excellent system for a Players, and OD&D/AD&D's much more streamlined system for Judges and Monsters to run the actual action. The pain is in realizing that the 3E designers had one-third of a complete genius-level epiphany, and kind of dropped the ball on the remaining two-thirds. Every time I feel myself leaning towards one system, I find myself totally unable to let go of the advantages of the other system. I'm not sure if I'll ever be able to resolve this dilemma at this point. I guess my fantasy would be if 4E D&D came out, it was OGC, based on 3E's Player system with four core classes, and an immensely reduced resolution fidelity for its Judges and Monsters behind the screen. I can't conceivably imagine that there's any hope for that, however.
Posted by Delta at 10:37 PM
BigFella July 8, 2007 at 9:49 PM
I hear ya, delta. As I've often said, and I say it here for the record, I miss the days even in 2nd. ed where I could keep track of monsters with just 4 stats: HP, Dmg, AC, and THAC0.
I do think that equalizing player/monster stats helped in the area of stuff like ability draining spells and the like. (I remember having difficulty with stuff that would hit players in the stats but the monsters in the HD. Maybe others would see that as a feature and not a bug.)
James Mishler July 11, 2007 at 11:58 AM
Good to see you back Delta!
While it's not a perfect solution to what you want, Castles & Crusades has a lot going for it, especially in regards to your complaints about monsters. It's my preferred system these days, and it is MUCH easier to add a few things here and there and tweak the rules than standard D&D/d20.
The monster situation you describe in D&D is the very reason I gave up running 3E, save for very small groups (like, two players) who will only ever encounter a handful of creatures, usually other humans of low level. With C&C, I can have all sorts of creatures attacking and not worry about keeping track of a bazillion different scores.
In C&C for example, the monster's hit dice are also its to hit bonus and the bonus rolled for a saving throw. If I have a 6 HD troll, for example, he has 6d8 hit points, rolls +6 to hit when attacking, and rolls +6 on his saving throws.
Skills are reduced to the simplest thing, too. The six attributes are either Primary or Secondary; if an attribute is a Primary, when rolling for any kind of check, including saving throws, your target number is 12. If it is secondary, it is 18. A Fighter always has Strength as primary, a Rogue always has Dexterity as primary, and so forth. Humans get three primes, other races only two (a really good reason to be a human).
When rolling for something that is either a listed skill (such as Hide or Move Silently for a Rogue) or an "assumed class skill," such as to try to intimidate someone when you are a Fighter, you add your attribute bonus and your class level. When it is something that is not in your class range, such as a Fighter trying to Hide, you only add your attribute bonus.
Example: 5th level Rogue (Dex Prime, +2 Dex bonus) and Fighter (Dex Secondary, +1 Dex bonus) are trying to hide from a passing goblin patrol. The Rogue adds a total of +7 to his roll, and is trying to beat a 12. The Fighter adds only a +1 to his roll, and is trying to beat an 18. If the Fighter had chosen Dexterity as a Prime, he'd only have to beat a 12...
If you like feats, you can add them, but they are not a part of the core rules.
Altogether, IMO, C&C is the best edition of D&D since the Rules Cyclopedia (which is second to Moldvay in my book)...
Bret Moore July 31, 2007 at 10:51 AM
OD&D is the best, for sure. It has its flaws, though - you just have to be willing to tweak and fiddle.
Gamer Dude October 11, 2007 at 4:43 PM
This might be too little too late but I ran across the blog post via Philotomy's site and saw James' post regarding Castles and Crusades. I just had to toss in my $0.02.
I suppose I ought to briefly preface this with a small explanation of how I came to be where I am. I was running a 3.5 conversion of Return to the Temple of Elemental evil and it slowly dawned on me that the encounters were the slow portion of the game. Players read rule books, sat and chatted when it wasn't their turn, got up and got drinks or snacks, etc. You get the picture. But when we had NPC or role playing interaction it was much much better. I scratched my head and thought to myself "I don't remember this being the case with older editions of Dungeons and Dragons...".
Well the announcement of the release of D&D 4e caused me to take a closer look at how role playing meshes with our group's style. What is it that we like? Roll playing? Yes, we like fighting things and the challenges that it brings about. Role playing? Yes, the interaction between players, and between NPCs and PCs is at the heart of the game experience.
So why is roll playing such a drag then? Delta hit the nail on the head. It just took me some time to realize it for myself.
Granted, I'm an older gamer. I've been playing Dungeons and Dragons since the Holmes Basic rules way back the 70's. I've been loyal...Maybe blindly so.
After hearing that all of my 3.0 and 3.5 books were going to be made obsolete with the new release of 4e I lamented and started looking around for an alternative.
And THAT'S how I came to find Castles and Crusades.
I've only played a few games and I'm still getting used to the rule set, but so far, it is much more conducive to faster resolutions during combat and it lays the storytelling aspect of the game squarely in the DM's lap. AND all that material from classic D&D, AD&D and with a little work, even 3.x, can be easily ported to the Castles and Crusades system.
All I can say so far is that Castles and Crusades seems to be the rule set that Dungeons and Dragons should have evolved into. It's NOT perfect. But it's basic enough to allow an enormous amount of tweaking. It's a solid contender in my estimation for a true Swords and Sorcery fan's role playing rule set of choice.
-nuff said
Jeff February 10, 2016 at 10:16 AM
And those previous posters thought they were "late" to the game ;).
I'm catching up on every single post since the blog started, as I find this to be the best blog that follows my own tastes, struggles, and frustrations. I find myself in the same spot you were in 10 years ago. As a fellow software developer (not in games though), I find my mind working in similar veins to yours, well, that's a big assumption, but I'll stick to it for now.
I wanted to point out something, though, or at least comment about your the d20 system vs target 20. The example where your compare 34 to 32 and you mention that it's, fundamentally, a subtraction operation.
I disagree that this is more difficult than the target 20 system. The comparison operation is binary, and works in a very "binary" way in the mind of an individual. When you ask yourself if 34 is greater than 32, there's no calculation. It's an immediate yes/no answer.
By contrast, the target 20 system requires the same amount of addition plus the knowledge by the person performing the addition of the monster's AC. If the player knows then it is about as equally easy to do the addition as it is to think "is my 18 greater than 17", as such is a binary question and no subtraction is needed.
If the DM is the only one that knows, then not only does the player have to calculate, but so does the DM. The player calculates total roll + modifiers, then tells the DM, who must then add in the AC. This isn't easier than a simple comparison in the DM's mind, though an argument could be made that the two are equally simple for most.
I might try, in my upcoming games, to tell the players the monster's AC and have them do all the calculations then announce if they are over 20. It may prove me wrong, and I'm not against the players knowing AC.
For what it's worth, I don't tell players the monster AC. They roll the d20 and add the modifier on their sheet; then I as DM look at the AC, add that mentally, and report whether they hit or not. That seems to go fast, it seems equitable, and I wouldn't want to ask my players (some very casual/non-hardcore) to do more than one step of arithmetic. Almost all the time those are single-digit additions for OD&D. Of course, if the player roll + add itself works out to anything over 20, then the player usually knows that they hit and we can generally abbreviate the process (i.e., if they say "twenty-something" I don't even listen to the latter part).
Admittedly there are times when I invert the process via subtraction; for example, if there's a rain of arrows on the PCs I subtract their AC from 20, roll a whole fistful of d20's, and scan visually for the needed to-hit. But doing it this way allows me to use classic D&D stats without modification, the AC records are usually still only a single digit, and it's not something I would ask of anyone but the DM (both for system familiarity, and the use-case of rolling lots of attacks at once).
Igor da Silva Livramento January 19, 2019 at 6:58 PM
Jeff's words were my intuition when I first read your post, Delta, from your post about your Target 20 system. I feel comparing two numbers is a "bigger/lower than" binary (or whatever it's called) operation, it is a boolean so to speak (if I grasp the concept correctly). This is fairly straightforward and fast, at least in my tables, so I stick to that. But only your blog helped me grasp all the equations and so (and there's so much good insight here, like disposing Clerics altogether) that I am most thankful for this blog still being up and running! Cheers from Brasil, keep up the great work!
Delta January 25, 2019 at 1:39 AM
Igor, thanks for the vote of support!


UK pharma Clinigen is to buy the remaining rights to Novartis' cancer drug Proleukin, in a deal worth up to $210 million.
Clinigen already bought ex-US rights to Proleukin (aldesleukin, human recombinant interleukin-2) in a separate deal last July.
The UK company now wholly owns the drug indicated for metastatic melanoma and metastatic renal cell carcinoma in the US.
Aside from being the global owner of the licensed version of the drug, Clinigen is also interested in developing further uses, adding that it could become an "integral part of cancer combination therapies".
There are around 80 active studies within the US for Proleukin across "multiple disease areas", Clinigen noted.
The company will pay Novartis $120 million up front, with a further $60 million deferred over the 12 months following completion of the deal.
Clinigen will also pay Novartis a further $30 million if it hits certain sales targets.
The drug generates annual revenues of around $60 million according to figures from IQVIA, and gross profit margin is expected to be similar to Clinigen's other specialty drugs.
Clinigen is the market-leading supplier of drugs for clinical trials, and the distribution of unlicensed pharmaceuticals.
But under former chief executive Peter George, and his successor Shaun Chilton, it has also begun acquiring and then marketing approved branded drugs to boost its sales.
It already owns virology drug Foscavir (foscarnet), Ethyol (amifostine) to protect the kidneys being damaged by cancer chemotherapy, and the anthracycline antidote Totect (dexrazoxane).
Clinigen, which is listed on London's Alternative Investment Market (AIM), has licensed commercial rights for Foscavir to Pfizer, and to Cumberland Pharmaceuticals for Ethyol and Totect.
The company expects the acquisition to add to earnings in the current financial year, and boost them by 25% in the first full financial year.
Chilton said that Proleukin will be the biggest seller in its portfolio.
The deal is subject to approval by US competition regulators.


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text:
Trosky är en kulle i Tjeckien.   Den ligger i regionen Liberec, i den centrala delen av landet,  km nordost om huvudstaden Prag. Toppen på Trosky är  meter över havet, eller  meter över den omgivande terrängen. Bredden vid basen är  km.

Terrängen runt Trosky är platt åt sydväst, men åt nordost är den kuperad. Den högsta punkten i närheten är Kozákov,  meter över havet,  km norr om Trosky. Runt Trosky är det ganska glesbefolkat, med  invånare per kvadratkilometer. Närmaste större samhälle är Turnov,  km nordväst om Trosky. Trakten runt Trosky består till största delen av jordbruksmark.

Trakten ingår i den hemiboreala klimatzonen. Årsmedeltemperaturen i trakten är  °C. Den varmaste månaden är juli, då medeltemperaturen är  °C, och den kallaste är januari, med  °C.

Kommentarer

Källor

Kullar i Liberec (region)
Berg i Tjeckien 200 meter över havet eller högre

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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The Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (ICOC) () is an institution that organizes and records the commercial transactions of individuals and commercial institutions located in Istanbul; in addition the ICOC also keeps records for these companies. The activities of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce are for the most part carried out in the central building, located in Eminönü.

Chairman of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce, Şekib Avdagic.

History

Establishment

As part of their concern for the commercial and industrial problems of the 19th century, the Ottoman State desired to bring together the representatives of the industrial sector into one institution. To this end, the Trade and Agricultural Council, which had been established in 1876, was very productive. Subsequently, Mehmed Said Pasha (1838–1914), who had been appointed as grand vizier (prime minister) in 1879, put a start to the processes that were necessary for the establishment of trade, industry and agricultural guilds.
Acting upon Said Pasha's directive, a draft charter consisting of 11 articles was prepared for the establishment of a chamber of commerce that would be similar to those in Europe, particularly the French examples. This draft was accepted by the Council of Ministers (Meclis-i Mahsus) on 18 January 1880. The Council of Ministers ruled that the chamber was to be referred to as the Ticaret Odası and quoted the decision in the text of the charter as follows:
"The establishment of a Ticaret Odası in Istanbul by the Meclis-i Mahsus has been ratified by Abdul Hamid II II on 19 January 1880. Thus, for the first time in the Ottoman territory the process concerned with the establishment of a local chamber of commerce has been completed. The stage to proceed to next will be the completion of the organizational processes and the start of the activities of the Dersaadet (Istanbul) Ticaret Odası."

The Establishment Charter of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce

The administrative structure of the Dersaadet Ticaret Odası was very different from that of a modern chamber of commerce. While modern chambers have separate committees to carry out executive and supervisory functions, all the functions of the Dersaadet Ticaret Odası were carried out by one institution. According to the first regulations of the Dersaadet Ticaret Odası, 24 members formed the chamber council. In order to be a member of the council, one had to be at least 30 years of age, have dealt with trade for at least 5 years, not have been implicated in any felony or murder, nor have committed any shameful crime that damaged one's reputation or honor or to have been bankrupted; if the candidate had gone bankrupt, then they should have been able to regain their honor and name before becoming a member. The members of the council were selected by a majority secret ballot; if the votes were tied, the elder candidate would be selected. It was forbidden for two members to be selected from the same company.
The members were selected by a twenty-person election committee, headed up by the minister of trade and agriculture; half of the commission was appointed by the minister, the other half by merchants. A majority vote among the members of the chamber would select a president and a vice-president, who would be ratified by the Ministry of Trade. The members of the Dersaadet Ticaret Odası were elected for three years; that is, every year one-third of the members were newly appointed. If a member did not participate in the meetings for a period of six months without stating a good reason, they were considered to have resigned.
The Dersaadet Ticaret Odası would act on its own initiative or would be instructed in how to act by the Ministry of Trade when applied to, thus providing opportunities for the advancement of trade; this included functions like taking the necessary measures to develop trade and industry, carrying out changes required in trade functions, customs duties, the construction of ports, the functioning of steam boats in the rivers, post offices and telegraphs, railway construction, repairs of roads and bridges, the establishment of stock markets, and the publication of trade newspapers.

The internal regulations were prepared immediately after the establishment of the Dersaadet Ticaret Odası and were presented to the Ministry of Trade for its approval. In this charter, the status of the Ticaret Odası was organized according to the total sovereignty of the state; this remained the status, without any serious change, until 1950.

The First Internal Charter of the Dersaadet Ticaret Odası

A "preparatory committee" headed up by Azaryan Efendi, which was known as the Cemıyet-i Ticariye (Trade Council), was established to prepare internal regulations. An "interim-institute" started to function with an official ceremony in April 1880; this body continued to operate until 14 January 1882. The organization of the Dersaadet Ticaret Odası had been prepared by this same date. At the moment that the Dersaadet Ticaret Odası started to operate officially the Cemiyet-i Ticariye ceased to function; that is, the Cemiyet became the Dersaadet Ticaret Odası on 14 January 1882. The Cemiyet-i Ticaret met ten times until it was transformed into the Ticaret Odası, meeting to discuss the regulations of the Dersaadet Ticaret Odası, which had been prepared by the commission. The members were informed that the charter of the Dersaadet Ticaret Odası had been approved by the ministry and the charter went into execution on 27 December 1881.

The internal charter of the Dersaadet Ticaret Odası, dated 16 August 1881 was organized in a detailed way, setting out the function of the duties and authorities of the Dersaadet Ticaret Odası. The internal charter, which consisted of six main sections, included many articles concerned with the aim and duties of the Dersaadet Ticaret Odası, the method of convening, the duties of the president, the functioning of the Ticaret Odası and its procedures, the duties of the merchants, the position of the head secretary and officials, as well as with the income of the Dersaadet Ticaret Odası.

The Seal of the Chamber

According to the internal charter of the Dersaadet Ticaret Odası, the Ticaret Odası had its own seal. On the top part of this seal was a "Crescent Moon and Star" symbol, while in the middle was inscribed: Dersaadet Ticaret Odası, surrounded by the French phrase Chambre de Commerce de Constantinople. All the documents that were dealt with in the Chamber of Commerce were to be stamped with this seal.

Opening Ceremony of the Dersaadet Ticaret Odası

The members of the Dersaadet Ticaret Odası, who were summoned after the ratification of the internal charter, took the decision to carry out an official opening of the Dersaadet Ticaret Odası; it was decided that the first meeting was to be held on 14 January 1882. Before the opening of the Chambers of the Commerce, 200 lira was loaned to the Cemiyet's accountant Benzona Efendi by Azaryan Efendi, who was the chief of the Cemiyet at that date, to spend on fittings and office supplies.
Some time later the members of the Ticaret Odası were convened again and it was decided that the opening ceremony of the Dersaadet Ticaret Odası, which was to go into operation on 14 January 1882, would be held in its own building and that this should be in a neighborhood that would be easy for tradesmen to reach. Upon this, the Dersaadet Ticaret Odası went into operation in flat No. 12, a property belonging to Mehmed Ali Pasha which was located on the shores of the Golden Horn. It was seen to be suitable that the opening ceremony be held in the same location.
The Dersaadet Ticaret Odası was opened with a simple ceremony in the Mehmed Ali Pasha Han (Business Quarters). At the opening, the minister of trade and agriculture, Raif Efendi, was present and made a speech.

Structure

The Istanbul Chamber of Commerce consists of two main structures, one established by election and one by appointment. The organs that are formed by election are the Meslek Komiteler (Professional Committees), Oda Meclisi (Chamber Assembly), Yönetim Kurulu (Board of Directors) and the Disiplin Kurulu (Disciplinary Board). The organs that are established by appointment are the Genel Sekreterlik (General Secretarat) and the Şube Müdürlük (Branch Directorate). There are 257 council members and 347 committee members who are appointed as results of elections held every four years; this makes up the structure of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce.

Professional Committees

The Istanbul Chamber of Commerce is one of the largest chambers of commerce in the world, with a registered membership of 350,000. The Professional Committees of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce consists of approximately 90 elected Professional Committees. These committees are categorized according to NACE codes and are determined by the number of companies active in the related sector.

Projects

Education Projects

Istanbul Commerce University

The Istanbul Commerce University was established by the ICOC Waqf and started to offer education in the 2001-2002 academic year; the president of the university is Dr. Sabri Orman, while the head of the board of trustees is Erhan Erken, a member of the ICOC Council. The university has started to provide education in its own buildings in Küçükyalı, which were purchased in 2007, in addition to its quarters in Üsküdar.

3,860 students are pursuing undergraduate degrees while 412 students are completing post graduate courses. The Istanbul Commerce University consists of 5 faculties, an English preparatory department, and one vocational high school, 3 institutes (social sciences – science and engineering – foreign trade), 2 centers (the EU application and research center and the continuous training center) and 1 unit (the IT security application and research unit).

Primary and Secondary Education Projects

The Istanbul Chamber of Commerce has introduced 14 schools to the Turkish educational world; from the beginning of 2010 there are 4 vocational schools, an autistic children's educational center, 8 primary schools - one in Lice, Diyarbakır and the others in Istanbul  - and one multi-program high school.

1968 – İTO Primary School (Karamandere Village, Şile)
1971 - İTO Kadınlarçeşmesi Primary School
1973 - İTO 50.Yıl Primary School (4.Levent, Kağıthane)
Diyarbakır, Lice Primary School
1977 - İTO Kanarya Primary School
1986 - İTO Bağcılar Primary School
1987 - İTO Anatolian Vocational High School (Okmeydanı)
1990 - İTO Anatolian Technical High School (Bayrampaşa)
1998 - İTO Ümraniye Primary School
1999 - İTO Vocational Training School (Beyoğlu)
2000 - İTO Çatalca Multi-Program High School
2008 - İTO Anatolian Vocational Career High School (Pendik)
2008 - İTO Autistic Children's Education Center (Bağcılar)
2008 - İTO Kadınlarçeşmesi Primary School (the old school was torn down and the school was rebuilt)

The Istanbul Chamber of Commerce has also built 13 schools, one in Istanbul and 12 in different regions of Anatolia, in commemoration of Turkish martyrs. These schools are listed below:

In memory of Martyr Private Erkan Aslan;
An 8-classroom primary school in the Balaban Village of the Eğil Province of Diyarbakır, with 10 residential quarters for employees

In memory of Martyr Gendarme Private Süleyman Turan:
A 12-classroom primary school in the Altıntaş Province of Kütahya.

In memory of Martyr Private Burhan Yalçın;
An 8-classroom primary school in the Kumçatı Village in the central province of Şırnak with 10 residential quarters for employees.

In memory of Martyr Private Zeki Avenli:
A 16-classroom primary school in the Araklı province of Trabzon

In memory of Martyr Gendarme Corporal Mustafa Gözütok;
A 24-classroom primary school in the Davraz region of the central province of Isparta

In memory of Martyr Gendarme Specialist Sergeant Tahsin Onuk:
An 8-classroom primary school and 6 residential quarters for employees in the Söğütlü township of Kelkit province in Gümüşhane

In memory of Martyr Private Servet Aktaş:
An 8-classroom primary school in the Alişar village in the Battalgazi province of Malatya

In memory of Martyr Private Dursun Sıvaz:
A 40-classroom primary school in the Sultanbeyli district of Istanbul.

In memory of Martyr Yusuf Kolay:
An 8-classroom primary school and 10 residential quarters for employees in the Şeyh Halil township of the Yıldızeli region of Sivas

In memory of Martyr Major Kibar Korhan Koç:
A 12-classroom primary school and 6 residential quarters for employees in the Terme Region of Samsun

In memory of Uzman Sergeant Mehmet Güçlü:
A 10-classroom primary school in the Bozon village of the Mezitli region of Mersin.

In memory of Martyr Major Ömer Aktuğ:
An 8-classroom primary school and residential quarters for employees in the Topluca village in the Çamlıhemşin region of Rize.

In memory of Martyr Private Muhterem Ak:
A 10-classroom primary school and 6 residential quarters for employees in the Sızma township of the Selçuklu province of Konya

The Teknopark Istanbul Project

The Teknopark Istanbul Project has been led by the Permanent Undersecretariat of the Defense Industry, the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce, Airport Management and Aeronautical Industries A.Ş., Istanbul Commerce University, and Defense Technology Engineering and Commercial AŞ; as part of the scope of the project these institutions have provided direct support for the establishment of Teknopark Istanbul A.Ş. With the contract signed by the partners on March 12, 2010, the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce has become one of the founding partners of the project.

ITO-SSM Teknopark will be established on land that is part of the Advanced Technology Industry Park (İTEP), which is the property of the National Defense Ministry; this land makes up part of Sabiha Gökçen Airport. The most important characteristic of the Teknopark Istanbul Complex is that it will be established upon a structure that is formed from the public and private sectors and a university. The Istanbul Chamber of Commerce will set aside a budget of 50 million TL, and the park will be brought to life in an area measuring 5,000 square meters. In addition, a research center will be constructed. Teknopark Istanbul will, as part of its mission, work on advanced technology, including defense, space and aeronautics, biotechnology, nanotechnology and naval technologies.

The ÖZİMEK Project

In 2007 the Mesleki ve Teknik Eğitim Kursları (Vocational and Technical Training Courses) Project, ÖZİMEK, which has been brought into life as a joint venture by the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (ICOC), the Istanbul Special Provincial Administration and the Istanbul Regional Board of Education, is seen as being the largest career-training program in the Turkish Republic. The aim of the project is to protect, increase and develop employment, to help reduce unemployment by benefiting from trade and vocational training schools and institutions, and to provide vocational development, change and training to prepare officials or those still working in the sector so that they will be able to be employed in keeping with new technology and developments.

The İş-Kur project was included in later stages of the project. The first aim was to develop a project that would provide 500 students with certificates at 15 trade high schools, in 44 different branches; at the present time, three large institutions in Istanbul, which has a great need in this area, have provided 10,000 courses in 70 vocational schools, in 82 separate branches, producing 6,500 graduates. By 2011 the project will have trained 30,000 people.

As part of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce, the website: "Human Resources Market" has been established for the graduates of these courses. Those who have graduated can register their resumes on this site and thus when seeking employees, employers will be able to give priority to those who have graduated from certified courses.

e-ICOC

In 2006, the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce began an e-ICOC project which enabled members to complete ICOC procedures online, including patents, archiving, documents and forms. The system has been integrated with the systems of other institutions with whom the Chamber of Commerce works, including notaries, the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Finance, the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK), the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB), Bağ-Kur, the governor's office and the city councils. With the implementation of this project, the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce has aimed to minimize internal bureaucracy and make tracking documents easier, thus creating an efficient and paperless office.

Formula One (Istanbul Park)

The expansion of the Formula 1 Grand Prix into Turkey was initiated by the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce. The Formula 1 facilities in Istanbul were successfully completed in 2005 when the first races were held. ICOC's partner TOBB, as well as the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and the Special Provincial Administration aided in the completion of the facilities. After the first two races, the operation of the Istanbul Formula 1 Grand Prix was privatized and transferred to a third party.

Persian Gulf Development

The Istanbul Chamber of Commerce has paid visits to the Persian Gulf region in order to benefit from the capital accumulation resulting from the increase in oil output. A large delegation, including many representatives from the construction sector, participated in the visits which were organized to Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. As a result of the meetings with both the private sector and government officials, Turkish contractors have undertaken many important construction projects in this region. Furthermore, these meetings have yielded an increase in Persian Gulf investments in Turkey. These visits and meetings have brought about extremely productive results both for Turkish investments in the Persian Gulf countries, as well as for the Gulf countries' investments in Turkey.

The Start-Exporting Program

In 2010, 140 Istanbul Chamber of Commerce members benefited from the Start-Exporting program. This project, this first of its type in Turkey, is held throughout the country and has to date trained organizations in many provincial chambers of commerce. Between January 12 and May 12, 2010, the Start-Exporting program, which was developed in collaboration with the Madrid Chamber of Commerce and Industry, reached the sixth step.

The First Step in the U.S. Market Project

In 2007, the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce (USCHAMBERS) launched the first step in the U.S. Market project. The project aims to improve trade relations between Turkey and the United States and to ensure the access of Turkish firms to the world's largest market. After Doing Business seminars were organized in Istanbul and the United States, a comprehensive educational website on the two markets went into operation.

The Istanbul Investment and Trade Office has been opened in New York City. The Istanbul office, one of the many offices that have been opened in various financial centers, was opened in the Istanbul World Trade Center, hosted by the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce on October 4, 2010.

Chronology of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce

A chronology of the history of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce is given below:

See also
 List of company registers

References

Chambers of commerce
Economy of Istanbul


text:
Nova Scotia looks for new vision for eight community pastures
Aaron Beswick ([email protected])
Published: Mar 06, 2020 at 6:35 a.m.
Updated: Mar 06, 2020 at 9:24 a.m.
A large herd of cattle made up of animals from farmers across the province roams the hills near the Northumberland Strait, at the Cape John Community Pasture Co-op. - Sam Macdonald / File
Perennia is seeking a new vision for this province's community pastures.
The Nova Scotia Farm Loan Board owns eight community pastures. It leases seven of them to boards primarily composed of local farmers.
"While each pasture is different, many are operating below capacity (less than ideal livestock stocking densities) and need to be assessed for their value to the agricultural community," reads a request for proposals issued on behalf of the Farm Loan Board by Perennia, a provincial development agency focused on the food sector.
"For example, an opportunity may exist to fill a need for current or aspiring livestock producers to increase herd sizes without expending capital to purchase additional land. In this example, community pastures can lower the economic risk of livestock production, particularly for smaller scale farms where land acquisition and upkeep are a larger portion of overall cost."
Established through the 1950s and '60s to ease the burden on small farms by allowing them to concentrate during the summer months on producing forage crops off their lands while pasturing their cattle elsewhere, all but one of the pastures are located in northern Nova Scotia.
Cape Mabou (230 hectares) and Cape John (352 hectares) are the province's busiest pastures.
"There are one or two that are barely used at all," said Agriculture Minister Keith Colwell on Monday.
"Some of them may not have easy access for whatever reasons. Maybe we have to do some work on pastures to make them more utilized."
The request for proposals, which closes March 9, is seeking a qualified consultant to review the usage and governance of the entire community pasture program and make recommendations.
Colwell said he'd have to wait to see any recommendations before committing any funding to changes of the pasture program.
The province's other six pastures are at Minudie, Cumberland County (1,032 hectares), Digby County (117 hectares), Manchester, Guysborough County (57 hectares), Little Harbour, Richmond County (87 hectares), Maple Brooke, Inverness County (257 hectares) and Cheticamp, Inverness County (303 hectares).
Bill Withrow worked on the Cape John and Cape Mabou community pastures for the Agriculture Department before he was laid off in 2000.
He co-owns Rocky Knoll Farm in Rawdon.
Withrow attributes declining usership of many of the smaller pastures to a broader change in agriculture — there are fewer small cattle operations in the province.
"Where, back in the day, you might have a guy who might have 10 cows and needed a place to pasture them," said Withrow, who runs a herd of 300 at Rocky Knoll Farm.
"Nowadays, those small, little farms are pretty well a thing of the past. The new generation just isn't farming."
Withrow doesn't take his cattle to community pastures because of his distance from them — most are located hundreds of kilometres away from Rawdon. As well, closures of small farms in his area have meant an availability of nearby pasture land for his herd.
The closest community pasture to him is Cape John and it is full every season.
"It's well run," said Withrow.
"I know their soil nutrition is good, they've got guys working full time looking after cattle. Their fences top notch and they're doing rotations."
More provincial stories
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Cape Breton court report for Jan. 15, 2021
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Qualified purchasers, which are entities approved by the Illinois Department of Central Management Services to participate in the Vendor Payment Program, are required to submit to the Office of the Comptroller monthly electronic reports that include information such as each vendor bill they purchased during the month under the program and the total number and dollar value of payments for vendor bills and interest penalties received from the State.
For more information on the Lender Transparency Act, click here and here. To view qualified purchasers' Financial Backer Disclosure Reports, click here.


If you have been searching for a church where grace is radically preached, then New Creation Church Palmerston North, NZ is the place for you and your family.
Thank you beloved. Greatly Blessed, Highly Favoured, Deeply Loved.


315 19th Ave W is a $183,000, 1,592 square foot, 3 bedroom, 2.0 bath home on a 0.23 acre lot located in Gooding, ID.
Wonderful family home in great neighborhood, with fenced backyard for kids and pets, patio for family gatherings, large landscaped yard with UG sprinklers, corner location close to schools and shopping. Guest bathroom has custom cabinets, sunken living room, nicely tiled family room off of kitchen with lots of natural light. New natural gas furnace recently installed. Storage shed approx. 10 x 12.
I am interested in 315 19th Ave W, Gooding, ID 83330.


text:
Episode 5: Playing With Crap
Paula does have a devious side to her. Watch her pull off a classic prank.
Preview Episode 5: Playing With Crap
Show Highlight After Show: Marc Maron's Worst Podcast Guest?
Show Highlight Will There be an 'Office' Reboot?
Show Highlight Marc Maron's Famous Podcast Guests
Marc Maron & Ellie Kemper Play Rumble in the Clubhouse!
Show Highlight Are Marc Maron & James Franco Cool?
Show Highlight A #RHONY Reunion Clubhouse Playhouse!
Preview Next on RHONY: Reunion Part 3
Preview The Ladies Call Out Luann de Lesseps for Being Self Absorbed
Preview Does Sonja Morgan Think She Took Things Too Far With Tej in Miami?
Jennifer Aydin Had a Breast Reduction, and Lost 25 Pounds
Josh & Heather Welcome Son: Check Out the First Photo
Craig Dishes out Legal Advice to this Southern Charm Pal
Ashley Jacobs on Being "Dubbed the Villain"
@Thomasravenel
Thomas Ravenel was born in Charleston, South Carolina and is the youngest of six children. In 1981, Ravenel was accepted to enter the Corps of Cadets at The Citadel, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration in 1985. After graduation, he sold real estate for four years. In 1991, he earned a Masters in Business Administration from the University of South Carolina, emphasizing Finance and Real Estate. In 1992, Ravenel founded Ravenel Development Corporation, a commercial real estate development company, and moved it the next year to Atlanta where he began to concentrate on retail projects including freestanding, single-tenant stores and strip-mall developments. He returned to Charleston in 1995. In 2006, Ravenel was elected statewide to the office of State Treasurer for the state of South Carolina. As State Treasurer, he was chairman of The State Board of Financial Institutions for the State of South Carolina, a member of The Budget and Control Board for the State of South Carolina, a member of The State of South Carolina Retirement System, which invests approximately $30 billion in funds for the benefit of retired state employees.
Ravenel is active in national and state organizations that promote free enterprise and liberty such as The Cato Institute. He is a member of the French Huguenot Church of Charleston and a number of South Carolina organizations. Ravenel is the proud father of daughter, Kensington Calhoun Ravenel and son, St. Julien Rembert Ravenel. In what little free time he now has, Ravenel enjoys spending time with his kids, polo, boating and traveling.
Lauren Cohen
@LaurenBelowDeck
As an ex-NFL cheerleader, Lauren Cohen's bubbly personality is tailor made for yachting. She prides herself on her enthusiasm and positive attitude, using her cheerleading skills to keep the guests and her crew always smiling. After a year working in the Hamptons, Lauren's excited to get a taste of yacht life in the Mediterranean. This Fort Lauderdale native is not only driven and ambitious, but she always goes above and beyond for her chief stew and fellow crew.
Jamie Jason
@JamieLynnJason
Upon meeting Jamie, it's hard to believe that this exotic, dark-haired dynamo identifies herself as a "class clown"… but Jamie is just that. With a wicked sense of humor and sharp tongue, the South African-born beauty keeps everyone laughing - when you're not on her bad side. Always an active soul, Jamie grew up riding horses competitively and has always been on-the-go. She lived in California for two years before deciding to travel to Antibes, where she began her yachting career. On Jamie's last boat, she was the sole stewardess and deckhand on a 24-meter motor yacht.
Carole Radziwill
@caroleradziwill
Best-selling author and award-winning journalist Carole Radziwill grew up in upstate New York. She moved to New York City to attend college, earning a B.A. at Hunter College and a Master's degree at New York University. In 1988, she landed an internship at ABC News. It was the start of a long and rewarding career. Carole's work with Peter Jennings' documentary unit and the newsmagazine shows Primetime Live and 20/20 garnered her three Emmy Awards, a Robert F. Kennedy Humanitarian Award, and a GLAAD Award. Carole has traveled all over the world for her work, reporting on stories from places like Cambodia, India, and the Middle East. She was assigned to Israel in 1991 to cover the first Gulf War. In 2001, during the Afghanistan War, she spent a month embedded in the 101st Airborne Division in Kandahar. While there, she filmed for the ABC docuseries Profiles from the Front Line.
In 2003, Carole left ABC News to write her first book, What Remains: A Memoir of Fate, Friendship and Love. It is a moving account of her life, her marriage to fellow ABC News producer Anthony Radziwill, and their heartbreaking battle with cancer. What Remains spent more than 20 weeks on the New York Times Best Seller List and was nominated for the Books for a Better Life Award. Carole was a contributor to Glamour magazine where she wrote celebrity cover stories and a monthly column called "Lunch Date." Her first novel, The Widow's Guide to Sex & Dating, was published in February 2014 and was optioned by Critical Content. It is currently being adapted into a television series. She is also at work on a political humor book and a scripted television show based on her life in New York City. Carole is the president of the board in her building and is pet mom to two kitties, and a dog. As of this writing, she calls them all Baby.
Justin Reese
@thejustinreese
Justin Reese is a personal injury lawyer and sports agent living in New Orleans. The son of a prestigious judge and civic activist Dottie Reese, Justin's family is well established in this city he calls home. Stylish and social, Justin is determined to not only work hard, but to also enjoy all life has to offer. Justin recently finished rebuilding his childhood home that was impacted during Hurricane Katrina.
Alex McCord
Now in her fourth season of Housewives, Alex McCord continues to balance family life with her merchandising and design career, other business interests and thriving charity and social calendar. From her home office, Alex spearheads various design projects, including a major renovation of the Fifth Avenue showroom of Manhattan's oldest camera store, Willoughbys. Her husband and side-kick Simon van Kempen has started a social media company and has also left the hotel property he managed for nine years in favor of returning to the hotel consulting career he loved when he and Alex met. Simon now also works from home, which adds a new layer to their life together. Their book about raising their young children, 'Little Kids, Big City,' was released in 2010 and continues to sell, as their older son François turns seven and transitions to a new school, while son Johan celebrates his fifth birthday. Alex continues to speak her mind and feels freer for it, though not all the ladies appreciate it! As a team, she and Simon continue to tinker with their home, and (as always) express their love of each other, their boys, and fashion. These days Alex sometimes finds herself on runways or in front of the camera, thanks to signing with New York Model Management. Born in Washington, D.C. and raised in Kansas, Texas and the US Virgin Islands, Alex attended Northwestern University, and has lived in New York City for 15 years and counting. She and Simon share their townhouse with their sons, affectionately referred to as "the chums" and their two lovable but constantly shedding cats, and continue to be proud to live in the largest borough of New York City, Brooklyn.


Farm to School programs, linking children in K-12 schools with locally grown foods and the farmers who produce them are growing by leaps and bounds across the United States. In 2012, more than 12,400 schools were engaged in Farm to School activities.1 In Minnesota, where the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) is headquartered, two-thirds of the state's K-12 students attend school in districts that are participating in Farm to School.
Many schools are now looking for ways to extend their Farm to School programs beyond the season for locally grown fresh produce. One avenue for engaging in Farm to School year-round is preserving the local bounty through innovative strategies for freezing fruits and vegetables grown nearby.
In this report, IATP explores several potential avenues for freezing locally and regionally grown produce on a small-to-medium scale for the K-12 marketplace: schools freezing on-site in their own kitchen facilities; mobile freezing units; commercial kitchens and small freezing enterprises; and co-pack relationships with existing freezing companies that could potentially serve the K-12 market.
Freezing locally grown produce on-site in K-12 facilities can be a positive and affordable strategy for interested schools when focused on appropriate crops and when freezing activities are tailored effectively to the school's operating environment. While freezing will not be a fit for all schools, it can be attractive for those that can conduct modified scratch cooking.
The cost of the finished product is specific to the crop and varies greatly depending on the particular processing method used, the hourly cost of labor and the purchase price paid to the supplier. Identifying the most efficient processing method given available equipment and staffing is key to choosing effective freezing activities.
A strong majority of the school food service staff interviewed reported that the finished cost of various local foods they had frozen on-site was within their budget for occasional use. As schools gain experience with freezing, they tend to hone in on crops and freezing methods that are most cost-effective given their particular operating environment.
We collaborated with the Winona (Minn.) Area Public Schools to estimate per-pound costs for freezing three locally grown crops (zucchini, broccoli and winter squash) on-site in school kitchens, based on the equipment currently available. We used a wide range of hypothetical hourly labor rates for staff and raw product costs to illustrate the interaction between the cost of key inputs and the cost of final product.
Having staff process locally grown product on-site was estimated to cost somewhat more than purchasing commercially available frozen product under most of the scenarios tested.
On the other hand, the finished cost of product frozen on-site was found to be comparable to or, in some cases, half to one-third the cost of purchasing pre-cut, fresh product from commercial sources during the winter months.
The cost of freezing on-site was found to be significantly lower per-pound than commercially available alternatives when donated product is used (such as from a student farm).
Schools we interviewed reported a wide range of benefits to their freezing activities, including high quality foods, strong student acceptance, incorporation of more vegetables into school meals, the potential for student and community engagement, and extended Farm to School programming.
Among the barriers to broader adoption of freezing strategies in K-12 settings are busy schedules for school food service staff, limited federal and state reimbursements for school meal programs given the cost of providing quality nutrition, and insufficient public resources to adequately equip school kitchens across the country to handle minimally processed foods.
Akin to mobile meat processing units that travel from farm-to-farm, mobile produce processing units are in limited use and face a number of significant challenges. Among them are limited processing capacity given their modest size, significant management costs and potential mismatches with farmers' interests in processing. Mobile units without a carefully crafted supply of raw produce may be challenged to meet K-12 schools' needs for a predictable, consistent frozen product.
Various small freezing businesses, business incubators and multi-use kitchens around the country are now exploring a range of approaches to freezing locally grown fruits and vegetables. Their experience illustrates the importance of focusing very strategically on suitable crops, finished products that are tailored effectively to the marketplace, and efficient processing methods. Several of these ventures are demonstrating that local produce can be frozen on a cost-competitive basis on a smaller scale, typically following considerable experimentation and honing of their strategy toward those products that can be processed most efficiently.
complementing freezing activity with other types of processing that can occur year-round and maximize use of available facilities.
Focusing on organic or higher-value specialty frozen items can help command the higher prices that may be needed to offset lower product volumes.
Buyers seeking to freeze locally grown produce can be an attractive market for growers. Benefits identified through the examples highlighted in this report include limited marketing time, larger volume sales, sales contracts in advance of the growing season, repeat business, and a market for surplus produce and "seconds" that may otherwise be hard to sell.
Additional public investment is needed to support quality feasibility analysis, business planning, business mentoring support and improved access to financial capital for start-up businesses in this sector.
Co-pack relationships with existing freezing companies appear to hold considerable promise and offer significant benefits to K-12 buyers. Among the potential benefits are flexibility in the crops to be processed, product quality that meets industry standards and limited investment of K-12 staff resources.
Co-packers' sourcing protocols vary but may include elements like significant minimum drop sizes (e.g., by the 40,000 pound semi-load), trace-ability protocols, on-farm food safety audits and deliveries to the processing facility within very specific windows of time. This, in turn, may require growers to carefully coordinate planting, harvesting and delivery schedules.
The availability of potential co-pack partners depends greatly on location. In Minnesota, intense consolidation in the produce freezing industry has sharply reduced the number of mid-scale freezing operations. Some produce distributors have the capacity to both cut and freeze produce, and may be potential co-pack partners if sourcing protocols and volumes can be synced effectively with suppliers. Other regions of the country that have more moderately scaled processors in place may offer a broader range of co-pack opportunities.
In the process of exploring co-pack opportunities, we interviewed Sno Pac Foods, a fourth-generation processing company located in Southeast Minnesota. Although Sno Pac's frozen, organic products are primarily sold into the retail marketplace, they also offer products in bulk that are appropriate to institutional food service. Pricing for many of their products are competitive with prices currently paid by area school districts for frozen, conventionally grown vegetables. Depending on districts' volume needs and location, Sno Pac products may offer an attractive option for districts looking to expand their use of locally grown products beyond the local harvest season.


Some people say the sign is a symbol of evil.
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Lakewood Church pastors Joel Osteen and his wife Victoria are getting some flak for flashing University of Texas at Austin's Hook Em sign.
The Osteens posted a photo of themselves with their son, Jonathan, who just graduated from UT.
While the photo was meant to celebrate his achievement, some people weren't too happy with the gesture. They criticized them saying that they were flashing the sign of the devil.
For those of you who are not aware, the Hook Em sign in Texas means cattle or longhorns, which is UT's mascot.


text:
Miners comeback falls short against ACU, 70-69
Posted: Nov 25, 2018 / 05:50 AM MST / Updated: Nov 25, 2018 / 05:50 AM MST
Ariona Gill poured in a career-high 22 points while Zuzanna Puc added 18 points but visiting Abilene Christian outlasted UTEP, 70-69, in the final game of the UTEP Thanksgiving Classic at the Don Haskins Center Saturday evening.
The Miners (2-3) trailed the Wildcats (6-0) by as many as 15 (23-8) in the opening quarter but they slowly but surely chipped away at the deficit. UTEP reduced the margin to seven (37-30) at the break before managing to take a one-point edge (50-49) heading to the fourth quarter. It was a back-and-fourth battle down the stretch, with ACU going back on top for good with a pair of free throws with 13 seconds left. An unlucky pass led to Gill having to race down the ball before heaving up a desperation 3-poiner at the buzzer.
UTEP drilled 52.5 percent (31-59) from the floor while also committing the fewest turnovers (nine) of the Kevin Baker era but ACU was locked in offensively as well. The Wildcats drilled 51.1 percent (24-47) of their shots, including draining 14-28 (50.0) from beyond-the-arc. They also won the boards, 29-23.
"I thought our team got a lot better today," Baker said. "I was really impressed with how we battled as a team. We moved the ball so much better this game than we did yesterday. We have to learn to be tough and get through it. We were one inbounds pass away from winning the game so we'll hang our hat on that and figure out a way to get better before our next game."
Katarina Zec pitched in 11 points to join Gill and Puc in double figures. Four different Miners registered five assists each to help UTEP pile up a season-best 24 assists. Dominique Golightly (18 points) and Makayla Mabry (17 points) led the way for ACU. The duo combined to make 10-17 from 3-point range.
ACU came out firing, racing out to a 23-8 lead through 10 minutes of action. Mabry was instrumental in the opening frame for the visitors, tallying 14 points in the period. She nailed 4-5 from beyond the arc in the stretch.
UTEP ripped off seven straight points to open up the second quarter on a high note. Gill got is started with a lay-up, which was followed by a trey by Zec and a baseline jumper from Alexa Hoy. After the Wildcats extended the advantage back to 13 (34-21) with 4:47 left in the half, the Orange and Blue scored the six points to get within seven (34-27). It remained a seven-point differential (37-30) going to halftime.
The visitors continued to lead by seven (46-39) with 4:20 remaining in the third quarter but UTEP peeled off six straight points to inch within one (46-45). ACU pushed it back out to four following one of its 14 triples in the contest, but UTEP closed the stanza strong to take the one-point margin (50-49) into the final frame.
UTEP used a lay-up from Gill to push its cushion to three (52-49) early in the fourth quarter. The Wildcats stroked back with a 13-6 run to lead by four (62-58) with five minutes to play. UTEP countered and regained the lead on a trio of occasions from that point but a back-luck turnover with 16 seconds left when ACU was trying to foul gave the visitors the break they needed. The free throws were converted on the subsequent possession and Gill's circus-like shot refused to fall.
The Miners will return to action when they play at Weber State at 7 p.m. MT Wednesday.


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Almancil (o Almansil) és una freguesia portuguesa del municipi de Loulé, amb 62,30 km² d'àrea, i 10.677 habitants (al cens del 2011); en té una densitat de població de 171,4 hab/km² i la seua seu és la vila homònima d'Almancil.

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Segons molts autors, el terme "Almansil" és incorrecte, i defensen la forma Almancil, amb c, perquè tindria origen en el terme àrab "Almançal" ('hostal'). Hi ha qui defensa, però, que el nom prové de la paraula, també àrab, "Almansil" ('curs d'aigua').

Situada a la riba costera del municipi de Loulé, Almancil n'és freguesia des del 1836. Amb el creixement d'aquesta localitat en les primeres dècades del , s'eliminà la freguesia de Sâo João da Venda i el seu territori restà dividit entre els municipis de Faro i Loulé. Es crea llavors la freguesia de S. João Batista de Almancil a partir de part del territori de Sâo João da Venda i de part del territori de la freguesia de Sâo Clemente.

De la dècada de 1970 ençà, a causa del turisme dirigit a l'Algarve, aquesta freguesia comença a créixer en població. És per això que el 18 de desembre del 1987, la localitat d'Almancil, seu de la freguesia, és elevada a la categoria de vila.

L'ocupació del territori que hui constitueix la freguesia d'Almancil remunta al paleolític; s'hi han replegat algunes restes arqueològiques datades d'aquesta època. Els més importants vestigis arqueològics identificats, però, daten del període romà, com ara a Sâo João da Venda, Ludo i Quinta do Lago, aquesta darrera amb ocupació també del període islàmic.

Al segle XVI Alexandre Massai, al servei de la corona portuguesa, realitza l'aixecament de les fortaleses costeres de l'Algarve i és a partir d'aquest document que es coneix la planta del fort de Farrobilhas, antiga fortificació a la freguesia d'Almancil, de la qual hui no resten vestigis, destruïts a causa de l'avanç de la línia costera. Alguns documents de l'Orde de Santiago, a mitjan segle XVII, esmenten l'existència de l'Ermita de Nossa Senhora de Farrobilhas, a hores d'ara destruïda.

Al  es reconstrueix l'Ermita de Sâo Lourenço, llavors en ruïnes, en compliment d'una promesa feta per la població i amb l'ajut d'almoines dels fidels. El temple gairebé no va sofrir amb el terratrèmol del 1755. És una església notable sobretot pel revestiment de taulells, que retrata la vida del sant en vuit panells figuratius que recobreixen les parets. La cúpula, totalment folrada de taulells de Policarpo de Oliveira Bernardes, és única a Portugal. L'edifici fou declarat Immoble d'Interés Públic al 1946.

Paisatge natural
La part occidental del Parc Natural de la Ria Formosa, d'alt valor botànic i hàbitat natural de rares espècies ornitològiques, es troba en aquest indret. La zona costera, amb prop de 12 km, on hi ha les famoses platges d'Ancão, Quinta do Lago, Garrão i Vale do Lobo, és també una de les atraccions d'aquesta freguesia.

Patrimoni
 Església de Sâo Lourenço de Almancil
 Ermita de Sâo João da Venda

Referències

Freguesias del districte de Faro
Loulé


text:
Empowerment by Design
Through its all-women center in Riyadh, TCS is creating growth opportunities for women in Saudi.
Riyadh, one of the most populous cities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), displays an interesting facet in its demographic dividend. Almost 60% of the city's graduates are women, and yet, until very recently, they were conventionally employed in public sector and educational organizations. To provide these talented and highly skilled women new avenues for growth and development, Tata Consultancy Services Limited (TCS) in 2013 set about conceptualizing the world's first 'all-women' Business Process Services (BPS) center in Riyadh.
The aim was to also drive local job creation and strengthen economic diversification – TCS wanted to be an employer of choice in KSA, influencing the employability and empowerment of the local women. With the inauguration of the center in 2014, TCS reinforced the idea of diversity in its already inclusive workforce.
The center also brought a unique business model to KSA, becoming a rich training ground for Saudi women to building new capabilities, skills, and careers. Currently, the center provides support to 23 processes in areas such as finance and accounting, human resources, materials supply, supply chain management, and IT services, among others, for a range of clients across 50 countries.
Starting off with 20 Saudi Arabian women, the center gradually increased the staff count to 500 employees from a range of nationalities, including Indian, Chinese, and Australian. Among the staff are those who hold Bachelors, Masters, and Doctorate degrees. TCS' effort to increase capabilities and career opportunities for women in Saudi Arabia has also resulted in diversification of the services sector there.
Today, the project has scaled to 1,000 women and consists of 85% Saudi women professionals, who provide BPS and IT services to a range of global clients. TCS also put in nearly 610,000 cumulative hours of intensive training sessions for the center, which has more than equipped the associates with the necessary skill sets and knowledge to succeed.
A study by Everest Group revealed that BPS has unlocked opportunities for Saudi Arabia to become the hub for the industry in the Middle East. The sector creates more than 100,000 skilled jobs in the country each year, matching the number of people who enter the job market. The introduction of these services through TCS' center has the potential to create an extensive influence on the Saudi Arabian economy.
TCS believes in the potential of the center to create jobs for the Kingdom's youth and enable fruitful employment opportunities for women. Says Intisar AlMarhoon, an Assistant Manager at the center, "I know I am in the right place – a place that gives me wings, a place that will help me achieve my dreams." A highly inclusive workplace, buzzing with innovation and energy, the Riyadh center – and its workforce – is today more than just a delivery location for TCS; it is a vital part of its global delivery network.


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Q: How do I find all recrods with timestamp more than 120 days ago I need a query to find all records with a timestamp greater than 120 days.
select * from table where timestamp > 120 days

How would i compare the timestamp to 120 days? Ive only compared dates which seems to be a lot easier.

A: I suspect you want more than 120 days AGO.  That would:
where timestamp < current_date - interval 120 day

If you want the most recent 120 days worth of data reverse the comparison.

A: If your table name is "table_name" and timestamp column is "date_col" then you can use below query:
select * from table_name where date_col > DATE_SUB(CURDATE(), INTERVAL 120 DAY);

A: if you are working with Db2, and if I got you correctly, you want rows older than 120 days.
So syntax would be:
select * from table where timestamp < (current date - 120 days)

Sample:
DDATE
----------
2020-12-01
2020-11-01
2020-10-01
2020-09-01

  4 record(s) selected.

the query would return only..
DDATE
----------
2020-09-01

  1 record(s) selected.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Top news from Eswatini
Страна (актив) Created with Sketch. Eswatini
Philile Sharon
Meet the 78 years old High school graduate Ted Sams...
It was a joyfull moment for Ted Sams (78) and his family when he finally walked on stage to receive his high school diploma sixty years after he missed his 1962 graduation because of some teenage mischief and $4.80 (E3.40) overdue library fine he owed at his former school.
During his high school days, Ted and a friend were in a photography class when they were caught by the vice principal for photographing people without their consent and Ted was later suspended, leading to him missing the final exam and graduation. While he tried keeping up with his studies by attending summer school, Ted then found that he couldn't get his diploma because of the overdue library fine book.
"So I just walked away from it and said, 'Forget it'," he says.
In 2022, after much persuasion from his family Ted joined San Gabriel California High school in Los Angeles and got his high school diploma
Sams says he never expected to be back in high school 60 years later after he dropped out. He recounted how he would repeatedly complain to his children how a meagre $4.80 kept him from having a degree.
His daughter Sherry then suprised him by asking San Gabriel High in Los Angeles for a reprint of his diploma so he can attend graduation.
Luckily for him, the school hasn't thrown away the diploma and It was kept in a box, in senior archives.
In 27 May, Ted received an invitation from the school to be part of the graduation ceremony. The ceremony was attended by his wife and five children.
Even though it has been a long hard road, Ted says attaining his diploma has been a great achievement for him and the graduation was one of the highlights of his life.
"Actually, when he walked and got his diploma, every person on that stage hugged him and then the whole class applauded for him," Sherry says.
Although the $4.80 fine hasn't been paid, Ted is now a graduate of San Gabriel High School's class of 2022.
Source: News24
MLAWULA CAMPFIRE LAUNCH: Let's Adopt a Green Lifestyle for Nature to Continue Sustaining Us- Minister
The Ministry of Tourism and Environmental affairs of Eswatini Moses Vilakati says in order for people to live sustainably and in peace with nature, they should adopt and promote a greener lifestyle.
Vilakati was speaking during the launch of the 3rd edition of the Mlawula Campfire festival on Thursday, while the real event is scheduled to take place from the 28th to 30th of October 2022 at Siphiso Campsite, which is located within the Mlawula nature reserve.
The Minister says as a ministry, it is of paramount importance to them that they monitor the conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. "The Ministry has a responsibility, amongst others to oveeseer conservation and sustainable use of natural resources, which is delegated to the Eswatini National Trust Commission" he said.
The launch tabbed, 'Only One Earth' occurred during the World Environmental Month and aims to promote activities that support the conservation and sustainable use of natural resources such as water, land and minerals which also tend not only to bolsters the people's lives but also attracts tourists in a country thus it's economy.
According to Vilakati, tourism is one of the pillars in the country's economic development agenda. He says the government had a wakeup call from the COVID-19 pandemic because it forced it to expand the country's domestic tourism initiatives througn enhanced product development while introducing different adventure promotions.
Vilakati further urged companies and institutions to partner with the government in hosting the event which he described as a perfect epitome of the 'Only One Earth' theme of the environmental month.
He went on saying, "This will provide an opportunity for most companies and institutions to partner with us in hosting a successful event. It is worth mentioning that the intended objectives of such an initiative can only be achieved with your participation and support, as well as inviting others from across the spectrum to enjoy the one of a kind experience. In this way, the tourism economy will increase and enable extended sharing of benefits."
Alex Lucky Nxumalo
Leaders are mandated to lead with intergrity.
Abuse of power has led to conflicts which have divided a nation's people..Human greed has brought enmity and hatred between leaders and the grassroot people in my country. Violence now reigns supreme.
Our people have crossed the Rubicon of tolerance. Corruption has divided our people into two camps. Only wholesale changes in leadership and the ushering of democratic changes can save my country from anarchy and civil war.
Swaziland, my country, beg the world to pray for us!
Simile Sharon
I have recently started a book about a young woman in Eswatini whose personal journey depicts the hardships faced by almost every woman in the country. Below is an excerpt...
EXILED: Losing Thabo
"Don't tell me you have never wanted to see justice done for all the injustices you have suffered! That you haven't wished for your baby's killer to be tried in a fair court of law, instead of roaming free as if he is innocent while we know he's not. That you haven't longed for retribution against your employees who fired you for your political views just because they don't align with theirs. This is our time sis', to right the wrongs done to us by this unjust system. It's time we fought for what is rightfully ours! We can't be governed by a bunch of individuals who priorities money over the people's welfare. Government officials who accept bribes and look the other way while someone is being killed. It's time we take back the power because it belongs to us. Time has run out for this cruel regime which silences us by using guns and brutality and if you do not join the fight now, who will fight for you when they do come for you, because they will?"
Tears trickled down Lindiwe's cheek as she listened to her brothers passionate please. She hung her head in defeat as the inevitability of the situation struck her, she could feel it in her bones that this was it. With her life stripped bare of all possibilities of a bright future she had no other option but to fight
It's far from over... 2 critically wounded as Eswatini Warders trade fire with unknown men at Kwaluseni OK Foods
An unidentified boy was critically injured when a stray bullet meant hit him in the stomach during a gunfight between Warders and unknown men at Kwaluseni OK Foods on Friday, 18th February evening.
It is said the Warders were parked outside the food supermarket when the unknown men approached the vehicle and opened fire on them, which the Warders returned. The gunfight injured the boy and another man was also shot on the leg.
Eswatini is a tiny Kingdom marred by violence and riots as the people demand democratic reforms from the current government led by King Mswati lll
A COLD DOSE OF REALITY
A month back, a colleague who later became a friend quoted a common phrase, but I could feel it resonating deep in my heart and leaving a cold chill slithering down my spine. He said, "Gender Based Violence is the face of a woman".
I remember trying to push it to the back of my mind but to this day my attempts are still in vain; for i still bear sleepless nights because of the nightmarish ordeals I have suffered in the hands of men (the lovers, friends, relatives). I don't think I will ever feel completely safe while in the presence of men. I don't think I could ever love nor trust so deeply because of men. Yes! You say there are not all monsters; but how are we as women suppose to differentiate cause the monsters start as promising lovers, brothers & relatives.
Honestly though, I despair that I was born in such a country where the marginalisation of women has been standardised such that even the women themselves have accepted it as a norm.
Eswatini, my country; women are much more than broodmares, cooks, victims of abuse. Our presence equals that of a thousand men. If you pay my bride price, that doesn't mean you own me. If I submit under you, that doesn't mean I am yours to do as you will... I am much more than just a woman; I am your future
Almost every weekend, Eswatini democratic supporters are burying their loved and the media never reports those cases. Police violence and brutality are rife in the small country and King Mswati lll and his government are busy pulling the wool over the world, pretending that all is well
One of the most ignored and underrated, biblical admonitions is the "you reap what you sow" caution from God. Sow violence..you will invariably, sooner or later, reap the fruits of violence.
As parents, it is important that we exhibit moral values to our children. Children copy what we do as parents. If we constantly have marital problems for example, which culminate in violent confrontations, it doesn't escape the attention of our offsprings. In their adult life, somehow what we sowed will manifest itself in our children's behaviours.
Even with our spiritual proclivity, it is important that we behave in a manner that will rub off our children. Worshipping God in truth and in spirit attracts blessings for our families. The opposite attracts curses, which God puts in no uncertain terms that, He will visit the sins of the father to the children up to certain generations.
We need to take an introspective stance as parents, and honestly weigh our behaviours to see if they are still in sync with biblical statutes.
Our children are exposed to many evil spiritual influences. These should not come from within the family. Teach your child in the way he should go because you practice it - true, Godly principles. Yes..were not perfect..but we can try. Don't fool yourself, the devil hates with a passion the family structure. He will use every weapon in his arsenal to disrupt it. Happy Thursday!
Don't despair..!!
Each day comes with its own bouts of joys and/or disappointments. One minute you're happy, the next minute, who knows? Life is very unpredictable. It constantly throws a lot of sh..t at us and it depends how street savvy, positive-minded, and thick skinned you're, to avoid throwing in the towel.
I've walked through numerous valleys full of shadows of death.. We've all faced problems of mammoth proportions such that giving up was the only available option.
But somehow, we summoned those remnants of resilience...and made it. I always never fail to give glory to the Living God for always coming to my rescue in the nick of time..To Him, it is never too late. He controls time, chance, space, our destined futures, All He requires is FAITH...the rest, He takes over. On second thoughts, he tells Paul that His power "is manifested during our weakness".
We may be facing insurmountable problems right now, during this infamous, January month. No light might be flickering at the end of the tunnel. Friends may disappear when we need them most..the cat might be *sleeping on the oven*...no help might forthcoming..we trust in men, when the One who controls the future is only a prayer away.
Let's give glory to God, trust in the Son He sent as atonement for our sins. To the oppressed by life's problems and those who want to give up, including me. DON'T. Let's look up to the heavens..He is forever ready to help. Happy Sabbath!
An angry Swazis nation.. ticking time bomb..
The oppressive nature of our system of government in Swaziland, has just gone too far. I'm a columnist and the communication I receive from a motley group of people who read my articles which are critical of the injustices of the system, is very saddening.
Swazis are not silent. The silence is induced...sometimes brutally.They need an outlet where they cannot only cough out their frustration, but need bold, grassroot leadership that can push their frustration into a juggernaut of a democratic movement that would give the status quo sleepless nights, and induce them to come to the people and engage them in dialogue.
Today, a reader who called me, sounding very emotional, after reading yesterday's article, implored every oppressed Swazi to stand up for their rights, not only for the present generation, but for the future generations, as well.. He said something that triggered a deep introspection, mentioning that if as the oppressed, we could not position ourselves, but hope and wait for a Miracle to come from God..then we might as well applaud the enemy for oppressing us. Position ourselves... act..that gave me food for thought.
The people out there are at the precipice of their tolerance. They are an angry lot..ranting with sheer frustration. The stagnant economy is wreaking havoc on their lives. They are living from hand to mouth. Prices of basic food commodities have doubled..even tripled. The wages they receive are enough to buy bread. What irks many is that they pay taxes, and receive nada in return.
Poor service delivery has become normal. Families of the oligarchs, who have never toiled for a living in their whole life, are beneficiaries of their taxes. The poverty-stricken live on less than a dollar per day, while those who loot public funds with impunity, live filthy opulent lifestyles. It calls for a charismatic voice..a Movement.. An organization..or whatever, to properly channel the divergent frustrations of the people, making the people s united, and one formidable force - remember the Sudan and Arab Spring protest?
As a columnist, I sometimes fear for my well-being for identifying with the suffering of the people, and putting into paper their sheer frustration.
May the progressives find success in their quest to turn things around.
Or else, I fear..if the simmering anger boils over..
As humans, we love power. It is appealing, but very addictive. Those in the know, never falter to caution that "power corrupts, but absolute power corrupts absolutely.."
Power gets into your head, makes you heady, and you rarely listen to voices of reason, or take advice from those in the lower rungs of power, when you stray, and abuse those powers vested in you. In numerous, cases those who abuse power, and allow it to corrupt them absolutely, began their stint in power as sheep, but the trappings, and allurement of power, changed them into ravenous wolves.
History is bloated with records of leaders who failed to contain themselves, allowed the tentacles of power to strangle, and corrupt their consciences, turning them into power-hungry oligarchs, who became a nemesis to those under their authority.
As the governed, we at times create the Frankenstein monster in leaders, regarding, hailing them as gods.
Lesson: Never venerate, elevate leaders into godly status...lest they turn into dangerous autocrats..
I'm just a simple man..a run-off-the- mill guy, from the tiny kingdom of Swaziland, ruled by an absolute Monarch, King Mswati III. I am a commoner, who happens to be a writer, and following my childhood passion of writing..
I'm sorry, but I abhor any form of injustice, irrespective from whom it comes from - be it from a friend, relative, ruling authorities, etc. I am an advocate, a proponent, a protagonist of peace, and harmony. I will defend with my back against the wall, the underprivileged, the oppressed, and those whose voices are not heard as they cry for justice.
What is happening in this hell-hole of a country..this animal farm, led by oligarchs who only care about power, money and oppressing the people who reluctantly sponsor their opulent lifestyles, is diabolical. It has no place in a modern society, and belongs in medieval times.
The Living God created us all equal, and it is Him and Him alone, we should worship..not mortal man, who was taken from the dust and shall return to dust.
When the Living and Loving God created Man, He commanded, "Subjue the Earth.." He never commanded Man to subdue Man, oppressing him, like what leaders of this wretched country are doing to such a peace loving people, as Swazis.
I hear there is a coming dialogue which has the propensity to make or break our political future. I believe in dialogue.
I believe that when in conflict, human decency demands that we sit down and thrash out our differences, agree to disagree, and ferociously work on reaching a consensus.
I've more or less, studied the mentality of this government, and its leaders. What I have no doubts about is that there is just no way they will negotiate or dialogue in good faith. They have been in power for more than a jubilee of years. They know the perks and benefits of being in power. We all know what power does. It corrupts...
When you're in power, you feel like a god..you command those under you to jump..and they eagerly ask, "how high your Honour".
The wise say, "power corrupts, absolute power corrupts.. ABSOLUTELY"
It remains to be seen if change will finally come in my country..but the will of the people, and good shall triumph over evil in the end...
Siphesihle Shabangu
Why!
Why is everyone I know so broken?
They are holding on to expired love tokens
the days and nights her previous crumpled her's aside
Sat her down with a hefty pound.
Am I a magnet to love that turns to gray?
To feelings turning the tide,
and hearts stumbling away?
Will they ever be free
from past moments shared and cherished?
Do I really have to see past the eye?
Mend and nature their broken hearts?
While the next better man,
Tears them in pieces apart?
don't term it a calling
I can't be the middle man falling
Like a river bound to its doom
Am sure to run dry.
to this quest, well I bid goodbye.
Siphesihle Moses Shabangu
"STICK BY THE WORD AND YOU SHALL SEE HIM"
Often, we christians beat ourselves up when tables stop turning the clockwise way, when terrible terrors sing tunes of sorrow in our spiritualities. We often overlook that God has a greater influence on us when we are feeling down. Truly, it is then that we should seek his grace. In 2 nd Corinthians 12 verse 9, God says through Paul, "... my grace is all you need, for my power is greatest when you are weak...". He who planned our lives long before we existed (Jeremiah 1 verse 5), to Him we should pledge our loyalty for eternity because the solid foundation that he has laid cannot be shaken( 2 nd Timothy 2 verse 19).
I know there are people who have suffered the threats of a longed suffering. People whom have lost the faith to praise God; their hearts have started to believe and adapt to the darkness that seems eternal even during the day. My fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, there are some things that time can never mend, some hurts that go too deep that they take hold, but God's grace can wipe the tears that have rolled down your chicks as Billie's "ocean of tears". It is time you change your constant prayers. 1 st John 3 verse 22 says, "we receive from Him what we ask because we obey His commands and do what pleases Him...". You may have prayed for His grace that He may make your plans prosperous every year, but got no immediate responses. I say to you today, start praying to God for a plan, ask of the wisdom to get a prosperous plan, for through God given plans only can you emerge victoriously. He came that we may have life and have it in abundance (John 10 verse 10.) Even through your trials, listen and live by His
commands, for in 1 st Corinthians 10 verses 12-13, He says, "whoever thinks he is standing firm better be careful that he does not fall. Every test that you have experienced is the kind that normally comes to people. But God keeps His promise,
and He will not allow you to be tested beyond your power to remain firm; at the time of the test, He will give you strength to endure it and so provide you with a way out..."
Brothers and sisters, let us seek first the kingdom of God and all the good things shall be granted to us, let us bring forth the love of God before everything. The bible says, happy are the eyes that see what we have seen in Jesus, for many Kings and Knights desire to see what we observe but cannot and to hear that which we have heard, but did not (Luke 10 verse 23). Be sure to always show your faith because as the body is dead without the spirit, also faith without actions is dead (James 2 verse 26). Know that loving God is a personal task. It is not just inherited from family, friends or religions. You have got to stand to that faith from winter through summer. Stick by the word, hold on to the word and you shall see him (Hosea 4 verse 5).
Add effort into your salvation, least you want to lose it. Desire more spiritual doings. Submit to God all your sins. Well, you will never succeed in life if you hide your sins. Confess them and give them up, then God will show mercy to you (Proverbs 28 verse 13). Be sure to refrain from the use of hard words. The book of James 3 verse 10 reveals that, " words of thanksgiving and cursing pour out from the same mouth. My brothers, this should not happen!" . We often take this issue of the tongue very lightly, this should not happen. Sweet springs do not give salty water, nor does a fig tree bear olives. The mouth speaks that which the heart is full of. The time to ask God's complete
guidance is now. You do not need to be flashy to show Him loyalty. You do not need to be famous for the significance of the Lord's power to elevate through you! He is always the missing part of the puzzle and a fortune treasures await your journey of life, on one condition; you make God your mentor, love your neighbour as you love yourselves and lean not to your own understandings.
Terrible Predicament
two decades of fluffy sweet years
a false fairy-tale tickled ears
from dust to dawn,
winter through summer
smiles widened through their faces
a golden spoon and a silver platter,
a blazing sunrise and a beautiful sunset,
a Shining Amour and a Royal highness...
oh! what a remorseful loss
to the noble garden of daffodils;
you left mystical Black Rose
along with the hope that flowed
in xylem as mineral salts.
you set off as the sunset
and never rose to glow again!
completely, explicitly and profusely
you vanquished love seared in their hearts
as your petals fell slow
and your stem wilted dry.
your existence faded right in summer
with no aid of frost and blizzards from winter.
you left amazing pure souls
vulnerable and prone to slumber.
you left mystical Rose
with no sick Rose time in quarantine
left all hearts pumping real low
and eyes dripping oceans of tears.
but all ain't lost, Daffodils
there's always a new summer;
there's always a next eclipse;
Solar or Lunar
celestial bodies shall align again
for that is how you came about;
as King among Daffodils.
Moses Siphesihle Shabangu.
Sphelele Zulu
The live of a 17 year old boy ,born and bred in the rural villages of Eswatini.
My name is Sphelele Zulu and am a part-time writer.Today I wish to share my life with you.With the Corona virus disrupting a lot of events and moments in oyr lives,I have taken an initiative to publish my work to the public. I hope to uplift and inspire others to face the pandemic like it is a breeze.I hope everyone will hold onto their hearts lest I blow them away with my writing


Home / Administration & Management / Energy Market Experience Lessons from Liberalised Electricity Markets : Energy Market Experience.
Energy Market Experience Lessons from Liberalised Electricity Markets : Energy Market Experience.
This book assesses experience in reforming electricity markets in OECD countries over the past decade, focusing on the issues that are critical for successful liberalisation.
International Energy Agency. Lessons from. Liberalised Electricity. Markets ... The International Experience with Regulation ... Assessing electricity market.
Keywords Electricity market 4 Energy markets 4 European Union 4 Gas market 4 ... The market reform in Europe has started with the British experience and the .... whole market was liberalized during the early 2000s and a voluntary energy spot. 16 ...... Joskow P (2008) Lessons learned from electricity market liberalization.
2017年7月7日 - Electricity market design: lessons from the 'reforms of the reforms' .... Liberalised power market. Degree of liberalization. ▫ Most markets feature some form of pubic ... North America – Lessons from the various experiences with.