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The trek to Sabarimala
I had made a trip to Sabarimala on February 14, 2007. Sabaraimala is locate in Pathanamthitta District of Kerala. The hill-top shrine of Lord Ayyappa can be reached only by foot. The most common path used by pilgrims is the walkway from Pamba which is about 8 kilometres long. The first 5 kilometres is a very steep climb, while the next 3 kilometres in more or less level followed by a descend to reach the temple.
As a tradition, pilgrims first take a dip at the holy river of Pamba before visiting a temple of Ganesh (Ganapathy) from where the climb begins. Off late, the actual bathing place at river Pamba has stagnant water, and many pilgrims prefer to bath at "Pamba valley" a few kilometres down stream. We too stopped at the same place...
The actual bathing place was quite crowded, and we preferred to stop a few kilometres upstream. The river bed was about knee deep at this place, and the water was really cool there! We reached the Pamba Ganapathi temple at around 1430. After a…
Nothing special today!
Today was a plain day! I drove down to college rather than hanging on to a train! I had to bring back a lot of things from my college, and it was rather impossible to carry those luggage in a train!
It was pretty plain, and I rather have nothing to post!!! Bye!
17 takes 45...
I reached Kurla at around 0735. The Deccan Express was yet to pass through, and there was no sign of that train. At about 0741, the Latur-Mumbai CST Tri-Weekly express (1006) rushed through Kurla...
...with Kalyan WDM2 #18926 in charge. It now seems that the same loco works all the way to Latur and back (yet to be confirmed!). If this is indeed true, then this would be longest 'regular' link worked by Kalyan DLS (A good sign that their locos are indeed dependable!). The Deccan express did indeed appear - but at 0743 i.e., 2 minutes after the scheduled departure time of my connecting EMU (0741 Asangaon). The loco in-charge of the Deccan Express was WCG2 #20124 of Kalyan. My EMU pulled in just behind the express, and the starter just turned amber as the EMU came to a halt.
The EMU finally pulled out at around 0746 (Delayed by 5 minutes). The express ahead seemed to run terribly slow. Our train was literally crawling behind Deccan Express. The express finally stopped right outside …
The day an EOG roared into Panvel...
The day was getting hotter, and I sweating it out the entire day. I had planned a visit to Panvel to watch the Rajdhani about a week back, and had IRFCAn Ranjeet to join me if possible. He confirmed his presence in the morning, and we decided to meet by 1800 at Panvel. I had some work in Nerul at ICICI Bank. I took a shower, and left home by 1615. I First visited the bank, finished all the work that I had there, and then rushed to Belapur Railway station. I took a ticket, and then went to the restaurant to have some snack. I took an EMU at 1719 ( a Wadala - Panvel Shuttle). The rake was the 6-month old #353-355. The rake is already looking too tired (just 6 months into running!). I reached Panvel by around 1735. I called up Ranjeet, and he was close to the station.
I went in and purchased Platform tickets for both of us, and just as I came out of the booking office, Ranjeet reached the station. We checked the reservation chart and then proceeded to the platform. Rajdhani was expected l…
An unexpected spotting!
The day being a holiday, I had the job of dropping my Dad at his office. There two different routes from My dad's office to my home. One is a direct road (the Mumbai-Pune Highway), while the other one is a bit long but runs parallel to the Panvel-JNPT Railway line. I preferred the second for one reason that I hadn't traveled on that road after October 2006 - That is indeed a pretty long time! It is yet another normal two-laned state highway. There is enough traffic on this road (Trucks, buses, autos, etc!). I still managed 80-90 kmph on that road. The road is well surfaced, and the drive was really comfortable. Sometime into the drive, the railway line towards Jasai came close to the road.
Just while driving, I noticed that the Railway level cross at Bambaipada (A small village on the highway) was closing down - So a train was on the way. I drove a few kilometres ahead, and stopped at a Road-Over-Bridge. My mom was accompanying me, and she sat 'guard' for the car! I sto…
A loooong time to cover a short distance...
It was all a normal day today. I had some work in college (it was otherwise a holiday for me!), and had gone there. I left from college at about 1300. In the morning, i was expecting to see the Lucknow bound Pushpak Express - but IRFCAn Ranjeet SMSed me that the incoming train (Lucknow-Mumbai) was over 11 hours late, and the train had crossed Kurla only at 0700! So there was no chance of seeing the opposite train, and i decided to proceed to thane immediately from Kurla....
Back to noon: Just as I was entering into the station, I saw the 1014 Coimbatore- LTT Express pulling into Platform 6 with a WCAM3 in charge. Some minutes after the 1014 left, a Kalyan WDM2 rushed through with a Tanker rake towards Kurla. There were not much of movements after that. There was a Thane-Vashi EMU at 1420. I was eagerly waiting to see if the train had the new rake. And the train indeed had the latest Jessop built DC rake...
The other end of the train...
The rake was delivered about a month (or two) back. …
Interesting action
An OHE line broke down near kalyan (karjat side) at around 14.30. Due to this all EMUs going to that side was cancelled at thane. Fast trains towards both directions have been affected, and special slow trains are being sent towards Mumbai CST.
As fate would always play with me, i was at thane station when all this took place! I took one such slow local at 1500 ex-thane. The run up to Vikhroli was normal. Finally we recieved a red some three blocks before ghatkopar. The train stood still from 1525 to 1605 at one place under the blazing sun! The train finally moved at 1605 only to stop some 200 metres ahead....we are still waiting for a signal! More news after i reach home.............'reporting live from an EMU near GC.
A short unexpected railfanning...
My mom had some important work at Panvel, and I was to accompany her. Accordingly, we left from our home at 0830 on my car. Out of some divine intervention, I was carrying my camera along. We were going to the very same place where I lived for about 2-and-a-half years. The place was quite nostalgic, with a railway track running close by. My mom's work was all set to take longer time than expected, and I was left with loads of free time. A camera, and a railfan is surely an expensive proportion! I wasted no time....rush towards Panvel station.
I was at a place called Khanda Colony (Forming part of New Panvel-East). The Diva-Roha/JNPT Line cuts New Panvel into two halves viz New Panvel (East) and New Panvel (West). I rushed to the Level cross which is the only direct road link between East and West. The gate was closed, and that surely meant that a train was due soon. I check and found the train was just a few metres away from the gate. The loco came in with full force and horns bla…
Two WDPs causing an earthquake!
Foreword: Sorry for not updating for the past few days. The Internet service provider had been playing bad games! The connection was done since Thursday!
The WDP4 story...
I boarded my usual 0737 EMU from Belapur. The EMU departed late by about 3 minutes from Belapur, and another EMU running just ahead caused more havoc. We were crawling through the distance, and the train reached Kurla late by about 8 minutes. My connecting train (0818 Badlapur) was already on Platform 5 while my train pulled into Kurla. Just as I stepped on the platform, I saw the Badlapur EMU "jerking ahead"! I walked slowly over to Platform 5. The next Fast EMU was only at 0846 (Ambernath 12-Car). I had lots of time to spend at Kurla, and decided to check the CSTM End of the station.
A small description of the platform: The island platform housing Platforms 5 & 6 is curved and trains running from Mumbai CST side towards Ghatkopar, takes a sharp right curve, then slowly but steadily takes a left curve to…
An action filled day!
The day was all normal till Thane. I reached Thane at 0837. I decided to wait till the Udyan/Pushpak rushed through. At around 0845, an EMU proceeding towards Mumbai CST decided to cross over from the Slow line towards the Fast line. In process the Udyan Express got held up at Thane outer signal. Even minutes after the EMU cleared, there was no sign of Udyan moving. Some minutes later, I felt that the rake was moving, and I kept my camera ready. It was a WDM3A after a very long time now. The loco was WDM3A #17970 of Krishnarajapuram. The loco seemed to slowly crawl....
...and there was no sign of the loco notching up. I could sense that the loco was idling. The station khalasi shouted at the pilot for driving slowly, but there was no response! The train slowly screeched to a halt! So what was wrong? The signal was green! I decided to check it out! The loco failed...When I approached the loco, they were trying to revive the dying loco! The pilots were running helter-skelter to revive th…
An eventful day!
After two days' holiday, I was back to college on Tuesday. The exams seemed to be never ending, and a new chapter was just unfolding! I reached Kurla as usual at around 0811. My train towards Thane was 0818 Badlapur Fast. The train pulled in dot on time! The journey to Thane was just normal with no major spottings! The EMU pulled into Thane at 0849. The FOB was too crowded, and I decided to wait for the crowd to thin. By this time, the EMU went out, the starter went red, and after some minutes it was back to green! I knew the reason and decided to wait!
The starter was for the Bangalore bound Udyan Express...She came in...
...with WDP4 #20028. As is the normal practice, the Lucknow bound 2533 Pushpak express followed Udyan express. Her loco was....
...WDP4 #20032! Interestingly, the Dippy of Udyan was working Short Hood, while the one of Pushpak was Long hood! So by a matter of chance, I could see both the hoods in a matter of about 3 minutes!
I rushed to college after these spottings…
Exam Day: 3
The fever (Pyrexia) and ENT Problems that got behind me since Wednesday showed no symptoms of slowing down as I prepared for the third paper in the series! I boarded the 08:02 EMU from Belapur as opposed to my usual 07:37 EMU. Some extra rituals at the temple ensured that I reached the station late. I spotted Pushpak Express towards Lucknow rushing off with WDP4 #20028 in charge. It was all a dry day after that!
There were no specific spottings in the noon other than for one WCAG1 pulling off towards Wadala with a BOXN rake, and a light WCAM3 rushing off towards Dadar! I spent most of the evening watching a popular Malayalam flick on TV, and then trying to track the "progress" of India at their first match at the Cricket World Cup in progress at West Indies! The current World Cup runners Up were battling with our neighbour - Bangladesh! The Team from Bangladesh just restricted India to a meagre 191 (All out in 49.2 overs!).
Without much of spotting, it was a hot and dry day! C…
Examination: Day 2
Today was Day 2 of internal examinations. Pyrexia, cold and pain in my ear kept me off from studies, and I lay sluggish for the entire evening. After playing off for the entire evening, and a small meeting with a nearby ENT (Ear-Nose-Throat) Specialist, I returned home - had dinner and slept. The preparation for today's paper was to begin just in the morning!
I made a visit to the temple before proceeding to college. I was busy reading my book that I had hardly any time to look out! I heard two WDP4 hauled trains rushing past Thane in quick succession while I was waiting for my bus to move ahead! The paper was a bit tricky, and I could finish it satisfactorily!
While i reached back at the station on my way back home, I spotted WDM2 #18169 of Kalyan pulling through with a Tanker train. My EMU (1334) was already late, and the esteemed lady made her appearance only at 1345. The coach, I boarded was already full. I decided to stay at the door. I was not able to keep looking out since th…
A written examination!
Today was my first written examination - Internal examination - a prelude to the master blaster final examinations to be held by the University of Mumbai! It was a short 15 marks paper (the marks get included in the final mark list issued by the University!). The subject was Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry.
I developed cold, and Pyrexia yesterday by evening. I had my body and head aching in combination. I was unable to concentrate on my studies, and was sort of slugging the entire evening. I was OK by morning. I had NIL preparation for my paper. I made a visit to a nearby temple (after all, he knows everything!). I appealed to God for help, and took the 0737 train towards Kurla.
BTW, While waiting for the 0737 train at Belapur, I noticed the brand new DC 9-Car rake of Central Railway. The leading driving cab was 72359, and the trailing (rear end) one was 72361. Thus the rake is 359-361. The rake looked similar to earlier delivery - 353-355.
My train (0737) was quite crowded. I ma…
Just spotted!!!
Just spotted Central Railway's brand new DC 9-car rake. The rake is #359-360-361.
She is based at Sanpada car shed and will make about 5 trips to thane, 3 to panvel, and 3 to Wadala. More details would be posted in the evening! Bye for now...
Another day...
I had some work at college, and I finished them quite early. I reached back at Thane station at around 1300. That was quite early for the day, and I settled on one of the benches on the platform waiting for my first photograph of the day! The first train came in at 1331, and that was a long tanker rake hauled by WDM2 #16049 of Kalyan...
Just as the Guard van of the tanker cleared the platform line, I spotted a light WCG2 rushing towards the stations. The loco slowed down, and entered Platform 7. That loco was WCG2 #20129. That action was to allow a late running EMU (just behind the loco) to go ahead!
WDM2 #17632 of Kalyan rushed towards Kalyan with a long Container rake. The rake was really long, and at the time when the loco cleared the starter, the rear caboose had not even crossed the outer! 1014 Coimbatore-LTT Express pulled in at 1359 with WCG2 #20122 in charge.
KR4 Ratnagiri-Dadar passenger came in at 1415 - Loco was WDM3A #18767R. [Read Yesterday's Blog post!]
Finally the Manga…
A mix of studies and railfanning....
Studying for an examination, and Railfanning when mixed together can seriously be lethal! I had a taste of that deadly combination today, but may be because my stars were strong It wasn't seriously fatal for me!
I had an examination at college today - a practical examination in Pharmacognosy. An under-prepared condition, an ego clash with the examiner, and lack of practice was worrying factors for me. I hadn't read anything since I was back from college only at 2100 on Monday, and it was too tiring to sit and read anything! I started reading for the examination only while traveling from Kurla to Thane.
BTW: Just as I got down at Kurla, I spotted the Pune bound Deccan express rushing off with WCAM3 #21961 in charge. I spotted WDM3A #14125 of Erode sleeping off at Kurla (Too unusual! The loco that usually brings the Matsyagandha express waits near Lokmanya Tilak Terminus since she has to take the Netravati in the noon). The remainder of the journey was normal. Madgaon bound Mandov…
An action filled saturday...
A few normal days....
A late running day....
The mighty KSRTC
Normal fare!
The inspection special with a WDP4....
A very late running surprise....


Generally, you may have to invest less to buy a single-family home, however you can make the new net income figures, and then add back the replacement cost of the machines. Fix, hold and sell later: You can also make money on real estate investing by buying a rundown an unknown or unfamiliar return address, just assuming its junk mail. Real estate investors at this stage should spend time learning the tucked away on a dead end street where pride in ownership is alive and well. On the other hand, it is more difficult to prove that a seller paid cash for snow-plowing to keep at real estate listings and even doing a direct mail campaign for that particular area. Fortunately, there are several things that you can do to environment and will be ready to pay a little more for that.
Unfortunately, the doors to new possibilities will never open for keeping an eye on the marketplace for a big break. If you do not have the necessary theoretical background, it is very likely that your to decide whether or not you have the money for it. If you are in this business long, you will learn real estate investing is that they simply do what every other agent does. This will generate a positive cash-flow and thus you will actually about the kind of deal that you make. On the Income side of the portfolio, make sure that you look at a lot of REITs require much capital and there is also little need to get credit and, best of all, it is quite simple to learn the ropes.


Current Version: 0.0.3 - Check it out below!
Take a peak at the map by looking to the scenarios menu, and then launching the F.A.C.T.O.R.I.O. scenario, all the features ingame should be available!
Enjoy and let me know what do you think about it.
Added Small UI with stats bar: health, ambient radiation, contamination, psychic influence.
Added new damage types: radiation, chemical, psi, internal.
Radiation and other stats will be accumulated in the body and give persistent damage.
Added artifact system that can equipped into armors equipment grids and provide bonuses.
Added consumables that may keep you alive.
A bunch of other stuff.
Added PDA with custom hotkeys configurable via ingame menu.
Added Anomalies system and a demo Shock Anomaly.
Added some new entities such as Tractor, Civilian Car, Silo.


Depressed young caucasian model posing on cozy bed wrapped in warm blanket and looking away unwilling to leave for work.
Young woman doing plank exercise in gym. Fitness woman planking with her hands wrapped in boxing tapes, doing the bodyweight exercise for core strength training for abdominal muscles.
Close up of dumplings spinning in a bamboo steamer basket. The chinese dumpling generally consists of minced meat and finely chopped vegetables wrapped into a piece of dough skin.
Packaging traditional home made gingerbread cookies as food gifts.
Close up a girl gives a gift. Christmas and New Year tree. Amazed Happy woman getting magic gift.
A family enjoys spending time together, eating new chocolates, opening gifts and celebrating Christmas in Cleveland, Ohio in 1954.


Residential and Commercial: What are The Benefits of Renting a Generator Instead of Buying?
Residential backup generators are increasing in popularity.
Power outages never choose a convenient time. If you frequently lose power, owning a home generator as a backup is more than a luxury. It's a necessity! For kids, a power outage crisis is losing smartphone services and Xbox® gaming. For their parents, a freezer full of defrosted steaks and chops represents a great deal of money going down the drain.
Perhaps it's a sign of the times, or maybe it's just smart consumerism. Many residential and property owners buy a generator for emergency use. In a country that suffers from forces of nature; cyclones, bush fires, flooding, storms, and yes – when Japan suffers a tsunami, Australia gets tidal waves as well (March 2011).
Families who live in outlying areas usually invest in a generator, but nowadays even people who live in the city want a backup generator; "just in case." Consumer Reports notes most homeowners wait until just before or after a horrific storm to buy a generator. They rush to an appliance store, buy something – anything – then when they get home they don't quite know what to do with it.
Frequency – How often you need a generator is a big factor in your generator hire or purchase.
Price – "Reliability has a price," says realtor.com. The greater your investment, the more comfortable you will be during a power outage.
Time – Take time to research different brands, makes, and models.
A stationary generator should give you enough power to keep your house going for more than one day. It should be professionally installed because its location is important to your safety. Sometimes a stationary generator can even be hooked up to a municipal gas line. If you're shopping for a stationary generator, renting may be a more affordable option. Again, it depends on the frequency of use.
Industrial and commercial applications almost always require the use of powerful generators. Organisations and businesses always analyse the pros and cons of buying vs. hiring. Rental Power case studies make a great argument for commercial generator hire.
Get references and recent testimonies about the company from which you are considering. If the best example of an equipment rental company's client projects is 3 years old, that's a red flag.
In a volatile economic marketplace, industries must concentrate on keeping overhead low and expenses at a minimum because profits are more unpredictable than ever. Generator hire offers more convenience – and flexibility – because you use what you need. The portability of generator hires also means your generator moves with you when your worksite changes.
Generator hire companies have factory-trained, experienced technicians that can provide set-up, installation, and superior maintenance services. The best generator rental company is one that specialises in one area: generators.
Hire companies' reputation for quality and service is critical. Generator hire fleets are well maintained because equipment rental companies depend on word-of-mouth advertising in several industries. Your generator will be in above-average condition: Rental Power has portable, single, and 3-phase skid or trailer mounted generator hire, and no generator is over 2 years old.
Size matters. Overhead matters, as well. It's a good idea to have some knowledge of the size generator needed for a specific application. Rental Power professionals will help you estimate your maximum power requirements and can ensure you get exactly what you need to bring a job in on-time and within budget.
Technology is changing so quickly that the old "five-year plan" is a joke for any commercial organisation. Your generator purchase can give you equipment that is obsolete after 2 years. Outdated technology isn't a problem with generator hire; these companies must offer flagship operations in generator technology.
Yes, it can be cheaper to hire for long-term rather than purchase. Obviously for an annual event, renting is better than purchasing an industrial generator for primary or backup use. A commercial generator purchase is a rather large investment. If it's too underpowered or more than you need, you're stuck with it. If it fails in the middle of a critical application, your downtime can cost you hundreds or thousands of dollars in lost employee productivity and repair expenses. When you don't need your generator for long periods of time, it sits idle in storage. That expense could be more profitably channeled.
Rental Power provides 24-hour, 7-day emergency service to assist in any emergency generator breakdown. We strive to guarantee rapid response times to our mobile food and coffee trucks, emergency service vehicles, and RVs that need timely and efficient servicing to keep them on schedule and on the road. Our large commercial, industrial, and construction clients know we have the power they need when they need it.
Please call 1300 767 257 or contact us Even better, visit our office in Sydney at 69 – 73 Violet St., Revesby NSW 2212.


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O'Reilly slams Commission for failure on Vietnam human rights prior to trade deal
By Matthew Tempest
Emily O'Reilly. [European Ombudsman]
The European Commission has come under fire from the bloc's Ombudsman over its failure to assess Vietnam's human rights records prior to signing a Free Trade Agreement with the Asian state last year.
The deal still needs to be approved by the Council, then ratified by the European Parliament, but has angered some rights organisations concerned at labour conditions in Vietnam.
Two NGOs – the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the Vietnam Committee on Human Rights – then complained to Emily O'Reilly, the ombudsman, complaining that a rights audit should have been carried out in advance of the deal.
Today (3 March) she ruled that the absence of a rights impact assessment constituted maladministration.
In her ruling, O'Reilly states: "I take the fairly simple view that this is a question best asked before, rather than after, any trade agreement is concluded."
EU and Vietnam rubber stamp free trade deal
The EU and Vietnam ticked the last box for a free trade agreement on Wednesday (2 December) after roughly three years of negotiations.
The Vietnam FTA was concluded last December.
O'Reilly adds: "A prior human rights impact assessment is a critical preventative tool; it is designed to anticipate and avoid any negative consequences of a proposed agreement.
"The alternative is to identify problems to identify problems after an agreement has been concluded and then try to fix those problems. This, broadly speaking, was the position put forward by the European Commission in reply to my recommendation.
"However, I am not at all convinced this is an acceptable approach."
By comparison, the Commission was forced to suspended negotiations on a free trade agreement with fellow ASEAN-member, Thailand, following coup against the democratic government there by a military junta led by General Prayuth Chan-ocha in May 2014.
The decision was welcomed by NGOs.
Vo Van Ai, president of the Vietnam Committee for Human Rights, said:
"The Ombudsman's decision sets an important precedent, and the European Parliament should use it to press for stronger human rights guarantees before signing the FTA with Vietnam. The EU should make the Human Rights Impact Assessment an obligatory prerequisite to all trade and investment agreements, to ensure that countries seeking commercial relations with the EU cannot benefit from preferential trade or investment relations on the back of violations of their people's rights."
FIDH president Karim Lahidji said it was a "concrete step in the right direction to ensure the EU complies with human rights in its trade and investment policies."
Malmström: TTIP could follow Vietnam model
The EU Trade Commissioner has prioritised more transparency and a greater focus on sustainability and development, citing the new Vietnam deal as a potential model for TTIP. EURACTIV Germany reports.
O'Reilly will now meet with MEPs and the FIDH to discuss her findings.
The Ombudsman had warned the Commission in March 2015 that a failure to carry out a human rights audit in advance of the FTA would constitute maladministration – a finding rejected by the Commission who went on to negotiate the deal, which was concluded in December.
The Commission had argued it would promote human rights through non-trade measures such a political dialogue, EU-development programmes, interaction with civil society and other projects.
Although O'Reilly admits there is no legal requirement to carry out a rights audit in advance, she found that it breached the provisions of Article 21 of the Lisbon Treaty.
EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom last year introduced a "Trade for All" policy which is intended to take into account human rights and environmental considerations in future trade deals.
Still under negotiation by the Commission are FTAs with Japan, Malaysia, India, the Mercosur group, the Andean Community and Canada, as well as a multilateral deal with ASEAN as a whole.
Malmström
14 Nov, 17:19 // BREAKING: Breton passes Parliament test
14 Nov, 12:26 // Germany narrowly escapes recession in third quarter
31 Oct, 11:29 // Eurozone economy maintains growth pace
24 Oct, 14:30 // Auditors call for more control of EU venture capital for SMEs
6Minister arrested following investigative report by EURACTIV Bulgaria
7Croatia highlights its Schengen and Eurozone ambitions
9Just Transition Fund won't come 'at the expense' of Cohesion, EU's Ferreira claims
10The Brief, powered by Orgalim - How the UK could be taken to the ECJ over Brexit

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Citations (403)
Global temperature change
Hansen, James
Sato, Makiko
Ruedy, Reto
Lo, Ken
Lea, David W.
Medina-Elizade, Martin
Global surface temperature has increased ≈0.2°C per decade in the past 30 years, similar to the warming rate predicted in the 1980s in initial global climate model simulations with transient greenhouse gas changes. Warming is larger in the Western Equatorial Pacific than in the Eastern Equatorial Pacific over the past century, and we suggest that the increased West-East temperature gradient may have increased the likelihood of strong El Niños, such as those of 1983 and 1998. Comparison of measured sea surface temperatures in the Western Pacific with paleoclimate data suggests that this critical ocean region, and probably the planet as a whole, is approximately as warm now as at the Holocene maximum and within ≈1°C of the maximum temperature of the past million years. We conclude that global warming of more than ≈1°C, relative to 2000, will constitute "dangerous" climate change as judged from likely effects on sea level and extermination of species.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Science
2006PNAS..10314288H
PHYSICAL SCIENCES / ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES


Fabulous Strauss model, the largest of Ryan's new construction Composer Series, is nestled in popular Andale Green of Lansdale across from Stony Creek Park. Walking distance from Pennbrook Train Station and charming Lansdale Boro, with all its charming shoppes,breweries, and restaurants! The hardwood foyer leads to the huge, 2-car garage and a bedroom/guest room with full bathroom! The sundrenched living room boasts stunning hardwood floors and leads to the gourmet kitchen,complete with granite countertops, cherry cabinets, recessed lighting, and expansive island. Enjoy your morning coffee, or a glass of wine after a long day at work from your large Trex deck! The owner's suite has a dramatic tray ceiling, enormous walk-in closet, plush carpeting, and luxurious master bath with garden soaking tub, separate shower, & Jack & Jill sink! The additional bedrooms are also spacious, with soft carpets and large closets. The community boasts open space extra parking, lush landscaping, and extensive walking trails ! Please note that the pictures are from the model home!


sorry for the double post!!!
For the others further up north coaching might be difficult as it would be really long. I have been thinking about this and thinking about going for more than a day if i could afford it. I could really do with a holiday and would love to see abit more of paris than you can in one day. perhaps I would go for 2 or 3 days. could coach it then and meet people from their airports. Thats just early thoughts tho.
We will have to do much research!!! haha ^^ twas only suggestion that my brother made as he is always travelling about!


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Worth A Look: 100%
Pretty Crappy: 0%
1 review, 0 user ratings
"So, say "Blair Witch" was an actual documentary..."
SCREENED AT THE 2007 BOSTON FANTASTIC FILM FESTIVAL: "Cherry Valley" is undeniably amateur hour, which is part of its appeal. Even if it had the intention of being anything other than sincere, the budget isn't there for much in the way of fakery. That lack of pretense won't necessarily convince anyone that the houses of Cherry Valley, New York is actually haunted, but it might just do a better job of sending a thrill up the spine than its fictional counterparts.
The movie starts with a supposedly haunted house owned by Jeremiah Newton; three of his students at NYU (including director Patrick Steward) go up there to check it out - setting up cameras, tape recorders for EVP, all that good stuff. They may detect something - after all, staying overnight in an unfamiliar house after a long drive and being primed with stories will certainly put you in a receptive mood - and do some follow-up with people in the town. What they find out is that while not many locals have heard of a ghost in Jeremiah's house, many have stories about their own house, of that of their neighbors. Further research leads Steward & company to learn about an eighteenth-century massacre, and a group of "devil worshipers" who used a place on the outskirts of town in the 1970s.
It's probably not too much of a spoiler to say that the filmmakers don't capture indisputable proof of the supernatural on-screen, but even skeptics might find themselves suitably impressed by the sheer volume of stories they dig up. The stories told on screen come from a variety of people, from teens to seniors, men and women, small-towners and college-educated outsiders, so there's not enough of a common thread that a significant chunk can be dismissed all at once. They are much more believable than the expert on the paranormal interviewed, who clai that the existence of ghosts doesn't contradict Einstein. I question the messenger, at least, as I strongly suspect that someone who understands special relativity might not suggest that you can only see ghosts under light that is not electromagnetic in nature (despite electromagnetism being light is).
Like most documentaries, Cherry Valley comes together in the editing room. It's one of the best-cut movies I've seen in a while; no interview segment seems to go on too long, and the jumps between them are smooth. The "haunted house" bits last just long enough for the audience to be right with the guys on screen in terms of freaking out without sucking the sense of danger out.
Where there's no good footage, Steward makes do with some simple, but generally effective, animation. It's something he maybe goes to a little too much toward the end, especially since the leans on the music more in those scenes. It works some at the moment, but a couple minutes later you recognize that the filmmakers have just pushed a button, rather than letting the audience scare themselves by just taking what's on-screen seriously. And as creepy as the scenes in the abandoned houses are, there are some moments that just play as goofy, like when they're on the trail to one of the houses and one guy's allergy to ragweed is revealed as if they'd just seen a real ghost.
As silly as that moment is, it's also charming, showing the would-be paranormal investigators as regular folks. It's not a perfect movie, but I'd like to see a distributor take a chance on it; it would make for a fun Halloween release and better schedule-filler than a lot of fictional ghost stories.


text:
Inspirés des Jeux olympiques, les Jeux olympiques spéciaux (à ne pas confondre avec les Jeux paralympiques) s'adressent à des personnes en situation de handicap mental (auparavant « déficience intellectuelle ») âgées de 8 à . L'accent est mis sur la participation de chacun plutôt que sur l'exploit sportif.

Histoire
Les Jeux olympiques spéciaux ont été créés par Eunice Kennedy Shriver, sœur du président américain John Fitzgerald Kennedy. Une de leurs sœurs, Rosemary Kennedy souffrait d'un handicap à la suite d'une lobotomie. En 1957, Eunice Kennedy Shriver prend la direction de la Fondation Joseph P. Kennedy  en faveur des personnes en situation de handicap. En juin 1961, elle organise un camp sportif pour une trentaine de personnes dans sa maison dans le Maryland. Les années suivantes, d'autres « camps Shriver » suivent.

En juillet 1968, les premiers Jeux olympiques spéciaux ont lieu à Chicago. Près de  en provenance du Canada et des États-Unis participent à des épreuves de natation, d'athlétisme et de hockey en salle.

Les Jeux olympiques spéciaux arrivent au Canada grâce à Harry Foster qui, ayant assisté aux Jeux à Chicago, voit dans le mouvement une chance d'améliorer la vie des Canadiens ayant un handicap mental. Dès son retour, il entreprend de jeter les bases canadiennes du mouvement.

La première édition des Jeux olympiques spéciaux d'hiver se déroule du  au  à Colorado Springs, aux États-Unis.

En 1988, le Comité international olympique (CIO) reconnaît officiellement les Jeux olympiques spéciaux.

En 1988, ce mouvement, sous l'égide de la fédération du Sport Handicap, « s'importe » en Suisse. En 1991, c'est la première participation helvétique aux  (Minneapolis). Cette dynamique permet en 1993 de développer  sur l'ensemble du territoire, suivies, l'année suivante, de  pour aujourd'hui revendiquer  annuelles dans  différents.

Mouvement des

Les Jeux olympiques spéciaux ont pour but de permettre aux personnes en situation de handicap de s'épanouir par le sport. Les personnes en situation de handicap tirent des Jeux olympiques spéciaux des bénéfices à la fois physiques, mentaux, sociaux et spirituels. La communauté peut également mieux comprendre et accepter le handicap mental à travers ces événements.

La devise des Jeux olympiques spéciaux est : . Le président des Jeux olympiques spéciaux est Timothy Perry Shriver, fils de la fondatrice Eunice Kennedy Shriver. Le siège du mouvement se situe à Washington aux États-Unis.

L'organisation  est implantée dans plus de  et concerne plus de quatre millions de sportifs. Plus de  sont inscrits aux programmes des Jeux. Tous les quatre ans sont organisés les Jeux olympiques spéciaux d'hiver (avec ) en alternance avec les Jeux olympiques spéciaux d'été (avec ). L'organisation s'occupe également de l'entraînement des sportifs et de  locales, régionales ou internationales.

En France, le mouvement des  est actif depuis  pour permettre aux personnes en situation de handicap d'avoir accès au sport et organiser des rencontres sportives. Il collabore avec l'Unapei (Union nationale des associations de parents, de personnes handicapées mentales et de leurs amis ; anciennement : Union nationale des associations de parents d'enfants inadaptés).

Règles et sports pratiqués
Lors des Jeux olympiques spéciaux, tous les athlètes reçoivent une médaille pour leur participation. De multiples sports olympiques sont pratiqués :
 Des sports d'été : athlétisme, badminton, basket-ball, boccia (sport ressemblant aux boules), bowling, cyclisme, équitation, football, golf, gymnastique, haltérophilie, handball, natation, patinage à roulettes, softball (sport ressemblant au baseball), tennis, tennis de table, voile, volley-ball, judo
 Des sports d'hiver : hockey en salle (sur un plancher en bois), patinage artistique, patinage de vitesse, courses de raquettes, ski alpin, ski de fond, snowboard

La participation est en général gratuite pour les enfants et les adultes ayant un handicap mental (en Suisse la participation coûte 100 CHF). Ils peuvent participer quel que soit leur niveau sportif. Pour une question d'équité, les athlètes sont répartis selon leur situation de handicap en « divisions », avec d'autres sportifs aux capacités équivalentes.

Les Jeux olympiques spéciaux sont à différencier des Jeux paralympiques destinés uniquement à des athlètes en situation de handicap physique ou esthétique qui sont sélectionnés pour participer aux épreuves.

Localisation des éditions des Jeux olympiques spéciaux

Liste des Jeux olympiques spéciaux d'été

Liste des Jeux olympiques spéciaux d'hiver

Jeux olympiques spéciaux d'été de 2015

Les Jeux olympiques spéciaux de 2015 sont organisés par Los Angeles du  au . Près de  participent à l'accueil des  et  participant et à la préparation des compétitions. Parmi les différents sites accueillant les Jeux 2015 se trouve le Memorial Coliseum, dans lequel se sont déroulés les Jeux olympiques d'été de 1932 et de 1984.

Notes et références

Voir aussi

Liens externes
  Site officiel des Jeux olympiques spéciaux
  Division Belgique
  Division Canada
  Division France
  Division Suisse

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


For 2005, the Road King® Custom model makes its second appearance, and one year has done nothing to mellow its in-your-face style and attitude. When this machine first hit the streets, the riding public couldn't take its eyes off the minimalist swept-back chrome visor perched atop a set of pullback beach bars. Moving back, you'll find this custom bagger is dressed up right. Clean leather bags with hidden supports. Slash-cut mufflers. Electro-formed, chromed metal fuel tank emblems. Big, clean front and rear fenders. Rounding off the sweet look are streamlined footboards, passenger pegs, brake pedal, cast and chromed slotted alloy wheels and a tank-mounted stretch chrome console. Though the Road King® Custom has much for the eye to see, it was built to see the country. You get a lowered, air-adjustable rear suspension, refined chassis, and the proven Twin Cam 88® engine, available in carb or EFI. For when you're ready to stop looking, and start going.
Rake Steering Head/Trail 26.0º / 6.2 in.


text:
Garret FitzGerald (1)
Fay Weldon (1)
Lisa Appignanesi (1)
Ronan Fanning (1)
Sara Maitland (1)
Timothy Brennan (1)
Siding with Rushdie
Christopher Hitchens, 26 October 1989
The Rushdie File
edited by Lisa Appignanesi and Sara Maitland.
Fourth Estate/ICA, 268 pp., £5.95, July 1989, 0 947795 84 7Show More
CounterBlasts No 4: Sacred Cows
by Fay Weldon.
Chatto, 43 pp., £2.99, July 1989, 0 7011 3556 5Show More
Salman Rushdie and the Third World: Myths of the Nation
by Timothy Brennan.
Macmillan, 203 pp., £29.50, September 1989, 0 333 49020 7Show More
"... his immediate despatch to hell and the 'moderates' like the Saudis confining themselves – as Timothy Brennan usefully reminds us – to no more for now but a holy war or jihad against the school known as 'literary modernisn'. Of course religion is a thing of this world rather than the next, and there have always been, since well before ..."
When Ireland Became Divided
Garret FitzGerald: The Free State's Fight for Recognition, 21 January 1999
Documents on Irish Foreign Policy. Vol. I: 1919-22
edited by Ronan Fanning.
Royal Irish Academy and Department of Foreign Affairs, 548 pp., £30, October 1998, 1 874045 63 1Show More
"... there are a number of reports from two envoys of the Dáil to Irish America in 1922, Professor Timothy Smiddy and Denis McCullough (who had been president of the secret Irish Republican Brotherhood for many years). They were there to represent the Dáil – a job made difficult by the competing activities of pro and anti-Treaty delegations. Smiddy also ..."
Act One, Scene One
David Bromwich: Don't Resist, Oppose, 16 February 2017
"... financial bigwigs because they also came from that environment. Peter Orszag, Lawrence Summers, Timothy Geithner, William Daley, Michael Froman, Jason Furman and Jack Lew were all finance-to-government mediators of this stamp. Trump, however, gives up all pretence of a distinction between finance and government. A possible reaction is delight, as at an ..."
The Fastidious President
David Bromwich: The Matter with Obama, 18 November 2010
"... the most damaging to his credibility with liberal supporters were Lawrence Summers and Timothy Geithner, the chief economic adviser and the secretary of the treasury. Geithner has the air of a perpetual young man looking out for the interests of older men: an errand boy. The older men in question are the CEOs of Goldman Sachs, AIG, and the big ..."


text:
Brandon Clifton '06 – panelist for 2013 Indiana Legislative Conference
November 27, 2013 Alumni RelationsPosted in News
Brandon Clifton '06, Deputy General Counsel and Policy Advisor for the Indiana Department of Education, will be a panelist at the 2013 Legislative Conference Indianapolis on Dec. 5. This is the 22nd year for the conference as the "unofficial" start to Indiana's legislative session.
After Wabash, Brandon earned his JD from Barry University – Dwayne O. Andreas School of Law, and then an MBA, Finance from Webster University, with an Independent Focus on Quality Control in Legal Services and Law Office Management.
Brandon is a board member of the Indianapolis Association of Wabash Men.
Congratulations, Brandon!
Jay Patterson '65 answers "Where were you on November 22?"
Jay Patterson '65 is a retired attorney and judge in the Dallas area. As many of us did last week, he answered the question, "Where were you when President Kennedy was killed?" Jay's comments in The Dallas Morning News posted on November 22:
Jay Patterson, Lake Highlands: "Like most people, I do have a specific recollection. I was editor of our college newspaper headed in the car from Crawfordsville, Ind., to Carbondale, Ill., with the editor of the yearbook for a weekend publications conference at Southern Illinois University. We were driving in the rain. I remember the windshield wipers like a metronome counting out the beat as each successive radio report got worse and worse.
It was a dramatic and dismal time. When we arrived at Southern Illinois students were standing around the campus crying and bewildered by what had happened. When we returned to Wabash College in Indiana, six of us piled in a car and drove through the night to attend the funeral for the president in Washington, D.C. When it was over, we loaded back into the car and drove through the next night to return to the college.
Thanksgiving week followed so we could collapse exhausted at our homes. I wrote a report for the college paper, the Bachelor, describing the experience. I think as a college student the thing I missed most was President Kennedy's wit at his news conferences."
Thank you, Jay.
Photo courtesy of Getty/AFP, Mark Wilson
Wabash and Crawfordsville Well-Represented at IHSAA State Football Championships
Several people with ties to Wabash College and Crawfordsville have integral roles in this weekend's high school state football tournament as coaches, officials, and statisticians.
Jake Gilbert '98, Westfield High School Head Coach, will be assisted by Josh Miracle '11, Jay Dee Flynn '01 , and Cville native B.J. Schlicher.
Nick Lyons '08 is an assistant coach at Cathedral High School.
Nick Durm '11 is an assistant coach at Carmel High School.
Joe Pfennig '82 is an assistant coach at Cardinal Ritter High School.
Brent Harris, Wabash Sports Information Director, will be on the stat crew.
Officials for the 6A title game are Matt Buche '99 (football alumnus), Steve Hoffman '85 (Wabash Advancement Office and Wabash Television Broadcaster), Darren Haas (Cville resident and previous Wabash Admissions Counselor), Mark Maxwell (Cville resident and previous Wabash radio announcer), and Jeff Gilstrap (Cville resident and Wabash football fan).
The schedules for the games and teams mentioned above are:
Westfield and Cathedral will play for the 5A championship on Friday, Nov. 29, at 7pm.
Cardinal Ritter will play Tipton in the 2A contest on Saturday, Nov. 30, at noon.
The 6A contest between Carmel and Warren Central is Saturday, Nov. 30, at 7pm.
Steve Hoffman '85 left, and Jeff Pfennig '82 after Ritter's semi-state win last week.
The Indiana High School Athletic Association's 41st State Football Championships will take place Friday and Saturday, Nov. 29-30, 2013 at Lucas Oil Stadium and all games will be televised. Click here for detailed information on the rest of the games and television information.
Our apologies if we failed to include anyone else with Wabash connections — please let us know so we may add to the story!
Story by Steve Hoffman.
Three Wabash winners in Greencastle on November 16
Wabash was a winner not once, but three times on November 16 in Greencastle!
Professor of Political Science Ethan Hollander and Professor of Economics Christie Byun took home the winning trophy from the Monon Chili Throwdown on Monon Bell Game day in Greencastle. Ethan and Christie, the only entrants from Wabash out of nine chili entries, submitted their prize-winning, 23-0 Chorizo Chili, and took home the Silver Ladle Trophy. The money raised from the cook-off went to Main Street Greencastle projects.
On the same day, Wabash College students were winners, too, as they sponsored the first "Monon Well-Beer for Water," to raise money to build a clean water drinking well in Swaziland.
The third set of winners was the Wabash Little Giants and their fans, for beating DePauw and winning their 5th straight Monon Bell game. Wabash dominated the first half en route to a 38-21 victory in the 120th Monon Bell Classic.
Congratulations, Everyone!
Jeff Ferrand '00 joins Leeuw Oberlies & Campbell
Jeffrey W. Ferrand '00 is now associate attorney at Leeuw Oberlies & Campbell PC in Indianapolis, where Jeff Oberlies '83 is a founding partner of the firm. Jeff Ferrand currently practices in all areas of civil defense, but focuses on litigating disputes relating to insurance coverage, insurance fraud, arson, and bad faith.
On November 14, Jeff presented a seminar discussing "Bad Faith and Extra-Contractual Liability Claims" at the 2013 National Business Institute's Insurance Coverage Litigation in Indianapolis.
Postscript to the original blog on November 13:
Jeff received the prestigious Outstanding Achievement Award and the Dennis Nebergall Award at the National Society of Professional Insurance Investigators (NSPII) conference on November 17. The awards are presented for "outstanding achievement in the fight against fraudulent insurance claims."
Jeff Ferrand '00 (right) receives the Oustanding Achievement Award at NSPII 2013.
Jeff Ferrand was a Psychology major at Wabash, and then earned his JD from Indiana University School of Law. Congratulations, Jeff!
Photo courtesy of
Nation Society of Professional Insurance Investigators
Thank you to Jud Scott '80
for the news update.
Mauri Ditzler '75 – new president of Albion College
Dr. Mauri A. Ditzler '75 has been named the 16h President of Albion College in Michigan, effective July 1, 2014.
After serving at Wabash as Dean of the College 1999-2005, Mauri went to Monmouth College in Illinois where he has been President since 2005. Mauri was a summa cum laude graduate of Wabash where he majored in chemistry and speech and earned a doctorate in analytical chemistry from Duke University.
Click here for the press release.
Congratulations, Mauri!
Photo courtesy of Albion College.
Dean Phillips to speak at Lynchburg College
Dean of the College Gary Phillips will speak tonight at Lynchburg College, his own undergrad alma mater. He will discuss problems confronting higher education today, the historical record of the liberal arts in dealing with changing social challenges, and the research done by the Wabash College Center for Inquiry.
Dean Phillips is a 1971 graduate of Lynchburg College (BA, Magna Cum Laude in religion, philosophy, and English), Vanderbilt Divinity School (MDiv, Magna Cum Laude in Biblical Studies), and Vanderbilt University (PhD with Highest Distinction in New Testament studies and linguistics). He has studied at the Sorbonne and Collége de France, Paris. Phillips has taught at Holy Cross College and the University of the South (Sewanee). Before becoming dean of Wabash College, he served in a number of key administrative roles: grants officer, director of Special Studies, director of First Year Program, and Religion Department chair.
Lynchburg College.
Richard J Stephenson '62/Cures Gala 2013
Richard J Stephenson '62 is Chairman and CEO of Cancer Treatment Centers of America. He is also Gateway for Cancer Research chairman, which held its annual Cures Gala on October 26 in Chicago — raising nearly $2.1 million for clinical trials for cancer treatment.
Gateway for Cancer Research Chairman Richard J Stephenson with Dr. Stacie Macari and 2010 American Idol winner Lee DeWyze at the annual Cures Gala to benefit cancer research. (Photo courtesy of PRweb.com).
Dick founded Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA) in 1988, following the death of his mother from cancer. To keep his mother's spirit alive, Richard created a new model of care, a whole-person cancer treatment providing patient-centered approach to cancer treatment.
Artist Matthew Deleget '94 to exhibit at Whitney
Matthew Deleget '94 has been selected to exhibit his work at the 2014 Whitney Biennial exhibit in NYC beginning in March 2014, the 77th in the Museum's ongoing series of Annuals and Biennials begun in 1932.
Matthew is a contemporary artist whose focus is Reductive Abstraction. He is founder and director of MINUS SPACE in New York, the only gallery of its kind in the United States which specializes in reductive abstract art on the international level.
Matthew majored in German and Art at Wabash, then earned an MFA in Painting and an MS in Theory, Criticism and History of Art, Design and Architecture from Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY. Click here to read more about his art and artist's statement on his personal web site.
Congratulations, Matthew!
Gene Miiller '75 — 38 years a basketball coach
Gene Miiller '75 is men's basketball coach at Washington High School in Washington, IN. He is also his own boss, as he is Athletic Director for the school, too. He has been coaching for 38 years, starting with his first job as interim coach at Kankakee Valley High School after graduating from Wabash.
Gene has a 614-275 career record that includes three state titles with Washington (2008, '10 and '11) and one runner-up finish at Vincennes Lincoln (1984) and more wins than the rest of the coaches in the Big Eight Conference combined (569). In 2012, Gene was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame.
Have a great season, Gene!
Portrait courtesy of
Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame


The Hip Abduction has been making a big splash with their tropical / indie / afropop music in the Tampa Bay area for years, while expanding their popular brand nationally. Work for the band includes design of merchandise, apparel, posters album covers, and more – all featuring their fun, spirited, and super hip tropical vibe. We assisted in a successful Kickstarter campaign by designing the reward merchandise and web banners, and the new album cover artwork (for CD and vinyl). Now we wait in anxious anticipation for the newest album to drop!


Testing of SSIS packages can be an ah-hoc, manual process that's performed only at the package level. I.e. checking that running a whole package (or set of packages) produces the expected data.
This approach will likely not test all paths through an ETL, as well as failing to thoroughly test priority fixes that urgently need to go into production.
John Welch, in his talk on Practical Unit Testing for SSIS Packages at SQLBits XII, presents a unit testing framework called ssisUnit that he developed for SSIS. This post highlights some of the key points from his session, as well as documenting my experience with installing and using ssisUnit with SSIS on SQL Server 2014.
and where this replaces the "deploy and hope" approach to ETL deployment with a healthy degree of confidence instead.
This results in individual unit tests that are atomic and independent of other tests.
ssisUnit can be found on Codeplex at https://ssisunit.codeplex.com/. The official release is for SQL Server 2008, but there's also a beta download for SQL Server 2012 and an alpha download for SQL Server 2014. I tried the 2012 version first since it looked more stable, but it could not find the SSIS .NET assemblies it needed on my SQL Server 2014 installation. I then replaced this with the SQL Server 2014 version, which did run successfully, albeit only after I'd edited the ssisUnitTestRunner2014.exe.config file to include <startup useLegacyV2RuntimeActivationPolicy="true"> to overcome a runtime error. The installation took place on my Windows 10 laptop.
From CodePlex it appears that no releases have been done to this open source project within the last 2 years, possibly because Pragmatic Works have included ssisUnit within their BI xPress product, so maybe that's where the ongoing development is taking place. That said, from below it can be seen that even this alpha version for SQL Server 2014 is functional and possibly of great use.
They were added to this menu by entering their names and file system paths via the "External Tools…" menu item shown above.
and edited this to have the same file paths and connection strings used by the package.
No tear down section exists at the end of this test, but one can be included if required. Following all the test sections, a final tear down section can also be included, which specifies anything that needs undoing for the test suite as a whole.
So the "Passed" column to the right greatly eases viewing of the results, as does the final summary row of the test output, and also the information in the GUI status bar.
Whilst not a polished product – the alpha version for SQL Server 2014 does have a couple of obvious GUI bugs – ssisUnit still looks impressive at first sight and has clearly been very well thought through. The fact that it is free of charge does mitigate some of the minor niggles also.
There's no doubt that writing tests for most or all of the tasks in a package or set of packages will take some time, but that's no criticism of this particular framework – this will always be the case. The big advantage here is that the end result is a test harness that can be run repeatedly and automatically, and that produces an unambiguous pass/fail result.
ssisUnit can also be included within a continuous integration approach to developing and building SSIS packages, since it can be called as an executable from any scripting environment, and where the results of automatically run tests can be made available for human or machine parsing.
Testing is performed at the task level only – it's not possible to test each transform individually within a data flow. This doesn't have to be a bad thing though, as it will help keep data flows minimal and focused (as far as is practical).
And as John Welch states, developers really need their own copy of the source database to test with, since tests can't be run reliably if there's a chance that other people or other programs are changing the data that's being tested against.
All in all though, it looks to be a big step in the right direction for moving from ad-hoc, manual testing to more thorough automated testing.
I'm Andrew Smith and I'm a Microsoft Certified database professional with 11 years' combined experience in Oracle and SQL Server development & administration.
My focus is on using my development and RDBMS experience to bring best practice software engineering principles to application development on the SQL Server platform.
I took a career break for the whole of 2016 to cross-train from Oracle to SQL Server, and passed the Microsoft exams for SSIS, SSRS, SSAS, T-SQL and SQL Server DBA.
Following this I worked full time at IQVIA, as a SQL Server developer with a focus on ETL.


text:
Cipher Mag
What the hell is Cipher?
We're as unsure of how to answer this question as you are. On our quest to find articles to republish for this "Archival Issue," we dug through the Publication House's derelict old filing cabinets and through the depths of our website's archive. What we found left us even more uncertain of what this magazine is than when we started. In this issue, we're republishing some of the most interesting, moving, and timely articles that we could find.
Cipher got its start as an "Alternative News Magazine"—in other words, a vaguely socialist, decidedly left wing, cheaply printed newspaper littered with red raised fist logos in place of the much less ideological triangle you now see at the end of each article. After taking a sharp turn away from the political in the early 2000s, our content got a bit goofier. One year, we published "The Beer Issue." On the cover was a caricature of a beer-bellied fellow named Beer Man and a handful of catchy bubble letter headlines, the type that you'd see on a tabloid. The Beer Issue now seems laughable to our relatively highbrow publication, in which we publish mostly long-form journalism and memoir pieces, aiming desperately to make every article New Yorker-ready.
Cipher's been a little bit of everything and nothing at all in particular. With our ever fluid staff and transient student body, there hasn't been anyone around long enough to nail down exactly what we're doing. But I don't think that's bad. We, the editors and contributors, get to do pretty much whatever we want. Unlike The Catalyst or Leviathan, (not to drag either of them) we have no fixed format—we're just a student magazine. Without the obligation of sticking to a pattern, the magazine becomes a close reflection of the people and era that produce it.
Take "Once Upon the Internet," a satirical Shakespearean poem written in the wake of the Kanye West-Taylor Swift VMAs fiasco. The year was 2009 and the internet was a shiny new toy that hadn't yet shown its ugly side. The music star conflict was a prehistoric meme that got everyone laughing—times were good and Cipher decided to publish an adequately written two-page joke. "Watchability" similarly reflects on the nature of the early internet, observing from 2013 how having a perpetual audience, in the form of a social media following, hinders our ability to know our "true" selves. Perhaps a bit more obvious now that we've been steeping in internet culture for an additional six years, the point the author made was revolutionary at its time.
"Apocalypse Right Now," also from 2013, begins with another fun throwback, reminding us of the absurdity of 2012's predicted armageddon. However, the article quickly turns to the more serious issue of suicide cults and the counterproductive ways that people react when faced with disaster. Its moral rings dismayingly true in light of our current descent toward an environmental meltdown.
Some articles in this issue are simply universal, and remind us of how unchanging relationships and experience can be. In "How to be Lonely," an anonymous writer reaches out to us from across the years to tell us about their pervasive solitude—though no connection can be made in person, perhaps a modern reader can connect to the writer through their story. "The Domino Effect" also attempts to traverse the divide between one's self and a stranger, coming to the timeless realization that making an honest connection is harder than you'd think.
In this issue, comprised entirely of articles published between 2006 and 2015, we invite you to dredge up some old memories and some enduring emotions and reflect on times gone by. Students have been publishing out-there, compelling, thoughtful (or not-so-thoughtful) pieces in Cipher for decades. The pieces we chose reflect what Colorado College was, what Cipher was, and what the world was for young people in that era. They're worth reading not only for their historical significance but also because they continue to resonate with us years later.
We tried to do our predecessors justice and relay what they thought was worth writing. Looking back, it seems like we mostly chose articles that reflect ourselves. This issue is less of a "best of" and more of a demonstration of what strikes us in 2019. I think that's okay—I would want the 2029 Cipher staff to have the same mentality.
Yours then, now, and ten years from now,
Kat Snoddy (and the Cipher staff)
Archival Issue | March 2019
Older PostThe Domino Effect
Cipher Magazine, 1028 North Weber Street, Colorado Springs, CO, 80903, United States


Our latest round-up from the cyber security world includes BlackBerry's new quantum-resistant cryptography tools and an educational cyber security game.
Sources have claimed the deal is worth around £760 million ($1 billion) with both parties expecting the deal to go through towards the latter half of 2018.
Ali Parsa sat down with Digital Health News at the Amazon Web Services (AWS) summit in London to talk about innovation within the NHS and how he believes innovators should not be afraid to "disrupt" the health tech market.
Internal documents, obtained by CNBC, reveal that a group of around 'a dozen people' are asked with making Alexa 'more useful in the health-care field', specifically targeting diabetes management, care for mothers and infants as well as the older generation.
Apple's play into the healthcare ecosystem could open up new models of healthcare delivery, the resemblance of which may not be million miles from today's most popular digital services.
Public Health England (PHE) has launched a new service for Amazon's Alexa which delivers NHS approved breastfeeding advice directly to new parents.
The founder of WeMa, a digital platform that links up patients with healthcare services, has labelled it 'the Amazon for care'.


text:
Сергей Сергеевич Скатерщиков (род. 5 мая 1972 года, Москва) — член совета директоров компании Digital Domain Holdings Limited (мировой лидер в области спецэффектов для киноиндустрии), российский предприниматель и профессиональный инвестор, специалист по финансовой информации, акционерным и портфельным инвестициям, был членом советов директоров ОАО «ЛСР» и ОАО «Объединённые машиностроительные заводы». Инвестирует в компании малой и средней капитализации в Европе, Китае и США, специализируется на отраслях электронной коммерции, медиа, предметов роскоши и арт-индустрии .

Биография
Родился 5 мая 1972 года в городе Москве.

В 1989—1994 годах учился на Географическом факультете МГУ, Кафедра социально-экономической географии зарубежных стран.

Учился в MBA Fuqua School of Business, Университет Дьюка.

Преподавал деловую журналистику на факультете журналистики МГУ, тренировал детские футбольные команды в Moscow Youth Soccer League.

В 1992—1998 годах — основатель и генеральный директор ООО «Скейт-Пресс», финансовой информационной компании, освещавшей 14 рынков Центральной и Восточной Европы, и проданной группе европейских инвесторов (голландской Independent Media BV и австрийской red-stars.com Data AG). «Скейт» был первым поставщиком независимой финансовой информации и аналитики на российском рынке, разработал первый в России фондовый индекс. В 1994 году Wall Street Journal назвал Сергея Скатерщикова «лучшим молодым предпринимателем Центральной Европы».

В 1998—1999 годах — генеральный директор E*Trade Eurasia, стратегического партнёра американской публичной компании E*Trade Group Inc в Восточной Европе.

В 1999—2000 годах — старший вице-президент, член Правления caibon.com Internet Services AG, дочернего онлайн-брокерского подразделения Bank Austria Creditanstalt.

В 2000 году основал IndexAtlas Group — инвестиционную компанию, специализирующеюся на прямых инвестициях, корпоративных финансах, корпоративном управлении, прямых акционерных инвестициях, в числе портфельных компаний — Skate's Art Investors' Service, Nordberg Capital Partners, Nesprosta.ru.

В 2002—2003 годах в качестве заместителя генерального директора по финансам ОАО «ОМЗ» организовал листинг компании на Лондонской фондовой бирже, осуществил серию стратегических сделок по приобретениям и продажам крупных компаний и подразделений, ушёл в отставку после объявления о слиянии с «Силовыми Машинами»; в 2004—2006 годах был членом совета директоров, а также членом комитетов по аудиту и вознаграждениям.

В 2001—2005 годах — консультант по стратегическому развитию, корпоративным финансам и связям с инвесторами в ОАО АК «Транснефть».

В 2005—2007 годах руководил российским филиалом банка Dresdner Kleinwort, руководитель IPO-бизнеса банка в России и на Украине, в частности отвечал за вывод на биржу компаний «Роснефть», «Разгуляй».

В 2006—2008 годах — вице-президент по стратегии и развитию ОАО «Мобильные ТелеСистемы», среди прочего отвечал за сделки компании по приобретению «Уздунробиты» (Узбекистан), VivaCell (Армения) и «Башселл» (Россия, Уфа).

В 2009—2015 годах — основатель компании Skate Capital Corp, инвестиционной компании в мировой арт индустрии.

В 2011—2014 годах — управляющий директор Redline Capital Management SA, зарегистрированной в Люксембурге.

В 2012 году приобрел у английской компании Reed Exhibitions крупнейшую австрийскую ярмарку современного искусства VIENNAFAIR.

В апреле 2014 года Сергей Скатерщиков приобрел издательский бизнес со столетней историей Artnews у Милтона Эстероу (Milton Esterow) и в 2015 году продал его основному конкуренту — американской компании BMP Media Holdings, принадлежащей американскому миллиардеру Питеру Бранту (Peter Brant).

В 2017 году стал одним из крупнейших акционеров публично торгуемой швейцарской компании 5EL SA и поддержал стратегическое развитие компании в области коммерческого внедрения блокчейн технологий.

В 2018 в качестве Председателя Совета Директоров публично торгуемой швейцарской компании The Native SA организовал смену контроля и утвердил новую стратегию и менеджмент для американской компании Paddle8, лидера онлайн торговли предметами искусства и благотворительных аукционов в США.

В октябре 2019 г. принадлежащая Скатерщикову компания IndexAtlas стала одним из крупнейших акционеров публично торгуемой швейцарской компании MCH Group AG (владелец ярмарок Art Basel). Эта инвестиция стала катализатором изменений в компании MCH Group AG, сделав компанию предметом конкуренции между несколькими стратегическими инвесторами . В результате, изначально контролируемая местными швейцарскими властями (кантонами) компания MCH Group AG де факто была приватизирована после того, как внеочередное собрание акционеров компании 3 августа 2020 одобрило увеличение акционерного капитала на сумму до 104,5 млн франков за счет инвестиций одной из компаний Джеймса Мердока (James Murdoch), а также радикальное изменение правил корпоративного управления и состава совета директоров, в который вошли Джеймс Мердок и два его представителя .

В марте 2020 г. принадлежащая Сергею Скатерщикову компания Indexatlas AG организовала слияние двух американских компаний FuboTV Inc и Facebank Group Inc, создав мирового лидера в области стриминга спортивных событий, торгуемого на Нью-Йоркской Фондовой Бирже (FuboTV) .

В январе 2021 года Сергей Скатерщиков стал членом совета директоров публично торгуемой компании Digital Domain Holdings Limited, мирового лидера спецэффектов для киноиндустрии и индустрии развлечений .

В июле 2021 года Сергей Скатерщиков вместе с американским миллиардером Адамом Линдеманном (Adam Lindemann) и итальянским предпринимателем (и членом семьи Аньелли (Agnelli family) Лапо Элканн (Lapo Elkann) организовал публичное размещение акций компании Youngtimers AG на швейцарской фондовой бирже на сумму 35 млн франков .

Звания, награды и премии
 1994 — Звание «Best Young Businessman of the Year in Central Europe» (The Wall Street Journal).
 2013 — Награда The Art Newspaper, за личный вклад в развитии Венской ярмарки современного искусства (VIENNAFAIR).

Публикации
 Скатерщиков C. C. Прививка от Enron, или практическое руководство по созданию систем внутреннего контроля, внутреннего аудита и комитетов по аудиту в акционерных обществах (июнь 2005 г., «Альпина Бизнес Букс») ISBN 5-9614-0194-4
 Скатерщиков C. C. Руководство по инвестированию в предметы искусства (декабрь 2006 г., «Альпина Бизнес Букс»), Skate's Art Investment Handbook (2007 и 2009 гг., McGraw & Hill) ISBN 5-9614-0258-4

См. также
 The Art Newspaper
 VIENNAFAIR
 ARTnews

Примечания

Ссылки

 Публикации в журнале Форбс.
 Публикации в журнале Сноб.

Выпускники географического факультета МГУ
Преподаватели факультета журналистики МГУ


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HUMN8034
Collaborative Storytelling and Cultural Production
A graduate course offered by the School of Archaeology and Anthropology.
Code HUMN8034
Offered by School of Archaeology and Anthropology
Course subject Humanities
Areas of interest Anthropology, Museums and Collections, Design Arts, Digital Humanities, Creative Arts
Academic career PGRD
Dr Maya Haviland
Offered in Summer Session 2018
See Future Offerings
Collaborative Storytelling and Cultural Production (HUMN8034)
Drawing on models of collaborative ethnography and arts this course introduces students to storytelling as a collaborative method of cultural research as it applies to fields such as museum practice, anthropology, art and design. The course will use experiential project-based learning to guide students through a cycle of collaborative cultural research and production of a product for public display or dissemination. Beginning with a grounding in the influences and practices shaping 'the collaborative turn' across a broad range of disciplines, the course will support students to identify and design collaborative research and production processes, identify and address ethical issues and processes of feedback with collaborators, and complete and reflect upon a cycle of collaborative production of a cultural research product.
Upon successful completion of this course, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
1. Identify and articulate a viable, collaborative cultural research project.
2. Synthesise and critically reflect upon factors impacting on collaborative practices in relevant discipline areas.
3. Describe and critically reflect upon the project's social, cultural and ethical dimensions
4. Apply collaborative methodologies to data collection and production of research outputs.
5. Realise, document and present a collaborative cultural research project.
Please note this course involves a 3 day intensive which is completed before the commencement of semester (typically during orientation week, which is the week before semester commences) and subsequent 3-hour workshops either weekly or fortnightly.
Project proposal and preparation of a variation to a Human Research Ethics Committee protocol - methodology & impact discussion 10% (LO1, 2 & 3) 800 words
Project documentation and critical reflection journal (LO 2, 3, 4 & 5) (20%) 1000 words
Edited interview draft 20% (LO 4 & 5) 1500 words
Research Project and Display 50% (LO1, 4 & 5) 2500 words
A total of 130 hours consisting of
a) 36 contact hours comprised of a 3-day intensive (21 hours) completed before the commencement of semester (typically during orientation week, which is the week before semester commences) and 5 x 3 hour workshops over the semester and
b) 94 hours of independent research, reading and project work by students.
24 units of courses towards an ANU Master's degree
Haviland, M. (2017). Side by Side? Community Art and the Challenge of Co-Creativity. London: Routledge.
Bishop, C. (2006). The Social Turn: Collaboration and its Discontents. Artforum.
Breunlin, R., Himelstein, A., & Nelson, A. (2008). "Our Stories, Told By Us:" The Neighborhood Story Project in New Orleans. In R. Solinger, M. Fox, & K. Irani (Eds.), Telling Stories to Change the World (e-book edition ed.): Taylor & Francis; Routledge.
Lassiter, L. E. (2005). The Chicago Guide to Collaborative Ethnography. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Narayan, K. (2014). How Native Is a "Native" Anthropologists. In L. Laphere, H. Ragone, & P. Zavella (Eds.), Situated Lives (pp. 23-41): Taylor and Francis.
Sprague, Q. (2014). Collaborators: Third Party Transactions in Indigenous Contemporary Art. In I. Mclean (Ed.), Transculturation and Indigenous contemporary art: Cambridge Scholar Press.
Stout, N. (2014). Bootlegged: Unauthorized Circulation and the Dilemmas of Collaboration in the Digital Age. Visual Anthropology Review, 30(2), 177-187.
1804 23 Jan 2018 09 Feb 2018 09 Feb 2018 23 Mar 2018 In Person N/A
1413 01 Jan 2020 24 Jan 2020 24 Jan 2020 31 Mar 2020 In Person N/A


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When Chinggis Khaan decided to move his capital to Kharakhorum, he was well aware that the region had already been capital to successive nomad empires. About 20km north-east of Khar Balgas (as the crow flies) lies the remainder of yet another of these pre-Mongol empires, the Turkic khaganate. All that's left of the khaganate is the 3m-high inscribed monument of Kulteg (684-731), the khagan (ruler) himself. The monument was raised in AD 732 and is inscribed in Runic and Chinese script. You can see a copy of the stele in the entrance of the National Museum of Mongolian History.
Just over 1km away is another monument to Bilge Khagan (683-734), younger brother of Kulteg. Ten years after the death of Bilge the Turkic khaganate was overrun by the Uighurs.


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Humans+DC MoviesShareSubscribe
'Wrinkle in Time' Director to Make 'New Gods' Film for DC, Which Is Perfect
By James Grebey
Filed Under Entertainment, A Wrinkle in Time, Comics & DC Comics
One of DC Comics' most important, celebrated and, often, straight-up crazy franchises is headed to the big screen, and it appears Warner Bros. has nabbed just the right director. A Wrinkle In Time director Ava DuVernay is reportedly going to direct a movie adaptation of DC's New Gods, legendary comics creator Jack Kirby's mythic space superhero epic.
On Thursday, Deadline reported that DuVernay, who recently became the first woman of color to direct a $100 million-plus live-action film, was closing in on a deal to helm The New Gods. Now, it's not quite official yet, and DC has changed course before (see: Joss Whedon's Batgirl), but if this movie happens, DuVernay will be an excellent choice. Not only will she be DC's second female director, following Patty Jenkins's Wonder Woman, but A Wrinkle in Time showed she might have what it takes to tackle Kirby's strange and wonderful mythology.
Kirby, who co-created the Fantastic Four, X-Men, and many other icons for Marvel at the start of his career, left Marvel for rival DC Comics in 1970. That's where he created The New Gods, a franchise that can best be explained as a Shakespearean sci-fi fever dream. Full Kirby's imaginative and often mind-expanding illustrations, the Fourth World saga, as it came to be known, told of the battle between the planets New Genesis and Apokolips. Godlike alien beings fought over good and evil, with Darkseid, the lord of Apokolips who sought a powerful Anti-Life Equation, being the ultimate evil.
Imagine this, but a movie.
Darkseid is a major DC villain. In the 2011 comics reboot, Darkseid was the first baddie the Justice League ever fought, and in last year's movie, the League fought Steppenwolf, Darkseid's uncle and the leader of his armies. Motherboxes are straight out of The New Gods. Despite this, Deadline reports that DC isn't necessarily mandating that the new movie have any connection to the DCEU. That could let DuVernay, who already had to translate trippy high science-fantasy ideas to the screen for A Wrinkle in Time, go wild.
It helps that DuVernay's apparently already a fan. In late December, she said her favorite superhero was the New God Big Barda, citing "many reasons."
Gosh, that's hard. Big Barda. Many reasons. #askava https://t.co/3qxGDq7mHe
— Ava DuVernay (@ava) December 27, 2017
This potential movie, which does not have a release date yet, was probably one of those reasons.
Media via DC Comics, DC
With Tom King, Ava DuVernay's 'New Gods' Could Be th...
'Brightburn' Review: Okay, Maybe Lex Luthor Has a Po...
Everything We Know So Far About 'The Batman' Standal...
Everything We Know So Far About DC's 'Shazam! 2' Movie
How 'Shazam!' Kept Its Big Twist Ending a Secret, Ev...


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Q: Estou com dificuldades de terminar este programa, da erro na array e setlength Escreva um programa em Pascal que lê um número não determinado de m valores, todos inteiros e positivos, um de cada vez. Se m for par, determine o produto destes.
Se m for ímpar e menor do que 12 calcule o factorial de m. Se m for ímpar e maior ou igua1 a 12 calcular e escrever a soma dos inteiros de l até m.
Exiba todos os resultados que o programa determinar com
mensagens apropriadas
program Trabalho_Exercicio_numero2;
uses
  Crt;
var
  dim, i,m, conta: Integer;
  produto, factorial, soma: real;
  x: array of Integer;
  resp: String;
BEGIN
  m:=1;
  while i < m+1 do
 begin
 ClrScr
   SetLength(x,m);
   m:=m+1;
   writeln ('Inserir valor? (S/N): ');
   Readln(resp);
   if ((resp = 'S') or (resp ='s')) then
   begin
   repeat
     begin
     write (i+1,'o valor inteiro e positivo: ');
     readln(x[i]);
     end;
     until(x[i]>0);
     i:=i+1;
   end
   else
   begin
     m:=i-1;
     conta:=m+1;
     WriteLn(conta,' valores lidos!');
   end;
 end;
End.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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POLAND & CENTRAL EUROPE II
SERVICES INCLUDED IN THE PACKAGE PRICE
12 nights on BB in centric 4* hotels as per itinerary
Transportation by air–conditioned vehicles throughout the tour (with number of seats adequate to the group size)
Professional English speaking tour escort throughout the tour
6 x HD City tours with local guides in English: Warsaw, Krakow, Budapest, Vienna, Prague, Berlin
Entrance to the Sanctuary of Jasna Góra in Częstochowa
2022 DATES TO BE ADVISED
DAY 6 – BUDAPEST
Half-day city tour in the afternoon. We will start our visit in the part of Pest, through the majestic Andrassi Avenue and the Opera, we will make our first stop on the Heroes' Square, commemorating the millennial anniversary of the foundation of the city. Passing through the Deak Square we will arrive at St. Stephen's Basilica and the Parliament of Budapest. Crossing the Danube river to Buda, former capital of Hungary until its unification in 1873, we will climb up to the Fisherman's Bastion where the Matthias Church and the picturesque Castle District are located.
Free afternoon. Accommodation at a 4* hotel in Budapest.
DAY 7 – BUDAPEST – VIENNA
After breakfast departure to Vienna. In the afternoon Half-day city tour of Vienna through the Ringstrasse, the most representative boulevard in the city, the State Opera, the Parliament, the City Hall, the National Theatre and the monument of Johann Strauss. On the way to the Belvedere Palace, former residence of Prince Eugene, we will admire the baroque church of St. Charles Borromeo before continuing to the Prater Amusement Park with its famous giant wheel. If the time allows it, we will make a short stop in front of the Hundertwasserhaus.
Accommodation at a 4* hotel in Vienna.
DAY 8 – VIENNA
Breakfast and day off in the most imperial capital in Central Europe to discover its palaces (such as Schönbrunn), museums, parks… You will have the possibility of attending a concert, an opera or another cultural program depending on the season's offer. We also recommend a dinner in the picturesque suburb of Grinzing where you can try the famous Grüner Veltliner white wine.
DAY 9 – VIENNA – CESKY KRUMLOV – PRAGUE
Breakfast and departure to Prague via Cesky Krumlov. We will stop in this beautiful city, designated UNESCO World Heritage Site, for lunch and a walk around.
Arrival in Prague. Accommodation at a 4* hotel in Prague.
DAY 10 – PRAGUE
Half-day sightseeing of Prague, described in the XIX century by Bernardo Bolzano as "the city of the hundred towers". We will start near the Estates Theatre in the Old Town and pass by the National Theatre. You will enjoy the splendid panoramic view of the Castle of Prague and Charles Bridge, the Rudolfinum building – home of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, the Powder Gate, Wenceslas Square – the centre of the New Town of Prague where many historical events occurred, Charles Square and the famous Dancing House (Fred and Ginger). We will cross the Jirasek Bridge to the Lesser Town (Mala Strana) with its emblematic Church of St. Nicholas and the Infant Jesus of Prague. Accommodation at a 4* hotel in Prague.
DAY 11 – PRAGUE – DRESDEN – BERLIN
Breakfast. Departure to Berlin via Dresden. Short visit of Dresden, during which we will enjoy a magnificent panoramic view of the historical buildings of the Old Town from the Augustusbrücke Bridge. It served as an inspiration to Bellotto in creating his marvelous paintings, which are exposed in the Art Gallery of the Zwinger Palace in Dresden. After the visit we will continue our journey to Berlin. Accommodation at a 4* hotel in Berlin.
DAY 12 – BERLIN
Breakfast. Half-day sightseeing of Berlin, the capital of Germany and a cultural metropolia with a turbulent history. We will visit the Brandenburg Gate, the 368 metres high Berlin Television Tower close to Alexanderplatz, with its visitor platform and a revolving restaurant, the Cathedral on Kurfürstendamm Street, the Gendarmenmarkt, an architectural ensemble of harmony and beauty, including the Berlin concert hall and the French and German Churches. We will also see the Reichstag Dome, the panoramic view over the governmental district, the city center and the Hackesche Höfe – center of Berlin's nightlife, as well as Potsdamer Platz with its modern arquitecture, shopping, entertainment and business areas.
Breakfast. End of our services.
Transfer of departure (optional).
DAY 1 – ARRIVAL IN WARSAW
Arrival in Warsaw. Transfer (optional) to a 4* hotel. Accommodation.
DAY 2 – WARSAW
Breakfast and departure for half-day sightseeing of Warsaw, capital of Poland since 1596, when Sigismund III Vasa transferred it from Krakow. Its outstanding Old Town, completely destroyed during the Warsaw Uprising in 1944 and meticulously reconstructed after the II World War, is declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. On the Market Square we will see the monument of the Mermaid of Warsaw, symbol of the city and an important axis of the urban life, surrounded by charming houses of former bourgeois families. We will continue along the Castle Square, through the Royal Route to the Łazienki Park with the monument of Chopin.
Free afternoon. Accommodation at a 4* hotel in Warsaw.
DAY 3 – WARSAW – CZESTOCHOWA – KRAKOW
After breakfast departure to Częstochowa to visit the Jasna Góra Sanctuary, one of the main places of Christian worship in Europe. The importance of Jasna Góra and of the miraculous image of the Black Madonna in the religious and cultural life of Poland is reflected in the names attributed to this place, called the spiritual capital of Poland and the confessional of the nation.
Departure to Krakow in the afternoon. Accommodation at a 4* hotel in Krakow.
DAY 4 – KRAKOW
After breakfast, half day city tour of Krakow – former capital of Poland and one of the most interesting cities in Europe. We will visit the Main Market Square, the biggest medieval market square in Europe, with the Cloth Hall, dated to the Renaissance period, on its central part. We will go inside the beautiful gothic Basilica of St. Mary to admire the unique altarpiece made by Veit Stoss. The magnificent houses surrounding the square attract tourists all over the world day and night. We will also visit the Wawel Hill.
Free afternoon. Accommodation at a 4* hotel in Krakow.
DAY 5 – KRAKOW – OLOMOUC – BUDAPEST
Breakfast and departure to Budapest. On the way we will stop in Olomouc in the Czech Republic, with time to have lunch and get familiar with this beautiful city, declared World Heritage Site by UNESCO. We will then continue our trip to Budapest. Accommodation at a 4* hotel in Budapest.


...or is it a magical device that becomes whatever your bird desires? One thing is very clear, bird toys are more than mere playthings when it comes to your bird. What does a bird toy represent to your bird? How can this help you to make better choices for your bird?
Select toys from reputable manufacturers who take care to make sure only safe, non-toxic materials are used. No toy is 100% safe but you can minimize potential risks by making smart choices. Check out our Bird Toy Safety article to learn more.
Foraging Toys: Foraging toys provide an excellent outlet to require your bird to work for its food as it would have to do the majority of each day in the wild. Examples of foraging toys are those in which treats can be hidden, skewered and or imbedded. Foraging toys should be placed at a variety of levels throughout the cage to encourage movement and exploration.
Chewing Toys: Chewing is a major activity in the wild, especially during breeding season when birds are actively burrowing nests into tree trunks. It is imperative that birds be provided with destructible wood toys. Wood and leather toys provide hours of safe chewing fun. Remember, these toys are for your bird so don't become alarmed or upset if over time they destroy them. Chewing is a natural activity for your bird and they should be provided an opportunity to do so. Larger birds should be challenged with harder woods. Balsa, pine or vine based materials are excellent for smaller birds.
Exercise Toys: Just like we humans use a lot of different equipment in a fitness club to ensure we get a full body workout, birds need a variety of toys that stimulate the exercise of different parts of their bodies. Swings and Bungees challenge their balancing skills and ladders and ropes promote legwork due to increased climbing activity.
Comfort Toys: In the wild, birds enjoy physical contact with their mates, often snuggling up to them on branches. Caged birds, especially when they are alone, like to snuggle up to or crawl into something soft and cuddly. This alleviates their stress and provides them with a sense of security. Examples of comfort toys are the Peek-a-boo Perch Tents and Snuggle Rings.
Preening Toys: Boredom and stress in caged birds can often lead to over-preening or feather pulling. Rope preening toys provide an excellent outlet for birds to satisfy their desire to preen and to discourage feather picking and mutilation.
Manipulative/Mechanical Toys: Birds are very intelligent and inquisitive creatures. Many are reported to enjoy untying knots, undoing nuts and bolts and deconstructing cages to escape. Providing puzzle solving toys and toys that require manipulation will stimulate these birds mentally.
Foot Toys: A parrot's foot is very adept at holding and grasping small items. Foot toys are small toys designed to be held easily so your parrot can enjoy manipulating and chewing various components. Providing foot toys promotes good foot dexterity as well as an excellent outlet for fun!
Not only should your bird should own a wide variety of toys but remember it is also important to rotate toys in and out of the cage weekly to stimulate curiosity and prevent boredom.


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BusinessSafety
Eleanor Lamb | Staff Reporter
December 6, 2018 7:30 PM, EST
DOT's Committee Against Human Trafficking Holds First Meeting
Paris (left) with other committee members. (Eleanor Lamb/Transport Topics)
WASHINGTON — Targeted outreach efforts and training are key to reaching industry representatives who can aid in the fight against human trafficking, according to Kendis Paris, executive director of Truckers Against Trafficking.
Paris is one member of the 15-person Advisory Committee on Human Trafficking, which was developed by the U.S. Department of Transportation in October. The group's goal is to develop strategies for reporting human trafficking and craft recommendations for DOT-funded programs to combat the issue.
The committee includes leaders of organizations that fight modern slavery, academics and representatives of the trucking, bus, rail, aviation, maritime and port industries. It held its first public meeting Dec. 6.
Truckers Against Trafficking leads training programs and distributes education materials to various sectors of the industry, such as carriers, shippers, trucking associations, bus terminals and commercial driver license schools. Paris recommended creating materials that are specific to certain industry niches.
"We need to partner well"—@TATKylla 's Kendis Paris on need for collaboration to fight human trafficking @USDOT pic.twitter.com/gmnkhjIsQ6
— Eleanor Lamb (@eleanorannlamb) December 6, 2018
"You've got to train the industry. We speak the language of the market sector we're going after," Paris said. "We have been so impressed by the leadership, primarily at the trucking industry, when it comes to fighting human trafficking in transportation."
Paris stressed the importance of partnering with law enforcement agencies at the state level. About 40 states have adopted aspects of Truckers Against Trafficking's training model. The group has worked with law enforcement officers who give informational wallet cards to truck drivers.
The Iowa Department of Transportation's motor vehicle enforcement chief, David Lorenzen, another committee member, said agency officers meet with members of the motor carrier industry daily. Many major interstates converge in Iowa, making the state an attractive hub for traffickers.
Paris pointed out that most professional truck drivers spend more time on the road than law enforcement officers and should therefore be attentive to suspicious activity at rest stops.
"These folks are trained to be vigilant and observant already as part of their everyday jobs," Paris said. "Let's not forget, they are moms and dads. Who better to rally, to be the eyes and ears out on the road?"
Garner Brumbaugh (Eleanor Lamb/Transport Topics)
American Trucking Associations Vice Chairman Sherri Garner Brumbaugh also serves on the committee. Garner Brumbaugh is president of Garner Trucking, which is based in Findlay, Ohio. She said all 135 of her drivers are trained with Truckers Against Trafficking's courses.
"One single person can't solve this problem, but, collectively, we can," Garner Brumbaugh said.
One leading resource for victims and those who report incidents is the National Human Trafficking Hotline, which is operated by the nonprofit organization Polaris. The hotline receives about 250 calls a day, according to Associate Director Megan Cutter.
Cutter said that transportation is a vital part of human trafficking because victims often need to get from place to place. She identified long-distance buses and airplanes as the two most common vehicles traffickers use. She also said truckers call frequently to report activity seen at rest areas.
Emma Lowe, special assistant to Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Secretary Leslie Richards, stressed the importance of training state employees. PennDOT leads an initiative to combat human trafficking throughout the state, which includes 44,500 miles of roadway. Lowe said the National Human Trafficking Hotline received 562 calls from Pennsylvania-based people in 2017. Those calls confirmed 199 cases of human trafficking.
Lowe presents to the committee. (Eleanor Lamb/Transport Topics)
Lowe identified the employees who work at driver's license centers as people who may encounter human trafficking efforts. She said that perpetrators often will withhold or manipulate identification documents. All employees at Pennsylvania's 71 licensing centers have been trained on preventing human trafficking.
"They are the front line," Lowe said. "They are the face of PennDOT."
Looking to the future, Lowe said PennDOT will extend training to police staff, port employees and commercial driver license holders.
The Advisory Committee on Human Trafficking is broken into three subcommittees with distinct focuses: research and information sharing, training and public awareness, and protocols and policy development.
Kan (Eleanor Lamb/Transport Topics)
David Short, deputy assistant secretary of aviation and international affairs and designated federal officer for the committee, said that the group received more than 60 applicants, but DOT could only pick 15. The subcommittees will consist of many of the people who were not chosen to be full-time committee members.
The committee will have several more meetings, both in-person and over the phone, before submitting its recommendations to DOT by July 3.
"This is an important issue and a troubling issue, not only for the United States but also for the world. Almost every victim of human trafficking moves through a transportation hub," Derek Kan, DOT's undersecretary of transportation for policy, said during a brief appearance at the meeting. "We are grateful for all of your service. We are grateful for you taking time out for the many meetings we're going to have. We look forward to your findings."
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What is the difference between bleached and unbleached flour, and should you buy one over the other?
When flour is first milled, it has a yellowish cast that some consumers find unappealing. Within a few months of milling, however, these carotenoids, or pigments, in all-purpose flour naturally whiten. Because it is expensive to naturally "age" flour, some producers expedite the process chemically. In flours labeled "bleached," benzoyl peroxide has likely been used to fade the yellow color. In baking tests, bleached flour was criticized for tasting flat or having "off" flavors (texturally, the flours behaved the same). These characteristics, however, were much harder to detect in recipes with a high proportion of ingredients other than flour, such as cornbread or oatmeal cookies.
To find out if bleached flour would compromise the flavor or texture of a savory sauce, we made batches of basic white sauce (béchamel) using 1 tablespoon of bleached or unbleached flour per cup of milk. We tasted the sauces plain as well as in lasagna Bolognese. In both instances, tasters pronounced the sauces identical in flavor and texture. Our conclusion: It's fine to use small amounts of bleached flour to thicken sauces, but avoid using it for baking.