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Small theater makes big impact with 'Someone'
By Pamela Morse
For The Birmingham News
Good theater takes you to a place you've never been. Great theater takes you to a place place you'd never want to go, and makes you glad you went there. That's what makes Frank McGuinness's "Someone Who'll Watch Over Me" a great play.
A concrete room in Beirut where three men remain chained to a wall, captive in some unseen war, is clearly a place nobody would want to be. But when the third act finally wraps up, you'll thank McGuinness for the long and arduous trip.
American Buffalo: Photos
Teach (Jonathan Fuller) and Bobby (Tobie Windham)
Teach (Jonathan Fuller) & Donny (Alan Gardner)
Donny (Alan Gardner), Bobby (Tobie WIndham), & Teach (Jonathan Fuller)
Ed Gurney's set, Playhouse
0	Gallery
City Equity Theatre Hits the Stage
Local actors Jonathan Fuller and Alan Gardner are creating some serious drama in town.
By Christina Crowe
"Singing in the Rain" and "Summer Lovin'" may be catchy tunes, but Birmingham needs an injection of more serious, thought-provoking theatre. At least that's the opinion expressed by local actors Alan Gardner and Jonathan Fuller, founders of the city's newest theatre. City Equity Theatre is dedicated to providing union or "Equity" actors a place to practice and enhance their skills onstage. In May it set up shop downtown in a new costume co-op on Third Avenue North. Continue reading →
News, Reviews
American Buffalo reviewed for The Mamet Review
AMERICAN BUFFALO By David Mamet.
City Equity Theatre, Birmingham, Alabama. 27 May 2006.
William Hutchings, Ph.D. University of Alabama at Birmingham
Seldom if ever has a production of American Buffalo had more verisimilitude than in its three-weekend run in late May and early June in downtown Birmingham, Alabama. As they entered the street-front storefront venue known as The Playhouse in the northern part of the inner city area, playgoers might readily believe they were entering an actual junk shop. The space, routinely used for storage of props by several theatre companies which also make them available for rent, was cluttered with signs, curios, and not-quite-collectibles. Almost a dozen crowded circular racks of women's formalwear, obviously not quite new and sorted by color, had been shoved out of the way to clear a space for three rows of seating around an elevated acting area. Continue reading →


If you're planning a trip to Vietnam then chances are Halong Bay will be on your list. We've all seen the pictures or footage on nature documentaries of those towering limestone karsts, who wouldn't want to visit?! The area is stunningly beautiful and well worthy of its fame.
Whilst it's easy to organise a Halong Bay Cruise there are more than a few things you might want to know before hitting the 'book now' button.
Here are 11 things no one tells you about Halong Bay to help you better plan your trip.
1. Not all "Halong Bay cruises" actually visit Halong Bay - yes really!
If you have your heart set on going to Halong Bay itself, email the company and ask specifically if they visit that bay. You'll be surprised at how many companies claim to visit Halong Bay but actually take you to Lan Ha or Bai Tu Long.
These bays are similar to Halong Bay, but Halong has the highest density of limestone karsts. It is also however the busiest….by a long way.
Before arriving in Vietnam, we thought that the whole huge area of limestone karsts was classified as Halong Bay. But there are actually three bays that make up the Halong Bay area - Halong Bay, Bai Tu Long Bay and Lan Ha Bay.
Currently only Halong Bay itself is UNESCO World Heritage listed - although Cat Ba Archipelago covering Lan Ha Bay is on the tentative list.
Sadly you will never spend a full 24 hours onboard a cruise round any of the bays. The majority of cruises board you at 1pm the first day and then return you to the dock at 10 am the following day. This means that a 2 day/1 night cruise is actually a 0.75 days/1 night cruise.
We were really glad to have stayed overnight on Halong Bay and wouldn't have missed the chance to see the stars and watch a sunrise over the karsts. Having said that if you're more interested in the off shore sites and just seeing the karsts by day, then you will get that on a day trip.
Just check the time your boat departs Halong Bay. We saw many day cruises leave Ti Top Island after sunset which means they saw everything we did on our longer cruise.
Crowds can have a big impact, so we'd recommend going in low season if you can pick the time of your trip (tourism is slowest in Spring and also the month of February).
Whilst you'll never have the place to yourself, the difference between 30 and 90 boats of people will have a dramatic impact on your enjoyment. However the weather may not be as good (although thick fog can obscure views at any time of year).
To be honest, we are not fans of tours and one of the many reasons why is this one: on any cruise in Halong Bay you are given no more than an hour at any of the stops. For the kayaking you are only given 45 minutes.
This makes every stop feel like a rush and isn't helped by the fact that the tour companies are incredibly unimaginative. They all follow the same itinerary, arriving at the same spots at the same time. Crowded doesn't seem like an adequate word to describe how we felt when we got off the boat.
When something sounds too good to be true, it is. In Hanoi you'll see several travel agents offering $39 USD day trips to Halong Bay, including transfers, food and the boat.
Trips to Halong Bay are not worth taking a risk on and there have been stories of some of the super budget boats sinking at worst and having rats and other vermin on board at best. Find a reputable company and pay a little more - it definitely pays to read reviews and not just rely on the tour operators word.
If you're on a budget, we would recommend hiring kayaks to explore Lan Ha Bay or even take the public ferry to Cat Ba from Dao Tuan Chun (check out our blog all about it). Otherwise you can organise day trips from Cat Ba Island to Lan Ha Bay for a reasonable rate.
Not all Bai Tu Long Bay trips actually go there. We looked at several websites where Bai Tu Long Bay was used simply for SEO purposes and others where the cruise went to Halong Bay, not Bai Tu Long Bay. When you ask them directly they usually become a lot more honest..
We were travelling around Vietnam on the cheap, but when it came to Halong Bay (a bucket list experience) we decided to splash out on a luxury cruise. This was after hearing so many stories about dodgy boats and over crowding.
Whilst it was expensive, we had an unforgettable experience with a really nice cabin, private balcony and a dinner that was fine dining - yep, we got a seafood platter that was freshly caught before the entree! Others we know were not so lucky and didn't end up enjoying Halong Bay because of it.
Check the small print for your chosen boat - for example, on our cruise if we had gone for the two night option we would have had to have changed boats after the first night, which would have been a pain. We also read that the second boat was much smaller and not as nice, but there is no reduction in cost!
Check for additional costs. For instance, some won't include the food, which will add a lot more to the cost or cause you hassle (we caught an extremely high end company doing this which we thought was very off - what are you supposed to do? Buy pot noodles and take them with you?!) Many companies do include food, but few include drinks.
If you are interested in things like kayaking, then check whether that is also an additional cost. When you see what they often charge you versus the price they pay at the jetty, it will turn your stomach. The kayaking is worth doing and the only offshore excursion we enjoyed though.
If you decide that Halong Bay itself is not the be all and end all, then you should choose to do our favourite experience in all of Vietnam: kayaking in Lan Ha Bay (from Cat Ba Island).
We spent all day paddling around the limestone karsts and didn't see another soul until we pulled up at one of the inhabited islands. To say this day was magical is an understatement. The scenery was spectacular, we got to see this beautiful area independently, there were no crowds and it was by far the cheapest way to explore the Halong region.
We were glad to see both Halong Bay and Lan Ha on our trip and wouldn't have missed either, but this kayaking was the highlight. Here's more on that trip and other things to do on Cat Ba Island.
We chose to visit the Halong Bay area both on an overnight cruise on Halong Bay itself, and an independent kayaking trip on Lan Ha Bay. Both were fantastic experiences.
We chose the Paradise Elegance luxury cruise on Halong as we were celebrating Joe's birthday and were very glad that we did. Having a private balcony and also a ship that had a great outdoor deck that no one used allowed us to feel like we were experiencing this amazing place on our own (that is until we got off the boat!).
Kayaking on Lan Ha was not just one of the best things we've done in Vietnam but in the whole of Southeast Asia. Paddling alone between the limestone karsts for a day was something we will never forget. We are glad we did both but if we had to choose one it would be the kayaking.
Are you planning a trip to Halong Bay? Have you been and think we should have added anything? Let us know in the comments below!


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Modalities, Vision May 3, 2022
Direction: Which Way is Up?
To possess sound judgment or common sense; to have a clear understanding of a situation.
Creating community, restoring community, and positively impacting communities have been a huge part of my life's commitment. My family was part of the Great Migration. The elders instilled in us that moving "up North" was synonymous with increasing educational and employment opportunities for ourselves and others, that we would have to work hard for every gain. Nothing would be easy, and we would be judged harshly for any missteps. But, despite the uncharted waters, we had a rich legacy to build on that would guide us to successful lives. Success was not defined by financial gain but by commitment and responsibility to family, God, and others. Now in my life, in the midst of a pandemic, a recent event offered me a chance to assess whether or not my lived experiences line up with my intended direction. And if that direction was uplifting.
Recently, Pastor Shannon Dotson Sweet invited me to an event, Women of Royalty Celebrating TrailblazHERS, to recognize women for their impact and contributions to the community. Her church is dedicated to positively impacting the community, using multiple tools to educate, inform, and help others move in an upward direction. During the late eighties, my adopted community, Battle Creek, Michigan, was amid the resegregation of public education, although we did not clearly understand the phenomena. The hype words were "schools of choice," "neighborhood schools" and "magnet schools." During the sixties, significant numbers of Black teachers from HBCUs were either promoted to administrative positions, retired, or pursued other employment opportunities. The public schools hired primarily white educators to teach an overwhelmingly Black and poor student population. Parents were disillusioned enough to enroll their children in these alternative programs.
The Southwestern Michigan Urban League, in partnership with Battle Creek Public Schools and Western Michigan University, created a pipeline program to increase the numbers of African American students enrolling in and graduating from the WMU College of Education and hopefully choosing to teach in the Battle Creek Public Schools. We called it Future Force. Black children needed to see teachers who looked like them, lived and worshipped in their communities, and could connect them with their rich heritage.
Shannon Sweet was part of that first Future Force cohort. She participated in monthly activities at the Urban League, received tutoring from current Battle Creek Public Schools teachers, and participated in annual campus trips to WMU from middle school until she graduated high school in 1995. Because of the students' preparation and academic prowess, the majority of student participants received had multiple options for college. In addition, they received scholarships to various universities because of their outstanding grades and test scores.
Although they chose multiple universities to continue their education, the majority of Future Force participants graduated from college with advanced degrees. Some eventually became K-12 and college educators, counselors, and administrators. However, some other students decided education was not their calling and pursued careers in business and social services.
Over the next twenty years, the aims of the program have changed to include more disadvantaged students as well as students who choose to pursue career opportunities outside of education. Nevertheless, it is still a powerful resource for educating and supporting high school students at a time when they can improve their grades and focus on future opportunities.
As I reflected on the recognition and the accolades for the other honorees, our collective actions have brought about advances and positive changes in education, medicine, community services, and business. Each of us was able to see our career direction more clearly by looking backward, reflecting on the paths taken, the unexpected successes and failures, course corrections, and the paths avoided. Each honoree had left an imprint on the community leading to greater viability and improvements. The future of the community looks brighter because each woman honored chose to "lookup" and used her talents and education consistently over a period of time until changes occurred within the community.
Upward mobility, community engagement, and community uplift were phrases that guided my life during the turbulence of a segregated world of the fifties and sixties. "The Crisis" Magazine of the NAACP and "Opportunity: A Journal of Negro Life published by the National Urban League. Both organizations have dedicated their efforts to economic empowerment, equality, and social justice. And these issues must continue to be at the forefront of our efforts to determine "which way is up." No single endeavor will result in the changes we aspire to see.
All I can say is, "thank the Lord, I wouldn't take nothing for my journey."
Photo by Polina Zimmerman from Pexels
Dr. Joyce A. Brown
Dr. Joyce Brown is a motivational speaker and author who uses her creative energy to give voice and meaning to the challenges women face in all walks of life. She grew up in Rockford, Illinois in a household of strong women. She graduated from Bradley University with a B.S. and M.A. Her professional career expanded her reach into Peoria, Illinois; and Battle Creek, Michigan. Joyce obtained a Ph.D. from Western Michigan University.
She is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and has served as a direct services worker, executive director, program director for a major foundation, and entrepreneur. Joyce has experienced many uplifting moments as a professional and as a dedicated parent and strives to bring those events and lessons to life through her characters in the contemporary fiction novels she pens.
#community#desegregation#direction#education#trailblazer
Prosetry by Frank Malaba: Change
This Issue: Direction!
Row: Life
What a timely, appropriate theme! There are so many 'processes' going on in our world all the time, many of which may be personal, and more that are global events we may not be aware of. Just what is a process? My definition, before checking a dictionary, is…

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The topic of these personal essays can vary from writing about a person who had influenced the applicant to a particular event or period in his life which had a great impact over him to be as an individual as of the date.
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It is better to go online and browse through few personal essay examples to understand if you feel blank and void of ideas, while trying to write a personal essay.
Also, it is a good practise to research about the university and course you like to apply for. Because the knowledge about the areas of interest of a particular university and department can help you in forming ideas about which theme to speak about in your personal essay, which the university is more concerned about.
It will be beneficial for you, if you can spare some time for reading some of the abounding personal essay examples before you craft one for yourself.
It's not necessary to seek help from professional content writing service providers, yet if you ought to involve a third party service provider in your writing needs, be sure to choose the best. Figure out amateurs in the field and don't risk your great opportunity.
And if you wants to know about our services, get some of our best personal essay examples read before you communicate with us….


Our various artists compilation Irreversible Six is out now. Great techno and tech house selection by artists such as Mladen Tomic, Alberto Ruiz, Sinisa Tamamovic, Tomy Declerque, Paco Maroto, Paride Saraceni, Hollen, Dejan Milicevic, Ant Brooks, Alex Mine, D-Deck and Gaga. Some of these tunes are supported and played by Richie Hawtin, Dubfire, Adam Beyer, Umek, Paco Osuna, Mark Knight, Kaiserdisco, Yousef, Chus, Joseph Capriati, Wehbba and many more.


The 2019 Honda Civic sedan is likely to get more standard driver-assist tech, a new Sport trim level, and refreshed styling. Honda claims the front fascia has been significantly updated.
After launching the 10th-gen Honda Civic Facelift in August this year, the carmaker has now revealed more information about the 2019 sedan with a fresh set of pictures. And first impression is that the car is striking and spectacular. The Honda Civic is expected to make a comeback in India with a facelift version in the first quarter of next year itself.
According to reports, the 2019 Honda Civic sedan is likely to get more standard driver-assist tech, a new Sport trim level, and refreshed styling. Honda claims the front fascia has been significantly updated.
The Honda Sensing suite of driver aids is now standard on all Civic sedan as it will include autonomous emergency braking, forward collision warning, road departure mitigation with lane departure warning, lane keep assist, and adaptive cruise control, said Digital Trends report, claiming that Honda plans to make it standard across the board by the 2022 model year.
The prices of 2019 Honda Civic are expected to begin somewhere between Rs 15 lakh and Rs 18 lakh (ex-showroom).
Notably, the new Civic would be much sporty than its predecessor and the major changes in the design will reportedly include new piano black upper fascia wing, restyled lower fascia, bumper and lower grille, a full-width front splitter, chrome side pod accents, and updated halogen or LED headlights.
Earlier, NDTV auto report claimed that the new Civic will also get a chrome accent on the lower rear bumper and new set of wheel designs for both models, including a larger 18-inch rim. Further, the new trim will also feature updated 7-inch Display Audio with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration and volume button.
According to the Honda's website, the Honda Sensing of safety and driver-assistive technologies is designed to alert you to things you might miss while driving. The features will include Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS); Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS); Road Departure Mitigation System (RDM); and Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Low-Speed Follow.


Zoho is moving fast and after aggregation of all it's service (i.e. zoho docs), comes Zoho Marketplace – a service that brings users and business application developers together.
What's interesting is that unlike other service marketplace/exchange, Zoho is not charging any transactional fee to customers or developers (of course, focus for Zoho is to increase the adoption of their office suite).
Zoho has also released major updates to Creator 3, and now enables custom HTML pages, layout customization and stateless forms.
Guess there is more to come!


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Putting gay marriage into perspective
29 February 2004 29 February 2004 / current events / 4 Comments
An article in today's NY Times does a good job of putting the debate on gay marriage into more productive terms, and comes to the same conclusions I do, but gets there by different means.
The writer, Nathaniel Frank, helpfully clarifies that the "for" and "against" sides are talking past each other–the against side pitches its argument in terms of marriage's social role, the for side in terms of individual rights–and he points out that both aspects are relevant.
My main disagreement with Frank is brought into sharpest relief by this paragraph:
The argument is not so much that individual straight couples are threatened by gay marriage, but that the collective rules that define marriage are being undermined. Instead of feeling part of a greater social project that demands respect, people will feel that breaking their vows offends only their spouse, not the whole community. Knowing that their friends and neighbors no longer hold marriage sacred can make it easier for people to wander.
The problem with Frank's argument here is that he fails to acknowledge that this dread is ultimately rooted in bigotry: if the "greater social project" is somehow debased by gay marriage, it is because some feel that homosexuality is icky, and do not want to be forced to acknowledge the legitimacy of a gay relationship.
For a long time, I was ambivalent about gay marriage: on the one hand, I was inclined to be tolerant, on the other, the idea inspired cognitive dissonance–it didn't fit my notion of marriage. Then, about ten years ago, the Economist published a cover story (as they are doing again this week) making the case for gay marriage–"Let them wed" the headline read. And I realized that my objections were hollow.
4 thoughts on "Putting gay marriage into perspective"
You know, I think the real answer is for the state to stop "sanctifying" marriages of any sort. The state should issue Civil Union Certificates to couples who seek legal recognition of their relationship. If they also want to get married in a church and have it all sanctified, they can.
But the compromise solution I keep hearing proposed where one group of people are "married" while another group has a "civil union" smacks of separate-but-equal.
If we think marriage is so sacred, then it should stay where it belongs — in the church. If we think civil unions are good enough for one group of people, then they're good enough for everyone.
That's exactly how I feel, and I suspect that's where we're going to end up, sooner or later.
Either that, or this country will turn into a theocracy.
I would go one step further. I would look for ways to strengthen the churches role in marriage while eliminating the legal bonds of marriage or civil union. It seems with the inordinate amounts of money spent in the legal system to dissolve these marriages after they fail combined with the 'marriage penalty' concepts, the legal ramifications of marriage are far more negative than the perceived positives of marriage. To me, I see no reason, if my current marriage were to fail, to ever consider the bonds of marriage again. It costs too much for divorce, it costs more to stay married, and there is no real benifit to the legal acknowledgement of marriage. If marriage were maintained as a religious sacrement and ceremony, both the negative aspects and the choice of what kinds of relationships (gay, straight, polyamorous, etc) that would be sanctified by marriage would be up to the many and varied religious instutions of this country. The only ones hurt by this change would be the lawyers. ;)
Just thought I would chime in on this.
1. Divorce is only expensive if it's contentious, and if it's contentious, then I suspect it would be even more expensive if there weren't a legal framework for working it out. I've been through an amicable divorce, and the total legal costs were (I think) less than $400 (split between two people). There were a lot of other costs, of course, but those would have been identical regardless.
2. The "marriage penalty" is a highly contentious and debatable issue. There's plenty of evidence that there's a marriage bonus, in fact.
3. There are a number of legal ramifications to marriage that we'd be poorer off without. Spouses effectively have power-of-attorney for each other; spouses cannot be forced to testify against each other in court, and so on. A friend's mom was denied access to her longtime boyfriend when he was hospitalized.
4. If marriage were made a strictly religious affair, I would be excluded from being married because I am strictly agnostic. Obviously I can't condone that.


Connecticut, known as the "Constitution State," became the 5th of the 13 original colonies on January 9, 1788. The nickname has nothing to do with the United States Constitution however but rather with the Charter which Connecticut had under the British in 1662. Celebrate your state's history by displaying state symbols, animals, and state flags. Find your supplies at Flagandbanner.com today.
Learn more about Connecticut at the Connecticut Historical Society.


There are risks to many strategies. Some risks include permanent impairment of capital, due to an investment that ends up going to zero. Some companies would usually cut or eliminate dividends a long time prior to going under. This usually serves as a last warning sign to long-term investors like myself that something is broken in the business. But dividend cuts are not the biggest risk to dividend growth investing. This is not the risk I will discuss today.
The other risk includes mistakes of omission, where you fail to pull the trigger on a company because of fear. Then another risk is that you have identified an asset that has potential, purchased it at the right price, and it ends up meeting or exceeding your projections. However, you are not around to enjoy the full benefits of your analysis. While many cite dividend cuts as one of the biggest risks behind dividend growth investing, I believe that getting my shares acquired to be a much larger long-term risk to investment returns.
One way this could happen is if you sell a perfectly fine company. Some end up selling due to fear of the unknown. Ironically, share prices fluctuate much more than the changes in underlying fundamentals. This is why I try to focus mostly on companies that have stable earnings streams. A cyclical company with more volatile earnings streams is much tougher to value, and therefore I might be expected to receive more price volatility for each dollar of potential earnings power ( which in itself is a moving target). If you are good at timing your purchases, you may make a lot of money. If you are like almost everyone else however, chances are that exposure to cyclicals is best to be taken in a way that encourages doing nothing.
The other reason you may end up disposing of your shares is when your company gets bought out by another company. Investors usually show excitement when their shares are acquired, because the shares are acquired at a premium to the price immediately preceding the announcement.
The problem here is that a buyer will likely rob you from future improvements in the business. This means that you will have to realize all those capital gains when you sell ( assuming that you receive some cash and not stock in the new company).
In many cases, the shareholder might have been better off simply holding on to the company as a standalone business. If a smaller company is acquired by a competitor, its risk and return profile shifts dramatically.
The other issue with acquisitions occurs if you bought too high, and the buyout occurs at a price that is lower than your purchase price. This risk is one of the reasons why I try to avoid overpaying as much as I can. I do not want to overpay for a growth business, which goes through some temporary problems that reduce the P/E multiple, and is ultimately acquired at a price that is at or below my cost. To add insult to injury, I am missing out on all future growth in earnings and dividends, and now have to find another quality company for the long-term portfolio I manage. Unfortunately, the number of quality companies is limited. The availability of quality companies selling at an attractive enough entry price is even scarcer.
dividends and intrinsic values over time. If I cannot take full advantage of the expected long-term growth in dividends and share prices, then it makes no sense to risk my capital – it might be better served elsewhere. Of course, since I never got that crystal ball from Amazon, I will keep getting bought out.
I received the idea behind this article, after reviewing the old stock manuals. Back in 1980, McCormick was almost acquired. Lucky for shareholders, it wasn't. McCormick (MKC) sold at a split-adjusted $1.16/share at the end of 1980. The stock has paid a growing amount of dividends for the subsequent 36 years. Today, that stock price is $100/share and each share rewards its rightful owner with a cool dividend of $1.88/share. This represents an astronomical yield on cost for that lucky investor who took a chance on the company at the end of 1980. If the company has been acquired instead, all that wealth would have been enjoyed by the acquirer.
I know this is an extreme example, but a $10,000 investment in McCormick (MKC) at the end of 1980, with reinvested dividends, would have turned into $1.75 million by May 2017. If the company had been acquired for double the $10,000 initial investment, shareholders would have been robbed out of over $1.7 million worth of future wealth. Using the Pareto Principle Of Dividend Investing, if you do not hold on to the few companies that do most of the heavy lifting for you, your future results may suffer greatly.
"GEICO's low costs create a moat – an enduring one – that competitors are unable to cross. As a result,the company gobbles up market share year after year, ending 2016 with about 12% of industry volume. That's up from 2.5% in 1995, the year Berkshire acquired control of GEICO."
After writing this post, I read that Brown-Forman (BF.B) had rejected a bid from Constellation Brands (STZ). I was glad that this company rejected the offer. This is because I believe Brown-Forman to be a quality dividend growth company that will likely be worth more in 10 - 20 - 30 years, and will shower its shareholders with a higher dividend during that time.
American Capital Strategies (ACAS) was a high yielding business development company that I purchased in 2008. I promptly sold it several months later, after the BDC suspended distributions.
State Street (STT) was another victim of the financial crisis. The company had raised dividends twice per year for 27 years in a row. Unfortunately, it cut dividends in early 2009.
General Electric (GE) was the posted child of terrible capital allocation. The company cut dividends in 2009 for the first time since 1938. Jeff Immelt had spent tens of billions of dollars repurchasing shares when prices were high, only to sell those shares at depressed prices during the financial crisis in order to obtain liquidity to save the business.
Vereit (VRE) was a Real Estate Investment trust, which ran into some trouble in 2014 and had to cut dividends.
Baxter (BAX) split into two companies (Baxter and Baxalta) a few years ago. The new companies had a combined dividend that was lower than the original one. Baxalta ultimately was acquired by Shire a few months later. So I am keeping a record for both dividend cuts and companies being acquired for a large premium.
Kinder Morgan (KMI) famously cut dividends in late 2015, in an effort to preserve liquidity. The company has not raised dividends ever since.
Enbridge Energy Management (EEQ) just recently cut dividends this year. Following the Kinder Morgan cut, I created a plan to start disposing of MLPs if I found good prices. Unfortunately, I kept a very small position of a few shares after selling off most of my stake throughout 2016. It would have cost me a large amount in commissions to dispose of the shares, which is why I kept it. As a result I have to share this as a red point, in order to be honest with myself and be honest with you the readers.
I am writing all of this because plenty of misinformed nay-sayers will tell you that dividend investing is risky, because dividends are not guaranteed. What they are missing is that in a diversified portfolio, those dividend cuts can happen. I have had dividend cuts happen. However, the dividend growth from other companies, coupled with the reinvesting of proceeds from share sales, have actually resulted in growth in overall dividend income. While not guaranteed, dividends are more stable and reliable than capital gains. Even the father of indexing Jack Bogle understands the power of dividends and dividend growth.
I know that most naysayers will focus on the dividend cuts as a reason against dividend growth investing. My review of their arguments has determined that this is a dumb reason against dividend stocks. The dividend cuts are an inevitable part of the investing reality. Every strategy you pick, will have winners and losers. Even if you end up picking index funds (I mean asset allocation), you will still have funds that don't do well for you or even deliver long-term real losses.
Rohm and Haas (ROH) was acquired in April 2009 for $78/share in cash by Dow Chemical. It was nice to be able to sell some shares at high prices, and using the proceeds to redeploy in other quality companies at cheap valuations.
Anheuser-Busch (BUD) was acquired by Inbev in November 2008 for $70/share in cash. Again, it was nice to sell some shares at high prices and redeploy proceeds into other quality names. However, I have a feeling I would have been better off if that sale never occurred, and the company kept raising dividends and growing earnings and intrinsic values.
Family Dollar (FDO) was acquired by Dollar Tree (DLTR) a couple of years ago for a combination of cash and stock.
Chubb (CB) was acquired by ACE Ltd for cash and stock in early 2016. ACE then changed its name to Chubb. I redeployed the cash portion into some ACE shares (which turned into new Chubb).
Kraft (KRFT) was acquired by Heinz, and formed Kraft-Heinz. Shareholders received a large one-time special dividend, along with shares of Kraft-Heinz (KHC). Whenever companies I own are acquired for stock, I often keep the stock.
Kinder Morgan Management (KMR) represented a tax-efficient way to own the limited partnership units on Kinder Morgan Partners. Unfortunately, Kinder Morgan Inc decided to roll everything up in the corporate entity. The KMR shares were converted into KMI shares, which I kept. After the cut however, I disposed of most of the shares.
Baxalta (BXLT) was formed as a result of Baxter splitting into two - Baxter and Baxalta. After the split, I realized that the combined companies are cutting dividends, so I started disposing of my shares. Fortunately, I kept some shares of each. Baxalta ended up getting acquired by Shire for a combination of cash and stock.
Another recent example includes Anglo-Dutch consumer products conglomerate Unilever (UL), which rejected the takeover from Kraft-Heinz a few months ago.
Plenty of investors are irrationally afraid of dividend growth investing, because they have been scared of potential dividend cuts. My analysis of my investments over the past decade has shown that acquisitions of quality dividend payers is almost as likely as dividend cuts. I personally view acquisitions are worse off than dividend cuts. Acquisitions do wonders for a portfolio in the short term. The downside is that you fail to take full advantage of the success story that would have showered you with dividends for decades to come otherwise. If you get cash for your stock, you also have to recognize capital gains for your taxable portfolio. In addition, you have to find good quality companies to replace the income stream being acquired. Even if your shares are exchanged for shares in the acquirer, the risk/return profile of the new investment could be starkly different. This could create an instance that may require you to perform further monitoring in order to determine if the new company is suitable for your portfolio.


About this journey The average travel time between Antwerp and Lille is 1h56 minutes. The quickest route is 1h19 minutes. The first train leaving Antwerp is at 08:33, the last at 16:33. There is an average of 2 trains a day between Antwerp and Lille, leaving approximately every 2h40 minutes.


Ei Electronics carbon monoxide alarms are essential for any household or commercial premises. Fire safety needs to be given a number 1 priority in every way as ignoring this could cost you your life. You can get a variety of different fire safety accessories and equipment in the market, one of which being a fire detector in the form of a smoke detector or a carbon monoxide detector which you must pick carefully so that you only purchase a carbon monoxide detector that is going to work efficiently in safeguarding your property and alerting you immediately in the event that fire erupts. And luckily, the various models of Ei Electronics carbon monoxide alarms would sufficiently take care of such requirements for you.
Check the following top rated model of Carbon Monoxide detectors and alarms from Ei Electronics out and see what sorts of reviews they managed to attract from people who have actually used them in the past or people who are current users of these carbon monoxide detectors. By picking a top rated and a well reviewed Ei Electronics Carbon Monoxide Alarms model, you would be assured of something that would effectively meet your fire safety needs which you cannot compromise in any way. There might be some models that do not get any reviews or those that only get few reviews which may still be good depending upon their brand name and the features that they come with. It does help spending some time researching things before finalizing which Ei Electronics carbon monoxide detector would be good enough for your needs.
Before buying an Ei Electronics carbon monoxide alarm and smoke detectors, it would be a good idea to check the sales ranks of different models. Some models may just be older versions of the newly available ones whereas others would be different due to the feature sets that they may come with. A good way of identifying which brands and models of carbon monoxide alarms are popular would be by checking top 10 bestsellers lists as featured on different websites.
Reliable quality product by Ei Electronics, in real carbon monoxide, individually calibrated.
LCD Display shows Kohlenmonoxidwert from 30ppm and Handlungsanweisungen e.g. Air or leave room ".
10 year product and battery life.
Particularly user-friendly thanks to LED signalling lamps, End-of-Life display and memory function.
Tested and approved to the highest audit standards EN 502 91:20 10 and EN 502 and EN 70:19 60335-1:19 99 94.
Features a ultra bright escape light that turns on automatically when the alarm sounds, which illuminates your escape route.
Ei Electronics carbon monoxide alarms are popular in the UK as they have features that are most sought after which is the main reason you would find them listed among top sellers on different websites. However, it would be in your best interest to not only compare the various Ei Electronics carbon monoxide alarms and smoke detectors with one another but also with other brands and models so that you only go for something that would meet your needs perfectly. Something that would have all the preferred features while falling within your preferred price range.


text:
Ocean River
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Search Cruises
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Bahamas Cruises
A Bahamas cruise will transport its passengers to a unique island paradise with a British influence, rich in culture and beauty. Those looking for pure relaxation can combine a cruise with pristine sandy beaches, while excursions will provide plenty of opportunities for shopping, entertainment and exploration.
Whether it is from the comfort of the cruise ship or from lying on the beautiful Bahamian beaches, the collection of around 700 islands provide wonderful views and a stunning backdrop to a holiday that allows visitors the chance to escape from the pressures of the modern world. The palm tree-lined sand coasts of the Bahamas are one of the region's main attractions and also offer visitors the chance to try a number of water sports activities, including snorkelling to discover tropical fish and stingrays, sailing, swimming with dolphins and parasailing. Those looking for active shore excursions can also discover a number of activities to take part in on land, including horseback riding, jeep safaris and tours of national parks. Grand Bahamas Island is home to two national parks. Lucayan National Park is comprised of a number of ecosystems that support a variety of wildlife and also contains a number of natural caves for visitors to explore. Petersons Cay is another national park, with a fantastic reef to discover in closer detail.
Nassau, New Providence is a popular destination for shore excursions from Bahamas cruises. Nassau is home to some great examples of 19th-century colonial architecture, painted in a range of attractive pastel colours and offers visitors a host of historical and contemporary attractions. Historical buildings to visit include Fort Fincastle, dating back to the 18th century, and Fort Charlotte. Shoppers are spoilt for choice in Nassau's Straw Market, with traders selling a wide variety of goods including traditional crafts.
Bahamas cruises also often visit Paradise Island, where guests can spend a day at the Atlantis Resort, home to an exciting waterpark, filled with attractions such as giant exhilarating water slides, to keep children and the young at heart entertained for hours. A marine life exhibit also offers an opportunity to swim with dolphins.
Freeport is another destination with plenty to offer visitors on a day excursion from their Bahamas cruise. As it was designed with tourists in mind, there are a wide variety of attractions to choose from. Lovers of shopping can explore the International Bazaar, selling unique items from around the world, in Downtown Freeport. A large number of restaurants are also available in Freeport, offering food to suit all tastes while a number of theatres and casinos provide a range of entertainment options. Elsewhere, the Pirates of the Bahamas Theme Park offers a fun-filled day while the Garden of the Groves botanical park in Freeport offers a chance to relax and discover the sheer beauty of a Bahamian tropical garden, adding to the range of attractions to keep visitors of all ages amused.
Orlando Fun & Bahamian Sun
Feb 2023 - Dec 2023
From £1159
Niagara Sights & All-Inclusive Cruise Delights
Mar 2023 - Nov 2023
Venezia New York & Niagara Falls
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text:
You are here: Home>Places>Schools>Christ Church Infants' School, Hertford
Christ Church Infants' School, Hertford
Christ Church was built on Port Vale in 1868. Bengeo Parish was expanding so much that Holy Trinity Church built in the 1850s was not now big enough to hold everyone who wished to worship. Thus Christ Church was built to serve "lower" Bengeo.
In the following year the Infants' School was built behind the church, financed by Mr Abel Smith of Woodhal Park. It opened on 30th June 1869. The school catered for children up to and including Year 1, Junior. At times there were more than 100 children attending the school but much of the time there was significantly less than this number. In 1871 there were 90 children on the books.
When they left the school most children went on to Bengeo Boys' and Girls' Schools although a small number, perhaps because of where they lived, transferred to Cowbridge.
The school was 35' X 20' and 12' high with a classroom 15' X 12' in size.
Although logbooks were required to be used by schools from 1863 the first logbook now available for Christ Church starts in 1871. The first entry begins:
Miss Sarah Chandler began her work as Mistress of Christ Church Bengeo Infant School on 11th of January 1871. The School had been in an unsettled state for some time previous to the coming of Miss Chandler, owing to the absence through illness of the Mistress
Kelley's Directory of Hertfordshire for the year 1870 lists Sarah Gray as the mistress so presumably it was she who was ill and unable to return to the school.
The vicar, Rev Robert Rutland was the correspondent of the managers. He was the rector for more than 30 years and often visited the school, presumably giving advice to the mistresses of the school.
After the Education Act of 1902, Christ Church Infants' School was one of the first two schools to become County Council Schools. The other school was Cowbridge.
On 27th March, 1923 a "Local Inquiry" was held at the school after which Hertfordshire County Council decided to close the school at the end of the summer term. This was due to a shortage of pupils and the large number of available places at nearby schools. The last recorded number of children attending was on September 9th 1921 when the average for the week was 40.8, 88.8%. Thus there were only 46 children on the school books.
It was a shame in a way because the teaching was still of a high standard as is obvious from the report of Basil J.M. Reay, Diocesan Inspector, on the teaching of Religious Education. Reay inspected the school on April 30th and he reported:
" The children in this school did remarkably well, today, and gave full proof of careful and helpful teaching, while the reverence and excellent tone that prevailed reflects much credit on Miss Porter and her staff.
In both classes the knowledge was full and much above the average, while the answering was intelligent and well distributed. I was pleased to see in the top class, that the children could link up the Creed with the Gospel Story. The Church's year was, also, very well known. The repetition had been carefully chosen, and was very well said."
After the school was closed the building became the church hall.
The building still exists and is now occupied by The Company of Players. This lies behind the houses which have been built on the site of the church which was demolished in 1970.
Mistresses of Christ Church Infants' School
Proposed Closure of Christ Church School
County Council Inquiry, March 1923
Rectors of Christ Church, Hertford
1869 – July 1906 Rev. Robert Rutland July 1906 – January 1914 Rev Percy Edward Robson. An entry in the school ...
Reverend Robert Rutland
Vicar of Christ Church, Bengeo
A New Primary School for Balls Park
Bengeo National Boys' School in the 19th Century
Chalk Dell Infants School
Compilation of a Detailed Scheme of Instruction for an Infants' Department, c1885
Cuffley Camp
Hanbury Manor
Hertford Green Coat School
Memories of Ware Grammar School
Musley School, Ware
My Secondary School Days
Notes on the Examination by H.M. Inspector in this District
Parish of All Saints', Hertford Church of England United Schools
School of Industry for Girls
St. Joseph's Convent School
Trinity Farm and School, Ware
Cowper School
Simon Balle School
Longmore School
Hertford Schools in War Time
Christ's Hospital
Cowbridge School
Morgans Primary School
Port Vale School, Hertford
Richard Hale School
Wareside School
Waterford Church of England (Mixed) School


text:
Eggysodon  est un genre éteint de rhinocéros sans cornes, de la famille des Hyracodontidae ayant vécu en Europe à l'Oligocène, entre  et .

Occurrence
Au total, onze spécimens fossiles ont été découverts.

Liste d'espèces
Selon  :
  Eggysodon cadibonense (Roger, 1898)
  Eggysodon gaudryi (Rames, 1886) - France et Suisse
  Eggysodon osborni (Schlosser, 1902) - Allemagne et Suisse
  Eggysodon turgaicum (Borissiak, 1915) - Kazakhstan

Liens externes

Notes et références

Mammifère de l'Oligocène
Genre de périssodactyles préhistoriques (nom scientifique)
Taxon fossile décrit en 1910

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Q: Determine the parameter which minimizes the index performance Please help me solve this.
If the system is
$$\dot{x}=\left[\begin{array}{ccc}0 & 1 & 0 \\ 0 & 0 & 1 \\ -1 & -2 & a\end{array}\right] x$$
with an initial condition
$$x(0)=\left[\begin{array}{c}x_{0} \\ 0 \\ 0\end{array}\right]$$
Determine the parameter $a$ which minimizes the performance index
$$J=\left[\int_{0}^{\infty}\left(\sum_{i=1}^{3} x_{i}^{2}(t)\right) d t\right]$$

A: $J={x_0}^2\alpha(a)$ where $\alpha(a)=\int_0^{+\infty}U_{1,1}(t,a)dt$
and $U(t,a)=e^{tA^T}e^{tA}$.
I find $min_a \alpha(a)\approx 2.161438$ reached for
$a\approx -1.822876$.
Since $A$ is not normal and $A$ doas not commute with its derivative wrt. $a$, I think that we cannot do an exact calculation.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Early Look: Vikings-Bengals
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — The Vikings will get a much-needed return to the comforts of home this weekend when they play at U.S. Bank Stadium for the first time since Nov. 19.
Minnesota, which is 10-3 and situated atop the NFC North, can clinch the division with a win.
The Vikings saw their eight-game win streak end Sunday with a 31-24 loss on the road at Carolina.
The Bengals are 5-8 and in third place in the AFC North behind Pittsburgh and Baltimore.
Cincinnati lost 33-7 to the Bears on Sunday, and have lost four of their past six games.
Here's an early look at Sunday's game.
Passing: Vikings quarterback Case Keenum completed 27 of 44 passes for 280 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions against the Panthers. He had a passer rating of 75.9 on Sunday.
Keenum is 8-3 as a starter this season. Keenum has thrown for 2,983 yards with 18 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
Cincinnati quarterback Andy Dalton completed 14 of 29 passes for 141 yards with a touchdown and interception against the Bears. He had a passer rating of 59.7.
Bengals backup A.J. McCarron played in the fourth quarter and completed four of eight passes for 47 yards.
Dalton has completed 236 of 389 passes (60.7 percent) for 2,747 yards with 21 touchdowns and nine interceptions this season. He has a passer rating of 90.4.
Rushing: Jerick McKinnon led the way on the ground Sunday, rushing for 46 yards on seven carries. Keenum had 40 yards, while Latavius Murray added 14 yards on nine carries.
The Vikings hit the 100-yard mark as a team for the 10th time in 13 games.
Murray leads the Vikings with 586 yards and five touchdowns this season. McKinnon has 460 yards and three touchdowns.
The Vikings rushed for 100 total yards Sunday, and rank eighth in the NFL with 121.1 rushing yards per game.
Cincinnati ran for 70 yards on 13 carries with a score against the bears. Giovani Bernard had 62 yards on 11 attempts, and Brian Hill had eight yards on two carries.
Rookie Joe Mixon, who did not play Sunday, leads Cincinnati with 518 yards and has four touchdowns on the ground. Bernard has 260 rushing yards.
The Bengals rank 31st in rushing with 79.4 yards per game.
Receiving: Wide receiver Adam Thielen led the Vikings with 105 receiving yards and a touchdown on six receptions. It was his fourth 100-yard game of the season.
Stefon Diggs had six receptions for 64 yards, and tight end Kyle Rudolph had three receptions for a 41 yards and a score.
Thielen now has 80 receptions for 1,161 yards and four scores on the season. He ranks tied for third in the NFL in receiving yards.
Rudolph leads the Vikings with seven touchdown receptions, which tied his total from last season.
Bernard led the Bengals with six catches for 68 yards Sunday, and wide receiver A.J. Green had five receptions for 64 yards. Brandon LaFell had 24 receiving yards and a score.
Green leads the Panthers with 65 catches for 950 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. He is trying for the sixth 1,000-yard season of his career Sunday.
Tight end Tyler Kroft has five touchdowns while LaFell is second on the team with 452 receiving yards.
Defense: The Vikings had one of their worst performances of the season Sunday against Carolina. The unit gave up 345 total yards, the second-most of 2017.
Minnesota allowed a season-worst 216 rushing yards, the most by more than 100 yards. The Vikings gave up a pair of runs against the Panthers that went for 60 yards or more.
Everson Griffen and Linval Joseph each had a sack for the Vikings, and safety Andrew Sendejo had an interception.
Griffen leads the Vikings with 13 sacks, which is a career high, and safety Harrison Smith has a team-high three interceptions.
Minnesota ranks third in the NFL in both yards allowed per game (293.4) and points allowed per game (18.1).
Cincinnati allowed 482 yards of offense to Chicago, the highest total allowed by the Bengals this season. Michael Johnson had a pair of sacks for the Bengals.
Linebacker Carl Lawson has 7.5 sacks, and defensive tackle Geno Atkins has7.0 sacks. Eight different Bengals have one interception.
The Bengals rank 13th in the league in points allowed per game (20.8) and are 19th in yards allowed per game (345.5).
Special Teams: Vikings kicker Kai Forbath made three of his four field goal tries against Carolina and hit both extra points. He is 27 of 32 on field goals this season.
Punter Ryan Quigley averaged 43.7 yards on three punts and had one of them downed at the 2-yard line.
Cincinnati kicker Randy Bullock made his lone extra point try Sunday and did not attempt a field goal. He is 13 of 15 on field goals this season.
Bengals punter Kevin Huber averages 47.7 yards per punt.
Through the Years: Vikings vs. Bengals
Look back at photos over the course of time featuring games between the Vikings and the Bengals.
2017 - U.S. Bank Stadium
The Vikings are 6-6 all-time against Cincinnati, a series that includes no playoff meetings.
The teams have nearly alternated wins and losses for the entire series, which dates back to 1973.
This will be the first meeting between the teams since Mike Zimmer became the Vikings head coach in 2014. Zimmer was the Bengals Defensive Coordinator from 2008-2013.
Last meeting: Bengals 42, Vikings 14, Dec. 22, 2013, in Cincinnati
With Zimmer leading a strong Bengals defense, the Vikings offense struggled against Cincinnati.
Minnesota gained just 209 yards of offense, had four turnovers and went 0-for-9 on third down as the Vikings fell to 4-10-1 on the season.
The Vikings tied the game at 7 early in the first quarter when Jarius Wright caught a 36-yard touchdown pass.
But it was all Cincinnati the rest of the way as the Bengals rattled off 35 straight points to take a commanding lead.
Cordarrelle Patterson had a rushing touchdown later in the game, and Griffen notched 1.5 sacks against the Bengals.
Dalton threw for four touchdowns, two to Green, and the Bengals had 426 yards of offense.
Zimmer was hired by the Vikings to be the head coach less than a month after this game.


Published in 2008, the 40 years: APIA and Australia's pipeline industry book documents the previous 40 years of the Australian pipeline industry.
Published in 2008, the 40 years: APIA and Australia's pipeline industry book documents the previous 40 years of the Australian pipeline industry. The book is an indispensable item for anybody involved in the Australian pipeline industry and for those interested in history of Australian industry.


Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, at a review meeting said that no rains were predicted for the next few days, and asked the officials to intensify the construction work to finish the project on time.
Vijayawada: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, on Monday asked officials to intensify the soil digging works to complete the construction of Polavaram Project on time.
The CM, at a review meeting on Polavaram Project said that as there was no rain predicted in the next few days, the works could be intensified.
The Transtroy and Triveni companies' representatives have explained the progress of the works.
At present, spillway works are taking place at 37,544 cubic meters per day, spillway channel works at 30,242 cubic meters per day and power house foundation works at 14,832 cubic meters per day, engineers explained.
75 Volvo trucks, 25 Ashok Leyland trucks and seven high-end excavators were arranged additionally this week, they added.
Naidu asked the engineers to complete at least 43,444 cubic meter of spillway works, 13,03,320 cubic meters of spillway channel and 1,84,000 cubic meters of power house works in the month of November.


text:
package org.atmosphere.samples.chat;

import org.atmosphere.container.Jetty9AsyncSupportWithWebSocket;
import org.atmosphere.cpr.ApplicationConfig;
import org.atmosphere.cpr.AtmosphereServlet;
import org.eclipse.jetty.server.Connector;
import org.eclipse.jetty.server.ForwardedRequestCustomizer;
import org.eclipse.jetty.server.Handler;
import org.eclipse.jetty.server.HttpConfiguration;
import org.eclipse.jetty.server.HttpConnectionFactory;
import org.eclipse.jetty.server.Server;
import org.eclipse.jetty.server.ServerConnector;
import org.eclipse.jetty.server.handler.HandlerList;
import org.eclipse.jetty.server.handler.ResourceHandler;
import org.eclipse.jetty.servlet.ServletContextHandler;
import org.eclipse.jetty.servlet.ServletHolder;
import org.slf4j.Logger;
import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;

import java.io.File;

public class Main {
    private static final Logger log = LoggerFactory.getLogger(Main.class);

    public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
        Main main = new Main();
        main.run();
    }

    private void run() throws Exception {
        Server server = new Server();

        HttpConfiguration http_config = new HttpConfiguration();
        http_config.addCustomizer(new ForwardedRequestCustomizer());

        ServerConnector http = new ServerConnector(server, new HttpConnectionFactory(http_config));
        http.setPort(8080);
        http.setIdleTimeout(30000);

        server.setConnectors(new Connector[]{http});

        ResourceHandler resource_handler = new ResourceHandler();
        resource_handler.setDirectoriesListed(true);
        resource_handler.setWelcomeFiles(new String[]{ "index.html" });

        resource_handler.setResourceBase(new File("./samples/embedded-jetty-websocket-chat/src/main/webapp").getAbsolutePath());

        ServletHolder atmosphereServletHolder = new ServletHolder(AtmosphereServlet.class);

        atmosphereServletHolder.setInitParameter(ApplicationConfig.ANNOTATION_PACKAGE, "org.atmosphere.samples.chat");
        atmosphereServletHolder.setInitParameter(ApplicationConfig.WEBSOCKET_CONTENT_TYPE, "application/json");
        atmosphereServletHolder.setInitParameter(ApplicationConfig.PROPERTY_COMET_SUPPORT, Jetty9AsyncSupportWithWebSocket.class.getName());

        atmosphereServletHolder.setAsyncSupported(true);

        ServletContextHandler servletContextHandler = new ServletContextHandler(ServletContextHandler.SESSIONS);
        servletContextHandler.addServlet(atmosphereServletHolder, "/chat/*");

        HandlerList handlers = new HandlerList();
        handlers.setHandlers(new Handler[] { resource_handler, servletContextHandler });

        server.setHandler(handlers);
        server.setStopAtShutdown(true);
        server.start();
        server.join();
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
The Western Rail Plan is a metropolitan rail infrastructure project being planned in Melbourne, Australia. The project was initially announced during the 2018 Victorian State Election by the State Government. It includes the electrification of two currently existing regional lines to Melton and Wyndham Vale, as well as Fast Rail to Geelong, and other network capacity upgrades.
The project will allow for much higher capacity on the Western Corridor. The electrification to Melton is part of Stage 3 of the PTV Network Development Plan. $100 million is being invested in detailed planning and design work, to deliver the full separation of regional and metro services on the Geelong and Ballarat lines.  Staging of the works part of the plan are being done alongside the business case for the Melbourne Airport Rail Link.

History
The Western Rail Plan was originally announced by the Andrews Labor government just over a month before the 2018 Victorian state election, as a part of many rail projects announced through that campaign. However, one aspect of the plan, High Speed Rail to Geelong, was proposed by the Victorian Liberals on 3 October 2018, around two weeks before the Andrews Government announced the Western Rail Plan.

Plans for electrification were originally put forward by [[Public Transport Victoria] in the 2012 Network Development Plan, which suggested that the line should be electrified to Melton within the next 15 years. Wyndham Vale electrification was at Stage 4, which meant the project would take place within 20 years, but it was eventually added into stage 3 in the revised plan.

There was a joint push for electrification conducted by councils along the Serviceton railway line to Melton in May 2018, around six months before the 2018 Victorian state election. This push involved 6 local councils along the Serviceton line, being Brimbank, Melton, Moorabool, Ballarat, Ararat and Pyrenees. They called for electrification, 12 peak hour (electric) trains from Melton and services every 20 minutes off peak by 2026, and for 10 car trains and trains every 10 minutes at all non peak times by 2030. A publication by the City of Brimbank warned that if these measures were not put in place, there would be chronic overcrowding.

Planning for electrification to Melton and Wyndham Vale started in mid-2021 and will be completed by mid-2023.

Project Description

Melton Electrification
Part of the line between Melton and Deer Park was duplicated, as part of the Regional Rail Revival Project, which provisioned for future services and electrification. Electrification of the Ballarat rail line to Melton would potentially triple its carrying capacity, and will allow up to 1500 people to travel on a single train. The Melton line will also be quadruplicated as part of the electrification in order to separate regional and metropolitan services. Two level crossings located in Deer Park will be removed to allow for a higher frequency for trains to run on the line. There are plans for a proposed train station at Mt.Atkinson, as well as a train station servicing the Paynes Road Precinct.

Wyndham Vale Electrification
The line to Wyndham Vale connecting to Geelong was originally built as part of the Regional Rail Link Project, with the two new stations Wyndham Vale and Tarneit opening on 21 June 2015. Since the opening of these two stations there has been patronage growth of 131%.  There are provisions for several proposed stations at Truganina, Sayers Road, Davis Road and Black Forest Road. Like the Melton electrification, there will be quadruplication of the line, in order to separate regional and metropolitan services. A link between Wyndham Vale and Werribee is also being considered as part of the project, with the potential for that link to become part of the Suburban Rail Loop.

Geelong Fast Rail
The proposal for high-speed rail to Geelong came not too soon after the completion of the Regional Rail Link Project, in which the line to Geelong via Wyndham Vale and Tarneit was originally created. Early investigations as a part of the project will focus on more frequent and more reliable regional services, dedicated rolling stock capable of speeds around , more than anything currently operating in Victoria, and a new transport superhub at Sunshine to facilitate better integration of rail services. The high speed rail would enable a 32 minute journey between Geelong and Melbourne. Daniel Bowen, spokesman for the Public Transport Users Association, said the high-speed train project would boost regional development, and relieve overcrowding and delays on citybound trains from the west. The Andrews state government gave $50 million to develop the business case. The federal government has also promised to provide $2 billion, provided the Andrews government matched that investment.

In November 2020, the state government agreed to match the funding and both governments announced the stage 1 of the Geelong Fast Rail. The works will include:
 track upgrades between Werribee and Laverton, including a new dedicated express track for Geelong services
 upgrades to bridges over main roads
 station upgrades at Werribee and Laverton
 running Geelong services on the Werribee corridor is expected to free up room for more trains on the Sunshine corridor

Construction of the first stage Geelong Fast Rail is expected to begin in 2023. It is planned and will be constructed in conjunction with the Geelong Line upgrade as part of Regional Rail Revival program.

Analysis and Criticism
The primary aim of the project is to deal with the significant demand on the growing western corridor, which for the last decade has been growing exponentially, particularly upon completion of the Regional Rail Link, which provided a route into the City for growing outer Western suburbs such as Tarneit and Wyndham Vale, having previously had little to no public transport options at all. It aims to solve this issue by electrifying the lines to Melton and Wyndham Vale in order to take pressure off crowded regional trains, as well as high speed rail to Geelong in order to cut down travel times between the growing Geelong and the CBD. The project has been welcomed by local councils along the lines affected by this project, as well as major transport thinktanks such as the Rail Futures Institute  and the PTUA. However, the project has been criticised for its slowness, with some saying the projected 2032 completion date was too long. There has also been worries displayed by Geelong and Wyndham councils that they will be underserved if the new suburban services have to share tracks with trains as part of the Melbourne Airport rail link. Some are also concerned that the growing community of Bacchus Marsh will not be served by the electrification. Rail Futures Institute president John Hearsch said electrification beyond Melton would be necessary to meet the growing populations of Ballarat and Bacchus Marsh.

See also
Melbourne Airport Rail Link - Being done alongside Western Rail Plan
Council makes request for second Tarneit Railway Station

References

External links
Western Rail Plan

Proposed railway lines in Australia
Railway lines in Melbourne

Public transport in Melbourne


text:
Plaque: Mozart - WC2
Erection date: 23/9/2011
In a building on this site W. A. Mozart and his family lodged with barber John Couzin, April - August 1764, the first London address on their Grand Tour of Europe.
Cecil Court Traders' Association
Unveiled by Simon Callow, who was the first actor to play the part of Mozart in the Peter Shaffer play 'Amadeus', at the National Theatre in 1979.
Site: Mozart - WC2 (1 memorial)
WC2, Cecil Court, 9, Mark Sullivan Antiques
Brought to our attention by Discovering London who are often one step ahead of us. This was Mozart's first London address and possibly where he composed his first symphony. Check out the first floor window. Eight-year old Mozart was touring Europe and stayed here for the four months that he performed in London. Tickets for his performances were sold from this shop. Well, not this actual shop since the whole Court was redeveloped in 1894. More information about the Court and Mozart's stay at History of Cecil Court.
Mozart - WC2
John Couzin
Barber in Cecil Court in 1764.
Composer. Born as Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart at 9 Get...
Group, Commerce, Community / Clubs
Actor, director, writer. Born Streatham.
Sidney Godley - Loughton
Pte Sidney Godley, 1889 - 1957, awarded the first V. C. of the great war 23 A...
St Peters Church - Arandora Star
This carved memorial shows 3 drowning men reaching up to the cross from the w...
Joseph Priestley - E5
The house was demolished in 1880 and we have failed to find a picture of it. ...
Bow Street was formed about 1637. It has been the residence of many notable m...
Marylebone Cricket Club This plaque was unveiled by Colin Cowdrey, President,...


Balsamic-Glazed Stuffed Mushrooms | Two Guys In a Cucina!
So our summer efforts were quite dismal but we ended with a pretty big bbq bash and served these stuffed mushrooms as appetizers. They didn't last very long, definitely a hit in our books!
1/4 cup plain dry bread crumbs, toasted.
Bake 15 minutes or until mushrooms are golden and heated through.
We were quite liberal with our balsamic vinegar and pepper flakes…but we like-a-da spice!
We got some medium/large sized mushrooms and carved out the stems. Set aside.
Place the mushroom caps stem side down and brush with olive oil. Season if desired. Put it in the oven (picture's self-explanatory).
Once mushrooms are golden brown, remove from oven and drain baking dish of liquids.
Place mushroom caps stem side up onto drained baking dish. Set aside until needed.
Add the parsley & thyme and season with salt and pepper.
Sprinkle on Parmesan! Place bake in oven for 15 minutes or until mushrooms are golden and heated.
And voilà! Balsamic-Glazed Mushroom Caps with a Kick!


text:
Hats off for Heros
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Jasper, Jay 1932-2019
Jul 13, 2019 Updated 5 hrs ago
MOUND CITY, Mo. - Jay Jasper, 87, passed away July 10, 2019, at a Maryville nursing home.
He was born in Barnard, Missouri, on April 15, 1932, to Lloyd C. and Clarelena (Carson) Jasper, and graduated from Maitland, Missouri High School.
On May 16, 1953, he married Shirley Ann Rockhold in Norborne, Missouri. Jay then served in the U.S. Army for two years, from 1953 to 1955.
Jay worked for 30 years for the Michigan/Wisconsin Pipeline. He also farmed.
He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Shirley; his brother, Bobby Dean Jasper, cousin Kay's son, Layne Vest.
Jay is survived by: his cousin, Kay Gilland and her husband Fred, of Mound City; and nieces and nephews.
Jay was a member of the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Mound City.
Services: 2 p.m. Monday, July 15, 2019, Holy Trinity Church, Mound City.
The family will greet friends beginning at 1 p.m.
Interment: 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, at Lutheran North Cemetery, Norborne, Missouri.
Memorials may be directed to the Trinity Lutheran Church building fund.
Online condolences may be left at www.chamberlainfuneral.com As published in the St. Joseph News-Press.
Long history of river management affects flooding
LeBlond, Jungbluth claim Class 2 golf titles
Western's Ong set to begin run at NCAA Championships
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Late Notices, July 18, 2019
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Dive right into the artwork on display at loop Gallery because it has a powerful message that the public needs to soak up!
Combining artistic practices with social activism, the artworks gain cultural significance and meaning to become more than aesthetic objects, but additionally objects of protest and awareness. The exhibition, while beautiful in nature, is equally a call to action for audiences to help support initiatives that protect local watersheds. The presenting partner, The Wellington Water Watchers is a not-for-profit organization that is committed to such causes and their promotional materials, as well as petition sheets, are prominently displayed in the centre of the gallery. The co-curators of the exhibition are: Idle No More co-founder Crystal Sinclair and Rochelle Rubinstein, who is an artist and environmental activist.
The exhibition is broken down into two distinct collections within the gallery space. The first is works by the Beehive Design Collective and the second is a collection of mixed media banners.
The works by the Beehive Design Collective stand out for their large-scale, incredibly dense and well-executed monochromatic graphic style. These work require extensive study, making them an extreme rich resource for teaching aids and to demonstrate visual allegories of complex histories.
First, the series "Mesoamérica Resiste" is comprised of two pieces that expand to fill the entire wall when entering the space. The work uses representational imagery, as well as symbolism and pop iconography to map out and retell the many stories and struggles of colonial and contemporary Mesoamerica. Designed as a circular map, the four corners outside the circle each contain a prominent entity, such as the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, which played a crucial role in the colonization and industrialization of the lands. The aggressive industrial and capitalism machines, in their many forms, are dominate figures throughout the print. The Kool-Aid man becomes a signifier for the exploitation of the Sugar Trade, while depictions of anthropomorphized insects engaging in various acts, represent the civilians and original inhabitants, and are show to constantly face opposition from unnatural techno-militant entities.
The other, separate print in the show by the Beehive Design Collective is titled "The True Cost of Coal." The work is another allegorical, historic account of the dramas that plague the Appalachians specifically, but have a direct effect on all of North America and beyond. The work is broken into vertical quadrants that begin with depictions of Ancestral life, followed by Industrialization, the central section is dedicated to the current events of mountaintop removal and climate change, then a portion depicts resistance to these atrocities and last is a hopeful future where regeneration has occurred. These series of panels are essential to a visual trick hidden within the work. If you were to follow the instructions from the Beehive Design Collective, you can actually fold the print to create a secondary image of a fully intact mountaintop, much like the visual trick popularized by the back covers of Mad Magazine publications.
The series of mixed media banners were created by a series of artists, including: Crystal Sinclair, Tannis Nielson, Claudia Wong, Sally Pang, Erika James, Carol Cheong, Paul Morin, Sarit Cantor, and more.
The collection shares the aesthetics of protest signage and quite cleverly exploits the materiality of the iconic blue, water-resistant tarps to create visual poetry or play-on-words for "Water Resistance".
Each banner has its own individual style and approach. Some of the works rely on words to explicitly or poetically express their meaning, while others use visual language to demonstrate the pollution of the body, the destruction of the land or the loss of control over our natural resources like water. Exploration of different materials produced stunning results and pulls audiences in to further explore surfaces, while still unpacking the larger call to action for environmental and social activism.
Overall, the show is a wonderful learning opportunity for anyone interested in the praxis between the visual arts and environmental activism! Each body of work was riddled with advanced artistic techniques, further advanced by strong conceptual frameworks and lastly, placed within a contemporary and relevant context of ethical partnerships providing audiences with real and impactful steps towards making a difference right next to the artworks in the gallery, just in time for Canada's National Water Week from March 20th to 27th and World Water Day on March 22nd, 2018.
*Exhibition information: March 3 – 25, 2018, loop Gallery, 1273 Dundas Street West, Toronto. Gallery hours: Wed – Thurs, 12 – 5 pm, Fri – Sat, 12 – 6 pm, Sun, 1 – 4 pm.


text:
I Am A River
by Foo Fighters
Album: Sonic Highways (2014)
The Foo Fighters recorded each track for Sonic Highways in a different US city. This over-seven-minute rock ballad was recorded at The Magic Shop in New York City. Bassist Nate Mendel told NME: "Dave (Grohl) took a creative leap on this one and decided to incorporate into his lyrics things that actually happened in the cities, and conversations he had with the various musicians. So 'I Am A River' was inspired by the fact that under one of the studios we found there was an actual physical river."
More songs from Foo Fighters
More songs with bodies of water in the title
Lyrics to I Am A River
Foo Fighters Artistfacts
Steve Morse of Deep PurpleSongwriter Interviews
Deep Purple's guitarist since 1994, Steve talks about writing songs with the band and how he puts his own spin on "Smoke On The Water."
Jack Tempchin - "Peaceful Easy Feeling"They're Playing My Song
When a waitress wouldn't take him home, Jack wrote what would become one of the Eagles most enduring hits.
They Might Be GiantsSongwriter Interviews
Who writes a song about a name they found in a phone book? That's just one of the everyday things these guys find to sing about. Anything in their field of vision or general scope of knowledge is fair game. If you cross paths with them, so are you.
When Rock Belonged To MichelobSong Writing
Michelob commercials generated hits for Eric Clapton, Genesis and Steve Winwood in the '80s, even as some of these rockers were fighting alcoholism.
Richie McDonald of LonestarSongwriter Interviews
Richie talks about the impact of "Amazed," and how his 4-year-old son inspired another Lonestar hit.
Jesus Christ Superstar: Ted Neeley Tells the Inside StorySong Writing
The in-depth discussion about the making of Jesus Christ Superstar with Ted Neeley, who played Jesus in the 1973 film.


Robbery is one of the crimes against which stringent actions are taken. In the Commonwealth of Virginia, crimes in which others' properties are not safe or could be encroached have adverse effects on the offender. A conviction of robbery marks the offender's name on record perpetually. No person is desirous of getting his property stolen and being a victim of any crime. That is why the offender of robbery is considered a black sheep of the society. Fairfax Virginia robbery laws are strictly followed by all, and everyone wants to refrain from committing crimes.
According to the Virginia Code 18.2-58, a person who is charged with robbery is punished with five years of imprisonment along with a $2,500 fine. It means that the crime of robbery is a serious felony and not a minor misdemeanor, which negatively affects person's life. There is a possibility of an increase in jail term by considering the intensity of the crime. The investigating authorities in the state are aggressive in taking up such cases and ensuring a serious conviction for an offender. In this way, people remain wary of Fairfax Virginia robbery laws and are conscious of their properties. The Crime of robbery becomes a serious scenario when there is a dearth of any weapon from a criminal's side, and the victim may fall a prey to death. In this situation, the convicted person faces lifetime imprisonment.
A conviction for violating Fairfax Virginia robbery laws can make you lose some of the civil rights, i.e., right to vote, right to acquire a license, right to travel outside of your home, etc. The court considers that at the time of the robbery, a person is committing two crimes simultaneously. The crime is regarded as both an assault as well as larceny. In this way, there is a marginal chance for an offender to get the charges dismissed or fight against the prosecution on his own will. In this situation, it is sensible to seek support of a good and an honest lawyer. The lawyer is the only one who better understands Fairfax Virginia robbery laws and guides his client in their cases.
If you have committed a crime of robbery for the first time and are contending with serious charges, you need to consult any dedicated robbery lawyer in the state. The lawyer firstly examines your case that either your case is relevant to his legal expertise or not. Afterwards, he advises you to prepare witness and collect evidence for which he remains hand in hand with you. After thoroughly understanding the case, he cautions you of few court procedures. The lawyer is also adept at reducing the numbers of years of imprisonment for serious offenders. He is also aware of the fact that the court regards Fairfax Virginia robbery laws very sincerely and order harsh convictions against it. During court trials hearings, he respects your dignity and does not let you face public imprecation. Discussing your case with a lawyer will help you learn state robbery laws, and as a result, your social and professional life will be sustained.


Monday evenings in the summer are spent at the ball diamond – and these Monday nights are for the ladies. That's right – ladies beer ball league invades town – and it is on this day of the week where you get to witness The Misfits, Dream Team, Lady Lightning, but most importantly The Knockouts play some stellar slow-pitch (We also have two teams from neighbouring towns – but we just call them the town names – sorry Deloraine and Killarney).
I've been playing for a few years now (5 I think) and I must say that it is definitely a highlight of my week! We might not be the best team out there – but we have a ton of fun and laugh a lot! We are quite the eclectic group – we come from all walks of life and a myriad of professions (just to highlight – we have a lawyer on our team FYI, a hair stylist, and a couple of teachers just to name a few). I believe we have the largest age range – from young-ish to "old" (but let's be honest age is just a number – and our hair stylist makes sure we don't look too old) We have those who show up in full gear and cleats and those who still kick at the ball (we're converting a soccer player), or jump out of the way of the ball (#notnamingnames #youknowwhoyouare 😂), some have played competitively in their glory days and some are learning and playing the game for the first time ever!
We have our fair share of pirouettes, pretzels, and nose dives BUT we do have one player (yes just one) who will voluntarily slide into bases! The rest of us fall and trip over the base and call it a slide. We groan and complain that we are all getting old and chances are we have all pulled at least one (if not multiple) muscles throughout the season – and if you are lucky enough to make it through the season without injury – you will (I promise) be injured in some capacity during The Tournament.
There WAS a triple play in the tournament! I believe it was.. the stylist!!!


text:
Фрагмент молекулы () — термин, используемый в органической химии, для обозначения группы связанных атомов, встречающихся в нескольких молекулах и потому получивших собственное наименование.

Как правило, этот термин применяется для описания больших частей органических молекул, и он не должен использоваться для описания/наименования функциональных групп атомов, которые химически активны и реагируют сходным образом в разных молекулах. Иногда фрагмент молекулы может состоять из еще меньших фрагментов и функциональных групп.

Фрагмент молекулы, который служит ответвлением от основной цепи углеводорода, называется заместитель или боковой цепью; как правило, они могут быть удалены из молекулы или заменены другими заместителями.

Активный фрагмент молекулы
В фармакологии активный фрагмент является частью молекулы или ионом, который отвечает за физиологическое или фармакологическое действие лекарственного вещества. Неактивные части лекарственного вещества могут включать спиртовую или кислотную часть сложного эфира, катион или анион соли, или части нековалентных соединений (таких как комплексные соединения, хелаты или клатраты). Индивидуальная молекула сама по себе может быть неактивным пролекарством и только после того, как активный фрагмент отделяется от неактивной части, он становится способен оказывать фармакологическое воздействие.

Примечания

Органическая химия


St Georges inflicted a whitewash on Tanworth In Arden in Gameweek 13 of the Summit Garage Staffordshire Premier Bowls League to ease their relegation worries and send Tanworth bottom. Captain Pete Grimston commented on a "great home win after a disappointing last home game I asked the team to respond and they did, it's hard in this league to have all winners. Colin Beaman was awesome in the corners (to be joint best winner 8 and MVP) but we know it's gonna be hard at there place but it's all to play for." Dave King also won 8, with the visitors MVP going to Martyn Higgins 16. Moor Lane are 2nd bottom after getting just 2 at West Brom FSC who recovered from their home defeat last game. Adam Patrick was their best winner and MVP 10, while for the home side it was Chris Watts 21-5 win that sealed both awards. The Greville are still top after getting 3 winners at M&B Cheslyn Hay. Ash Bracken was best winner 13 while Carl Fielding got MVP for his 20 win. The home side are now 5 points clear of second bottom, with Steve Davis best winner and MVP 9. King George V are also out of the relegation zone for the first time in a long while after beating Willenhall Nordley 8-2. Mike Pritchard was best winner and MVP for his 8 win, with Dave Semper 15 and Paul Evans 17 the winners for Nordley, the latter getting MVP. The George are still in 2nd place after getting 3 at Dudley Dell, Phil Clinton their best winner and MVP 11, and Simon Homer likewise for the home side after winning 6.
The Greville are now 3 ahead of the George, who are another 4 ahead of Willenhall Nordley. Tanworth In Arden are three behind Moor Lane, who are another three behind King George V. Elliot McGuinness is now 2 clear at the top of the League Averages, after winning 12 out of 12 games.
There were two more away wins in Gameweek 13 as Moseley CC shocked the leaders Royal Oak and Great Barr won away again. Moseley CC won 9-3 at Royal Oak to draw level on them, a remarkable result given how good the Royal Oak have been good at home. Captain Nick Peters said "the first 2 cards off were Ronnie Regan & myself both losing to 7 & 11 respectively. Immediately we were on the back foot and had to really get behind our boys and fight for every shot if we were to get anything from the game. We managed to pick up the next 2 wins but we're obviously down on aggregate. We had a massive 15 minutes where at one point we're up in all of the last 4 games. Bill Kinchin came off with a win to 14 at the same time Scott Saunders was having a cracking match with Dane Hopwood just ducking out to 20. With Grant Soller playing out of his skin and went on an amazing run all of a sudden we had a real chance of winning the match. With Grant (game no. 7) winning well meant (12 to be best winner and win MVP) we were only 1 shot down with Gav Dunkley last on the green. With everyone shouting every bowl Gav 17-16 down managed to reel of 3 ends on the bounce to secure our 3 shot victory. As captain I'm really proud of how the boys got behind each other especially after the bad start we had. Just need to ensure we put another winning performance in on the return fixture on Monday at home." Home captain Mark Rose was best winner and MVP 7, but couldn't prevent them from a shock home loss. Great Barr won another away game, this time 7-5 at Penn, to move top of the league. Skipper Bob Jones said the "3 winners were well supported by the rest of the team with no bad cards. An excellent win by Richard parkes (to be best winner and MVP 4), which was a bit of a surprise but a very welcome win. The team have a good attitude and are playing very well at the moment." Scott Harries was best winner for the home side 12, with Rob Fuller marking his home debut with a MVP after winning 19.
Three Magpies are just behind the top three after beating Castlefields 6-4, who will be happy with their points haul in trying to beat the drop. Michael Lynch was best winner 9 for the home side to help win the aggregate by just 4, with Steve Sterland MVP for winning 16. For the visitors it was Steve Freer who was best winner 12 and Adrian Rowe MVP for winning 20. The result keeps the Field ahead of Chadsmoor as they beat Ward End Cons 7-3. Dave Rhodes was best winner 13 with captain Kevin Keary winning 14 for MVP. Opposition captain Marc Franks was also MVP for winning 20, but Mel Jordan was best winner 14. Baddesley fell further away from safety with just one winner at Windmill, and having to give a game away in the process. Tyler Dewis was their only winner 14 to win MVP, while Dave Chester was best winner for the home side 5 with Derek Storer MVP for winning 17, a result that keeps Windmill in the mix.
Great Barr are now ahead of Royal Oak and Moseley CC by two points, with Royal Oak having a game in hand. Baddesley are three behind Chadsmoor, and another three behind Castlefields, but Chadsmoor have a game in hand. Scott Follis is level with Glyn Storer at the top of the League Averages.
Woodfield have drawn level with Stretton Anglesey at the top of the table in Gameweek 13. They whitewashed Broomfield, winning by over 100 chalks too. Martin Orme was best winner 2, while Lyndon Hazlehurst was MVP 9, with Darren Griffiths MVP for getting 16. Stretton though will be happy with their 4 winners at Langley, John Dewey their best winner and MVP 11. Cameron Gurdas was best winner 7 for the home side, but Mark Nemedi was MVP 9. Wrockwardine Wood and Netherseal are both 24 points off Woodfield, with hopes of catching them now slim. Wrockwardine got 3 at Sutton Park, Martin Williams best winner 12 and Louise Cotton MVP 16. David Sadler was best for Sutton Park 3, but Rick Green was MVP for winning 16. Netherseal beat Baldwin 7-3 as David Garner was best winner 9 and Andrew Fearn MVP for winning 20. Baldwin will be happy with their 3 winners on there, Paul Baller being MVP and best winner 12. Short Heath Libs though produced the best result of the week as they won 10-2 on Willenhall Nordley. Captain Tony Rhodes said it was a "tremendous result for us being local rivals. Again the game was played in a good atmosphere and sporting." They had three single figure winners in Craig Barker 4, Gary Bateman 8 and Andy Fellows 9, with Gary getting the MVP. Richard Bate was best winner and MVP for the home side 16.
Stretton Anglesey and Woodfield are level at the top of the table, and 24 ahead of Netherseal and Wrockwardine Wood. Craig Barker leads John Dewey, Chris Marshman and Nick Newey at the top of the League Averages on aggregate.
Previous Lamby reaches Quarter Finals!


The current AMD/XEM exchange rate is 0.032. (Last updated on April 20, 2019 16:00:02 UTC).
It means you will get XEM 0.0323 for 1 AMD or AMD 30.9194 for 1 XEM.
XEM exchange rate was last updated on April 20, 2019 15:08:02 UTC.


text:
Leopold of Saxe-Coburg was invited to be the first king of what country in 1831 after it gained independence from Dutch?
ALuxembourg
BBelgium
CPortugal
DPoland
Select from the options above.
Correct Option: 2
posted Jul 18, 2018 by Aarati Mahajan
Which country gained independence from France in 1953 and became an independent constitutional monarchy.................
Which country gained independence from France in 1953 and became an independent constitutional monarchy under King Norodom Sihanouk?
Which country, which is surrounded by South Africa, gained its independence from Britain in 1966?
On 20 May 2002, which country gained independence from Indonesia?
On 25 June 1991, Slovenia and Croatia became the first republics to declare independence from which country?
Which country declared independence from Pakistan in 1971?


Just as Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, predicted last year, cryptocurrency markets are in a precipitous slide as investors scurry to salvage whatever they can from the ongoing digital coin train wreck.
Prices for coins like Bitcoin and Ethereum have plummeted from their all-time highs late last year, and many amateurs are scratching their heads trying to figure out what went wrong.
Like many, Roberts saw the numbers rising dramatically towards the end of 2017 and decided that he'd better join in the party, or else get left behind. He invested $23,000 in a couple of digital tokens, only to see the overall portfolio value drop to about $4,000 since.
That's because most of the leading cryptos have lost the majority of the gains they saw last winter. The overall value of the crypto markets, in fact, has plummeted by an astounding $600 billion since that time, losing about 75 percent of their collective peak values in the process.
While it's a fact that virtual "money" has seen plenty of ups and downs, followed by more ups, this latest downturn could be different. So many amateur investors got involved, and then got burned, that many of them will likely stay away for a very long time – leaving crypto values in the dirt.
This isn't to say that at least some cryptos won't bounce back in time. But the fact remains that many of them won't, and it's important to carefully study where the market is headed before pouring any more cash into the crypto abyss.
Mike Adams has been "bearish" on cryptos for a while, warning that they're backed by nothing and hold no inherent value – making them exceptionally volatile and ripe for total collapse.
Back in December, Adams warned that the dramatic value increases of Bitcoin in particular closely resembled "tulip bulb mania," referring to the once speculative investment craze in Holland involving actual live tulips.
"Bitcoin, once started as a really cool innovation for decentralized currency, has now become a purely speculative mania market rooted in 'tulip bulb' delusion," he added, as he warned people to avoid the siren's song of the "get rich quick" fervor that was really taking off at the time.
You can also keep up with latest Bitcoin news by visiting BitRaped.com.


text:
New Ford Ranger chassis cab revealed
Date: Monday, November 23, 2020 | Author: Sean Keywood
Ford has announced a new chassis cab version of its Ranger pick-up.
It comes with a single-cab bodystyle, and in the entry-level XL trim.
The model can provide a base for conversions of up to 3,270kg grow vehicle weight, with a maximum conversion length behind the cab of 2,518mm.
It features a wading depth of up to 800mm, and 237mm of ground clearance before conversion.
Ford says it has worked closely with its QVM converter network to optimise the Ranger chassis cab for a wide range of conversions, including box bodies, tippers and cherry pickers.
A number of upgrades will also be available from Ford's Special Vehicle Options range, including a trailer tow electrical connector, high-performance batteries, and an interface to link conversions and vehicle signals.
Power comes from a 2.0-litre, 170hp diesel engine, paired to a six-speed manual gearbox.
Selectable four-wheel drive comes as standard.
Orders for the Rangers chassis cab will open in January 2021. Prices are yet to be announced.