All stakeholders involved in the port of Antwerp signed a roadmap of structural measures to make container barge transport more efficient and further develop it. Concrete initiatives have been defined for this purpose and drawn up in an implementation plan.
With this agreement the parties have not only confirmed their previous commitments but have also worked out structural and above all feasible solutions to permit sustainable growth of container barge transport and of the port of Antwerp itself.
In the spring of 2017 the rapidly growing freight volumes and the ever larger sizes of seagoing ships calling at the port led to peak load on the terminals, with longer waiting times for container barges as a result. Time to do something about it. With the support of the shipping terminals concerned, together with the barge operators, shipping companies, shippers, forwarders, NxtPort, CEPA, the Flemish Government, Flemish Waterways, Alfaport-Voka (Chamber of Commerce) and Antwerp Port Authority, a declaration of intent was signed on 6 July that year to promote container barge transport in the port. To get from this declaration of intent to a concrete plan of action supported by all the parties, workgroups devoted to particular subjects were started up in September. Altogether some 40 workshops were held.
declared Port Authority CEO Jacques Vandermeiren.
The agreements concentrate on three main areas: planning & collaboration, consolidation and digitisation.
The combination of all these measures should give new impetus to container barge transport in the port of Antwerp and permit the desired gains in efficiency for all partners in the chain.
The collaboration between the parties will be intensified by having a more structured, transparent planning process. This will permit greater reliability for barge handling.
Commitment by the terminals to provide minimum handling capacity for container barges. Stricter planning (i.e. scheduling) agreements throughout the chain, supported by BTS (Barge Traffic System).
Centralised barge scheduling. The three large terminals (PSA, MPET and DP World) are carrying out a large-scale trial to deal with barge scheduling on a port-wide basis, which will simplify and streamline the entire scheduling process for all parties. This new, unique initiative will first be tested in a pilot project (from September onwards), and if the results are positive it will be continued thereafter.
Collaboration between the barge operators to streamline their scheduling (from June onwards).
Consolidation of freight volumes will make it possible to have larger call sizes for the barges being handled on the shipping terminals. This is important in order to make the growth of the port more sustainable. Here too, there will be a trial period as of October. During this trial the minimum call size has been set at 30 containers per call. To help the barge industry make the transition to larger calls, the Flemish government and Antwerp Port Authority have introduced a temporary package of operational and financial subsidies which will gradually taper off.
Digitisation and centralisation of data will permit more proactive planning and follow-up. NxtPort is taking the initiative in this area and will develop and introduce various new digital applications. The focus here will be on sharing information sooner so that all parties can make gains in efficiency.
In addition to the above measures, various other peripheral factors for more efficient operation will be examined in the short and medium term. One example could be measures to deal with dock labour shortages. CEPA will make additional efforts to among other things reduce training times for dock workers. Another focus is to have dedicated barge capacity on the shipping terminals. Antwerp Gateway is to start a new construction project in the summer of 2018.
In the meantime all parties have committed themselves to make their own organisations / companies ready in good time to make the planned changes. This will require personnel training, upgrades to IT systems and extensive internal communication between the organisations / companies concerned.
Three regional info sessions will be organised in the near future to make stakeholders in the hinterland clearly aware of the measures and the coming changes.
The second Sustainability Award presented by the port of Antwerp has gone to the shipping group Compagnie Maritime Belge (CMB). With this award the three organisers – Antwerp Port Authority, the Scheldt Left Bank Corporation and Alfaport-Voka – seek to highlight sustainable initiatives by port users and to encourage sustainable enterprise by port companies. CMB has won the award with its "Hydroville" shuttle, the first passenger vessel to be powered by hydrogen.
During the 9th CEWEP-conference in Bilbao, ECLUSE won the very first 'Integration Award' for the way in which waste-to-energy is integrated in society and in the urban system. The prize was awarded by the 220 congress delegates from 27 countries. ECLUSE won by a large majority of the votes.


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Home On the New Silk Road On the "Middle Corridor," China Is Largely Absent
Jacob Mardell , October 15, 2019
© Jacob Mardell
Linking China and Europe via the Caspian Sea, the "Middle Corridor" is one of the BRI's six "official" corridor. But in the South Caucasus region, China is almost nowhere to be seen.
The Mercury II sank in 2002, leaving only eight survivors. So when I notice that I'm crossing the Caspian Sea on the Mercury I, I'm not exactly filled with confidence. The slot machine in the games room, which only takes Deutschmark, does nothing to alleviate my sense that this Soviet-era ferry has seen better days.
But the crossing is smooth. We leave the port of Baku in the early hours of Saturday morning, and after twenty two hours of glorious stars and mess-room meals with Ukrainian truck drivers, we arrive in Kazakhstan at the port of Kuryk.
This Caspian Sea crossing is an essential feature of the shortest route from China to the EU, otherwise known as the "Middle Corridor"—so called because it charts a middle passage between Russia in the North and Iran in the South. Some transport initiatives are more concrete than others. The EU's trans-European transport network (TEN-T) program, for example, describes a specific list of studies and works funded by the EU. Like China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the Middle Corridor tends more toward the conceptual end of the spectrum. Although China's BRI is far more complex, both the BRI and the Middle Corridor operate like slogans and are leveraged by various actors to tap into the zeitgeist of resurgent East-West overland connectivity.
Noticeable for Its Absence
The Middle Corridor is sometimes described as being a Chinese initiative, but Beijing's role in recent Trans-Caspian and Caucasian infrastructure has been minimal. While "China-Central Asia-West Asia Corridor" is one of six official corridors of the BRI, its remit is vague, and it encompasses Iran rather than the Southern Caucasus. China is a party to the trans-Caspian agreement signed in 2013 between Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Georgia, though despite frequent talk of synergy between "Turkey's Middle Corridor" and the BRI, cooperation is limited to the signing of MoUs.
The long-planned Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BKT) railway connection from Azerbaijan to Northeastern Turkey is the most important infrastructure project to have been completed along the Middle Corridor. It was inaugurated in October 2017 and, as I found out when I took a shiny new Stadler car heading West from Baku, the service recently opened to passenger traffic. The BKT is often associated with the BRI in official statements, but neither Chinese finance nor Chinese companies were involved. Beijing has also been largely absent from port developments around the Caspian Sea. The new ports of Baku and Kuryk are keen to stress their relevance to the New Silk Road, but China played no role in their development.
Georgia has good access to funds from international financial institutions (IFIs), and oil-rich Azerbaijan has enough money to pay for its own infrastructure—in fact, it also provided funds for the Georgian portion of the BTK. This self-sufficiency explains why Chinese funding might be absent from the Middle Corridor, but it doesn't fully account for the shallow depth of China's footprint. One plausible explanation is that Beijing isn't convinced the Middle Corridor is viable.
Five Borders, Two Seas
I talk to an expert at an IFI in Baku who dismisses the Middle Corridor as "cumbersome." As well as referring to the Caspian as a "lake with bad weather that they call a sea," he also says that a lack of infrastructure and multiple border crossings mean the Middle Corridor can't compete with the "main overland route through Russia." As the crow flies, it may be the shortest route between Europe and China, but the middle corridor involves crossing five borders and transiting one or two seas, depending on where the cargo's heading.
Multilateral institutions such as the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR) have been set up to coordinate trade, but linguistic, cultural, and legal differences make aligning customs procedures an uphill battle. As ever in the world of trade, "soft" institutional infrastructure is just as important as the "hard infrastructure" of railroads and port facilities. One Middle Corridor insider tells me he spends around 50 percent of his time waiting for signatures.
Thanks to the help of a good friend at the port, I arrive an hour before boarding, but most of the foreign travelers I meet at the Port of Baku have been camping there for at least a day. The boat leaves only when it's full, sometimes once or twice a week, sometimes less frequently. If there's bad weather at sea, as there often is, the boat goes nowhere. There is a lot of paperwork and hours of unexplained waiting involved in crossing the Caspian Sea. For Silk Road travelers with time on their hands, it's a fun, if bemusing experience, but it's not the easiest way to get from A to B.
Beijing's Diversification Game
In fairness, the port wasn't built to service European thrill-seekers. The new cargo terminal is much more modern and efficient, and the ferry terminal is also scheduled for expansion. Yet the multi-day Caspian crossing does illustrate the problems faced by goods heading to and from China through the Middle Corridor. The overwhelming majority of trade between the EU and China is by sea, and for the small percentage of goods suited to the more expensive, but slightly quicker land routes, the Northern Corridor remains an easier option.
The Middle Corridor's main appeal is that it bypasses Russia. Despite currently healthy Sino-Russian relations, Beijing likes to build redundancies into global trade networks. Diversification is the name of the game, and the Middle Corridor provides a good alternative route to Europe should problems arise along the Northern Corridor. While the route through Russia remains the cheaper option, the Middle Corridor is an insurance policy that's probably low on Beijing's list of priorities.
But the Middle Corridor isn't all about end-to-end trade between China and the EU. When I visit ports, I tend to search for containers adorned with Chinese characters, which always provide easy photo opportunities. But at the Port of Baku, the starring role is played by a long train of fertilizer from Turkmenistan. Via Poti port in Georgia, the fertilizer will end up on the fields of Scotland. Onboard Merkury I, I talk to a Turkish truck driver who is hauling a cargo of heavy textile machinery, destined not for China but Kazakhstan. Because of a persistent global obsession with the BRI, stories about East-West connectivity often choose China as their main protagonist, but there are other markets and producers out there.
The Race for the Best Logistics Hub
The countries sandwiched between the European and Chinese markets are also capable of laying out their own plans for development. The Middle Corridor is partly led by a strong sense of competition between participating states. Every official I meet in every country I visit between the EU and China touts their country's credentials as a regional logistics hub, and the race is on to establish the best facilities and the most preferential conditions for business.
As Eugene Seah, Chief Operating Officer at the Port of Baku reminds me: "We're not just talking about transit, we're talking about hubs—about building viable supply chains and being able to manufacture and export from Azerbaijan." Alongside a tidy, hi-tech port facility that was inaugurated in 2018, the Port of Baku is also developing a colossal Free Trade Zone (FTZ) that officials hope will attract businesses to base operations in Azerbaijan. Shah says he has seen "strong interest" from Chinese parties but suspects that Beijing is playing something of a waiting game.
In the meantime, the Middle Corridor remains a firmly regional initiative. It faces serious obstacles to becoming an alternative China-EU route, but Trans-Caspian traffic can still flow without support from Beijing. In other words: China is big, and the BRI is important, but there's a lot going on in the Southern Caucasus and Central Asia besides Beijing-sponsored initiatives.
Dispatch from Aktau, Kasachstan
Tags: Belt and Road Initiative, Middle Corridor, South Caucasus
No Earthquake in Poland, But Some Shifts
What China's "Chips Endeavor" Can Teach Europe
Jacob Mardell, January 6, 2020
Jacob Mardell, January 16, 2020
Jacob Mardell, May 16, 2019
From Brussels to Beijing and Back
The Eurasian supercontinent is being rebuilt, and Jacob Mardell is sharing his front row seat to that process with Berlin Policy Journal. His journey along the New Silk Road is an exercise in slow travel—roughly 60,000 kilometers from Brussels to Beijing and back again, by road, rail, and cargo ship. The purpose is to explore the physical infrastructure that makes up China's Belt and Road Initiative, arguably the most important story of the 21st century. By talking to those whose lives are affected by developments on the ground, his dispatches will contribute to a better understanding of how connectivity on our continent is evolving.
Jacob Mardell is following China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) across Europe and Asia. Traveling overland and returning via cargo ship, he will be exploring Chinese-built infrastructure projects and talking to those affected by developments on the ground. Mardell holds a Master's degree in Chinese Studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in London and spent a year studying Chinese at Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics in Hangzhou. He also works for the Mercator Institute for China Studies (MERICS) in Berlin, researching the Belt and Road as part of MERICS' BRI Tracker project.
New Silk Road Impressions

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The school is set in a rural location and they wanted the murals to reflect their schools environment – so the murals I designed included a woodland setting with a deer, badger, fox, rabbit, squirrel and owl.
The schools entrance / reception area looked quite different once I had finished painting my woodland murals. Foxes, badgers, flying owls and colourful decorative woodland scenes invited the children in, and made the very beginning and end of their school day much more warm and friendly.
Joanna has been exceptionally professional, calm and focused despite being in a busy school entrance. The finished mural is vibrant, painted to an exceptionally high standard and it has transformed the first impression of our school. I am very pleased we chose Joanna, the mural is excellent value for money and we would be more than happy to recommend Joanna to other schools.


The Audi Crosslane Coupe concept has been unveiled at the 2012 Paris motor show, hinting at the design language likely for future Q model SUVs.
An evolutionary development of Audi ultra – the German manufacturer's lightweight construction principle – sees the Audi Crosslane Coupe's frame combine aluminium, carbonfibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP) and glass fibre-reinforced polymer (GFRP) to achieve a weight of 1390kg, including the hybrid's 17.4 kWh lithium-ion battery.
The concept's plug-in hybrid powertrain combines a purpose-designed 95kW/200Nm 1.5-litre three-cylinder TFSI petrol engine and two electric motors to deliver 130kW of power while returning impressive efficiency figures of 1.1 liters per 100km and 26 grams per kilometre of CO2, as well as an EV-only range of about 86km.
Audi says the Crosslane Coupe will sprint from 0-100km/h in 8.6 seconds in hybrid mode and 9.8 seconds in pure electric mode with a top speed of 182km/h also possible.
Despite the Audi Crosslane's two-door 2+2 format it measures in at 4210mm long, 1880mm wide and 1510mm high – 175mm shorter, 49mm wider and 80mm lower than an Audi Q3.
Interior space is also a flexible with a removable CFRP roof that weighs less than 10kg and an adjustable boot that can be modified to swallow the car's own targa-style roof.
A single-frame grille, trapezoidal LED headlights, large air intakes and two narrow openings in the bonnet make up the front end ahead of coupe's low greenhouse that tapers into a flat C-pillar at the rear where the tail-lights, that echo the shapes of the front, are divided by the Audi badge on the boot lid. An aluminum diffuser sitting below the exhaust outlets completes the rear end.
The interior elements are again dominated by CFRP and aluminium, including the electrically adjustable front sport seats, providing a clean and futuristic ambience for passengers.
The Audi Crosslane Coupe also features advanced access to online services such as Twitter and Facebook under the brand's Audi connect technology and the completely new addition of 'Escape Manager' that allows passengers to review and comment on the routes they are travelling.


"All's fair in love and war". That's a sentiment you've likely heard recounted wearily or spitefully in movies, stories, plays, songs, or even in your own life.
Furthermore, the distance between love and war may not be far. Often, human communication lives precariously between love and war, which means the minefield of communication can be tricky to navigate.
So how do we navigate the minefield of communication?
To shed light on this question, I'll share a personal story and some wisdom from Scripture. Browsing Facebook during lunch, a friend from my undergraduate Alma mater, [Lucy], posted a quote written by one of her favorite authors.
A friend of hers named [Bob] began to question the quoted author's beliefs and salvation, as well the beliefs of the church Lucy attends. As the debate grew heated, Bob, Lucy, and another individual, [Mike], made quicker and bolder accusations on each other's character, beliefs, and salvation.
It sounds like their communication moved from love to war frighteningly quickly. Heartbroken by their struggle in communicating their perspectives, their debate also reminded me of some conversations I have experienced myself.
Now, Facebook debates in Facebook-land are not uncommon. But this particular Facebook debate struck me as the hotly debated topics were also discussed at a biblical counseling conference I recently attended.
Disheartened, and maybe slightly shocked and appalled, by the unloving and public process of the accusatory debate, I was moved to send an encouraging, private group message to Bob, Lucy, and Mike.
Ninety percent of my message attempted to encourage us to 1) remember that only God completely knows the hearts' of humans and 2) not to condemn one other in Christ. The other 10% included 1) the suggestion for us to convey concerns with our brothers and sisters in Christ in private first and 2) the confession of my limited human thoughts and ways in contrast with God's higher thoughts and ways.
It was truly meant to be genuine and encouraging. I was genuine in my love and concern, and I was excited to share freeing truths. I even included smiley-faces and lots of hopeful Scripture verses! How could it go wrong?
But, see, that's it. We are on earth. We still live in fallen world – we aren't in heaven yet (that's hard for me to remember sometimes). Therefore, communication will still have conflicts, even my best-intended communication.
As maybe expected, my message was not well-received or acknowledged. Bob and Mike did not respond directly to any parts of my message and they continued to debate between themselves. Lucy sent me a separate and angry response, assuming that I was trying to accuse her.
It was a painful mess. I felt even more heartbroken, ashamed, guilty, and hopeless. I could only imagine what they felt. My intentions were misunderstood, no one felt loved or encouraged, and I failed at navigating this minefield of communication war.
But thank God it didn't end there. God loves to redeem even broken and conflicted communication. Through prayer, reflection, and a loving, convicting conversation with my caring boyfriend, I learned some wisdom on communication conflict and navigation.
1. There still truly is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). Upon accepting Christ as our Savior, our identity is always in Him. You can rest in that. Conviction is where the Holy Spirit moves and changes us.
2. God alone completely knows every human heart. That includes my heart, even when I think I clearly know it and even when I think I'm expressing it humbly and well (Jeremiah 17:9-10, Proverbs 21:2, 1 Kings 8:39, Acts 15:8, Luke 16:15). Now that's humbling.
3. Communication between Christian disciples is certainly best carried out in person in groups of two first (Matthew 18:15-17). Everyone may do well to do this. The temptation to move into extreme love or war can often become greater in large groups.
4. It's often best to listen and ask questions first. Ask if the person would like your perspective, even when it's a public Facebook debate where it may seem so acceptable to join in conversations boldly. Always ask first. God often asked questions first in Scripture, so we may do well to do the same (Genesis 3:9, John 5:6).
5. Sometimes, even messages with the best possible intentions may still not be well received or misunderstood (or both!). But this occurrence does not mean we are to give up communication. Rather, it could be an excellent opportunity to learn how to communicate more wisely next time.
We are not to condemn ourselves when we "get off course" in navigating communication. We are loved, imperfect humans created by a perfect God, who invites us into perfection in Christ (Romans 8:1).
When we are navigating the minefield of communication, we may always remember there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. only God completely knows a humans' heart. No matter if we're in love, in war, or somewhere in between.
Bio: Jennifer Schindler has recently turned her passion for helping people towards pursuing a M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Moody Theological Seminary. She aspires to help young adults experience God's life-giving and life-changing design for their life and the world. Jennifer is particularly passionate about helping young women experience freedom from sexual abuse and sexual sin in Christ Jesus. She also loves playing piano, playing in nature, and playing with her ministry director's dog named Bella.


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Wolves vs Leicester City Predictions Betting Tips Odds H2H
Time: 04:00 GMT+8 on February 15, 2020
Venue: Molineux Stadium
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Leicester City Match Preview
Our free daily football match prediction takes into account in detail from recent shape to head to head information. We are also offering our most accurate free soccer tips for those who are looking with the best analysis and insights in terms of trusted online sports betting in Asia particularly in football betting tips and prediction. We will provide all the records that you needed in breaking down the entire most important statistics ahead of the match.
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Leicester City Head to Head
Wolverhampton Wanderers will welcome Leicester City at the Molineux Stadium for the English Premier League. Featuring this preview to kick off, we will begin on their most recent game. The Wolves engaged The Foxes in August for the Premier League battle and it resulted in a stalemate with the scoreline of 0 – 0. Throughout the last 10 years, these teams battled seven times. Wolverhampton prevailed victorious in three of them and the Foxes won on two games and the remaining 2 resulted in a draw. When these squads have met, there has been averaging 2.29 goals for every match. The Wolves score is averaging 1.14 while The Foxes score is also averaging 1.14. In terms of home and away performance, regardless of the team has been in the ground has won 42% of these matches while the visitors have won 28% of the time.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Insights and Performance Analysis
The Wolves has 34 points within the Premier League in which brings them in 8th rank. For this team there is a total of 57 games played within the last year and resulted in 25 wins, 19 draws and 13 losses. On this previous shape puts the Wolverhampton on a winning rate of 43%, draw rate of 33% and a loss rate of 22%. When they are at a home within this period they have a winning percentage of 48% on 13 wins coming from their last 26 home matches. while 37% and 10 of these games resulted in a draw, for the remaining 14% or 4 games resulted in a loss for their ground team. On average they have registered 1.48 goals when at their home soil within this period while they have conceded 0.85. The Wolves are undefeated in 2 on the road games. From their last 10 games, for the entire tournaments, for every game, they have averaged 1.1 goals and three of these games resulted in their wins. From these 10 games, six of them showed that these teams score. The numerous games with a total of three goals or more in five matches in these last 10 trips.
Leicester City Insights and Performance Analysis
The Foxes have 49 points within the Premier League and they are currently in 3rd rank in the table. Throughout last year, there is a total of 52 games played. For these matches they have obtained 30 wins, 10 draws and 12 losses. This puts Leicester City on a recent winning rate of 57%, draw rate of 19%, and loss rate of 23%. For this time, they have registered 2.04 goals on the average for every game, while conceded in 1.02 goals on the average. As we observe from the on the road record, they have a winning percentage of 53% from their 15 wins, there is a total of 28 outings. 17% or five of these matches have been in a draw, while the remaining 28% or eight games resulted in a loss when they are in on the road. For the visiting team, the average number of goals registered is 2.0 while they are conceding 1.04 on the average. From their previous performance, for home and away, showcased that they have a total of 18 goals registered coming from their last 10 games and within this time they have a winning rate of 50%. From those 10 games, seven of them resulting in both teams score and for the total games with over 2.5 goals registered is seven matches over the same period of time. They have scored at least one goal in a surge of 10 matches.
Head to Head of Wolves vs Leicester City:
11/08/2019 Leicester City 0 – 0 Wolves
19/01/2019 Wolves 4 – 3 Leicester City
Last five matches of Wolves:
01/02/2020 Manchester United 0 – 0 Wolves
23/01/2020 Wolves 1 – 2 Liverpool
18/01/2020 Southampton 2 – 3 Wolves
11/01/2020 Wolves 1 – 1 Newcastle
01/01/2020 Watford 2 – 1 Wolves
Last five matches of Leicester City:
01/02/2020 Leicester City 2 – 2 Chelsea
22/01/2020 Leicester City 4 – 1 West Ham
19/01/2020 Burnley 2 – 1 Leicester City
11/01/2020 Leicester City 1 – 2 Southampton
01/01/2020 Newcastle 0 – 3 Leicester City
However, for the final statement and prediction, we are still backing up The Foxes squad to win on this upcoming matchup, and with the trusted website of football tips and soccer odds in Asia handicap of:
Leicester City +0.25
*Odds may change without prior notice*
Football Betting, football odds, football predictions, football tips, free soccer tips. free football tips, Leicester City, Wolverhampton wanderers, Wolves vs Leicester City, wolves vs leicester city H2H


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Chargers' JC Jackson arrested in Massachusetts
By CNS Author
Los Angeles Chargers cornerback J.C. Jackson (27) during the Seattle Seahawks vs Los Angeles Chargers on October 23, 2022, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA. (Photo by Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) (Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES - Los Angeles Chargers cornerback J.C. Jackson was booked into a Massachusetts jail Monday in connection with what a spokesman for the Bristol County Sheriff's Office called a "non-violent family issue."
Jackson was booked into the jail in North Dartmouth, Massachusetts following a court appearance.
The Chargers released a statement saying "We are aware of media reports this afternoon pertaining to J.C. Jackson. We will continue to gather information on this matter and will refrain from further comment at this time."
Jackson signed with the Chargers as an unrestricted free agent in March after playing four seasons with the New England Patriots and being selected for the Pro Bowl in 2021.
Jackson suffered a season-ending knee injury in an Oct. 23 game against the Seattle Seahawks.
Fireball Cinnamon mini bottles contain no whisky, lawsuit claims


As one of the most respected hospitals in South Texas, the Methodist Hospital has undergone massive expansion in the last few years. Originating as a single, four-story facility, it is now one of the largest hospital systems in Texas. With 9 hospitals and 20 medical facilities, every construction project needs a contractor that can compliment their work with drywall, flooring, and painting.
Across the multiple facilities that are now a part of the Methodist Hospital, JTG came in to put those finishing touches to new construction and remodeling. We understand that even the slightest details can make a difference to our clients. Methodist Hospital has been pleased with our interior cosmetic work!
©JTG Contracting Inc. 2018. All Rights Reserved.


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Computers and Phones
E-TECHNOLOGY NEWS
Macworld speculates that Apple bought Xnor.ai to make Siri smarter
Sorry, Apple: Disney+ is coming to Europe earlier than planned
16in MacBook Pro review: bigger battery, new keyboard, new Apple – The Guardian
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Optimizing Utilization Forecasting with Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning…
Fable Studio founder Edward Saatchi on designing virtual beings
Machine Learning Uses Social Determinants Data to Predict Utilization –…
John McAfee Lays Down Crypto Transparency Challenge to US Congress
LiteLink Technologies Commences 1SHIFT Commercial Trials for Rail Freight Transports…
This Cryptocurrency Jumped 44% On News Of Collaboration With Microsoft
Major European Firms Harness Blockchain to Track Renewable Energy
Acer's new Chromebook C871 can take anything your kid throws at it
Smartphone design is the next challenge for biometrics – PaymentsSource
Pocketnow Daily: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip: NOT What We Thought?!(video)
iPhone 11 series has made up for 69% Apple phone sales in the US
Redmi K30 5G is on open sale in China in all colors
HP Pavilion 14 Laptop Review: A stylish all-rounder with a bright display
Report: Apple iPhone 11 trio makes up 69% of US Apple smartphone sales in Q4 of 2019
Samsung Galaxy Z's promo poster pops up
Birmingham AL Home Automation Smart Speakers Bulbs Security Cameras Launched –…
Angie's List: Home Security – WTXL ABC 27
Raspberry Pi Home Automation for beginners – Geeky Gadgets
Automated Home 2.0 – #15 The Mechanical Ventilation Heat Recovery (MVHR) System
Gartner forecast: 2020 to see 0.9% bump in global device shipments thanks to 5G, then…
Qualcomm Snapdragon 460 for entry-grade phones Goes Official
David Cage interview: Researching Detroit: Become Human's back story of rogue AI
Artificial IntelligenceTech News
Detroit: Become Human depicts a fictional near-future story about a world where humans are served by lifelike androids. It showed us a future where human unemployment was high, and many people had become resentful of the androids.
And the sentient androids rebel at being servants, and they launch their own rebellion. It may sound no more realistic than The Terminator, but game director David Cage did a lot of research that stemmed from Ray Kurzweil's seminal book, The Singularity is Near. He tried to embed the game world with his research and make the scenario as plausible as he could.
He approached the challenge from a unique view, where he posed the question of what if the humans were bad and the androids were good. I talked with him about this at the Gamelab conference in Barcelona.
I interviewed both Josef Fares and Cage about their approaches to storytelling in games, onstage at Gamelab. But this interview is a transcript of a separate conversation I had with Cage about a similar topic, where he fully explained his point of view.
Here's an edited transcript of our interview.
Above: David Cage of Quantic Dream, creator of Heavy Rain, Beyond: Two Souls, and Detroit: Become Human.
Image Credit: Dean Takahashi
GamesBeat: VentureBeat does two conferences. We have the GamesBeat conference, and then we do an AI conference. The AI side is interesting to me because I wonder how seriously you guys researched the backstory for Detroit. How worried are you about what could happen with AI in the next couple of decades?
David Cage: I did a lot of research on the topic, because I'm personally interested. It started with an old book called The Singularity is Near, by Ray Kurzweil. That was important to me because it made me realize that there would be a point in the future where there will be machines that are more intelligent than we are. It's hard to say when this will arrive, but there's no question about whether it's going to happen. It's going to happen for sure.
For me that was the starting point of Detroit. What will happen by then? There are two theories. The first one is that they're just machines. Just because they have more power, that doesn't mean they'll develop consciousness, because consciousness is something other than brainpower. Then there's another theory, which is that we're just biological machines, and consciousness emerges from the power of our brains. If that's true, it means there will be machines that also have a sense of consciousness. How will react as a species when another species appears that's intelligent, that has consciousness and emotions? What will be our position if that happens one day? That was the starting point.
But apart from that I did a lot of research about AI to know exactly how it would work. I visited some science labs working on musical composition with AI. I was very impressed by one demo that I saw. They put hours of music played by a jazz pianist, a very good improviser, into an algorithm. The algorithm analyzed the style, and then they had this soundtrack that started with the real human pianist, but at some point in the track it switched to the algorithm. It was horrifying, because you couldn't tell the difference. The algorithm exactly analyzed the human's style of playing and could play in the same way.
We spent a lot of time exploring—would AI write books one day? Would they tell stories? Would they make music or create paintings? We put some of those ideas into the game.
GamesBeat: I'm always interested in how AI researchers keep saying—they're doing some interesting things like building ethics panels for AI now. They didn't start that way. Microsoft erased its one famous AI project. They've learned that they need to somehow govern or control AI. But they do seem to make fun of the fiction about AI, things like the Terminator. "Everyone always says we're building Skynet, and that's nothing close to reality." I don't have a sense of whether they see a threat in AI to take seriously, or whether they simply want to pursue it in the name of science.
Above: These are human cops, and they're far from perfect.
Cage: There's one story that I really love about AI. It's based on a real fact, but it's a bit improved. There was this experience where they had two AIs creating their own language and starting to talk together in a language that no human being could understand, because they made it up. The story was a bit embellished compared to the real facts, but I find it fascinating that we can create something that will learn by itself, learning things even we can't understand. When you have machines that are capable of learning and developing skills on their own, that's when you start to lose control.
So, am I worried about technology in general? Yes. I'm more worried about human beings then about machines, though. It's not a coincidence that in Detroit, we made the choice that the good guys are the androids and the bad guys are human.
GamesBeat: Humans are always trying to outdo each other, and they compete to the point where they'll cross the lines of what they should do.
Cage: The good thing about AI is it usually behaves in a rational way, which isn't the case with a human being. I'm more concerned about our relationship with technology, and this is also one of the themes we developed in Detroit. How dependent have we become upon technology? How addicted are we to our phones? You can see families sometimes in a place like a restaurant where everyone's checking their emails and their messages. They're talking to people who aren't there instead of talking to the people who are there around the table. That's something that worries me.
I also think that technology is changing the way our brains work. We need more and more stimulation. We need messages. We need this little ping on our phone. "Oh, there's a message I need to check, wait a second." We've become totally dependent on technology. Instead of technology serving us, we start to serve technology.
GamesBeat: I read Dan Brown's novel Origin as well. It's funny, because it's set here in Barcelona. But I thought he had an interesting theory, that humans are causing climate change and running the planet into the ground, and it might actually be hopeful if AI takes over and limits the growth of the human race. He makes this prediction that AI will grow to become the dominant species. Which is futuristic thinking, but it seems plausible in some ways.
Cage: It's definitely plausible. There's a character in Detroit who says, "Androids are humans, but perfect." I don't know if you could really say that. It's science fiction. But at the same time, you understand how machines can be very pragmatic and very understanding of what needs to be done, making compromises and being reasonable, where human beings are driven by passion and emotion. That's why we run this planet, but at the same time, it's also why we may die from it, because we're not capable of being reasonable and pragmatic about certain things.
Maybe the perfect president for a country would be an android, because they wouldn't be vulnerable to corruption. They would work hard. They would make the best decisions for the majority of people. They wouldn't just try to get re-elected. They wouldn't lie to get the job. When you think about it, they might be a pretty good president.
GamesBeat: How plausible did you think it was that the onset of AI would cause this 30 to 40 percent unemployment?
Cage: That's something I studied for Detroit as well, the social impact of technology. In my research I discovered that the same discussions happened when the first steam engines appeared. Everybody said, "Wait a second, but workers will be unemployed. It's going to be a disaster." We know now that this isn't what happened, because we needed more people to design machines and maintain machines and build other machines. The people who were doing these old low-paid jobs shifted to something else in different positions. But there was no massive unemployment.
I tend to think that this is also what will happen with AI. We'll see a new breadth of jobs. They'll be different, but machines will just replace us in the most common jobs that we won't need to do anymore.
Above: You say you want to a revolution?
GamesBeat: That's a case maybe where what you believe is different from what happened in the game.
Cage: In the game I was interested in raising that point. I thought, "Let's play with this idea." It's also a plausible scenario, honestly. No one can be sure. But I imagined the opposite scenario, where there would be unemployment, and I was interested in the social impact of this, where rich people would have a job, but also have androids serving them, while poor people would have lost their jobs and couldn't afford androids. Technology would create two classes of people – the people who benefit from technology and the people who suffer because of technology. That's another scenario.
GamesBeat: I do think the whole game ultimately became a good articulation of the issues people should think about around AI.
Cage: I hope so. I wanted the game to be food for thought. I don't pretend to have any answers to any of these questions. They're very complex, and people are spending their lives studying and trying to foresee what's happening. I don't pretend to come with answers. But I came with a couple of questions. It's interesting. Some people saw that, and most people didn't. Most people just saw a story about androids. But some people saw the interesting questions in the game. I think they're there.
GamesBeat: It was interesting to me that someone could create an AI story that wasn't just the Terminator, right? The sort of thing that real scientists and researchers are more likely to shrug off as implausible. Something like this, you have to think about the implications.
Cage: Honestly, Detroit for me is much more a story about ourselves, about human beings, than about machines. It asks many questions about our dependency on technology and how we see our future, where we want to go with this society. Much more than just the future of AI. But it's interesting, because AI inspires questions about ourselves.
This question of consciousness we talked about is very important. Machines are going to tell us what we are. If they develop some form of consciousness, it will mean we're just a machine that evolution has developed to a point where it becomes powerful enough to have a consciousness. But if machines never develop consciousness, maybe that will mean we're more than that. Then we'll need to ask ourselves, "Then what? What are we?" It's a fascinating question when you think about it.
GamesBeat: Do you think you're finished with the subject, or do you want to do more around this?
Cage: Who knows? It's a big subject, that's for sure.
Convenient Anker adapter converts iPhone headphones to USB-C [Review]
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Smith & Williamson Artificial Intelligence – The Times
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Apple's 2019 iPhones to adopt MPI antenna technology in favor of LCP – AppleInsider
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What is machine learning? We drew you another flowchart – MIT Technology Review
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text:
Surah Luqman Ayat 6 (31:6 Quran) With Tafsir
Surah Luqman >> Currently viewing Surah Luqman Ayat 6 (31:6)
Surah Luqman Ayat 6 in Arabic Text
وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يَشۡتَرِي لَهۡوَ ٱلۡحَدِيثِ لِيُضِلَّ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ بِغَيۡرِ عِلۡمٖ وَيَتَّخِذَهَا هُزُوًاۚ أُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ لَهُمۡ عَذَابٞ مُّهِينٞ
Wa minan naasi mai-yashtaree lahwal haddesi li yudilla 'an sabeelil laahi bighairi 'ilminw wa yattakhizahaa huzuwaa; ulaaa'ika lahum 'azaabum muheen
Here you can read various translations of verse 6
And of the people is he who buys the amusement of speech to mislead [others] from the way of Allah without knowledge and who takes it in ridicule. Those will have a humiliating punishment.
But there are, among men, those who purchase idle tales, without knowledge (or meaning), to mislead (men) from the Path of Allah and throw ridicule (on the Path): for such there will be a Humiliating Penalty.
There are some human beings who purchase an enchanting diversion in order to lead people away from the way of Allah without having any knowledge, who hold the call to the Way of Allah to ridicule. A humiliating chastisement awaits them.
And of mankind is he who purchases idle talks (i.e. music, singing, etc.) to mislead (men) from the Path of Allah without knowledge, and takes it (the Path of Allah, the Verses of the Quran) by way of mockery. For such there will be a humiliating torment (in the Hell-fire).
And of mankind is he who payeth for mere pastime of discourse, that he may mislead from Allah's way without knowledge, and maketh it the butt of mockery. For such there is a shameful doom.
And of mankind are (they) who trade diverting discourse to lead into error away from the way of Allah without knowledge, and to take it to themselves in mockery; those will have a degrading torment.
But there is the sort of person who pays for distracting tales, intending, without any knowledge, to lead others from God's way, and to hold it up to ridicule. There will be humiliating torment for him!
اور بعض لوگ ایسے بھی ہیں جو لغو باتوں کو مول لیتے ہیں کہ بےعلمی کے ساتھ لوگوں کو اللہ کی راه سے بہکائیں اور اسے ہنسی بنائیں، یہی وه لوگ ہیں جن کے لئے رسوا کرنے واﻻ عذاب ہے
Quran 31 Verse 6 Explanation
For those looking for commentary to help with the understanding of Surah Luqman ayat 6, we've provided two Tafseer works below. The first is the tafseer of Abul Ala Maududi, the second is of Ibn Kathir.
(31:6) There are some human beings[5] who purchase an enchanting diversion[6] in order to lead people away from the way of Allah without having any knowledge,[7] who hold the call to the Way of Allah to ridicule.[8] A humiliating chastisement awaits them.[9]
5. That is, on the one hand, there is this mercy and guidance sent down by Allah, of which some people are taking full advantage, and on the other hand, there are also some unfortunate people living side by side with the fortunate ones, who are adopting this sort of attitude as against the revelations of Allah.
6. The words lahv al-hadith in the text imply such a thing as may allure and absorb a listener completely and make him heedless of everything else around him. Lexically, there is nothing derogatory in these words, but in custom and usage they apply to evil and useless and vain things, such as gossip, nonsensical talk, joking and jesting, legends and tales, singing and merry making, etc.
"Purchases" alluring tales may also mean that the person concerned adopts falsehood instead of the truth, turns away from the guidance and turns to those things which can neither benefit him in the world nor in the Hereafter. But this is the metaphorical meaning. The real meaning of the sentence is that a person should purchase an absurd and useless thing for his money, and this is supported by many traditions. Ibn Hisham has related on the authority of Ibn Ishaq that when the disbelievers of Makkah could not stop the message of the Prophet (peace be upon him) from spreading in spite of their best efforts, Nadr bin Harith said to the people of Quraish: "The way you are counteracting this man will avail you nothing. He has lived a lifetime among you. Until now he was the best of your men morally: he was the most truthful and the most trustworthy person among you. Now you say that he is a sorcerer and enchanter and a poet and a madman. Who will believe all this? Don't the people know the way the sorcerers talk? Don't they know the enchanters and the way they conduct their business? Are they unaware of poetry and of the states of madness? Which of these accusations sticks to Muhammad (peace be upon him) by exploiting which you would turn the people's attention away from him? Look! I will tell you how to deal with him." Then he left Makkah for Iraq and managed to get from there legends and tales about the kings of Iran and Rustam and Isfandyar and started to arrange tale telling parties to distract the people from the Quran and to absorb them in the tales. The same tradition has been cited by Vahidi in Asbab un Nazul on the authority of Kalbi and Muqatil. And according to Ibn Abbas, Nadr had bough singing girls also for the purpose. Whenever he heard that someone was coming under the Prophet's (peace be upon him) influence, he would impose a singing girl on him with the instruction: "Feed him and entertain him with your songs so that he is absorbed in you and distracted from the other side." This was the same device which the arch criminals of the nations have been employing in every age. They try to get the common people so absorbed in fun and sport and musical entertainments in the name of culture that they are left with no time and sense to attend to the serious problems of life, and in their heedlessness they do not even feel what destruction they are being driven to.
The same commentary of lahv al-hadith has been reported from a large number of the companions and their immediate followers. Abdullah bin Masud was asked, "What does lahv al-hadith mean in this verse?" He said thrice emphatically: "By God! it means singing." (Ibn Jarir, Ibn Abi Shaibah. Hakim, Baihaqi). Similar traditions have been reported from scholars like Abdullah bin Abbas, Jabir bin Abdullah, Mujahid, Ikrimah, Said bin Jubair, Hasan Basri, and Makhul. Ibn Jarir, Ibn Abi Hatim and Tirmidhi have related on the authority of Abu Umamah Baheli that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "It is not lawful to buy and sell and trade in singing girls nor is it lawful to take their price." In another tradition, the last sentence is to the effect: "It is unlawful to eat their price". Yet another tradition from Abu Umamah is to the effect: To teach music to slave girls and to trade in them is not lawful and their price is forbidden. All these Ahadith also elucidate that the verse containing lahv al-hadith was sent down in this very connection. Qadi Abu Bakr Ibn alArabi has related in the Ahkam alQuran a Hadith from Abdullah bin Mubarak and Imam Malik on the authority of Anas, saying, that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "He who hears the song of a singing girl in a musical concert, will have molten lead poured into his ear on the Day of Judgment" (In this connection, one should also note that the culture of music in those days flourished almost entirely through the slave girls: Free women had not yet become "artists". That is why the Prophet (peace be upon him) spoke about trading in slave girls, and described their wages and earnings as their price, and used the word qaynah for the singing girl, which is specifically used for a slave girl in Arabic).
7. "Without knowledge" may be connected with "buys" and also "lead astray". In the first case, it would mean: The ignorant foolish person buys this alluring thing and does not know that he is buying a ruinous thing at the cost of a highly valuable thing. On the one hand, there are the divine verses which are full of wisdom and guidance, which he can obtain without any cost, but he turns away from them. On the other hand, there are these absurd things, which are disastrous for his morals and he is expending his wealth to obtain them. In the second case, it would mean: He has come out to guide the people without any knowledge: he does not know what burden of sin he is taking on himself by trying to lead the people astray from Allah's Way.
8. That is, this person wants to make fun of the divine revelations by alluring and absorbing the people in legends and tales and music. He intends that the invitation of the Quran should be derided and ridiculed and laughed away. He plans to fight the religion of God with the strategy that as soon as Muhammad (peace be upon him) should come out to recite revelations of God to the people, there should be a charming, sweet-voiced damsel giving her performance in a musical concert. On the one hand, a glibtongued story teller telling tales and legends of Iran, on the other hand, the people should become so absorbed in these cultural activities that they may not be in a mood to hear anything about God and the morals and the Hereafter.
9. This punishment will be in accordance with their crime. They want to debase and disgrace God's religion, His revelations and His Messenger; God will take His vengeance on them by giving them a disgraceful torment.
The tafsir of Surah Luqman verse 6 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah Luqman ayat 1 which provides the complete commentary from verse 1 through 7.
1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 6 . 7 . 8 . 9 . 10 . 11 . 12 . 13 . 14 . 15 . 16 . 17 . 18 . 19 . 20 . 21 . 22 . 23 . 24 . 25 . 26 . 27 . 28 . 29 . 30 . 31 . 32 . 33 . 34


text:
Altering a table
================

After creating tables, you might want to modify the table's columns, constraints, etc.

Below are some common table modification scenarios:

.. toctree::
   :maxdepth: 1

   Add/delete/alter columns <alter-column>
   Altering primary key <alter-primary-key>
   Adding a foreign key constraint <adding-foreign-key-constraint>
   Adding a not-null constraint <adding-not-null-constraint>
   Adding a uniqueness constraint <adding-unique-constraint>
   delete-table

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text:
(3136) Anshan ist ein Asteroid des Hauptgürtels, der am 18. November 1981 am Purple-Mountain-Observatorium in Nanjing entdeckt wurde.

Der Name des Asteroiden ist von der Stadt Anshan in der chinesischen Provinz Liaoning abgeleitet.

Siehe auch
 Liste der Asteroiden

Hauptgürtelasteroid unter 50 km Durchmesser

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Q: Regex for match and retrieve values from separated number list Got a number list with separator(s) like these (note: quotes not included):
"1"
"1$^20"
"23$^100$^250"

I watch to write a regex to match both syntax of numbers and separators and also return all numbers in list, the best try I can get  in PHP is this code segment:
preg_match_all("/(\d+)(?:\\$\\^){0,1}/", $s2, $n);
print_r($n);

but it returns:
Array
(
    [0] => Array
        (
            [0] => 1
            [1] => 20
        )

    [1] => Array
        (
            [0] => 1
            [1] => 20
        )

)

What I need is:
Array
(
    [0] => 1
    [1] => 20
)

or at least:
Array
(
    [0] => Array
        (
            [0] => 1
            [1] => 20
        )
)

A: You can just get the first entry in your match array like this:
$s2 = "1$^20";
preg_match_all("/(\d+)(?:\$\^){0,1}/", $s2, $n);
print_r($n[0]);
// Array ( [0] => 1 [1] => 20 )

Or drop the group and just extract the numbers like this:
$s2 = "1$^20";
preg_match_all("/\d+/", $s2, $n);
print_r($n);
// Array ( [0] => Array ( [0] => 1 [1] => 20 ) )

Another alternative might be to use preg_split:
$s2 = "1$^20";
$n = preg_split('/\$\^/', $s2);
print_r($n);
// Array ( [0] => 1 [1] => 20 )

A: I thought about this quesiton again. I know I need not only split them but also check the value syntax. And what if it's a text seprated list? ... Hmm... then a smart way comes into my mind as follows in PHP codes:
// Split and also check value validity of number separated list
$pattern1 = "/(\d+?)\\$\\^/";
$1 = "1^$23";
$s1 .= "$^"; // Always append one separator set
preg_match_all($pattern1, $s1, $matches);

Change \d to . will work for text separated list or number-text-mixed separated list, too.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Taylor SwiftMerle HaggardGarth BrooksBrad PaisleyBlake SheltonDierks BentleyLuke BryanKeith UrbanMiranda LambertJason AldeanEric ChurchZac Brown BandFlorida Georgia LineBilly CurringtonSam HuntAshley MonroeTim McGrawKip MooreJessi AlexanderBrantley GilbertEli Young BandJake OwenEric PaslayJimmy YearyBobby BonesEaston CorbinCassadee PopeDavid NailBrett EldredgeFrankie BallardChris YoungRandy HouserJustin MooreChase BryantDallas DavidsonTyler FarrRonnie DunnTrisha YearwoodJerrod NiemannLove and TheftCraig MorganCraig CampbellAmerican YoungYelawolfColt FordBest of The Grammy Awards50th Academy Of Country Music Awards49th Academy Of Country Music AwardsStagecoach Country Music Festival 2014Best of 2015 in American MusicCMA Music Festival 201556th Annual GRAMMY AwardsiHeartCountry Festival 2016iHeartRadio Music Festival 2015Best of Country Music 2016Best of American Music 2016Watershed Festival 2017CMA Awards 2017Best of Country Music 2017Best of American Music 2017Best of American Music 2018
Linda Maria Ronstadt (born July 15, 1946) is an American popular music singer. She has earned 11 Grammy Awards, three American Music Awards, two Academy of Country Music awards, an Emmy Award, and an ALMA Award, and many of her albums have been certified gold, platinum or multiplatinum in the United states and internationally. She has also earned nominations for a Tony Award and a Golden Globe award. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in April 2014.[5] On July 28, 2014, she was awarded the National Medal of Arts and Humanities.[6][17]
In total, she has released over 30 studio albums and 15 compilation or greatest hits albums. Ronstadt charted 38 Billboard Hot 100 singles, with 21 reaching the top 40, 10 in the top 10, three at number 2, and "You're No Good" at number 1. This success did not translate to the UK, with only her single "Blue Bayou" reaching the UK Top 40.[18] Her duet with Aaron Neville, "Don't Know Much", peaked at number 2 in December 1989.[19] In addition, she has charted 36 albums, 10 top-10 albums and three number 1 albums on the Billboard Pop Album Chart. Her autobiography, Simple Dreams: A Musical Memoir,[20] was published in September 2013. It debuted in the Top 10 on the New York Times Best Sellers List.
Ronstadt has collaborated with artists in diverse genres, including Bette Midler, Billy Eckstine,[21] Frank Zappa, Rosemary Clooney, Flaco Jiménez, Philip Glass, Warren Zevon, Emmylou Harris, Gram Parsons, Dolly Parton, Neil Young, Johnny Cash, and Nelson Riddle. She has lent her voice to over 120 albums and has sold more than 100 million records, making her one of the world's best-selling artists of all time.[22][23] Christopher Loudon, of Jazz Times, wrote in 2004 that Ronstadt is "blessed with arguably the most sterling set of pipes of her generation."[24]
After completing her last live concert in late 2009, Ronstadt retired in 2011. She was diagnosed as having Parkinson's disease in December 2012, which left her unable to sing.[25]
Simple Dreams is the eighth studio album by the American rock singer-songwriter Linda Ronstadt, released by Asylum Records.
The Pirates of Penzance is a 1983 British-American romantic musical comedy film written and directed by Wilford Leach based on Gilbert and Sullivan's comic opera of the same name.
Photos - Linda Ronstadt42
Musical Group References5
Minor Musical Appearances & References2
Book References & Influences1
Other Film-Related Relationships2
Personal & Professional Relationships14
Awards & Nominations44
Don Henley, Jackson Browne and friends salute Linda Ronstadt at Parkinson's benefit
Los Angeles Times – December 12, 2016
Fans and pop music critics alike have long extolled the power of Linda Ronstadt's voice ... multi-instrumentalist David Lindley and latter-day disciples such as country singer-songwriter Brandy Clark, rocker Grace Potter, Guatemalan singer Gaby Moreno ...
Linda Ronstadt's nephews seek to follow her diverse musical path
San Jose Mercury News – December 15, 2016
And while they're here, they'll play a special house concert in San Francisco for a famous relative whose once-crystalline singing voice has been silenced by Parkinson's Disease — their aunt, Linda Ronstadt ... country rock to mariachi music ...
Linda Ronstadt: Hasten Down the Wind
thebluegrasssituation.com – December 6, 2016
"Gene was glad it was Linda Ronstadt, not someone soppy or sickly sweet," Wakefield ... its connections to country and becoming as much an inventor of country rock as was Gram Parsons or the Eagles, who famously formed as her backing band.
Linda Ronstadt Hasten Down The Wind 180g LP
elusivedisc.com – December 13, 2016
Did any musician have more talent at their beck and call during the '70s than Linda Ronstadt? Absolutely not. Part of her impeccable string of mid-1970s albums that defined California's soft-rock scene, the Grammy-winning Hasten Down the Wind is Ronstadt ...
Photos: Linda Ronstadt Tribute at the Ace Hotel Brings Out the Stars for Parkinson's Research
Rock Cellar Magazine – December 13, 2016
Los Angeles indie/folk-rock band Dawes fit into the show well with their sound ... Gaby Moreno's strong vocals are so reminiscent of Linda Ronstadt's powerful voice, and she used them to perfection on a rendition of "Rogaciano el Hupanguero ...
Linda Ronstadt consigns awards and costumes to Heritage Auctions
artdaily.org – November 6, 2016
A true musical superstar, Ronstadt began her career in the mid-1960s singing folk-rock, became the first female singer ... The jacket includes a label that reads "Designed for / Linda Ronstadt / Manuel" (the protégé of Nudie Cohn of Nudie's Rodeo Tailors ...
Official website http://www.ronstadt-linda.com
Linda Ronstadt http://www.rockonthenet.com/artists-r/lindaronstadt.htm
Linda Ronstadt https://www.facebook.com/LindaRonstadtOfficial
"Linda Ronstadt: Black & White Photo Aug 16, 1978 New Haven Veterans Memorial Coliseum (New Haven, CT)"
"Artist: Linda Ronstadt, Venue: New Haven Veterans Memorial Coliseum, New Haven, CT, USA August 16, 1978"
"President Obama Honors Linda Ronstadt, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Others in Art and Humanities Ceremony"
http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,665900,00.html
"Interview: Linda Ronstadt defends her politics"
"Linda Ronstadt: Female Rocker"
"Linda Ronstadt rocks with jazz sophistication"
Events featuring Linda Ronstadt2
Guides featuring Linda Ronstadt1
Best of Classic Rock Music


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2017 Phillies player review: Mark Leiter, Jr.
Sometimes you're just playing baseball so there's less baseball to play.
By Justin Klugh@justin_klugh Oct 24, 2017, 8:00am EDT
Share All sharing options for: 2017 Phillies player review: Mark Leiter, Jr.
Mark Leiter's job this spring relied on a pair of shaky knees.
Not his own, mind you; those supporting the torso of Zach Eflin, the young starter who'd mentioned, after throwing two complete game shutouts as a rookie in 2016 and creating at least a conversation about his future in the rotation, that oh yeah, he'd been experiencing chronic lower joint pain his entire life. So a pair of surgeries later, Eflin's knees were corrected, but the Phillies didn't want to put too much pressure on him. If Eflin were to begin the season on the AAA disabled list, then that meant a job for somebody on the IronPigs rotation. That somebody was going to be Alec Asher or Mark Leiter.
On a rebuilding team, every creates an audition. Eflin did start the year out of commission, but following only two AAA appearances, Leiter was bumped up to Philadelphia on April 18 into Howie Kendrick's spot on the roster after the veteran's first trip to the DL. Given a chance thanks to a shortage of hurlers, Leiter found some daylight on the Phillies roster, made some space, and settled in, while Asher had been sent to the Orioles.
The day Asher was traded, Leiter told reporters that, with his fluid roleplaying and five-pitch arsenal, he saw himself taking on anything the Phillies needed. That's the attitude you're going to hear from any 26-year-old trying to break camp with the big club, but he was exactly the sort of asset the Phillies needed to stitch together a pitching staff: Get out there and push the season forward, one frame at a time. Which is exactly how Leiter viewed things, as well, saying that his philosophy was to trust his catcher (he expressed an affinity for IronPigs backstop Logan Moore in the spring), and enter every inning with a closer's mentality.
And so, the big league season began for the Toms River native. And everything was terrible.
He had the unpursued role of sweaty, long-relief, mop-up guy, and the back of his jersey became synonymous with losses. His May ERA was 5.74 after facing 69 batters, and Leiter would not appear in a game the Phillies would win until June 23 (In games in which Leiter appeared this season, the Phillies were 5-22).
By August, he was making history.
"A long-relief outing for the ages," it was called, as the media turned the spotlight onto a role in baseball typically left in the dark.
There are grounds crew members trapped under a tarp that have gotten more screen time than long relievers. But, there Leiter was on August 5, throwing 4.1 innings while the gassed bullpen wearily chugged energy drinks. He gave them the cover they needed after Nick Pivetta got shelled for eight runs early by the Rockies, and Leiter walked no one, gave up only two singles, and struck out nine. Next up, it was a 10-0 hammering by the Giants (????) in which he threw 5 innings, allowed four hits, only one run, no walks, and seven strikeouts.
Then they began giving him starts. In desperate need of arm meat for the season to devour, the Phillies stuck Leiter out there and he made a string five or six-inning starts in which high early pitch counts saw him get the early hook; the same type of starts the Phillies were getting from their pitchers all year. The stretch was not without its anomalies; Leiter threw seven shut-out innings against the Marlins on August 23 in an 8-0 win that saw his ERA dip under 4.00 for the first time in two months. On September 4, the Mets pounded him until he was just a hat on dirt, in a start that featured a six-run bottom of the fourth before Leiter was removed after only 3.1 innings.
Leiter finished things up with an 8.3 SO/9, 2.71 SO/W and an ERA pressing right up against 5.00. And his contributions didn't end there!
Mark Leiter Jr. grounds into a double play, but a run crosses the plate to extend our lead to 3-0. #GoPhils pic.twitter.com/cuNMtmd1jN
— Phillies (@Phillies) September 27, 2017
He will not be the 2018 Opening Day starter. He will probably not ever be an opening day starter.
What is his future? Well, mean as it sounds, barring a vast leap in skill, the whole idea of this rebuild is to make it less and less necessary for guys like Leiter to have to pitch. Hopefully, the Phillies will have a rotation of Aaron Nola, some rehabilitated currently struggling young farm hands, and some cool free agents. The only way to get a job on this team would be for Leiter to make as strong of an impression as he could in a thankless, overlooked role that principally took place after people had turned the game off.
Finding and sustaining success like he saw for a few stretches and spurts in 2017 would be nice, but a pitcher who is supposed to fill a bunch of roles and throw every kind of pitch is sacrificing effectiveness for versatility. Leiter's place will always be determined by other players' knees, elbows, and shoulders. If he's in the Phillies rotation, then they are still a work in progress.
But regardless of his MLB future, Leiter has already been immortalized among the hunched, sleeping bodies at his alma mater, New Jersey Institute of Technology.
NJIT loves their lone major league player, @Phillies pitcher Mark Leiter Jr pic.twitter.com/QHCI8kiVuD
— John Town (@johntown99_) September 20, 2017


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Q: How to display filename under file in php I am making php gallery. There is a gallery folder in which videos are stored. The videos are displayed on the page but I want name of the video to be displayed under the video itself. I tried by combining code from websites but the result isn't successful.
Please Help. Thanks in advance.
My code:
Gallery.php:
<!DOCTYPE html>

    <title>Simple PHP Video Gallery</title>
    <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="2-theme.css">

h

<?php
      // (A) GET ALL VIDEO FILES FROM THE GALLERY FOLDER
      $dir = __DIR__ . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . "gallery" . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR;
      $videos = glob("$dir*.{webm,mp4,ogg}", GLOB_BRACE);
    $alt = glob("$dir*.{webm,mp4,ogg}", GLOB_BRACE);

      // (B) OUTPUT ALL VIDEOS
      if (count($videos) > 0) { foreach ($videos as $vid) {
        printf("<video src='gallery/%s'></video>", rawurlencode(basename($vid)));
   //I added this one from another website in code:
  $fileList = glob('gallery/*');
      foreach($fileList as $filename){
      if(is_file($filename)){
      echo("
$filename;
"),'
';
      }
      }
      }}
      ?>

css:

/* (A) GALLERY - BIG SCREEN */
#vid-gallery {
  display: grid;
  grid-template-columns: repeat(3, auto);
  grid-gap: 10px;
}
#vid-gallery video {
  width: 100%;
  cursor: pointer;
}

/* (B) GALLERY - SMALL SCREEN */
@media screen and (max-width: 1000px) {
  #vid-gallery { grid-template-columns: repeat(2, auto); }
}
@media screen and (max-width: 600px) {
  #vid-gallery { grid-template-columns: auto; }
}

and js:
window.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", () => {
  for (let vid of document.querySelectorAll("#vid-gallery video")) {
    // (A) CLICK ON THUMBNAIL TO GO FULLSCREEN
    vid.onclick = () => {
      if (!vid.fullscreenElement) {
        vid.controls = true;
        vid.requestFullscreen();
      }
    };

    // (B) EXIT FULLSCREEN MODE
    vid.onfullscreenchange = () => {
      if (document.fullscreenElement == null) {
        vid.controls = false;
        vid.pause();
      }
    };
  }
});

The name of my video folder is gallery.
Result:
Problematic Pic
In short: My problem is how to display each video's title (name) under it.

A: Thanks to @ADyson and Google, I figured it out.
Just replace the php code:
  <?php
    $exten = '.mp4';
      $dir = __DIR__ . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . "gallery" . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR;
      $videos = glob("$dir*.{mp4}", GLOB_BRACE);
    $alt = glob("$dir*.{webm,mp4,ogg}", GLOB_BRACE);
      if (count($videos) > 0) { foreach ($videos as $vid) {
        printf("<video src='gallery/%s'></video>", rawurlencode(basename($vid)));
     echo "
".basename($vid,$exten)."
";
   }}
        ?>

The main problem was the 2nd for each loop.
It will display each video's name (without extension and path).


Get a professions Cartoon Drawing, hand-drawn from your photos. Your person will be amazed while watching the pictures being drawn in colored digital style. Digital Caricature Drawings are those items where 21st century technology and good old fashioned talent combine to introduce unique things and ideas of people on different themes. Is your person passioned about the cooking of sweets or sushi, or he has another interests? One of our talented artists is ready to make a Caricature Drawing of person, featuring his or her hobby details and professional peculiarities. Your Colored Digital Caricature will make an original present for chef on Birthday or another Professional Day. Choose any profession or hobby you like and mention it in the requirements box below. Your Professional Cartoon Drawing will be delivered as a ready-to-be-printed, high resolution JPG file. Get additional deliveries options at extra cost: Cartoon Drawing printed on Canvas or Photo Paper (Fujifilm Crystal Archive Paper) with different sizes of your choice. Our company offers the worldwide shipping in quick turnaround time.


text:
Garragi (, also Romanized as Garragī) is a village in Irafshan Rural District, Ashar District, Mehrestan County, Sistan and Baluchestan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 35, in 5 families.

References

Populated places in Mehrestan County


Here is a free copy of my daily key levels for hundreds of stocks and ETF. You can use these key levels to stay on the right side of the market. It also shows you which stocks offer specific opportunities for buying or selling today. The daily key levels for major markets, euro, oil and gold are posted on twitter and scutify for free every day. The daily key levels for hundreds of stocks and ETF are available for $1.99 on scutify each morning. You can follow me there to pick them up before the market opens.
If you have any trouble to see the PDF below, then you can also click here.
This entry was posted on November 28, 2014 at 10:20 am	and is filed under Market Commentary. Tagged: key levels. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.


text:
Q: Responsive Grid How can I make a responsive CSS grid such that the 2nd and 4th column will be hidden below 1280px, the cells are filled with images (object-fit), the size of individual items depends on the total width of the whole gird and there is gap of 20px. Ideally below 780px all images are in one row. See the picture below.

  .gallery{
    display: grid;
    gap: 20px;
    grid-template-columns: repeat(6, 1fr);
    grid-template-rows:  repeat(2, 1fr);
  }

  .gallery > * {
    object-fit: cover;
    width: 100%;
    max-height: 100%;
  }

  .gallery img:nth-child(1){
    grid-column: 1 / span 2;
  }

  .gallery img:nth-child(9){
    grid-column: 4 / span 2;
  }

  img{
    height: calc((100vw - 4 * 20px) / 6);
  }

  @media screen and (max-width: 1279px) {

    .gallery{
      grid-template-columns: repeat(4, 1fr);
      grid-template-rows:  repeat(2, 1fr);
    }

    .gallery img:nth-child(1){
      grid-column: 1 / span 2;
    }

    .gallery img:nth-child(9){
      grid-column: 3 / span 2;
    }

    .gallery img:nth-child(2),
    .gallery img:nth-child(5),
    .gallery img:nth-child(8),
    .gallery img:nth-child(10){
      display: none;
    }

    img{
      height: calc( (100vw - 3*20px) / 4);
    }

  }

  @media screen and (max-width: $extra-small-device){
    .gallery {
      margin: 15px;
      width: 90vw;
      overflow-x: scroll;
      overflow-y: hidden;

      display: flex;
      gap: 20px;
    }

    .gallery img {
      object-fit: unset;
      width: calc(70vw)!important;
      height: calc(70vw)!important;
    }

  }

Edit: I want the size of the wide rectangles to be based on the squares and the gap of the grid.
In the example, the "squares" are taller


text:
Dharamshala, India — An exclusive interview with Palchen Wangyal, a Tibetan living in India. His journey to India as a young child and the courage he had to uphold while losing his younger brother in the snow-mountain at the Rongshar Township of, Dhingri County, central Tibet. His flight sheds insight into the struggle of many Tibetans escaping from the Chinese rule.
Zach Chrisman, Tibet Post International
Dharamshala, India — A group of 13 students from the University of Denver (DU) in Colorado, USA visited Dharamshala for two weeks in December 2019. The trip was part of a winter break interterm course lead by two Religious Studies professors.
Vandana Rajendran, Tibet Post International
Dharamshala, India — "These refugees don't possess the qualifications required to get a job in India, nor do they have the experience. Our priority is to make them self-reliant," Educational Coordinator, Rogpa Charitable Trust, Namgyal Phuntsok told Vandana Rajendran of The Tibet Post International, during an interview which was conducted on July 17, 2019.
I went there to learn more: A Westerner who traveled to Tibet
Shivam Chhaparia, Tibet Post International
Dharamshala, India — The Tibetan plateau is Tibet itself. So actually I didn't know much about Tibet at first. I began my journey by getting a train from Bejing to Xining in the Qinghai province. Then I found out that Kumbum Monastery wasn't far from it so I went there to learn more about Tibet, Liam Flag, a western tourist who recently traveled to Tibet and parts of China around last year. He recounts his experience visiting Tibet through a series of questions:-
Shriyank Mulgund, Tibet Post International
Dharamshala, India — Lhagyari Namgyal Dolkar is the President of the Gu Chu Sum Movement of Tibet, an organization that works for the rehabilitation of former political prisoners from Tibet. The youngest Member of the Parliament-In-Exile, she is a Delhi University alumna and daughter of a political prisoner herself in addition to being related to the family of the ancient Dharma Kings of Tibet.
Dharamshala, India — Anisha Joneja from the Tibet Post International conducted an interview with Tenzin Chondup a child of Tibetan refugees, now owner of Rewa Café in McLeodganj. The 44 year-old veteran of the Special Frontier Force of the Indian Army shared his own personal stories and why it is important to maintain a humble life in-Exile.
Researching Tibet has become more like working on North Korea: Says HRW China Director
London, UK — The way that Human Rights Watch researches Tibet has become more like its work on North Korea as Beijing has successfully moved to reduce the flow of information leaving the Himalayan country, said Sophie Richardson, the China Director for Human Rights Watch (HRW).
Young Tibetan shares his thoughts on Tibetan youth and education
Students for a Free Tibet organises solidarity campaign for Hong Kong
Interview with the Tibetan man who founded "Readers of Dalai Lama"


text:
|By Adam Piggott
He pressed the buzzer and then strained to hear dim chimes echoing at the rear of the house. From a cheap radio played the faint sounds of mid-morning. He was prepared to press the buzzer a few times and had calculated a suitable pause between harassments, but one attempt was sufficient as he caught the disturbance of approaching small feet muffled by carpet. The door opened and a wary face scrutinized him from behind a protective metal screen. He recognized her. She had aged beyond his comprehension. Her body was shrunken and thin. He remembered a vibrant presence, commanding attention at any social gathering, her loud laugh and ribald stories a rude awakening for his then young mind. The house smelled familiar through the door
"Angela?" It was her—he wondered why he made it a question. "It's Russell. Russell Harper, Ann's son."
She unlocked the screen door and peered up at him. Her eyes were blue and clear. "My God, Russell," and she stepped towards him and he put his arms around her with care so as not to break what was left. She moved away and attempted to arrange her frayed grey hair.
"I'm sorry for coming without calling," he said. "I was in the area and I have some free time and I thought I'd just chance a visit."
"Come in, come in," she said, and he followed her into the passage. He closed the door. He had to strain his eyes as he followed her towards the rear of the house. The kitchen looked over the suburb from its high position. It was neat and clean. Steam escaped from a thin kettle. She placed another cup on the bench and gave it some milk. Then she lifted the kettle and poured hot water over each tea bag. Her arm began to shake, but he was careful not to help her. She set down the kettle with a sigh and concentrated on lifting the saucer to hand to him. He reached out and accepted the tea when it was still close to her.
"I was just preparing a hot water bottle. I can't seem to sit without the thing." She gathered the rubber item, wrapped it in a tea-towel, and then shuffled over to a low couch. Russell surveyed the possibilities and opted for a chair within arm's reach. He placed the cup and saucer on the floor in front of him. She turned off the radio and the house became silent.
"I spoke with Tim a few weeks ago," he said.
"He told you I was sick. That I had this." She gestured at her body with undisguised contempt. She mentioned what ailed her; some scientific sounding name, foreign and threatening. Cancer inside her bones, melting her from within.
"They reckon only 58 people in the world have it. 58! Can you believe that? What are the chances?" She shook her head. "I only get special when I'm dying. They told me nobody survived it longer than five years. Well, that was twelve years ago. Twelve years I've been living with this."
She lifted up her gown without warning. Russell breathed out with care as she exposed a weeping wound on her stomach. "Coming through the skin it is. They don't know what to do about it. They look at me and shake their heads and take pictures and here I am still. I roll over at night and they break and then there's this horrible crap all over the bed."
He didn't know what to say. "It's not on your face at least," he volunteered.
"Not yet!" Her look was wild and triumphant. "But they reckon that it will be. Can you believe my own specialist—at least that's what he calls himself—I reckon he's only special because it's him that's said so. My own specialist says to me, he says, 'What are you going to do when it passes to your face?' And so I looked him in the eye and then I said, 'Why, I'll just have to get one of them burkas like all them Muslims are wearing!'"
Russell couldn't help laughing. "What did he say to that?"
"His eyes went wide and then he storms out of the room! And I'm sitting there wondering what the hell I've done and then his nurse comes in and wants to know what I've said to the doctor. So I tell her and she's shocked, and then she tells me that his wife's a Muslim. So I end up having to apologize to him."
Russell shook his head.
"How's your mother?" she asked.
"I haven't spoken to her in five years." There was a brief silence and then he continued. "The last time was when I called her to let her know I was getting married. She hung up on me about a minute into the conversation."
Angela's eyes brimmed with tears and she looked away to the side of the room. "Let you off the hook, she did. She was never right in the head. But I didn't ever think she would push you away as well. Do you know, I had a party here one night many years ago. There was a bunch of sailors here all dressed up in some fancy dress theme like women. It was all a laugh, all good fun. They were friends of Tim. Anyways, we're downstairs and your mother is here and she starts throwing darts at 'em."
"In their general direction?"
"Straight at 'em." She made a motion with her arm and aimed at an imaginary board. Then her arm dropped down to the couch. "Lucky for her, she wasn't a good shot."
"Why the hell was she doing that?"
"How the hell should I know? Not right in the head."
He took a sip of his tea and then cradled the cup on his knees. The saucer sat alone on the carpet. "You always threw the best parties," he said. "I remember them from when I was a kid."
"How long were you gone?" she said.
"Fifteen years."
She repeated the number with amazement in her voice. "And now you're back."
"I bumped into Tim. He gave me your number, but I misplaced it so I thought I'd just pop around."
"He's a good boy. Thankfully, he doesn't take after his bloody father. You know, I remember sitting here one time when I was still married to the bastard. I knew he'd been screwing around and I finally had the nerve to confront him. I said, 'You've been buggering around for ten years!' And he holds up this stern finger, and he looks me in the eye, and he says, 'No! Nine.'"
They both laughed and he began to tell her about what he was doing with his life, but as he spoke, she began searching through a pile of documents and papers, and her hands shook and she seemed more desperate than ever to find what she was seeking.
"What are you looking for?" he said.
"It's here somewhere." She brought out a small envelope. Her fingers scrambled for the opening but it eluded her. Russell reached over and took out a small collection of photos. She reached for them and sorted the group into an order to her liking and then she showed him.
"Here's when the pus was really bad. This one is the giant one that I had on my back. I still have the scar." Photo after photo, she recounted the details of her disease, of the life she led alone in the big house where she had raised six children after her husband had walked out on her.
"Do they come and see you?" he said.
"Oh yes, they come. But I suppose they're just waiting for me to die. They'll sell this place and then it'll be ripped down and they'll stick a pile of apartments here or something. It's the same bloody carpet, Russell. The same carpet for thirty years."
"I thought I recognized it."
"And I need to paint the house, inside and out. They reckon it'll cost ten thousand dollars. Can you believe that? I said to them, what's the point? What's the point?"
Her eyes were bright and aware, staring back at him from the wasted body suspended in the vastness of the couch. She didn't want to die, but now that was all she knew.
Russell turned his arm so he would be able to catch a glimpse of his watch.
Adam Piggott
Adam Piggott's writing looks at how to change and grow as a man in today's convoluted and crazy world. He writes, plays the guitar, smokes cigars, drinks wine and whiskey, rides motorbikes, and distrusts any man who has no redeeming petty vices.
pushingrubberdownhill.com/