I wanted to take a post and talk a little bit about why I have decided to start covering various cryptocurrencies and what I hope to accomplish by doing so. Now I know this is not the type of posts that many of my older readers may have come to expect around here, but hang in there! I promise there will be plenty of gaming talk coming in future posts.
When I first started talking about cryptocurrencies with my good buddies Dan Debacle and Kramer, I was really excited about it, but at the same time skeptical of a lot of the things that I was seeing. For instance, I remember seeing sites that were hyping 15% returns on your investments. My inner Doubting Thomas was screaming warnings and rightfully so. Since my very first investment into BitCoin back in August, I have seen countless sites come and the majority of them have all gone. Now this is no surprise because those kinds of returns just wreak of scam. There is a reason that banks, investment firms, and other financial companies do not promise those kinds of returns after all.
There is a part of me though that loves to gamble though. In some circles, they may call it a generational curse. So I started researching these "High Yield Investment Programs". Now if you go and read their websites, some of them look really good. They say all of the right things and they make their websites look professional or flashy for the most part. As of late they have been throwing up a lot of logos attempting to indicate that they take Visa and/or Master Card. It should be noted here though, a legitimate financial company/investment representative will never... ever... EVER suggest that you should use credit to get cash to invest with. That just doesn't make sense from a financial perspective.
So I started reading various articles and websites. The problem with using various articles and websites is that there isn't a Forbes for the cryptoworld just yet. Yes, there are some really good sites out there that provide legitimate news, but I cannot go and pull up a site like Bloomberg and review certain sectors of the market. So I decided to check out YouTube and see what people in the community were saying about the various programs.
I do not know why it came as a surprise to me, but the vast majority of YouTube channels are all promoting one HYIP or another. Yes, some make valid points as to why not to invest in HYIP site two, but are all in on HYIP site one. It really bothered me for some reason. That is when I decided that I would put my own money where my mouth is and pick a handful of various HYIP sites to invest in. Yes, even with knowing the risk!
So the very first one I chose was Bitconnect. Now surprisingly, BitConnect has been working properly and running now for over a month for me. So much so that one of my friends asked me when I would change the title of the BitConnect series? That caught me off guard and I laughed it off and simply said that I couldn't change it till I knew for sure that the site was not a scam. That got me thinking though, when can I make that call? After considering a lot of various things, I feel as though the only way I can truly say that it is a legitimate platform is when I see the return of my principal investment back. When is that you may be wondering? Well, probably sometimes around the middle of June, and even then, I do not know if I could truly label it as a viable platform.
I think one of the things that bothers me about the HYIP promoters, isn't the fact that they are earning referral money, but that they do not do enough to warn people of the risk of these investments. So when people see their videos and sign up for such failed sites as Control Finance, Bit Lake, and Thunder Bit (to just name a few), the promoters while having lost their principal, usually come out alright because they have made bank off of their referral bonuses.
Now don't get me wrong, I place the referral links at the bottom of every video that I make, but I rarely mention the links and have even debated on removing them altogether. I do not have a problem with someone earning a little extra on the side, but I have a huge problem when they do not try to educate the audience that they are speaking to. What I mean by that is most people who buy into HYIPs are one of two types. The first type of person is someone who understands the very high risk nature of these kinds of programs and they usually have the disposable income to spend on it. The second type of person, is the type of person who is living paycheck to paycheck. In other words, these people a lot of times are probably in a pretty bad way and are looking for ways to better themselves. They go and see some person on YouTube who is preaching with conviction that this HYIP is going to change their life. So with no warning from the promoter, they take their money and just start throwing it at whatever program they may have seen and probably more often than not, lose their money.
I don't know how people who promote the really far out sites can honestly look in the mirror at theirself. Now someone may be sitting there and saying, "Ruhtra, man you just released four videos today covering these kinds of sites and all of them have links in the video's description..." That is correct, but I think that if you watch the videos, I spend a lot of time trying to provide solid information about things like having a budget, understanding your finances, understanding that this should be hobby or fun money, establishing your retirement accounts and getting any company match, setting aside enough money to cover three to six months worth of your bills, diversification, and not falling for the hype. The focus of why I am making these videos is to show others that there is a big risk involved and you can and will lose money.
I honestly debated for a while about not covering any of the other sites, simply because I do not want to provide them with any extra exposure. However, if I don't, then maybe no one will produce content that warns you of what these sites are all about. In the end, it would be great if all of the hype surrounding such sites like Control Finance were true, but it is not. It is just people trying to get you to sign up and put your hard earned money into some pretty sketchy investments. If I can make one person think and not invest, then I will consider it a good day and if any of these sites turn out to be the real deal, then I will be the first one to say I was wrong and my content will provide the proof.
At the end of the day, I just want you to be aware of the inherent risk of investing into something where more often than not we know nothing about the individuals running the site. It's a dangerous cryptoworld out there and due to its decentralized nature, there is no regulatory entity that will protect the small guy against the countless fraudsters who are out there. Be safe and do your research before every jumping into any of these types of platforms. I'll see you all next time!
Well, well, well... look who finally showed up!
Hey guys, I have finally found a little bit of free time and I thought it was high time to dust off the keyboard and check in with everyone. I hope everyone has been having an awesome summer! I cannot believe that we are now heading into Fall. No really, because it is like ninety degrees here where I live!
So, when last I checked in, I spent the entire post talking about how my life was changing and then went on to talk a little bit about things I was hoping to do with the Holy Shock brand, I suppose that's the right word. Well, as we can see, I did not really do too much around here. Now my YouTube channel has stayed somewhat active during this time, but consistency has always been my Achilles heel as it were.
So today, I am hoping to turn that corner and begin to spend a little time focusing on the site as a whole. Much as my life has been changing, so too has the games I have been playing. Where I once spent an ungodly amount of time playing World of Warcraft, I now spend far less time playing and more time enjoying games such as Hearthstone and Minecraft.
I have recently delved into the world of cryptocurrency, which is mind boggling at best and scary as Kil"Jaeden in a dark alley in the middle of the night. However, I am really enjoying learning about the various coins and programs in that marketplace. I am sure if you pay attention to my YouTube channel, then you realize that I have definitely gone all in on cryptocurrency.
Within the last week, I believe I have found my newest interest... silver! I don't know if it is the kid in me who thought pirates were cool or if it is the part of me that as a kid thought Scrooge McDuck was the coolest cartoon character ever, but poured silver bars and coins are just mesmerizing to me! So I have really been diving deep into gathering as much knowledge as I can about the various types of silver (constitutional, junk, and poured).
Aside from the gaming, cryptocurrency, and silver, I have been spending most of my free time with my family enjoying sports and everything that the summer has to offer. It's been a crazy wild ride the last few months and it is not looking to settle down at all, but you know what? I wouldn't have it any other way!
So that brings me back to Holy Shock and what the future holds for the site. I have spent a lot of hours over the last few weeks really thinking about how and what to focus on around here. At the end of the day, the reason that I feel that Holy Shock drew attention was because of the personal aspect of the blog.
In the very beginning, this blog was a form of therapy for me. I had lost my Dad and was in a pretty rough spot. Holy Shock became a way for me to focus my mind on something other than all the bad and instead, share aspects about gaming and life from my perspective. Over the years, it grew and changed, much as the games we played changed. During the course of my time with Holy Shock, you all have been with me through the death of my father, changing jobs multiple times, dealing with being diagnosed with anxiety, divorce, and probably a million other things I cannot think of at the moment. In truth, Holy Shock, and the community behind it, have become as much a part of my life as my own family. So how could I ever step away from such a supportive community?
The answer is that I cannot! Instead, I plan to go back to the beginning and just focus on sharing the things in my life that interest me. I plan to merge the blog and the videos together here at the site, as I always had intended. Most importantly, I plan to continue this journey we began back in 2008! So get ready! Holy Shock is only just beginning!
I can hardly believe that it is almost the end of March! At the beginning of the year, I had a laundry list of things I wanted to do here at Holy Shock. Some of them, such as getting much more video content up over on YouTube, have been progressing as planned. While others, producing content here, has been lacking... as they say.
While I am not one who likes to post the random update post of desperation, I do feel it is far overdue for me do one. I mean honestly, it was either a post here or a video version of it and I can promise you that you do not want to stare at my face while I attempt to explain what all is going on in my life. Trust me!
So what have I been up to? Well, honestly... I got married on March 10th and I have been really focused on transitioning from the viewpoint of "my home" into "our home". I can truthfully say that I have never been more happy in my entire life and at the same time, never more scared! Scared you may scoff! Absolutely! I am an extremely difficult person to live with and I know this. I am regimented in my ways and more stubborn than practically anyone I know. Need proof? Just go back and read through some of the older posts here on Holy Shock! However, for whatever reason, my new wife loves me in spite of me and so I am working hard on not letting me mess myself up.
Naturally with all the adjustments, things have been a little less consistent with the YouTube channel, but that should be worked out in the next couple weeks. I am actually looking forward to getting back to playing some games and sharing those games with all of you! So don't worry, there will be plenty of shenanigans to be had by all.
Something else I am getting back into is e-Bay! I have a ton, no joke there, of stuff like comics, sports cards, videos on VHS and DVD, magazines, tabletop games, and a whole lot of other stuff that I am looking to sell and I figured why not go back to e-Bay? So with that, I am adding a page here to the site (again) that will contain the items I have up for sale over on e-Bay. The one thing to remember is that I am really, really, really, really slow at updating stuff, so always remember to go and check the e-Bay store directly for what is actually current.
Well, that is gonna do it for me as I hear the sounds of the kids arriving home from school! I will see you all next time!
As the title says, I have found my newest addiction in gaming. On Friday night, I purchased Civilization V because it was on sale and because my good friends DanDabcle and Kramer convinced me to crack open the coffers. I did and I have since logged so many hours in the game that my family actually send out a search party for me... too bad they were crushed by raging barbarians! Alright, just kidding on that past, but I have not been this wrapped up in a game since way back in the old days of discovering Ever Quest, which led me to WoW, and we all know how that has turned out.
I have been really enjoying the game so far. I enjoy the balance of researching, managing the wants of my own cities, the various interaction of other world leaders, and of course the war! I am currently running three different games. The first is a solo campaign of me against the world. I like to think of it as my learning game. The second is a game that you all will be able to see very soon up on the YouTube channel! It is a slightly harder AI that I am playing and I have also attempted a rapid expansion type of build. The final game is a free for all with DanDabcle and Kramer, which you can see over at DanDabacle's twitch channel.
As I continue on this journey, I encourage all of you to offer me advice and tips on what I am doing right versus what I am doing wrong. There is a lot to this game and I am certain there is always ways for anyone to improve, especially the nub player writing this post. As always, I hope you all have a great day and I'll see you next time!
Good day to you all! As I mentioned yesterday, I was going to be putting a lot more effort into both Holy Shock the site and the YouTube channel. Today, I am proudly presenting a new series that I kicked off yesterday over on our YouTube channel: Ruhtra's UFO Defense Force!
That's right, the world is being invaded by a metric ton of evil ET's and who else did the governments turn to? That's right, they brought in the best! Well, at least that's how we're going to bill this. In truth, humanity is probably doomed, but at least you all get to enjoy the hilarity of watching me attempt to keep that from happening!
So yesterday I announced that I was back and focused, but really didn't go into a whole lot of details about what that meant. One of the things I am really focused on is creating YouTube content. A couple years ago, I started making videos for fun. Those videos turned into a couple ongoing series that I honestly think could of gained some traction if I had given them the proper time and dedication that it takes. I didn't and the videos series floundered and finally I stopped altogether. So what's changed?
The truth is that over the last few years, I have been through one personal issue after another and if you have ever experienced a period of time like that, then you know what that will do to you. If you have not, then I hope you never do. I do feel though that I am finally at a point in life where I can really put a serious focus not just back to Holy Shock as a site, but also to producing content such as Let's Plays.
A few weeks back, I started watching a buddy stream, DanDebacle. Which if you have never heard of him, go check out his stream. He focuses on flipping items in WoW and a bunch of random games that are really fun, but seldom get the attention they probably deserve. One day, we were talking about his stream and he was kind of down about things, although he may have not realized it. He was trying to figure out what games to play and such things. The conversation progressed to talking about how well he had actually been doing on picking up followers. The one thing though that hurts him is that he is really, really inconsistent with when he streams, and as a good friend I pointed it out to him.
It kind of hit me later when I was thinking about Holy Shock and I had to admit that I was guilty of the same thing... inconsistency. Sure I can say that life is tough and things come up, but at the end of the day I still find time to do things that I want to. So the questions came down to what do I really want to do? I thought about it for quite some time honestly. Going over past ideas, rereading posts where I discussed changes I wanted to do, and looking at old videos I had published made me really start to think about what could have been. Now I don't want to lie to myself and say that I could have been the next big thing, but there were a lot of ideas that I had written down that I have seen other people start doing and it seems to be going quite well for them.
So I said all of that, to arrive at this point right here. Holy Shock is back and I am more determined than ever before to dedicate myself to this site and to the content that I publish. It may not be the best, it might not be the most cutting edge, it probably will be filled full of mountains of misspellings and incorrect tenses, but by the Light it will be. So strap yourself down for the ride of your life and let's see where this thing goes!
Good afternoon, I hope everyone is having a grand day today! Sadly, I have not had much time to work in Minecraft with any new buildings, but I have taken down half of the mountainous area I plan on extending my build into. As usual, what started out as something small, has grown into a major mountain removal! The above image is the halfway mark. The next area to clear is the right side of the image. I have already begun to mark the area off, and hopefully I'll be able to show a finished screenshot sometime soon. Now I know that this was not the most in depth post of all time, but let's remember Rome, was not built in a day either. Keep those hard hats on and stay safe at the job site so we'll see each other in the next Daily Dig!


The days of filing cabinets and metal shelving filled with paper medical records will soon be a thing of the past. With subsidies from the Federal Government totaling $19 billion, hospitals are improving their operations in profound ways, incorporating Information Technology as a staple of administration and care. From patient communications to top-down records systems to better asset management, hospitals are seizing the reigns and making a positive difference in their budgets and their service.
Paper bills and missed appointments pose a challenge for care provider and patient alike. The endless headaches that can arise from archaic administrative systems can lead to financial loss, inefficient personnel usage, and poor customer perception. This arena of external communications may represent only the beginning of health-IT's potential, but the efforts utilized are streamlining billing and patient access to important information.
The Cleveland Clinic in particular offers an exemplary demonstration of what innovative new IT technologies can achieve. Their comprehensive iPad app not only makes relevant health news and developments available to patients, it also provides access to MyAccount, the clinic's online bill-pay system. In addition to facilitating essential communication between patients and hospitals, the piece works as excellent PR, distributing content marketing in the form of health quizzes and other awareness tools. This outward-facing effort combines the considerations of both busy doctors and busy patients and finds a solution that both can agree on.
The trust placed in hospitals manifests in multiple contexts. Patients trust their health and, literally, their lives to doctors. But upon exiting the hospital, they trust their medical records and private information to the systems of the facility. With cyber criminals taking advantage of security flaws to personal profit, hospitals are building their own barriers to data theft by employing security solutions and IT expertise. With the digitization of medical records comes an inherent threat to privacy, but savvy hospitals are identifying this as a crucial aspect of their IT operations and protecting their patients in the process.
The capability of computer systems to communicate with one another in order to streamline systems has not escaped the notice of health professionals. Database Administrators and Systems Analysts alike are seeing more opportunities in job listings, but the solutions being deployed extend beyond simple networking. Hospitals understanding the importance of customer service in the evolving marketplace are changing the playbook entirely.
Enter Puyallup Medical Center in Puyallup, Washington. Through a joint effort with technology firm Group Health, the institution is changing the way that patient care is administered. Through usage of real-time location systems (RTLS) via badges attached to patients, care is being brought to those in need instead of the other way around. At any time, those administering care can access patient histories, conduct consultations with other wings of the hospital, and access administrative support staff. The end-goal, as stated by the organization, is to perform the entire primary care visit in a single room, face-to-face.
The hospital plays a curious dual role, providing an essential and oftentimes life-changing service, and functioning as a business that must maintain profitability. In this way, inclusion of IT technologies represents a win-win for patient and organization. The primary vehicle for this benefit is the fact that all functions administered through IT infrastructure can be tracked, analyzed, and optimized.
Puyallup's example represents a groundbreaking vision for integration, but tracking of patient care and asset usage lie at its core. Consultations, prescriptions, test results, dates of care, and myriad other metrics can be used to better offer health recommendations and improve patient service. The equipment, personnel, and resources used to administer this care can be tracked and analyzed in order to maximize efficiency and improve profitability. The combination offers the best of both worlds, and is achieved through a single system; the definition of efficiency.
While mentioned multiple times in the previous paragraphs, it bears repeating that the heart of the IT revolution in health care is service. A new era of customer expectations has driven the understanding that those who value volume before service will fail to retain profitability. Greater connectivity between critical personnel and systems will surely improve hospital operations, but patient care is where the rubber meets the road, and the aforementioned examples, alongside countless others embracing the change, are reshaping the way we administer and receive medical treatment for the better.
Through innovative patient care and integrated data efforts, savvy hospitals are changing the face of health care. More efficient access between patients and hospitals are reducing loss in the billing and booking process. Integrated systems are improving primary care and keeping patients safe. Finally, tracking technologies designed to keep tabs on asset management and health records are enhancing and re-defining service in exciting new ways. It's difficult to say what new horizons health-IT will see before the revolution reaches its apex, but suffice to say that those with the technical know-how needed to administer the change are in for a decidedly enjoyable ride.


text:
Nurses picket Shore Medical over contract negotiations
Shaun Smith & Kathleen Kleva, Shore News Today, March 14, 2012 Somers Point – Nurses at Shore Medical Center took their objections regarding contract negotiations to the streets Saturday, March 10 outside the hospital on Shore Road. The nurses, represented by the New York State Nurses Association union, have been without a contract since the start of the year. About 200 demonstrated, setting up pickets on all sides of the hospital. ... Nurses
Shore Medical nurses to hold protest on Saturday
Management demands unreasonable givebacks. New York State Nurses Association, March 5, 2012 Somers Point – Registered nurses at Shore Medical Center say their contract talks with management are now at a critical stage. The RNs, represented by the New York State Nurses Association, are fighting for better working conditions and the respect that primary caregivers deserve. Yet, hospital management continues to demand givebacks in healthcare coverage that could drive experienced RNs away from the hospital and discourage applicants. RNs feel that they have no choice but to stand up for their practice and their patients, and will conduct an informational picket ... Shore
Shore Memorial nurses charge management with violating NJ's OT law
Mark Genovese, New York Nurse, January/February 2012 New Jersey state law is crystal clear: On-call time shall not be construed to permit an employer to use on-call time as a substitute for mandatory overtime. Yet, management of Shore Memorial Hospital is routinely violating this provision by using on-call nurses to regularly staff its obstetrics unit. So RNs at this Somers Point facility are fighting back – using the law's procedure for filing complaints. ... Shore
Nurses say negotiations with Shore Medical Center are near an impasse; hospital disagrees
Steven Lemongello, PressofAtlanticCity.com, February 24, 2012 Registered nurses at Shore Medical Center in Somers Point have been working without a contract since the end of 2011 and the nurses association has claimed that hospital management is being "intimidating" and that negotiations are close to an impasse. Shore, meanwhile, said negotiations were ongoing as recently as Wednesday afternoon and that the union was exaggerating the situation. ... Nurses
Hospital responds to allegations in state report
Submitted by seachange on Fri, 2011-08-12 02:30.
Hudson Reporter, August 10, 2011 In response to complaints from a local nurses' union and a public interest group, the state conducted an investigation on July 6 and 7 of Meadowlands Hospital in Secaucus, which was taken over by a private company last year. A report was released on Tuesday alleging that there were several deficiencies, ranging from the hospital failing to implement its policies for handwashing - specifically referencing an anesthesiologist who failed to do so when switching gloves - to failing to maintain clean operating rooms. ... Hospital
Nurses at CHS Hospital in New Jersey Approve Union
Lindsey Dunn, Becker's Hospital Review, December 17, 2010 Nurses at Memorial Hospital of Salem County in Swedesboro, NJ, have approved unionization, according to news release by the Health Professionals and Allied Employees, New Jersey's largest union and the one that will represent Salem County nurses. Community Health Systems, the parent company of MHSC, originally objected to the election, claiming that a substantial number of RNs were supervisors and ineligible to vote. ... Nurses
Nurses union files complaint against Shore Memorial Hospital
Christopher Ramírez, Press of Atlantic City, January 14, 2011 The union representing nearly 500 nurses at Shore Memorial Hospital in Somers Point has filed a complaint against the hospital for the way recent layoffs were handled and intends to file additional grievances. The New York State Nurses Association has filed unfair labor practice charges against the hospital with the National Labor Relations Board and is in contact with a pair of state agencies concerning personnel and patient care issues. ... Nurses
Layoffs fewer than anticipated at Shore Memorial
Shaun Smith, Shore News Today, January 12, 2011 Somers Point – Although Shore Memorial Hospital announced previously that it was paring down its staff by as many as 90 employees, recent adjustments have reduced the number to 81. Joan Gavin, vice president of nursing, said Monday that 22 registered nurses' positions have been eliminated; however, all but seven have found other positions within the hospital. "Nursing staffing is unique with maximum flexibility," Gavin said. According to Gavin, there are 400 registered nurses working at the hospital. Shore Memorial Hospital President and CEO Ron Johnson announced in December that 90 ... Layoffs
Salem hospital nurses vote on union, but legal wrangling keeps ballots sealed
Jaime Marine, NJ.com, September 4, 2010 Mannington Township - Registered nurses working at The Memorial Hospital of Salem County here have voted in the union election, but the ballots will not be counted until the National Labor Relations Board can hear an appeal filed by the hospital and CHS, the hospital's parent corporation. "Nurses won their right to vote even after significant obstacles were placed in their path by the hospital," said Ann Twomey, president of the 12,000-member Health Professionals and Allied Employees. ... Salem
Memorial Hospital of Salem County nurses to vote in union election
Jaime E. Marine, NJ.com, August 8, 2010 Mannington Township - The nurses at The Memorial Hospital of Salem County have won the right to vote in a union election, according to the Health Professionals and Allied Employees union. "Memorial Hospital of Salem County has received a decision - issued on August 2 by the regional director for the Philadelphia office of the National Labor Relations Board - directing an election for the purpose of allowing the hospital's nurses to decide whether or not they want to be represented for collective bargaining purposes by the Health Professionals and Allied Employees," James L. Angle, chief executive officer ... Memorial
Nurses continue drive for a union
Jaime E. Marine, Sunbeam, July 14, 2010 Mannington Township - The National Labor Relations Board recently dismissed charges filed by the attorneys for the parent company of The Memorial Hospital of Salem County against the Health Professionals and Allied Employees union and pro-union nurses, according to a news release issued by the HPAE on Monday. Hospital spokesman George J. Gennaoui declined Tuesday to comment on the matter. ... Nurses
South Jersey Healthcare, nurses union reach agreement
Press of Atlantic City, May 29, 2010 South Jersey Healthcare and its nurses union have agreed to a new three-year labor contract. The two sides struck the deal Thursday night, hospital officials said Friday, alleviating any concerns about a work stoppage at the Vineland-based hospital network by doing so before the current contract's expiration date May 31. The nurses union has about 750 members and is under the umbrella of Health Professionals and Allied Employees. ... South
Salem County nurses want a vote for union
Jaime E. Marine, Star-Ledger, May 21, 2010 Mannington Township - Saying they want a larger role in patient care and to protect health services for the community, more than 70 percent of the registered nurses at The Memorial Hospital of Salem County filed a petition for an election to join the state's largest nursing union, according to a release issued Thursday by HPAE. The petition for the election to join the Health Professionals and Allied Employees union was filed on Wednesday. Nurse Lorie Halter, RN ICU, said in a press release that the registered nurses want to make sure the hospital stays an important part of the community. ... Salem
Nurses raffle off baskets to raise funds
Mike Curley, Northern Valley Suburbanite, May 20, 2010 Englewood – The nursing staff at the Englewood Hospital and Medical Center raffled off 32 gift baskets to benefit nursing students in Haiti last week, as part of Nurses Week. The nurses were able to raise $10,700 from the gift basket raffle, which were assembled and donated primarily by the nursing units at the hospital, though a few were donated by others such as the hospital's gift shop, the president and vice president and the Advance Practice Nurse Group. The gift baskets were displayed in the lobby from May 5 to May 12, after which the winners were announced so they could claim their prizes. ... Nurses
Nurse staffing study predicts California mandate would save lives elsewhere
Joe Carlson, Modern Healthcare, April 20, 2010 If nurses in New Jersey enjoyed the nurse-patient staffing ratios seen by their colleagues in California, researchers estimate that the Garden State might have seen 14% fewer surgical deaths in 2006, according to predictive modeling in a new study of nurse-patient ratios. The study, "Implications of the California nurse staffing mandate for other states," published today in the journal Health Services Research, finds that the nurse-to-patient ratios enacted by law in California in 2004 have had the effect of decreasing nurse burnout and lowering turnover and the number who reported that workloads caused them to miss changes in patient conditions. ... Nurse
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Emanuela Menuzzo (born 1 August 1956) is an Italian former cyclist. She competed in the women's road race event at the 1984 Summer Olympics.

References

External links

1956 births
Living people
Italian female cyclists
Olympic cyclists of Italy
Cyclists at the 1984 Summer Olympics
Cyclists from Milan

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
<!DOCTYPE html
  PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN">

<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8">
<title>GSW Toolbox licence</title>

Licence for the use of the Gibbs SeaWater (GSW) Oceanographic Toolbox

 Copyright (c) 2011, SCOR/IAPSO WG127 (Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research/ International Association for the Physical Sciences of the Oceans, Working Group 127).

All rights reserved.

Redistribution and use, in source and binary forms, without modification, is permitted provided that the following conditions are met:

• Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.

• Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.

• Neither the name of SCOR/IAPSO WG127 nor the names of its contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived from this software without specific prior written permission.

THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT HOLDER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.

The software is available from http://www.TEOS-10.org

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Q: How to use chromedriver to test Chrome on Android in my infrastructure, I have Selenium Hub and Selenium nodes connected to this Hub. I have nodes for each desktop browser I need to test. To run a test in my grid on let's say Chrome, I start the chromedriver with the following parameters:
java -Dwebdriver.chrome.driver=C:\chromedriver.exe -jar selenium-server-standalone-2.52.0.jar -role webdriver -hub http://myseleniumhubip:4444/grid/register -browser browserName=chrome,platform=WINDOWS -port 5557

And I create my driver in the test like this:
DesiredCapabilities capability = DesiredCapabilities.Chrome();
driver = new RemoteWebDriver(new Uri("http://myseleniumhubip:4444/wd/hub"), capability);

And everything works as expected. Browser is launched on remote machine and test performs.
However, I would also like to test in Chrome on my real Android device. Problem is, I have no idea how to start chromedriver (what parameters to use), nor how to create RemoteWebDriver to accomplish this.
Could anyone please help me?

*

*I have Android SDK installed on the machine with chromedriver

*Phone is set into debugging mode

*I'm using C# for my tests

Thank you!

A: If anyone's still struggling with this, the following approach works fine for me:
ChromeOptions chromeOptions = new ChromeOptions();
chromeOptions.AddAdditionalCapability("androidPackage", "com.android.chrome");

driver = new RemoteWebDriver(new Uri("http://myseleniumhubip:4444/wd/hub"), chromeOptions.ToCapabilities());

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Printing a car part from your home, building a house in 20 hours, or an entire neighborhood within a couple weeks seems unrealistic. But, with the creation of 3D printing, more professionally referred to as "additive manufacturing," these goals are not too far-fetched. How is this possible? To break it down simply, the 3D printer uses layer-wise, fabrication technology, meaning that the printing begins with a digital file. With the aid of a 3D modeling program, a computerized 3D construction of an object is created. While this file is being sent to the printer, the software is slicing the design into thousands of horizontal layers. The printer then works in layers as it prints the 3D object. From smaller projects such as printing tools for machines, or simply decorative trinkets for the home, 3D printing is potentially the "next-big-thing" in the tech-world. Even bigger, researchers are looking to use this technology to produce more affective and beneficial products for society as a whole. Scientists are studying how to use the 3D printer to make artificial tissue and limbs as well as human organs using a person's own cells. With an outstanding amount of homeless, and disaster-stricken people across the world, innovators are also looking into the 3D printing of housing complexes and emergency shelters. Each day more investors are expressing interest in this new technology, opening up a window for more groundbreaking discoveries and new answers to old problems.


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Yes, absolutely his opinion. I think he said that he currently doesn't own any Gibsons. I found it kinda funny when he fiddled around with the LP and then said: yeah... Ummm... I always found the nick pickup a bit useless on these.
nadzab and Intune like this.
I'm also not saying anything bad about the JV series of fender/squier they have a following for a reason. There's no doubt they are well made. It's a matter of opinion if a person thinks one is better or not to a USA version. 1982 JV strat versus 1982 Fullerton strat. I know which one I'd be after.
Yeah I don't think he really like that Gibson. He was nice about it though but he's got what 40-50 guitars in his collection and no Gibsons. I can relate. I want to like them but they just don't do it for me.
1982 JV strat versus 1982 Fullerton strat. I know which one I'd be after.
Lots of us had that very choice, in 1982, having seen the output from Fender in the late 1970s. I'd already made my choice of quality in 1980 and bought my Tokai, so I didn't partake of the Fender/Squier JVs, but my friends did.
Thrup'ny Bit, Jan 14, 2022 at 12:01 PM
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Thrup'ny Bit said: ↑
The author of that blog article made the same call you did.
"In 1984 when buying my first Strat I had a straight choice between Tokai and Squier. I bought a Tokai. So yes, today the early Squiers look like they were worldbeating value, but in their day they still lost a hell of a lot of battles to rivals."
I always thought those were somewhat of a dude that got an Epiphone & put a Gibson Truss Rod cover on the headstock. Today, you won't find that. Anyway, I've come around myself, took a chance that the Monoprice Telecaster was good enough. As a consumer, I felt Squier was the safest bet for the build quality for that price point, even if I had to pay a little more for it. But the Monoprice's early into ownership are quite good. Good enough that I bought a 2nd one. I'll see how they wear eventually. I have a gut feeling they'll be every bit as good as any of the bigger name brands. I hand off my instrument to a less talented player, it sounds awful, play it myself it gets better & in the hands of the better players, I'll be darned if I can't tell it's a Monoprice at all. I have to up my game,the instrument isn't really what is holding me back. Last Saturday I took in a concert live performance, they used only the best name brand guitars. Parts of the show they got sloppy and I cringed at the noise that was being blared out at the outdoor venue, other parts their instruments were what I expected of $ 2k+ guitars.
Colnago1 Senior Stratmaster
CalicoSkies said: ↑
I tried checking the serial number (T018293) online using this Fender serial number checker tool, and that site indeed lists it as a MIJ Strat, made in 1994 or 1995 or 2007-2010. But that could still mean only that the neck is real and the body is not genuine Fender.
Actually all that proves, and all any serial number website proves, is that the serial number is real.
Colnago1, Jan 14, 2022 at 3:02 PM
CB91710 No GAS shortage here Double Platinum Supporting Member
Colnago1 said: ↑
Guitarsite,nl and guitardaterproject don't even prove that.
You can plug in any made-up serial number that actually fits a standard pattern and the site will kick out a "legitimate" result.
Try these one on a few sites and see what they tell you they are...
They will return "2017-2018" and "2018-2019" Ensenada Mexico
While that is true, neither of these necks have ever been attached to a body.
Now use the same numbers, but change one of the last 4 digits... it will probably not change the result, even though your new made up number MAY have happened to hit on a valid number, that doesn't mean it's legit.
Neither of these two numbers will show up in the Fender database on the Fender site.
CB91710, Jan 14, 2022 at 3:15 PM
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The Squiers weren't thought of when I bought my Tokai, if they had have been, I would have thought about it, then bought the Tokai. When the Tokai was stolen I bought a Japanese Fender.
Thrup'ny Bit, Jan 14, 2022 at 3:15 PM
I chuckled when they handed Thorn the Gibson LP, like interviewing a Coca Cola executive and in the middle of it, handing him a Pepsi and asking him what he thought about it.
I went to church with George Fullerton and Leo Fender. My parents went to many dinner parties at their homes.
Hanging out with George's son, he had an old Fender Jag and a blonde Twin.
I never saw a G&L guitar (or Music Man for that matter) in either home.
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CalicoSkies Most Honored Senior Member Gold Supporting Member
Beaverton, OR, USA
CB91710 said: ↑
I wonder if brand name recognition was a part of that, even for them. But Leo Fender himself didn't actually play guitar, so I wouldn't necessarily expect him to own one. I don't know about George Fullerton though.
CalicoSkies, Jan 14, 2022 at 3:57 PM
I don't know how talented he was... I never saw him actually play, but there are pictures of George on the production line in the original factory test-playing new guitars.
His son Geoffrey could play pretty well, but it didn't seem to be a big part of his life. He was more interested in listening to music... He turned me on to Ted Nugent.
I've argued the serial number fact with people before and got nowhere. They figure that if the serial number popped up on the serial website that it was a legit Gibson, Fender, whatever guitar. I just laughed when they continually got screwed buying fakes.
Colnago1, Jan 14, 2022 at 10:03 PM
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Pinetop is located in Apache County, Arizona. There are roughly 3,997 residents, living in 1,607 households. The average temperature for Pinetop this time of the year is low of 27F and high of 57F. On average, Pinetop gets about 1.4 inches of precipitation in April. Most residents are home owners (80%), have a post secondary degree (58%) and are married, no kids (40%).


1. In an antipersonnel dart, combination comprising a magnetized head adapted to deliver poison, the poison charge including a magnetic material, a stabilizing tail section telescopically carried by the said head, and a combination igniter-propellant adapted to forceably separate the head and tail sections, at impact.
1663883 Disinfecting and insecticidal agent 1928-03-27 Gunzler et al.
2. A military dart of such small size that there are between 1,000 and 10,000 thereof to a pound, said darts, aside from an optional destructive agent, consisting of two metal parts and a propellant charge whereby the darts can be produced easily by fully-automated manufacture, said metal parts being a head and a tubular stabilizing tail, one of said metal parts comprising a cylinder portion having a central bore, the other metal part comprising a piston portion slidably carried telescopically in said cylinder portion, said propellant charge being contained in a cavity defined by the central bore of siad cylinder portion and an end of said piston portion, said propellant charge substantially completely filling said cavity with said end of said piston portion in contact with said charge.
3. A military dart of such small size that there are between 1,000 and 10,000 thereof to a pound, said darts, consisting of two metal parts, a destructive agent and a propellant charge whereby the darts can be produced easily by fully-automated manufacture, said metal parts being a head and a stabilizing tail, said head consisting of a metal tube having a longitudinal bore extending entirely therethrough formed with a smaller bore section and a larger bore section, the smaller bore section being at the forward end of the metal tube and of substantially smaller diameter than at the larger bore section at the rearward end, the length of the smaller bore section being substantially less than the length of the larger bore section, said destructive agent filling the smaller bore section, a propellant charge contained in the larger bore section adjacent said smaller bore section and filling only a minor portion of said larger bore section, said stabilizing tail comprising a forward piston portion and a rearward tubular portion, said piston portion being at least as long as the length of said larger bore section, said piston portion being slidably carried telescopically in said larger bore section with the front end of said piston portion abutting said propellant charge.
4. A military dart as claimed in claim 3 in which the said two metal parts are magnetized to prevent the parts from becoming separated in flight of the military dart while permitting the two parts to slide relative to one another to a limited extent.
5. A military dart as claimed in claim 3 in which said destructive agent comprises an intergranular corrosive liquid metal selected from the group consisting of mercury and gallium.
6. A military dart as claimed in claim 3 in which said destructive agent is a non-explosive mixture comprising a lethal antipersonnel poison.
7. A military dart of such small size that there are between 1,000 and 10,000 thereof to a pound, such darts, aside from an optional destructive agent, consisting of two metal parts and a propellant charge, whereby the darts can be produced easily by fully-automated manufacture, said metal parts being a head and a tubular stabilizing tail, one of said metal parts comprising a cylinder portion having a central bore, the other metal part comprising a piston portion slidably carried telescopically in said cylinder portion, said propellant charge being contained in a cavity defined by said central bore of said cylinder portion and an end of said piston portion, said propellant charge substantially completely filling said cavity with the end of said piston portion in contact with said charge, said metal part comprising said cylinder portion being formed of a straight section of metal tube having a uniform longitudinal bore, and a poison-carrying sintered head fixed at one end of said metal tube closing the longitudinal bore.
8. A military dart of such small size that there are between 1,000 and 10,000 thereof to a pound, such darts, aside from an optional destructive agent, consisting of two metal parts and a propellant charge, whereby the darts can be produced easily by fully-automated manufacture, said metal parts being a head and a tubular stabilizing tail, one of said metal parts comprising a cylinder portion having a central bore, the other metal part comprising a piston portion slidably carried telescopically in said cylinder portion, said propellant charge being contained in a cavity defined by said central bore of said cylinder portion and an end of said piston portion, said propellant charge substantially completely filling said cavity with the end of said piston portion in contact with said charge, said metal part comprising said cylinder portion consisting of a tubular metal piece having a pair of longitudinal bores therein, one of said bores extending into the metal piece from one end and the second longitudinal bore extending into the metal piece from the other end, said two bores terminating short of connection with one another, one of said bores being longer than the other, the shorter bore constituting said cylinder portion, said piston portion of the military dart being a sintered metal rod of a diameter to permit it to be slidably carried telescopically in said longitudinal shorter bore.
9. In an antipersonnel dart, the combination comprising a magnetized head adapted to deliver an antipersonnel agent, an antipersonnel agent including a magnetic material, a magnetized tail section telescopically carried by said head, and a combination igniter-propellant adapted to separate the head and tail sections at impact, high pressure gases from the combustion of said igniter-propellant serving to forceably eject said antipersonnel agent from said head.
10. A military dart of such small size that there are between 1,000 and 10,000 thereof to a pound, said darts, aside from an optional military agent, consisting of two metal parts and a propellant charge whereby the darts can be produced easily by fully-automated manufacture, said metal parts being a head and a tubular stabilizing tail, said two metal parts being magnetized to prevent the parts from becoming separated in flight of the military dart while permitting the two parts to slide relative to one another to a limited extent.
This invention relates to military darts which will wound and poison with biological agents, toxins, or chemical poisons or dispense antimateriel agents.
Antipersonnel poison darts, if they rely on free-fall for the necessary striking energy to penetrate a soldier's uniform, must be of a suitable configuration, and are relatively heavy. Toxic fragments of an explosive shell, for example, or an explosive aerial dart (see U.S. Pat. No. 1,189,382) also have to be quite heavy if they are to be effective. Very small rockets might be another way to deliver poison to a wound, but they, as well as the free-fall dart and the toxic explosive shell or dart fragments are much bigger and heavier than needed to carry a lethal dose of poison.
A principal object of this invention is to provide antipersonnel poison darts that make the most efficient use of the chemical or biological agent carried by the dart.
A further object is the provision of antipersonnel poison darts that are lighter and more efficient than any comparable device known heretofore.
Another object is the provision of extremely small and light weight poison darts, each potentially lethal, permitting a maximum number to be carried for a given weight load.
Still another object is the provision of new forms of antipersonnel poison darts which will allow greater military effectiveness of such weapons and increased aircraft coverage per sortie.
A further object is the provision of new forms of military darts which can be effectively used to dispense liquids, such as liquid corrosive agents, so they may be used as anti-materiel devices, particularly for destruction or immobilization of aircraft and missiles.
These objects are accomplished by forming an "injector" type of dart which is a quick and efficient killer. All of the destructive agent carried by the dart is discharged with great force, e.g., into a wound as it is created. In contrast, with poisons or other agents applied merely by force of impact, only a small fraction of the agent is effective and diffusion into a wound is slow, with attendant delay in lethality.
To be militarily useable, devices of the type to which this invention pertains, especially of very small size (1,000 to 10,000 to the pound), must be extremely simple. The preferred form of the new darts consists mainly of two metal parts. Both are screw-machine parts and the darts are ideally adapted to fully-automated manufacture as must be the case when poisons are used.
The new poison darts use free-fall to supply only a portion of the energy needed to insure penetration of the poisoned tip, the balance of the necessary energy being supplied automatically at the moment of impact. A preferred embodiment of the new darts provides means for injecting the poison into the wound in advance of the dart so that the agent is macerated into the flesh as the wound is created, thus insuring a maximum of effectiveness.
The "injector" configuration of this dart, can, in a scaled-up version, also function effectively as an antimateriel device. Liquid metals such as mercury and gallium can be dispensed by such darts to cause catastrophic intergranular corrosion of high-strength aluminum alloys. Stressed high-strength aluminum alloys when attacked by mercury and/or gallium, can very quickly deteriorate to a very small fraction of their original strength. Once a dart of this type has impacted an airplane or missile skin there is no practical way to determine the extent of the damage.
The proposed dart employs what could be called "Javelin Stabilization" wherein most of the weight is in the nose.
The free-fall darts can be dropped from any altitude. They can be salvoed directly from airplanes. They do not require bomb-type housings to be dropped to a release altitude, and hence no aneroid, time fuse, or costly VT fuse and burster to increase the munition cost. A further advantage is that there is no warning, as in the case of munitions delivered by low-altitude air burst.
By virtue of the design, the new darts are not critical as regards drop altitude. Adequate penetration is assured at all speeds above the threshold required to actuate the igniter. Further speed increases up to terminal velocity add somewhat to the penetration.
The new darts use a gun-type reaction to drive the head into the target. Hence, dispensing of poison or other agents is more or less independent of dart velocity at impact. At impact, the propellant is ignited, firing the tail section rearward and adding greatly to the head velocity. If desired, the propellant pressure can be used to inject the poison agent through a small hole in the head. The head, in following on into the target, smears the agent into the wound.
FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a preferred form of the new poison darts which have means to accelerate the head at impact, and means to inject poison or other agents directly into the target in advance of the head. Provision is also made for a safety device which will prevent ignition of the propellant unless the darts have been properly released.
FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of an alternate construction wherein the poison is carried in a solid, porous, head section. This construction does not provide for injection of the agent. The annular clearance groove between the head and tail sections may be employed for a safing mechanism.
FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of still another configuration wherein the hollow tail of one dart slides over and protects the head of the dart packed ahead of it until the darts are dispensed. A porous head to carry the agent is shown, but this configuration can also employ the drilled head of FIG. 1, wherein the poison is injected into the wound at the moment of impact.
Reference is made to FIG. 1 which depicts a preferred embodiment of this invention. The stabilizing tail section 11, of the dart, is slidable within the head section 12. On striking the target, the tail 11 slides forward in the head 12, impacting the igniter-propellant 13, which, gun-fashion, fires the tail 11 rearward at high velocity and greatly increases the effective velocity of the head 12. High-pressure combustion gases generated by the igniter-propellant 13 serve to inject the poison agent 14 into the target at a very high speed. Should aerodynamic drag loads make it desirable to insure that the tail 11, a slidable fit within the head 12, does not separate from the head, both the head and tail sections may be magnetized as bar magnets. If the forward portion of the tail is magnetized as the "South" pole, and the aft or mating end of the head 12 magnetized as the "North" pole, magnetic attraction will permit the tail 11 to move slightly rearward under drag loads but will not permit the two components to separate. On impact, this will result in free travel of the tail 11 before striking the igniter-propellant 13, thus insuring positive ignition. The antipersonnel or antimateriel agent, presumably a thixotropic gel or encapsulated, can be retained in the magnetized head by adding iron powder or other solid filler material, preferably a high density magnetic material such as magnetic ferric oxide, to the poison. This may greatly assist automated loading procedures. Iron powder compliments mercury in antimateriel darts by facilitating catastrophic intergranular corrosion.
FIG. 3 shows an alternate configuration of my invention, wherein pre-drop carriage and handling is made safer by allowing the protruding portion of the poison-carrying sintered head 32 to protrude into the hollow central portion of the tail 31 of the dart packaged immediately ahead of it. As in the other configurations, impact of the head 32 into the igniter-propellant 33 fires the head, gun-fashion, into the target, and the tail is propelled violently rearward. Magnetic retention may be used.
Obviously, any suitable poison or antimateriel agent, e.g., liquid mercury or gallium, may be used in the head portions 14, 24, or 32 of the new darts. In those instances where the purpose is to wound rather than kill enemy personnel, the destructive agents carried by the darts may be vesicant agents, burning agents or the like.
From the foregoing it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that there is herein disclosed a new and extremely lethal antipersonnel poison dart. While specific examples have been given, applicant claims the benefit of a full range of equivalents within the scope of the appended claims.


Ah, money. There's nothing like the sound of coins clinking in your hands. You vastly prefer it to the sound of coins clinking in someone else's hands, or the sound of coins just sitting there in a pile that no-one can quite reach without getting up. Getting up, that's all behind you now. Life has been good to you. Just ten years ago, you were tilling your own fields in a simple straw hat. Today, your kingdom stretches from sea to sea, and your straw hat is the largest the world has ever known. You also have the world's smallest dog, and a life-sized statue of yourself made out of baklava. Sure, money can't buy happiness, but it can buy envy, anger, and also this kind of blank feeling. You still have problems – troublesome neighbours that must be conquered.
But this time, you'll conquer them in style.
Prosperity is the 4th addition to the Dominion game family. It adds 25 new Kingdom cards to Dominion, plus 2 new Basic cards that let players keep building up past Gold and Province. The central theme is wealth; there are treasures with abilities, cards that interact with treasures, and powerful expensive cards.


text:
Topic: SIEMENS
Atlantia to acquire Yunex Traffic from Siemens Mobility for €950 million - January 18, 2022
Eolus and Hydro REIN place order for 42 wind turbines from Siemens Gamesa - December 30, 2021
Siemens Gamesa to install first of its SG 11.0-200 DD machines in German waters - December 20, 2021
Siemens Gamesa receives green light for 344 MW Denmark Vesterhav offshore wind projects - December 15, 2021
Siemens Gamesa delivers 250 MW of clean wind energy to Egypt - December 2, 2021
Siemens Gamesa revenue up 7.5% - November 6, 2021
Siemens Gamesa signs MoU to license 11 MW Direct Drive offshore technology to China Energy United Power - November 6, 2021
Siemens Gamesa plans first offshore wind turbine OEM blade facility in U.S. - October 26, 2021
Siemens Mobility signs historic contract for Turnkey Rail System in Egypt worth USD 3 bn - September 10, 2021
Siemens Gamesa launches world's first recyclable wind turbine blade for commercial use offshore - September 7, 2021
Siemens Gamesa to double offshore blade facility - August 9, 2021
Siemens Q3 net income up 177 percent - August 5, 2021
Siemens Gamesa Q3 backlog €32.6bn - July 30, 2021
Siemens revenue up 6% - May 7, 2021
Siemens completes $285m acquisition of C&S Electric - March 2, 2021
Commission clears acquisition of Varian by Siemens Healthineers, subject to conditions - February 22, 2021
Siemens Q1 net income climbed 38 percent - February 3, 2021
Siemens Gamesa Q1 revenue increased by 15% - January 29, 2021
Siemens Mobility provides connected vehicles system for Austrian highways - November 26, 2020
Siemens Q4 net income increased 28 percent - November 12, 2020
Siemens Gamesa gets turbine order from Swedish wind farm - October 12, 2020
Siemens Gamesa secures 473-MW turbine order from Adani Green - August 18, 2020
Siemens Q3 profit 539 million euros - August 7, 2020
Varian to combine with Siemens Healthineers in $16.4 billion cash transaction - August 3, 2020
Siemens Gamesa revenues €2,411 million - July 30, 2020
Italy arrests Siemens, Alstom executives over Milan subway deals - June 23, 2020
Siemens CEO: No job cuts due to coronavirus - April 13, 2020
Siemens builds Germany's largest 'power outlet' for ships for Port of Kiel - February 17, 2020
Siemens Q1 profit rises - February 5, 2020
Siemens Gamesa slips to loss in Q1 - February 4, 2020
Dominion Energy: Siemens Gamesa to supply turbines for 2.6GW U.S. offshore wind farm - January 9, 2020
Siemens Gamesa revenue €10,227m - November 5, 2019
Volkswagen and Siemens launch joint electric mobility pilot project in Rwanda - October 30, 2019
200 million euros job: Siemens Gamesa to buy assets from wind turbine maker Senvion - October 21, 2019
Siemens Healthineers to buy Corindus Vascular Robotics for $1.1 billion - August 8, 2019
Siemens Q3 profit down 6% - August 1, 2019
Siemens to cut 2,700 jobs worldwide - June 18, 2019
Siemens sells electric aircraft-propulsion business to Rolls-Royce - June 18, 2019
Novatek signed MOU with Total, Siemens and Zarubezhneft on cooperation in Vietnam - June 8, 2019
Siemens Q2 adjusted EBITA for industrial business up 7% YoY - May 8, 2019
Siemens' Gas and Power to be separately managed, will cut 10,400 jobs - May 8, 2019
Siemens signs roadmap implementation agreement in Iraq - April 30, 2019
Siemens Gamesa receives new order for 43 SG 4.5-145 turbines to be installed in Canada - April 26, 2019
Siemens secures major order for integrated LNG-to-Power project in Brazil - April 3, 2019
France slams EU veto of Alstom-Siemens rail merger - February 6, 2019
Juncker rejects claims that EU blocks mergers of Siemens and Alstom - February 5, 2019
Siemens launches Fund for the Future to shape structural transformation in Germany - February 4, 2019
Siemens to invest additional 500 million euros in Africa - December 18, 2018
Siemens to deliver new trains for VIA Rail Canada - December 12, 2018
Siemens to build 100 new London Underground Piccadilly Line trains - November 22, 2018
Siemens Q4 revenue 22.6 billion euros - November 8, 2018
Siemens plans to make biggest single investment in company's history in Berlin - October 31, 2018
Siemens in landmark MoU to repower Iraq - October 23, 2018
Siemens Gamesa tailors wind turbine for Asia-Pacific markets - September 20, 2018
Australia raises concerns over Siemens-Alstom merger - September 8, 2018
Austria buys Siemens trains for up to 1.5 billion euros - August 17, 2018
Siemens Gamesa gets turbine supply order for one of Norway's largest wind park - August 13, 2018
Siemens Q3 profit from continuing operations declines - August 2, 2018
Siemens completes Egypt megaproject in record time - July 25, 2018
EC opens in-depth investigation into Siemens proposed acquisition of Alstom - July 13, 2018
Siemens bags £1.5bn contract to build 94 new Tube trains for Piccadilly line - June 16, 2018
Siemens investigates fatal electric aircraft crash in Hungary - June 7, 2018
Planned combination of Siemens Mobility and Alstom reaches milestones - May 31, 2018
Siemens and Northvolt partner in next generation lithium-ion battery cell production - May 26, 2018
Infrabel: Siemens caused 125 traffic disruptions in Q1 alone - May 10, 2018
Siemens Q2 net income increased to 1.95 billion euros - May 9, 2018
Siemens to add 700MW to Iraq's Rumaila power plant - April 23, 2018
Siemens Gamesa to cut jobs in 24 countries - April 20, 2018
Siemens starts construction at world's largest hydrogen pilot plant - April 17, 2018
Turkey to get high-speed trains from Siemens for €340 million - April 14, 2018
Siemens, Max Bögl Group, Keolisto build Frankfurt Airport's transportation system - March 23, 2018
Former Siemens executive pleads guilty to role in $100m foreign bribery scheme - March 16, 2018
Siemens signs deal to expand in Brazil - March 14, 2018
Areva and Siemens to pay $554 million to settle Finnish reactor dispute - March 12, 2018
Norway's Statnett suspends Siemens as supplier over payments to workers - February 1, 2018
Siemens Q1 net income up 12 percent - January 31, 2018
Siemens fined $5.8 million in South Korea for hurting aftermarket competition - January 17, 2018
Siemens wins contract from Nizhnekamskneftekhim in Tatarstan - December 19, 2017
Airbus, Rolls-Royce, Siemens to make hybrid-electric aircraft - November 28, 2017
Siemens employees stage protests over job cuts in Germany - November 19, 2017
Siemens to restructure, cut 6,900 jobs - November 17, 2017
Siemens-Gamesa revenue down, will cut 6,000 jobs - November 7, 2017
Siemens and BMZ support occupational training in Egypt - October 13, 2017
Siemens Gamesa awarded 96.6 MW onshore wind power order in Norway - October 2, 2017
French minister defends Alstom-Siemens deal - September 27, 2017
Siemens and Alstom to create mobility giant - September 27, 2017
Alstom, Siemens in talks to merge rail ops - September 23, 2017
Fifth major rail order for Siemens in Bangkok - September 21, 2017
Vienna orders 34 driverless U-Bahn trains from Siemens - September 14, 2017
Moscow again rejects Siemens motion to block Crimean turbines - September 12, 2017
Moscow court rejects Siemens' demand to seize its turbines in Crimea - August 21, 2017
Siemens builds eHighway in Germany - August 12, 2017
Siemens Gamesa installs Asia's tallest wind turbines in Thailand - August 10, 2017
Siemens to allocate $3.5 billion credit line for Iran's projects - August 9, 2017
Siemens signs framework contract for 100 locomotives with Deutsche Bahn - August 5, 2017
Siemens delays healthcare business IPO until 2018 - August 3, 2017
Rostec units seen under sanctions over Siemens turbines - July 27, 2017
Siemens to suspend contracts with state-owned Russian companies - July 21, 2017
AES and Siemens create joint-venture for energy storage - July 11, 2017
Siemens says investigating reports its turbines sent to Crimea - July 7, 2017
Bremen orders 67 Siemens Avenio trams - July 1, 2017
Siemens' Mexican unit to swap U.S. materials with local products - May 16, 2017
Siemens Q2 net income level at €1.5 billion - May 4, 2017
Siemens to set up global logistics HQ in Dubai - April 13, 2017
Siemens to produce wind turbines for two EDF Luminus projects in Belgium - March 23, 2017
Europe clears acquisition of Gamesa by Siemens - March 14, 2017
Siemens to supply five large gas turbines to Saudi Arabia - February 24, 2017
Siemens considers U.S. listing of healthcare arm - February 11, 2017
Nearly every second employee in Siemens is shareholder - February 8, 2017
Siemens completes test of 3D-printed gas-turbine blades - February 7, 2017
Siemens overdelivers on promise in Egypt megaproject - February 1, 2017
Siemens Q1 2017 revenue increased 3% on a comparable basis - February 1, 2017
Iran signs contract with Siemens to buy 50 locomotives - January 4, 2017
Siemens employees can charge electric vehicles for free - December 27, 2016
Joint venture between Valeo and Siemens starts - December 2, 2016
Siemens to buy Mentor Graphics for $4.5 billion - November 14, 2016
Lakshmikanth Ananth to head new next47 startup unit at Siemens - November 3, 2016
Helmuth Ludwig appointed new CIO at Siemens - September 30, 2016
Siegfried Russwurm to resign from the Siemens management board - September 26, 2016
Siemens to create 10,000 jobs in Argentina - September 15, 2016
1,900 apprentices begin professional careers with Siemens - September 2, 2016
Tim Holt to take on new CEO role at Siemens - August 5, 2016
Siemens Q3 orders up 6% year-over-year - August 4, 2016
Alia Al Rifai appointed CFO of Siemens Middle East - July 5, 2016
Siemens and Gamesa to merge wind businesses - June 18, 2016
Siemens to supply wind turbines for onshore wind power plant in Japan - June 9, 2016
Jan Mrosik appointed CEO of Siemens digital factory division - May 4, 2016
Siemens Q2 revenue increased 5% to €19 billion - May 4, 2016
Airbus, Siemens to join forces for electric aircraft - April 8, 2016
Nareva, Enel and Siemens to build $1.1bn wind power projects in Morocco - March 12, 2016
Siemens to hire at least 25,000 new employees worldwide - March 10, 2016
Siemens Q1 2016 net profit increased 42% - January 27, 2016
Siemens to increase R&D investment to €4.8 billion - December 10, 2015
Siemens Q4 revenue 4 percent higher - November 12, 2015
LNGL in supplier alliance agreements with Siemens Energy and EthosEnergy - August 25, 2015
Siemens to build wind power plant in Cuxhaven, Germany - August 10, 2015
Siemens AG Q3 revenue was 8% higher - July 30, 2015
Siemens gets green light from EU for Dresser-Rand acquisition - June 30, 2015
Siemens to cut 4,500 more jobs - May 7, 2015
Volvo Buses and Siemens sign agreement on electrified bus systems - January 31, 2015
Siemens posted lower profit for the first quarter - January 27, 2015
Siemens to supply new baggage system for LAX - January 23, 2015
Siemens Taiwan receives MOEA award - November 26, 2014
Siemens to sell Siemens Audiology Solutions - November 7, 2014
Siemens revenue rose 1% and orders were up 2% - November 6, 2014
Areva-Siemens raises claim to $4.4bn over Finnish reactor delays - October 25, 2014
Siemens receives order for 175 light rail cars - September 23, 2014
Cerner to buy Siemens Health Services - August 7, 2014
Siemens to equip StreetScooter with electronics, software - July 19, 2014
Siemens appoints Jürgen Maier as new CEO for the UK - June 11, 2014
Siemens allocates more than $1 billion for Virginia Schools - June 6, 2014
Siemens and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to join forces - May 8, 2014
Rolls-Royce Energy to sell its energy assets to Siemens - May 8, 2014
Siemens AG posted lower revenue - May 7, 2014
Siemens will make an offer to Alstom - April 29, 2014
Siemens to invest $260 million in UK wind facilities - April 1, 2014
Foster Wheeler to buy Siemens Environmental Systems and Services - March 21, 2014
Siemens total sectors profit up 15 percent - January 28, 2014
ICE trainsets from Siemens for Deutsche Bahn approved - December 30, 2013
Siemens awarded largest onshore wind power order to date - December 16, 2013
Ford using Siemens software virtually navigate plants - December 13, 2013
Lothar Adler to leave Siemens - November 25, 2013
Siemens to expand in Alberta - November 15, 2013
Siemens working on driverless subway in Riyadh worth 1.5 billion euros - October 11, 2013
Wood Group and Siemens in $1.1 billion joint venture - October 10, 2013
Ralf Thomas new Siemens CFO - September 18, 2013
Joe Kaeser replaces Peter Loescher as Siemens CEO - July 31, 2013
Siemens order backlog going up, income falling - July 31, 2013
Siemens CEO Peter Loescher to leave the company - July 30, 2013
Mario Azar new CEO of Siemens business unit oil & gas solutions - July 11, 2013
Nokia to buy Siemens' entire 50% stake in Nokia Siemens Networks - July 1, 2013
New UK head of Siemens Low and Medium Voltage Division - May 14, 2013
Siemens' orders up, revenue down to €18 billion - May 2, 2013
Eva Elmstedt to lead services business at Nokia Siemens Networks - February 25, 2013
Nokia Siemens Networks appoints Samih Elhage as CFO - February 20, 2013
Nokia Siemens Networks appoints head of customer operations in Europe - November 16, 2012
Jürgen Amedick to head Siemens Drive Technologies Division - October 29, 2012
JP Takala head of Nokia Siemens Networks in Japan - October 4, 2012
Hans-Jörg Grundmann chief compliance officer at Siemens - September 17, 2012
Siemens: Kay Zwingenberger CEO of UAE operations - July 12, 2012
Junichi Obata to be new head of Siemens Japan - December 20, 2010
Siemens appointed Christian Oecking as managing director and chairman of SIS - November 26, 2010
Siemens Enterprise Communications: Henning Rehder new CFO - August 3, 2010
Siemens Corporation: Camille Johnston new vice president - July 31, 2010
Siemens Enterprise Communications: Wolfram Fischer to lead EMEA and Asia-Pacific - July 15, 2010
Siemens Healthcare: John Glaser CEO of Health IT Business - June 28, 2010
Marek Szymanek new CEO of Siemens WLL Bahrain - May 21, 2010
Siemens Financial Services: new CEO - May 3, 2010
Siemens: Eric Spiegel to head of U.S. business - January 13, 2010
Siemens Enterprise Communications appoints Hamid Akhavan as CEO - December 8, 2009
Daryl Dulaney CEO of Siemens Industry, Inc. - October 1, 2009
Nokia Siemens Networks: Jorg Erlemeier to lead Middle East and Africa - September 16, 2009
Michael Reitermann to Head Siemens Healthcare, U.S. - June 29, 2009
Siemens IT Solutions and Services Names John E. Evers Jr. President and CEO - November 5, 2008
Jim Reid-Anderson Member of the Siemens Managing Board and CEO Healthcare Sector - April 30, 2008


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Q: Is there any parameters to be set so that the forecast and value get closer using the ARIMA fct predict()? After checking for the stationarity of my Time Series Dataset, I got the ARIMA(p,d,q) params and I could fit my model. Now while plotting the Actual vs Fitted, I noticed a "big" gap between both.
Is it normal or is there any parameters to be set so that the forecast and value getting closer using the function predict() before moving forward with train and test phases?


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Journalists Deserve better Working Conditions � Lecturer
Following concerns that the presidential press corps is not being treated well, a lecturer at the School of Communication Studies at the University of Ghana, Dr. Etse Sikanku has appealed for the status quo to change.
According to Dr. Etse, journalists play a key role in fostering the democracy of the country, hence there must be deliberate efforts to ensure they thrive a conducive environment.
Dr. Sikandu's appeal comes days after the press corps was involved in an accident, leading to the death of the Ghanaian Times reporter Samuel Nuamah .
They were traveling in a hired commercial vehicle after covering the president in the Volta Region.
Industry players have question why they were traveling in a hired commercial bus and not part of the presidential convoy.
Others say that decision mirrors the kind of treatment meted out to the journalists.
According to Dr. Sikanku, "The most important thing is that journalists are respected and that journalists do go and travel with the presidential convoy and not in any rickety vehicle.
"…That they are treated and respected in a decent and in the same manner as people who have a responsibility for informing the public on what the most important public institution is doing," he stated.
The communications lecturer further described the death of Samuel Nuamah as an unfortunate one.
He also recommended that media organizations reconsider their means of coverage of such high profile assignments.
He suggested they could involve their regional or local reporters across the country.
Source: The Ghanaian Observer
My Father Made Love To My Wife � Gbenga Obasanjo
3 Injured As Bawku Youth Clash With Police


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Paul Cafcae Interview
Q: Can you talk about your musical history?
A: I attended what was called in the USSR a "music school" starting at the age of 6. Four days a week after school, I learned theory, harmony, solfeggio, rhythm and music literature, as well as how to play accordion and piano. When the iron curtain finally came up and a lot of Western music started pouring into Eastern Europe, I listened to a lot of "old school" music - Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, The Beatles, Elton John, Chuck Berry, Ray Charles, CCR, John Lee Hooker, etc. At 15 I picked up my dad's old guitar and started learning to play it on my own. I remember being greatly inspired by Eric Clapton's Unplugged; I still consider it a true musical masterpiece, so genuine and pristine. Back then I dabbled in some songwriting, but because I was so young and inexperienced, it never really took off. I still wanted to do my own thing, so instead I started to reinvent popular songs such as "All My Loving" by The Beatles, which I played as a 6/8 time signature ballad. In the early 2000s, I grew more interested in arrangements and production, using DAWs to overdub myself playing various instruments and singing harmonies. I also experimented with electronic music, but that never really took off either. It wasn't until I arrived in Canada in 2009, when I was singing and playing guitar for some party bands, that people started telling me I should write my own material. I wrote a couple of tunes for a rockabilly cover band that I was in, and when they received good reception, I realized that I should write more, which brought me to the release of my first album Sophisticated which was released back in January. There's a lot more in store!
Q: What are some of topics and themes you explore on Sophisticated?
A: It's a little bit about myself and my history. There's some stories about immigration and nostalgia, as in "She's My Town," some about relationships with friends and family ("Wonderful Day"), some about people I've met ("Sophisticated," "Single Flower in Her Hair") and of course about society - how we all dream of "making it" and how we should never give up on that dream ("Outlandish Graces"). Generally, I think the theme is love in all of its forms - love for your birthplace, for your friends, for your significant other, for the work that you do. Musically, the theme is variety. I wanted the song to represent my eclectic taste in music - from the '60s vibe on "Single Flower in Her Hair," to the homage to Nirvana on "Wonderful Day," to the old country-folk balladeers on "Three Days," to the cheerful reggae vibes on "She's My Town" and finally to the merciless country and western shuffle of "Bury Me Not." Of course it's a challenge to take such a variety of songs and keep the overall sound of the record consistent. Another challenge on the record was giving almost all the lead solos to Brian, the keyboard player. I usually play lead guitar during live performances and I wanted to give audiences a different sound than they were used to when they come see me play live.
Q: I loved the way the album sounded from an engineering perspective. Can you talk about the process?
A: This will sound crazy, but we only rehearsed the songs as a four-piece once - the night before the recording. I've known Cam the bass player for several years, Justin played the drums with us live for a few months, and for Brian on the keys, it was literally the first time jamming with the band. That was enough to gel the band for us.
The studio itself is literally a tiny single-car garage in a residential area near the University of Toronto campus. It could barely fit the four of us and the engineer, Matthew. Everything was recorded live off the floor, and everything bled into each other's mics. Each track obviously had to be great from beginning to end, because we couldn't re-record individual instruments, but I told the guys I appreciated their individual interpretations and just set them loose. We were just having a great time jamming together. We recorded the whole album in one go, never doing more than three takes per song, which is why it sounds under-produced, but genuine. One of the songs, "Bury Me Not," we didn't rehearse at all. I told the band the three chords and to watch me for starts, stops and solos. We did two takes and after the second one we all said, "This is it!". That's the beauty of sharing the space- - we made eye contact and gestures, which you cannot see on the record, but it was all really well-orchestrated right there in the room. Later that same day, after the guys left, I did a couple of overdubbed harmonies for "Outlandish Graces" and "Wonderful Day," and then Matthew just did his engineering magic mixing the tracks.
Q: How do you approach songwriting?
A: Gingerly (laughs). Well, at least at first I did. I think it's a skill, requiring honing and training. The ideas are usually not a problem; I just write about my observations or experiences other people have shared. I start with the lyrics but I don't always write sequentially. Sometimes I splatter bits of imagery all over the canvas, so to speak, and then try to connect the pieces. Since English isn't my first language, in the beginning I used to rely a lot on a thesaurus and rhymezone.com, but not as much anymore. When the story is ready I grab my guitar and start jamming, figuring out the progressions and the melody. Sometimes the musical theme can evolve so much that it ends up having a completely different vibe or melody; sometimes even the lyrics change. A great example is the title song, "Sophisticated." I started writing it on the guitar and it just wouldn't come together. I was stuck on the first verse and couldn't find the chorus at all. So I put the song off for a time (a couple of years, in fact), and then one day I just sat at my little piano at home and started playing it. It all just exploded and I finished it in an hour, complete with another verse, chorus and a bridge.
Songwriting is hard, you have to get 'in the mood' and be 'in the zone' for it, and sometimes the hardest thing is to start. Lately I've challenged myself to write a new song every week. I know that at this pace they can't all be great, but that's the only way to get all these thoughts and emotions out of the system (laughs).
Q: Can you describe the energy of your live set?
A: This is a tough one, simply because I like variety and I like trying new things. Typically I start and finish with upbeat tunes - that's the rockabilly rebel in me- and I'll have a dip in the beginning of the last third of the set. But I also play to the audience and their mood. It's important to find a bridge to your listener, to make sure that you are creating something unique together and that they're not just watching you perform for them. It makes it easier for me to feed off their energy as well.
Q: What else should we know about your music?
A: I don't know if it's great or even good, I don't know if I will "make it," but I will keep doing it because if even a few people like it and connect with my music, I'm able to make that connection with them. I'd love to meet them. I'd love to be able to get to know them better, and let them get to know me. I am sure we will become good friends. I have thoughts, feelings and ideas that can only be expressed through music, and I think if I ever lose the ability to make music, it will be a very dark day for me.
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IPSE welcomes SEISS extension as "overwhelming relief" for some, but warns of "patently forgotten" groups
IPSE has welcomed the announcement that the government is extending the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) until August. However, IPSE has also warned that the government has "patently forgotten" groups like limited company directors and the newly self-employed and urged it to do more for them.
The government has said that in August, self-employed people eligible for SEISS will be able to claim 70 per cent of their average trading profits (up to £6,570) for the months June, July and August.
Andy Chamberlain, Director of Policy at IPSE (the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed), said: "It will be an overwhelming relief for many self-employed people that the government has heeded our calls and extended SEISS. The scheme is a vital lifeline for millions of people and it is absolutely right that the government keeps it running.
"It is fair that, as with the Job Retention Scheme, the government has tapered the support on offer for the self-employed. However, it is disappointing that there will still be two months when employees can access support and the self-employed cannot. The government should watch the situation carefully and be ready to step in if the UK's self-employed need more support.
"It is also vital that the government does not ignore the self-employed who cannot access this scheme. At the moment, groups like freelancers working through limited companies and the newly self-employed have patently been forgotten. We urge the government to consider these groups and also help them through the coming months.
"The extension of SEISS will protect a large proportion of the self-employed sector, but after Coronavirus, the country will be looking to all of the UK's 5 million-strong flexible workforce to get the economy back on its feet."
IPSE is the leading association for contractors, consultants, interims, freelancers and the self-employed. We strive to bring our members the most comprehensive and useful range of information and services and all the latest news about what affects your business.
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