text:
from __future__ import annotations

import os.path
from dataclasses import dataclass
from typing import Iterable

from pants.backend.python.goals import lockfile
from pants.backend.python.goals.export import ExportPythonTool, ExportPythonToolSentinel
from pants.backend.python.goals.lockfile import (
    GeneratePythonLockfile,
    GeneratePythonToolLockfileSentinel,
)
from pants.backend.python.lint.pylint.skip_field import SkipPylintField
from pants.backend.python.subsystems.python_tool_base import ExportToolOption, PythonToolBase
from pants.backend.python.subsystems.setup import PythonSetup
from pants.backend.python.target_types import (
    ConsoleScript,
    InterpreterConstraintsField,
    PythonRequirementsField,
    PythonResolveField,
    PythonSourceField,
)
from pants.backend.python.util_rules.partition import _find_all_unique_interpreter_constraints
from pants.backend.python.util_rules.pex_requirements import PexRequirements
from pants.backend.python.util_rules.python_sources import (
    PythonSourceFilesRequest,
    StrippedPythonSourceFiles,
)
from pants.core.goals.generate_lockfiles import GenerateToolLockfileSentinel
from pants.core.util_rules.config_files import ConfigFilesRequest
from pants.engine.addresses import Addresses, UnparsedAddressInputs
from pants.engine.fs import EMPTY_DIGEST, AddPrefix, Digest
from pants.engine.rules import Get, collect_rules, rule
from pants.engine.target import FieldSet, Target, TransitiveTargets, TransitiveTargetsRequest
from pants.engine.unions import UnionRule
from pants.option.option_types import (
    ArgsListOption,
    BoolOption,
    FileOption,
    SkipOption,
    TargetListOption,
)
from pants.util.docutil import doc_url, git_url
from pants.util.logging import LogLevel
from pants.util.ordered_set import FrozenOrderedSet, OrderedSet
from pants.util.strutil import softwrap

@dataclass(frozen=True)
class PylintFieldSet(FieldSet):
    required_fields = (PythonSourceField,)

    source: PythonSourceField
    resolve: PythonResolveField
    interpreter_constraints: InterpreterConstraintsField

    @classmethod
    def opt_out(cls, tgt: Target) -> bool:
        return tgt.get(SkipPylintField).value

# --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Subsystem
# --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

class Pylint(PythonToolBase):
    options_scope = "pylint"
    name = "Pylint"
    help = "The Pylint linter for Python code (https://www.pylint.org/)."

    default_version = "pylint>=2.13.0,<2.15"
    default_main = ConsoleScript("pylint")

    register_lockfile = True
    default_lockfile_resource = ("pants.backend.python.lint.pylint", "pylint.lock")
    default_lockfile_path = "src/python/pants/backend/python/lint/pylint/pylint.lock"
    default_lockfile_url = git_url(default_lockfile_path)
    uses_requirements_from_source_plugins = True

    skip = SkipOption("lint")
    args = ArgsListOption(example="--ignore=foo.py,bar.py --disable=C0330,W0311")
    export = ExportToolOption()
    config = FileOption(
        default=None,
        advanced=True,
        help=lambda cls: softwrap(
            f"""
            Path to a config file understood by Pylint
            (http://pylint.pycqa.org/en/latest/user_guide/run.html#command-line-options).

            Setting this option will disable `[{cls.options_scope}].config_discovery`. Use
            this option if the config is located in a non-standard location.
            """
        ),
    )
    config_discovery = BoolOption(
        default=True,
        advanced=True,
        help=lambda cls: softwrap(
            f"""
            If true, Pants will include any relevant config files during
            runs (`.pylintrc`, `pylintrc`, `pyproject.toml`, and `setup.cfg`).

            Use `[{cls.options_scope}].config` instead if your config is in a
            non-standard location.
            """
        ),
    )
    _source_plugins = TargetListOption(
        advanced=True,
        help=softwrap(
            f"""
            An optional list of `python_sources` target addresses to load first-party plugins.

            You must set the plugin's parent directory as a source root. For
            example, if your plugin is at `build-support/pylint/custom_plugin.py`, add
            'build-support/pylint' to `[source].root_patterns` in `pants.toml`. This is
            necessary for Pants to know how to tell Pylint to discover your plugin. See
            {doc_url('source-roots')}

            You must also set `load-plugins=$module_name` in your Pylint config file.

            While your plugin's code can depend on other first-party code and third-party
            requirements, all first-party dependencies of the plugin must live in the same
            directory or a subdirectory.

            To instead load third-party plugins, set the
            option `[pylint].extra_requirements` and set the `load-plugins` option in your
            Pylint config.

            Tip: it's often helpful to define a dedicated 'resolve' via
            `[python].resolves` for your Pylint plugins such as 'pylint-plugins'
            so that the third-party requirements used by your plugin, like `pylint`, do not
            mix with the rest of your project. Read that option's help message for more info
            on resolves.
            """
        ),
    )

    def config_request(self, dirs: Iterable[str]) -> ConfigFilesRequest:
        # Refer to http://pylint.pycqa.org/en/latest/user_guide/run.html#command-line-options for
        # how config files are discovered.
        return ConfigFilesRequest(
            specified=self.config,
            specified_option_name=f"[{self.options_scope}].config",
            discovery=self.config_discovery,
            check_existence=[".pylintrc", *(os.path.join(d, "pylintrc") for d in ("", *dirs))],
            check_content={"pyproject.toml": b"[tool.pylint.", "setup.cfg": b"[pylint."},
        )

    @property
    def source_plugins(self) -> UnparsedAddressInputs:
        return UnparsedAddressInputs(
            self._source_plugins,
            owning_address=None,
            description_of_origin=f"the option `[{self.options_scope}].source_plugins`",
        )

# --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# First-party plugins
# --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

@dataclass(frozen=True)
class PylintFirstPartyPlugins:
    requirement_strings: FrozenOrderedSet[str]
    interpreter_constraints_fields: FrozenOrderedSet[InterpreterConstraintsField]
    sources_digest: Digest

    PREFIX = "__plugins"

    def __bool__(self) -> bool:
        return self.sources_digest != EMPTY_DIGEST

@rule("Prepare [pylint].source_plugins", level=LogLevel.DEBUG)
async def pylint_first_party_plugins(pylint: Pylint) -> PylintFirstPartyPlugins:
    if not pylint.source_plugins:
        return PylintFirstPartyPlugins(FrozenOrderedSet(), FrozenOrderedSet(), EMPTY_DIGEST)

    plugin_target_addresses = await Get(Addresses, UnparsedAddressInputs, pylint.source_plugins)
    transitive_targets = await Get(
        TransitiveTargets, TransitiveTargetsRequest(plugin_target_addresses)
    )

    requirements_fields: OrderedSet[PythonRequirementsField] = OrderedSet()
    interpreter_constraints_fields: OrderedSet[InterpreterConstraintsField] = OrderedSet()
    for tgt in transitive_targets.closure:
        if tgt.has_field(PythonRequirementsField):
            requirements_fields.add(tgt[PythonRequirementsField])
        if tgt.has_field(InterpreterConstraintsField):
            interpreter_constraints_fields.add(tgt[InterpreterConstraintsField])

    # NB: Pylint source plugins must be explicitly loaded via PYTHONPATH (i.e. PEX_EXTRA_SYS_PATH).
    # The value must point to the plugin's directory, rather than to a parent's directory, because
    # `load-plugins` takes a module name rather than a path to the module; i.e. `plugin`, but
    # not `path.to.plugin`. (This means users must have specified the parent directory as a
    # source root.)
    stripped_sources = await Get(
        StrippedPythonSourceFiles, PythonSourceFilesRequest(transitive_targets.closure)
    )
    prefixed_sources = await Get(
        Digest,
        AddPrefix(
            stripped_sources.stripped_source_files.snapshot.digest, PylintFirstPartyPlugins.PREFIX
        ),
    )

    return PylintFirstPartyPlugins(
        requirement_strings=PexRequirements.req_strings_from_requirement_fields(
            requirements_fields,
        ),
        interpreter_constraints_fields=FrozenOrderedSet(interpreter_constraints_fields),
        sources_digest=prefixed_sources,
    )

# --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Lockfile
# --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

class PylintLockfileSentinel(GeneratePythonToolLockfileSentinel):
    resolve_name = Pylint.options_scope

@rule(
    desc=softwrap(
        """
        Determine all Python interpreter versions used by Pylint in your project
        (for lockfile generation)
        """
    ),
    level=LogLevel.DEBUG,
)
async def setup_pylint_lockfile(
    _: PylintLockfileSentinel,
    first_party_plugins: PylintFirstPartyPlugins,
    pylint: Pylint,
    python_setup: PythonSetup,
) -> GeneratePythonLockfile:
    if not pylint.uses_custom_lockfile:
        return GeneratePythonLockfile.from_tool(pylint)

    constraints = await _find_all_unique_interpreter_constraints(
        python_setup,
        PylintFieldSet,
        extra_constraints_per_tgt=first_party_plugins.interpreter_constraints_fields,
    )
    return GeneratePythonLockfile.from_tool(
        pylint,
        constraints,
        extra_requirements=first_party_plugins.requirement_strings,
    )

# --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Export
# --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

class PylintExportSentinel(ExportPythonToolSentinel):
    pass

@rule(
    desc=softwrap(
        """
        Determine all Python interpreter versions used by Pylint in your project
        (for `export` goal)
        """
    ),
    level=LogLevel.DEBUG,
)
async def pylint_export(
    _: PylintExportSentinel,
    pylint: Pylint,
    first_party_plugins: PylintFirstPartyPlugins,
    python_setup: PythonSetup,
) -> ExportPythonTool:
    if not pylint.export:
        return ExportPythonTool(resolve_name=pylint.options_scope, pex_request=None)
    constraints = await _find_all_unique_interpreter_constraints(
        python_setup,
        PylintFieldSet,
        extra_constraints_per_tgt=first_party_plugins.interpreter_constraints_fields,
    )
    return ExportPythonTool(
        resolve_name=pylint.options_scope,
        pex_request=pylint.to_pex_request(
            interpreter_constraints=constraints,
            extra_requirements=first_party_plugins.requirement_strings,
        ),
    )

def rules():
    return (
        *collect_rules(),
        *lockfile.rules(),
        UnionRule(GenerateToolLockfileSentinel, PylintLockfileSentinel),
        UnionRule(ExportPythonToolSentinel, PylintExportSentinel),
    )

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


3D Real Boxshot is a What You See Is What You Get tool to create quality boxshot for your product (software, game, CD, DVD, etc.). You can easily rotate and zoom the box in real-time, which helps make the boxshot better. The Auto rotation function is able to help you see the whole boxshot from all sides. Simply load your artwork into this program and you'll have the perfect boxshot immediately. 3D Real Boxshot is able to import BMP, GIF, JPG, PNG, TGA, TIF, EMF, WMF and WBMP files and is able to save output to BMP, GIF, JPG, PNG, TGA, TIF, EMF and WBMP formats. And it is able to save the animation as animated GIF and AVI file. Features: The Auto position function is able to put the camera to the best place immediately. You can not find other boxshot software that does the same. The Auto rotation function helps you to see the whole boxshot from all sides as the camera moves around it. Real-time 3D Editing. Ability to import BMP, GIF, JPG, PNG, TGA, TIF, EMF, WMF and WBMP files as a box side. Ability to save output to BMP, GIF, JPG, PNG, TGA, TIF, EMF and WBMP formats. Ability to save the animation as animated GIF file. Ability to save the animation as AVI file. Ability to resize the width, height and depth of the box. Ability to change the position of the camera. Ability to show wireframe with customizable width and color. Ability to set the background color. Ability to show / hide the shadow and the reflection. Ability to set the length of the shadow and the opacity of the shadow. Ability to set global illumination. Minimum requirements: 1) Windows 95/98/ME or Windows NT 4.0/2000/XP/2003/Vista/Win7/Win8. 2) About 2 Meg of disk space.
New function added and bug fixed.


The BBQ Depot has everything you need to house a roaring outdoor fire safely and effectively. Our DIY kits are simple to assemble and extremely affordable. If you already possess a fire pit, you can find the best burners, and all of your needed accessories, pit logs, pit rings and more, from leading outdoor living manufacturers like Rasmussen, Fire Magic, Lynx and Fireside America.
Creating the ultimate backyard Paradise is no easy task, but it's quite an adventure. You set up the perfect barbecue grill along your freshly painted wood deck, you assemble all the components of your outdoor kitchen and realize ... all your missing is the ambiance of an outdoor fire pit.
Here you'll find a wide array of quality stainless steel burners suitable for just about every outdoor fireplace. We only carry the best so that you can confidently expand your outdoor living space with an investment that will carry you through the years. These fire pits speak for themselves, so in order to truly see what they're capable of, you'll need to experience it for yourself!
Of course, we can't forget about the heart and soul of the outdoor fire: the fire glass. These glaring crystals are the elements that breathe life into your inferno. These miniature fragments radiate warmth and comfort as they retain heat and refract light within the fire pit. Not only is fireplace glass stunning to behold, but it's one of the safest materials for starting and maintaining your fire.
If you have any questions about your firepit, or the best next move to enhance your outdoor entertainment, give us a call.


"If [Lacey] Rzeszowski is interested, I'd call her the frontrunner," said the source.
Rzeszowski came with 1,500 votes of clipping the incumbents in 2017.
The source said landing the candidates will prove a thorny political proposition for the Democratic Party.


text:
Q: Setting a rewrite rule when condition is met fellow programmers,
It's my first time using htaccess for rewrite purposes and i can't figure out a solution for my problem.
I have created a simple rewrite rule to redirect my users to a cleaner url using php GET variables.
Here's the code
RewriteEngine on
RewriteRule ^page/([0-9a-zA-Z]+)/([0-9a-zA-Z]+) index.php?dir=$1&admin=$2 [NC,L]
ErrorDocument 404 /page/404

For now this example doesn't work unless both parameters are set. If i'd like to visit
mysite.com/page/dashboard
then it redirects me to 404 but if add
mysite.com/page/dashboard/random
Then i get my dashboard
I need it to work both ways, if only dir is set and if both are set
Also can i remove that /page/ directory without it messing up my styles, scripts etc? Whenever i remove /page/ and leave it just mysite.com/whatever then my styles and scripts stop working because i guess it's expecting those parameters to be met.
I know it might sound a bit confusing but hopefully someone could help me accomplish this.

A: So i fixed this issue, seems like the issue was because i didn't check if the url had a slash at the end or not, so i added this.
RewriteEngine on
RewriteRule ^([a-zA-Z0-9]+)$ index.php?dir=$1
RewriteRule ^([a-zA-Z0-9]+)/([a-zA-Z0-9]+)/$ index.php?dir=$1&admin=$2
RewriteRule ^([a-zA-Z0-9]+)/([a-zA-Z0-9]+)$ index.php?dir=$1&admin=$2
ErrorDocument 404 /page/404

Notice the duplicate entries.
I also added a $ sign at the end so that apache would not except any more redirects or parameters.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


In her first recording, Rosemary spoke about her childhood in many diffferent countries. In this one she speaks of her life as a teenager and as an adult in Wiltshire, England, and tells us she feels she has found her roots - at last.
Rosemary has changed homes many times when she was a child and teenager ; she tells us why, whereto, and how she felt about it.


If you want a special place for your four-legged friend, you don't have to look much further than your garage or local yard sale. With a little elbow grease and a creative eye, you can repurpose some common household items into a new bed or dog crate. Below are some ideas to get you started!
Has your child outgrown their crib? Give it new life as your four-legged friend's new home. Mindi at My Love 2 Create (guest post on My Repurposed Life) converted an old crib into a new dog crate. As long as your dog doesn't chew through wood, this is a great idea for replacing a coated metal cage with something more stylish. You can customize it to fit in with your current home décor and put a solid top on it for use as a table or storage for dog treats.
What can you find at most garage sales and thrift stores? Old side tables, and they make the perfect beds for small dogs. Livvy at 86 Lemons took a side table that looked to be from the '70s and converted it to a dog bed with a fresh paint job, cushion, and all. If your pup gets into things when you're out of the house, we've also seen side tables with added crate doors. Your options just depend on the size of the table and your dog.
Here's another project similar to the side table, but this one is created from a small flea market dresser. Brian Flynn on the DIY Network removed some drawers, added beadboard, sanded down the rough spots, and gave it a nice coat of paint. Finally, he added a thick cushion for the pup to lie on. The result is a charming dog bed that blends in with the current style of the bedroom.
Are you lucky enough to have a spare corner in your home? Janelle at Simple Janelle Designs bought a corner mantel at a garage sale for $5 and converted it into a dog crate for her living room. Her husband built some custom doors. Then, she gave it a fresh coat of chalk paint, distressed it, and applied a coat of wax. The underside is her dog's home and the top is used for displaying treasures.
Have an old tire lying around that you don't know what to do with? Make it into a dog bed! Jessi at Practically Functional shows how some soap, water, paint, and felt can make a tire the perfect bed for a dog that loves to curl up. Of course, you could also make it for your cat, but I think we all know how that would work out.
Old suitcases have a wonderful charm about them and some DIYers have done a great job repurposing them into shelves, chairs, tables, and…dog beds! Karen at Capper's Farm explains how to convert a vintage suitcase into a raised dog bed with the simple addition of pre-fabricated legs and a pillow. This is a fun bed for smaller dogs.
Many of the beds shared so far are for smaller dogs, but there are many options for larger breeds. Shabby Paints shared how to build a dog bed from a recycled headboard and footboard. It requires construction of the base of the bed, but it's a simple 2' x 4' rectangle and the mattress is a water and dirt-resistant toddler mattress.
What could be a simpler conversion than from a toddler bed to a dog bed? Seriously, all it takes is some paint, a fitting mattress, and a matching crib sheet. Jaime from Thrift Aesthetic shares exactly how to do this. Of course, the heated blanket is optional…if you can live with the guilt of what could have been every time you look at that face.
If you've ever glanced at Pinterest, you would know that there are mountains of ideas for furniture and home décor made from wood pallets. Dog beds are no exceptions. There are a lot of great design ideas from deep beds on brass pipes to double deckers with chairs; however, not many will explain how they're made. Meagan at The Charming Farmer has put together a nice tutorial on how to assemble this simple pallet dog bed on pipes. If you want to make the bed easier to move, you can replace the pipes with casters.
Have you seen a great DIY dog bed tutorial? Share it in the comments!


text:
Rival Sons – Pressure And Time
Posted by Mark Wrigley | Jun 24, 2011 | Album Reviews, Music | 0 |
If you know your onions and think of Earache Records, the bands that spring to mind are more like to be on the heavier end of the scale, you know… Deicide, Napalm Death, Carcass , that sort of thing. The last thing you would expect is a slab of blues drenched retro rock, delivered in the form of 'Pressure And Time', the latest offering from Rival Sons. The band have already received the Classic Rock Magazine seal of approval with these LA rockers being lauded as 'America's best new band'. A very bold statement, and one that is no doubt going to help them sell a few records and indeed build the hype. It's our job though to cut through the crap, ignore the hype and really see what Rival Sons are all about, and honestly after having lived with this album for a few weeks, Classic Rock aren't a million miles off the mark.
The album artwork has to be mentioned as a starter, it's freaky and thought provoking. Rival Sons are proud to have enlisted the help of the legendary Storm Thorgerson whose iconic artwork has featured on many a classic sleeve from Led Zepplin to Muse. But it's the gem of an album that sits under the artwork that we are really bothered about, it's a groove laden coctail of Zepplin colliding with The Black Crowes, Aerosmith and Small Faces. Launching into 'All Over The Road' the tone is set. It's stripped back, cocky and addictive. Frontman Jay Buchannan oozes that retro vibe, with a swagger that Robert Plant himself would be proud of. The fretwork of Scott Holiday gets a showcase early on, showing he himself is no slouch when it comes to six strings. By the end of second track 'Young Love' you are well and truly hooked, a swing driven raw blues cruncher held together by the strolling bass lines and solid back beats of Robin Everhart and Miley respectively.
The influences are very clear, the comparisons are easy to make, so much so that it almost makes Rival Sons sound like a tribute act, but this album proves they are far more than that. There is a very raw power and passion that seeps through the album 'Only One' is dripping with soul, whereas lead single and title track 'Pressure and Time' slices through with the edgy blues riffery and funky vocal lines.
One thing Rival Sons can't be accused of is over production, this album is exceptionally raw. Allegedly written and recorded in 20 days to "maintain that raw vibe" according to the Sons themselves it does just that. It's a real plug and play stripped back approach, you can almost smell the incense and hippy vibe.
Rival Sons have thrown out half an hour of no nonsense vintage foot stomping tunes, if you like the modern retro sound of the likes of The Answer you are going to love this. America's best new band? Possibly… but in the same way you could say The Answer is the best new band in Britain.
These boys are definitely ones to watch out for and you can catch them at the following dates ine July, including Sonisphere and T In The Park:
July 09 – Knebworth, Sonisphere Festival
July 10 – Balado, T in the Park
July 12 – Leeds Cockpit 3
July 13 – London Borderline
July 23 – London, High Voltage Festival
They are also supporting Judas Priest with Queensryche on the following:
July 15 – Newport, – Newport Centre
July 16 – Manchester, – O2 Apollo
July 17 – Doncaster, – The Dome
July 19 – Glasgow, – SECC
July 20 – Newcastle, – Metro Arena
July 21 – Wolverhampton, – Civic Hall
July 23 – London, – High Voltage Festival
July 24 – Bournemouth, – BIC
PreviousUnearth – Darkness In The Light
NextAlestorm – Back Through Time

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


--> Context menu appears after 1.5 seconds, in my real project it takes more than 2 seconds.
most of the time spent while retrieving actions for the ctx menu, which crumbles down into many calls, most of them without an obvious potential for improvement. It is a big amount of projects.
project packaging in scope of ActionToGoalUtils.isActionEnable is accessed repeatably event if the value was already queried for the given project.
Avoiding that saved in my test scenario around 30% of the necessary time, so will fix at least that.


Check Out: Our recent Hatchimal article.
Hatchimals are about to take this Christmas by storm – we believe it will become the hottest must-have interactive toy for 2016. Never heard of Hatchimals before? You're not alone, but if you will be buying gifts and toys for kids in 2016 you need to know what they are. Maybe you remember the Tamagotchi toys of the 1990's – those little interactive digital "pets" that were a big craze for a few years. Hatchimals are very similar to Tamagotchi pets and even Furbys, but exhibit more advanced behaviors due to the advanced technologies around today.
UPDATE: Hatchimals are selling out everywhere. Why not check out our Hatchimal Alternatives.
At its beginning a Hatchimal pet starts out in its own plastic egg. After a bit of playtime (about 30 minutes) the figure starts pecking its way out of the egg. After this initial "hatching" the toys will react and respond to a child's play – when you tap on it, the Hatchimal taps back. When you stroke the top or bottom, it lights up and makes sounds.
This toy is designed to grow up and mature the more it is played with over the course of days and weeks. This way children will not give up on the toy too quickly (at least that's the hope anyway). After its hatchling phase the pet becomes a toddler and eventually an adult Hatchimal. As a baby you feed it by touching its beak to the floor. It becomes more interactive as a toddler (dancing and speaking) and then it will play games as it matures to adulthood.
The price is not too high for a toy like this, and we recommend that if you are interested in buying them don't wait. Hatchimals may sell out quickly and may not be available closer to Christmas.
Recommended for aged 5-10 years.
Tagged 10 year olds, 5 year olds, 6 year olds, 7 year olds, 8 year olds, 9 year olds, interactive toys. Bookmark the permalink.


text:
South-South Migration: Partnering Strategically for Development
Our Work ›
Department of International Cooperation and Partnerships ›
International Dialogue on Migration ›
South-South Migration: Partnering Strategically for Development (2014)
International Conference Center Geneva (CICG)
17 rue de Varembé, Geneva, Switzerland
The workshop on "South-South Migration: Partnering Strategically for Development" was held in the framework of IOM's International Dialogue on Migration (IDM) which in 2014 has the overall theme of "Human Mobility and Development: Emerging Trends and New Opportunities for Partnerships ".
Consistent with IOM's mandate and Strategy Document (activity 7), the IDM provides a forum for IOM Member and Observer States, as well as international and non-governmental organizations and other partners, to share experiences and perspectives on migration matters with a view to identifying practical solutions and fostering greater cooperation.
The first workshop in the series advanced that increasingly unequal global demographic, social and economic trends have been shaping complex new migration flows and patterns. Countries traditionally seen as nations of emigration are increasingly becoming destinations for migrants from both developed and developing countries. The current global migration trends present significant development challenges as well as huge opportunities for development.
The purpose of this workshop was to deepen understanding of the nature and dynamics of these new migration trends and to explore policies and management mechanisms available and particularly with regard to South-South mobility. Specifically, it aimed to:
Provide the IOM membership with the opportunity to discuss the emerging migration trends, the factors behind and their implications for development and learn how relevant stakeholders take account of these when formulating and implementing their policies.
Bring together stakeholders from the governments, international organizations, regional communities, academia, private sector and civil society to exchange their perspective and experience in responding to the dynamics of migration and identify good practices of shared management of challenges and opportunities to ensure positive development outcomes.
Exchange examples of successful bilateral, regional and interregional partnerships in place involving public and private actors as well as innovative ideas for stronger and multi-stakeholder partnerships aimed at improving the positive outcome of complex migration trends.
Provide the opportunity for participants to learn about the Organization's experience, programmes and efforts to harness the development potentials of migration and decrease its costs.
24 March 2014- Day 1
09:00 – 10:00 Registration
10:00 – 11:00 Opening Session
Welcome remarks: William Lacy Swing, Director General, IOM
Keynote address: Honourable Shakeel Ahmed Yousuf Abdul Razack Mohamed, Minister of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment of the Republic of Mauritius (Bio)
Setting the scene: Jill Helke, Director, Department of International Cooperation and Partnerships, IOM (Presentation)
11:00 – 13:00 SESSION I: Innovative approaches to decreasing the costs of migration for development: the launch of the "Public-Private Alliance for fair and Ethical Recruitment"
Moderator: William Lacy Swing, Director General, IOM (Presentation)
Honourable Shakeel Ahmed Yousuf Abdul Razack Mohamed, Minister of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment of the Republic of Mauritius
Brent Wilton, Secretary General, International Organization of Employers (IOE) (Bio)
Liberty Casco, Deputy Administrator, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) (Bio | Statement)
A. Didar Singh, Secretary General of the Federal Chamber of Commerce of India (FCCI) (Bio | Presentation)
Nick Forster, Senior Vice-President of Group Business Development, FSI Worldwide (Bio | Statement)
13:00 – 15:00 Afternoon Break
15:00 - 17:40 SESSION II: Understanding global trends and complex migration patterns: focus on South-South migration
Moderator: Monika Peruffo, Director a.i., African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Observatory on Migration
Hélène Bourgade, Chief of Unit, EuropeAid, European Commission (Bio | Statement)
Jack Monedi, Director, Department of Home Affairs, South Africa (Bio | Presentation)
Federico Agusti, Director of External Relations of the National Direction of Migration, Argentina (Bio | Presentation)
Huiyao Wang, Director General of the Center for China and Globalization, China (Bio | Presentation)
Marius Olivier, Director, Institute for Social Law and Policy and Extraordinary/ Adjunct Professor, Northwest University, South Africa (Bio | Presentation)
Honoré Mimche, Researcher, Institute of Formation and Demographic Research (IFORD), Cameroon (Bio | Presentation)
17:40 – 18:00 Wrap- up and end of day 1
25 March 2014 - Day 2
10:00 – 12:00 IOM'S Experience and Programming
Moderator: Gervais Appave, Director, Department of Migration Management, IOM
Davide Mosca, Director, Migration Health Department, IOM (Presentation)
Monika Peruffo, Director a.i., Africa, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Observatory on Migration, IOM (Presentation)
Dina Ionesco, Policy Officer, Migration, Environment and Climate Change, Department of International Cooperation and Partnerships, IOM (Presentation)
Tauhid Pasha, Senior Specialist, Labour Migration and Human development, Department of Migration Management, IOM (Presentation)
Jason Clarke, Senior Specialist, Border and Identity Solutions, on behalf of the African Capacity Building Centre (ACBC), IOM (Presentation)
Lorenzo Guadagno, Expert, Disaster Risk Reduction, Livelihoods and Urbanization, Department of Operations and Emergencies, IOM (Presentation)
12:00 – 13:00 MIGRANT'S VOICE Moises Uamusse, President of the Association of Mozambican mine workers (AMIMO), Mozambique Presenter: Azzouz Samri, Head, Governing Bodies Division, IOM (Bio | Presentation)
15:00 - 17:30 SESSION III: Adjusting partnerships to challenges of emerging migration patterns
Moderator: Laura Thompson, Deputy Director General, IOM
Edith Laure Itoua, Counsellor of the President of the Republic of Congo, Chief of the Department of the Congolese abroad (Bio | Presentation)
Liberty Casco, Deputy Administrator, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) (Bio | Presentation)
Johnny Ruiz Arce, Head of the Labour Migration Unit, Ministry of Labour of Costa Rica (Bio | Presentation)
Tony Luka Elumelu, Principal Programme Officer/Head, Free Movement and Migration, Economic Commissions of Western African States (ECOWAS) (Bio | Presentation)
Philip Bob Jusu, Migration Officer, Social Affairs Department, African Union Commission (Bio | Presentation)
François Gemenne, Professor and Researcher, Migration and Environment, University of Versailles and University of Liège (Bio | Presentation)
17:30- 18:00 Closing Session
The IOM Deputy Director General, Laura Thompson, presented the summary of workshop conclusions (Summary)
End of workshop
IOM's International Dialogue on Migration
The IDM "Red Book Series" captures lessons learned and policy recommendations from each dialogue.
Provisional Agenda
Summary of discussions


....the liberal left-winger who likes guns and the 2nd Amendment. Good interview.
Don Kates is a man who knows what he is talking about, but the anti gun folks would just call him a crazy. Anyone who favors guns is a crazy in their eyes.
A liberal AND open minded. A rare creature indeed!
He still doesn't understand the Second Amendment, and he for sure did not create the right to keep and bear arms, so he's still a dumb liberal.
The most telling thing (and obviously his greatest motivation in supporting 2A rights) was the fact that he wasn't going up against Nazi Germany in the '30s or Imperial England in the 18th century....it was the 1960s USA (i.e. within my lifetime and maybe yours too) and the state & local governments he was up against were an active threat to his safety.


What can I say but that it was sooo good to see Marty AND the guys again! It's been a long time since I saw them last at my last Fan Club Party. Now I feel a bit better - I got my Marty "fix" for another little while I guess. I traveled 6-1/2 hours to Calgary for the Tuesday night show and then 3 hours back up to Edmonton for the Wednesday night show and, even though it was totally exhausting, it all went away come show time both nights.
These venues are what makes a Marty concert so much more special because they are not huge arena/concert halls, but rather small honky tonks-- even smaller in comparison to your Wildhorse Saloon. It's a much more intimate atmosphere to see anyone - not only Marty. Alan Jackson has played there as have the Mavericks and many others. I was right at the base of the stage both shows right in front of Gary and it was fantastic to see and hear everything so up close. It's also nice that they DO recognize us after seeing us so often - even Marty. And Mike, WOW Mike was so sweet - yup I did write that correctly - Mike was sweet! And smiled alot those two nights - well maybe only the second night.
Both nights, Marty began with my personal favorite - "Hey Baby" and just hearing that song at the very start of the shows made me feel so much better because yesterday (Wed.) was the second anniversary of my dad's passing away from lung and brain cancer. Needless to say I had been on a downer for a few days. Marty will never know how much better he made me feel. He made someone else feel better Wednesday night too. I guess last year when he was here, he had visited a gentleman in the hospital who was in a coma. Marty spotted him in the crowd last night and recognized him by telling him that "God is smiling on you!" The man received a round of applause. I'll bet that made Marty feel good too! He did the biggies of course like "Oh, What A Silent Night," "Burn Me Down," "Tempted," "Little Things," "Half A Heart," but I was really impressed with the new one - "Southern Accent." Wow what beautiful song. As usual HE WAS BETTER THAN FANTASTIC!!! I still feel he is so underrated and overlooked, but what can we do? Sure would like to see this become an annual event. I guess I'll just have to talk to the "Cowboy's Management"!!!


Must be a current resident of Prince Albert. Applicants residing outside of Prince Albert must have their Criminal Records Check completed by the RCMP in the jurisdiction where they reside.
You will require two pieces of Identification. One Government-issued photo ID which can be a Sask Driver License or SGI ID card and must have a current Prince Albert address. Other ID can be a Sask Health Card, SIN card, birth Certificate, Treaty Card, Status Card, Passport.
Volunteers will be required to submit a "volunteer letter" from the organization seeking your assistance. (see sample) If you do not have the required letter from the organization then the normal application processing fees will apply.
Processing time for Criminal Record check is 7 to 10 business days.
A person may self-declare their conviction history. If the self-declaration matches the RCMP National Repository Records, the Prince Albert Police Service will confirm the results of the criminal convictions as declared by the applicant. If the RCMP national Repository Records do not match the self-declaration, fingerprints must be submitted to obtain a certified copy of your criminal.
Prince Albert Police Service times for Civil Fingerprint are any Monday to Friday between the hours of 10am and 4pm (excluding statutory holidays).
Prince Albert Police Service fingerprint services are any Monday to Friday between the hours of 10am and 4pm (excluding statutory holidays).
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text:
Q: Coq: easiest way to construct members of a decidable sigma type? Consider the following toy development:
Inductive IsEven: nat -> Prop :=
| is_even_z : IsEven 0
| is_even_S : forall n, IsEven n -> IsEven (S (S n)).

Definition EvenNat := {n | IsEven n}.

I'd like to create a function that, given a number that I personally know to be even, returns the corresponding value of type EvenNat with minimum fuss.
Example fortyTwo : EvenNat := mkEven 42.

A: I don't know exactly what your assumptions are but I would say one way of doing it is to use the automation capabilities of type classes:
Require Import Coq.Init.Specif.

Inductive IsEven : nat -> Prop :=
| is_even_z : IsEven 0
| is_even_S : forall n, IsEven n -> IsEven (S (S n)).

Class EvenClass n :=
  is_even : IsEven n.

Definition EvenNat := { n | EvenClass n }.

Lemma EvenClass_IsEven :
  forall n, EvenClass n -> IsEven n.
Proof.
  intros n h.
  exact h.
Qed.

#[export] Hint Extern 1 (EvenClass 0) =>
  apply is_even_z
  : typeclass_instances.

#[export] Hint Extern 1 (EvenClass (S (S ?n))) =>
  apply is_even_S ; apply EvenClass_IsEven
  : typeclass_instances.

#[export] Hint Extern 1 (EvenClass (proj1_sig ?x)) =>
  apply proj2_sig
  : typeclass_instances.

#[export] Hint Extern 4 (EvenClass ?n) =>
  my_decision_procedure
  : typeclass_instances.

Instead of defining instances, I use the Hint Extern mechanism to inject any tactic I want to solve the goal. Assuming you have a tactic to decide your property you can use it there.
The natural number indicates the "cost" to each hint so the search will try to apply the hints with the lowest costs first.
Once you have this, the function you want is
Definition mkEven (n : nat) {h : EvenClass n} : EvenNat :=
  exist _ n h.

Then just writing mkEven n will trigger the proof search as described by the hints above.
Definition ev := mkEven 42.

To elaborate the difference between Yves's and my answer, I chose to use hints rather than class instances so that the proof search is not too greedy.
For instance, I force the search to only use is_even_z when I really want to prove EvenClass 0, as exemplified by the example below:
Goal exists n, EvenClass n.
Proof.
  eexists. Fail exact _.
Abort.

#[export] Instance foo : EvenClass 0.
Proof.
  exact _.
Qed.

Goal exists n, EvenClass n.
Proof.
  eexists. exact _.
Qed.

As you can see, in the first case, we have EvenClass ?n as a goal, and so the proof search does not find any candidate.
However, if we add the 0 case as a type class instance, then the proof search will succeed by unifying ?n with 0.
It is my belief that this is doing a bit too much for the case at hand here, but both solutions have their applications.

A: The question, as originally stated, has an obvious answer.
Question A: If you have in your context a number n of type nat and a proof knowledge with statement IsEven n, how do you construct an object of type EvenNat?
you can simply construct an object of type EvenNat by writing the following expression
exist _ n knowledge

Or, if you really want to be explicit:
exist IsEven n knowledge

This is embodied in the following script
Inductive IsEven: nat -> Prop :=
| is_even_z : IsEven 0
| is_even_S : forall n, IsEven n -> IsEven (S (S n)).

Definition EvenNat := {n | IsEven n}.

Definition mkEven (n : nat) (knowledge : IsEven n) : EvenNat :=
  exist IsEven n knowledge.

Another reading of the question is as follows:
Question B: how do you construct an object of  type EvenNat from a known constant (like 42) which is obviously even to the naked eye?
Here is my elaboration of a solution sketched by Theo Winterhalter, using the device of type classes in full.
Require Import Coq.Init.Specif.

Inductive IsEven: nat -> Prop :=
| is_even_z : IsEven 0
| is_even_S : forall n, IsEven n -> IsEven (S (S n)).

Definition EvenNat := {n | IsEven n}.

Definition makeEvenNat (n : nat) (knowledge : IsEven n) : EvenNat :=
  exist IsEven n knowledge.

Class EvenClass n : Prop :=
  is_even : IsEven n.

#[export] Instance evenClass0 : EvenClass 0.
Proof.
apply is_even_z.
Qed.

#[export] Instance evenClassS n {h : EvenClass n}  : EvenClass (S (S n)).
Proof.
apply is_even_S; exact h.
Qed.

(* Using curly braces for the second argument h here deserves an
  explanation. *)
Definition mkEven (n : nat) {h : EvenClass n} : EvenNat :=
  exist IsEven n h.

Definition ev42 := mkEven 42.

Lemma ev42P : proj1_sig ev42 = 42.
Proof. easy. Qed.

Lemma IsEven42 : IsEven 42.
Proof. exact (proj2_sig ev42). Qed.

The explanation for using curly braces in the definition of mkEven
is that mkEven actually requires 2 arguments, but the second one
is not written by the user: it must be automatically constructed using the type class inference mechanism.  This proof must succeed for the object to be actually defined.
The definition of ev42 is the answer of question B.  Note that a definition relying on  mkEven 3 will fail, because no proof that 3 is even can be found.
Fail Definition ev3 := mkEven 3.

This code was tested with coq.8.15.0.


text:
Q: WPF GridViewColumn Cell Visiblity Not Triggering I am trying to update a cell to be visible when a value is true but it doesn't seem to be updating.
I'm new to WPF so any advice would be appreciated.
<GridViewColumn Width="90" Header="Completed">
    <GridViewColumn.CellTemplate>
        <DataTemplate>
            <TextBlock Text="Completed" Visibility="Hidden" />
            <DataTemplate.Triggers>
                <DataTrigger Binding="{Binding ExtractionCompleted}" Value="True" >
                    <Setter Property="TextBlock.Visibility" Value="Visible" />
                </DataTrigger>
            </DataTemplate.Triggers>
        </DataTemplate>
    </GridViewColumn.CellTemplate>
</GridViewColumn>

A: Set TargetName in your setter
   <DataTemplate >
        <TextBlock Name="myTextBlock" Text="Completed" Visibility="Hidden" />
        <DataTemplate.Triggers>
            <DataTrigger Binding="{Binding ExtractionCompleted}" Value="True" >
                <Setter TargetName="myTextBlock" Property="Visibility" Value="Visible" />
            </DataTrigger>
        </DataTemplate.Triggers>
    </DataTemplate>

A: The reason it wasn't updating at runtime was because I had not implemented INotifyPropertyChanged. Once this was done the code worked.


text:
Algae On The Cusp
By Dr. Rebecca White, Vice President of Operations, iWi (Qualitas Health, Inc.) for Biofuels Digest
Dr. Rebecca White
This Wednesday marks a major milestone in the history of the American algae industry: the first meeting in which the Biomass R&D Board Technical Advisory Committee officials will discuss algae as an agricultural crop. Up until now, the vast majority of governmental funding and support has gone to one particular application of algae: biofuels. The success of biofuels is extremely important. But so is the success of algae in other applications, such as protein, omega-3s and fish and animal feed, which all have the potential to change the way we feed and nourish the world.
As an 11-year veteran of the algae industry, I've dedicated my entire career to proving the principle that algae is agriculture, first at Sapphire Energy, focused on translating traditional agronomic practices to algae, and recently as an industry professional growing algae at commercial scale. In my current role as VP of Operations for the food and nutrition company iWi, my team and I grow algae in open ponds on large scale farms throughout the Southwest United States, using the tools of crop protection and agronomic practices utilized by traditional farmers throughout the nation. Through all this work, I've learned a simple lesson: if you want to grow algae as a crop, you have to treat it like one. This mindset is what is critical to reaching scale and is the secret to iWi's success.
Today's meeting signals a new beginning for algae, which is finally on the cusp of being categorized as a mainstream crop, a designation that could drive algae's fortunes in the decades to come. This significant but quiet transition – a momentous occasion for the industry – deserves some recognition, and a few comments on where it can take us.
The Department of Energy has brought algae this far – now the USDA can help take it further
It's no exaggeration to say that the broader algae industry owes much of its progress – both technologically and commercially – to the DOE's dedicated stewardship. For the 50 years preceding the 2018 Farm Bill, most of the investment into algae research was done by the Department of Energy, so it was no accident that the vast majority of grants and support were directed towards algal biofuels. This investment in biofuels also benefited the entire industry by leading to technology advancements that have opened up the possibilities for algae-based products of all sorts. In addition to the traditional nutraceuticals, supplements and cosmetic ingredients that have been the quiet, steady foundation of the commercial side of the industry, we are now seeing major, successful commercial endeavors in aquaculture feed, animal feed, human food and ingredients, materials, wastewater cleanup and other related areas.
The 2018 Farm Bill was a critical turning point for algae's crop status
With this foundation in mind, we stand at a crossroads for the future of algae. The algae industry will likely be discussed in two distinct forms: before and after the Farm Bill of 2018. As part of the 2018's Farm Bill reclassification of algae as a crop, the USDA – a department concerned with food, agriculture and nutrition – will contribute its unique federal role to help the algae industry achieve a new scale of work. By widening the government's focus from biofuels to supporting an entire crop ecosystem (algae biomass), the Farm Bill paved the way for algae to be regulated and supported alongside other crops like wheat, corn and soy; the USDA will be building an algae production assistance and research program complementary to the currently ongoing research under DOE and other programs. Put simply, this means that the federal priority has expanded from supporting algal biofuels to algae biomass of all sorts – agnostic of products.
In order to get there, we're going to need USDA and the DOE work closely together
The USDA can further expand the foundation that DOE created with its commitment to supporting algae technology and commercial development. DOE's continued role in the space will help ensure that near term innovations in the algae industry are enabling of a long-term future, which includes biofuels.
As a start, here are three concrete recommendations that the Algae Industry Working Group can use to get its 2019 works started on the right foot:
Build on the DOE's 5+ decades of work: The DOE has compiled many years of algae research and production data from their programs. This data could benefit the development of USDA programs such as the Biomass Crop Assistance Program, Crop Insurance, and the Algae Agriculture Research Program. Additionally, it could be used to develop a primer on algae production for the USDA Extension Service, to better serve algae producers, especially in states with large production facilities.
Establish a handful of "reference" algal species: Reference varieties are used for trials of other crops like wheat and soy; one of the issues with algal research is a lack of standard reference strains. Identifying a series of reference algal species and sequencing their genomes to support future R&D efforts would help the industry better standardize field trials (at a minimum).
Be inclusive of CO2 capture and delivery technologies: Many of the current CO2 capture and re-use scenarios for algae facilities are centered around co-localization with emitters, and are focused on future facilities. We need to ensure that Direct Air Capture technology for CO2 delivery is supported in the regulations so algae facilities can more easily participate in the CO2 economy; it removes the co-localization requirement and makes room for current algae facilities that are not co-located with emitters to participate.
We now sit at the beginning of a new chapter for the algae industry. We have the opportunity to elevate algae from a niche research project to a mainstream crop, and it's ours for the taking. I'm looking forward to working with the rest of the industry and our partners in government agencies to make this happen.
This article was first published on Biofuels Digest. Biofuels Digest is the most widely read Biofuels daily read by 14,000+ organizations. Subscribe here.
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text:
Sister Mary Josephine (Mary Jo) O'Hanlon, OP
Sister Mary Jo is a former principal of St. Patrick School in Larkspur.
Sister Mary Josephine (Mary Jo) O'Hanlon, formerly known as Sister James Patrick, died on October 7, 2020, at the Dominican Life Center in Adrian, Michigan. She was 96 years old and in the 76th year of her religious profession in the Adrian Dominican Congregation. Sister Mary Jo is a former principal of St. Patrick School in Larkspur.
Born in Ireland. Sister Mary Jo held a graduate degree in elementary education from Barry University in Miami, Florida, and a graduate degree in religious education from the University of San Francisco.
In addition to her service at St. Patrick's and years at schools in Oakland, Santa Cruz, Carmel and Hayward, Sister Mary Jo ministered at schools in locations including Detroit, the Dominican Republic, Florida, and Arizona.
Sister Mary Jo became a resident of the Dominican Life Center in 2019.
Due to COVID-19 protocols, the Dominican Life Center is closed until further notice to all guests or visitors. A funeral Mass was celebrated Oct. 13 in the sisters' chapel in Adrian with interment in the Congregation Cemetery.
Remembrances may be made to Adrian Dominican Sisters, 1257 East Siena Heights Drive, Adrian, Michigan 49221.


text:
SVNED Inc.
Maxwell Njarika
Maxwell Olusegun Njarika is Jr. Board member of SVNED Leadership Committee. In this role, Njarika is responsible of program development and deployment of SVNED Incubators held in Lagos, Nigeria Lekki Phase II. Njarika has led incubator sessions in partnership with General Electrics, Ntel, and IBM. In addition, Njarika is the CEO/ Cofounder of the 1st Nigerian Music Streaming application, Music Hangout. Njarika's background in music stems from the launch of his first business at 18 y/o, leading 4MGS (For making great Stars) Entertainment a media creative studio, producing music soundtracks and music videos for various recording artists. 4MGS is notable for writing and producing cinematography projects, directing and streaming media contents for the Buhari/Osinbajo 2019 reelection campaign. Njarika's first love is music and his work can be observed as a talent manager for musical acts and individual brands.
Chisom Chioma Ibe
Dr. Chisom Chioma Ibe is a Business Consultant, Financial Advisor, Business Mentor, Career & Life Coach and a Medical Practitioner with a rich blend of varying fields of expertise and creativity. She runs and facilitates executive consulting, mentorship and leadership programs for private individuals and corporate organizations. She is in partnership with Joseph Consulting and Mentoring Ltd., a career management, business consulting and mentoring firm, whose MD/CEO Ugochukwu Omeogu has a background in investment banking from JP Morgan Chase Bank in the United States. Here, she facilitates various business consulting sessions for firms and private individuals.
She is currently a board member and the Executive Director of Faculty at Merignos Consulting and Mentoring Ltd., a Board Member and Shareholder of Kurefund Consult, a certified mentor of Million Dollar Business Club, and a passionate, inspiring speaker and a teacher of Wealth Psychology.h
Ezekiel Adeyinka
Ezekiel Adeyinka is Web Developer, Software Engineer, and Project Manager in Nigeria. Ezekiel has a profound interest and professional experience in web and mobile development across all platform. Ezekiel hopes to make history by introducing Nigerian Info and Ag tech sector to AI and Machine Learning, to help surplus gross domestic products for common goods and services. Ezekiel in his spear time designs robotics with embedded systems developed to solve common human problems. Currently, Ezekiel renders his expertise to SV-NED as a freelance Social Media and Public Relations manager. For the upcoming SV-NED Immersion Program Ezekiel will be overseeing aeronautics and air traffic control incubator training program designed to develop youth workforce committed to Pilot and Air Traffic Controllers Training. On any given day, you can find Ezekiel at iQube Labs, InvenTech in Lagos, Nigeria.
Kasham Iliya
Kasha lliya is a Jr. Board Member of the SVNED Inc. Leadership Committee. In this role, Iliya is responsible for Public International Relations for Delegation arriving from various parts of the world. Iliya has co-hosted alongside Executive Board Leadership at SVNED a series of Economic Summits hosted in Silicon Valley and served as the 2nd Immersion Program Examination Assessment leader. Illiya held this position during her study abroad program in the U.S. and continues to work remotely on the SVNED team from the UK. Currently, Iliya is Sr. at Middlesex University in the United Kingdom where she will earn a B.A. degree in International Business come July 2019. Iliya has career aspirations to explore opportunities as Diplomat with the United Nations in the advancement of peace and global development. As an experienced traveler, having visited over 10 countries ((Nigeria, Ireland, France, Spain, Greece, Ghana, USA (6 states), Germany, Austria, Dubai, Morocco, Portugal, Turkey), she has observed a common thread surrounding the quest and pursuit of equality and justice. As a result, she is pursuing a Master's Degree in Global Governance and Development. During her educational career at Middlesex University, Iliya was elected as Student Voice Leader, working with fellow students to bring changes in their study and university experience.
Javan Stewart
Javan Stewart is a Jr. Board Member of the SVNED Inc. Leadership Committee. In this role, his responsible for metrics and dashboard reporting for statistical analysis for economic development opportunities for any assigned countries. Stewart is currently a Sr. in his final year at Morgan State University, in Baltimore Maryland where he will earn a B.S. degree in Finance May 2019. Stewart is an active member Alpha Iota Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. His Philanthropic work can be observed as a member of Riverside Church, volunteering for several mission trips to Isreal, Hawaii, New Orleans, and Cuba.
Damilola Olasupo
Damilola Olasupo is a Computer Science Graduate from National Open University of Nigeria. Damilola dove right into the heart of <coding> at the early age of 16, when she start using HTML and CSS in college. Then, leading to a 6-months internship at a software company SURM Global Ltd. At SRUM Global Damilola, learned how to build Web Applications and Mobile Applications.
The brilliance in her work, led to an opportunity to intern with the Federal Airports Authority (FAA) of Nigeria, there she learn about SVNED 2nd Immersion Program from a mentor. Damilola participation in the 2nd Immersion program has been a turning point for her professional career, which lead to her first Job!
Damilola is a Full Time Employee working as Front-End Engineer, where she met her employer, Imaginarium Creative Global Limited. She recants, "Its been an amazing journey so far."
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text:
On Stage: Chris Robinson Brotherhood @ Paradiso
Some bands or artists are like a very good wine, that you had the pleasure of drinking several times. Every time you are going to drink it again, you look forward to it a lot even though you know what to expect. It also only gets better when it ages. Chris Robinson is one of those artists that I can really look forward to seeing, over and over again.
Chris Robinson Brotherhood at Paradiso Amsterdam, July 12 2019
I am lucky that former The Black Crowes front man Chris Robinson loves to play Paradiso. So when his Chris Robinson Brotherhood are in Europe, they are guaranteed to pay a visit to my favourite venue. Whenever I can, I try to see him play with his band since I know it will be an incredible night with amazing rock music. It's been three years since I was able to catch them, so it's about time!
The band just released a new LP Servants of the Sun, which contains songs they will definitely play live, according to Robinson. This turns out to be true, since the band will play many new songs. The new music has a bit of a more electronic touch to it, but for the rest stays close to their familiar sound. It almost seems the songs are merely loose structures, that they use to play jams. Several styles are combined, like blues, country, americana, southern rock and prog rock. It's all kneaded into a wonderful musical and psychedelic trip that is timeless. For the rest not much has changed in the last couple of years in the band, although they recently changed their keyboard player.
Those styles of music have been around for ages of course and sometimes when the light turns to some kind of sepia, it's almost as if we're back in the seventies. However this band is so good at playing it with a lot of heart that it doesn't sound outdated at all. Neal Casal's dazzling guitar solos are out of this world, combined with swinging keyboard playing and a very tight and groovy rhythm section. On top of that you hear the unique vocals of Robinson, that never change and that time doesn't seem to have any grip on.
The band will completely drag you into their gorgeous music and I loose every sense of time. Before I know it the band shortly leaves the stage, before they return again for the encore. I simply cannot get enough of this band that only gets better every time I see them. Count me in for the next time.
Official Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Soundcloud | YouTube | Spotify
01. Comin' Round the Mountain
02. Venus in Chrome
03. A Smiling Epitaph
04. Roan County Banjo
05. Good to Know
06. Rare Birds
07. Stars Fell on California
08. The Chauffeur's Daughter
09. Little Lizzie Mae
10. Dice Game
11. Let It Fall
12. Rosalee
13. Behold the Seer
14. Mandolin Wind (Rod Stewart cover)
Labels: chris robinson brotherhood, live review, paradiso, rock
Dijkpop 2019
Because friends of ours live in the town Andijk, we visited the Dijkpop festival two years ago, that is being held there annually. We had a lot of fun but couldn't go to last year's edition. This year however we didn't want to miss it again.
Dijkpop, July 6 2019
We want to arrive early at the festival site, so we won't miss JAGD. It is a bit rainy and when we arrive there are not many people around yet. A perfect chance to test the beer (we actually found bad tasting ones at one bar), explore the site and get rocking.
JAGD are the ones to open the rock stage this year, which is not the most desirable job. It's still early and it is raining and many people will come to the festival later in the afternoon. Only a handful of people have made it to this tent, but that doesn't slow down the band for a bit. I've seen them several times before and this is a group that will never let you down. Their uptempo punk songs should convince most people watching them, especially with their lively stage performance. You notice they keep getting better and better because of the many shows they are playing. They try out a few new songs as well, that sound promising for what is coming next. One of them is more heavy in sound which is a direction that works pretty good. It would be nice if more people will pick on them so they can start playing bigger crowds and festivals.
Official Website | Facebook | Instagram | Soundcloud | YouTube | Spotify
Tricklebolt
A bit later we return to the rock stage to watch Tricklebolt, a traditional hard rock band. I listened to a few of their songs and found those a bit overproduced and too smooth. However live on stage their sound is more heavy, rough around the edges and the songs work a lot better. It is a seventies rock sound with a swinging Hammond to top it off. The band plays with a lot of energy and turns the place into a rock party.
Official Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Spotify
The Mauskovic Dance Band
This band is also drawing inspiration from the seventies but in a completely different way. Their combination of disco, cumbia and afrobreat with a spacy sound is aimed at one thing only: dancing. It is impossible to stand still with these tropical grooves and exotic music. Unfortunately not many people are in the mood for dancing apparently since not many showed up here. That is too bad since this band deserves a bigger crowd that are hungry for dancing, as that would surely turn into a hot party. We have to leave them halfway as well though, since we also want to see Thijs Boontjes.
Official Website | Facebook | Twitter | Spotify
Thijs Boontjes
I love this rocker with his catchy and happy songs and his tongue in cheek performances. He sings songs about everyday life, like 'Casablanca' when we walk in, a song about a karaoke bar in Amsterdam. I already saw him a few times, the last time earlier this year when he presented his new album. It may all just sound like it's simple fun, but the songs are actually really clever, well written and skilfully played. Especially because his band consists of some of the best musicians from the Dutch alternative music scene. With his joyful performance you can see everyone is having a good time. Both on and off stage, since it's hard to tell who's having more fun, the crowd or the band.
Official Website | SoundCloud | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Spotify
Belgian band Novastar, a group around Joost Zweegers, have been around for a long time. Their emotional ballads and rock songs are easy to the ears, but the group never got really big outside Belgium though. The music is not to blame for that, nor the musicians, since you can tell these are professional and skilled musicians. Zweegers plays many songs behind the piano and his warm voice is clear. He's playing with a lot of heart and it's a smooth running show. Still they don't have a lot of hit songs that many people know and only when they play 'Where Did We Go Wrong', you notice that people recognize it. The music could maybe use a bit more variation, since I notice people start losing interest at one point. I like their sound though and it's a convincing performance nevertheless.
We return to the rock stage where we find STAKE tearing the place down. Black Peaks were supposed to play, but I find out after the festival (thanks Paceshifters!) they had to cancel and were replaced by Belgium's STAKE, formerly known as Steak Number Eight. The Belgian post-metal band is new to me, but I'm pleasantly surprised by the energetic performance. Singer Brent Vanneste is screaming on the top of his lungs, giving the heavy rock songs a lot of fire. But when he's not screaming you notice he actually is a pretty good singer with a pleasant rock voice. It reminds me of Deftones now and then when he sings like that. The songs are pounding away with great force and the band fires them off one after another, causing a wild pit in front of the stage. This band is a pleasant surprise for me today.
Michelle David & The Gospel Sessions
We've seen Michelle David play a few times before including two years ago on this festival. Her gospel and soul music received widespread praise and with her very good band she's a welcome guest at many festivals. David is a wonderful performer with a strong soul voice, singing with lots of passion. Most of her songs are danceable and she turns every stage into a swinging high mass. I do notice that after seeing her perform a few times, the shows don't really change. Hopefully she can come up with something new after a while.
Official Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Spotify
Paceshifters
I've seen Paceshifters play an acoustic set once and thought is was okay, but nothing really special. Tonight the trio prove to be a passionate rock band with great sounding songs. The two brothers Dokman on guitar and bass, together with drummer Jesper Albers, play tight and with a lot of heart. Their noise rock is loud and heavy, but also has a sense of urgency. Their passionate performance clearly pays off as there is quite a big turn up and no one wants to leave. I am definitely going to check out more of their music now.
Yes, we're at the rock stage again, where we spent most of the day. They have a hell of a closing act there this year, in the form of Danko Jones. The Canadian rocker will play for the full 100 percent everywhere he goes. It is clear he doesn't like the fact that he's not playing the bigger main stage. I can understand that, since he's used to play much bigger stages and festivals. But this is a small festival and this smaller tent hasn't even filled up completely for the rock band. This only makes him more determined to knock everyone off their feet though. I always like the way he tries to preach rock and roll where ever he goes and won't slow down until everyone is rocking with him.
He has two great partners in crime. Especially bass player John 'JC' Calabrese is always wonderful to watch, tirelessly firing up the crowd while rocking out with a big smile on his face. Together with Jones he has been in the band from the beginning and the duo have conquered many stages together. Jones says "I want to be on the main stage the next time, because we will be back". I hope he will keep his promise and we can see him tear down the main stage in a few years time.
I had a lot of fun again at this pleasant small festival. It tries hard to come up with an interesting line-up with something for everyone and sure succeeded in that this year. We definitely will be back next year, to party some more with the kind people of Andijk.
Labels: black peaks, danko jones, dijkpop, festivals, jagd, live review, michelle david, novastar, paceshifters, the mauskovic dance band, thijs boontjes, tricklebolt
On Stage: Stray Cats @ AFAS Live
I was still a little laddie when Stray Cats lived through their glory days at the beginning of the eighties. They already had disbanded for a while when I started going to concerts. They had a couple of reunions, including a farewell tour in 2008/2009, but I was never able to catch them. I also never got to see The Brian Setzer Orchestra somehow, although they passed through our country several times. Fortunately Stray Cats got back together for a 40th anniversary tour, recorded a new album and are playing a short metro ride away. Time to rock!
Stray Cats at AFAS Live Amsterdam, July 1 2019
When we get to the venue we find out many people have come early to catch support act Danny Vera. As a big Stray Cats fan himself of course he's over the moon to play here warming up the crowd for his big heroes. He's doing a great job with his heartfelt rock songs. The three Stray Cats are greeted by a rock 'n' roll hungry crowd, with some people dressed for the occasion. This is also a phone filming crowd too, as many phones go up in the air, especially in the beginning. It's not that often they get to see this band play live I guess. The three rockers start playing a new song 'Cat Fight (Over a Dog Like Me)' with a big smile that hardly ever leaves their face. These guys clearly are enjoying playing together again.
Although a couple of new songs are on the setlist, the trio mostly play their big hits with my personal favourite 'Runaway Boys' early in the set. The band understands that this is a crowd that wants to see them rock out their best work, so the new songs are scattered around the setlist. The hit songs haven't lost anything of their charm and magic, even though some of them are fourty years old. Most of them are still little rockabilly gems, that have stood the test of time.
All combined it turns the night in a cheerful one, with a enthusiastic crowd who are dancing, singing and clapping along. Brian Setzer is an incredible guitar player with mind blowing solos and very fast fingers. He's showcasing his skills in a little guitar improvisation halfway the show and doesn't even shy away from a convincing version of Dick Dale's 'Misirlou', the famous surf rock musician who passed away only a few months ago. Lee Rocker is plucking away on his double bass for that wonderful rockabilly sound that is so hard to resist. He's dragging the bass across stage, picks it up, lets Setzer rock on top of it and also sings a couple of songs. Slim Jim Phantom is playing his drums with great ease and in a loose way, standing in his usual relaxed fashion behind his kit. Now and then he will walk away from it, only playing the beat by hitting his sticks together.
This show has everything that is to like about this unique band, that conquered the world with their catchy rock music. They have been copied many times, but I don't think anyone ever came near them. All three are incredible musicians that make it look and sound so simple. But it's very clever and skilled what they are doing. It has been amazing finally seeing this band play and before I know it the trio is back on stage for a three song encore. When we leave the venue I only see happy faces around me in the lovely crowd that only spread good vibes tonight.
Official Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | SoundCloud | YouTube | Spotify
01. Cat Fight (Over a Dog Like Me)
02. Runaway Boys
03. Double Talkin' Baby
04. Three Time's a Charm
05. Stray Cat Strut
06. Mean Pickin' Mama
07. Gene & Eddie
08. Cry Baby
09. I Won't Stand In Your Way
10. Guitar Improvisation
11. Misirlou
12. When Nothing's Going Right
13. (She's) Sexy + 17
14. Bring It Back Again
15. My One Desire
16. Blast Off
17. Lust n Love
18. Fishnet Stockings
19. Rock This Town
20. Rock It Off
21. Built for Speed
22. Rumble in Brighton
Labels: afas live, live review, rock, stray cats


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Bret Bielema positive for COVID-19, will miss Iowa game
/ by Alex Shapiro
The Fighting Illini will be without their head coach when they take on the No. 18 Iowa Hawkeyes this Saturday. Bret Bielema announced in a statement on Tuesday that he has tested positive for COVID-19 and will not be able to coach this weekend's game. Bielema is vaccinated.
"Through technology, I will be as present as possible," Bielema said in the statement. "However, when I can't be present our assistant head coach George McDonald will handle those moments. George and I have had discussions before today if this situation would arise and I have full confidence in him and our staff in preparation for Iowa. If all stays on the current path, I should be available and present for next week. Our team has shown repeatedly this year that next man up is the standard not the exception and this will be another example of this mentality in our Illini FamILLy."
The Illini sit at 4-6 this season, but have put together a couple of signature wins, including a road victory against Penn State, who were ranked No. 7 in the country at the time. They won on the road against No. 20 Minnesota, as well.
Illinois athletic director Josh Whitman says the team must remain vigilant and stay safe.
"Unfortunately, we are being reminded every day that the pandemic is not over – a point brought home by this most recent news regarding Coach Bielema," Whitman said in the statement. "Our medical staff is taking all necessary steps to ensure that we are monitoring the team and taking appropriate precautions to limit any potential spread within the program. I have great confidence in our staff and players, and I look forward to another strong performance in Iowa City this week."
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When it first was shown, I really liked "The Inbetweeners" $-$ it was at times quite rude and cheap, but it did make me laugh, despite the fact that, as it often happens, all the main characters did look a bit older than the age they were trying to portrait…
Anyway, as is increasingly often the case, this post has very little to do with its title and (surprise!) it's again about the model for the UK general election.
There has been lots of talk (including in Andrew Gelman's blog) in the past few days about Yougov's new model, which is based on Gelman's MRP (Multilevel Regression and Post-stratification). I think the model is quite cool and it obviously is very rigorous $-$ it considers a very big poll (with over 50,000 responses), assumes some form of exchangeability to pool information across different individual respondents' characteristics (including geographical area) and then reproportions the estimated vote shares (in a similar way to what my model does) to produce an overall prediction of the final outcome.
Much of the hype (particularly in the British mainstream media), however, has been related to the fact that Yougov's model produces a result that is very different from most of the other poll analyses, ie a much worse performance for the Tories, who are estimated to gain only 304 seats (with a 95% credible interval of 265-342). That's even less than the last general election. Labour are estimated to get 266 (230-300) seats and so there have been hints of a hung parliament, come Friday.
Electoralcalculus (EC) has a short article in their home page to explain the differences in their assessment, which (more in line with my model) still gives the Tories a majority of 361 (to Labour's 216).
As for my model, the very latest estimate is the following:
Conservative 347.870 3.2338147 341 347 355.000
Labour 222.620 3.1742205 216 223 230.000
UKIP 0.000 0.0000000 0 0 0.000
Lib Dem 11.709 2.3103369 7 12 16.000
SNP 48.699 2.0781525 44 49 51.000
Green 0.000 0.0000000 0 0 0.000
PCY 1.102 0.9892293 0 1 2.025
Other 0.000 0.0000000 0 0 0.000
so somewhere in between Yougov and EC (very partisan comment: man how I wish Yougov got it right!).
One of the points that EC explicitly models (although I'm not sure exactly how $-$ the details of their model are not immediately evident, I think) is the poll bias against the Tories. They counter this by (I think) arbitrarily redistributing 1.1% of the vote shares from Labour to the Tories. This probably explains why their model is a bit more favourable to the Conservatives, while being driven by the data in the polls, which seem to suggest Labour are catching up.
I think Yougov model is very extensive and possibly does get it right $-$ after all, speaking only for my own model, Brexit is one of the factors and possibly can act as proxy for many others (age, education, etc). But surely there'll be more than that to make people's mind? Only few more days before we find out…
Bayesian statistics Miscellanea Perso
At the Oscars!
The swingers
(Too) slowly but surely?
How to be Bayesian and spare yourself a dreadful afternoon with your stupid football team losing the derby


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Produce From Our Common Goods Garden
Clinton Food Pantry Easter Baskets
Our Clinton Pantry Volunteers
Congregation Beth Shalom Rodfe Zedek Food Drive
Our Old Lyme Volunteers- Bagging Groceries
Our Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantry Drivers
Donations From Our Wonderful Gardens
Our Old Lyme "Ramp" Crew
East Lyme Masons Food Drive
Octoberfest Lunch at Grace Church Meal Site
Westbrook Stuff a Cruiser Food Drive
If you are having difficulty making ends meet, we are here for you. You are welcome to join us for food and fellowship at our daily meal sites, and weekly at a pantry.
Our mission is made possible because of the generous support of our community. You can make a difference: volunteer, hold a food drive, or make a financial contribution.
Learn More ABOUT WHAT WE DO:
We provide enough food for over 1.2 million meals each year. This includes home-style meals served each day at one of our 8 meal sites, and groceries are available each week at one of our 5 food pantries.
We are an interfaith ministry, with all locations hosted by faith communities.
Note: Volunteer meetings are suspended at this time.
Locations of Food Pantries:
Guests are welcome to visit one pantry site each week.
Facemasks must be worn.
TUESDAY 11:30am-2:15pm in WESTBROOK
St. Mark's Roman Catholic Church, 222 McVeagh Road
TUESDAY 2:00pm-4:00pm in OLD SAYBROOK
First Church of Christ in Saybrook (Congregational),366 Main Street
WEDNESDAY 3:30pm-6:00pm in CLINTON
First Church of Christ, Congregational, 55 Church Road, Clinton
Due to inclement weather yesterday the Clinton pantry will
be distributing on 1/26 from 3:30 pm - 6:00 pm
THURSDAY 2:30pm-4:30pm in EAST LYME
St. John's Episcopal Church,400 Main Street
Pantry is held inside
SATURDAY 8:30am - 10:30am in OLD LYME
First Congregational Church, 2 Ferry Road
Curbside pickup is no longer available
To Donate Food click here
For drop-off dates, times and locations
Locations of MEAL SITES
Sunday 5:00-6:00 p.m. - United Church of Chester
29 West Main Street, Chester
Monday 5:00-6:00 p.m. - First Baptist Church of Essex
10 Prospect Street, Essex
Tuesday 5:00-6:00 p.m. - St. John's Episcopal Church
23 Main Street, Essex
DINE-IN ONLY
Wednesday Noon-1:00 p.m. - Grace Episcopal Church
336 Main Street, Old Saybrook
BOTH DRIVE UP AND DINE-IN
Wednesday 5:00-6:00 p.m. - United Methodist Church
12 Commerce Street, Clinton
Thursday 5:00-6:00 p.m. - Deep River Congregational Church
1 Church Street, Deep River
Fridays Noon-1:00 p.m. - Trinity Lutheran Church
109 Main Street, Centerbrook
Fridays, 6:00-7:00 p.m. - Westbrook Congregational Church
1166 Boston Post Road, Westbrook
Meal Site
Jan 27th, 12:00pm-1:00pm
Westbrook Congregational Church
Jan 27th, 6:00pm-7:00pm
Grocery Distribution
2 Ferry Rd, Old Lyme
Curbside pickup is no longer available.
Jan 28th, 9:00am-11:00am
United Church of Chester
9 West Main Street, Chester
Gowrie Challenge Breaks Record and Raises $300,000 for SSKP
The 2022 Gowrie Group Challenge was a record-breaking success! Together, through the ...
Gowrie Group Aims to Raise $200,000 to Benefit SSKP
On November 1st, to kick off the Gowrie Challenge to benefit SSKP, Gowrie Group, a di...
Middlesex United Way Supports SSKP
Middlesex United Way Supports SSKPThe Middlesex United Way has generously provided a ...
CFMC Supports SSKP
The Community Foundation of Middlesex County (CFMC) has generously awarded SSKP with ...
10th Annual Firehouse Food Drive – April 9th, 2022
10th Annual Firehouse Food Drive – April 9th, 2022Save the Date! Local fire departmen...
Perishable and non-perishable food can be donated at times convenient to you.
Program Listing & Locations
We provide meals from 9 meal sites and distribute groceries from 5 food pantries.


MAP Sensor Vs. MAF Sensor . Contributed By: enginebasics Each EFI car today is equipped with either a MAF sensor ( mass air flow) or a MAP sensor ( manifold absolute pressure).
Installing a new mas airflow (MAF) sensor to see if it'll fix your engine driveability problems is not a good diagnostic approach. You can spend around $100 or more on a quality airflow sensor and yet solve nothing. But you can learn how to troubleshoot one in a few steps following this simple guide.
How do you read a current flow diagram? It took me a little time to figure it out. Look at it this way. Imagine that you are looking at a diagram that shows waterfalls emptying into a lake.


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The Empire State RE-Building
by Steve Laudato | Feb 27, 2020 | General | 0 comments
Ahh, New York City. The Big Apple. The city that never sleeps. The Empire State. Is New York the 'Empire State' when it comes to sports? Not anymore. Sure, the evil empire Yankees are still around and winning at a high level, but even they haven't won a championship since 2009 (2000, 1999, 1998, 1996 & many more before that). Although, who knows what might have happened if the Astros or Red Sox weren't cheating in 2017, 2018 (and possibly 2019), but let's stick to what we do know. Even an organization as prestigious as the Yankees haven't added to their 27 championships in over a decade. What's going on, New York? I thought you were supposed to be 'the greatest city in the world?'
It would appear that every New York sports team is rebuilding – and has been for quite some time. The last NY team to win a championship was the New York Giants in 2011 (2007, 1990 & 1986 before that). Which other team was even close? Well, the Mets made it to the World Series back in 2015, but lost. They haven't won since 1986 (1969 before that). What about the 'mecca of basketball,' Madison Square Garden? How about those Knickerbockers? Maybe we shouldn't go there. It's been a rough go of it lately for the Knicks, who have basically become the laughing stock of the NBA. They made the playoffs back in 2013, and a few other times a few years prior, but never were really much of a threat in the East. The Knicks haven't been to the NBA Finals since 2000, and haven't won the Finals since 1973 (1970 before that). What about the other team that plays in that building, the New York Rangers? They had a nice run of sustained success with Henrik Lundqvist in goal, reaching the Finals once in 2014 and making deep playoff runs during that span, but haven't hoisted the Stanley Cup since 1994 (1940, 1933 & 1928 before that). What about the other NHL team that plays in New York? The Islanders have made the playoffs here and there (made it to the 2nd round just last season), but haven't won the Stanley Cup Finals since they won it four consecutive years (1980, 1981, 1982 & 1983). Then of course there's the New York Jets, who also have sporadically made the playoffs, but have only won the Super Bowl once, back in 1969.
So what's going on with New York sports? Sure, they've had their share of championships, which not every organization gets to claim. But it really does seem like all New York teams are in a constant cycle of rebuilding as of late. So where do these mighty Empire State teams stand now? Well, the Yankees are favorites to go to the World Series this season, and finally got their hands on the pitching ace they've been missing in Gerrit Cole (although the news about Severino was certainly troubling, but they already showed they can be great without his services). The Mets fell just short of making the playoffs in 2019, but seem to have the talent to get there this year, and a pitching staff that can certainly make noise if they do in fact get there, led by back-to-back Cy Young winner Jacob DeGrom. The hockey teams both seem to be in good hands. The Islanders finally have great organizational structure, with GM Lou Lamoriello and Coach Barry Trotz, and a young star in Mat Barzal. The Rangers have a very talented young team, with a great young goalie and they just inked their star Chris Kreider to a 7 year extension (to go along with recently signed star Artemi Panarin), and the Rangers have been a notoriously well-run organization for a long time. The football teams leave a little to be desired, but at least both seem to be set for a long time at the quarterback position, with the Jets led by Sam Darnold and Giants led by Daniel Jones.
As for basketball, New York has only the Brooklyn Nets to look forward to. This team has a good core of young players, they just really are waiting to get a full season with free agent star signings Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. As for the Knicks? To quote the great Dr. Evil, "rrrrriiiiiiiiight…" Let's hope for their sake the recent front office hires pan out, so they can finally convince some stars to sign with the struggling organization. Will New York return to glory in this new decade? Only one way to find out, folks. You're just going to have to wait and see!
Steve Laudato
https://worldwidesportsradio.com/author/stevelaudato/
Can The Knicks Win Under James Dolan's Ownership?
An EXtra Football League?
What's Next For Tom Brady?
EXTRA! EXTRA! Reid All About It!


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How is business for Kelly Services (kellyservices.com) these days? What are their strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities?
Delivered February 8th, 2018. Contributors: Elizabeth C. and
Kelly Services is an overall successful company, whose lengthy history of operation and expansion is bolstered by their positively trending revenue and Gross Margin Score. Additionally, Kelly Services is the recipient of dozens of awards for many facets of their business model. Kelly Services also has many opportunities on the horizon, including branches of their company being acquired by long-time business partners as well as acquiring other businesses themselves. While Kelly Services is a strong company, they do have notable weaknesses and threats to their business, including a low stock score, negative to average overall ratings on websites like Better Business Bureau and Indeed, and two recent lawsuits alleging unfair treatment of employees.
Perhaps one of the biggest indicators of the success of Kelly Services is their longevity — they have been operating consistently for 72 years, since William Russell Kelly founded the company in 1946 as the Russell Kelly Office Service. Today, after seven decades of operation and expansion, Kelly Services is ranked on the Fortune 500 list at 490, and reported a total revenue of $5.4 billion in 2017. Solid figures from the fourth quarter of 2017 back up the Forbes positioning and revenue report; the company's revenue for the fourth quarter was up 9%, and its operating earnings were reported at up to $83 million. Additionally, in the fourth quarter of 2017, Kelly Services was able to boast a 57% increase in their earnings per share. Notably, Kelly Services has a Gross Margin Score of 17 on that 1 to 100 scale, where the lower the score means the more stable a company is.
The mission statement of Kelly Services is "to provide the world's best workforce solutions." The company appears to have a strong interest in maintaining an authentic and meaningful approach to their business, emphasizing "relationships, not transactions." Much of Kelly Services' character is centered in operating as a community. They place value on responsibility, innovation, and teamwork, as well as keeping a firm focus on the quality of their work rather than the size of their business.
This commitment to quality and meaningful business relationships has led to Kelly Services being frequently recognized with awards and honors. Within just the past five years, Kelly Services has racked up dozens of honors for various aspects of their business. FlexJobs placed Kelly Services in the twelfth spot on their 2018 list of Top 100 Companies for Remote Work (the company previously made this list in from 2014-2016). Additionally, in 2017 Kelly Services received two awards for diversity in the workplace from the Great Lakes Women's Business Council, as well as Corp! Magazine.
A notable weakness of Kelly Services is its standing with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Unfortunately, Kelly Services is not BBB Accredited, and the only reviews of the company on the BBB website are negative. While there are only three reviews, they are detailed and emphasize each writer's dissatisfaction with the company's perceived lack of professionalism, as well as issues stemming from their reliance on outsourcing.
Additionally, Kelly Services' rankings on popular job website Indeed.com are not as strong as they could be. While the company does have many five star reviews from Indeed users and pulls an overall 3.9 star rating, the breakdown of these ratings by category is where the need for improvement becomes clear. Raters on Indeed.com give Kelly Services an average score of 3.1 out of 5 stars relating to job security and advancement, with similar middle of the road ratings for other important aspects of a workplace. These aspects include Compensation and Benefits (3.3/5 stars), and Workplace Management and Culture (both earning 3.6/5 stars respectively).
Another weakness of Kelly Services, and perhaps the most important, is their low stock value. Kelly Services currently holds a score of 3 on the Pitroski F-Score scale, which helps determine how valuable and strong a company's stock is. The scale ranges from 1 to 9, with one being the weakest and nine being the strongest. Kelly Services earning a 3 out of 9 indicates that the stock is of a low value, which may drive away potential investors.
In January 2018, it was reported that InGenesis Inc., another workforce solutions company, acquired Kelly Services' healthcare specialty business. According to Kelly Services' Vice President and Managing Director John Drew, this acquisition provides benefits for both InGenesis Inc. and Kelly Services. Drew asserts that InGenesis Inc.'s "expertise in the field of healthcare" will mean that the purchased portions of Kelly Services will become even more successful, and will be able to provide even better services to clients. This acquisition is expected to be completed by February 2018, without interrupting service to customers or terminating any employee positions.
In late 2017, Kelly Services acquired Teachers On Call, a service which provides substitute teachers to schools. While the terms of this deal are unknown to the public, this acquisition serves as an expansion to the Kelly Education Staffing branch of Kelly Services. This expansion will allow Kelly Education Staffing to broaden its already large service area, which consists of over 7,000 schools in 35 states.
The biggest threat to Kelly Services in recent years has been negative press. Kelly Services first earned negative press for a class action lawsuit in which the company was accused of violating the Fair Credit Reporting Act by conducting undisclosed background checks on both potential employees and hired workers. In spite of Kelly Services denying the allegations made in the lawsuit, they agreed to settle out of court with the 200,000+ members of the class.
Additionally, Kelly Services received negative press in early 2016 for "allegedly withholding overtime pay" from remotely working employees in their customer service division. The withheld overtime pay stems from time that these remote employees used to set themselves up and shut themselves down before and after a shift, as well as encountering and handling any technical issues they may be facing that require placing a call to Kelly Services' tech support line. A class action lawsuit was filed on behalf of these workers in order to obtain payment that was allegedly withheld from them. Although this particular story is nearly two years old, there is no further information available on movement or resolution regarding this conflict.
Kelly Services is overall a successful company, with seven decades of operation and expansion under its belt, increasing revenue, and opportunities for collaboration and expansion. The company has earned various awards over the years, and overall has more strong attributes than weak ones. However, notable weaknesses and threats to Kelly Services include a low stock score, less than impressive ratings on the Better Business Bureau and Indeed, and poor press from two class action lawsuits alleging unfair treatment of employees and job seekers.
Company Information | Kelly Services | Workforce Management
kellyservices.us
Awards and Recognition | Kelly Services US
Our Leadership | Kelly Services US
Vision, Character and Values | Kelly Services US
70 Years of Leadership
InGenesis Acquires The Healthcare Specialty Business Of Kelly Services®
prnewswire.com
Kelly Services® Reports Fourth Quarter Earnings and Solid 2017 Results | Kelly Services, Inc.
ir.kellyservices.com
Kelly Services acquires Teachers on Call
crainsdetroit.com
BBB Business Profile | Kelly Services | Reviews and Complaints
bbb.org
Working at Kelly Services: 9,470 Reviews | Indeed.com
Kelly Services Background Check Class Action Settlement
topclassactions.com
Are Kelly Services Customer Care Agents Properly Paid for All the Hours They Work? | Sommers Schwartz, P.C.
sommerspc.com
Pulling the Curtain Back on Kelly Services, Inc. (NasdaqGS:KELY.A)
finnewsweek.com


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Utopia, the social mental illness?
Judge rules Proposition 8 unconstitutional, hopefully!
They Walk. They Work. New DNA Robots Strut Their Tiny Stuff.
"I Was Punished For Having 2 Moms"
Seattle police illegally arrest a man, then lose the video.
Another example of "Special Privileges"
California! Weed on the ballot!