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Best of South Africa & Mozambique
Get a whole new take on the 'Big Five' as you explore some of our favourite corners of South Africa, before winding down on the beautiful beaches of Benguerra Island in a trip that ties together culture, wildlife and luxury.
Argentina, Chile & Antarctica: A Luxury Adventure to Patagonia and Beyond
Take in some of the world's most impressive landscapes as you traverse through both Argentinian and Chilean Patagonia before heading down to the White Continent on a luxury fly-cruise of Antarctica.
THE BEST OF JAPAN: ANCIENT TRADITIONS & MODERN WORLDS
Here, you'll find the height of modernity alongside some of the world's most beautiful ancient temples and gardens, all woven together by incredible cuisine and one of the most interesting cultural perspectives in Asia.
See it all in New Zealand & Fiji
Travel from top to bottom in New Zealand, before heading down to tropical Fiji for a whole new perspective on 'island life'. A trip packed full of unique experiences, it is not to be missed.
Mustique, St Vincent & Barbados
Ease yourself into laid-back luxury as you hop from the beachside seclusion of Mustique to the private paradise of Petit St Vincent and onto the iconic glamour of Barbados.
Tuscany & Amalfi
Rolling hills, crystal waters and food fit for the gods; Tuscany, Sorrento and Amalfi are a real taste of la dolce vita. Visit historic hotspots, learn to cook the Neapolitan way and zip along the coast in your own classic open-top Alfa Romeo.
See it All in Sri Lanka and the Maldives
For stunning beaches with a cultural twist, you can't beat Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Tea plantations, colonial history and ancient sites washed down with a spot of snorkelling in crystal clear waters; what's not to like?
Ultimate India
Nowhere inspires wanderlust quite like India. A nation bursting with colour, epic landscapes and architecture so impossibly beautiful it has to be seen to be believed – and this luxury experience will leave you speechless.
Chile & Argentina
Unleash your inner sense of adventure as you traverse the breathtaking glacial landscapes of Argentina and Chilean Patagonia. Amid the mighty Torres del Paine, you'll get a true sense of wilderness on this unique, luxury adventure.
Jordan & Oman
Shrouded in mystery, the Middle East is a place ripe for discovery. Crashing over the sand dunes of Wahiba Sands and wading through the Dead Sea, this is your chance to unveil a world full of wonder.
California West Coast
For an iconic road trip, California is simply unbeatable. Crusie along Highway-One and take in everything from the heights of San Francisco to the wilderness of Yosemite, the glitz of Hollywood to the beachside bliss of Santa Monica.
South East Asia has always been a beguiling place. Breathe in the heady scent of exotic spices as you drift through narrow alleys filled with a deep sense of culture and heritage, before coming to rest on pristine island shores.
California to Bora Bora
From the laid-back culture and natural wonders of California to pure island bliss in French Polynesia, escape the buzz of San Francisco to hole up on a tiny islet where bright underwater life and lavish spa treatments are the norm.
The perfect family time. Our team is full of family travellers, meaning we know what it takes to make sure both your 3 year old niece and 80 year old grandparents enjoy the experience just as much as each other. Family travel has never been so stress free.
We've been crafting dream itineraries for newly married couples for years. It's one of the most rewarding and exciting trips we love to create. Learn more about the ins and outs of our honeymoon service here.
Our travel experts have experienced the thrills and challenges of solo travel. Collating all of this knowledge and designing adventures for the intrepid solo traveller has produced some of our most immersive and exciting itineraries.
Designed to take both yours and your partners wants and needs into every step of the journey. Our couple itineraries are paced perfectly for you to enjoy the very best a country has to offer whilst making sure you enjoy the quality time together you're after.
No matter what the size or the occasion, we're well versed in taking larger groups of people away for those special adventures.
The world may be conquered, but enough secrets remain to keep us up all night, dreaming of ways to whisk you off to the most unique corners of the globe. The only problem is picking which adventure to embark on first…
Hiking across mountain ridgelines, scrambling across glaciers and kayaking down mighty rivers, that's the norm here. These trips are designed to immerse you in a country, as you discover vast wildernesses, untouched regions and ancient cultures.
Porcelain shores, perfect seas and swaying palms aplenty; the allure of a classic beach break is hard to ignore. Which is why we're constantly looking for and handpicking the world's best beachfront boltholes and most idyllic stretches of coastline to offer you…
With a team of experts that have worked as conservationists, wildlife photographers and luxury lodge managers, we have the expertise to make your safari dreams come true. From Namibia to Nepal, a Black Tomato safari is perfect for any wildlife lover.
Our ski enthusiasts have spent years sending clients on every sort of ski trip. From first time skiers, to Heli skiing on remote glaciers, there aren't many places our team hasn't been in search of the best slopes and softest powder.
Designed for those looking for a once-in-a-lifetime challenge. Train with elite survival experts before traversing a polar, jungle, coastal, mountain or desert region in your mission back to civilisation. Ready for the challenge?
The ultimate luxury camping retreat. From the Sahara desert to the Andean Mountains, with Blink anywhere you can envisage it, we will create it. Stay where no one has ever stayed before and where no one will ever stay again. An experience exclusively for you.
We've just launched our greatest ever competition. Follow along to see who takes the prize and spends their 2020 travelling round the world with us.
Some people talk about 'culture shock.' We're talking about embedding yourself in an entirely different way of thinking, and of learning directly from experts on the ground; people who know their culture back to front. You may be surprised by what you discover.
When you return from your Drone the World trip, you'll have your own personal film, to show friends and family of your adventure. Filmed and edited by an international film creative director, this is no ordinary home movie.
Found the one and want to propose in style? The moment will be a memory forever and we're here to help you make sure it's the most perfect of proposals for you and your loved one.
5 HOURS / 5 DAYS, our new series of experiences where you won't need to fly for more than five hours, while packing in a full Black Tomato experience in five days or less. *Currently just for USA
Black Tomato has been tailormade to have all the right people, with the right skills and the right abilities for a particular task. Which happens to be creating specially made, bespoke holidays, for your particular purpose.
Eating at a Michelin – starred restaurant is one thing. But now you can learn about the country through the lens of some of the most critically acclaimed chefs in the world, by travelling with them on the ultimately culinary experience
Wellbeing – inspired nature adventures. These itineraries, designed alongside David de Rothschild and his like-minded team at The Lost Explorer, are for those wanting to reconnect with the outdoors and have an adventure focused on health and wellbeing.
Not sure where to begin? View all of our experiences by traveller type and trip type, as well as our unique experiences.
Wellbeing – inspired nature adventures. These itineraries, designed alongside David de Rothschild and his like minded team at The Lost Explorer, are for those wanting to reconnect with the outdoors and have an adventure focused on health and wellbeing.
Eating at a Michelin – starred restaurant is one thing. But now you can learn about the country through the lens of some of the most critically acclaimed chefs in the world, by travelling with them on the ultimately culinary experience.
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Home / Destinations / Europe / Lithuania
Luxury Holidays & Honeymoons in Lithuania
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Sunil Metcalfe
Lithuania Travel Expert
Nowadays, it's not often that you stumble across a destination that many have yet to explore; but just one step into Lithuania and we were hooked. Brimming with natural beauty, it's a country that also lays claim to a colourful history that lends itself to a vibrant cultural and rebellious spirit. A place to skip the crowds and get ahead of the curve, a tailormade holiday in Lithuania is not to be missed.
Highlights of Lithuania: Cities, Lakes & Coastal Beauty
Ideal length: 5 nights
Lithuania Highlights
It's not just Lithuania's aesthetics that has us hooked; it's a country that also lays claim to a colourful history that lends itself to a vibrant cultural and rebellious spirit. All of this on top of a thriving artistic scene, it's no surprise that Lithuania firmly takes its place as one of Europe's most exquisitely intriguing destinations.
MORE ABOUT LITHUANIA
In a story repeated many times across the former Eastern bloc, Lithuania shook off Communist rule in 1990 and set out on its own path to independence. This quietly beguiling Baltic country – a slight sliver of land festooned with lakes – has done alright for itself, proudly showing off its storied past, its grand city skylines, and its verdant countryside; where you can visit the moving Hill of Crosses, knock back a glass of mead, or sample of eateries of Vilnius (a city which contains its own self-declared republic, Užupis, since 1997. A self-declared republic with a conceptual shoe store, no less.)
LUXURY TOURS IN LITHUANIA
Driving across this small but rewarding country will reveal the string of tranquil, beautiful lakes and romantic castles that stand at their edges. At the lakeside town of Trakai, you can dip into its crystal waters (come winter or summer), before shooting on to charming Kaunas, which boasts of a patchwork of baroque, gothic and renaissance architecture, castle walls, and enviable eateries.
HEAVY ON THE HISTORIC HOTELS
True to a country whose tourism industry has gently expanded over the past two decades, and which plays host to a real glut of medieval and baroque buildings, the luxury hotels of Lithuania offer not only world-class luxury but charmingly historic looks.
A FANTASTICAL HONEYMOON
Lithuania – located at the dead centre of Europe – has been a regular shooting location for films and the BBC, whose War and Peace adaptation was shot on its rolling fields and snow-soaked forests. It has also stood in for Tudor England and Sherwood Forest, lending it an easy romantic charm that would suit any luxury honeymoon across this untouched region. Play out your Tolstoyan romantic fantasies among the castles and the pines.
STAY IN LITHUANIA
With its steadily flowering tourism industry, the country's offering of luxury five star hotels has continued apace.
STAY IN THE CITY
Set in the heart of Vilnius Old Town, the Kempinski hotel - surrounded on all sides by charming historic architecture - is one of the best luxury experiences in this thriving, pint-sized city, offering you the perfect launching pad from which to explore the curios and curiosities of this beautiful Baltic nation.
STAY ON THE LAKES
The lakes of Lithuania are renowned across Europe for their beauty. So too are the charming, authentic towns which are found huddled against their banks. From these quaint towns are some of the country's most charming bolt holes and boutique hotels from which to experience an authentic Lithuanian evening, and some of its excellent (albeit unknown) cuisine. Cepelinai, anyone?* *Pork, sour cream and bacon-stuffed dumplings, named after Zeppelins for their fluffy size. A true 'chef kiss' moment.
Capital Vilnius
Population 3,300,300
Language Lithuanian
Time difference GMT + 2| ET + 7
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HOMELAND Right-wing populism is spreading through Western Europe like wildfire. It is most popular in quiet, white neighbourhoods where people are shielded from different cultures and lifestyles. In this unscripted documentary, Sam Peeters portrays an ironic caricature of life in the Flemish suburbs, which reflects the current European zeitgeist.


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Another retrospective study proving early antibiotics in sepsis improves mortality
May 26, 2017 by RS
Christopher W. Seymour, Foster Gesten et el published a retrospective study in NEJM looking at impact of implementation of bundle treatment in sepsis.
Looked at the data(On patients with sepsis and septic shock, community acquired only) reported to New York Health Department from April 1, 2014, to June 30, 2016. More than 98% of the patients with data entered in the database were confirmed to have had severe sepsis or septic shock on manual audit
New York Department of health mandated following protocols on patients suspected of sepsis.
3-hour bundle
A. blood culture before the administration of antibiotics
B. measurement of the serum lactate level
C. the administration of broad-spectrum antibiotics.
Bolus of 30 ml of intravenous fluids per kilogram of body weight in patients with hypotension or a serum lactate level of 4.0 mmol or more per liter, the initiation of vasopressors for refractory hypotension, and the remeasurement of the serum lactate level within 6 hours after the initiation of the protocol.
WHO WERE EXCLUDED
21,046 patients (18.8%) who were ineligible(no explanation why), 32,665 (29.2%) who had protocols initiated outside the emergency department, 3648 (3.3%) who had protocols initiated after 6 hours, and 5126 (4.6%) who did not have the 3-hour bundle completed within 12 hours.
WHAT DID THEY FIND
Rapid completion of a 3-hour bundle of sepsis care and Rapid administration of antibiotics was associated with lower risk adjusted mortality.
This benefit was not seen with rapid administration of IV fluids.
Retrospective study
No analysis using excluded patients
From one state, may not apply to other locations.
Based on what was reported to health department
Appropriateness of antibiotics was not analyzed.
In a scathing criticism of the "early antibiotics" and "each hour delay", Mervyn Singer writes that so far all of the evidence pointing towards using early antibiotics in sepsis are based on retrospective review of data collected by regulatory authorities. Raw data are heavily adjusted statistically. There is no randomized trial to support this notion.
Problem with data collection from such sources misses the following : – 1. confirmation of infection 2. adequacy of antibiotic choice 3. antibiotic dosing 4. source control.
Furthermore, Non-infectious mimics accounted for 18% of patients initially diagnosed and treated as septic in an US emergency department (ED).
He cites several prospective studies which failed to show any difference in mortality with early antibiotics.
Biggest problem he cites is the point where we start counting time… For all studies, time is counted from presentation, which varies in the course of disease.
Shown in this picture
Following untoward outcomes may happen if we use antibiotics indiscriminately.
Increasing levels of antimicrobial resistance and harm from antibiotics themselves which include organ injury, mitochondrial dysfunction, the impact on the microbiome, and overgrowth by fungi and Clostridium difficile.
It will be very hard to have a study which would compare "early" vs "late" antibiotics. The debate will go on. Furthermore, we are clumping all infections in one bundle of sepsis. Bacterial pneumonia definitely behaves different than meningitis. It is time we separate infections based on system, and study the impact of therapy and its timing on the outcome. In the interim, we have to follow the guidelines by various societies as well as government regulators.
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No difference between Balanced Crystalloids versus Saline in critical care
New assay to diagnose late acetaminophen toxicity

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Pius M. Mosima
Pius M. Mosima hails from Buea in the South West Region of Cameroon. He teaches Philosophy at the Higher Teachers' Training College, University of Bamenda; and is vice Country Director in charge of Research and Programs at the Benchmark Institute for Research and Development (BIRD) Yaoundé, Cameroon; and Executive Board Member of the African Centre for Research, Innovation and Development(ACRID) Limbe/Buea; Cameroon. He is also Assistant Chief Examiner for Philosophy at the Cameroon General Certificate of Education Board (CGCEB). He studied Philosophy at the University of Yaoundé I where he obtained the BA and MA degrees in Philosophy; and the Ecole Normale Superieure of the same institution where he obtained the Postgraduate Teachers' Diploma (DI.PES.II) in Philosophy. He also studied Political Science at the University of Yaoundé II- Soa, where he obtained the MA and DEA degrees in Political Science. He later proceeded to study Philosophy at the Erasmus University Rotterdam (The Netherlands) under the supervision of Professor Wim van Binsbergen. However, when Professor Wim van Binsbergen retired from that Chair in 2012, Mosima finally defended his thesis at Tilburg University (The Netherlands), where his co-supervisor, Professor Walter van Beek still had PhD conferment rights. His research interests include African /intercultural Philosophy; Globalization and Culture, Moral and Political Philosophy, Political Sociology and Anthropology, Citizenship and Development Studies, Gender Studies and Bioethics. He has supervised research, presented papers in many conferences, facilitated in many workshops and given guest lectures in Summer Universities on these topics in many African and European universities.
Key words: African Philosophy, Intercultural Philosophy, Globalization and Identity/Culture, African Traditional Political Institutions, Democracy, Good Governance, Civil Society, Political Sociology, Political and Legal Anthropology, Bioethics, Gender Studies, Egyptology.
Philosophic Sagacity and Intercultural Philosophy: Beyond Henry Odera Oruka (Tilburg: Dissertations in Language and Culture Studies, 2016).
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piusmosima@yahoo.com
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On Sept. 26+27 2015, we organised an Experimental (Performance) Art Trail in Colakilty, West Cork.
'Come Wander With Me' was the first edition of a new model of performance experiment which aims to bring together artists of all disciplines and to create a completely new audience experience.
The performances happened in eight unusual locations around the town, from your grandmother's sitting room to your local dreary car park. The audience was split into eight groups which simultaneously rotated between the performance venues. During the 10 days leading up to the public event the artists created their site specific performances, mentored by a team that pushed them to go beyond their habitual practice and to rethink their relationship to an audience as well as to space.
The event was curated by Darragh McLoughlin and Elena Lydia Kreusch and funded by the Festivals and Events Scheme of the Arts Council of Ireland. Eight artistic proposals were chosen across the country following an open call for projects.
By showcasing incredible, touching, weird, skillful, political performances in unexpected corners and locations, 'Come Wander With Me' added yet another number to Clon's long and ever growing list of quirky happenings, challenged the participants' perception of the town and shed light on spaces long forgotten.
We created the format hoping it would create a space of reflexion around audience experiences as well as artistic practices in their relation to space. By documenting the process we would like to make this performance experiment accessible to others and invite you all to give rise to a series of follow up projects in different parts of the world, establishing 'Come Wander With Me' as a reoccurring, nomadic event.


Sadly we have to inform you that all InfoResources services ceased at the end of 2009. In the context of an internal reorientation process, our donor – the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) – decided to discontinue its financial support.
Since 2003 we were able to supply you with InfoResources News, InfoResources Focus, InfoResources Trends and the InfoResources Research Service. For us, these were interesting and challenging tasks. We hope that our services provided you with interesting and useful inputs to your daily work.


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Conventional wisdom holds that telemedicine is best practiced in a real-time manner. The physical doctor/patient interaction is captured via live video with the aid of a nurse or medical assistant at the patient's end. Though such real-time virtual visits will sometimes be necessary, it's much more efficient to capture the patient data, store it securely, then forward to the appropriate physician. Some of the many benefits to the store and forward approach are:
Patients and physicians no longer need to be simultaneously available;
The patient data can be forwarded to any physician in the world;
Physicians can batch up virtual patient visits and render care much more efficiently than would be possible in a like number of physical visits.Properly packaged, patient cases could likely be reviewed by physicians in half the time required for a standard office visit.
The Case for THE Exchange
For the any patient/physician/place/time vision to be realized, the patient data must be highly secured and find its way around cyberspace in a well-controlled and efficient manner. This calls for a very sophisticated network and data repository that that does not exists today –a tele-health exchange. No, make that "THE TeleHealthExchange" (THE Exchange). THE Exchange would be the backbone of the global telemedicine industry without which the full potential of telemedicine could never be realized.
Imagine the Possibilities
Imagine… a semi-retired primary care doctor logging onto THE Exchange three mornings a week from the comfort of his Wisconsin lake cottage. According to pre-established parameters, THE Exchange forwards the doctor virtual cases from around the world. He reviews the cases, makes his diagnosis and issues his orders just in time to enjoy a sumptuous lunch prepared by his lovely bride. On fishing days, he takes his cases in the afternoons so he doesn't miss the early morning feeding frenzy on the lake.
Best of all, one in three of the cases submitted to Dr. Badger come from third world countries critically lacking healthcare services. He finds such pro-bono work so gratifying that he doubts he'll ever fully retire. Why should he? With THE Exchange, he can work as much or as little as he wants from anywhere in the world. All he needs is a computer and an Internet connection. He speaks passionately about this aspect of his practice during his frequent guest lectures at his medical school alma mater. Dr. Badger wants to encourage the next generation of doctors to build pro-bono work into their practices from the beginning. Why not? With THE Exchange, every doctor on planet earth can use their skills to help "the least of these"…any patient…any doctor…anywhere…any time.
Closer to home, imagine…IU Tele-Health Services operating from a state-of-the-art control center housed in downtown Indianapolis…a few blocks from the IU School of Medicine. This tele-health control center looks and feels like NASA's Mission Control. However, the high energy folks hovering around the hundreds of HD monitors are healthcare professionals, not engineers. Primary care is provided by a veritable army of nurses, nurse practitioners and family physicians. These front line/online care givers are backed-up by a group of the world's finest specialists from every possible discipline. Of course, all of these highly skilled professionals don't have to by physically present. THE Exchange knows where to find them when they're needed. There are, however, tremendous benefits to having a critical mass of healthcare professionals together. They can consult with one another on challenging cases and enjoy the "professional nutrition" so craved amongst colleagues.
And finally, imagine…what a single courageous and compassionate nurse on the ground in Kwazulu-Natal , South Africa could do to help "the least of these" within the AIDS epicenter of the world. By connecting a RP-Lite Remote Presence system from InTouch Health to THE Exchange, this nurse can commandeer life-saving healthcare advice from around the world. Because such humanitarian care can be provided without concerns over such things as HIPAA regulations and payer issues, it could well be the driver behind building THE Exchange.
The Case for Exchange Standards
First and foremost, patient data transferred via THE Exchange must be formatted and packaged in a way that allows the physician to render an accurate diagnosis in the most efficient manner possible. This calls for standards and a system that enforces them. Patient vitals must be presented in a consistent format. Video footage and still photos must be cataloged in an easy-to-retrieve fashion. Determining who receives the virtual patient case will be critically important. This will call for a highly complex set of rules that will be ever-changing, while unparalleled data integrity and security is paramount to success.
Are you sensing that "THE Exchange" concept might represent a sizeable business opportunity for someone? No more teasing, next post I promise to consider just who those someones might be. We'll also ponder why it's just as likely that the 800 pound tele-health gorilla will emerge from remote entrepreneurial jungles unknown. Until then…here's to your tele-health!
By Brad Lindemann|2015-05-31T01:43:30+00:00February 24th, 2011|Categories: Main|0 Comments
About the Author: Brad Lindemann
Brad founded Ambassador Solutions, an IT consulting firm, in 1989 after starting his career with IBM in 1978. In 2016, in pursuit of his lifelong passion for the sanctity of life, Brad co-founded In Business for Life Inc. (501c3). On April 7, 2017 Brad launched the redemptive enterprise, MyBabysFamily.com, to help connect expectant parents in challenging pregnancy situations with families hoping to adopt a baby. Brad holds a BS Degree in Business from Indiana University and MBA from Taylor University. His life and business philosophies are chronicled in his book, In Business for Life.
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package org.apache.hadoop.hbase.replication;

import java.util.NavigableMap;
import java.util.TreeMap;

import org.apache.commons.logging.Log;
import org.apache.commons.logging.LogFactory;
import org.apache.hadoop.conf.Configuration;
import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.HBaseConfiguration;
import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.HBaseTestingUtility;
import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.HColumnDescriptor;
import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.HConstants;
import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.HTableDescriptor;
import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.TableName;
import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.client.Admin;
import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.client.Connection;
import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.client.ConnectionFactory;
import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.client.Table;
import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.client.replication.ReplicationAdmin;
import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.util.Bytes;
import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.zookeeper.MiniZooKeeperCluster;
import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.zookeeper.ZooKeeperWatcher;
import org.junit.AfterClass;
import org.junit.BeforeClass;

/**
 * This class is only a base for other integration-level replication tests.
 * Do not add tests here.
 * TestReplicationSmallTests is where tests that don't require bring machines up/down should go
 * All other tests should have their own classes and extend this one
 */
public class TestReplicationBase {
/*
  {
    ((Log4JLogger) ReplicationSource.LOG).getLogger().setLevel(Level.ALL);
  }*/

  private static final Log LOG = LogFactory.getLog(TestReplicationBase.class);

  protected static Configuration conf1 = HBaseConfiguration.create();
  protected static Configuration conf2;
  protected static Configuration CONF_WITH_LOCALFS;

  protected static ZooKeeperWatcher zkw1;
  protected static ZooKeeperWatcher zkw2;

  protected static ReplicationAdmin admin;
  protected static Admin hbaseAdmin;

  protected static Table htable1;
  protected static Table htable2;
  protected static NavigableMap<byte[], Integer> scopes;

  protected static HBaseTestingUtility utility1;
  protected static HBaseTestingUtility utility2;
  protected static final int NB_ROWS_IN_BATCH = 100;
  protected static final int NB_ROWS_IN_BIG_BATCH =
      NB_ROWS_IN_BATCH * 10;
  protected static final long SLEEP_TIME = 500;
  protected static final int NB_RETRIES = 10;

  protected static final TableName tableName = TableName.valueOf("test");
  protected static final byte[] famName = Bytes.toBytes("f");
  protected static final byte[] row = Bytes.toBytes("row");
  protected static final byte[] noRepfamName = Bytes.toBytes("norep");

  /**
   * @throws java.lang.Exception
   */
  @BeforeClass
  public static void setUpBeforeClass() throws Exception {
    conf1.set(HConstants.ZOOKEEPER_ZNODE_PARENT, "/1");
    // We don't want too many edits per batch sent to the ReplicationEndpoint to trigger
    // sufficient number of events. But we don't want to go too low because
    // HBaseInterClusterReplicationEndpoint partitions entries into batches and we want
    // more than one batch sent to the peer cluster for better testing.
    conf1.setInt("replication.source.size.capacity", 102400);
    conf1.setLong("replication.source.sleepforretries", 100);
    conf1.setInt("hbase.regionserver.maxlogs", 10);
    conf1.setLong("hbase.master.logcleaner.ttl", 10);
    conf1.setInt("zookeeper.recovery.retry", 1);
    conf1.setInt("zookeeper.recovery.retry.intervalmill", 10);
    conf1.setLong(HConstants.THREAD_WAKE_FREQUENCY, 100);
    conf1.setInt("replication.stats.thread.period.seconds", 5);
    conf1.setBoolean("hbase.tests.use.shortcircuit.reads", false);
    conf1.setLong("replication.sleep.before.failover", 2000);
    conf1.setInt("replication.source.maxretriesmultiplier", 10);
    conf1.setFloat("replication.source.ratio", 1.0f);
    conf1.setBoolean("replication.source.eof.autorecovery", true);

    utility1 = new HBaseTestingUtility(conf1);
    utility1.startMiniZKCluster();
    MiniZooKeeperCluster miniZK = utility1.getZkCluster();
    // Have to reget conf1 in case zk cluster location different
    // than default
    conf1 = utility1.getConfiguration();
    zkw1 = new ZooKeeperWatcher(conf1, "cluster1", null, true);
    admin = new ReplicationAdmin(conf1);
    LOG.info("Setup first Zk");

    // Base conf2 on conf1 so it gets the right zk cluster.
    conf2 = HBaseConfiguration.create(conf1);
    conf2.set(HConstants.ZOOKEEPER_ZNODE_PARENT, "/2");
    conf2.setInt(HConstants.HBASE_CLIENT_RETRIES_NUMBER, 6);
    conf2.setBoolean("hbase.tests.use.shortcircuit.reads", false);

    utility2 = new HBaseTestingUtility(conf2);
    utility2.setZkCluster(miniZK);
    zkw2 = new ZooKeeperWatcher(conf2, "cluster2", null, true);
    LOG.info("Setup second Zk");

    CONF_WITH_LOCALFS = HBaseConfiguration.create(conf1);
    utility1.startMiniCluster(2);
    // Have a bunch of slave servers, because inter-cluster shipping logic uses number of sinks
    // as a component in deciding maximum number of parallel batches to send to the peer cluster.
    utility2.startMiniCluster(4);

    ReplicationPeerConfig rpc = new ReplicationPeerConfig();
    rpc.setClusterKey(utility2.getClusterKey());
    hbaseAdmin = ConnectionFactory.createConnection(conf1).getAdmin();
    hbaseAdmin.addReplicationPeer("2", rpc);

    HTableDescriptor table = new HTableDescriptor(tableName);
    HColumnDescriptor fam = new HColumnDescriptor(famName);
    fam.setMaxVersions(100);
    fam.setScope(HConstants.REPLICATION_SCOPE_GLOBAL);
    table.addFamily(fam);
    fam = new HColumnDescriptor(noRepfamName);
    table.addFamily(fam);
    scopes = new TreeMap<>(Bytes.BYTES_COMPARATOR);
    for(HColumnDescriptor f : table.getColumnFamilies()) {
      scopes.put(f.getName(), f.getScope());
    }
    Connection connection1 = ConnectionFactory.createConnection(conf1);
    Connection connection2 = ConnectionFactory.createConnection(conf2);
    try (Admin admin1 = connection1.getAdmin()) {
      admin1.createTable(table, HBaseTestingUtility.KEYS_FOR_HBA_CREATE_TABLE);
    }
    try (Admin admin2 = connection2.getAdmin()) {
      admin2.createTable(table, HBaseTestingUtility.KEYS_FOR_HBA_CREATE_TABLE);
    }
    utility1.waitUntilAllRegionsAssigned(tableName);
    utility2.waitUntilAllRegionsAssigned(tableName);
    htable1 = connection1.getTable(tableName);
    htable2 = connection2.getTable(tableName);
  }

  /**
   * @throws java.lang.Exception
   */
  @AfterClass
  public static void tearDownAfterClass() throws Exception {
    htable2.close();
    htable1.close();
    admin.close();
    utility2.shutdownMiniCluster();
    utility1.shutdownMiniCluster();
  }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Press Release - February 2004
TAC Launches TAC Vista 4.20 LonWorks-Based System Controls, Checks and Analyzes Daily Building Operations
DALLAS – TAC, a world leader in Open Systems for Building IT®, security systems and energy solutions, announces the availability of TAC Vista® 4.20, an enhanced version of its LonWorks®-based building management software. Offering the benefits of an open architecture, TAC Vista 4.20 gives building owners and managers even more flexibility – and freedom – in their ability to choose, install and operate a variety of building management systems.
Like previous versions, TAC Vista 4.20 combines environmental controls with facility and energy management features into a single, seamlessly interoperable solution. The latest version, however, with a powerful Windows®-based interface, is even easier to use. It allows complex functions to be executed with simple procedures, features an intuitive operation to ensure correct actions and responses, and makes it easier to generate trend logs from any point in the system. The enhancements to TAC Vista 4.20 are designed to increase operator satisfaction and reduce training costs.
In addition, TAC has simplified and reduced the steps necessary to engineer a system. Version 4.20 simplifies the ability to deploy the system on a network, and provides a Windows-like cut/copy/paste feature in the database, which saves engineering time. TAC Vista 4.20 also features improved data analysis functionality, enhanced trend charts to simplify analysis, improved report capabilities, new advanced filtering options and a dynamic event viewer. These features better equip users for accurate decision-making and planning for their facilities.
TAC Vista 4.20 continues to run on TCP/IP and standard network equipment, and provides LAN communication via Ethernet® or fiber optics. Furthermore, host workstations can communicate across the Internet as well as via commercial LAN connections without a server installation. Version 4.20's modular, client/server design also allows facility managers to customize TAC Vista to their own, specific needs.
TAC Awarded Performance Contract by the City of Dallas
$9 Million Contract Provides For Energy Enhancements at Six City Facilities
DALLAS – TAC, a world leader in Open Systems for Building IT®, security systems and energy solutions, has been awarded a $9 million performance contract with the City of Dallas to design and construct energy conservation-related projects at six city facilities. The projects will be financed through $9 million in loans from the Texas State Energy Conservation Office (SECO) and then repaid with the realized energy savings on an annual basis.
Facilities covered in the contract include Dallas City Hall, the Central Public Library, the city-owned parking garage in the downtown Arts District, a community recreation center, a branch library and a satellite municipal center.
In addition, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is developing a model to quantify the emissions benefits of energy efficient buildings. While it is generally understood among the air regulatory community that there are air quality benefits from reducing the need to produce electricity for buildings, there has not been a way to quantify this impact. TAC's performance contract for the City of Dallas will be the first large project of this type to be measured and tracked by the EPA in an effort to document and prove that energy efficiency in buildings is a cost-effective way to reduce emissions. Ultimately, these emissions reductions will be included in the state of Texas' plan for achieving compliance with the Federal Clean Air Act.
Improvements include complete lighting retrofits at all the facilities; new chillers for Dallas City Hall and the branch library; a new boiler at the community center; and replacements or upgrades to the cooling towers at the Central Library, City Hall, the community center and the satellite municipal center. In addition, TAC Vista® building automation systems will be used at all the facilities to monitor and control the mechanical systems and energy consumption.
About TAC
TAC helps people feel and function better, as a direct result of greater indoor climate. This is made possible by TAC's concept of Open Systems for Building IT®, which utilizes information technology to provide clients with advantages such as indoor climate optimization, energy savings, flexibility, security, reduced expenses and user-friendly operation. For more information visit www.tac.com


If you follow any of the transportation or supply chain publications, blogs, or websites, you're probably well aware: there are LOTS of TMS solutions on the market today. Transportation has arguably been viewed as an extremely costly and time-consuming area of the supply chain to manage. Factor in the current capacity crisis, rising freight costs, and growing consumer demands and it becomes even more critical for organizations to have the right technology to help efficiently manage their shipping strategies. And, while more and more organizations recognize that spreadsheets and manual processes just aren't going to cut it anymore, those organizations are also asking the question: which TMS is the right fit for MY unique requirements?
In the not-so-distant past, a TMS was generally regarded as necessary technology for only very large organizations with huge budgets and complex global shipping requirements. But let's face it, in today's environment just about every organization has some degree of complexity when it comes to their transportation strategies. So, while more small and mid-sized businesses are realizing the benefits that technology can bring to optimizing their supply chain and transportation processes, their requirements may still look a bit different from a very large organization. Remember all those TMS solutions we mentioned? This is where they come in.
Knowing where to start in evaluating and selecting a TMS that meets your unique challenges and requirements can be a daunting task. There are broad-based TMS solutions available, TMS solutions that support specific segments and specific industries, and there is a dizzying array of features, functionality, and levels of complexity in the many solutions out there. While no two journeys are going to be exactly the same when it comes to evaluating and selecting transportation management software, it can't hurt to hear from others who have been down that road, and maybe learn from their mistakes and successes.
Whether you're a first-time buyer or perhaps you've outgrown your current system and are evaluating what's on the market today, you should first understand the critical issues driving your need for a TMS solution. Is your current system – whether manual or automated – not producing the results you need, or is it inefficient to get those results? Maybe your current system isn't keeping up with your growth? By first having a clear understanding of what your business needs are, you can make sure you're not buying more than you need.
Once you have determined the issues driving your need for technology, you are then better equipped to gather your critical requirements – ensuring along the way that you're considering the full range of stakeholders in your organization. What do IT's requirements look like? What about finance and purchasing? You can save yourself a lot of headaches in the purchasing process by aligning everyone in your business who may be impacted by a TMS.
Download the complete package of resources to research, evaluate, and select the right TMS software.
When it comes to selecting any technology, you don't have to be in finance to recognize the importance of ROI – better known as "when will the system pay for itself?" Let's turn for a minute to the experts to understand a bit more on the ROI that a TMS can deliver: in both 2011 and again in 2016, the ARC Advisory Group studied the ROI for a TMS, and in both reports found that it is consistently strong and growing.
Most organizations believe that they will realize benefits, including ROI, from transportation technology, but perhaps the pressing question that more organizations are setting out to answer is under what circumstances are they able to achieve maximum return on their TMS investment. While it's clear that technology can drive significant financial benefits for a transportation department, technology is only one part of the equation for achieving maximum ROI. Software implementations rarely fail or succeed because of the capabilities of the software itself. Success is most often determined by the plan for implementation and the readiness of the business to take advantage of the new capabilities.
Once you've taken a look inside your organization to identify your critical requirements and determine what ROI looks like for your business, you're at a good stage to see what's out there. We'll mention it again: there are LOTS of TMS solutions available. Many organizations rely on leading industry analysts to help prepare a short list of vendors for further evaluation.
The Gartner Magic Quadrant for Transportation Management Systems, and its companion piece Gartner Critical Capabilities for Transportation Management Systems (August 2018) evaluate leading TMS solutions in the industry and provides an assessment of each vendor's strengths and cautions, providing a deep dive into the ever-evolving TMS market.
When it comes to selecting a TMS for your business, careful planning and research can take you a long way. To help make your evaluation process that much easier, download our TMS Software Selection Package that will provide you with a comprehensive set of resources for your buying journey.


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Afghanistan to play their first ever Test in India
Afghanistan hosted their home games in India, most recently the series against Ireland in Greater Noida.
NEW DELHI: The BCCI rolled out the red carpet for war-ravaged Afghanistan by agreeing to host the country's maiden Test match but chose to cold-shoulder a cricket-starved Pakistan in its latest Future Tours Program (FTP).
Afghanistan, a team that has made rapid strides in international cricket despite the constant troubles back home, will play its first ever Test against India in 2019-2020, the final schedule for which will be worked out later.
On the other hand, Pakistan, which has been demanding bilateral cricket with India, was ignored at the Special General Meeting which resolved to play more against the likes of Australia, South Africa and England. India and Pakistan have not played bilateral cricket since 2012 due to political tensions between the two neighbors.
When asked why the new FTP does not say anything about playing Pakistan, BCCI acting secretary Amitabh Chaudhary replied, "It's a question not embedded only to cricket and the BCCI but everybody. So, it's futile attempting to answer the question."
Afghanistan earned the Test status, alongside Ireland this June, realising their five-day cricket dream after impressive performances in ODIs and T20 Internationals.
"Afghans were scheduled to play their first Test in 2019 versus Australia but considering the historic relationship between India and Afghanistan, we decided to host their first Test," said BCCI acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary after the Special General Meeting.
Atif Mashal, Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) chairman, was quick to thank the BCCI for the gesture.
"@ACBofficials and @BCCI have agreed that Afghanistan will play its first Test against India. The exact date and venue of the match will be shared in a joint press conference in due course. I personally thank BCCI board for the decision," Mashal tweeted.
Afghanistan and Ireland were made full members of the International Cricket Council (ICC) in June, becoming the sport's 11th and 12h Test-playing nations.
Besides welcoming them into five-day cricket, the BCCI has extended a helping hand to Afghanistan on a number of occasions.
The team from the war-ravaged nation has hosted its home games in India, most recently the series against Ireland in Greater Noida.
Rashid Khan and Mohammed Nabi became the first two Afghanistan cricketers to be bought at the IPL auction earlier this year.
Afghanistan have come a long way since making its World T20 debut in 2010. They are ranked ninth in the shortest format and 11th in the 50-over format.
After featuring regularly in the World T20, the Afghans made the 50-over World Cup debut in 2015.
They played six games in the tournament co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand with their sole win coming against Scotland.
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Your wedding day is one that you will be talking about for years. When people ask how you and your partner met, you'll turn to your wedding album and tell them the whole story, start to finish. You'll curl up on the couch with your children, and laugh talking about the music, the food, your father's extremely long speech. Your photographs will be the living memory of each aspect of the day, they will reflect how you and your spouse felt about each other. The excitement, the wonderment, the anticipation about starting a new life together. It's no wonder that so many of us are looking for talented wedding photographers in Greater Melbourne. But with so many other wedding day costs, it can be hard to find a photographer whose fees won't break the bank.
Affordable Wedding Photographers in Melbourne with this much talent are hard to come by. The pictures from Ash and Jane's wedding prove that quality and affordability are not mutually exclusive. The groom has been photographed sitting on the shoulders of his groomsmen and other friends, laughing and posing before the camera. The photograph serves as the ideal memento of how love is everywhere on a wedding day, felt by every guest and everyone involved.
Another picture highlights the brilliant car and suave looks of the groomsmen on this auspicious day. With the groom standing before the vehicle, and his friends chuckling in the back, this picture fills onlookers with feelings of affection and joy. It's so amazing that affordable wedding photographers in Melbourne with such vision and skill could commemorate your wedding in such a charming manner.
Lastly, this photograph of the bride and groom during their first dance is truly exceptional to behold. Surrounded by decorations and balloons, and nothing but each other and almost empty space, this couple seem to have the whole world at their feet. They've clearly picked two things correctly, their photographer JMS Photography, and each other.


Home › Blog › Summer Holidays are Here!
Time sure does move quickly, Christmas only seems like yesterday and here we are celebrating the start of the summer holiday. Many of our fans on Facebook are now gearing up to the start of the new school year, when their pre-schoolers will be heading off to big school and starting a new phase in their lives. For some the transition goes smoothly, others find it a difficult time and the tears in the playground usually belong to the parents. We thought we would share a few tips on how to help both the parents and the children embrace school and there are a few things you can work on over the summer.
Teach your child some skills that will benefit them as they head off to school. Casually work on getting dressed and undressed, putting on shoes, taking care of their belongings (lunch boxes and book bags).
Play schools and teach your child about the daily routines that take place, such as breaks and lunch times, story time and other activities, listening for their name in the register and recognising their name on their pegs, belongings and books. Gather your child's favourite toys to play the part of the other students in the class.
Spend plenty of time with books. Head to your local library and pick out some books about school but also about lots of other topics that your child is interested in.
Start the morning routine to help your child get used to getting up, eating and getting ready to go out the door on time.
You might be nervous and worried about how your child is going to cope, it's only natural. However, remember not to voice these concerns and talk positively about the new adventure. Listen to their worries and let your child know that you understand how they feel.
Work on confidence building. Join clubs in the summer to help your child learn more about making friends, sharing and also to teach your child how to speak to group leaders. You'll want them to feel confident about asking to use the bathroom.
Talk to your friends and other parents about your own concerns, when the children aren't around.
Are your children starting school in September? Or do you have any tips to share with other parents? Come and tell us how you're preparing for this next step over on the official Golden Bear Toys Facebook page.


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Queen's insight
Queen's academic joins £3.5m research network to support UK transition to a low-carbon economy
A Queen's University Belfast researcher is part of a new Place-based Climate Action Network (P-CAN), which will help the local delivery of the UK's climate change objectives.
Professor John Barry, Professor of Green Political Economy at the School of History, Anthropology, Philosophy and Politics at Queen's is part of the initiative which was launched today (31 January) by Minister for Energy and Clean Growth, Claire Perry.
It is a network of new and extended city climate commissions in Edinburgh, Belfast and Leeds. The project aims to help the UK meet the requirements of the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change and the UK Climate Change Act by building local capacities and stimulating the flow of green finance into cities across the UK.
P-CAN will help the local delivery of the UK's climate change objectives by supporting action in UK cities through a partnership made up of the private, public and third sectors.
Professor Barry said: "The potential impact of a climate and energy transition commission for Belfast and Northern Ireland is huge. Northern Ireland has the highest rates of fuel poverty in the UK in large part because of its over-dependence on fossil fuels.
"A climate and energy transition partnership for Belfast aligns the post-conflict social and economic development of the city, with the post-carbon demands of the challenge and opportunity of responding to our climate emergency."
P-CAN was announced at a national green finance conference on 'Investing in Local Energy' in Leeds. Claire Perry MP, Minister of State for Energy and Clean Growth, delivered the keynote address at the conference, which was organised by UK100 and Leeds Climate Commission, together with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) is investing £3.5 million in P-CAN over the course of five years. It will be hosted by the London School of Economics and Political Science, the University of Leeds, the University of Edinburgh and Queen's University Belfast. It will seek to increase engagement between university researchers and the public, private and third sectors in tackling climate change.
P-CAN will help to accelerate and sustain the transition to a low-carbon, climate-resilient society through the creation of local climate commissions, following the Leeds model developed in 2017, as well as other broader measures focused on increasing investment in low-carbon, climate-resilient development.
There is a pressing need for cities and towns across the UK to take action on climate change, and a major opportunity for them to do so in ways that also help them deliver on their economic and social ambitions.
But to take these opportunities cities and towns need to build their capacities for action, and they need to find new ways of developing investable projects and programmes and accessing investment. P-CAN will do exactly these things.
Another key dimension for P-CAN will be to explore how to ensure that any low-carbon energy transition is a 'just transition' so that nobody and nowhere is left behind in the transition to a low-carbon, climate-resilient economy.
Professor Sam Fankhauser, Director of the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment and Co-Director of the ESRC Centre for Climate Change Economics and Policy (CCCEP) at the London School of Economics and Political Science, will be the principal Investigator for the project. He said: "The aim of the new network is to inform and promote climate change action at the local level. I look forward to working with researchers, businesses, local communities and policy-makers to meet the UK's climate change objectives."
The P-CAN project will take forward and extend a model of partnership working with the public, private and third sectors which has been developed in Leeds by Professor Andy Gouldson. Professor Gouldson, Deputy Director of CCCEP and a speaker at the Leeds conference, has conducted extensive research on the economics of low-carbon cities, and has demonstrated huge opportunities for cutting energy bills and reducing emissions in cities.
Professor Gouldson said: "There is a massive opportunity for climate action in the UK's cities and towns. But we need to build capacities to take these opportunities by bringing different actors together and by linking innovative projects and programmes to new sources of finance. All of the evidence shows that doing this will help cities and towns to contribute more to the climate challenge, but that it can also help to deliver a wide range of other social and economic benefits."
P-CAN will also operate a Flexible Fund that will commission between 20 and 30 small grants for the wider community of climate and energy researchers practitioners to explore innovative approaches. P-CAN will seek to influence decisions on climate change and the low-carbon energy transition at a local and national level while feeding into policies such as the Government's Industrial Strategy and UK Clean Growth Strategy.
Professor Simon Kelley, Head of the University of Edinburgh's School of GeoSciences, said: "Edinburgh City Council is developing its longer term vision for a vibrant, green and prosperous city through its City Vision 2050. The Climate and Energy Commission created through this project will help the city make those plans real – engaging people across Edinburgh in delivering a fair and equitable transformation in our energy and finances to meet the challenge of climate change. The University, through our climate impact hub the Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Innovation, is looking forward to working with government, business and the third sector to accelerate our transition to a thriving low carbon future."
Jeremy Neathey, Deputy Director for Research and International at ESRC said: "This is a really exciting project, bringing together interdisciplinary research and members of industry, to tackle an issue of the utmost importance."
Professor John Barry
Media inquiries to comms.office@qub.ac.uk or 028 9097 3091.
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The BMX Track located in South Oakleigh is home to the South Eastern BMX Club – one of Victoria's earliest BMX Clubs, established in 1979. The club is more popular than ever and the facilities here are great.
When: The track can be used outside of competition events, club days and general maintenance working bees – which is most of the time. Also training is available every Saturday from 11:30am to 2:00pm (unless an event is on, see above), contact southeasternbmx@hotmail.com for more details. Otherwise the track is open to ride any time, there is a pedestrian/ bike gate at each end of the reserve.
Cost: To use the track is FREE, to become a member click here for all the details.
Thanks to BMX racing becoming an olympic sport governments have been more supportive of BMX Clubs recently; the South Eastern BMX Club in South Oakleigh is lucky to have a thriving membership who have put in a lot of man power to make this BMX track pretty awesome.
This track is for anyone who can ride a bike without training wheels, aged 3 and above. If you're a little unsure then perhaps a Saturday training session is the way to go (see above for details). If you are thinking of attending a training session newcomers are welcome and there are helmets, gloves and race bikes to try if you would like, all you need to bring is long pants, long sleeves and covered shoes.
We turned up late on Saturday (about 4pm) for a bit of a look and a State racing day had just finished – so there were still a few people hanging around the club rooms, but essentially we had the track to ourselves and a few of the big kids (probably aged 10) did a couple of laps to show us how it's done. Charlie (5) spied their motocross inspired outfits and padding and his new favourite sport was born.
For about 45 minutes I sat under a shady tree reading the paper, (FYI there is no seating overlooking the track, luckily I had a beach towel in the car to use as a seat as it was rather rough ground) watching the kids do laps making lots of happy noises. For some reason Immi (8) decided to take a bit of a shortcut and go across the track rather than forwards – short story, she slipped and grazed her elbow. So I highly recommend wearing long sleeves and pants or at very least elbow pads and knee pads.
One of the Club's committee members was packing up from the race day and heard the rather dramatic wailing taking place after the elbow was scraped – so he invited us into the club rooms and organised some water to clean the graze and a band-aid. I got the distinct impression that this is a very friendly club mostly run by BMX parents who volunteer.
I wish it was a bit closer to where we live – still as a weekend or school holiday hangout this is a fun spot to head to with kids looking for something a little different to a regular bike track.
This is around the corner from me and I often walk the dogs here, but I've always thought the track would be too tricky for my 6 year old (and definitely too hard for my 3 year old). Maybe we'll give it a go. Great to hear a review!
Hi Kathleen – as long as you're off training wheels you're good to go. My 5 year old loved it (he's never had training wheels so he's a fairly confident rider) and so I am sure your 6 year old would have some fun. If you're three year old is pretty gutsy and fairly confident on their bike then they (the BMX club) do say that the minimum age is three, so let me know how you go!


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Motorhead share making of latest video from final album Bad Magic
Motorhead have released a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the video for "When The Sky Comes Looking For You", the latest track issued from their final album, "Bad Magic."
Directed by award-winning photographer Pep Bonet, the clip was filmed over two days in Palma de Mallorca with extras who had applied to be part of the filming after Bonet made an online appeal.
"It is Bonet's first music video piece," says the band, "and from its Sam Peckinpah' like approach to the calm mystery of actor Santi Oliver, the style, frame and intriguingly off-kilter atmosphere all encapsulate the best elements of Bonet's photography."
"Bad Magic" scored the band's highest US chart position in Motorhead's career, debuting at No. 22 on the Billboard 200 with opening week sales of 11,000 copies upon its release in August.
Motorhead frontman Lemmy Kilmister passed away at his Los Angeles home on December 28, just four days after his 70th birthday.
The legendary rocker's death certificate listed prostate cancer, cardiac arrhythmia and congestive heart failure as the official causes of death.
Thin Lizzy regroup with Motorhead drummer for anniversary shows
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Search Motorhead at hennemusic
Labels: Motorhead


The undocumented population in the U.S. has been falling, increasing its length of stay and acquiring more American-born children.
According to Pew Research there were 12.2 million unauthorized persons in 2007, before the Recession. By 2015 it declined to 11.3 million. In its April, 2018 analysis it estimated that the 2016 figure was 11.3 million. The decline entirely accounted for by a drop in Mexicans, down from 6.9 million in 2007 to 5.6 million in 2016. Other Latin countries and Asian countries added more persons.
in 2014, 4 million unauthorized adults, or 39%, lived with their U.S.-born children, either minors or adults. In 2000, 2.1 million unauthorized-immigrant adults, or 30%, lived with their U.S.-born children.
The 11.3 million population includes the 700,000 persons formally protected by DACA and an additional 1.3 million persons that might be DACA-eligible were DACA to be revived and expanded as some have proposed.
This entry was posted on Friday, June 8th, 2018 at 9:01 am	and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.


News last week of my beloved Rogue being left on the cutting room floor for the forthcoming X-Men Days of Future Past film had me all mopey and thinking about why certain characters mean so much to me, and who manages to hang on, despite all odds. It was time for a list!
[As a sidebar, I didn't have time this year to do my annual holiday gift list, but I've included links to all of these characters' best or recent work that I mention so that if you're shopping super late this year, this could help you out.] And fair warning, before we begin, if a character was repeated on the list and I didn't have a ton of new thoughts on her I cribbed heavily from my 2010 post, but I gave myself permission, so don't worry.
As mentioned, back in 2010 I did a 20 Favorite Fiction Females post, and now, after a truly exciting year for female characters in comics, and with a promising 2014 ahead of us, I thought it might be time to revisit the list. See who still makes the cut and who fell clean off. I did a post in early 2013 about 10 characters that were making a run for the title, and some of those ladies did indeed make the jump, and deservedly so.
What I found most interesting as I pulled the list together this time was how some characters managed to triumph over lack of material or worse, bad material. Wonder Woman, despite the fact that I can't read her book, hasn't fallen at all from favor in my mind – maybe she's just got so much iconic power that I am helpless in front of it? Similarly, Big Barda hasn't been around significantly for years, including the year I made the list, but she still easily makes my list (even if she's fallen a few spots). When I think of Barda there's just no other character quite like her and as a result she's all the more precious to me. On the other hand, Batwoman, who had her peak in 2009/2010 under Greg Rucka and J.H. William's brilliant and groundbreaking Detective Comics has actually plummeted from spot #1 to clean off the list.
It definitely seems that, for me, having a largely untouched run that is lodged fondly in my memory – such as Cass Cain's Batgirl or Jakita Wagner in Planetary – works to a character's favor. I guess I do a better job of preserving their memories and thus loving them unequivocally. However in character's like Batwoman's case, she went from near perfection, to a book that, while it had its highlights, was far from perfection for me, with inconsistencies in character, writing, and art as well as shifting creative teams, all of which left me unenthusiastic about the character. I have no doubt that she can rebound, but this year, with so many tough competitors she just didn't make the cut. And that's all a very long roundabout way to say that the DC ladies took it on the chin pretty hard this year compared to in 2010.
In fact, only Wonder Woman and Cass Cain didn't fall in their placement.
So, who did make the cut?
Jessica is damn lucky that Netflix and Marvel have partnered to give her a television show, without that she made such little impact in the last year or so (tragic!) that I nearly forgot she existed. Jessica Jones has limitless potential, though I confess I much prefer her as the darker more adult trending P.I., with a ton of problems from Alias to her superhero persona we have seen of late. That said, there are infinite directions she can go in, and I do love her with Luke Cage. Having baby Dani around all the time feels a bit limiting for the character from how I've seen it handled so far, but I'm sure there are ways to use the stress and obligations of family to Jessica's advantage in character development, rather than something to hold her back. I eagerly await someone figuring that out. Soon please?
I've enjoyed Michonne on The Walking Dead television show, the actress (Danai Guria) is a great cast and the writing of her has been pretty solid all around. In the comics I haven't been enjoying Michonne near as much lately. She hasn't had much to do for a long time now, and though she's just naturally a badass, her personal romantic relationships have been a bit awkward and unrewarding. Basically this is an example of me knowing a character has a ton of potential, but being a bit disappointed in how she's being allowed to show it off. This is not unlike Jessica Jones – in fact both ladies probably owe television for their inclusion on the list this year.
I like Rachel from Terry Moore's Rachel Rising a whole lot, but there's no contest who my favorite character is, it's the sarcastic and awesome Jet. Gorgeous, guitar playing, joke making Jet. I love her. Terry Moore has been talking recently on twitter with some other folks about the fact that Rachel Rising is struggling. This is a crime as it's a great, smart, and legitimately scary book that's also of course beautiful as everything Moore does is gorgeous. So, if you've been on the fence, get off it and buy yourself some Rachel Rising.
As I wrote about Storm last March, she's a character I WANT to like very much, but frequently the writing she gets is pretty stilted. I guess the untouchable perfect goddess thing doesn't work so much for me. Which is why I've always enjoyed the more human (and mohawk wearing) Storm. So I've welcomed her return to that as she lost trust in Cyclops and ultimately broke loyalties with him in Brian Wood's X-Men run. Add to that an Ororo on the heels of a divorce and feeling a bit salty -- the mohawk returned, she got a slick costume update, and Brian Wood got another crack at her in his new X-Men volume. There hasn't been A LOT to see yet of her in the new X-Men, but I like the direction we're headed in. I remain convinced that Storm is a hidden treasure in Marvel and that she's one of the only ladies of Marvel that makes sense as a Wonder Woman alternative. I'd love to see Marvel give her that attention and respect – a shot at the title, if you will.
Read Storm: The best place to read Storm lately is in Brian Wood's X-Men, both the previous volume (two trades) with David Lopez and the new one with Olivier Coipel. You can also find her in Uncanny X-Force, but I don't recommend it.
Greg Rucka writes some of the best women in comics and has for a very long time. Private Eye Dex Parios is one of my favorites. Ballsy and unapologetic, Dex is a wonderful mix of near fatal flaws and mostly untapped genius. A total screw up at life in general and yet a hell of a detective with a good heart and an unflinching moral code (though one that only makes sense to her - the best kind as far as I'm concerned), I simply cant get enough of Dex. Two Stumptown volumes were certainly not enough, so I hope we've got more headed our way in the future.
One of my favorite new characters in the last ten years, and completely underused. Where is she?!?!? I hold out hope that Brian Wood will be able to bring her into his X-Men, since he's written her before both in Wolverine & The X-Men: Alpha and Omega and in his run on Ultimate X-Men I suspect a fondness for her. With an incredibly cool power set that also happens to be visually exceptional, she stands out with ease. I love characters small in stature and decidedly unimposing that can deliver a huge punch (literally), and Hisako has that in spades. Armor is one of the those characters you just can't wait to dig deeper into. She got a ton of attention in Joss Whedon's Astonishing X-Men, but since then with a few exceptions it's been slim pickings. More, more, more, please!
I wrote a whole post about Nimona this past year I love her so much. She's just so Nimona-y. She's a shark! She's a dragon! She's a sheep so she can use her own wool to knit you a sweater! She's everything and it's awesome. Totally without any kind of traditional morals, she's far more of a "true villain" than Blackheart (who she sidekicks for) but she cares for him (and he for her) in the most tender and realistic of ways. One of the best things about Nimona is the boundless energy, enthusiasm, and optimism she possesses. It makes her villainy contagious and keeps the webcomic from feeling too dark, instead Nimona is REALLY EXCITED ABOUT CRIME. You will be too.
Who would have thunk it? I've never been a big Magik fan, or didn't know I should be, but the work that Brian Michael Bendis, Chris Bachalo, and Frazer Iriving have done with her in Uncanny X-Men is awesome. Magik is such an interesting character, kind of funny and mean at once, reserved in how much she connects to others (understandably given her nightmarish life) but also boldly unafraid to say whatever she thinks. She's an odd fit with Cyclops's team, but it works wonderfully, and not just because her teleportation powers are incredibly useful/convenient. I also happen to love what Bachalo is doing with her soulsword – letting it change shape/size/and even design a bit, giving it a life of its own. I wrote recently about how much I'd love to see a Emma Frost/Magik book team up. I've decided to ask Santa for that book this year. C'mon Santa, make a believer out of me.
Cribbed in part from my 2010 post, cause nothing changes when it comes to my love of Barda: I've always been a sucker for the whole stranger in a strange land thing, and nobody embodies it better (in the right writer's hands) than Barda and her hilarious assimilation to modern Earth culture. I'm also a sucker for a truly devoted couple in love, and Barda and Scott Free are one of the best in comics. Someone somewhere on the internet (I'm sorry I don't know who or where you are?) said that one of the things that makes Big Barda easier to love than Wonder Woman, is that her relationship with Free has always grounded her and humanized her in a way that Diana usually feels untouchable. Now, I don't necessarily agree that Barda is 'easier to love' than Diana but I can absolutely see the truth in that statement. I think that HAS been a stumbling block for Diana over the years, and one Barda never had. Regardless, I can't think of much I'd like more in comics than a Barda/Scott Free book, in the meantime I'll have to satisfy myself with the old tales and hope for a future DC where there's room for a great character like Barda.
Read Barda: Actually, you CAN find Barda in the "alt reality/future/whatever" world of Batman Beyond Unlimited – so if you're desperate for recent Barda, I urge you to seek that out. For the older stuff it's definitely Birds of Prey but I'm not actually sure what issues/trades you should look for – any readers want to shout out in the comments?
Cribbed in part from 2013 post about Psylocke: Between what Rick Remender and Jerome Opena did with the character in the brilliant Uncanny X-Force, her recent costume change courtesy of the uber talented Kris Anka, her appearances in Brian Wood and David Lopez's X-Men and Brian Wood's new volume of X-Men I am in love with this character in a way I haven't been since I was 16 (and blissfully unaware of how she came to be in the first place). I've always liked this character even though she's problematic, but her stories for years have been a nightmare (not to mention her visual portrayals) so it's exciting to see the character getting such a surge of interest by talented creators and thus a true chance at redemption. I'm excited!.


Richard A. Bradshaw, who taught history at Centre from 1995 until 2012, died Dec. 6, 2014, in Merida, Mexico, where he lived.
His primary interests were the Central African Republic and the history of Japanese-African relations, but he also taught classes in African, Asian, Latin American and world history. In addition, he taught Centre's first Japanese language classes, beginning in the fall of 1996. He also knew or had studied intensively Sango and Suma (Central African Republic languages), French, Spanish and Maya.
Born and raised in Japan, where his parents were missionaries, Bradshaw served with the Peace Corps in the Central African Republic and the Ivory Coast as a volunteer and later employee. He spent two years in Japan doing graduate research on a Fulbright-Hays fellowship and a year as a Fulbright-Hays visiting professor at Cameroon's graduate school for international relations in 2004-05.
He directed two of Centre's study-abroad programs: Merida in 1999 and Strasbourg, France, in 2002-03 and again in 2007-08. He led classes in the Central African Republic in 1998 and 2000 during Centre's short term.
Frequent collaborator Ibrahim Ndzesop also calls Bradshaw "mentor." The two first met while Bradshaw was teaching in Cameroon, then teamed up to teach a class on Francophone lives while Bradshaw was directing Centre's program in Strasbourg. Ndzesop later helped international studies professor Lori Hartmann-Mahmud organize three CentreTerm classes in his country.
He earned a B.A. at Hawaii Pacific University and M.A. and Ph.D. degrees at Ohio University.
"Rick was a versatile scholar and a great guy with a wonderful sense of humor," says Michael F. Hamm, Ewing T. Boles Professor Emeritus of History, who taught with Bradshaw for nearly 19 years. After retiring, Bradshaw would stay with Hamm and his wife, JoAnn, when visiting Danville.
A prolific writer, Bradshaw was most recently working on a history of mercenary activity with Brad Fansher '11, a German and history major at Centre who now teaches social studies in Nashville.
Bradshaw's survivors include his former wife Mary; their children, Eric and Heather; four grandchildren; his father, Melvin, in South Boston, Va.; and his siblings, Joel in Honolulu, Barry in Fairfax, Va., Ken in Paducah, Ky., and Joanne in Odenton, Md. A funeral service was held in Merida on Dec. 9, with plans for a family service in Paducah at a later time.


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Home Christians in Pakistan Top Stories Woman Burnt To Death By Police Officers In India
Woman Burnt To Death By Police Officers In India
CIP webdesk
A woman in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh died this morning from major burns to her body.
Just before she passed away, she said that two officers set her on fire inside a police station after she refused to pay a bribe.
Neetu Dwivedi, 40, had gone to the station to free her husband, who had been detained for questioning in connection with a crime.
She told a magistrate before her death that the policemen asked her for 100,000 rupees (US$ 1,578) to release him. The accused have denied the charge and claim that she tried to immolate herself.
In view of the situation, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav suspended the police officers and ordered an inquiry into the case.
Ms Dwivedi, who sustained 80 per cent burns, was admitted to hospital in the state capital, Lucknow, where she died on Tuesday morning. Before, she was able to talk about her ordeal to investigators.
The victim's son, a journalist, wants justice. "My mother will only rest in peace when the guilty are punished," he said.
This incident comes barely a month after other policemen allegedly set fire to another journalist, Jagendra Singh, in the state's Shahjahanpur district.
burnt alive
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Whole Wheat Red Onion Turmeric Pizza!
Nine Months ago I created this blog to share my personal story of losing over 40 pounds and to show the real life picture of what my daily food choices look like that have helped me achieve and maintain my current weight, in hopes to help or motivate other normal people, like me, out there. I never skip meals and I have at least one snack every single day. After a lot of trial and error I figured out the healthy way to eat all day long, never be hungry and lose weight! I make healthy choices whenever I can, but I am a normal person living a real life and I want to enjoy it, so I indulge in special treats regularly too. It has been a great journey for me, further motivating me to seek out new foods, new recipes and new ways to prepare and eat more healthily and get more Vitamins and Nutrients (and Energy!) into my day. I look forward to continuing this journey by highlighting special recipes, new foods and/ or preparations that I discover or create, alongside any helpful Health information or news that I come across through "Today's Tidbit". Thanks for joining me on my journey to better health and better living!
I decided to get a little Turmeric into my day by making a Whole Wheat Red Onion Turmeric Pizza (pictured here) for dinner the other night. My husband and I loved the subtle, nuanced flavor, and the Red Onions were a great compliment. And it was easy! I just mixed 1 tbsp of Turmeric into 1 cup of Organic No Salt Added Marinara and spread it on a rolled out store-bought Whole Wheat Pizza Dough, topped it with thinly sliced Red Onion and Part Skim Mozzarella Cheese. 10 minutes at 425 in the oven and it was ready to enjoy!
We will definitely be doing this again, such an easy way to boost the healthfulness of one of our favorite meals!


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Home » Europe » Kate Middleton, William, George, Charlotte and Louis's extraordinary year in pictures
Kate Middleton, William, George, Charlotte and Louis's extraordinary year in pictures
Kate Middleton has 'hands on' parenting approach says expert
Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, 38, Prince William, 38, and their three children Prince George, seven, Princess Charlotte, five, and Prince Louis, two, have been a source of joy to royal fans during what has been a very difficult year. Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, Kate and William have kept up with their royal duties and given fans a glimpse of their family life on more than one occasion.
From discussing family Zoom calls and how they were keeping the children entertained during the first lockdown, to stepping out to clap for the NHS at Anmer Hall and meeting David Attenborough in the gardens at Kensington Palace, 2020 has been a jampacked year for the Cambridge clan.
Earlier in the month, the children melted hearts as they joined their parents on the red carpet for a special charity pantomime in central London.
The Royal Family's traditional Christmas outing to church in Sandringham was called off this year due to pandemic meaning fans missed out on new photos of George, Charlotte and Louis at this year.
So Express.co.uk has rounded up the best photos of Kate, William, George, Charlotte and Louis from 2020 instead.
During the UK's first lockdown William, Kate and their children showed their support for the NHS by stepping out to clap for carers on the doorstep of their Norfolk home, Anmer Hall.
The clip of the Cambridges was aired as part of the BBC's Children In Need and Comic Relief 'Big Night In' programme.
The TV show helped raise money for and pay tribute to those on the front line fighting Covid-19 and all the unsung heroes supporting their communities.
Prince William's 38th birthday on June 21 was marked with a series of new photos of the future king with his three children.
The snaps were released to the public in July having been taken by Kate during lockdown.
They show William playing with George, Charlotte and Louis in the grounds of Anmer Hall.
The laidback images were praised at the time for giving a more personal look at the Cambridges family life.
Prince William launched the international Earthshot Prize to tackle environmental issues earlier this year, a move that has been backed by national treasure and conservationist Sir David Attenborough.
Sweet photos of the Cambridges meeting Sir David in the gardens at Kensington Palace were shared with the public in September.
The snaps were taken after The Duke and Sir David attended an outdoor screening of Sir David's upcoming feature film.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry could launch 'feature magazines' [INSIGHTS]
The Crown 'dangerous' for portraying royals like 'cold monsters' [VIDEO]
Royal crisis: Charles may need to rethink plans to overhaul monarchy [PICTURES]
In October, Prince George, Charlotte and Louis put questions to Sir David Attenborough in an adorable new video.
The clip was the first time Prince Louis had been heard speaking in public and the sweet footage sent royal fans into meltdown.
The video was shared on Kensington Palace's social media accounts at that time.
Prince William, Kate, Louis, Charlotte and George, stepped out in London earlier this month for a special pantomime performance at London's Palladium Theatre, hosted by The National Lottery.
The event was to thank key workers and their families for their efforts throughout the pandemic.
The outing was the first time the Cambridge family had been seen out en masse in many months.
Kate and William were among the first Royal Family members to release their Christmas card this year.
The sweet group snap shows the whole family together and was taken outdoors at Anmer Hall.
A large log pile is visible in the background of the photo adding to its festive atmosphere.
The Cambridge family have been at Anmer Hall for Christmas and are expected to remain there until school restarts for George and Charlotte in the new year.
During term time the family are based at Kensington Palace in London.
Only primary schools and years 11 and 13 to return to school on Jan 4, says Gove
China expands list of sectors for attracting foreign investment


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It religion and death are the main subjects
It is natural to formprejudice and sin by being deceptive to your own true self identity; it is apart of human heritage.
Flannery O'Conner, the former writer and short story essayist, expresses this idea in hershort story titled "A Good Man is Hard to Find". Prejudice, religion and death arethe main subjects of the short story, in which she strongly addresses not only humansfutile attempts to use religion to escape death but also how human identity is definedexternally and easily manipulated. Similary, Shirley Jackson in her short story"The Lottery" draws on death as anextreme metoraphical example of how societies get rid of innocent people forabsurd prejudicial reasons. The lottery describes where society leads to ifhumans continue to follow the masses and in group selection, by not questioningtheir prejudices and long followed traditions critically. In a sense, Shirley'sstory begins where Conner's story ends, a fact that account for both thesimilarities and differences between the two works. The two essays can becompared on the basis of their subjects, and their use of common ideas.
So what is prejudice orsin and how might it lead to death? In "A Good Man is Hard to Find" prejudicecan be metaphorically equated to sin as a preconceived opinion the grandmotherhad about the "Misfit" that was not based on reason or actual experience. The grandmother had prejudiced beliefs and feelings whichcaused her to act in a prejudiced way because she was conforming to what isregarded as normal within the social comfort of the group she belonged to. Inresponse to this socialization, it is interesting to note the use of the word "MISFIT"the grandmother used to describe the killer. Moreover, being a "lady" wasimportant for the grandmother's self identity. She asks if she looked like alady so that the MISFIT wouldn't shoot her which reflects the predjuce and hypocrisythat she still relied on for external justification and fulfilled it to a certaindegree through her appearance and class. Again, the emphasis on status,prejudice and wealth is treated as a sin and is ultimately meaningless when comparedto the final context of death when the Misfit shoots her. Similarly, "The Lottery"displays how prejudice and the pressure towards a traditional group not onlyintensifies pre-existing sentiments, but also begins cultivating a deep seatedtribalism.
By using main characters whose snobbishand selfish personalities rigidly conform and reject those they consider to beinferiors, we go through the entire process of men in the society picking namesfrom the blackbox. Ironically, we never know what the lottery is about or anykind of function. The sinful act of killing innocent Tessie and causing herdeath as she protests the decision is still being carried through as the remainingmembers of the society have learned to generalize and judge only according toone specific experience. Those who are persecuted become "marked" because of atrait or characteristic that is out of their control— for example Tessie's namebeing picked out of random chance from the blackbox. Though these works, inthese ways, share some topics and aspects, their ideas are distinct andindividual regarding religion.
Once the grandmother's prejudiced sentiment wason the scene, the stage was set for the arrival of religion to be referenced duringher death scene. As she realizes the Misfit is going to shoot her, she beginsto beg the MISFIT to pray to Jesus almost as if this can clear the MISFIT'sconscience of all the evil deeds he has committed to be saved by god's grace.On the other hand, in the "Lottery" there is no direct reference to religionbut the lottery itself serves as a symbol of sacrificial killing. Similarly,the black box serves as a symbol of omen on who will die that day and thesociety's eagerness to kill using stones as some sort of a holy ritual thateverybody needed to take part in to glorify and sanctify themselves.
On a balance, both the differences and similaritiesbetween the stories strive to make their audiences make a universal commitmentto the unity of humanity against prejudice or sin. Reference:O'Connor, Flannery. "A Good Man is Hard To Find." 1983. Jackson, Shirley.
"The Lottery." 1991.
Introduction: that serve to challenge those of a
Short Esperanza's great- grandmother was strong like a
The history; the disciples of Jesus all followed
L good decisions, how you should treat people,
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