text:
President Trump tweets morning after impeached by House
President Donald J. Trump listens as Senator Ted Cruz delivers remarks at a roundtable on empowering families with education choice Monday, Dec. 9, 2019, in the Cabinet Room of the White House. (Official White House Photo by Tia Dufour)
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump was active on Twitter the morning after he became just the third president in American history to be impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives.
Trump fired off several tweets Thursday morning.
Download the FOX 5 DC News App for Local Breaking News and Weather
"100% Republican Vote. That's what people are talking about. The Republicans are united like never before!" read the morning's first message.
News headlines following Trump impeachment by House
FOX 5's Melanie Alnwick checked out the headlines at the Newseum the morning after President Donald Trump became just the third president in American history to be impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives.
"I got Impeached last might without one Republican vote being cast with the Do Nothing Dems on their continuation of the greatest Witch Hunt in American history," a second post read. "Now the Do Nothing Party want to Do Nothing with the Articles & not deliver them to the Senate, but it's Senate's call!"
The start date for the impeachment trial is still up in the air.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi refused to say Wednesday when she'll send the impeachment articles against Trump to the Senate for the trial.


This machine is used on separating the peanut kernels or cocoa beans into two half parts.
High halving rate, low broken kernels, peel the red skin of the peanuts kernel or cocoa beans.
Peanut half peeling cutting machine can peel the peanut skin and break peanut kernel into half, mainly used on separating the peanut kernels or various bean into two half parts, low broken kernels rate during the separating process, high halving rate above 96%, at the same time, professional peanut half parting machine, easy operating, automatic processing, saving time and labor, low noise, and high separating rate, half parted peanut kernels are white and clean without red skin.
1. Professional peanut half parting machine, easy operating, automatic processing, time and labor saving, power saving.
2. High peeling rate is high and can up to 90%.
3.This machine has the function of reasonable structure,high efficiency,save energy,easy to operation and so on.
4.The peeled peanut is beauty,low materials consumption,It is an ideal equipment for industrial food processing.
5. Your raw materials must be roasted firstly,then cool it and then put into the machine.
6.The dust absorption can remove the red skin of the peanut, and the vibration sieve can effectively remove the embryo bud of the peanut in order to perfect the halveing of the peanut.


text:
import fs from 'fs'
import { join } from 'path'
import expect from 'expect'
import { parseString } from 'xml2js'
import { Box2 } from 'vecks'

import { Helper } from '../../src'
const dxfContents = fs.readFileSync(join(__dirname, '/../resources/1x1rectangle.dxf'), 'utf-8')

describe('Helper', () => {
  it('should be constructed with a string', () => {
    expect(() => {
      return new Helper(null)
    }).toThrow('Helper constructor expects a DXF string')
  })

  it('parsed automatically', () => {
    const helper = new Helper(dxfContents)
    expect(helper.parsed.entities.length).toEqual(1)
  })

  it('denormalises automatically', () => {
    const helper = new Helper(dxfContents)
    expect(helper.denormalised.length).toEqual(1)
  })

  it('can group by layer', () => {
    const helper = new Helper(dxfContents)
    expect(helper.groups.Default.length).toEqual(1)
  })

  it('can output an SVG', (done) => {
    const helper = new Helper(dxfContents)
    const svg = helper.toSVG()
    parseString(svg, (err, result) => {
      if (err) {
        throw Error(err)
      }
      expect(result.svg.$.viewBox).toEqual('0 -10 10 10')
      done()
    })
  })

  it('can output polylines', () => {
    const helper = new Helper(dxfContents)
    const { bbox, polylines } = helper.toPolylines()
    expect(bbox.equals(new Box2({ x: 0, y: 0 }, { x: 10, y: 10 }))).toEqual(true)
    expect(polylines).toEqual([{
      rgb: [0, 0, 79],
      vertices: [[0, 0], [10, 0], [10, 10], [0, 10], [0, 0]]
    }])
  })
})

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


1018 E New Circle Road, Lexington, KY 40505 (MLS #1826972) :: Sarahsold Inc.
Great Location! This is very privately located office space that's set in it's own part of the building. This space has a great floorplan with plenty of huge offices, an open area that could make a great receptionist area, and a private hallway. This building is undergoing a complete facelift with updated flooring (vinyl plank), updated paint, updated light fixtures, and much more! We have single offices from 200 sq ft to dual offices to 1000 sq ft offices to an office suite that's about 2000 sq ft Perfect for doctors/attorneys/businesses, etc. Very high traffic location with thousands of vehicles that pass through each day. Plenty of parking.


If you have a Special Part Inquiry. Please tell us what your looking for, with the make and year of the bike. We will have to Dig and Research your part, If we have the part, you will Receive a Paypal bill from us with a price and and item description. Please make sure your Paypal email account is attached to your Inquiry. Sorry if you Do Not hear back from us with in a week we Do Not have your part.


Looking for chamberlain 950cb? We feature a wide selection of chamberlain 950cb and related items. Shop now! Shop for Chamberlain 950cb at Ebay.
Looking for chamberlain 950cb? We feature a wide selection of chamberlain 950cb and related items. Shop now!


text:
Lin Cheng-sheng (; born 31 March 1959) is a Taiwanese film director. His 1997 film Sweet Degeneration was entered into the 48th Berlin International Film Festival. He won the Silver Bear for Best Director for Betelnut Beauty in 2001.

Filmography

Director

Narratives
1996: A Drifting Life (春花夢露)
1997: Murmur of Youth (美麗在唱歌)
1998: Sweet Degeneration (放浪)
1999: March of Happiness (天馬茶房)
2001: Betelnut Beauty (愛你愛我)
2003: Robinson's Crusoe (魯賓遜漂流記)
2005: The Moon Also Rises (月光下,我記得)
2013: 27°C – Loaf Rock (世界第一麥方)
TBA: The Future keeps coming and coming: goodbye to the age of solitude (literally translated from 未來一直來一直來之告別孤寂年代; in production)

Documentaries
2008: My Ocean (海洋練習曲)
2010: Twinkle Twinkle Little Stars (一閃一閃亮晶晶)
2015: One journey, one mission (有任務的旅行)

Actor
Tropical Fish (1995)
Buddha Bless America (1996)
Yours and Mine (1997)

References

External links

1959 births
Living people
Taiwanese film directors
Silver Bear for Best Director recipients

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Borland Software swings to Q4 profit; sales up 12%
By Carla Mozee
Published: Feb 1, 2005 4:27 p.m. ET
CarlaMozee
Markets Reporter
SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Borland Software borl Tuesday after the bell reported fourth-quarter earnings of $8 million, or 10 cents a share. Last year, it lost $5.7 million, or 7 cents a share. Pro forma earnings were 14 cents a share. Revenue rose 12 percent to $82.5 million from $74 million a year ago. The Scotts Valley, Calif.-based company forecast first-quarter earnings of 3 cents to 5 cents a share on revenue of $77 million to $81 million. It forecast pro forma earnings of 7 cents to 9 cents a share.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Days 3 and 4 of 180: Time to stop getting them ready and teach 'em!
Yesterday, blogging did not happen. It may be that blogging will never happen on Wednesdays. As all teachers who have kiddos of their own know, sometimes it is time to take care of one's own first. It is supposed to be always, of course. But on Wednesdays, my daughter has hip-hop dance lessons after school, and…blogging loses to watching 8-year-olds doing cat daddies, reminding me that my knees can't do that anymore. Thank goodness.
I figured I'd put the last two days into one instead.
Yesterday they finished reviewing right triangle Trigonometry at the Geometry level. Common pitfalls were: they didn't understand the concept of a mnemonic (SOH-CAH-TOA) even though we talked about how sine, cosine, and tangent were defined to be the ratios as described, they were welcome to make up their own mnemonic thing, and that thinking of the definitions as a "formula" was not conducive to understanding what they were.
Unit Circle – the non-Honors/College Prep kiddos get this one. I'm very guilty of doing more stuff for the "I hate math and I'm bad at it anyway" crowd.
Finally, they all got their "reporting sheets": their work is done in their INBs, but I do not collect it. Instead, the work we do is graded by them (I have the problems the try to do — after a demonstration — all worked out, and those answers get projected on the screen the next day). Questions are asked before and after the grading. Yes, absolutely I know that the weasels out there are going to weasel. But I believe it is better that they know immediately if they understand how things are going for them well before an official assessment. If I grade it, they won't know for a week. They turn it in each Friday; it will be returned that Monday.
Yesterday, they made sure they knew the difference between quantitative and categorical data by discussion.
Today, they learned how to display categorical data as bar charts and pie charts and the "when each one is better" rule. They then practiced making bar charts quickly and efficiently. Ha! They completely understood how since they've done it since elementary school…they decided to take the time to make 'em pretty.
A brief discussion was had about how the AP graders might appreciate "pretty", but "completed quickly with labels" might be in their own best interest when taking said AP test.
As always, comments are welcome…DM me if you have file download issues and I'll try to fix it (mrsakahoshi at yahoo dot com).


Why Should You Incorporate or Form an LLC?
Becoming a consultant is a great way to put your business experience and skills to use helping others improve their businesses. There are many types of consultants, from management consultants who help executives make their organizations more efficient, to IT consultants who help companies implement the right IT solutions, to philanthropy consultants who help nonprofit organizations raise funds. Whichever consulting niche you decide to focus in on, there are a few things you should consider first.
What marketable skills do I have? To differentiate yourself from the crowd, you'll need to specialize in a niche. For example, an IT consultant might specialize in cyber security issues; a management consultant might specialize in business process improvement. What specialty will you focus on?
Am I good at sales? You'll need sales and marketing know-how to network, form relationships and pitch your services to clients. Consultants must constantly seek referrals and leads and be able to present their value in a clear and convincing manner.
Do I manage time well? Consultants must be effective time managers to juggle their clients' demands and to maximize their billable hours. Keep in mind, not everything you work on is billable.
Before running out and pitching clients your consulting services or taking on large projects, you may want to consider incorporating your consulting business. Incorporating or forming an LLC as a consulting business can offer a number of advantages.
Limit Your Liability: Since part of your professional duties involve advising others on their business matters, if someone feels that your consulting advice caused them damage, they can sue you to recover their losses. Without an LLC or corporation shielding your personal property from business liability, the losses you could incur are unlimited. Forming a corporation or LLC will keep your personal assets off-limits when it comes to satisfying business financial judgments.
Tax Advantages: There are many tax benefits to incorporating or forming an LLC. LLCs generally have 'pass-through' taxation, but can elect to be taxed as an S Corporation if it's beneficial. S Corporations help you avoid double taxation of company profits and dividends. Be sure to meet with your accountant to fully explore your tax possibilities and make sure the corporate structure you choose meets those needs.
Enhanced Credibility: When you form an LLC or corporation, you will be known publicly by your business name followed by 'Inc' or 'LLC.' This gives your businesses added professionalism and helps show that you are established and reputable. Some businesses may require you to be incorporated or have an LLC before they will work with you to avoid any confusion that that you, or your staff, might be considered employed by them if they work with you.
Brand Protection: When you file as a corporation or an LLC, other companies cannot file with your company name. This helps protect your consulting company's reputation and also gives you a foundation for protecting your business and services from infringement.
Expense Deduction: As an LLC or corporation, you will be allowed to deduct normal business expenses from the company income before the income is allocated to you. Business expenses can include items such as salary, rent (portion of your mortgage if you work from home), travel, mobile devices and more. This means that the money you put toward growing your consulting practice can be deducted from business income before your taxable income is determined.
There are a number of other steps and actions to consider when starting a consulting business. At incorporate.com, we consider ourselves experts at small business and entrepreneurial endeavors. We're happy to discuss your needs and the benefits of forming a more formal structure for your consulting business.
I am a consultant with clients in my home state and also in several other states. Where should I incorporate or form my LLC?
Most of the time, you will want to incorporate in your home state. However, there are factors that could lead you to incorporate in a different state you operate your consulting business in. Sometimes tax laws and cost of formation are more favorable in a different state. Other times a state you work in will require you to qualify to do business there. If a state requires qualification, you may choose to incorporate or form your LLC in that state to avoid double fees (incorporation and qualification).
Keep in mind that you will still need business licenses to operate in each state that you do business in, even if they don't have formal qualification standards.
How do I know what states I need to file tax returns in?
Each state will have its own rules for taxation, and it's important to do a lot of research or work with a tax professional. Many states consider the amount of business consultants do in the state, and how often you do business there. Some states also have an arrangement where taxes paid to other states can be credited towards overall income, allowing your paid taxes to count toward your overall tax burden. Some states may require an altogether separate tax return that only includes the income from business in that state.
Keep in mind that tax-filing deadlines may vary significantly from one state to another, and be sure to file on time to avoid penalties. Keeping all of this straight is tough, so working with a professional is ideal!
As a consultant, do I need to carry business insurance?
As a consultant, you'll probably find it wise to carry a specific business liability policy. Personal or homeowners insurance may not be sufficient to pay a judgment against your business, and a business insurance policy can also help create a financial barrier between your personal assets and your business assets.
What type of insurance to purchase and what level of coverage to choose will vary depending on the scope, size, and activities of your individual practice. You will want to carefully review any policy you buy so that you fully understand what coverage is provided and under what circumstances. For specific liability questions, you will probably want to consult a legal professional.
What is the law regarding Workers' Compensation? Do I need to provide coverage for contractors or sub-contractors involved with my company?
Worker's compensation is a state-based system created to provide benefits to workers who are injured on the job. The laws for worker's compensation vary a lot from state to state, but the coverage is generally only required for employees. Contractors and sub-contractors are not usually covered by your company's worker's compensation policy.
To make sure that it's understood that your contractors are not employed by you, you will want to explore the laws regarding how much control you can have over workers before they are considered employees. Generally, if a worker has their own facilities, does not need training or uniforms from your company, and works for other, similar businesses, they will be classified as a contractor. For specific legal questions, including setting up contracts, you will want to contact a legal professional.
As a consultant, you offer advice and suggestions on how to improve, plan, or organize a business. We recognize your efforts and want to offer useful products and services to help you. From finding necessary permits to getting your Employer Identification Number (EIN), incorporate.com saves you time and allows you to focus on your true work – consulting!
For a full list of products and services we offer, check out Our Business Services. A few of incorporate.coms resources, along with suggestions for additional help, are below.
Below, we've put together a list of resources that are most relevant to consultants and consulting business owners.


text:
AIA and AIAS members receive a 10% discount storewide! Enter code MEMBER at checkout.
Frank Gehry is a Canadian-born American architect, residing in Los Angles. A number of his buildings, including his private residence that jump-started his career, have become world-renowned attractions. Gehry's best-known works include the Dancing House in Prague, the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, the titanium-clad Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain and the Museum of Pop Culture, Seattle. Gehry is also the designer of the future National Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial.
1999 - Frank Gehry
Building Art: The Life and Work of Frank Gehry
Architects' Houses
Red: Architecture in Monochrome
Green Architecture
Young Frank, Architect
Theoretical Anxiety and Design Strategies (Rafael Moneo)
Miniature Wiggle Side Chair (Gehry)
$ 180.00 $ 180.00 $ 200.00 $ 200.00


text:
Q: Pt-query-digest date ranges do not work as expected Analyse Queries with Pt-query-digest
I am using pt-query-digest to analyse queries and would like to analyse a specific time range only, in order to measure the effect of adding new indices and tuning the server.
The Query log is of course turned on (MySQL 5.6) and queries are written to the log files as expected. I transfer the log files to my local machine and concatenate all compressed log files into one file like this:
zcat -f $(ls -tr mysql-slow.log*) > MySQL-All-Slowlogs.log

When I then execute pt-query-digest without any parameters, I get the output as expected:
pt-query-digest MySQL-All-Slowlogs.log > output.log

The date range in this output file is the whole range that is covered within the log files and the header states this:
# 490ms user time, 10ms system time, 35.09M rss, 103.70M vsz
# Current date: Fri Apr  7 10:58:38 2017
# Hostname: LocalMachine
# Files: MySQL-All-Slowlogs.log
# Overall: 2.33k total, 125 unique, 0.00 QPS, 0.05x concurrency __________
# Time range: 2017-03-31 03:16:49 to 2017-04-07 06:00:10
# Attribute          total     min     max     avg     95%  stddev  median
# ============     ======= ======= ======= ======= ======= ======= =======

Thats fine. Now I would like to investigate on the queries from the last two days, for instance
Problem
Pt-query-digest does not respect date ranges I provide, I still get the full list starting end of march (2017-03-31)
# Gives all queries
pt-query-digest --since 2d MySQL-All-Slowlogs.log > output.log
# Also all queries
pt-query-digest --since '2017-04-05'  MySQL-All-Slowlogs.log > output.log

And specifying the until date gives no results at all
pt-query-digest --since '2017-04-05' --until '2017-04-07'  MySQL-All-Slowlogs.log > output.log

# No events processed.

I also provided a DSN with the same results while connecting via I an SSH tunnel
  pt-query-digest --since '2017-04-05' h=127.0.0.1,P=$PORT,u=$USER,p=$PASSWORD MySQL-All-Slowlogs.log > output.log

Expected Result
The documentation says this:
      --since
type: string

Parse only queries newer than this value (parse queries since this date).

This option allows you to ignore queries older than a certain value and parse only those queries which are more recent than the value. The value can be several types:

* Simple time value N with optional suffix: N[shmd], where
  s=seconds, h=hours, m=minutes, d=days (default s if no suffix
  given); this is like saying "since N[shmd] ago"
* Full date with optional hours:minutes:seconds:
  YYYY-MM-DD [HH:MM:SS]
* Short, MySQL-style date:
  YYMMDD [HH:MM:SS]
* Any time expression evaluated by MySQL:
  CURRENT_DATE - INTERVAL 7 DAY
If you give a MySQL time expression, and you have not also specified a DSN for --explain, --processlist, or --review, then you must specify a DSN on the command line so that pt-query-digest can connect to MySQL to evaluate the expression.

The MySQL time expression is wrapped inside a query like "SELECT UNIX_TIMESTAMP(<expression>)", so be sure that the expression is valid inside this query. For example, do not use UNIX_TIMESTAMP() because UNIX_TIMESTAMP(UNIX_TIMESTAMP()) returns 0.

Events are assumed to be in chronological: older events at the beginning of the log and newer events at the end of the log. --since is strict: it ignores all queries until one is found that is new enough. Therefore, if the query events are not consistently timestamped, some may be ignored which are actually new enough.

What am I missing here?
Thanks!

A: Preserve the correct sequence
I finally figured out the problem. The way how I extract all the gzipped log files and add them to a consolidated log file did not preserve the correct sequence and therefore pt-query-digest did not find the queries in the order it was expecting them.
The manual even says:

Events are assumed to be in chronological: older events at the beginning of the log and newer events at the end of the log

Solution
The solution is to process the logrotate files in reverse order in order to end up with a logfile that has the oldest logs first and the newest ones at the end of the file.
ls mysql-slow.log* |sort -nr -t . -k 3,3 | xargs zcat -f > MySQL-All-Slowlogs.log

The command above does the following things:

*

*ls: list all files starting with the file name mysql-slow.log.*

*sort -nr -t: sort based on a numeric literal (otherwise the sequence number of the file will be interpreted as string alphabetically, sorting 111 before 2. -r reverses the order. -t uses "." as field seperator. k specifies the key to sort on.

*xargs: For each line cat the zipped or unzipped slow log file to the culmulative file.

Then you can use the following comand to obtain
 pt-query-digest --since '2017-04-06 12:00:00' --until '2017-04-09 12:00:00'  MySQL-All-Slowlogs.log  > output.txt

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


The marvelous digital imagery below, is part of Best Gallery Best Modern Kitchen Design Collections written piece which is sorted within Design, best modern kitchen designs in the world, best modern kitchen design and interior ideas 2017, best modern kitchen design and posted at October 31st, 2018 02:54:48 AM by admin.
Here is essential info on best modern kitchen design ideas 2018. We have the tops sources for best modern kitchen design ideas 2018. Check it out for yourself! You can find 15 Cool Best Modern Kitchen Design Amazing Design guide and look the latest Best Gallery Best Modern Kitchen Design Collections in here.


text:
Kirklees Council
Shoe cards to keep victims step ahead
VICTIMS of domestic violence are being encouraged to hide crucial information – in their shoes.
Small cards providing contact details for organisations that combat abuse have been produced as part of the 'Time to say stop' initiative, launched in Milnsbridge.
Project co-ordinator Rev Mike Roberts, from Milnsbridge Baptist Church, said: "The shoe cards are small, credit card-sized pieces of plastic that have all the contact details a victim of domestic violence might need.
"They are small so that they can be hidden away where a perpetrator won't find them – like in a shoe."
The cards will be available from community venues including the Drop-By Shop on Sycamore Avenue.
Publicity posters will also be put up under the scheme, which was funded by a £500 from Kirklees Council's 'people's purse'.
The Botham Hall and Trees estates in Golcar and Milnsbridge are being targeted in the initiative.
Mr Roberts said domestic violence had been identified as an important issue among residents.
He added: "It's been identified as a major problem across the area, across Huddersfield and the UK, and yet too often it goes on unnoticed and unreported behind closed doors, with people suffering in silence."
Figures from the Legal Services Commission show the extent of the problem.
The commission helped 108 people in and around Huddersfield last year who had complained of being victimised.
More than 2,500 cases were dealt with across Yorkshire and Humberside.
LSC regional director Peter Nelson said: "Many abused women and children are desperate for advice to help them escape from the situation.
"They may find they need help with a range of problems, such as housing and debt, as they try to get away from a violent partner.
"It is our role at the LSC to make sure vulnerable people, such as victims of domestic violence, can get high quality advice from skilled and dedicated professionals at the time when they need it most."
More advice is at www.communitylegaladvice.org.uk
Golcar
Milnsbridge


Garfield :: * MERORRR KACHING! * EROWRR ** SPLAT! ** ROWERROWER * CLOP! Have you considered putting an end to your late-night caterwauling, Garfield? What? And give up show business?!
* MERORRR KACHING! * EROWRR ** SPLAT! ** ROWERROWER * CLOP! Have you considered putting an end to your late-night caterwauling, Garfield? What? And give up show business?!


5 Tax Tips for Saving Money for the Self-Employed - A.F. Gebauer & Company, P.C.
Are you ready to strike out on your own and become the boss of You, Inc.? Whether you're starting a nail salon, pet shop, restaurant or home business, there are many tips for ways to save on your taxes as a self-employed person.
1. Deduct Those Startup Costs-From that brand new printer to legal advising to advertisements, go ahead and deduct those initial expenses.
2. Health Insurance Premiums-Self-employed individuals may be able to deduct their medical insurance and the costs for family insurance plans.
3. Vehicle Expenses-From mileage to the actual cost of the car, self-employed workers can deduct many auto-related expenses.
4. Home Office Costs-For those who are working for themselves out of their residence, there may be home expense deductions available.
5. Supplies-From paper to laptops, the self-employed can deduct equipment used exclusively for business.
Whether you're a contractor, freelancer or self-employed business owner, at Gebauer and Company, we can help you save money and file your taxes correctly. Click here to contact one of our CPAs today!
Wedded Bliss = Tax Hell?


text:
Oliver House School raises money for Guatemala school project
CISC Author News	0
Pupils at Oliver House School present cheque for £3138.11. to Ruth Clark representative of the Wonder Foundation, which will enable more than 50 Guatemalan children to go to school for a year
This year, the children at Oliver House School have been involved in various fundraising events during the Lenten period to raise a record amount of funds to support a school in Guatemala City and were proud to meet a representative from the Wonder Foundation, Ruth Clark, to present her with a cheque.
Oliver House School Council decided to raise money for the Wonder Foundation, a charity that supports Junkabal School in Guatemala City. This school now has around 450 children and serves the neighbourhood surrounding Guatemala's largest municipal rubbish dump. The school gives hope and offers opportunities to children from some of the most marginalised and vulnerable families in the city.
Every child took home their own Lenten Charity box and helped to fill with pocket money and donations. Events such as sponsored litter collections, sponsored walks on Clapham Common together with a homemade cake sale saw children collecting a total of £3138.11
It costs £60 to send a child to school for a year so the children have calculated they have provided schooling for 52 pupils for one year.
Oliver House has made Junkabal School their partner charity and aims to forge a long term partnership with the school and for children from Oliver House and Junkabal to get to know each other. The Lenten fundraising activities are therefore the first of many initiatives to support pupils at Junkabal school.
See more at: www.wonderfoundation.org.uk/junkabalschool
27th CISC Annual Conference Report	Nicky Morgan DisCERNing the Future of Physics
News, Newsletter


text:
package br.com.caelum.rest.server.infra;

import java.io.File;
import java.io.IOException;

import javax.servlet.http.HttpServletRequest;

import org.apache.commons.fileupload.FileItemFactory;
import org.gmr.web.multipart.GFileItemFactory;

import br.com.caelum.vraptor.http.MutableRequest;
import br.com.caelum.vraptor.interceptor.multipart.MultipartConfig;
import br.com.caelum.vraptor.interceptor.multipart.MultipartInterceptor;
import br.com.caelum.vraptor.ioc.Component;

@Component
public class AppEngineMultipartInterceptor extends MultipartInterceptor {

	public AppEngineMultipartInterceptor(HttpServletRequest request, MutableRequest parameters, MultipartConfig config)
			throws IOException {
		super(request, parameters, config);
	}

	@Override
	protected FileItemFactory createFactoryForDiskBasedFileItems(File temporaryDirectory) {
		return new GFileItemFactory();
	}
}


I have mentioned many times before that I find cream products work really well with my dry skin to make it look fresh. The added bonus is that they are very quick to use too! Today I want to share some of my favourites that I reach for regularly.
Natasha Denona Sculpt & Glow Palette: There are three cream products and three powders in this palette and my favourite is definitely the cream contour (the powder contour is awful - review here). It is so easy to blend in with either a brush or a beauty sponge and the shade is the perfect balance - not too ashy and not too orange. I don't go for a full on contour, rather some definition and it is s quick and easy to achieve with this cream.
YSL Les Sahariennes Cream Bronzer: I adore this (discontinued - sob, sob) bronzer. It looks so natural on the skin, it blurs the appearance of pores and fine lines and it doesn't feel like an extra layer of product. The packaging is stunning and there is nothing not to love (apart from the fact that it has been discontinued). I have been asked how it compares to Chanel Soleil De Tan and I personally prefer the texture of this YSL one and also the blurring abilities.
Huda Beauty 3D Highlight Palette: This palette has both a cream and powder highlighter, which layer well together for an intense highlight, but using the cream highlighter alone creates a beautiful sheen to the skin. There is no fear of an unflattering glitter so it would suit all ages plus the texture just melts into the skin. Full review here.
Stila Convertible Colour: This can be used on both the lips and cheeks, with cheeks being my personal preference. It's pretty pigmented so I just dab a little on each cheek and blend using either my fingers, a stippling brush or a beauty blender. The result is a very natural flush of colour that makes me look healthier!
Charlotte Tilbury Eyes To Mesmerise: I love these cream shadows for a very quick eye look. They're pigmented and easy to blend. Creamy in texture, but once they set, they don't budge! Perfect for when you want to look like you've made an effort without actually doing so!
Natasha Denona Chroma Crystal Top Coat: Another cream shadow that can be used alone for a quick look or as a shadow topper as there is a very fine sparkle running through it. A quick sweep will give a wash of colour but they can be layered for more intensity. They are foolproof to use.
Do you like to use cream products or are the stuff of nightmares for you? I'd love to hear!
All products are bought by me, unless otherwise stated. Please see ASAI rules for bloggers in Ireland here. Opinion is always my own. Affiliate links may be used.


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Help / Advice
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By Guest Cali chica, August 6, 2014 in Help / Advice
Guest Cali chica
My cousin and I discovered about a year ago that we both have loved each other pretty much our whole lives. We had 2 sexual encounters when we were younger but never really talked about it to see what it meant to each of us. We have lived on opposite coasts our whole lives but used to see each other about once year for family reunions and such. Our family is rather large and as our generation got older the reunions stopped except for weddings and funerals. Our Last encounter and last time seeing each other was 17 years ago. I am now 40 and he is 44. We got back in contact with each other a year ago and it has been awesome!!! We have seen each other 3 times in the past year and again...awesome!! However, we are both married with kids. We have never been in love with our spouses but married because "that's what you are suppose to do". My husband and I are like close friends. His wife however, is verbally abusive to him in front of his kids and she spends money uncontrollably so he works all the time to pay off bills. He says he wants to stay married for the kids until they are 18. He was a product of divorce and doesn't want that for his kids. Our Mothers, who are sisters, would freak out if they knew. I just want to be happy and be with him. I believe everything can be worked out and yes, people will be hurt, but that is part of life. Who hasn't been hurt? I believe everyone will be able to cope and heal. I struggle at times with him because he goes through phases where he feels guilty about our situation and our secrecy. He feels he doesn't deserve to be happy because of past mistakes in his life. Its as if he continually punishes himself for his past. During these phases he pulls away from me and doesn't text or call as much and he is not flirty, complimentary or as eager to make plans to see me again as he usually is. He goes hot and cold. I love the hot..the cold, not so much. I miss him when this happens and I don't know what to do or how to respond. The longest cold phase was almost 3 weeks and I literally thought I was dying on the inside. The not knowing if this is the end or just a phase and he will come back as he always has is devastating to me. He has said that he will always love me. I get that but will he always want to be with me and have that as his goal when his kids are older? Any thoughts, help, advice would be greatly appreciated. I know we both love each other very much but it is a tricky situation.
Serendipity 104
There's nothing tricky here. You are both married and are off limits to each other. You are clearly self-centered if you think everyone will eventually get over the pain and live happily ever after. What kind of person says "to hell with the kids involved. My happiness is paramount"? Guilt is making him run hot and cold and that's a good thing. Either work on your own marriage or get out. But don't think for a moment that your selfishness will be rewarded. It's a good thing you're on opposite coasts, it will make getting on with your own life that much easier.
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Added by Serge Heiden about 4 years ago. Updated about 1 month ago.
In arabic texts, concordance contexts are swaped between left and right and text edition should be justified on the right.
Add a new 'writing-system-direction' import parameter.
Use the writing-system-direction corpus parameter to build text editions.
Use the writing-system-direction corpus parameter to display command results.


We've recently been asked to include a Live Chat addon for a client's new website. As a result I thought I'd spend a little time looking into the pros and cons of Live Chat for businesses.
Live Chat basically adds instant messaging to a website. It allows typed messages to be exchanged between a visitor and a website representative - typically from either the sales or customer services team. Live Chat is becoming increasingly popular amongst business owners its usage has grown steadily over the last few years. As shoppers have become used to shopping online their willingness to engage with addons like Live Chat has also increased as seen here.
It allows shoppers to engage with the retailer very quickly to ask questions that they might otherwise have to wait for answers for, for example if you email a retailer you're never sure when you might receive an answer and if you phone you may have to wait in a queue for 10 to 15 minutes. Live Chat is instant and if there are no agents available the chat facility is disabled, when in place can speed up the communication process dramatically.
For retailers the biggest benefit is that they can directly communicate with a shopper who is looking at the website. If they are looking at say a product, the retailer is in a position to ask if the shopper has all the information they need, check stock in realtime, confirm delivery information etc. If the shopper is looking for something else in particular the representative can direct them to it or give them choices that might better suit the shopper.
Furthermore Live Chat can help the development of your website as outlined in detail by Sky in this article by Econsultancy which outlines how when shoppers get stuck in a part of a website it indicates that there is either a problem there or a lack or calls to action to guide the shopper.
SnapEngage At first glance a really nice system, with one flaw (at time of writing) which is no mobile specific experience. Trying to use the chat on a phone was the thing of nightmares... and would have to be turned off on any website I built once the screen got below the size of a 'standard' tablet. I have been in touch with the company and they are saying that the mobile UX (user experience) is coming soon.
Zopim Having worked out that SnapEngage doesn't have a good mobile experience, I looked for some other systems, that worked as well as SnapEngage but with a good mobile experience. I found Zopim and had it running on my demo site in no time... the system works really well, at least from my perspective - you'd have to be a business owner to give a more complete answer but as a developer it certainly ticks all the boxes.
LivePerson Thinking that I should find another system to compare to I wanted to try LivePerson. It has some big clients and a good reputation. I tried it both on desktop and mobile and it worked well. I couldn't see the dashboard as I was unable to run a demo on my own; you have to be shown a demo :(. That said this is not a system to ignore but I suspect the pricing is higher than the other systems I have talked about.
If you want to be able to interact with shoppers and help them make decisions and solve their problems in a timely manner then you should definitely consider Live Chat. It has been indicated that it has helped many customers increase sales and total sale values as a result of a representative upselling. A couple of companies on the SnapEngage website indicate that sales conversions as a result of using Live Chat are over 50%, pretty cool stuff.


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Fagus grandifolia, the American beech or North American beech, is a species of beech tree native to the eastern United States and extreme southeast of Canada.

Description
Fagus grandifolia is a large deciduous tree growing to  tall, with smooth, silver-gray bark. The leaves are dark green, simple and sparsely-toothed with small teeth that terminate each vein,  long (rarely ), with a short petiole. The winter twigs are distinctive among North American trees, being long and slender ( by ) with two rows of overlapping scales on the buds. Beech buds are distinctly thin and long, resembling cigars; this characteristic makes beech trees relatively easy to identify. The tree is monoecious, with flowers of both sexes on the same tree. The fruit is a small, sharply-angled nut, borne in pairs in a soft-spined, four-lobed husk. It has two means of reproduction: one is through the usual dispersal of seedlings, and the other is through root sprouts, which grow into new trees.

Taxonomy

Trees in the southern half of the range are sometimes distinguished as a variety, F. grandifolia var. caroliniana, but this is not considered distinct in the Flora of North America. The Mexican beech (F. grandifolia var. mexicana), native to the mountains of central Mexico, is closely related, and is sometimes treated as a subspecies of American beech, but some botanists classify it as a distinct species. The only Fagus species found in the Western Hemisphere (assuming F. mexicana is treated as a subspecies), F. grandifolia is believed to have spanned the width of the North American continent all the way to the Pacific coast before the last ice age.

Etymology
The genus name Fagus is Latin for "beech", and the specific epithet grandifolia comes from grandis "large" and folium "leaf".

Distribution and habitat
The American beech is native to eastern North America, from Nova Scotia west to southern Ontario in southeastern Canada, west to Wisconsin and south to eastern Texas and northern Florida in the United States. Mature specimens are rare in lowland areas as early settlers quickly discovered that the presence of the tree indicated good farmland.

The American beech is a shade-tolerant species, commonly found in forests in the final stage of succession. Few trees in its natural range other than sugar maple match it for shade tolerance. Ecological succession is essentially the process of forests changing their composition through time; it is a pattern of events often observed on disturbed sites. Although sometimes found in pure stands, it is more often associated with sugar maple (forming the beech–maple climax community), yellow birch, and eastern hemlock, typically on moist, well-drained slopes and rich bottomlands. Near its southern limit, it often shares canopy dominance with southern magnolia. Although it has a reputation for slow growth (sometimes only 13 feet in 20 years), rich soil and ample moisture will greatly speed the process up. American beech favors a well-watered, but also well-drained spot and is intolerant of urban pollution, salt, and soil compaction. It also casts heavy shade and is an extremely thirsty tree with high moisture requirements compared to oaks, so it has a dense, shallow root system.

Ecology
The mast (crop of nuts) from American beech provides food for numerous species of animals. Among vertebrates alone, these include various birds including ruffed grouse and wild turkeys, raccoons, foxes, white-tailed deer, rabbits, squirrels, opossums, pheasants, black bears, and porcupines. Some Lepidoptera caterpillars feed on beeches. Deer occasionally browse on beech foliage, but it is not a preferred food. Beech nuts were one of the primary foods of the now-extinct passenger pigeon; the clearing of beech and oak forests is pointed to as one of the major factors that may have contributed to the bird's extinction.

Diseases and pests
Beech bark disease has become a major killer of beech trees in the Northeastern United States. This disease occurs when the European beech scale insect, Cryptococcus fagisuga, attacks the bark, creating a wound that is then infected by Neonectria ditissima or Neonectria faginata, two species of fungi. This causes a canker to develop and the tree is eventually killed.

Beech leaf disease is caused by the nematode, Litylenchus crenatae mccannii. It was discovered in Ohio in 2012 and identified as far south as Virginia in 2022. Beech leaf disease causes severe damage to the American beech and also to the European beech, Fagus sylvatica

The beech leaf-miner weevil, a species native to Europe, has been identified in North America as a cause of defoliation of American beech trees.

Beech blight aphids colonize branches of the tree, but without serious harm to otherwise healthy trees. Below these colonies, deposits of sooty mold develop caused by the fungus Scorias spongiosa growing saprophytically on the honeydew the insects exude. This is also harmless to the trees.

Despite their high moisture needs, beeches succumb to flooding easily and their thin bark invites damage from animals, fire, and human activities. Late spring frosts can cause complete defoliation of the tree, although they typically recover by using reserve pools of sugar. The trunks of mature beeches often rot and develop cavities that are used by wildlife for habitation.

Uses
American beech is an important tree in forestry. The wood is hard and difficult to cut or split, although at  it is not exceptionally heavy, and it also rots relatively easily. It is used for a wide variety of purposes, most notably bentwood furniture as beech wood easily bends when steamed. It also makes high quality, long-burning firewood.

Like European beech bark, the American beech bark is smooth and uniform, making it an attraction for people to carve names, dates, decorative symbols such as love hearts or gang identifiers, and other material into its surface. One such beech tree in Louisville, Kentucky, in what is now the southern part of Iroquois Park, bore the legend "D. Boone killed a bar. 1775" in the late 18th century. The beech finally fell over in 1916 during a storm; its age was estimated at around 325 years. Its trunk is now on display at the Filson Historical Society.

It is sometimes planted as an ornamental tree, but even within its native area, it is planted much less often than the European beech. Although American beech can handle hotter climates, its European cousin is faster-growing and more pollution-tolerant, in addition to being easier to propagate.

American beech does not produce significant quantities of nuts until the tree is about 40 years old. Large crops are produced by 60 years. The oldest documented tree is 246 years old. The fruit is a triangle-shaped shell containing 2–3 nuts inside, but many of them do not fill in, especially on solitary trees. Beech nuts are sweet and nutritious, can be eaten raw by wildlife and humans, or can be cooked. They can also be roasted and ground into a coffee substitute.

The leaves are edible when cooked. The inner bark can be dried and pulverized into bread flour as an emergency food.

References

External links

efloras.org: range map
Interactive distribution map for Fagus grandifolia
Bioimages.vanderbilt.edu — Fagus grandifolia photo gallery

Edible nuts and seeds
grandifolia
Hardwood forest plants
Natural history of the Great Smoky Mountains
Garden plants of North America
Ornamental trees
Trees of the Southeastern United States
Trees of the Northeastern United States
Flora of Wisconsin
Flora of Texas
Trees of Eastern Canada
Taxa named by Jakob Friedrich Ehrhart
Flora of the Sierra Madre Oriental


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Q: Khan Academy goes into compatibility mode with my proxy settings - solution I found that when I switched to a new proxy Khan Academy wasn't working on most of the computers in my school any more. I don't know why not all since we all use the same one, but anyway, after looking around for ages I finally found a solution. So, this isn't a question, I just want someone to be able to find the answer faster than me.
I tried - https://sites.google.com/a/khanacademy.org/forge/technical/how-to-disable-internet-explorer-compatibility-view and that didn't help me at all. It wasn't listed, and it didn't say it was using compatibility mode. I assumed it was some sort of JS error or something. It wasn't.

A: For me the trouble was that for some reason the proxy made IE think that KhanAcademy think it was an intranet site. (or I did that some how) So, IE 9 was by default displaying it in compatibility mode as a result. I fixed that on my local machine in Internet Explorer by pressing Alternate to show the menus. Clicking Tools, compatibility view settings, and unchecking "Display intranet sites in Compatibility View"
But I wanted a GPO. - You need to choose DISABLE for this. I thought it would be enable from what the help text said at first. But after reading it a few more times, and testing it, it is DISABLE.
Computer Configuration/Administrative Templates/Windows Components/Internet Explorer/Compatibility View/Turn on Internet Explorer Standards Mode for Local Intranet

is what I read online, but for me with Server 2008-R2 it was
Computer Configuration/Policies/Administrative Templates/Classic Administrative Templates/Windows Components/Internet Explorer/Compatibility View/Turn on Internet Explorer Standards Mode for Local Intranet


The often-rumored merger of Microsoft's MMS and TechEd conferences is now official. Brad Anderson's "In the Cloud" blog has a new post today wherein Brad describes "What's Next for MMS." As expected, what's next is what everyone expected. MMS is being merged with TechEd.
Here's what's next for MMS: http://t.co/GdKfFTSrjy Thoughts? Questions? Let me know.
Brad highlights that the tracks at MMS have become quite similar to those at TechEd. I went to MMS this year for the first time and noticed that right away. That's part of the reason why I said at the time that it would make sense to merge the two. Brad ticks off a number of items aimed at the MMS-diehards that he says will be available within the new merged event.
We'll have to wait and see if all of that comes to pass. I'm sure there will be plenty of discussion in the management community about what to expect.
before I go, I have to tip my hat to Rod for always keeping us up-to-date with what's going on in and around the Microsoft Management community. His tweets were what tipped me off to Brad's blog post.


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Google Groups is a viable communication tool for project management
Jack Wallen explains how Google Groups can be used for project management communication and how to set one up.
Image: 4zevar/Adobe Stock
One aspect of project management that cannot be ignored is communication. It's key, a must, and absolutely fundamental to the success of any project. But not every project management tool offers a complete roster of communication tools. Sure, there might be comments, instant messaging and other basic collaborative options, but what about a more long-form method?
I'm talking about email. Specifically, I'm talking about email groups where you can combine stakeholders into select organizations and easily communicate with everyone involved. Not every project management can lay claim to such a feature.
SEE: Hiring kit: Project manager (TechRepublic Premium)
If the ability to type a missive to a collection of people in your organization sounds like something you might want, Google has an option for you. Even better if your company already uses the Google ecosystem.
Of course, some of you reading this might think, "I can just create a list of users in my email client and email them." That's all fine and good, but it's not a group, and it can lead to issues with users hitting Reply All or only replying to the sender. When that happens, the right people might not get the right information. That's where Google Groups come into play.
What is Google Groups?
Google Groups has been around for quite some time and is a simple solution for a problem that could otherwise become rather complicated. Google Groups is a discussion group platform centered around specific topics and groups. You can create groups for development teams, project stakeholders, managers and much more. You can be very general or get very granular.
What's hot at TechRepublic
For example, let's say you have Project X with three teams of developers: DEV1, DEV2, DEV3. Each of those teams has a manager, and there are also other non-developer stakeholders for things like design and promotion. Here's how that could break down with Google Groups:
PROJECT X: The main group with all stakeholders.
DEV-MAIN: All developers.
DEV1: All developers for this team and its manager.
PROJECT X STAFF: Design, promotion and managers
MANAGERS: All PROJECT X managers.
That's seven different groups. You don't want to have to try and manage those with just an email client, as that would lead to a considerable mess. Google Groups can make that easy for you. One thing to keep in mind is that you may have to alter the names should the email address already be taken.
How to create a group in Google Groups
Make sure you're logged in to your Google account from your default web browser and then go to groups.google.com. Once on that page, you'll see an all-too-familiar Create button (Figure A), which is similar to the Create button in Google Drive.
The Google Groups Create button.
In the resulting pop-up (Figure B), give the group a name, an email and a description.
Figure B
Creating a new Google Group is much simpler than you might think.
Click Next, then in the resulting screen (Figure C) choose the privacy settings you'd like to apply to the group.
Figure C
Setting the privacy options for your new group.
Take care of those options and click Next. In the final window (Figure D), you'll need to add all the members for the group, add an invitation message, optionally send invites to the members and click Create Group.
Figure D
Adding members to the new group.
Once the group has been created, you will be presented with a link to the group (Figure E), where you can administer members, banned users and plenty of other options.
Figure E
Our new DEV1 group has been created.
Users can send messages to NAME@googlegroups.com, where NAME is the email address associated with the group, such as projectx-dev1.
That's all there is to create a new Google Groups group to be used as a means of long-form communication with team members, project leaders and stakeholders. This might not be an obvious solution, but if your project management platform doesn't offer your teams enough in the way of communication, Google Groups can certainly fill in the blanks.
Subscribe to TechRepublic's How To Make Tech Work on YouTube for all the latest tech advice for business pros from Jack Wallen.
Categories Technology Tags communication, for, Google, groups, management:, Project, Technology, tool, viable
Jaya Bachchan-Abhishek, Salman Khan And Kajol Lead The Celeb Roll Call At Uunchai Screening
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text:
National trails: Too much to know, too little time to know them
February 1, 2021 February 1, 2021 / Steve Hill
This piece originally appeared in the Feb. 2, 2017, issue of the Portage County Gazette. Every now and then, I look for updates on Summers, but can find no information on his planned effort to do all the national trails — or any info at all.
Ice Age Trail winter thru-hiker Mike Summers passed through Portage County last week, and his name is one we might want to keep an eye out for.
The North Carolina native, by way of Chicago and Portland, is on a two-month foray through Wisconsin to practice winter camping. He's prepping for a two-and-a-half year, 20,000-mile hike on our National Scenic Trails, so he wants to learn all he can about handling winter weather.
That's admirable enough, but it was one of his Facebook videos that really made me understand his commitment to the task: fording the Prairie River in Lincoln County sometime early this week.
Barefoot, of course.
"This is horrible!" he's laughing in his video, but with obvious discomfort as he tilts his iPhone up from a shot of his feet toward the far shore. "Please be closer."
Hit the trails while you can
Yeah, I know. I used a variation of that subhead last week. But it's no less true for trails than slopes, as Summers well knows.
There are 11 National Scenic Trails (including the Ice Age) in the National Trail System, a 50,000-mile-plus marvel that is probably not going to expand much under the current administration. It also includes National Historic Trails, National Connecting and Side Trails, and the National Geologic Trail.
Good thing we've got folks like Mike out there to tell us about them if we can't see them all ourselves. I drove up to the village of Polar and the Kettlebowl Segment of the IAT to meet him last week.
He began at the IAT's eastern terminus in Potawatomi StatePark, outside Sturgeon Bay, on Dec. 21. By Jan. 20, he'd hit the halfway point, on the Mecan River Segment of the 1,200-mile trail, not far from Coloma in Waushara County.
Mike has a web site (improbablebutpossible.com) where he blogs every 10 days or so. But he's easier to keep up with through Facebook.
By the time I discovered his trip, I'd already committed to seeing as much of the IAT as possible in the next couple of years, but as a "section hiker," as they're known.
As much as anything, I suppose, I wanted a bit of Mike's adventuresome spirit to rub off on me, so I arranged to meet him near Antigo and learn more about his trip, plus walk a little myself.
My friend Chris Sadler came along to meet Summers at the southern trailhead of IAT's Kettlebowl Segment, a 9.9-mile stretch that starts three miles east-northeast of Polar and heads through the woods toward the Kettlebowl Ski Area in Langlade County.
We'd invited Mike to lunch, but knew he wanted to make an overnight stay in the "Hillbilly Hilton," an old root cellar converted to a hiker's shelter at a defunct lumber camp some 13 miles from our meeting place.
Mike said he'd be just as happy to try sheltering near the ski area, so we headed back toward El Tequila restaurant in Antigo.
We told him to eat whatever he wanted – thru-hikers are famous for massive appetites to fuel their perambulations. Despite our encouragement, Mike only ate a regular-sized meal, which at El Tequila is still substantial (and very tasty).
Between bites, our discussion ranged widely, as it had on our drive – his sponsors (seven companies), foot care, the definition of "hard-core rock" as opposed to "heavy metal" (he once toured with a band), and his background and plans.
He said his cross-country trek would begin next New Year's Day in Key West, ending in Washington, on the Pacific Northwest Scenic Trail.
Mike envisions passage through 30 states and four Canadian provinces, hitting virtually every corner of the Lower 48, Including Maine, Southern California, and the Pacific Ocean near Olympic National Park.
His web site provides many details, including a massive initial spreadsheet of planned segments, so it's worth a visit.
Those segments include many roads – just as the IAT is still made up of many paved portions – because there's no continuous off-road route.
Despite Mike's willingness to hang out and visit, we sensed his desire to be on the trail. He admitted that he enjoyed his solitude, especially being away from national politics and general strife, so we headed back with the intent of accompanying him partway down the Kettlebowl Segment.
Both Chris and I needed the outdoor time as well, so off we went.
If you go, consider snowshoes – and Timber Haven
Like true greenhorns, neither Chris nor I had snowshoes. I'd read Mike's earlier accounts of well-trodden paths throughout the southern half of his trip, and I wrongly assumed we might see the same on the Kettlebowl.
Bad assumption. When we parked at a rural cemetery not far from the trailhead, Mike noted that we might be "postholing," or walking in deep holes caused by our boots.
He, of course, had a fine pair of sponsor-provided snowshoes and offered to break trail for us, but after just a few yards of laughing our way through knee-deep snow, we realized we'd hold him up.
Mike was probably ready for a more solitary experience, having spent the night indoors courtesy of a "trail angel," or one of many hikers and hiking supporters found near all major national trails who are willing to offer a meal, a floor or couch to sleep on, and other assistance.
He told us he'd spent about half of his first month with such accommodations, but he clearly was enjoying his outdoor quiet time even more.
We waved him on while we took our time slogging down a half-mile path that would allow us to double back on the road to the car.
It was a grand experience negotiating the trail where Mike had clearly glided across the crusty snow. Chris and I could slide, at best, no more than three or four bowlegged, gingerly taken steps forward before breaking through the surface to dig another posthole.
But the sun had come out, giving us sharp view through the trees to the foundation of an old sheep barn. The large structure had a mini-forest growing up into the space once occupied by a long-gone roof.
We dawdled, talking and just listening to trees creaking and squawking in the wind, enjoying it enough to plan future snowshoe and cross-country skiing jaunts.
First, though, we had to visit the Timber Haven in Polar, a tavern where we stopped to let Summers stock up on water and whose bartender, Brandon, we had promised to come back for a brew.
Brandon really knew his beer and told us IAT hikers were most welcome guests (they can sleep out back if need be). We were having so much fun that after we left, we stopped for a fish fry at the Polonia Café before calling it a day.
It was a day I really needed, even if outdoor time was a smaller part. Hearing about Mike's adventures and planning others was like tortilla soup for the alma (that's soul in Spanish).
Because of my unscheduled stops without express permission, I got in a little trouble with my wife. And I just thought I'd left Polar behind; things were a little frosty until the following morning.
I'd say it was worth it, but I'm not ready to rely on tents or the couches of trail angels just yet.
Ice Age Trail, Parks and outdoors
Antigo, Ice Age Trail, Kettlebowl Segment, Mike Summers, National Scenic Trails, Polar, Polonia Cafe, postholing, Timber Haven, winter thru-hike
← Kansas' Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is park unlike any other
Muir exhibit leaving soon, but Muir Park easy to visit →


When anybody sets off to find a home to rent, they many times get started thinking of the well known types of rentals such as condominiums and apartments. These styles of rentals generally are more public (meaning less private), come with less outdoor space that is exclusively yours, and are scaled-down in size. Anybody moving to Cambridge, however, will want to recognize that there will also be houses for rent in the area. As a matter of fact, there are many noteworthy arguments for renting a house versus buying or going for a townhome or apartment, and with the proper search techniques, it`s possible to readily locate the perfect house for rent in Cambridge that fits your everyday life and unique identity.
Cambridge houses for rent are alluring, given that they normally offer more room and comforts compared to apartments or condos. Also, rental houses allow residents much more flexibility with lease obligations at or below a year (typically) and limited responsibility for repairs. Each lease contract is different, however, so remember to review the paperwork you`re using thoroughly to learn exactly which obligations really are your landlord`s and which go to you.
In Cambridge, houses for rent are located mainly in outlying locations, instead of downtown. Nevertheless, you may on occasion manage to find good houses for rent downtown if you`re serious about being there. Houses for rent in Cambridge provide quite a bit of added square footage compared to townhomes or apartments, for that reason they`re wonderful for families and groups of multiple roommates. Different from the majority of other kinds of housing choices, houses are unconnected from other units—they don`t share facilities, and often will have some kind of a front or back yard. Even though they can be farther from the downtown area, houses for rent in Cambridge, New York are still inside of driving distance to numerous workplaces, points of interest and entertainment venues.
Working with RentFinder`s search tool, it can help you zero in on houses for rent in Cambridge that are all set to rent and that meet parameters key in your selection process. Case in point, if you happen to be looking for properties near a particular Jr. High school, you can focus in on that area right from the right-side map on this web page. Do you have cats or dogs that are components of your household? You can search for pet-friendly destinations as well. Even if you are a serious pizza buff—this page`s sidebar can recommend local restaurants so that you can get your pizza fix.
Shortly after you`ve narrowed it down to a house for rent in Cambridge, New York that`s just right for you, make certain you set up a time to see it well before signing any type of leasing papers. You should also go have a look at it in person, rather than merely seeing web-based photos of the home.
As soon as the opportunity comes to visit a possible rental, be mindful of the little things that show wear and tear. The owner of the home is normally responsible for looking after it, so its present shape will imply how they will treat things if you wind up being a lessee. Has the outdoor area been maintained in reasonable shape? Are the wall surfaces rife with peeling and holes, or are the carpets and rugs worn-out? Do each of the furnace or A/C settings work as they should? Do the back and front doors lock or bolt completely? You`ll also need to take a look around the neighborhood and inspect whether or not the other houses check out okay. Whether or not they`re owned by the exact same landlord, their present condition is influential and a case in point of the neighborhood generally speaking.
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Sweden & Thailand -7 in tough conditions
Black Mountain men Prom and Karlberg lead with fine 65
Thailand's Prom Meesawat and Swedish star Rikard Karlberg showed steely resolve to share the opening round lead at the US$1 million King's Cup Golf Hua Hin after shooting matching seven-under-par 65s on Thursday.
Prom and Karlberg, who are both representing Black Mountain Golf Club, were the toast in the opening round as they held a one-shot lead from Angelo Que of the Philippines and Lin Wen-tang of Chinese Taipei.
Prom, a Hua Hin native, hopes to return to the winner's circle for the first time since 2006 after losing in two play-offs in the Philippines and Hong Kong late last year.
"I've already got those two play-off defeats out of my mind and I've been telling myself to concentrate on this week and the new season so that I can get my second win," said Prom.
The 29-year-old overcame the gusty conditions in the morning by putting his vast playing experience in Europe to good effect as he marked his card with two eagles, five birdies and two bogeys.
"Actually such conditions are not really new to me as I've played in similar conditions before. I had a good experience playing in Europe with the strong winds. They really helped me with my club selection which showed in my score today," said Prom.
Karlberg, who recently got engaged to his long-time girlfriend Pernilla, found further joy on the picturesque Black Mountain Golf Club, which is also the Swede's home course.
"Everything's going so well in my life especially with my engagement to Pernilla and I just want to enjoy my golf now," smiled Karlberg.
Karlberg's only blemish came at the par-four 15th after he double-bogeyed but seven birdies and one eagle kept the 27-year-old well positioned for his third Asian Tour win.
"It was so windy but I stayed in the game even though I had a double-bogey but I did well to finish off the round. I hit some great shots and holed many putts coming in. So I'm very pleased with my result," said the Swede.
Sweden's Johan Edfors and Fredrik Andersson Hed stayed in touch with the leaders after posting solid 70s which was matched by Scotland's Simon Yates. The Black Mountain sponsored trio shared 17th position.
Other Black Mountain sponsored players including Thailand's teen sensation Jazz Janewattananond, Pelle Edberg of Sweden and Berry Henson of the United States posted a 73, 75 and 76 respectively.


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Heat a sauté pan on medium heat and add a tablespoon of oil. Add the onions and cook until they are caramelized or browned, stirring occasionally. Cook time for onions is about 15 minutes.
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Thinly slice the potatoes and layer in the slow cooker.
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Aramanapola Raja Maha Vihara or Ganegama Rankoth Vihara () is an ancient Buddhist temple in Ganegama, Sri Lanka. The Vihara is located approximately  far away from the Pelmadulla town on Colombo - Batticaloa main road (A4). The temple has been formally recognised by the Government as an archaeological site in Sri Lanka. The designation was declared on 2 March 1951 under the government Gazette number 10217.

Name
Aramanapola temple is referred in historical sources as Denawaka Viharaya and Ganegama Viharaya. In the early periods this region was called as Denawaka as the river Denawaka Ganga flow through this area. The word Denawaka is said to be broken from Dona Wakka (basin) as the area is located between hilltops of Kiribathgala & Kuttapitiya. Word Dona Wakka became Denawaka and the temple located in Denawaka was begun to call as Denawaka Viharaya. The temple is also referred in Vihara Asna (Nam Potha), a Kandyan period compiled book about important Buddhist centers in the country.

The temple is also known as Ganegama Viharaya as Buddhist monks called Ganinwahansela lived in this temple during the Kandyan era. It is said that in this time period the country's Buddhism was in declined state due to the colonial rule. The monks maintained the temple with many difficulties and due to that the temple was called as Ganegama temple.

In the present day the temple is known as Aramanapola Viharaya. According to the Sabaragamu Vamsakathawa, the Buddhism in the country had suffered a lot after the Chola rule in 993-1077 time period. During the reign of King Vijayabhahu I (1077–1110) there was a lack of monks necessary for doing Upasampada Karma (ordination) of Buddhist monks. To re-establish Buddhism in the country, Vijayabahu I invited higher ordinate Buddhist monks from Arammana area of Myanmar. People believe that those monks have used this temple during their mission in the country. So it is said that this temple has got its name Aramanapola Viharaya, as the Buddhist monks from Aramana area of Myanmar lived here.

History
The history of Aramanapola Vihara is dated back to the reign of King Devanampiya Tissa (250-210 BC) of Anuradhapura Kingdom. It is believed that one of 32 saplings of sacred Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi have been planted in this temple premises by the king. The Sinhala Bodhivamsa, written by Rev. Wilgamula thero in Kurunegala period, also mentions that the Bodhi Tree in Ganegama was planted in Anuradhapura era by King Devanampiya Tissa. The temple is again mentioned in the reign of King Parakramabahu I (1153–1186) of Polonnaruwa Kingdom. It is said that King Vijayabahu I established a military camp at a basin between hilltop of Kiribathgala and Kuttapitiya which is believed to be this location.

During the 15th century the Sabaragamuwa area was under the rule of Kingdom of Kotte and ruled by King Parakramabahu VI (1411–1463). King Parakramabahu VI developed many temples around his territory in honor of his mother Sunethradevi. Aramanapola Viharaya in Ganegama area is also a such temple. The king developed the Vihara as complete temple with all aspects and assigned it under the Sunethradevi Pirivena in Pepiliyana.

The temple
The temple consists mainly of a Stupa, image house, sacred Bodhi Tree, Dhamma discourse hall and Bhikku dwellings. The image house consists of Kotte era paintings and is built using 27 carved rock pillars. Inside the most inner chamber of the image house is the main Samadhi Buddha statue with other related statues and paintings. The inner chamber is entered with a carved stone door frame (Gal Uluhau) and the corners of the building have been strengthened using stone columns. The Bodhi Tree of the Vihara which is believed to be one of 32 saplings of Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi, has been identified as the largest Bodhi tree among the 32 Bodhis that are found in the island.

References

Buddhist temples in Ratnapura District
Archaeological protected monuments in Ratnapura District


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Other Scottish Raitts
There were and still are many other Raitts in Scotland besides those in Angus, Kincardineshire and Aberdeenshire. There are also Raitts from Arbroath who ended up in Glasgow and its surrounds (see Lanarkshire Raitts.) There are also some Raitts from Fife, who ended up in Perthshire via Nairn, with family members in Nicaragua. However, here mention is made of the family of David Rait and Anne Crichton of Fife and Edinburgh who spawned a family of goldsmiths and silversmiths (see Illustrious Raitts - The Craftsmen as well as American Raitts).
David Reat (Rait) married Anne Chrighton (Crichton) on 21 Nov 1795 in Carnbee, Fife, Scotland. (David might be the one chr 9 June 1771 in Forgan, Fife to David Rait and Elspith Clark.) David and Anne had a number of children: David (Rait) was chr on 25 Oct 1796 in Largo, Fife; James (Reat) was chr on 22 May 1798 in Carnbee, Fife; while sister Ann (Rait) was chr there on 9 Sep 1800. The family then moved to Edinburgh, Midlothian where daughter Elspeth was chr on 3 Sep 1803. Subsequently, Robert was born there and chr on 15 Aril 1807, Charles, chr on 6 Oct 1809 (father named as David Robert Rait); William Skirving, chr on 5 Dec 1811; and Joseph Crichton, on 7 Sep 1815.
What the occupation of David Reat was and why he moved to Edinburgh is not yet known. However, he and Anne do not seem to be in either the 1841 or 1851 censuses - perhaps they were deceased at this time.
Their eldest son David in 1841 had married and had a family and had established himself as a goldsmith in Mossend, Kilbride & Lochranza, Bute, Scotland - a trifle off the beaten track. The 1841 census shows the family as comprising: David Raitt, aged 40, a goldsmith, born Outside Census County; children: Crighton, 10; Mary, 7; Henry, 3; and Fredrick, 1 - all born Outside Census County. No wife is listed.
In the 1851 census, however, living at 1 Newton Place, Barony, Lanarkshire is David Rait, head, age 53, goldsmith, born Fife; Fanny, wife, 51, born Lincoln, England; daughter Mary, 17 at school, born Glasgow, Lanarkshire; and sons Henry, 13; and Frederick, 11, both at school and also born in Glasgow. Whether Fanny is David's first or second wife is not yet known.
A Frederick David Rait married Caroline Alexandrina Deans on 18 Sep 1866 in Anderston Glasgow, Lanarkshire. This is presumably the son of the above David. They had a son born on 11 July 1867 in Cardross, Dunbarton whom they named Frederick Crighton Rait.
David and Anne's son Robert (b 1807) emigrated to the United States in 1833 where he established his own company in New York dealing in silver and jewellery. He had a son named Crichton S. Rait born on 19 February 1845 in New York who was obviously sent back to boarding school in Scotland since he was a pupil at Edinburgh Academy from 1858-1861. At some point Crichton returned to New York as he died in Brooklyn on 25 Oct 1877 barely in his thirties. His father had died in New York on 1 February 1869.
There appears to be no mention of the other sons, James, William and Joseph, of David and Anne Rait in the 1841 or 1851 censuses for Scotland. Perhaps they had emigrated like their brother Robert to the USA - or possibly to England, Canada or Australia. This is a possible future follow up.
And since here we are so far talking about Raitts in Edinburgh, then for the sake of completeness and convenience, mention should also be made of Hugh Mitchell Raitt (1862-1925) was the ninth child born to William Raitt and Helen Grainger. In the early 1880s Hugh moved first to Aberdeen for work and then to Montrose, Angus (where he married Jessie Ann Ryrie in 1886). He subsequently moved to Musselburgh, Midlothian in the late 1890s or early 1900s, again for work and subsequently forming a family business there in 1906 which is still thriving there today. More details of this family and its ancestry will be found under Kincardineshire Raitts.


This would be faaaaar down the road, but I thought I'd put the idea out there now so that people could discuss it.
Basically what I'm considering is eventually organising an on-forum game where forum users sign up as batsmen/bowlers/allrounders/keepers and form teams that would play matches against each other (simulated by me). There would be leagues, the ability to move clubs at certain times etc.
I don't know quite how complex I could make it - I would love to include stuff like postcounts affecting the ability of a player (not ridiculously - just enough to make being active an advantage). I don't know whether that would be doable, but we would see.
Sounds like an Great Idea.
It should be fun. We need some members though. What we can do is at this moment, start some official league where we (whatever number of members) are the captains of different international teams. Then when people join in, we can swap them with real players.
Cricket Fan wrote: It should be fun. We need some members though. What we can do is at this moment, start some official league where we (whatever number of members) are the captains of different international teams. Then when people join in, we can swap them with real players.
I was thinking more along the lines of running it IPL style (except that matches probably wouldn't be 20/20) - Once we got say 30 members, I would choose 5 or 6 guys who would choose whether they wanted to become the owner of a team. They would then recruit other forumers into their teams, and then I would simulate matches. Teams would be fictional - not like SA, the owners would make up their own franchise name, logo etc.
I understand that. But, that's only possible if there are people here. I suggested an alternate till we get those many members. Fictional teams can be brought in later too when we get the people.
Cricket Fan wrote: I understand that. But, that's only possible if there are people here. I suggested an alternate till we get those many members. Fictional teams can be brought in later too when we get the people.
That sounds like an idea for now, using Cricket Captain? I only have Cricket Captain III (2007) and you have the power to rename players... but not much more.
No, not Cricket Captain. We can use Cricket Simulator (CricSim). They use it everywhere. Pretty easy to use as well.
Cricket Fan wrote: No, not Cricket Captain. We can use Cricket Simulator (CricSim). They use it everywhere. Pretty easy to use as well.
I know of it, I am on the site "cricsim" :p But does it have actual international squads? Or must you make them up yourself?
We can make them ourselves. As I said, pretty easy to do so. Just need to enter some rough bat and bowl averages and you're done.
Can be downloaded from there. It also has WC 2003 squads so, you can check out and simulate a few matches. I've some of the team files (virtual) if you need them to see how it works.
Edit : Cannot post an external link..
That's the one. Developed by Syedur Rahman.


Who was the Scarlet Pimpernel?
those Frenchies seek him everywhere.
The above passage contains some of the most famous lines of verse in English literature and is found in the classic novel, The Scarlet Pimpernel, by Baroness Emma Orczy.
Who was this lterary character who has captured the imagination of generations of readers, has spawned movies and popular TV series, and even provided the inspiration for a hit Broadway musical?
The Pimpernel's character has his setting in the the streets of Paris, which are awash in blood as Robespierre and his henchmen send hundreds of French aristocrats to the guillotine. Against this backdrop one unknown Englishman and his brave band of followers leave their genteel lives behind to spirit the French royals to safety in England.
The question that France's new leaders demand to know is: who is the Scarlet Pimpernel? The question the reader asks is: why does Sir Percy risk life and honor for a land not his own?
Whatever the motivation, the story of the Pimpernel and his gallant crew as they outwit the Committee of Public Safety and its agent Chauvelin again and again, is absorbing reading.
Aristocrats, clergy, shopgirls, even the Dauphin himself - no one is beyond the Pimpernel's aid.
So who was he, this dashing character?
The Scarlet Pimpernel is one of the most famous heroic characters in popular fiction of the past century. Because the adventures of the Pimpernel were set in immediate post-revolutionary France, people these days tend to think the story has been around since the end of the 1700s, but the novel was first published in London in 1905. It's all very French and very genteel English, but it was actually written by a Hungarian woman who was an aristocrat by birth, and actually became the template for a succession of Hollywood and comic-book heroes.
Baroness Emma Orczy (1865-1947), a "transplanted" Hungarian, wrote dozens of books but it is The Scarlet Pimpernel for which she is remembered.
The book tells the story of Sir Percy Blakeney, a late-Georgian British society fop who is known more for being a dandy than having an semblance to a swordsman and hero.
All is not as it seems, however, and Sir Percy leads a double life as "the Scarlet Pimpernel" -the rescuer of aristocrats and innocents during the Reign of Terror that followed the French Revolution. Sir Percy, feeling betrayed by his bride, French actress Marguerite St. Just, is pursued by his nemesis, the French Republican agent Citizen Chauvelin.
The central thrust of the Pimpernel - that of an unlikely everyman being capable of living a twin life, one of which is unbelievably heroic - has been copied time and time again since Baroness Orczy put pen to paper. How? Think about Zorro, Bruce Wayne/Batman, Clark Kent/Superman. The list goes on.
The story has been dramatised on television and on the big screen several times (most notably in 1935 with Leslie Howard, Merle Oberon and Raymond Massey). In the '50s Marius Goring portayed what was arguably the best TV Pimpernel, after starring in a Scarlet Pimpernel radio series broadcast across the US. The 1982 TV series starring Anthony Andrews, Jane Seymour and Ian McKellen was hugely popular. The BBC made a six-part film in 1998 and 2000 starring Richard E. Grant, Elizabeth McGovern and Martin Shaw. The Scarlet Pimpernel's more recent popularity and notoriety is a result of the Tony Award-nominated Broadway musical by Frank Wildhorn and Nan Knighton, which made its debut at New York's Minskoff Theatre in 1997.
The Scarlet Pimpernel is forever being reinvented and will live on for new generations.
© words Copyright 2000-2007 ScarletPimpernel.com. All rights reserved.


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Charlesons understands that a landlord's obligations to tenants can become complex. The requirement for a professional, fully managed property has become an increasingly attractive service option to both landlord and executive tenant. Founded on the principles of a clear and responsive compliance with industry regulations, our legal and ethical obligations are the quality control standards, by which our growth and direction are shaped in all our client relationships.
In a changing world, Charlesons stands for upholding the traditional values of integrity and teamwork.
The punctual processing of rents is a key aspect of our highly efficient management service, and we ensure all payments are always made in full and on time. Charlesons will issue automated rent demands, a system which is put in place for the duration of the tenancy. The software programme will flag up when a tenant is in rent arrears and prompts our accounts manager to proceed with the arrears procedure.
Integrity is at the heart of everything we do.
Charlesons will respond promptly to any problem reports and all issues are documented and logged onto the tenancy records. Our software system enables communication for the duration of the tenancy to be quickly and easily accessed – a crucial requirement, especially at the end of an 18-24 month tenancy. Our network of vetted, qualified and fully insured contractors provide a cost effective service. Where repair / maintenance work has been required at a client's property, Charlesons will inspect that we are satisfied before releasing payment to the contractor, which also applies to any large scale major works.
Charlesons will arrange for our Association of Professional Property Providers (APIP) to carry out a property inspection approximately every six months. If problems arise at other times, we would expect to meet contractors and tenants, as and when necessary.
Third party inspections are advised, which would strengthen our case when deposits are disputed at the end of a tenancy and also ensure the reports provided as evidence are unbiased. The reports are analysed and assessed in detail and all necessary action is taken accordingly. Any damages that need to be addressed will be forwarded to the client and advice given on how best to proceed. Similarly, we will inform a client of their options if there are any concerns over any inappropriate or irregular use of the property.
We understand that a landlord may not always be completely clear on all aspects of the latest industry knowledge in their obligations to tenants and what they can do if a tenant(s) breaks an agreement. The regulations can be perceived as complex and time-consuming, which may also present a challenge.
Our highly experienced team of Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA) trained and qualified Property Managers are kept up to date and fully informed on all latest available legislation. Landlords can be assured that their obligations of compliance are fully met by Charlesons support services provided at the highest industry standards.
Charlesons are a member of The Property Ombudsman and The National Approved Lettings Scheme, and comply with Deposit Protection Service legislation. Charlesons are also a member of The Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA) and all our ARLA trained team agents are regularly updated with the current and correct procedures and guidelines.
Put your property on cruise control?


I have watched plenty of games this season, close to every match of the last few years, and the only surprise is that it has taken this long for us to find our luck well running dry. For in many games we have been outplayed by sides – who appear at least on paper- inferior in talent, technique and experience, yet superior on the field in terms of endeavour, cohesion, determination.
We have won so many games due to the individual quality of several key players whilst moving further and further away from any clear identity or squad development.
To see a side deploying Ronaldo, Dybala and Bernardeschi as an attacking trident struggling hideously against Atalanta, and succumbing, deservedly to a 3–0 defeat…might seem to a casual observer a shock to the system, for Juve are the dominant force in Serie A of the last 7 years and also one of the apparent favourites for the CL after steady progress in that competition for the last few seasons. Yet to many of those who watch the side regularly, not just this season but last season and before in turn, this result is no cold shower and wake-up call to a reality which has been clear for many moons.
Our recruitment policy since Andrea Agnelli became President has been phenomenal. I can think of no other club who have clawed their way anywhere near the upper echelons of European football through making such astute moves in the transfer market. This was led, ostensibly by Beppe Marrotta, and assisted by Fabio Paratici. What turns out to be the reality is that Beppe was the money man, and it was Paratici who unearthed the opportunities and got the deals up and running. Regardless, for the conversation of Beppe's departure is for another post, our moves in the transfer market have been generally speaking astounding in the value brought to the club.
Bonucci, Llorente, Pogba, Khedira, Pirlo, Vidal, Lichsteiner, Tevez, Dybala, Sandro, Pjanic, Coman, Cancelo, Szczęsny…to name the main players we have either paid well under the odds for or proven superb value for money.
This kind of rich vein of success is not sustainable to rely upon in the long term. The mistake of sorts we have made has been to stick with a manager who will go with the flow of the club and focus on maintaining what was a self perpetuating domestic dominance. Rather than build on an established foundation and develop an identity and club ethos which will take us further.
Yes, it is fair to say that Allegri has achieved more than Conte. Mainly through his two CL final appearances. Though it is also fair to say that he inherited a juggernaut of a side with many of the major components in absolutely peak form of their career.
Has Allegri really built on the success of Conte, whose achievements were undermined in the hearts and minds of many due to the wretched way in which he left the club?
Though what I am more certain of is that Max has won the league many times with a squad hugely superior to every other in Serie A.
More of his success is down to calm pragmatism than tactical acumen or potent man management (how many players have improved under his guidance?). He has become the risk free option of continued domestic dominance with the work of recruitment left to the Beppe/ Fabio tandem…until of late. Until the decision to bring in Ronaldo. Which I suspect was a major part of the reason for Beppe's departure.
Marotta is a man with one eye for a deal and the club want to progress, as in win the champions league and attract the top tier of talent from around the world. Which isn't possible without taking quite significant risks in the transfer market. Ronaldo was a risk. At his age. With his salary. Which has yet to be proven a staggering success or failure.
We had not only the strongest defence and GK combination in the world but also one of the strongest midfields on the planet, under Conte. And we have never truly replaced in terms of raw quality the likes of Pogba, Pirlo or Vidal.
Therein lies the major problem with this Juve side. Huge investment on the flanks going forward and in Ronaldo. Yet the central midfield area has had just the one quality addition since those three left, only the one player with anywhere near a real semblance of the raw talent and capacity to change a game, to run a game singlehandedly, of the three that left. This is Pjanic.
We replaced this with Matuidi. Who resembles and has the first touch of Ja Ja Binks.
In short, we have invested poorly in the midfield. We have replaced world class talent with functional, at best, and good players and Sami Khedira, who is a sloth ghost.
Will we continue with Max Allegri who is risk averse and demonstrably not the man to bring to the side anywhere near maximisation of the talent at our disposal?
Will we invest hugely, as we must, or cunningly on the cheap, to dramatically improve the central midfield which is weak?