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Back and better than ever: May 2020
The Letdowns Of Kingdom Hearts III
Part 2: When Your Favorite Franchise Lets You Down
By Shanna Wynn-Shirreffs Comments Opinion
In many respects, Kingdom Hearts III gave the fans what they wanted. It was bigger, bolder, and graphically superior to its predecessors. Part one of this review talked about how the gameplay was fantastic, and how the mere scope of the game pushed the Kingdom Hearts formula to new heights.
Sadly, Kingdom Hearts III maintained one of the series' most egregious problems: storytelling. With the enormous amount of filler games that played vital roles to overall plot, the KH series produced a story too big for its own good, and some very important characters and anticipated plot points suffered for it.
So where did Kingdom Hearts III go wrong?
WARNING: MASSIVE SPOILERS AHEAD.
Uneven Storytelling
Kingdom Hearts suffers from what I hate to call "Tetsuya Nomura-itis", which was present in Final Fantasy XV as well: stuff just happens. There's no build-up and no tension -- just one thing happening after another. Which is ironic, given the amount of expository cutscenes Kingdom Hearts III is littered with.
Even with Kingdom Hearts' convoluted story, the one thing previous games always got right was pacing. The overall arc of every game in the series was blended into each individual Disney stage, typically with cutscenes bookending these levels to keep the story moving forward.
New characters like Baymax are amazing, giving us new worlds and stories, but what about the central plot?
After hours of traipsing through the shiny, new Pixar fare, KH3 suddenly decides to shift its attention to the world-ending threat that's been baring its fangs this entire time. Sure, villain "team members" like Vanitas and Vexen make little cameos in each Disney level, but there's never any sense of building tension. It's like watching old Saturday morning cartoons ala Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, ending with a classic "I'll get you next time," then suddenly catapulting at breakneck speed into the third act of The Avengers: Infinity War. It doesn't work.
Now, there are certain huge payoffs, but as I mentioned in part 1, they all come with the side characters. I cried my everloving eyes out at the reunion of Axel, Roxas, and Xion, and the reunion of Terra with Aqua and Ventus got me choked up too. However, it felt like KH3 was so busy wrapping up storylines for the myriad of characters it's introduced over the past games that the main characters got shafted storywise. Eraqus and Xehanort, the elder statesman of the series, get a grand ending but if you skipped out on Birth By Sleep, you don't know who these men are. It's a fitting finale for two characters who are incredibly vital to the overall story, but it falls flat due to the fact they aren't at all present in the other two main entries.
Sora, Riku, and Kairi are our main protagonists. We should be experiencing their meaningful moments at the end of all of this hoopla, but honestly, nothing happens to push their stories forward. They are just there. We've spent the three main entries of these games with these people, and their payoff is warranted. Sora, Riku, and Kairi feel like pawns in the sprawling Kingdom Hearts narrative, rather than the heart and soul of the games. You feel nothing for them when the credits roll, and that's bad.
What makes it worse is the problems with Sora, Riku, and Kairi themselves.
Where did my main characters go?
Playing through KH3, something was bugging me, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. Upon completing it, I decided to restart Kingdom Hearts II, and that's when it hit me. Sora….wasn't Sora.
The protagonist of Kingdom Hearts III sure looked like our titular hero, but I didn't feel like I was inhabiting Sora, but a sanitized caricature. Sure, Haley Joel Osment's voice acting is a partial factor, as he needed to pitch himself a few octaves higher for the role, but I can't say I blame him. He's now in his thirties, voicing a character he played in his adolescence, so it's understandable and was easy to overlook after the game got rolling.
Unfortunately, it was the way that Sora was written that feels off. One of the most charming details about his character was the fact that he's a fairly normal kid. He's happy-go-lucky with a taste for adventure, but also grounded and cautious. A good kid, but not a saint. Hell, in Kingdom Hearts II, he gets rather smug and cocky: he gets into a brawl with the soldiers from Mulan for cutting the lunch line, and taunts Organization XIII member Xigbar with "you gonna cry?". He was relatable, which is why, quite frankly, you rooted for and fell in love with this little spikey-headed peanut.
Kingdom Hearts III took that character and replaced him with a squeaky clean boy scout. From that awkward dancing mini-game in Kingdom of Corona (seriously, cringe), to his bland comebacks at the Organization members, to his "wooooow" response at Elsa's ice magic, this Sora felt hollow. For Tinkerbell's sake, Sora, Donald has been slinging ice magic around you for the last two years! In fact...YOU cast blizzard!!! Why are you shocked at Elsa freezing a pond?
Unfortunately, Riku has absolutely been given the same treatment. In KH3, he's presented as such a white knight that he literally has no personality. The Sora and Riku I know, who are best friends with a very poignant rivalry, are nowhere to be seen. These dynamics, which have been foundational to the entire series as a whole, have been all but erased.
This really hit me later in the game, when our heroes are in the final stage --the Keyblade Graveyard -- and a very perfect opportunity presented itself. Sora and Riku are surrounded by Heartless and Nobodies. Given this scenario, the stage is set for the duo to have a glorified, character-appropriate Legolas and Gimli moment circa Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers. Imagine this exchange:
"Hey Sora," Riku would say with his usual layer of snark, "bet I could take out more Heartless than you!"
"Bring it on!" Sora retorts.
Cue the mini-game where you have to take out more Heartless and Nobodies than Riku. End scene.
I can't believe I'm coming up with this on my own, Square Enix. Why the hell do I know your IP characters better than you do?
I'm Not Mad, Kairi. I'm Disappointed.
Alongside Riku, Kairi has been the driving force behind Sora's entire journey throughout the cannon of Kingdom Hearts. He finds her, loses her, and just wants to get back to her. Given her importance, it really stinks that Kairi's been the given the character qualities of a sentient tennis ball.
From minute one, Kairi has been the resident damsel of Kingdom Hearts. In the first game, she spent a good amount of time unconscious. In the second game, she's kidnapped.
However, Kingdom Hearts II made the definitive point of giving her a keyblade. Sure, it looks like it was commissioned by Barbie's signature Haus of Keyblades, but nonetheless, the stage was set. Yen Sid made a declaration that "a new kind of keyblade wielder is needed, with a new kind of power", and Kairi is sent off to learn the ways of a keyblade wielder. Yas Queen. This girl is about to show us how it's done.
Except...no, she is really not. I can honestly say I've seen gaming's most famous damsel-in-distress Princess Peach kick more tush than Kairi. There are several scenes of Kairi at her "training sessions" in KH3, but we never actually see her train. Instead, she sits with Axel (who is also learning how to use the keyblade), making post-session conversation and generally serving as a exposition probe for him to narrate his bits of story. Kairi does nothing in KH3 but show up and (big surprise) get victimized. It's as if the additions of female characters Xion and Aqua rendered Kairi's ability to be a heroine a mute point.
The most disappointing part is that there was so much potential. Kairi is a "princess of heart", which is basically a magical princess who can open the door to light, blah blah, I'll spare you the details. This made her a crucial piece of the narrative in the first game, and she shares this title with famed Disney princesses like Cinderella and Snow White. However, she's the only Princess to receive a keyblade. Narratively, this could have opened up a myriad of possibilities -- her status as a Princess of Heart could have afforded her some unique powers that none of the other characters would have. I imagined an ending where the chips are down, all of our heroes of light are defeated, and just as it looks like all is lost, Kairi unleashes some unknown ability and delivers the final blow to the main villain, Xehanort. How amazing would that be?
Instead, she just sort of dies... or whatever the hell Xehanort does to her that causes her to disappear. I think she gets turned in a keyblade? The game ends with Sora getting her back 100% offscreen, and then she's just back on the freakin' Islands. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I actually wish Kairi never left the Islands. It's not like she fed much to the story in leaving. After so much build up, she does nothing.
The singular argument that could be made for her usefulness is the portion of the game when your entire final party (Donald, Goofy, Axel, Roxas, Ventus, Aqua, Riku, and Mickey) are scattered to previously visited Disney worlds and in need of rescue. The final piece of that journey is Kairi just showing up and giving Sora some bland "I got your back" line, and flying him back to the battlefield after everyone is assembled. But maddenly, why she is there is not explained. Is this from her training? Or her innate abilities as a Princess of Light? She's just there. Give me something, Square Enix!
If you had told me that I would talk about the Gummi ship sequences more positively than Kairi in my review, I would have laughed at you.
What makes this lack-of-umph puzzling is that Disney has been course-correcting its female characters to an almost insatiable degree for the last 10 years. One of the biggest selling points of Ralph Breaks The Internet was the modernization of the Disney Princess roster, simultaneously poking fun at their outdated tropes and using them as springboard to showcase them as confident, independent women. Moana and Frozen presented some of their most forward thinking protagonists in years. Having Kairi redefined and rising like a phoenix out of passive martyrdom falls completely in line with that cultural shift, and it just feels like a missed opportunity that they did nothing with her character.
Um, Didn't This Franchise Have Final Fantasy Characters?
The prodigal sons and daughters of Final Fantasy may not have played as large a role in Kingdom Hearts as the Disney characters, but they did serve their purpose in the story. This is why their complete absence from KH3 (save one brief reference to Cloud) is so jarring.
Tetsuya Nomura addressed this by saying the main cast members could stand on their own now, as they are established in their own right and they have their own chapters to close. However, I can't help but feel like this was another cause of misplaced potential. The game wasn't that long -- there was definitely time to go back to Radiant Garden to see what the heck is going on with Leon, Yuffie, and the gang, ESPECIALLY considering all of the cutscenes that take place in that very location with the former members of Organization XIII.
Anyone else miss the wonderfully weird version of Cloud here? Or any other main Final Fantasy character?
Plus, just like Disney, new franchises have been added to the Final Fantasy vault since the last game. How the heck are Noctis of FFXV and Lightning of XIII not in this game? Maybe Eraqus and Xehanort discuss a moment in their youth when they faced the mighty Garland - Final Fantasy's first villain. The possibilities and pieces are there. It's a shame they didn't put them together.
No Newbs Allowed
Of course, the overall storyline of KH has always been a mess, but each individual game presented a full beginning, middle, and end. Even if you weren't sure how a particular title like Re:Coded or Chain Of Memories fit into the overall timeline, you would end each game knowing you got, for the most part, the complete experience of that overall game in and of itself.
KH3 isn't friendly to new fans. If this is your first game, you won't be coming back to the series. KH3 requires that you do your homework, dammit.
Flashy graphics, new worlds, and trophies are great, but they can't make up for failings in story.
And they literally put homework in the game. There's a big fat glossary of the previous games' storylines. While it's helpful, and could serve as a nice refresher, most people aren't up for reading a full-blown textbook before starting a new game.
Here's the truth. Personally, this hurts. It feels like I am airing a best friend's dirty laundry out on the internet. I positively love Kingdom Hearts, warts and all, and the fact that I didn't love Kingdom Hearts III broke my heart. Even with the enjoyable gameplay, the myriad of storytelling missteps soured the overall experience. It's a hard pill to swallow when your favorite video game lets you down.
However, the beauty of playing Kingdom Hearts III in the modern age is that the game's final chapter isn't necessary closed just because I've reached the end credits. In classic fashion, the game ends with a stinger scene opening the door to the next suite of the Kingdom Hearts story, and surprisingly, it was a turn I didn't see coming. Additionally, being a Nomura joint, there's the possibility of some FFXV-esque DLC in the works that could clean up some of the story misfires.
Kingdom Hearts III was definitely not my favorite in the series (KH2 still owns my heart), but in the end, it still gave me a big, broad, and even charming adventure, and perhaps this "endgame" entry will be another stepping stone to something bigger. Only time will tell, but until the next 13-years-in-the-making game, Kingdom Hearts III will remain a flawed, but still fun game.
Review Video Games Kingdom Hearts III Feature Opinion Playstation 4
Shanna Wynn-Shirreffs
Shanna's cat is named after a Final Fantasy character. He is a tiny furry black mage named Vivi. That's all you need to know...Ok, there's more. A self-proclaimed "pop culture anthropology nerd," Shanna's had a love affair with video games her entire life. In college, she put her passion for gaming and feminism towards her degree in Mass Communication, focusing her senior thesis on women & video games. She digs dipping her toes into the tabletop world as well. From RPGs and open world epics to old school beat-em-ups and farm simulators, games rock her world.
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LAHORE (92 News) – Accountability Court Judge Najamul Hassan Bukhari extended the judicial remand of PTI leader Aleem Khan in the assets beyond income case till April 20.
The court ordered the investigation officer to present a detailed report with the reference on the next date of hearing.
Earlier on April 2, the court had extended his judicial remand till April 11.
The court had questioned the NAB prosecutor what the reference had not been filed so far. The court also asked about progress in the case. The NAB prosecutor said that the inquiry was in the last phase.
Aleem Khan had started a real estate business in which he invested tens of millions of rupees. He bought 900 kanals of land and a further 600 kanals of land through a company set up for this purpose, A&A Private Ltd.
An anti-terrorism court summoned PTI leader Aleem Khan in the PTV and Parliament attack case.
The court has issued a notice of the Secretariat SHO for making arrangements for appearance of Aleem Khan in court.
However, the court approved the application of Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Finance Minister Asad Umar, Jahangir Tareen and others to seek exemption from appearance in court for one day.


In its entity, the Ignis currency aims to become the next-generation blockchain, helping to cover the child chains. IGNIS currency operates behind the Ardor ecosystem, a parent that offers scalability in exchange for the benefits of the "offspring". As for the project's main goals, it gets a little more complicated. To ultimately boost IGNIS price in USD and drive the Ignis stock market up, there is a need bring functionality to the number of things, including the exchange of assets and the creation of the token marketplace.
In turn, every single IGNIS coin wallet owner ultimately realizes that such a chain would provide for the unparalleled security and the unseen technologies in the world of crypto, the main reason why people actively buy IGNIS coin.It's true that the project may be a bit complicated to understand, especially if having no background knowledge of the Ignis chart and how the IGNIS value is formed. Nevertheless, all those who desire to buy IGNIS should ultimately do so in the meantime.


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Layoffs, expansions and trade wars: 2018 roughed up some of the biggest names in Iowa business
The Des Moines Register
Younkers department stores went under. Wells Fargo contracted. And factories at both Lennox International and Vermeer were battered by tornadoes.
Through it all, many employers struggled to find workers as the U.S. continued to enjoy one of its longest ever economic expansions.
Here are the business stories that made headlines in 2018:
► More:Iowa's top business stories of 2017, from mega-mergers to shopping centers
Even amid a labor crunch, Iowa workers saw little movement in wages
Iowa unemployment rates continued to crater in 2018, causing headaches for employers looking to hire. October's 2.4 percent unemployment rate was the state's lowest in 18 years and matched the lowest figure since tracking began in 1976.
While employers have long used interesting perks like unlimited vacation time to recruit new hires, the current labor crunch pushed those efforts even further:
Dee Zee Manufacturing spent some $60,000 to expand city bus service to its Des Moines plant.
Hy-Vee introduced a health care benefit for its 58,000 part-time workers.
And Waukee insurance company Holmes Murphy purchased a dog to roam its office hallways as yet another workplace benefit.
After identifying workforce challenges as a top state issue, Gov. Kim Reynolds pushed the Future Ready Iowa Act to offer more training and educational tools, though political opponents remained skeptical after the legislation was passed without securing the $18 million proposed to implement it.
But even as Iowa employers struggled to find qualified people, wages remained stubbornly stagnant for many average workers. A 2018 study from United Ways of Iowa found that nearly 40 percent of Iowans struggled to afford the basic costs of living.
► More:Iowa wages are going up, finally. Here's what it means for your wallet
Younkers folds as retail falters
The storied Younkers department store chain was snuffed out in 2018 after its corporate parent, Bon-Ton Stores Inc., declared bankruptcy. The Iowa-born chain closed after 162 years.
Still, Younkers will persist — at least online. CSC Generation, which purchased the brands and customer information from all of Bon-Ton's properties, relaunched the chain as an online-only retailer in September.
► More:From Younkers to 'Junkers.' What went wrong for Iowa's storied department store chain
Younkers' downfall came as other big-box retailers struggled to stay relevant amid a wave of competition from online shopping: JC Penney closed a home store in Clive and bankrupt Toys R Us liquidated the last of its 800 retail stores, including those in Clive, Cedar Rapids, Council Bluffs and Davenport.
Likewise, the beleaguered Sears Holdings Inc. announced in October the closure of the last Sears department store in the Des Moines metro area. The Hawkeye State is now home to only one Sears store at Sioux City's Southern Hills Mall.
► More: Malls struggle as new wave of store closures hits rural Iowa towns
Reeling from controversy, Wells Fargo lays off hundreds of Iowans
Trouble continued for beleaguered Wells Fargo, which announced in November it would lay off 400 workers in the Des Moines metro area.
The San Francisco-based bank is the single largest private employer in the Des Moines metro with about 14,000 workers here. Iowa's capital city is home to the bank's home-mortgage division and the company's third-largest concentration of workers, behind only Charlotte and Minneapolis-St. Paul.
Still reeling from a scandal in which employees created fake accounts to meet sales goals, the bank announced plans in September to cut as much as 10 percent of its workforce — up to 265,000 people.
The bank brought its annual shareholders meeting to downtown Des Moines in April 2018, just a week after federal regulators slapped the bank with a $1 billion fine. At the meeting, CEO Tim Sloan reiterated his pledge to build a better bank going forward.
November's news of local layoffs at Wells Fargo came just a week after Nationwide insurance — another major Des Moines employer — announced it would terminate 80 workers as cut employment by 1,100 nationally.
Trade wars put the squeeze on Iowa's ag sector
Already struggling from low commodity prices, an escalating trade war with China, Mexico and Canada curbed exports and pushed crop prices even lower.
President Donald Trump has targeted trade as a key political issue. But his ongoing aggression with trading partners has come at a high cost within Iowa's export-dependent farm economy: An Iowa State University study in September predicted Iowa farmers could lose up to $2.2 billion from ongoing trade disputes.
Despite rising tensions, many farmers appeared to remain loyal throughout Trump's quest to seek more favorable trade deals with major trading partners.
The Trump administration in November mailed nearly $31 million in bailout payments to Iowa farmers, though 100 of the nearly 4,300 checks were in amounts under $25.
► More:After four years of catastrophic losses, Iowa dairies are closing their barn doors
Krause Gateway Center makes statement in downtown Des Moines
After three years of construction, the Krause Gateway Center opened in the Western Gateway area of downtown Des Moines in November.
The 100-foot tall, 159,000-square-foot building houses the corporate headquarters of Kum & Go and eight other companies owned by the Krause family. The six-story structure is wrapped in glass panels.
When the 29-foot lobby windows were installed, they were the tallest in North America, only to be outdone by the remodel of Apple's flagship store in New York City. Designed by world-renowned Italian architect Renzo Piano, Krause Gateway Center cost about $150 million.
By comparison, Blackbird's 33-story skyscraper is expected to cost $100 million. The Fifth, a 40-story high-rise, is budgeted at $170 million.
► More:These are the 10 things to watch for in downtown Des Moines in 2019
Tornadoes devastate 1 Main Street, 2 big manufacturers
A string of tornadoes ripped through Central Iowa on July 19, ripping apart small businesses in downtown Marshalltown, decimating the local Lennox International factory there and severely damaging several plants at Vermeer Corporation in Pella.
The EF-3 tornado that reached 144 mph destroyed many of Marshalltown's historic downtown shops. Months later, many business owners were still wondering if and how they could rebuild their building.
Meanwhile, city leaders worried that Lennox wouldn't rebuild its battered plant. But in August, the company announced it would remain in Marshalltown, though it said it could lose as much as $100 million from the storm.
Some 50 miles south, the only place to sustain major damage in Pella was the family-owned Vermeer Corp., which makes agricultural and construction equipment at a sprawling complex just outside town.
CEO Jason Andringa immediately announced plans to rebuild damaged plants. Within a month, the company reported all employees were back to work. In September, Vermeer officials announced they would expand their campus as they rebuild.
In October, Iowa's economic development leaders said they will likely offer taxpayer incentives to both Lennox and Vermeer, though both said insurance coverage would cover much of their losses.
► More:A tornado peeled off the walls at this Iowa 911 communications center. These people kept right on working

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The following describes the design and management tools included with SQL Anywhere.
Sybase Central—centralized control and administration Sybase Central is an integrated database administration and development tool that provides access to database settings, properties, and utilities in a graphical user interface. Via plug-ins, Sybase Central can be used to manage SQL Anywhere Server, UltraLite, MobiLink, QAnywhere, and other Sybase products. For example, the MobiLink plug-in includes the Create Synchronization Model wizard and Model mode to assist with developing and customizing MobiLink applications.
In addition to facilitating routine tasks, Sybase Central also provides performance statistics, procedure profiling, and stored procedure debugging, as well as the management of events and schedules, web services, and connection profiles. Sybase Central helps administer any tasks that are performed by sending SQL statements to the database server, or performed by SQL Anywhere utilities.
See Advanced application profiling using diagnostic tracing.
Index selection and optimization using Index Consultant The Index Consultant analyzes workloads and provides recommendations on how to select indexes to optimize performance. The Index Consultant can be run from either Sybase Central or Interactive SQL. See Index Consultant.
Interactive SQL—SQL query editor Interactive SQL is a database utility designed to execute SQL statements and display database data. The built-in query editor and other tools, such as the graphical plan display, help you to analyze, troubleshoot, and optimize queries. See Interactive SQL.
MobiLink Monitor—synchronization monitoring The MobiLink Monitor is a graphical administration tool that provides detailed information about the performance of MobiLink synchronizations. The MobiLink Monitor collects detailed information and statistical summaries about all synchronizations that occur, including start and end times, data volume uploaded and downloaded, successful completions, conflicts, and more. See MobiLink Monitor.
Database utilities SQL Anywhere includes various utilities for performing administration tasks such as backing up a database. Utilities are useful for including in batch files for repeated use. See Database Administration Utilities.
InfoMaker InfoMaker is a personal data assistant that lets you work with data in many ways. With InfoMaker you can query your SQL Anywhere databases and create sophisticated and effective custom reports. See About InfoMaker.
PowerDesigner Physical Data Model The Physical Data Model component of Sybase PowerDesigner lets you design, generate, document, and maintain databases. Physical Data Model is available only on Windows. However, it can be used as a client of a server running on any supported operating system. See About PowerDesigner Physical Data Model.
Data Window.NET With Data Window.NET you can rapidly build and deploy enterprise-level, SQL Anywhere applications that incorporate complex business rules, and deliver sophisticated data presentation. Data Window.NET provides hundreds of built-in functions and properties, so you can experience high levels of productivity with minimal coding. Data Window.NET uses 4GL RAD technologies. See About DataWindow .NET.


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Q: Possible to not use ID field but another column name? in Lift I am connected to a oracle database from a scala/lift webapp.  I have been able to successfully pull information from the database as I wished but am having one issue.
For each table I want to access I am required to add an ID field so that the app will work with the trait IdPK.
What mapper class or trait can I use to override this?  I have been trying to find one but been unable to locate it.  Figured people have not always had an ID field on every table they make that is just called ID...
class DN_REC extends LongKeyedMapper[DN_REC] with IdPK {
 def getSingleton = DN_REC

 object dn_rec_id extends MappedInt(this){
 }

This is what I am talking about.  I would like to use the dn_rec_id as my primary key as it is on the table.
Thanks

A: No reason you have to use the IdPK trait. If you check source, youll see its defined as following:
trait IdPK /* extends BaseLongKeyedMapper */ {
  self: BaseLongKeyedMapper =>
  def primaryKeyField = id
  object id extends MappedLongIndex[MapperType](this.asInstanceOf[MapperType])
}

So basically, it justs creates a long index named id and makes it the primary key. You can easily do this yourself with another name for the id.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


The Statnano Database website (www.statnano.com) provided the readers with a comparison index of the global ranking of various states in the field of nanotechnology based on the number of patents published in any country between 2009 and 2011.
Statnano Database has been designed by Iran Nanotechnology Initiative Council (INIC) in a bid to continually monitor the status of various countries in all indices of nanotechnology in the chain of science to market.
The main responsibility of the website is to continually monitor and announce the status of indices for the development of science, technology and innovation in nanotechnology in various countries, determine the international and regional rank of the countries in those indices, analyze nanotechnology development in various countries, and provide information about the policy-making status of countries in nanoscience, nanotechnology and nano-innovation.
Among the characteristics of the website, mention can be made of the display of the countries' status according to the indices in a special page for each country. The visitors of the website can visit the statistics of their own country at first, and then they can monitor the statistics of other countries in the field of nanotechnology.
• Ability to display statistical data of the indices in the form of charts.


For this week's video review, we visited The Gladly. Located just west of 24th Street on the south side of Camelback Road. We have filmed a video review at The Gladly before but they are continually evolving and creating. So it made sense for us to stop by again for a video review re-up. Since we last visited, they have made some great additions to their menu as well as expanded their already unique and expansive cocktail offerings.
As a bonus, we had Felicia Romero join us for a second guest stint on a video review. We are "glad" she joined us because she had never visited The Gladly before. So Felicia was able to experience it. But more importantly, she had never enjoyed the greatness that is their Original Chopped Salad. Let's just say that this will not be Felicia's last time at The Gladly!
Click here for more info about The Gladly!
In the video review, we sampled some new menu items as well as dove into their new Raw Bar. Wow! That Brown Butter Tuna was mouthwateringly delicious. You can't go wrong with any of your choices! Felicia tried the Original Chopped Salad. Well, actually all four of us got one. Don't hate. We also were able to sample a couple of their unique Draft Cocktails. A superb concept and a must try on your next visit. Please enjoy the video review to see everything that we tried. Then visit The Gladly for yourself to try their new and old menu items. Make sure to tell them that we sent you!
The Gladly is located just west of 24th Street on the south side of Camelback Road. Come for the Original Chopped Salad and the inviting hip atmosphere. Both are 100% worth the trip. Stay for the Raw Bar, draft cocktails and the plethora of phenomenal menu items. We recommend adding The Gladly to your rotation of regular restaurants that you visit!
Great video I want to try the brown butter tuna Tacos, and bread pudding! Girls nite out ! Great cocktails 🍸. Love that ice !


My Hero Academia: Season 2!
If my memory serves me well, the series started gaining popularity sometime last year, and the number of fans hasn't stopped increasing ever since then. It's like haikyuu where it got super popular amongst many people around me, and of course to find out what the fuss is all about, I had to watch it. Which was something I wasn't planning to do until a friend recommended I watch it, so I relented!
Like with Tiger and Bunny, I initially got a little bored in the beginning. Because I watched it after the aforementioned series, it felt like a step back to me since we are back to typical shounen manga settings: the main character is a high school student, and everyone is Japanese (in Tiger and Bunny, people from many different races come together to live in Sternbuild City) etc.
However, there is the more riveting premise of the main character starting out with no special powers, called a quirk in this case (個性 kosei) while 80% of the population already has some sort of quirk. And to be a hero, you must have a suitable quirk to help the people in need. But not Midoriya Izuku - whose dreams have been shattered since he was about 5 years of age when it is found out that he will possess no special ability while almost everyone his age has at least one by that time.
At the age of 15 and about to graduate Middle School, he still hasn't yet given up on that dream, and yearns to enter UA High School which is the recognised elite training school for heroes. Everyone aspiring to be a hero wants to enter the school, and Izuku, though quirkless, also has the same target, even if no one else thinks he can do it. Things look bleak for Izuku, especially when he was very nearly kidnapped while on the way back home.
Then he meets the number 1 hero - All Might. A chain of event follows, and Izuku lucks out - acquiring a special power and entering UA.
And that is just the beginning! Izuku then encounters a new set of problems, and the first ones would be in the form of his childhood friend turned bully (Bakugo Katsuki) being in the same class as he is. On top of that, Izuku must also be able to keep his quirk in control, having only just acquiring it, and to aim for the top.
That would be the gist of season 1. Season 2 is where things start to get really exciting!! UA holds a sports festival every year, and it is always met with great attention from outsiders, since even the happenings of the festival are filmed and aired live on TV. Many different events would be held, but the most anticipated section of the festival would be the showdown between all aspiring heroes in the academy. Potential employers would spectate so it's also a great chance to show each individual's potential!
Along the way, Izuku would meet a new set of problems! The story will go on to focus more on people in class 1-A with the introduction of new characters from other parts of the school. Of course, trouble continue to stir outside UA; the end of season 1 sees the UA training facility being under attack, but the villains show no sign of backing down as they resume planning to tear apart the current state of things.
And this sports festival is just the tip of the iceberg! The heroes-in-training will then go on their internships while trouble continues to stir in various parts of the country. The challenges the characters face, their interactions with others, and fight scenes are just some of the things you can watch out for. With more problems and discoveries surfacing, Midoriya Izuku's quest to become the best hero does not come easy at all. But then, to quote Isashiki Jun from Ace of Diamond, "No one will intentionally set something easily achievable as their goal."
I am hoping to read the MHA manga soon to find out what happens after the events of season 2! Season 3 is on its way and will be out next year, I can't wait to see more exciting events come to life.
No Comment to " My Hero Academia: Season 2! "


text:
FCC Announces Date for Mobility Fund I Auction
By John C. Dodge
On May 2, 2012, the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau and the Wireline Competition Bureau of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released specific dates and procedures that will be used for the reverse auction that will award $300 million in one-time Mobility Fund Phase I support. Auction 901, as we have previously reported, will award one-time support to carriers that commit to provide 3G or better mobile voice and broadband services in census blocks where such services are unavailable.
Auction 901 Dates:
Auction Tutorial Available (via Internet).........................................June 27, 2012
Short-Form Application (FCC Form 180)
Filing Window Opens......................................................................June 27, 2012; 12:00 noon ET
Filing Window Deadline.................................................................July 11, 2012; 6:00 p.m. ET
Mock Auction.....................................................................................September 25, 2012
Auction Begins.................................................................................September 27, 2012
Census Block Changes
The FCC has revised the list of Census blocks available for Auction 901, after determining that some of the areas originally listed as unserved are served or will be served pursuant to a prior regulatory commitment by a carrier (e.g., a recipient of a RUS loan or BIP award). The updated summary list of eligible census blocks can be seen here.
Bidding Methodology, Eligibility
The bidding methodology for Auction 901 will be a single-round reverse format. The Commission will conduct the auction over the Internet using the FCC Auction System. Telephonic bidding will not be available for Auction 901 given the number of eligible geographic areas and the manner in which bids will be uploaded. Prospective bidders must be familiar with the specific competitive bidding rules for universal service support contained in FCC Rules 1.21000 – 1.21004, as well as the procedures, terms and conditions contained in this Public Notice, the Auction 901 Comment Public Notice, and all other public notices related to Auction 901 (AU Docket No. 12-25).1 Additionally, prospective Auction 901 bidders will find it helpful to familiarize themselves with the Commission's general competitive bidding rules, including recent amendments and clarifications, as well as Commission decisions in proceedings regarding competitive bidding procedures, application requirements, and obligations of Commission licensees.
As the FCC stated in its November 2011 order establishing Mobility Fund Phase I, in order to participate in Auction 901 an applicant must demonstrate for the areas on which it wishes to bid that it has been designated as an eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) and has access to the spectrum necessary to satisfy the applicable performance requirements. In addition, an applicant must certify that it is financially and technically capable of providing 3G or better service. The recent order by the Bureaus fleshes out eligibility requirements via new Form 180, which should be released shortly.
Also, pursuant to section 54.1005(b), winning bidders for Mobility Fund Phase I support are required to file an application for support, referred to as a long-form application, no later than 10 business days after the public notice identifying them as winning bidders. Shortly after bidding has ended, the Commission will issue a public notice declaring the auction closed, identifying the winning bidders, and establishing the deadline for the long-form application. Winning bidders will use the new FCC Form 680 and the FCC Auction System to submit the long-form application.
Prohibited Communications Between Bidders; Joint Bids Permissible
To ensure the integrity and competitiveness of the auction process, the FCC has reiterated that it will apply Rule 1.21002 to prohibit any applicant in Auction 901 from cooperating or collaborating with any other applicant on bids or bidding strategies. Further, an applicant may not communicate with any other applicant in any manner regarding the substance of any bid until after the post-auction deadline for winning bidders to submit applications for support. The only exception to the Prohibited Communications rule is for members of a joint bidding arrangement identified on short Form 180. The FCC confirmed that joint bids are permissible, so long as the arrangements are disclosed on Form 180.
"Red Light Rules" Apply
Applicants for Auction 901 will be subject to the FCC's so-called "Red Light Rules" which empower the agency to withhold action for delinquent debts to the FCC. Consequently, applicants must be current on all FCC assessments and other obligations before the FCC will finally award Mobility Phase I funding. Applicants can check whether they owe the FCC at its "Red Light Display" link.
You can view the latest FCC order here.
If you would like to participate in Auction 901 please contact us.
1 See, e.g., Auction 901 Comment Public Notice, Auction 901 Updated Blocks Public Notice.


text:
Q: how to integrate jQuery maphilight into MVC3 Razor C# project I've been trying to create a fancy image map for my website, which is built using ASP.Net MVC2 Razor C#. I came across this page: http://davidlynch.org/projects/maphilight/docs/ which was basically perfect for what I needed. Taught me a lot about how to setup  etc in HTML which I wasn't familiar with.
Issue is I cannot seem to get it to work in my MVC website. Note: This website was built using the Microsoft template in Visual Web Developer 2010.
I've downloaded both the jquery.maphilight.min.js and jquery.maphilight.js Scripts and added to my scripts folder. I've also added them to my main _Layout.cshtml file here:

    <meta charset="utf-8" />
    <title>@ViewBag.Title</title>
    <link href="@Url.Content("~/Content/Site.css")" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" />
    <link href="@Url.Content("~/Content/lightbox.css")" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" />

I then tried to call the script in my View:
@{
    ViewBag.Title = "Course Map";
}
<fieldset>
    <legend>Course Map </legend>

        <map name="image_map" id="image_map">
            <area href="#" title="SC" shape="poly" coords="348,213, 340,207, 338,204, 338,200, 340,196, 338,192, 335,190, 336,183, 338,178, 342,176, 347,175, 348,170, 355,170, 361,174, 362,184, 362,194, 366,200, 366,206, 369,212, 371,217, 368,222, 367,228, 369,234, 367,241, 361,243, 356,240, 352,236, 348,236, 345,231, 344,225, 346,221, 349,216" />
        </map>

</fieldset>

The Image map coords work fine, but I don't get any fancy highlighting as demo'd in David's site. I'm fairly sure I've cocked up with how I'm calling the Javascript etc, but unsure what I've done wrong.
Appreciate any help - thanks.

A: Failure to properly configure the maphilight JS file so that the hi-lights actually show up.
Make sure the JS is called properly from the  tag in the _Layout.cshtml file:

Then going to the view call the function:

My issue, as mentioned above was stupidly not configuring the JS options correctly to hi-light the .


NWL Episode 63 | Hook the Leg, Man!
– Gil Rogers, who never won a single match in the NWL, was fired by Matt Jackson a few months back, but he's been crashing shows and rallying fans ever since.
– Former NWL STL Champion Todd Letterman made a surprise return two episodes ago, attacking Dak Draper and aligning with Matt Jackson.
– Buddy Shepherd recently turned babyface and made friends with Jack Foster, though Foster isn't interested in joining the Buddy System.
– Jeremy Wyatt defended the NWL KC Championship cleanly against Dak Draper but needed outside assistance to beat Eddie Kingston.
– When he isn't wrestling as Danny Burch on NXT, British veteran Martin Stone works indies around the U.S. and U.K.
Gil Rogers manages to buy a general admission ticket to the show, promising not to cause any trouble.
They go right at it with the Frye/Takayama punches. Dak gets to display some atypical offense due to his actually being the smaller man for once, as he pulls off a tilt-a-whirl flying headscissors on the giant jock. He also has to rely on strikes and body attacks for the most part. Letterman, of course, bullies him around when he's in control. Dak can't get him up for the doctor bomb, but he still frustrates Letterman enough that Letterman grabs a trash can lid for assistance. Dak gets him in an interesting figure four/arm lock submission hold, but Letterman grabs the lid and smacks him with it to disqualify himself.
Letterman hits Dak with a spike driver to add…well, injury to injury, I guess.
Matt Jackson and Maddox are talking about weights until Marti Belle comes and asks once again for a singles match with Carolina. Jackson continues with the excuses, so Marti says she's going to call her out herself. Jackson tells Maddox to make sure that doesn't happen.
Fun stuff at the start when the faces trounce the heels in many entertaining ways. I personally like Ali taking a hiptoss to the floor onto Plonk and Belvedere. After Buddy gets the hot tag, Plonk does his best to avoid Foster, leaving Ali to take the brunt of the big man's offense. But Plonk takes Foster out with an ice bucket shot behind the ref's back, and then he pins Buddy with the uncorker.
Marti comes out and gets blindsided by Carolina Grizelda Esmeralda Rodriguez. Security and Michael Strider pull her away as Gil Rogers checks on Marti from the other side of the guardrail. Strider attacks Rogers and throws him into the ring post. Staff have to help both Gil and Marti to the back.
Jack Foster in the back talks about his upcoming championship match and what it means to him and his family. Oddly, this has nothing to do with Niles Plonk or the events of the previous match.
Great stuff. I don't think it will end up as my match of the year, but it's on my top ten list of the year so far, at least. I wish Martin Stone could be a regular so I could see him wrestle more people. He does a lot of British-style catches and escapes. Wyatt isn't outclassed, but he is put in jeopardy a few times. It's pretty back-and-forth. The only thing that hurts it is that nobody believes Stone will win the title, but that's par for the course when you give an outsider a shot. Wyatt retains in clean but crafty fashion; he baits Stone in to get snapped over the ropes, then does a sunset flip, rolls him through, and hits the piledriver.
I have one complaint about this week's episode, and it's the placement of the Jack Foster promo. It's very strange to me for a guy to lose a match and then cut a promo about his upcoming title shot without even touching on the loss. Sure, it wasn't a clean loss, and he wasn't the one pinned, but I would've expected him to be peeved at Niles Plonk for hitting him with a foreign object. I'm guessing the promo was taped before the tag match, but it would've made more sense to save it for a different episode, IMO.
The rest of the show was good, especially the opener and the main event. Also interested in Gil's and Marti's respective stories.


If, as they say, racing improves the breed, then there is a place in the US that is packed full of some pretty potent DNA. Occupying the top of a hill in a tranquil rural setting overlooking Lake Winnebago in Taycheedah, Wisconsin, is a building that could easily pass for a local agricultural business, save for the Mercury Racing logo displayed on its otherwise nondescript walls.
Apart from the signage, there are no other outward clues as to the significance this building plays in terms of the world-wide boat racing and high-performance community.
Initially known as Mercury Hi-Performance, Mercury Racing was established as Mercury Marine's racing and high-performance arm in 1973. Its mission was to design, manufacture and sell high-performance and racing products in order to promote the Mercury brand amongst performance-minded boaters.
But Mercury's racing activities precede the establishment of Mercury Racing by some years, dating back to the 1940s when Mercury founder Carl Kiekhaefer, a notorious perfectionist and racing visionary, encouraged employees and customers to race his products. And the company also threw its considerable engineering muscle behind several successful early world water speed record attempts.
Kiekhaefer saw marketing potential in land-based racing too, setting up and running his own Mercury Outboards NASCAR racing team, which became dominant in the late '50s, winning three championships with Chrysler cars. He was considered a pioneer at the time, being the first team owner to introduce matching team uniforms and pitstop practising.
While a separate entity to Mercury Marine, the racing arm works very closely with its parent on a variety of projects at any one time. Some racing products are manufactured by Mercury, and some hi-performance and racing products are assembled at Fond du Lac, but most of the really serious stuff takes place within the walls of the Taycheedah facility.
Our visit was hosted by Mercury Racing's Senior Marketing Manager, Rick Mackie, who while very accommodating with his time, made it abundantly clear that what went on inside the factory, stayed within the factory walls. Cameras were surrendered at reception as security is a prime consideration in an organisation whose prime focus is being the best in the world at what it does.
There is a very real sense of esprit de corps amongst employees, with many wearing Mercury Racing apparel, proud to display evidence that they are amongst a select few who work for the world's leading marine racing organisation.
Just over 100 workers are employed at Mercury Racing, spread over various departments, including Marketing, Sales, Service, Engineering, Procurement and Manufacturing.
Primarily most activity is centred on engine development, assembly, and testing, although there is also an area for sterndrive assembly and a specialist propeller department.
There are two basic product ranges: Consumer and Racing, the various engines and accessory components in each calibrated and built to match their intended usage.
Famously, there is a special assembly line known as the 'Horsepower Highway', where all of the supercharged Big Block V8 engines, from the 600hp SCi up to the 700hp SCi are put together by specialist expert assemblers as long block engines.
These, and the outboard engines in the range, are based on production powerplants that are then enhanced by the racing department to various levels of performance.
The outboard range includes the racing and high-performance OptiMax two-strokes and the recently released 400R supercharged six-cylinder Verado four-stroke. While these engines have been developed in-house at Mercury Racing, actual assembly takes place down the road at the main Mercury plant in Fond du Lac.
But occupying pride of place in the racing facility in terms of sheer unadulterated power output and size is the company's gargantuan, but somewhat clinically named, QC4v engine. These 9lt V8 giants feature the very best in racing hardware, including four-valve, twin overhead cam cylinder heads, massive twin turbochargers, and generate 1650hp (1230kW) in racing spec. Unlike all other inboards in the range, they are not based on production engines and were designed entirely from scratch as a no-compromises, all-out racing engine.
"The QC4v is relevant not only for its engineering excellence and impact as a true game-changer in the performance boat market, but also for Mercury's commitment in maintaining its leadership position within the marine industry," said Mackie.
"QC4v development began at the start of the GFC and was launched at the 2010 Miami International Boat Show during the peak of the economic downturn.
Each QC4v is assembled by hand and none leave the factory without getting a good workout on the dyno to ensure they will deliver the massive horsepower and torque expected by their mostly racer buyers.
The QC4v is also being touted as a possible automotive powerplant, with Mercury Racing working with some of the world's leading supercar and custom manufacturers to identify potential applications for those who believe there is no such thing as too much horsepower.
One of the most fascinating areas we visited was the propeller department, where around a dozen workers apply their skills to finishing stainless steel propellers. In a highly-technical industry typically involving the very latest computer-driven equipment and automated processes, it's almost refreshing to see the staff, clad in safety glasses and long protective aprons, polishing and grinding propeller blades by hand in a process that can take years to master. Using large belt linishers, they then sit the props on static balancing rigs to ensure that all are within the fine tolerances expected.
Mercury Racing remains committed to powerboat racing and high performance in all its forms, offering a wide variety of engines, drives and propellers to suit just about any application. In Australia and New Zealand you're likely to see the bold Mercury Racing logo displayed prominently in pretty much all forms of powerboat racing, from ski racing to offshore powerboats and even on high-performance fishing rigs.
And if the dedicated tech-heads of Taycheedah have any say in it, their products will continue to be seen at the front of the pack for a long time to come.


Tricia Barr, Teresa Delgado and Sarah Woloski take the show LIVE from the Podcast Stage at Celebration Orlando. Sandra Choute joins us to share a favorite convention moment. We are joined by Bethany Blanton from Star Wars Report to discuss our initial reactions to The Last Jedi trailer and panel.
In honor of Carrie Fisher, we highlight women with careers inspired by Star Wars. Ruth Amos, DK Publishing editor for Star Wars: Visual Encyclopedia talks about working on the book, and Holly Griffith from NASA shares how Leia inspired her to reach for the stars.
The character discussion ponders the relationships of Leia Organa within the saga. It's a must listen.


Pope Francis said on Sunday that political leaders who want walls and other barriers to keep migrants out will end up becoming prisoners of the walls they build.
The national flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) opened a direct air route linking Manila and Ha Noi on Monday.
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has warned that the EU's patience could run out as he urged the UK for a Brexit decision within the next few days.
The Huoi Cang - Huoi Dap cave complex in Pa Ham commune of Muong Cha district, the Northwestern province of Dien Bien, has been recognized as a national relic site by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.


text:
Q: Jenkins Admin Password not being accepted I've installed jenkins in a docker container using this command:

docker run --restart=unless-stopped --name devonejenkins -p 8080:8080
  -p 50000:50000 -v /mnt/storage/jenkins:/var/jenkins_home jenkins

When i browse to the installation at localhost:8080 I get the screen where Im supposed to enter the admin password.
I then cut and paste the password that's located in /var/jenkins_home/secrets/initialAdminPassword and i get an error saying that it is not the correct one.
Not sure what to do about this,
Chris.

A: Seeing as you ran the command above without the -d argument, the password should be in your terminal's standard output. If you do run it with the -d argument, you will need to run:
docker logs jenkins

to view the output from the container.

A: Ok, i solved this myself.  I appears the hyper-v VM im running ubuntu 18.04 on does not support the clipboard.  The key i was pasting in wasn't the key i thought it was.
So, fixed.  Thanks to all that helped.


Fun, easy, and a great Halloween appetizer to get your little ones into the spirit!
If using Oven | Grill Ready Little potatoes, follow the instructions listed on the box. If using another type of Creamer potato, toss potatoes in melted butter or oil. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika if desired. Place onto baking sheet and roast at 450°F for 30 minutes, or until tender. Allow to cool.
Serve as is or with toothpicks!


The open sea is waiting for you with many exciting experiences. After a quick boat trip, the hunt for the catch of the day can start. Angelamfi Grefsnesvågen at Hitra is the perfect starting point for an unforgettable fishing experience.
In the harbor, located right outside your window where you live, the boats are ready for use. Boat and engine sizes varies and should be rented depending on your boat driving skills and needs. All boats are equipped with echo sounder, GPS and chart plotters.


Hovos - Sharing great experiences - Cascada Elysiana - Eco-Lodge & Waterfall Park offers Work Exchanges!
Cascada Elysiana - Eco-Lodge & Waterfall Park offers Work Exchanges!
We invite you to come adventure with us. Discover the beauty of this natural environment, investigate the depths of your inner environment, and explore the interconnection between the two.
We are still very much in the process of developing and building. In addition to help with gardening, cleaning, web, reception and kitchen, we have a particular need for helpers with construction and carpentry experience, especially with small eco and rustic wood, bamboo and stone projects.
We are also offering Kitchen Chef and Assistant Manager internship positions with room and board included. Please visit www.CascadaElysiana.com/work-stay for more info.
We seek to foster a multi-lingual, multi-cultural environment. This is a wonderful opportunity (for us all) to practice and learn from each other, notably (but not limited to) English, Spanish and French. Our Organic Master Gardener and builders are all Tico (local) and Spanish-only, and any of the interactions you have with locals in San Juan will be in Spanish and Cascada Elysiana itself is officially bi-lingual.
As language enthusiasts, if you are eager to practice your Spanish, French or English, we encourage that, here.
From 2010 to 2017, Michael lived in Los Angeles in a school bus which he converted to run on WVO (waste vegetable oil) for his touring bands Hell & Lula and Goodnight Goddess.
In 2016, he was certified as a Radical Honesty Trainer by Dr. Brad Blanton and has teamed up with John Rosania of Honesty Lab in LA, coaching and leading workshops designed to help folks get over their troubles and be freer, happier, healthier and more connected by being more honest.
Michael has studied in France and taught in Spain and has a passion for languages as well as psychological health and eco-living. He looks forward to hosting, leading and participating in workshops and retreats at Cascada Elysiana in a multi-lingual setting.
We have beautiful, newly built, rustic wooden bunkhouses, dry composting toilet, flush toilet, outdoor shower, prepared meals in our wooden Eco-Lodge, yoga deck, outdoor movies, hiking, nature/animal watching, private waterfalls and endless dipping/swimming holes to explore both onsite and elsewhere in one of the most beautiful and sparsely populated valleys in Costa Rica.
All meals are shared. Staff, volunteers and guests eat together to create that down-on-the-farm feel and to promote community-building and the sharing of ideas and experiences. Most meals will be Chef-prepared. Any meal preparation by Volunteers will count toward your work hours.
***NOTE*** We charge a small fee to pay for electricity, propane, vehicle and food expenses.


text:
Moylist Construction Limited v Doheny, [2016] IESC 9, [2016] 2 IR 283 was an Irish Supreme Court case in which the Supreme Court confirmed the Irish courts' jurisdiction to strike out (dismiss) weak cases—those it considered "bound to fail."

Background
Moylist Construction Limited acted as the contractor in a building contract involving the construction of 18 holiday homes in Ballybunion, County Kerry. Funding for the purchase of the lands on which the development was to take place and the construction of the holiday homes was provided by Ulster Bank. In 2007, Moylist Construction Limited suspended work on the development and in 2008 issued a summary summons against Mr O'Carroll (the fourth respondent) for payment of monies owed for work done and services rendered. In 2009, Ulster Bank demanded repayment of the monies secured by a mortgage over the relevant properties and then appointed the first respondent as receiver under its powers arising from the mortgage. The receiver took possession of the development. Moylist Construction Limited then commenced proceedings in which it claimed that the receiver and Ulster Bank had wrongfully dispossessed Moylist Construction Limited of its entitlement to occupy the development on foot of the building contract entered into between Mr O'Carroll and Moylist Construction Limited. Moylist Construction Limited sought an interlocutory injunction to restrain any interference with its occupation of the lands. The first, second and third respondents brought applications seeking to have the proceedings dismissed as being bound to fail. In the High Court, Laffoy J declined to grant the injunction sought, and acceded to the application to dismiss the proceedings as being bound to fail. Moylist Construction Limited appealed the dismissal of the proceedings against the receiver and Ulster Bank.

Holding of the Supreme Court

Inherent jurisdiction to strike out proceedings as being bound to fail
Clarke J delivered the only written judgment for the Supreme Court (with which the other judges agreed). The Supreme Court noted that at least since the decision of Costello J in Barry v Buckley,  "it has been clear that the courts have an inherent jurisdiction to strike out proceedings as being bound to fail, which jurisdiction is in addition to the somewhat separate entitlement of a court to strike out proceedings under Order 19, rule 28 of the Rules of the Superior Courts 1986."  The Supreme Court went on to note that the underlying basis of that jurisdiction stems from the court's "inherent entitlement to prevent an abuse of process."

However, the Supreme Court also noted that the jurisdiction to strike out proceedings as being bound to fail is to be exercised sparingly and is only intended to deal with the "slam dunk" situations where it is clear that the proceedings are bound to fail. The default position in respect of any proceedings is, therefore, that they should go to trial as "[d]epriving the parties of a full trial … is a departure from the norm, and one which should only be engaged in when it is clear that there is no real risk of injustice in adopting that course of action." The Supreme Court then went on to consider cases that are not suitable for an application to dismiss under the inherent jurisdiction to strike out proceedings as being bound to fail. These include most cases involving factual disputes and cases where the relevant legal issues or questions of construction are complex and such as would require the type of careful analysis that could only be carried out safely at a full trial and in circumstances where the facts could be fully explored.

Arguing new grounds in an appeal
As part of the appeal, the receiver and Ulster Bank also argued that the case made on appeal by Moylist Construction Limited differed considerably from the case made in the High Court. The Supreme Court noted that it needed to balance the risks faced by a party if they are excluded from arguing a new ground and the potential unfairness to the other party if they are permitted to do so. However, the Supreme Court also noted that where an appeal relates to an application to dismiss as being bound to fail, an additional factor had to be brought into the balancing exercise, that is, the fact that the appellant concerned would, if the application to dismiss is ultimately successful, "be deprived of their opportunity to have a full hearing at all. That factor will not be decisive, but it may tip the balance in an appropriate case."

Conclusion
Clarke J concluded that the present case was "just too complex to be properly disposed of in the context of an application to dismiss as being bound to fail."  The Supreme Court therefore allowed the appeal and discharged the order made by the High Court.

References

External links
 Moylist Construction Limited v Doheny & others

2016 in case law
2016 in Irish law
2016 in the Republic of Ireland
Supreme Court of Ireland cases

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


…has a hold on us. This life-changing song was originally recorded by the Contemporary Christian group NewSong and was written by NewSong member Eddie Carswell. Your choir and congregation will love this classic song, which has been reshaped, rearranged, and reimagined by top arranger Bradley Knight!


It happened without warning! a shock failed and left us stuck in Tanzania for 2 weeks. However, it turned out we could have been on the road a week sooner had one simple switch been made.
Russ has fun demonstrating how to shower with a bucket in the Kalahari bush in Botswana. Watch out for those lions who may want to join the party!


text:
Medindia » Mental Health News
Welsh Businessman Cancels Insurance and Decapitates Himself to Leave His Wife in Financial Ruins
by Gopalan on August 8, 2008 at 4:13 PM
A wealthy Welsh businessman decapitated himself in September last year, after running up huge debts and cancelling life insurance out of spite for his wife. He wanted to leave her in financial ruins.
Gerald Mellin, 54, tied one end of a rope to a tree, then climbed into his open-top Aston Martin DB7 with the other end around his neck.
He then accelerated into one of Swansea's main roads and met his grisly end as other drivers watched in horror.
An eye-witness told the inquest hearing Thursday how the Aston Martin passed her just after midnight on Mumbles Road on September 14.
Alison Anniah said: "It got my attention because it was going so slowly.
"As the car passed us I saw the body had no head."
Officers found his headless body still on the leather driving seat of the car with his head on the back seat.
The court was also told that shortly before his death Mellin had cancelled his life insurance policy.
He had also taunted his estranged wife Mirrielle, 33, by showing her the rope in the boot of his £90,000 car.
Mother-of-two Mirrielle told the inquest: "We had split up and been to court.
"He wanted me to walk away from the farmhouse and the business and leave me with nothing.
"We met in a pub after a court hearing and he started having a tantrum.
"As we made our way back to our cars he opened the boot and said: 'There's my rope, that's what I'm going to kill myself with'. I told him to grow up and give me the rope. But he just laughed."
Swansea Coroner's Court heard that she and Mellin had been in court the day before his death, where she was awarded an extra £100 a week from him to help with the running of her house.
Mellin had been staying at various hotels in the Swansea area after moving out of the family home, WalesOnline reported.
Mrs Mellin said that on the fateful evening she received a text from him saying: "Congratulations XXX". It was the last time she heard from him.
Mellin owned a gym and sun tanning centre called Bodytalk and his wife worked there as a beautician.
Mirrielle said Mellin had self-harmed and made several attempts on his life during their short and "horrendous" marriage, but she always believed it was "a cry for help" rather than a real attempt at suicide.
She also said she did not know about the financial pressure he was under until after his death when she discovered he was in "an extortionate amount of debt".
The inquest in Swansea heard that after her husband's death she discovered he had cancelled a life insurance policy which would have paid out to her.
She said: "He ran up an extortionate amount of debt. I've got to sell the farmhouse now, just to pay the debts.
"Gerald created the debt because he always said if I left him, he would leave me with nothing."
Detective Constable Ceri John said records showed Mellin was being treated for depression at the time of his death and was first seen by a psychiatrist at the age of four for anxiety.
GPL/M
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4/98. Bought today in a local restaurant for $36. If the standard procedure in Israel has been applied here, that means this wine should cost $7-8 originally... Please chime in anyone who knows how much this wine really costs in the States.
An excellent dinner (in one of my favorite restaurants in Tel-Aviv) that followed the movie 'Titanic', was one of the rare occasions where I get to taste American wine. I don't recall ever drinking anything from Columbia Valley, Washington State.
COLOR: Medium-dark Cabernet color. Full color up to the rim and no trace of sediment.
NOSE: Very nice and pleasing fruity nose that got richer and richer as time passed on. Not only were there black forest-berries, but complexity and class way beyond what I would have expected if my guess about the price is anything near the truth.
TASTE: Extremely tasty, relatively forward, with good grip on the palate. Ample but restraint and mature fruit, good acidity and soft tannins. Stood up very well to the mildly spicy and 'creative' kitchen.
LENGTH: Nothing much in this department.
TEXTURE & BALANCE: Medium-bodied, smooth and elegant, good winyness and superb balance.
OVERALL: Excellent! Not a great Cab, but way above the average stuff that is commercially imported to Israel.


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text:
A general partner's case study: Permira
Case study by Permira
A GP can commence organisation-wide integration of ESG factors by including specific reference within the GP's Business Principles.
A GP fs New Joiners Program can include a training session dedicated to the integration of ESG matters within the investment process and across the organisation.
A GP can make the consideration and analysis of ESG factors a requirement for Investment Committee papers and discussion.
Permira adopts a buyout strategy for funds managed and focuses on the Consumer, Financial Services, Healthcare, Industrials and TMT sectors. The firm has twelve offices across Europe, the US and Asia with investments made on a global basis.
Developing an ESG strategy
Permira's operations are underpinned by their Business Principles, in accordance with which all employees are expected to conduct their activities. As part of formalising their ESG initiative, Permira specifically revisited these organisation-level guidelines. Two of the eleven principles make specific reference to ESG factors: "Follow best practice with regard to applicable environmental, social and governance standards" and "Add sustainable value to investee companies".
Permira employed the services of a third party specialist to assist in the formulation of its approach to responsible investment with the objective to build a structured system around the company's existing activities in this area.
As part of this process, Permira worked with the third party specialist to develop a toolkit, which provides the methodology for analysis and management of ESG issues through the investment process. Lessons learned during the implementation of the toolkit are used for ongoing refinement – for example, company offsites have a dedicated ESG session, which provides updates on and feedback into this process.
Integrating ESG within the organisation
Permira has set up a working group dedicated to ESG matters. The group brings together investment professionals, the Chief Risk Officer and a member of the Investment Committee. Involving members on the working group that are able to challenge ESG considerations provides a basis for excellent discussions and can result in a clearer rationale for any actions taken (i.e. challenges such as "we are already doing this" and "it costs too many resources").
In addition, one person per industry sector is appointed to be the "ESG knowledge centre" for deeper sectoral expertise and training where required.
To communicate the message on organisation-wide integration of ESG practices to all new employees, the New Joiners Program includes a training session dedicated to the integration of ESG matters within the investment process and across the organisation.
During any fundraising process, Permira's experience is that their PRI signatory status and their approach to responsible investing pre-empts answering many questions from LPs on ESG factors and in some cases entirely satisfies this part of the LPs due diligence process. However, some LPs do request more details, which the team will provide where possible.
Integrating ESG into the investment process
All Permira employees involved with due diligence are aware of the need to incorporate ESG factors into the investment process from an early stage. This is a reflection of the specific consideration given to ESG issues by the Investment Committee, with the incorporation of a specific section on ESG considerations in the Investment Committee papers.
During initial due diligence, a particular focus is given to potential risks and a prospective investment could be rejected on ESG grounds at this stage. If a positive preliminary investment recommendation is made at this stage, a due diligence team will be built.
Further due diligence on new investment opportunities then seeks to assess the company's current track record on ESG matters, considers the risks but also aims to identify improvement opportunities. In some cases this can pose significant challenges, for example with companies operating in numerous geographies and served by complex supply chains. Third party advisors are used in the due diligence process as necessary.
During due diligence, a 100 day post-investment plan is drafted. This is a detailed document against which all early stage progress is measured. Permira has found that it can be difficult to set ESG focused KPIs on a portfolio wide basis; these KPIs often become too high level and are ultimately not helpful. Permira therefore aims to specify the method of analysis based on the individual company and its industry.
As part of ongoing portfolio company monitoring activities, detailed ESG reviews have been completed on almost all companies in the portfolio using external advisors, which includes a comparison to current industry-wide practices.
Post-acquisition, Permira collects material ESG information, both as part of its scheduled cross-portfolio risk assessments and its twice-yearly portfolio monitoring exercise. This enables measurement of progress against issues identified during the investment process. Permira reports on material ESG issues to their LPs through its annual portfolio review document and, where appropriate, on an ad-hoc basis. Some of their LPs will also send out annual ESG questionnaires. Overall, Permira believes that when reporting to LPs it is better to overcommunicate ESG factors rather than the converse, particularly where an issue surfaces unexpectedly.
Permira believes that they can always learn from companies with existing good practices and these could then be applied to other portfolio companies as applicable.
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A general partner's guide to integrating ESG factors in private equity
A general partner's case study: CapMan Russia
Case study by CapMan Russia
A general partner's case study: Blue Wolf Capital Partners
Case study by Blue Wolf Capital Partners
A general partner's case study: Apax Partners
Case study by Apax Partners
More Private equity
New members added to the Private Equity Advisory Committee
The PRI is delighted to announce the appointment of three new signatory representatives to the Private Equity Advisory Committee.
Call for case studies – human rights and private equity
The PRI will be affording its work on human rights equal strategic priority to its work on climate change. Over the next few years, human rights will be a significant focus for us in our Investment Practices team, including in our private equity program.
US directors' duties: private equity backed companies and ESG
The PRI has commissioned a legal memorandum from law firm Debevoise Plimpton on the duties of US directors, as they pertain to ESG. This piece follows from a similarly commissioned report in 2019 looking at UK directors' duties. The US memo looks specifically at the law of Delaware, ...


A Hudson Valley woman was arrested over allegations she fraudulently cashed checks at several banks.
On Friday, Town of Wallkill Police detectives arrested 38-year-old Amy Wase of Wallkill for criminal possession of stolen property, criminal possession of a forged instrument, grand larceny and identity theft.
Wase arrested after an investigation found that she had fraudulently cashed checks at several banks, police say.
Wase was released on her own recognizance until her next court appearance in the Town of Wallkill Court.


A fatal accident inquiry into a helicopter crash in Glasgow which killed 10 people has heard from a fuel system expert.
Sir Kenny Dalglish has revealed how the "wonderful education" he received from Billy McNeill during his early days at Celtic helped put him on the road to his own moment of European glory.
Police are probing reports of a "crazy" road rage attack in north Fife on Tuesday evening.
Just in time for the one week of sunshine the UK gets, Aston Martin has revealed a drop-top version of its latest flagship machine.
Promotion-chasing Barnsley dominate the Professional Footballers' Association League One Team of the Year.
A former rubber factory in the heart of Edinburgh will reopen as an artists' hub this weekend.
Volkswagen has debuted a new addition to its 'Engineered To Go' range – a 16-seater wheelchair-accessible minibus.


No reflections so that is good. Hopefully they make you see better. If you have a fascination for better and newer gear, maybe the new ones will be shaper and make you think your current gears images are even better and that saves you money on G.A.S.
I like the angle of this picture.


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The year is 2037, and a bio-terrorist organization has released a devastating plague upon a major metropolitan area. Leading your hand-selected team of skilled soldiers armed with an array of futuristic weapons, fight your way through incredible cityscapes, underground subways, and dark sewers as you battle to bring down the radical terrorist threat in the first squad-based 3D action shooter for the PlayStation 2. Developed by EA Square, X Squad is slated for a Fall 2000 release.


This will be the only post on this page in July.
Two hundred and thirty six years ago, the Continental Congress made the decision to form its own democracy and relieve itself of the perceived subjugation by Great Britain. John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail, and told her that 2 July would be a day of celebration. Well, he was only off by two days as the fourth was when the Declaration of Independence was signed. Initially called Independence Day, it is now celebrated as the Fourth of July.
Most of the signatories, led by Benjamin Franklin, suggested that the day be one of great noise, illumination, and great joy in the thirteen colonies. Everyone realized that democracies can be messy and difficult to form, but they persisted and their grit led to ratification, and the Revolutionary war cemented the idea of a democratic form of government.
Today, Americans celebrate the day with "great noise and illumination", vacations, cookouts, and relaxation and recreation. But, as with other holidays, I often wonder how many of us actually connect the day with the event we are marking. I know that there are parades and fireworks, and political hay being made, and I am sure that some people reflect on the past and the significance of the day. But the word that often comes to mind is that Americans are apathetic and have little concern about democracy and how we are governing ourselves. Have we simply become complacent or is there a basis for our lack of involvement in the political process?
We have had 44 presidents so far, and there have only been a few who have had humble beginnings and therefore, a connection to the average voter. In the 19th century there was Jackson, Fillmore, Buchanan, Lincoln, Johnson, Grant, and Garfield. In the 20th century, there was only Hoover. And in the 21st century, even Obama, who had a difficult start to life, had wealth when he ran for president. I am not saying that wealth is a bad concept; it is a part of the capitalistic system, but it seems to cause some isolation from the real world of survival. All of the men elected were also backed with political machinery, and there have been no independent winners of the office.
I have voted in many elections and have always felt obligated to "do my civic duty" even though I was less than enthusiastic about the candidates. But it continues to be a choice between the lesser of two evils with no candidate really seeming to be the best possible choice. And, I realize that there are Americans who will never have an interest in politics or where the country is going, but those of us who do, are frustrated.
We have a Supreme Court that is more politically driven than ever, a bicameral legislature that is governed by ideologues who can't compromise on any issue, and an executive branch that considers the constitution to be an out dated document.


Right, interesting because there seemed to be a clean break at the end of the previous series and then I thought a gap. Thought that was because there wasn't a secure future for the thing.
Thought him getting his daughter back and then heading to Brighton or wherever seemed to be a clean end.