text:
My History Degree is Finally Paying off With 'Black Ops'
Rick Dakan
Of course there are people playing Black Ops who actually remember some of these events from their own lives, and their experience must be even different than mine.
I studied history in undergrad and grad school for six years, but I've never worked a day as a historian or a teacher. I have defended my college degree as being an influence and resource on my writing as well as a good way to learn how to think. Also, I can recognize the first 15 Roman Emperors by coins or busts, which is amazingly useful. But now I have an all new benefit to crow about: I get a lot more interest out of Call of Duty: Black Ops because I know something about the historical events that form the game's backdrop.
These are subtle, fleeting pleasures to be sure, but I really do appreciate the ways that Black Ops works on multiple levels, depending on your familiarity with the era. It can be played like any other Call of Duty game, in which flashing images and maps scroll by at high speed while a serious sounding man expresses concern and ruthless resolve in the face of the enemy. Like those other games, I often went into missions with no clear idea why I was there or what I needed to do. Because Black Ops is spread out across many years and continents and moves forward and backwards in time, this can all be even more confusing than is maybe necessary.
But then there are those moments where the game's path crosses with real history, and when it does, there really is something extra exciting about it for me. The first came when I got off a helicopter at the Pentagon and was greeted by a man in a suit. I thought to myself, hey, I know that guy. That's Robert McNamara. A few moments later, the game confirmed this for me, but the fact that they'd modeled him well enough that I could recognize him (aided also by the fact that I knew it was 1963 and that he was Secretary of Defense) was kind of awesome in a way that not many games are. My mind flashed back to the excellent Errol Morris documentary about McNamara, The Fog of War. I could see this young, digital version of the older man in that film, reflecting back about his own decisions during the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Vietnam War. For me, this moment of wider context made the game come alive for me. For some reason, this moment with McNamara worked more for me than the moment with JFK that follows or with the earlier contact with Castro. The inclusion of a "second tier" historical personage helped sell me on the game's world more than seeing the expected famous faces.
As the game moves on in time, we find ourselves in Vietnam in late January, 1968. My birthday is January 30th, which is why I know that January 30, 1968 was the beginning of the infamous Tet Offensive, considered one of the great turning points in the war. Of course things go badly right away in the game as you're thrown into the famous battle of Khe Sahn, but even our victory on these game levels is overshadowed by the knowledge that it's only going to get much, much worse. Like so many other historical facts in the game, "Tet" does fly by on the screen during one of the interstitial montages, but I imagine most players who don't have outside knowledge of the era won't have any idea of its real import.
Of course there are people playing Black Ops who actually remember some of these events from their own lives, and their experience must be even more different than mine. It's all further complicated by the fact that the game not only references real history but also Hollywood history, drawing clear inspiration from movies about the era. All the while it proceeds at a breakneck, action-packed pace, leaving these details and homages for the observant or knowledgeable player while not detracting from the experience for those who don't know or care about such things.
In the end, I like Black Ops more than Modern Warfare 2 for its creation of this historical context and what it adds to the game's story. But I'm also looking forward to finishing it soon, so I can sink into the Rome of Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood. I only took a few classes that covered the cold war. I live and studied in Rome for four months. Finally, that semester abroad is really paying off.


text:
University of California, Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive
BAMPFA is UC Berkeley's premier visual arts venue, presenting more than 450 film screenings, scores of public programs, and up to twenty exhibitions annually. With its vibrant and eclectic programming, BAMPFA inspires the imagination and ignites critical dialogue through art, film, and other forms of creative expression. BAMPFA's collection includes more than 17,500 films and videos, including the largest collection of Japanese cinema outside of Japan, impressive holdings of Soviet cinema, West Coast avant-garde film, seminal video art, as well as hundreds of thousands of articles, reviews, posters, and other ephemera related to the history of film.
The University of California, Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive's digital collection at California Revealed consists of texts, moving images, and audio recordings from the 1910s to the 2010s. The collection includes audio recordings of presentations by visiting filmmakers; papers documenting the influential San Francisco screening series, Art in Cinema; and film and video related to performance, the 1960s counterculture, Harvey Milk, and other aspects of life in Berkeley and the surrounding San Francisco Bay Area.
2120 Oxford Street, #2250, Berkeley, CA, 94720
Film Series Five Program Notes, Sep 23 to Oct 21, 1949: Art in Cinema collection
Creator: San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
Creator: Stauffacher, Frank
Film Series Four Correspondence, 1949-1950: Art in Cinema collection
General correspondence, Aug - Dec 1949: Art in Cinema collection
General correspondence, Jan - Jul 1949: Art in Cinema collection
Magazine publicity correspondence, 1948-1949: Art in Cinema collection
Special Series Program Notes, 1948-1952: Art in Cinema collection
UC Berkeley Extension Series correspondence, Film Series Three, 1947, 1950: Art in Cinema collection
UC Berkeley Extension Series Program Notes, 1947-1953: Art in Cinema collection
Western Union telegrams 1949-1953: Art in Cinema collection

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Swiss-based Employers intending to hire British Citizen Workers could face Quota Restrictions from March 20, 2019
If the UK opts for a disorderly withdrawal from the EU in respect of BREXIT and no agreement is reached on immigration arrangements between Switzerland and the UK, then the current practice of Swiss-based employers hiring British citizen workers without quota restrictions in Switzerland will be disrupted.
To prepare for the above scenario in respect of BREXIT, the Swiss Federal Council intends to allocate separate work permit quotas to British citizens from March 30, 2019. The quotas, to be released quarterly, are slated to include 2100 B long-term permits and 1400 L short-term permits, which would be applicable from March 30 to December 31, 2019.
British citizens who relocate to Switzerland for work for the first time would be subject to the above quota restrictions as well as the Act on Foreign Nationals and Integration (similar to Non-EU/EFTA nationals). Swiss-based employers would thus need to take into consideration the work permit quota contingency for British citizen work-arrangements in Switzerland (and also determine alternatives where work permit quotas are not available).
On a positive note, British citizens already legally residing in Switzerland would remain protected under the Agreement on Free Movement of Persons (AFMP), and thus, the quota would not necessarily apply to them.
Where a withdrawal agreement on immigration arrangements is reached between the UK and Switzerland, a transitional period would ensure that the AFMP would continue to apply for an extended time, such as until the end of 2020. During this transitional period, Swiss-based employers would be able to continue hiring British citizens without the above noted quota-restrictions as new bilateral agreements are formed between Switzerland and the UK.
For the present time being it is uncertain whether or not there will be a BREXIT deal and whether a withdrawal agreement will be reached between the UK and Switzerland in respect of immigration arrangements. Swiss-based employers should plan accordingly and stay apprised of developments in this regard.
February 15, 2019 Global, News & Updates


Join us on Tuesday afternoons for an All Levels Painting course. Come as a beginner to learn technique, or enjoy the community of other painters as you work on your own subject matter with the support of a skilled instructor. This class is appropriate for acrylic and oil painters.


text:
Farrow launches polio charity in Chad
Actress and activist MIA FARROW has launched a new polio campaign in Chad in a bid to eradicate the illness in Central Africa.
14:56, Thu, Feb 23, 2012
The Rosemary's Baby star embarked on a 10-day tour of the region earlier this month (Feb12) in her role as a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF.
During the trip, Farrow, who suffered from the disease as a child, officially launched the organisation's polio vaccination campaign in the hope it will drive down the number of outbreaks of the viral infection.
She says, "To see the eradication of polio would be very meaningful to me personally. The challenge here in Chad is to convince all parents that the vaccine is safe and to reach every child, even in the most remote places."


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Home Ports of Entry Airports/Aviation BAE Wins $52M Navy ATC & Landing Sys Award (Learn More)
BAE Wins $52M Navy ATC & Landing Sys Award (Learn More)
The U.S. Navy has awarded BAE Systems a five-year contract worth as much as $52 million to provide essential maintenance and testing support for various air traffic control and landing systems.
These systems provide Navy pilots with electronic guidance to help them land safely on the ground and at sea, in all weather conditions.
Under the new contract, which is a continuation of work that BAE Systems has been performing for decades, the company will test, evaluate, and certify Navy aircraft landing systems and subsystems.
(Learn More about BAE Systems, courtesy of BAE Systems Inc. and YouTube)
The company will also provide the engineering and technical expertise to overhaul and restore the Navy's systems and equipment.
"For more than 40 years, our team of engineering professionals have ensured the reliability of the Navy's flight systems to enhance the safety of its pilots," said DeEtte Gray, president of BAE Systems' Intelligence & Security sector.
The contract work will continue to be performed primarily at Navy facilities in St. Inigoes, Maryland.
BAE Systems provides a broad range of solutions and services, including intelligence analysis, cyber operations, IT, systems development, systems integration, and operations and maintenance to enable the U.S. military and government to recognize, manage, and defeat threats.
The company takes pride in supporting critical national security missions that protect the nation and those who serve.
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DiamondLobby / Comparisons / 8 Games Like Yandere Simulator
8 Games Like Yandere Simulator
Image credit: YandereDev
Yandere Simulator is a stealth video game centered around a schoolgirl named Ayano Aishi. The game is being developed by YandereDev. Players control Ayano, who will do whatever it takes to eliminate girls who fall in love with her crush.
Yandere girls is a term that refers to girls who love a boy so much they're capable of doing horrific things to anyone interested in him. In the game, you can electrocute, drown, torture, poison, and kidnap other girls.
Almost the entirety of the gameplay in Yandere Simulator takes place at the school. There's also a town where you can earn and spend money. You have to use your wits to eliminate schoolgirls who seem interested in your crush while maintaining the reputation of an innocent girl.
Here are some games you should check out if you like Yandere Simulator.
Saiko No Sutoka
Yandere School
Crimson Gray
Persona 5 Strikers is an action RPG developed by P-Studio and Omega Force. It represents a crossover between two franchises – Persona and Dynasty Warriors. The game came out in Japan in 2020, followed by a worldwide release a year later. You can play Persona 5 Strikers on PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and Windows.
The Persona franchise has been around for a very long time. The first release in the series was Revelations: Persona. The video game came out in 1996 and is today considered a cult classic.
The story of this game is set in Japan and follows a group of vigilante high-school students. You control a character named Joker, who has the ability to wield multiple Personas. The gameplay contains aspects of both games. For instance, it contains both the turn-based battle system from Persona and the real-time action from Dynasty Warriors.
Persona 5 Strikers features only a single-player mode, but you can form an active party of up to four members. Joker is your main character in the game, all others are removable from the party. You'll have both active members and standby members in Persona 5 Strikers.
Aside from a very interesting dynamic of two combat systems, you'll also have to use stealth to avoid hostile enemies. In some parts of the game, you'll be required to solve puzzles to progress. If you come into close contact with enemies, a battle will be initiated.
In Yandere Simulator you take on the role of a yandere girl. In this game, you're the victim of one. Saiko No Sutoka is a survival horror video game developed and published by independent studio Habupain. It is available for macOS, Linux, and Windows. There's also a version of the game released for Android devices.
In Saiko No Sutoka, the player must survive after being abducted by a yandere girl. The girl, named Saiko Chan is a psycho serial killer who is controlled by AI. There are two different modes the AI will switch between throughout the game.
The first mode is yandere and doesn't involve direct hostile behavior toward you. In this mode, the Saiko will display both playful and psycho behavior. She will slow you down using various methods and prevent you from escaping.
The second mode is called yangire and features very hostile behavior. When Saiko is in this state, she will hurt you and attempt to kill you. However, when she does enough damage she'll go back to the yandere mode.
Saiko traps you in the school and your ultimate goal is to escape her. You can do this by collecting numbers as you progress through the game so that you can open the safe with the exit door key. The gameplay in Saiko No Sutoka is very exciting and will keep you on your toes from start to finish. It's also quite challenging, as the intelligent AI will often outsmart you in different ways.
Lucius is a psychological horror stealth game that was released in 2012. The game was developed by Finnish independent studio Shiver Games and spawned two sequels. The game features a single-player mode and is available only for Windows.
You play Lucius, a young boy who was a normal child until his sixth birthday. It was then that his true purpose was revealed. When you start the game you learn that Lucius was born on June 6 in 1966. His mother gave birth in room 666 at the St. Benedict Memorial Hospital.
On your sixth birthday, Lucifer comes to visit you to reveal he's your real father. He gives you a task to murder everyone in your family. Lucifer also provides you with supernatural powers that make it easy for you to commit evil deeds. With every person you kill in Lucius, your powers become stronger.
Throughout the game, you use powers like mind control and telekinesis to take out family members one by one. Your mission is to make all death seem like accidents. The gameplay is very entertaining and will occupy you for some time. There are 18 different chapters in the game. In each member, you'll kill one family member or someone from the staff at your parent's manor.
There are many puzzles you'll be required to solve in Lucius, some of them being quite difficult to solve. There are two possible endings in the game.
Yandere School is a video game based on Yandere Simulator. It was released for Windows in 2017 and there's a version for Android devices that came out in 2021. It was developed by independent studio Tea and Cake Games.
The story in the game is very similar to Yandere Simulator. It follows a schoolgirl named Akari Furutaka who is too shy to confess her feelings to a boy she loves a lot. You fell in love with a boy named Makio Sono. To make sure you can have him, you must kill anyone from the school who competes for Makio's attention.
The entirety of the video game takes place in a high school. You will have many enemies that you'll have to take out, from his arranged bride to an exchange student. At one point, even the school baseball team will stand in your way. You can collect various weapons in the school that you'll use to kill other students.
The game features slow but entertaining gameplay. Aside from taking out students at your school, you'll also have to make sure nobody saw you committing the act of crime. Players are required to hide traces of murders. The game is set in a 3D environment inspired by Japanese Animation.
Although the gameplay is quite violent in this game, it's not as extreme as in Yandere Simulator. Nonetheless, it provides a very interesting playing experience that's incredibly similar to Yandere Simulator.
Crimson Gray is an underrated gem that was developed and published by Sierra Lee. It is a visual novel that was released in 2017 and features quite an interesting story involving a yandere girl. You can play Crimson Gray on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
The story follows two young people – John and Lizzie. John is a man who is losing a sense of purpose in life. He suffers from severe depression and starts giving up on life. When John is at his worst, he meets Lizzie.
In the beginning, Lizzie appears to be a very affectionate person. It's soon revealed that her mental instability is so severe that she's ready to do anything to get what she wants. John notices this but continues to be by her side to help her become more mentally stable. Meanwhile, Lizzie is in love with him and is prepared to murder anyone to make John happy.
Your choices in the game will heavily impact how the story evolves. Even subtle actions can change the fate of your characters by making certain decisions. Lizzie might ruin her chances or John might succumb to his depression. There are multiple endings to Crimson Gray.
The game is notable for tackling the subject of mental instability in a very interesting way. The story will keep you on your toes during the duration of the whole game.
Doki Doki Literature Club! is a legendary visual novel that was developed by Team Salvato. The original version of the game was released in 2017. There's also an expanded version that came out in 2021. You can play the original on Windows, macOS, and Linux. The expanded version is available for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, macOS, Windows, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.
If you have never heard of Doki Doki Literature Club! before, don't let the charming graphics fool you. When you start playing the game, it appears as an innocent dating simulator. As you start exploring the world, you realize that it's a psychological horror game.
The story follows the protagonist as he receives an invitation to join his high school's literature club from a childhood friend. From there, the events that occur are quite disturbing. There are moments of tragic dialogue and grotesque violence. The game is notable for often breaking the fourth wall.
The decisions you make in the game will have an impact on the outcome. One of the main gameplay elements in Doki Doki Literature Club! is a poem-writing minigame where you can choose your words to show interest in a specific girl in the club. There are two different endings to the game, which will unravel based on your course of action.
Bully is an underrated release from Rockstar Games. It's an action-adventure game that was released in 2006 and later remastered. You can play Bully on PlayStation 2, Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360, and Windows. There are also versions of the game available for Android and iOS devices.
The story follows a 15-year-old named Jimmy Hopkins who is a student at a fictional board school called Bullworth Academy. You're a teenage rebel who starts climbing up the social ranks at your school. You have numerous missions you have to complete to make progress in the game.
Since the game is set in an open world, you're free to explore it when you're not completing missions. There are also some side quests that you can do for money. Based on your actions, some social groups at the school will like you while others will despise you. When a group doesn't like you, they'll try to attack you.
You can roam around the open world on foot or by using one of the vehicles available in the game, including a skateboard, bicycle, go-kart, and scooter. There are also multiple weapons at your disposal, such as firecrackers, baseball bats, spud guns, and slingshots.
Players also have the option of attending classes. Each class will be presented as a minigame that you can complete to unlock new abilities or clothing items.
Pacify is an action-adventure survival horror video game developed by Shawn Hitchcock. It was released in 2019 and has since been often regarded as one of the scariest games to come out in recent years. The game contains both single-player and multiplayer modes. You can play Pacify on macOS and Windows.
You take on the role of an employee at Paranormal Activity Helpers Incorporated. You start the job with a mission to investigate an old haunted house. From there, you experience everything but normal events.
The gameplay in Pacify contains both exploration and survival elements. Players need to run for their lives in the old spooky house that's haunted by an evil little girl controlled by AI. As you make progress in the game, the AI will get faster and smarter. You'll need to utilize different strategies to leave the house. It's also important to use items like wood, matches, and keys to avoid the girl.
There are three different modes in Pacify. The first is the standard single-player mode, which is extremely challenging. It's a bit easier if you're playing in co-op multiplayer that supports up to four players in total.
Then there's also the PvP mode where many people are at the house competing for a full-time position at Paranormal Activity Helpers Incorporated. The person who does the most work gets the job.
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Q: How to determine if a number is a prime in a faster fashion using additional threads? I have a program which is PrimeNumbers class. It displays if the x is a prime or not. The x is the number being analyzed in the program.
There is a time on how long will the program take to know the answer. x is so big it takes 9 seconds to know the answer. How could the program run faster using more threads? I am having a hard time on getting how to   implement thread in this situation.
public class PrimeNumbers {
    private static int x = 2147483647;

    public static boolean prime= true;

    public static void main(String[]args){

        long start,  end, elapsetime;
        start= System.currentTimeMillis();

        for(int y=2; y<x; y++){
            if(x % y == 0){
                prime=false;
                System.out.println(y);
                break;
            }
        }

        end = System.currentTimeMillis();

        elapsetime = end - start;
        System.out.println("Prime: " + prime);

        System.out.println(elapsetime+ " mill sec " + (elapsetime / 1000
            + " seconds."));

    }
}

A: I'm going to ignore whether you've got the most efficient approach and focus on how your current code could be faster with more threads.
You currently iterate through all the numbers from 2 -> x and perform a simple test. A way to improve performance might be to split this task into Z chunks and start Z threads to perform the tests in parallel.
E.g. if you had two threads, you would have one thread examine 2 -> x/2 and the other examine x/2 + 1 -> x. Each thread should break from its testing if a global (and probably volatile) flag is set to true, which would indicate the other thread has disproved the prime.

A: Your primality test is very inefficient, you're looping over each number less than x. How can you improve it? This link should be helpful.
A good algorithm would be the AKS test, or Sieve of Eratosthenes. The code below implements one of the algorithms from the wiki article, which is much more efficient than the test you posted.
public static boolean isPrime(long n) {

    // http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primality test

    if (n <= 3) return n > 1;
    if (n % 2 == 0 || n % 3 == 0) return false;
    for (int i = 5; i*i <=n; i+=6) {
      if (n % i == 0 || n % (i+2) == 0) return false;
    }
    return true;
  }
}

A: If you intersted for a better algorithm Munyari has already suggested one.
Ignoring this following example can help you how you can make parallely execute an algorithm (even if it is a stupid algorithm)
We need a class which implements Callable interface (similar one to Runnable). It should get the part of the job and calculate it.
public class PrimeChecker implements Callable<Boolean> {

    private final long numberToCheck;
    private final long start;
    private final long end;

    public PrimeChecker(long numberToCheck, long start, long end) {
        this.numberToCheck = numberToCheck;
        this.start = start;
        if (end >= numberToCheck) {
            this.end = numberToCheck - 1;
        }else{
            this.end = end;
        }
        System.out.println("A PrimeChecker with start " + start + " and end " + end + " values to check number "
                + numberToCheck);
    }

    @Override
    public Boolean call() throws Exception {
        boolean prime = true;
        long current = start;

        if (current != 2 && (current % 2 == 0)) {
            current = current + 1;
        }

        for (; current < end; current = current + 2) {
            if (numberToCheck % current == 0) {
                prime = false;
                System.out.println("The number " + numberToCheck + " is divisable with " + current);
                return prime;
            }
        }
        return prime;
    }

}

It simply start from a number and check if the given number numberToCheck is divisable and continues until it reaches the number end.
In the Main class we have to create multiple PrimeChecker jobs and execute them parallely. For this purpose we use Java's ExecutorService. It creates for us a thread pool. And then we can divide the job on multiple PrimeCheckers. Finally we execute them invokeAll method of ExecutorService. This gives us a Future list, which contains results of each jobs that we executed parallely.
public class Main {

    public static boolean prime= true;

    public static void main(String[] args) throws InterruptedException, ExecutionException {
        long startTime = System.currentTimeMillis();

        long numberToCheck = 5333334345L;
        int numberOfThreads = 10;
        System.out.println("Checking if the number " + numberToCheck + " ...");

        ExecutorService executor = Executors.newFixedThreadPool(numberOfThreads);

        List<PrimeChecker> primeCheckers = new ArrayList<PrimeChecker>();

        long partOfNumber = (long) Math.ceil((double)numberToCheck/ numberOfThreads);
        long start = 2 ;
        long end = 0;
        for(int i = 0; i < numberOfThreads; i++){
            end = end + partOfNumber;
            primeCheckers.add(new PrimeChecker(numberToCheck, start, end));
            start = end+1;
        }

        List<Future<Boolean>> futures = executor.invokeAll(primeCheckers);

        for(Future<Boolean> future : futures){
            prime = future.get();
            if(prime == false){
                break;
            }
        }

        System.out.println("The number " + numberToCheck + " is " + (prime ? "a prime" :"NOT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! a prime") + " number");

        long endTime = System.currentTimeMillis();
        long elapsetime = endTime - startTime;
        System.out.println(elapsetime + " milliseconds");

        System.exit(0);
    }
}

You can try it with different numbers of threads (see numberOfThreads variable) to see the difference.
I hope it is a useful example for you, to understand multi threading better. (Be careful: It is only a tiny tiny part part of the whole threading theme)

A: If you do not need to implement the prime check yourself, I would propose to use the API. You can control the certainty, depending on your needs. In the example it is: 1-(1/2)100
public static void main(String[] args) {
    BigInteger mersenne = new BigInteger("2").pow(521).add(BigInteger.ONE.negate());
    System.out.println("digits of the number: " + mersenne.toString().length());

    long start = System.currentTimeMillis();
    final int certainty = 100;
    boolean isPrime = mersenne.isProbablePrime(certainty);
    System.out.println("elapsed millis: " + (System.currentTimeMillis() - start));
    System.out.println("isPrime       : " + isPrime);
}

edit
Here is an optimised version of the proposed example.
public class PrimeNumbers {
    private static int x = 2147483647;
    public static boolean prime= true;

    public static void main(String[]args){

        long start, end, elapsetime;
        int divisor = 1;

        start= System.currentTimeMillis();

        if (x % 2 == 0) {
            prime = false;
            divisor = 2;
        } else {
            // - you can use an increment of two
            // because you don't need to check
            // for a divisor which is a multiple
            // of two
            // - you don't need to check for any divisor
            // which is greater than x/2
            for(int y=3; y < x/2; y += 2){
                if(x % y == 0){
                    prime=false;
                    divisor = y;
                    break;
                }
            }
        }

        end = System.currentTimeMillis();

        System.out.println("Prime: " + prime);
        if (!prime) {
            System.out.println("divisible by: " + divisor);
        }

        elapsetime = end - start;
        System.out.println(elapsetime+ " mill sec " + (elapsetime / 1000
            + " seconds."));
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


WHAT'S IN MY BEACH BAG.
I thought it would be fun to show you what we take to the beach/pool/lake/river.
We do it all here in Texas during the brutally hot summer months.
I totally left out the mini speakers, i-pod, zinka, h20, and snacks. What was I thinking? I was thinking I need to hurry up and get to the beach!
We would love for you to join in and show us what's in your beach bag!
Tagged: WHATS IN MY BEACH BAG. WHATS IN MY BAG. SUMMER TIME. TEXAS. HOUSTON BLOG. COOLER MAGAZINE. SHARK NECKLACE.


text:
Finance & InsuranceMarkets & Investment
Markets & Investment News Vietnam
Facebook's Libra has staggering potential - state control of money could end
The UN recognises 180 currencies worldwide as legal tender, all of them issued by nation states. It does not recognise cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin in this way, even if communities of enthusiasts have been treating them as a means of exchange for over a decade now...
By Gavin Brown 27 Jun 2019
Crunch time for fruit exports
After 23 years in SA's R6bn fruit industry, many of them as managing director of Tru-Cape Fruit Marketing - SA's biggest producer of apples and pears - Charles Hughes is retiring without having fulfilled his ambition of gaining access to China's vast market. He blames it on the SA government.
Transnet on the hunt for foreign contracts
Transnet Engineering (TE), a unit of the state-owned freight and logistics company, is exploring new narrow-gauge markets in Latin America, South-east Asia and Australia in a bid to meet its growth targets, according to strategy and marketing general manager Thoba Majoka.
By Nicky Smith 6 May 2013


Summoning Bell in Revenant's Toll.
New features for the Market Board.
Ability to summon random minions and mounts.
Dhorme Chimera and Hydra added to Duty Finder.
Saved gear sets will automatically substitute the main hand weapon if it's not available.
Cooldown timer able to be seen for timeworn map collection.
Character stats will affect Quick Synthesis success rates.
Limiting results to the first 20 Armors. Click here to see the rest of the Patch 2.16 Armor.


text:
Scientists Use Human Hair to Make Displays for Smart Devices
The researchers have been turning human hair into carbon nanodots of one-millionth of a millimetre.
By Loukia Papadopoulos
CoffeeAndMilk/iStock
QUT researchers in Australia have come up with an impressive new technique that sees human hair waste recycled into flexible displays that may be used in smart devices. The scientists have succeeded in turning small hair strands into carbon nanodots, uniform dots that are one-millionth of a millimeter.
RELATED: COMPANY WANTS TO STOP HAIR LOSS WITH TECHNOLOGY
To produce the carbon nanodots, the researchers break down the hairs and then burn them at 240 degrees Celcius. The nanodots are then uniformly dispersed in a polymer.
They then further self-assemble to form small groupings of nanodots, also called "nano-islands". These islands preserve the emission from a material in a solid-state and are used as an active layer in organic light-emitting diode (OLED) devices. This creates a device that can light up with a blue color when just a little voltage is applied.
"Waste is a big problem," Associate Professor Prashant Sonar said in a statement.
"Human hair derived carbon dot-based organic light-emitting devices could be used for some indoor applications such as smart packaging. They could also be used where a small light source is required such as in signs or in smart bands and could be used in medical devices because of the non-toxicity of the material."
Source: W6/iStock
Sonar added that the researchers chose hair as their source for the carbon dots because it is a natural source of carbon and nitrogen. He also wanted to prevent it from just ending up in landfills.
Sonar said the human hair-derived carbon nanodots do not glow bright enough to be able to be used in television screens. They are, however, powerful enough to be used in flexible screens, wearable devices, smart packaging, and more.
Now, the team is looking into other types of hair.
"We have proven it works for human hair. We're now interested if we could get the same results from animal hair," Sonar said
"Perhaps we could produce flexible OLEDs using small strands of wool from sheep or leftover dog hair from pet grooming salons."
Smart Devices and AI Team up To Help Monitor Mental Health
Derya Ozdemir
Smart City in China Uses AI to Get to Know Citizens Better
Scientists Used Soda Bread as a Scaffold for Tissue Engineering
Scientists Use Radars To Observe Space Dust In Novel Method


Amsterdam, the Netherlands – Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG AEX: PHIA) today announced it will be among the leading organizations collaborating with the Mayo Clinic to climb Mount Kilimanjaro on a research expedition to understand how the body reacts to the rigors of high altitude and how those learnings can be applied to improving human health. Because the lack of oxygen at high altitudes mimics oxygen deprivation in the body during a cardiac event, Philips researchers hope to understand how to better detect and prevent cardiac issues. The expedition, which will last about 10 days, starts on August 7 and will be chronicled on social media through the hashtag #kiliclimb2016.
Mount Kilimanjaro is the highest peak in Africa at nearly 20,000 feet and the highest free standing mountain in the world. As a leader in digital health technologies, including life-saving devices such as automated external defibrillators (AEDs), Philips researchers hope to use the latest in app-based and digital technologies to record the vital signs of the nearly 35 participants on the climb, whose ages range from 25 to 65, to find clues as to how the body adapts to lack of oxygen.
Contactless monitoring: In many care settings, monitoring heart rate, arterial blood oxygenation, respiration rate and activity is a standard part of patient care to detect complications or deterioration. The current method for measuring these key vital signs requires the use of sensors on the skin or devices strapped to the body. Contactless monitoring solutions will offer clinicians a way to accurately measure vital signs for patients in a non-obtrusive way, and provide them with the data needed to know when to intervene. With every heartbeat, the cardiovascular pressure wave causes tiny 'micro-blushes' (small changes in skin color) in the face. While these changes are not visible to the human eye, Philips' contactless monitoring algorithms can calculate an accurate pulse rate by quantifying these changes.
Philips CX50 xMATRIX and Lumify ultrasound systems: Philips portable CX50 xMATRIX is designed to bring premium ultrasound capability to a variety of care settings. Philips Lumify is a smart-device, app-based ultrasound designed to help make ultrasound more accessible. Lumify operates on compatible Android smart devices equipped with Internet and email functionality. The Philips CX50 xMATRIX will be used to study heart measurements while the Lumify will be used for pulmonary measurements, both of which will help provide researchers with insight on the effects of hypoxia on human physiology.
Sleep diagnostics: At high altitude , the lack of oxygen can impact the body in a number of ways, including increased work of breathing and heart rate. The Alice NightOne wireless home sleep testing system will enable the research team to gather data on sleep quality and possible sleep disturbances from reduced oxygen content in the blood at high altitudes.
For real-time updates throughout the duration of the climb, please follow #kiliclimb2016 via @Philips and @PhilipsHealth. For more information on Philips advanced technologies in cardiology care, please visit: https://www.usa.philips.com/healthcare/medical-specialties/cardiology.


Can you imagine Chicken Soup for the New Thought Soul? With your help, we can actually bring forth a special edition of the series that Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen have sold 150 million copies of so far . . . .
We are presently seeking volunteers to help us collect stories and resources to share in a Special New Thought edition of the Ultimate Destiny Success System (UDSS).
Members of our "New Thought Research and Development Team" will be given free review copies of all of the components of the UDSS. In addition, we will provide members free access to thousands of dollars worth of valuable information and resources on empowerment, enlightenment, leadership, transformation, etc. Many of these resources have been produced by world-class authors and trainers such as Mark Victor Hansen, Jack Canfield, Bob Proctor, Deepak Chopra, Brian Tracy, Jim Rohn, Earl Nightingale, Paul J. Meyer, Barbara Marx Hubbard, Jean Houston, etc.
When we have collected enough resources and stories of how New Thought has helped individuals enjoy success in one or more of the 14 areas, we will publish a special edition of the Ultimate Destiny Success System.
This new edition of the UDSS will be made available to any interested New Thought Center as an introductory publication they may share with members (and potential members) on a love offering basis with 50% to 100% of any revenue generated from the sale of the UDSS donated back to the Center by Ultimate Destiny.
Please use the Comment function below to share your story of how New Thought has helped you or someone you know.
Who knows, your story just might be the one that reaches and blesses millions of people all over the world, Imagine That!


Liver or Die Episode 9 Eng Sub Watch Free Download Video. Kshow Liver or Die Ep 9 Eng Sub/ Indo Sub Latest NewAsianTv Dailymotion Video. Watch Korean Tv Show Liver or Die Episode 9 Online English Subtitles Kdrama Full HD Video.


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Ricos 6.25 oz Nachos on the Go includes a 2.75 oz bag of Nacho chips and a 3.5oz cup of Cheese. The Chips and Cheese Sauce are packaged in a convenient easy to open box that has eye catching graphics. The ready to serve Nacho Cheese Sauce cup is filled with a smooth and delicious cheddar flavor. This cheese sauce is made with real cheddar cheese and contains a hint of jalapeno. The chips will give you a fresh, crispy taste with every bite. Grab a bag and enjoy!
Stoneground Corn Masa, Vegetable Oil (Contains One Or More Of The Following: Corn And/Or Soybean Oil) And Salt.


text:
Supermodel —en español: Supermodelo— es el segundo álbum de estudio de la banda estadounidense de indie pop Foster the People. Salió a la venta el 18 de marzo de 2014, bajo los sellos discográficos Columbia Records y Sony Music. El disco fue grabado en Marruecos, y después en Malibú (California) dentro de los Woodshed Studios, para continuar en los Henson Studios de Bronson Island en Los Ángeles y finalmente en los Epwort's Wolf Tone Studios de Londres. El primer sencillo de Supermodel es «Coming of Age», que es el tercer tema del disco, y que fue lanzado oficialmente el 13 de enero de 2014.

Portada
La obra de arte para el álbum fue diseñada por Young & Sick, el mismo artista que hizo las ilustraciones para el álbum debut de la banda, Torches, de 2011. La cubierta de Supermodel ofrece un diseño surrealista de la representación de una modelo rodeada de una multitud de personas y paparazzis hasta la celebración de las cámaras y tomando fotografías mientras posa en un soporte. También representa el modelo de recitar poesía escrita, ya que en las corrientes hacia abajo, agrandando a medida que alcanza hacia la parte inferior de la obra, se lee: «Me lo comí todo, de plástico, los diamantes y el arsénico recubiertos de azúcar mientras bailábamos en la miel y la sal del mar salpicado laxante. Coral floreció retratos a la luz de Rembrandt; pómulos altos y de moda. Snap! va el momento, una fotografía es viajar en el tiempo, como la luz de las estrellas muertas nos pintan con su cálida, titánico sangre. Caleidoscopios Parasitarias y luciérnagas psicotrópicas detienen me seco en seco».

Preparación
Mark Foster, integrante de Foster the People habló sobre el disco Supermodel y dijo que estaba enojado cuando lo escribió. Estas fueron sus palabras: «Cuando ahora escucho canciones anteriores pienso: "wow estaba muy enojado cuando escribí eso"». Mark explicó que la letra de las canciones del disco fueron escritas después de que tenía la música terminada. «Es como una cápsula del tiempo con pensamientos e ideas de las cosas que estaba pasando en ese momento» dijo. También dijo que el disco mantenía la identidad del grupo como el primer álbum. «Hay canciones que sirven como puente para que los fanes del primer álbum pasen al nuevo, pero también hay canciones que muestran un lado que no existía». El álbum se grabó con el productor Paul Epworth en Marruecos y Los Ángeles. El disco trata temas de consumismo y el capitalismo.

Promoción
Después de publicar el tráiler en la cuenta oficial de la banda en YouTube Vevo en el día de año nuevo, Supermodel fue presentado oficialmente el 13 de enero de 2014. La obra de arte para el álbum, diseñada por Young & Sick, fue pintado sobre la fachada de un edificio ubicado en 539 S Los Angeles Street en Los Ángeles, California con la ayuda del artista estadounidense Daniel Lahoda, los artistas callejeros americanos Leba y los grupos de arte de grafiti estadounidenses LA Freewalls y Vyal. El mural, pintado en toda la fachada del edificio de 100 pies, fue ejecutado durante la noche del 29 de diciembre de 2013 hasta la mañana del 9 de enero de 2014, y tomó más de 12 días con 16 horas en ser pintado.

Sencillos
«Coming of Age» es el primer sencillo del álbum, es la canción número tres de la lista, se grabó en el 2013 y estrenó el 13 de enero de 2014. Fue escrita y compuesta por Mark Foster, Isom Innis, Jacob Fink, Sean Cimino & Paul Epworth. El vídeo oficial del sencillo fue estrenado el 6 de febrero de 2014 por su cuenta oficial de Twitter a su vez en su cuenta oficial de YouTube Vevo. «Pseudología Fantástica» es el segundo sencillo del álbum, fue estrenado el 25 de febrero de 2014. En la lista del álbum se sitúa de número cinco, esta dura 5:31 minutos y fue escrita Mark Foster & Paul Epworth. «Best Friend» es el tercer sencillo, el cual se estrenó el 10 de marzo.

Lista de canciones

Edición de Lujo

Versión japonesa

Posicionamiento

Referencias

 http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/jul/08/genre-defying-foster-people-puts-quite-show/

 http://www.musicweek.com/story.asp?sectioncode=1&storycode=1045412&c=1

 http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/news/2011-05-13-On-the-Verge-Foster-the-People_n.htm

 http://articles.latimes.com/2011/jun/26/entertainment/la-ca-foster-the-people-20110626

 http://www.mondosonoro.com/Noticia/Viaja-a-los-ochenta-con-Foster-The-People/225984.aspx

 http://somosidolos.com/noticias/n/2014-01-31-foster-the-people-definen-como-furioso-su-nuevo-album

 https://web.archive.org/web/20140302115636/http://rollingstone.es/noticias/view/el-regreso-de-foster-the-people

Enlaces externos
 Sitio web de la banda

 www.youtube.com/fosterthepeople
 www.twitter.com/@fosterthepeople
 www.facebook.com/fosterthepeople
  www.vevo.com/fosterthepeople

Álbumes de Foster the People
Álbumes de 2014
Álbumes en inglés
Álbumes de indie pop

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


THE webcam is a fantastic invention for any modern restaurateur. Using a smartphone app, they can keep an eye on their business from a distance.
When I visited The Rajdoot in Fleet Road, Hampstead, the owner showed me a live stream from his first branch in Marylebone.
The curry house was packed with customers; delivery drivers waited at the door.
Mohammed Rahman is one of four brothers running The Rajdoot. They opened their new branch in NW3 just a few months ago.
"My family has always been in restaurants," he says, explaining that his uncle opened his first venture back in 1964.
The Rajdoot occupies the site of the now-defunct Fleet Tandoori in Fleet Road, a short walk down the hill from the Royal Free Hospital.
This strip is now home to many eating options, including Deep Blue for fish and chips, Aroma Spice and Thai Heath Café.
The brothers have invested in a full revamp of the décor at The Rajdoot, with a sparkling new kitchen, pink and blue lighting, proper tablecloths and thoughtful touches such as fresh flowers.
The extensive menu offers an array of dishes from across India and Bangladesh, including familiar options such as baltis, biryanis and dishes from the tandoor oven.
I wanted to explore some of the more offbeat dishes. Top marks for the Bengal fish (£12.95), which had the complex, intense spicing of proper home-style cooking.
Boneless fillets of freshwater fish are slathered in a tomato-based sauce spiked with glistening curry leaves, which impart their distinctive savoury flavour.
Also recommended is their vegetable sabzi (£10.95), a house special served on a sizzling hot plate, and the benaroshi king prawns (£14.95).
If you crave meat, you might consider the raj murug monohori (£14.95), a dish of chicken marinated for 24 hours in a complex masala then cooked with lashings of garlic and ginger and served in a thick spicy sauce.
Desserts include kulfi ice cream and gulab jamun, the addictive deep fried dough balls soaked in sweet syrup.
Service at The Rajdoot is friendly and professional; we ate with a soundtrack of Bollywood hits.
Trade is slowly building at this solid Indian restaurant as locals discover the menu. "I've seen a lot of customers from the hospital – doctors and nurses – and bus drivers from the depot," says Rahman.
To drum up business, they are offering a 15 per cent discount on your food bill if you book a table.
At lunchtime, there's a special menu such as papadoms, onion bhaji, a curry, rice or naan for £9.95; a take-away box costs £5.95.
You can also order online or by phone for free delivery in NW3, NW5, NW1, NW6, NW8 or enjoy a 10 per cent discount for collected orders over £12.
Good luck to the team at The Rajdoot, who deserve to do well. I've just bought a bag of curry leaves to attempt that fish dish back at home.


I am resigning as treasurer of Rock Creek Hills Citizens Association effective April 4th, which is the date of our next general meeting. I have enjoyed my 3-year stint as treasurer. I felt that the work was worthwhile and interesting.
The treasurer's job mostly entails handling dues payments, reconciling accounts, drafting very simple financial statements and writing checks to pay expenses throughout the year. The most time-consuming task is handling dues payments; however, this task occurs only one time per year, usually February. "Handling" means accepting payments, depositing payments at our nearby bank and updating our Dues Paid list.
I have been using Quickbooks. The new treasurer can takeover where I left off if this person owns Quickbooks software … for Windows or Mac. Accounting for the association can be done manually, too. Quickbooks is nice, but over-kill for our needs. I just happened to have it on my computer when I became treasurer. That said, QB made creating financial documents easy … click, click, done. Made keeping track of who is current with dues easy, too.
The RCHCA treasurer also wears a second hat. By tradition, the new treasurer will also be a member of the Board of Rock Creek Hills Covenants, Incorporated (RCHCI). RCHCI was organized in 1958 by RCHCA to take over the responsibilities and power over covenants in Rock Creek Hills from developers. This position is suited for anyone who has strong feelings either way about enforcement of covenants.
Please call or send an email if there are any questions.


Reggie Gallaspy rushed for 231 yards and had two touchdowns in the Southern Guilford Storm's 21-14 win over Smith. The award goes out to Gallaspy for the high school football week of September 20….This award is the Bob Sawyer Guilford County High School Football Player of the Week and comes by way of the Greensboro Rotary Club….
Reggie's coach at Southern Guilford is Daryl Brown….


Upstream iPhone suppliers are preparing to ramp up production to between 120 million and 150 million units in the second half of Apple's fiscal year 2017, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities revealed on Tuesday in a note to investors, a copy of which was obtained by AppleInsider.
If those numbers hold, that could blow past the previous peak of between 110 million to 120 million that suppliers prepared for at the launch of the iPhone 6, which remains Apple's best-selling handset ever.
In Kuo's view, a combination of factors suggest Apple's 2017 upgrades will lead to "unprecedented replacement demand," led by a new high-end OLED model that is expected to feature an all-new design and "notably superior specifications" from a pair of new models with LCD screens.
Kuo also has high hopes for the new 4.7-inch model with LCD, however, predicting that the addition of a glass back and wireless charging will make it the company's new mid-range handset, appealing to a wide swath of consumers. But the jumbo-sized 5.5-inch iPhone Plus series is predicted to be cannibalized by the new flagship OLED model, which is said to feature a screen size measuring somewhere around 5.1 or 5.2 inches diagonally.
Earlier this month, Kuo indicated that both the 5.5-inch Plus and slightly smaller OLED "iPhone 8" will feature dual-camera systems. But it is not expected that the 2017 4.7-inch "iPhone 7s" will gain a second camera, as was introduced on the iPhone 7 Plus.
The flagship OLED iPhone is believed to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Apple's revolutionary handset. Reports have suggested the design shakeup will enable Apple to embed key features —including the FaceTime camera, earpiece and Touch ID fingerprint sensor— beneath the display, boasting a truly seamless edge-to-edge design.
Kuo has an extremely strong track record in predicting Apple's future product plans. He accurately weighed in on the 3 gigabytes of RAM in the iPhone 7 Plus A10 processor in November of 2015, followed up with details on Apple's new dual-camera system for the iPhone 7 Plus in January of 2016, and also nailed the details of the second-generation Apple Watch in April. He was also the first to reveal that Apple's new MacBook Pro models would feature an OLED Touch Bar and Touch ID and would launch in the fourth quarter of this year, and he also correctly forecast that a new entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro would replace the outgoing MacBook Air.


text:
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Threading.Tasks;

namespace HoloJson.Builder.Impl
{
    // Not implemented.
    // Do not use this class.
    /* public */ class CustomJsonBuilder : AbstractRichJsonBuilder
    {
        public CustomJsonBuilder()
        {
        }

    }

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Recent Tax Changes Proposed in Singapore's Budget 2020
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Mr. Heng Swee Keat introduced tax
changes in his Budget Statement for the Financial Year 2020.
Income tax in Singapore is calculated on the preceding year. For example, income of a company with a financial year ending on 30 June 2019, will be taxed in the Year of Assessment (YA) 2020.
The following is an overview of Singapore's recent tax changes proposed in Budget 2020:
1. YA 2020 Corporate Income Tax Rate and Rebate
Singapore's Corporate Income Tax Rate (CIT) of 17% remains unchanged as it is viewed as competitive next to Hong Kong's 16.5%. Hong Kong has an effective tax rate of 8.25% on its 1st HKD 2 million (S$366,000) profits with Singapore scoring a close 9.2%.
A 25% CIT Rebate capped at $15,000 is granted for the YA 2020. A company having a chargeable income (CI) of S$455,441 and a partial income tax exemption on its first 200,000 of CI will reap a maximum of CIT Rebate of S$15,000.
* After partial tax exemption of S$102,500 on the 1st S$200,000 of CI and tax rebate.
2. Carry-Back Relief Scheme
For YA 2020, the Carry-Back Relief (CBR) Scheme has been enhanced to allow for qualifying deductions to be carried back up to the preceding 3 YAs (Up from the usual 1 YA). In other words, qualifying deductions may be carried back for YA 2017 to YA 2019 and capped at $100,000, subject to terms and conditions.
An election can be made on the enhanced or current CBR scheme for YA 2020 current year CA/losses. When one elects the enhanced CBR scheme, the order of set off is strictly against YA 2017 profits, followed by YA 2018 then YA 2019. Compared to YA 2017's high CIT rebate of 50% versus the YA 2019's 20%, it may be worthwhile to simply carry back to YA 2019 profits instead of YA 2017, depending on the CI for each YA.
Unless your CI is above S$446,618 in YA 2017, a S$100,000 carry back of YA 2020 QD to YA 2017 will not yield the maximum SS17,000 in tax refund.
3. Merger & Acquisition Scheme
The Merger & Acquisition (M&A) scheme, a strategy for growth and internationalisation), has been proposed to be extended to cover qualifying acquisitions (QA) made on or before 31 December 2025.
The M&A scheme provides the following benefits:
An allowance (to be written down over 5 years) equal to 25% of the value of a QA, subject to a S$40 million cap on all QA (i.e. a maximum allowance of S$10 million) per YA.
Stamp duty (SD) relief on the instruments for the acquisition of ordinary shares under an M&A deal, capped at S$80,000 of SD per financial year.
200% tax deduction on transaction costs such as legal or valuation fees, incurred on qualifying share purchases, up to S$100,000 per YA.
Since 2012, conditions requiring the ultimate holding company of an acquiring company to be incorporated and a tax resident of Singapore (i.e. SG UHS condition) have been waived on a case-by-case basis.
The M&A scheme is extended to QA made on or before 31 December 2025, with the following changes:
Removing the SD relief for instruments executed on or after 1April 2020.
Waiver is no longer granted to the acquiring company on the SG UHC condition for qualifying M&A made on or after 1April 2020.
The proposed extension echoes the Government's sentiment to encourage and propel local small and medium enterprises (SME) to grow overseas. The removal of SD relief should not impact local companies looking to grow via overseas acquisitions. This resonates with the Government's move towards encouraging internationalisation of local SMEs. For SMEs acquiring local companies, the stamp duty will be 0.2% the purchase price or open market value of the share transfer, whichever is higher.
The SG UHC condition that will no longer be waived will limit this scheme to benefit local companies, in line with the Government's intent.
4. S13Z Safe Harbour Rules: Non-Taxation of Gains on Disposal of Shares
Singapore does not have a capital gains tax. Nevertheless, gain on sale of shares may be considered revenue in nature and brought to tax unless IRAS is satisfied that the gain is capital in nature. To ascertain if the gain is revenue or capital in nature, IRAS normally looks to the 'badges of trade' test such as motive of the seller, length of period of ownership of the shares disposed, frequency of similar transactions, reasons for the disposal and means of financing the acquisition of the shares.
Section 13Z tax exemption scheme was introduced in Budget 2012 to lend certainty to non-taxation on gains from disposal of ordinary shares by companies, if the divesting company:
Holds a minimum shareholding of 20% in the investee company, and
Maintained a shareholding of at least 20% for a minimum 24-month period before the disposal.
The investee companies can be incorporated in Singapore or elsewhere, listed or non-listed.
The scheme, which was due to lapse after 31 May 2022, does not apply to:
The disposal of unlisted shares in an investee company that is in the business of trading or holding Singapore immovable properties (other than the business of property development) or
A divesting company that is an insurance company.
A proposal has been made for the scheme to be extended to disposals made on or before 31 December 2027.
However, with effect from 1 June 2022, the scheme will not apply to the disposal of unlisted shares in an investee company that is in the business of trading, holding or developing immovable properties located in Singapore or abroad. All other conditions and exclusions remain unchanged.
While it is understandable that Singapore real properties are not in the equation, it is not clear why overseas immovable properties are excluded moving forward. Real estate holding companies with foreign properties may already be subject to overseas taxes, not to mention Singapore income taxes now as well, unless the badges of trade tests are satisfied, and the gain is seen as capital.
Insurance companies will continue to face uncertainty over the tax treatment of share disposals unless the disposal is seen as being made on capital assets.
5. Double Tax Deduction for Internationalisation Scheme
Under the current Double Tax Deduction for Internationalisation Scheme (DTDi) scheme, businesses are given a 200% tax deduction on qualifying expenses (e.g. airfare, accommodation, meals of up to 2 employees per trip) incurred for market expansion and investment development activities capped at S$150,000 each YA on the following activities:
Overseas business development trips or missions
Overseas investment study trips or missions
Overseas trade fairs
Local trade fairs that have been approved by ESG/STB
The DTDi scheme which was to have lapsed on 31 March 2020 has been enhanced and is now extended to 31 December 2025.
The expanded scope (i.e. new eligible expenses) takes effect for expenses incurred on or after 1 April 2020. Businesses will need to apply to Enterprise Singapore directly for these enhancements.
Overseas Business Development (New activity)
This is aimed at helping companies overcome challenges in the early stages of internationalisation.
New eligible expenses include third party consultancy cost (for overseas markets) to: Identify suitable talent; or
Identify potential business partners, licensee/franchisee agents and distributors or JV partners; or
Secure and manage customers in–markets.
Overseas Market Development Trips/Missions (Expanded scope)
The enhancements provide greater support to sustain a business' internationalisation efforts.
Fees paid to secure speaking spots at overseas business/trade conferences to pitch products/ services to attendees.
Logistics costs of transporting materials/samples used during the business missions
Third party consultancy costs to arrange business networking events to promote products/services.
« Tax update from Pakistan
EXPLANATIONS ON CURRENT TAX ISSUES IN NIGERIA »


Time Krystal – Music in non-equilibrium. Time Krystal is a concert series dealing with states of non-equilibrium. It takes its inspiration from the discovery of the time crystal, a hypothetical structure that repeats not only in space but also in time, never reaching equilibrium. This phenomenon is the starting point for a wide range of sonic experiments operating between stability and fluctuation. Twelve Berlin-based musicians and groups pursue states of continuous change, using a mix of acoustic and electronic instruments. A laboratory for musical experiments that render non-equilibrium audible. Locale is the Kantine am Berghain on four nights between April and July 2019.
JULIA REIDY is a guitarist and composer focusing on instability and endurance, often through an extended palette of raw acoustic sounds, synthesized material and recorded artifacts. As a soloist she has performed works throughout Europe, Australia, South East Asia, Japan, North America and the UK. Her performance and composition practice extends into works for ensembles, installation, multi-media performance, song-forms and soundtracks. Her active projects include SPOILER, the Splitter Orchester, Tennis of All Kinds and Varg. Reidy will present brace, brace: a "dread-tinged incantation unfurling from breath-down-the-neck field recordings, auto-murmured voice, synthetic hum, and irrepressible guitar kinetics". It combines her 12-string arpeggios with voices and electronic frequencies seemingly coming from outer territories, "at once on-fire and graceful".
The electroacoustic duo ERCKLENTZ NEUMANN has been seeking out the poetry in sound and noise since the late 1990s. Sabine Ercklentz and Andrea Neumann work with a mix of experimental instrumental sounds and analog electronics that collide with everyday noises under the lens of extreme electronic amplification. The artists embrace the inherent dynamics of these sounds and machines, which generate structures that cannot always be completely controlled. They were awarded the Prix Ars Electronica for the video performance Videobrücke Berlin-Stockholm. Their concert venues have included Beursschouwburg in Brussels, the Serralves Museum in Porto, Raw Chicks Berlin, the Resonanzen festival in Leipzig, and the Moderna Museet in Stockholm. The performance drehwurm 1 translates minimalist styles of electronic club music into the duo's sonic world, creating a thoroughly unique interpretation of pulse-oriented music that oscillates between beat and noise.
JAN JELINEK is a musician, producer and remixer. His works deal with the transformation of sounds, translating source materials from popular music into abstract, reduced textures. Bypassing traditional musical instruments, he constructs collages using tiny sound fragments from a wide variety of recording devices including tape recorders, digital samplers and media players. The recordings are processed into repetitive loops that boil the original sound down to its essential components. Jelinek has collaborated with, amongst others, the artist Sarah Morris, the writer Thomas Meineke and the Japanese ensemble Computer Soup. He regularly plays in a duo with vibraphonist Masayoshi Fujita and as part of the trio Groupshow (with Andrew Pekler and Hanno Leichtmann). Since 2012, Jelinek has also been writing and producing experimental radio pieces that deal with fictional identities and soundscapes. He will present one of these, Zwischen, as a live performance. In this piece, non-semantic particles from the interview answers of public figures are transformed into voltages controlling a synthesizer; defective speech acts conducting synthetic sounds.


text:
Forbes: Rangers remain most valuable franchise followed by Leafs, Habs
The New York Rangers are the NHL's most valuable franchise for a fourth consecutive year, according to the latest estimate by Forbes.
TORONTO — The New York Rangers are the NHL's most valuable franchise for a fourth consecutive year, according to the latest estimate by Forbes.
The Rangers top the annual list of franchise valuations at US$1.55 billion, up three per cent over last year.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are second at $1.35 billion and Montreal Canadiens third at $1.3 billion, a four-per-cent increase for both clubs.
Original Six clubs make up the top five of the list, with the Chicago Blackhawks fourth at $1.05 billion and the Boston Bruins fifth at $925 million. The Detroit Red Wings are not far behind their Original Six cousins in eighth ($775 million) and have seen an 11-per-cent increase in value thanks to a new downtown arena.
Los Angeles (sixth, $810 million), Philadelphia (seventh, $800 million), Vancouver (ninth, $735 million) and Washington (10th, $725 million) round out the top 10. The Capitals enjoyed a league-best 16-per-cent boost in valuation over last year thanks to a run to its first ever Stanley Cup title.
The Vegas Golden Knights had a 15-per-cent boost in value to $575 million, good for 12th in the league, after becoming the first expansion team to advance to the Cup final.
At the other end of the list are the Florida Panthers (30th, $295 million) and Arizona Coyotes (31st, $290 million). The clubs were the only two to lose value according to Forbes, down three per cent each.
The Canadian teams are rounded out by Edmonton (13th, $540 million), Calgary (20th, $450 million), Ottawa (23rd, $435 million) and Winnipeg (27th, $415 million). The Jets' value jumped 11 per cent thanks to the team's run to the Western Conference final.
According to the list, the value of the average NHL team rose six per cent during the past year, to a record $630 million.
The release of the list comes on the heels of the NHL approving a 32nd team in Seattle for a hefty expansion fee of $650 million.
United Heroes League, NHLPA announce winners of 2022-23 All-Star Hero campaign
The four winners were selected as special guests of the NHLPA for the 2023 Honda NHL® All-Star Weekend.
Get to know your 2023 All-Star Heroes
Each winner and a guest will receive air travel to Sunrise, Florida to take in weekend All-Star festivities.
Player Q&A | Roope Hintz
Looks like Roope Hintz is in luck. This item on his bucket list will be right in his Dallas backyard in 2026.
Martin Necas embraces fan support from Czechia to Carolina
Necas left home at 15 to suit up with HC Zdar nad Sazavou and HC Kometa Brno, while also representing Czechia on the international stage.
After a whirlwind year, rookie Kent Johnson settles into life in Columbus
The Blue Jackets forward recalls a campaign that saw him play at three different levels of the game.
Predators' McCarron reinstated by NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program
McCarron has been returned to available status


2014 was a big year for Jonny Nash, he recorded the album Clouds over two days with fellow ambient producers Gigi Masin and Marco Sterk, as well as launching his label Melody As Truth with a solo LP titled, Phantom Actors. While Gaussian Curve immediately entrenched itself in ambient history with Clouds – its popularity says a lot about it – Melody As Truth has become equally important as one of the foremost labels championing the modern genre. To celebrate their latest release, MATstudio 1, we've reviewed and ranked five of their best albums.
Well made ambient and new age music can hold the listener's attention while giving them space to explore emotions, ones they've forgotten, ones they haven't felt, or can't pin down. These releases are no different; with thirteen to their name, each is crafted carefully and lovingly to the personality Jonny Nash has nurtured in Melody As Truth. It tends to flit in the sweet spot between earth and sky: light and deep notes dance, lifting you up and grounding you simultaneously. This is music full of the certainty, uncertainty and abstraction of life.
Two of the label's most prolific artists team up to put together a composition of astounding beauty. Feeling anything but collaborative, it's a testament to their shared thoughts, aesthetic and talent. A quiet album that blooms in the right climate. Primarily focused on two traditional musical instruments in the foreground of ambient feathery voices and synths. At the start of the album both the piano and double bass get a space to breathe and craft atmospheres in their own songs. The former creates a powerful cathartic soundscape in 'Beluga's song', as well as cleaning the air in, 'Photo With Grey Sky, White Clouds'. It evokes a sense of calm and peace.
Songs such as, 'Hanging Glass Structure' allow the clumped bouncy bass to release taught vibes of frustration and annoyance; the ambient background helps dissipate what would feel like anger into these lesser emotions. Towards the end of the LP both passive and aggressive resolve their differences to form a separate sound to A-side. The outcome is a perfectly balanced ending in 'Time, being', which compresses guitar, double bass, piano, synth into 2:43 of bliss.
It was difficult to choose between Jonny Nash's three solo releases, but this one marks an evolution of sound. He recorded the album between Bali and England. Eden is a slower and warmer production than Exit Strategies. The guitar doesn't take centre stage but works on a shared platform with other instruments; the result is an album painted with broader brushstrokes of piano, chimes, gamelan, tribal drums and strings.
In each track, there's a thick texture running through, but it's most notable through the converging instruments in 'Conversations With Mike' and 'Down In Babakan'. The flood of notes sway in 'Police Bribe' and 'Lime', conjuring up a hammock in sight of the ocean. Eden finishes how it starts: deep, meditative and mystical.
3. Suzanne Kraft – What You Get For Being Young.
Diego Herrera's musical journey started making house disco for labels such as 'Running Back' and 'Young Adults'. While he continues to release music of a similar vibe, the influence of Jonny Nash and Melody As Truth is clear in his subsequent records. He's become an intricate sound designer, crafting soundscapes of depth and beauty. What You Get For Being Young is the successor of Talk From Home. It's minimalist and experimental. Listening to the album feels like being stuck in a hypnotic time loop of everyday life and the moments of beauty found in it.
Grating noise, almost like maracas, and laidback percussion are a few of the tones that tally into the modest sounds that seem to stand at knee height. Tracks such as 'Body Heat' and 'Ze' are comprised of nearly only synths, but what they lack in diversity, they make up for in subtlety and mood: slightly eerie with hints of being on a long journey. The album opens up to vulnerability through the twitchy electronics of 'Fragile'. If 'The Result' in Talk From Home is the bridge to What You Get For Being Young, it's exciting to think what the grating noise and endless synths of 'Further' will lead to. An impressively multi-faceted and emotional LP through stripped back minimal ambient sounds.
Tourist Kid really pushed the boat out with this one. Experimental, weird, abstract and beautiful, Crude Tracer is like a ball of yarn that unravels distorted sounds into the traceably linear. The evolution and devolution of the notes are stunning. This album always manages to stay palatable, no matter how acerbic the song is. It brims with disconnection and isolation through the sharp, cut sounds of faulty electronics: whistles, ringing, static. It jars the senses when contrasted to the ambient synths running through the tracks. 'Discourse II' is representative of the album, starting off with distorted acute notes until a haunting voice overpowers them, though, by the end, the track is a dirge to the lost with no end in sight.
The last few songs of the album, 'UV Bleacher Tangent', has the sounds of the A-side but they are filed down and softened; the same can be said with 'Bacterial', the warped electronic sounds are in harmony with the piano, which makes the song traditionally ambient and meditative. Crude Tracer is in constant conversation with itself, sounds come and go, conjuring up memories to six songs past. 'Petrol', the last track of the album, is virtually devoid of the experimental sounds that make up the LP, yet L. Rothnie's voice returns to lull us into feeling resigned and lost. An artistic achievement of thought and planning that pays off from start to finish.
Ambient music has a habit of evoking melancholy, sometimes a break's needed. While this LP isn't totally ambient, it speaks of relaxed and protracted joy throughout its run time. Pendant with long fruity evenings, the smell of pine trees, sweat and rain. A long summer compressed into 40 minutes. It's the odd one out on Melody As Truth, occupying a slightly more upbeat position than other releases. Though the record still fits snugly into the label through the atmosphere it conjures up: a room to think, chill out and hear the trees. The album starts with 'Two Chord Wake', it has childish xylaphonesque notes hanging over the relaxed beats and percussion that bestow the track with unmuddied happiness. Diego Herrera grew up in L.A., and this album was recorded there between December 2014 – January 2015. He's mostly based in Amsterdam.
The A-side is relaxed and content with 'Flatiron' stealing the show. The B-side continues the vibe with 'Renee Sleeping' but, by 'Male Intuition', it's clear something's coming to an end. The song is only comprised of guitar chords and they speak of nostalgia and melancholy as they echo. 'The Result' rounds off the album as a purely ambient song with its notes drawing out over long distances. In the background, there are occasional strings of deep tonal guitar. Talk From Home is a perfect album to induce slow Spring and Summer happiness.
MATStudio 1 is out now.


Our new Clubhouse in Paris––the first ever in France–– opened in November, 2011. Thanks to the support of Clubhouse France and the efforts of an amazing team, our dream has come to fruition!
For six months, Céline, Maëlle and the first 3 Clubhouse members (Allison, Jean-Jacques and Timothée) worked every day to make the opening of the Clubhouse possible. They accomplished multiple tasks: securing funding, finding the perfect location, organizing work and translating Clubhouse documents into French. We owe many thanks to Phillippe Charrier, President of Clubhouse France, for mobilizing economic, institutional and community support.
Clubhouse Paris is located in the very heart of the city, at the end of a leafy courtyard. Walking to the Clubhouse is always a pleasure. In addition to the daily work of the Clubhouse (cooking meals, administration, job search and event planning), we also provide leisure activities at the end of the day such as fitness workshops and culinary lessons.
We currently have 30 active members and the participation of our members is highly variable. Our members often tell us how important it is to have a place where they feel welcome and valued. Our Clubhouse is providing hope, friendship and purpose for our members and we are confident that we will continue to grow.


text:
Le Borås Ishall est salle polyvalente de Borås en Suède.

La patinoire accueille l'équipe de hockey sur glace du Borås HC de l'Allsvenskan. La patinoire a une capacité de  spectateurs.

Équipement sportif achevé en 1972
Patinoire de hockey en Suède
Stade portant le nom d'une ville
Comté de Västra Götaland


Square is ablution a new allotment of accouterments today — the Square Terminal.
As explained to me by the company's Head of Accouterments Jesse Dorogusker, the Terminal fills a gap the company's artefact calendar — clashing the basal agenda reader, it provides an all-in-one accouterments acquaintance (no buzz or book required), but added affordable than the Square Register.
Dorogusker appropriate that it's absolutely advised to alter the "outdated" acclaim agenda terminals that you'll appointment in all kinds of food (like the gray block that sits on the adverse of my bounded bodega). He argued that these terminals generally appear with arduous affairs for the business owner, and they're not a abundant acquaintance for consumers, either.
The new Terminal, on the added hand, provides a added Square -like experience. For one thing, it works with WiFi and is powered by an all-day battery, so it can be agitated about the abundance and handed over to customers.
"One of the absolutely fun things we accomplished about this artefact is that in accession to accepting Square Payments built-in, it unlocks bodies to use it in new ways," Dorogusker said.
For example, he said the beta testers included a restaurant that can now action payments at the customer's table, a salon that allows barter to pay while they're still in their armchair and a artificial surgeon whose patients can go through the bill while in the aloofness of the analysis room.
Dorogusker accustomed that restaurants in some countries are already bringing wireless agenda terminals to customers' tables, but he said that they don't acquire the added advantages of a Square Terminal, like a affectation that allows you to see the amount of every account you're buying. Plus, there's the adeptness to acquire payments from smartphones and added accessories through Apple Pay and Google Pay, and there's Square's two-second processing time for dent cards.
Square Terminal costs $399. Businesses that are new to Square and that adjustment now will additionally accept a $300 processing credit. With or after the credit, Square will action those payments on the aforementioned simple agreement it offers to anybody abroad — 2.6 percent, additional 10 cents for anniversary transaction.


Turkey's Akfen Renewable Energies this week signed a new $363 million loan with six international and Turkish banks, to build 327 MW of new solar and wind power capacity.
EBRD headquarters in London, U.K. The bank is one of six offering loans to Akfen Renewable Energies for solar and wind projects.
Akfen Renewable Energies, the renewables arm of Turkey's Akfen Holding, signed an agreement for a new $363 million loan with the following six banks: the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Germany's KfW IPEX-Bank, as well as Turkey's Garanti Bank, Turkey İs Bank, Vakifbank and Yapı Kredi Bank.
The funds will help Akfen Renewable Energies to build 9 new solar PV plants totaling 85 MW of capacity in the areas of Konya, Tokat, Amasya, Van and Malatya. Moreover, the loan will also support the construction of four new wind farms in the areas of Canakkale and Denizli, with a cumulative capacity of 242 MW.
Akfen argues that this is the biggest loan ever granted for the development of renewable plants in Turkey. The company will also invest an additional $167 million in equity capital, bringing the final investment for its new renewable energy plants up to $530 million. All 13 new plants are scheduled to be connected to the grid by 2020.
The EBRD's involvement in the new $363 million loan was confirmed earlier in September, when the bank announced a €102 million loan to Akfen towards the development of new solar and wind farms.
Additional details about the investment were revealed yesterday at the signing ceremony in Turkey. With regards to solar, this is positive news because it can help Akfen to develop its licensed portfolio of PV projects.
To date, Turkey's solar PV powerhouse has been the so-called unlicensed segment of the market that concerns projects up to 1 MW. Of the 600 MW licensed projects awarded in 2014 and 2015, that concern plants larger that 1 MW, only a few have been built so far. Financing is often cited as one of the reasons for the dormant licensed market.
Given the current troubles of Turkey's currency, the new $363 million loan is expected to add a much needed boost to the country's licensed segment, and to renewable energies more broadly.


Create a delicious kebab with your choice of marinades! Spice up the recipe with delicious cooked jalapeño peppers grilled to perfection.
Combine the lamb and 1 cup of a marinade of your choice. Marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours. Cook the peppers in a saucepan of boiling water for 30 seconds and drain. Marinate the peppers in another bag for at least 4 hours. Drain the lamb and peppers and place them on skewers, alternating. Cover the ends of the skewers with foil. Grill the kebabs on a grill rack over high while turning. Cook for 12 minutes and remove. Serve alongside crisp vegetables and extra marinade.


Bracelet Stone Amber Natural Baltic Genuine 14,6g Vintage Rare Bead White F-539. Please, take good look to picture's. Please look at the photos as they are part of the description! Please check the picture carefully, you receive what you see, nothing more, nothing less. If there is a part that you don't see in the picture, that is because it's not included.
Please note that colors and saturation may slightly vary from originals - monitor's setting can affect them too. This stone is 100% real Baltic amber. The item "Bracelet Stone Amber Natural Baltic Genuine 14,6g Vintage Rare Bead White F-539" is in sale since Thursday, December 20, 2018. This item is in the category "Jewelry & Watches\Loose Diamonds & Gemstones\Loose Gemstones\Amber". The seller is "girdz_2015" and is located in Palanga, Palanga. This item can be shipped worldwide.


Fats are generally used to store energy, so organisms try to maximise how much fat they can store. Saturated fats are straight (as they contain no double bonds) and can pack together closely. Unsaturated fats contain bends, so cannot pack together as closely. This means that saturated fats are more efficient, as you can squeeze more in. If this was the only thing to take into account, all organisms would probably use saturated fats. However, organisms also prefer their fats to be liquid at their normal "operating temperature". Humans, for example, operate at around 37 degrees, so require our fats to be liquid at that temperature. Plants will operate at a lower temperature. As saturated fats are straight, and pack together well, they solidify at higher temperatures than unsaturated fats. So saturated fats are well suited to organisms who have a higher body temperature, like mammals. Unsaturated fats cannot pack together as closely, so remain liquid at lower temperatures. This makes them more suitable for plants. Interestingly, this also means that plants that exist in tropical climates have more saturated fats than plants that exist in colder climates.


No Music Cover on Thursdays!
On November 1st, musicians from far and wide across the world will convene in Greenwich Village for a retaking of the classic "Village Musicians" photo taken in the late 90's featuring the best and brightest of our Village family of musicians. Tonight, Rahj and Li'nard, two musicians who have stood the test of time and are revered in the neighborhood, lead a amazing evening of music.
Featuring MANY special guests, this is going to be one for the books... don't miss it!


Felton Brushes manufactures some of the highest quality pipe deburring brushes on the market. We use only the highest of quality North American sourced materials, and manufacture the brushes right here in Hamilton Ontario. The results are longer lasting brushes, with better deburring prowess, which translates into industry leading value to our customers.
Felton Brushes can manufacture to any customer specifications and features to meet the needs of any deburring application or machine. Anything from diameter, length, or filament can be customized to fit customer specific needs.
Need custom specifications? Felton Brushes can offers custom design assistance.
The K1204 is an example of Felton's steel knotted pipe deburring brushes. The brush has a 12″ OD x 2″ ID, and can be manufactured to any length depending on what the customer requires. The brush is highly effective at heavily deburring thick, hard metals.
The M136010 is an example of Felton's crimped wire pipe deburring brushes. The brush has a 6″ OD x 2″ ID, and can be manufactured to any length depending on what customer needs.
Felton's crimped wire deburring brushes feature high density, high quality wire, to optimize deburring capabilities.
The information contained in this document is based on tests which are believed to be reliable. Since actual conditions of use may vary and are beyond the control of FELTON the product's specified characteristics cannot be guaranteed and are offered solely for the buyer's evaluation and verification. There are no warranties, representations or conditions, expressed or implied, of any kind, including, but not limited to, merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose made by FELTON of its officers, employees or affiliates, in connection with the sale of the products described in the document. Accordingly, the purchaser and each user assumes all risks and liability in connection with their use of such products. Nothing contained herein is to be construed as permission, recommendation or inducement by FELTON to use any product or process so as to infringe or conflict with any patent. Further, it is the user's obligation to utilize this material in full compliance with health, safety and environmental regulations.


Neonatal units encourage parents to visit their infants and many do not have any set visiting times. Some units may request that parents leave the unit for short periods of time ie during daily ward rounds (although many units are now encouraging parents to remain present for rounds), when there is a medical emergency, the admission of an ill infant or a complicated procedure being performed and during staff shift change.
Please enquire from your specific unit what their visiting protocols are including if personal bedding, clothing or photographs are permitted in the incubator or cot.
To respect the privacy of the patients, parents are requested to remain at their own child's incubator or cot and to refrain from enquiring about other infants on the unit. To protect the infants on the unit siblings and relatives are not permitted to visit the units.
Alcohol gels and sanitisers can be used.
Please do not visit the unit if you have been exposed to a contagious disease ie chicken pox, German measles, tuberculosis.
Please do not visit the unit if you have a cold, fever or are ill in any way.
Take photographs or show the siblings a video.
Explain why the new baby needs to stay in hospital.
Allow siblings to discuss their concerns and ask questions.
Encourage siblings to make drawings that can be attached to the incubator.
Encourage the siblings to send a photograph of themselves into the unit.
Involve the siblings in the planning for the baby's homecoming.
In-utero infants sleep 80% of the time and for specific periods each day, the units have a 'Quiet Time", the aim of which is to give the infants an opportunity to rest and sleep. Light intensity and noise levels are reduced and medical procedures are kept to a minimum.
Acknowledge and talk about your feelings.
Ask the staff about your infant's medical condition.
Visit your infant as much as possible.
Take photographs and make videos.
Become actively involved in your infant's daily cares.
Ensure that you spend time with siblings and family at home.
Eat proper meals and increase your fluid intake.
Share your feelings with the staff.
Talk to other parents on the unit.
Talk to the unit Social Worker.
The birth of a premature or sick baby is stressful and difficult for all family members. But it can be especially rough on Dads. You may worry about your baby and your partner, as well as other children at home, demands from your job and financial concerns.
While each father develops his own way of coping with the birth of a premature or sick infant, this information may help make this difficult time a bit easier.
You may feel many conflicting emotions after your baby is born. These emotions can be very intense. All of the feelings listed below are normal and most men experience some of them. As your baby gets stronger, your negative feelings may lessen.
Anxiety and fear over your baby's medical condition and what her future holds.
Grief over the loss of the birth you had planned.
Anger and resentment over the changes in your life.
Helplessness and frustration over your inability to help your baby.
Tension from being pulled in so many different directions as you try to support your partner, deal with financial concerns and demands at home and at work, and spend time with older children as well as with your baby.
Overwhelming love and pride in your new baby.
Amazement over the progress she makes and the obstacles she overcomes.
Hope that she will have the bright future you dreamed of.
Men and women sometimes cope differently. Some men tend to keep their feelings to themselves in order to spare their partner. A woman may feel that this behavior shows a lack of caring.
You, your partner and your families may react differently to the same situation. Try to discuss why you feel the way you do, and listen and empathize with your partner's feelings.
You, your partner and your families may differ on how much information about your baby's condition to share with family and friends. Sometimes, a woman may prefer to share fewer medical details than her partner because she may feel responsible for her baby's condition. It's important to respect differences and decide what information you are both comfortable sharing.
Spend time with your baby. Get to know the staff in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Learn about your baby's health care needs. The more time you spend with your baby, the more comfortable you will feel about his condition and care. Share any concerns about your baby's care with the staff. Trust your instincts—you are the dad.
Ask questions. Ask as many questions as you need to about your baby's care. There is no such thing as a stupid question.
Make decisions about your baby's medical care with your partner.
Touch and hold your baby as soon as the doctor gives you the go-ahead. Although your baby may look fragile, he won't break. Know that your baby recognizes your voice and touch.
You can't be everywhere at once, so set your priorities and let others pick up the slack. This frees you to spend more time with those who need you most.
If you have other children at home, try to spend some special time with them. Reassure them that they are loved. They are worried about Mum and the baby, too.
Ask for and accept help. Many family members and friends want to help, but are not sure what to do. Make a list of practical things people can do to help: cook meals, clean the house, mow the lawn, go grocery shopping, take children to school and walk the dog.
Ask a trusted family member or friend to pass on to other family members and friends the information you and your partner have agreed to share about your baby's medical condition and progress.
Balance the areas of your life. When you return to work, try to limit your work hours so that you can spend time with your baby, partner and other children. Let your employer know about your baby's condition, in case you need to leave work unexpectedly or are sometimes unable to accomplish all that you would like. This can take some pressure off of you.
In the early days, your partner may be too tired, uncomfortable or sad to spend much time in the NICU. Or your baby may have been transported to a different hospital where she can receive the best care. Tell your partner everything about her baby. Show your partner pictures of your baby and share all the day-to-day details of your baby's care.
Be patient. Mum's fears, pain, fatigue and hormonal changes can make her more emotional and irritable than usual.
Reassure her. Many mothers of premature or sick babies feel responsible and guilty for their baby's condition. Listen and empathize with her feelings, but reassure her that nothing she did caused her baby's condition.
Help with the demands of pumping milk. If your partner chooses to pump her milk, support her in any way you can. Help get bottles ready, offer to put milk in the freezer and deliver it to the hospital, when necessary. Breast milk is the ideal food for all babies, and may have special health benefits for premature and sick babies.
Encourage her to take care of herself. In her concern over the baby, she may not get enough rest or eat right.
Praise her for spending time with the baby, pumping milk and everything she does. Your partner will appreciate hearing that she's a great mother.
Nobody expects you to be superman. In order to remain strong and support your family, be sure to take care of yourself.
Get enough sleep and eat healthy foods.
Take a break. Though your time is limited, try to fit in activities that help you relieve stress, such as exercise, sports, hobbies, going to the movies or playing with your other children. You will be better able to cope and help your family if you give yourself a break once in a while.
Find support. Consider attending a NICU parent support group. You may find it helpful to talk with other dads with babies in the NICU. No one understands what you are going through better than other dads who have been there.
Though you may not know it, you are already playing an important role in your baby's life. You are a member of the NICU team that is working to make your baby stronger. You provide your baby with comfort and support, and celebrate his victories, as only his dad can do. Being a NICU dad can be difficult, especially if your baby is very sick. You should take pride in all the things you do to help your baby and your partner, and realize that you are making a difference.
Create a Meal Calendar for the family and get volunteers to cook meals.
Offer to do the household chores e.g laundry, putting the bins out, doing the shopping, care for pets, gardening.
Offer to drive the mother to the hospital to visit her infant as she may have had a caesarean section and be unable to drive.
Offer to take care of other siblings.
Offer to do the school runs for other siblings.
Set up a play date schedule for other siblings.
Put together a hamper of useful items for the NICU for the family.