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New regulations luring investors in renewables
Serbia September 23, 2016 | Comments: 0Author: Balkan Green Energy News
The legislation that Serbia adopted in June will attract capital and help launch green energy projects, said participants at a conference in Belgrade titled "New PPA Package in Serbia – Main Challenges".
The event was organized by Petrikić & Partneri AOD in cooperation with CMS Reich-Rohrwig Hainz with the support of ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA Belgrade.
For Serbia, renewable energy sources are still an insufficiently explored and developed field, according to the participants. They said regulations were six months late but still a good signal while their quality makes the country the most advanced in the region.
Ever since the adoption of the Energy Law in 2014, with the aim to harmonize energy legislation with the European Union's Third Energy Package, investors have been waiting for the necessary by-laws to go ahead with their projects.
The Decree on Incentive Measures for Electricity Generation from Renewable Energy Sources and High-Efficiency Cogeneration of Electricity and Heat is one of three documents in the package. The second one is the Decree on Conditions of and Procedure for Obtaining the Status of a Privileged Power Producer, Preliminary Privileged Power Producer, and Producer from Renewable Energy Sources. The final one is the model for power purchase agreements (PPAs). The PPA package came several months after the statutory deadline.
Photo 1: Round table participants discussing new PPA: EBRD, CMS, Fintel Energia, Erste Bank, UniCredit Bank
Louis Borgo, representative of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, said Serbia is serious about the use of renewable energy sources and that a good environment is being created.
He added the country should keep in mind the experiences from the region and avoid some bad examples and traps in applying the regulations.
H.E. Johannes Eigner, Ambassador of the Republic of Austria said Serbia is not an island and that its regulations must be adapted to the surroundings and make it competitive.
Željko Đurić, director of Vetroelektrane Balkana, a wind power company, said the Ministry of Mining and Energy had made a good move with the regulations. According to him, they are clear and precise in most of the segments, and also available in English, which is very important for investors.
"The whole world is gradually switching from conventional to renewable energy sources. This set of regulations has finally brought the possibility for investors in Serbia to start projects and construction," said Đurić.
International partner in CMS Belgrade Radivoje Petrikić stated the conditions for investors have significantly improved and that they are expected, in talks with banks, to complete the financial package and procure equipment.
"Serbia's biggest potential lies in wind energy and the most progress has been made there. Certain projects in the field have been carried out for the past four or five years. Where solar energy is concerned, the number of projects is smaller and we haven't made so much progress there," he said.
Investors' common assessment is that the regulations in this field are not much better than the previous ones and that they should be implemented, according to Petrikić.
Đorđe Popović, senior attorney of CMS Belgrade, said the main message of the conference was that the Serbian market was ready to make projects in the field of renewable energy sources operable. Nonetheless, he added,there are some obstacles.
"Some general expectations of the banks and financiers need to be adjusted to the real needs of the projects, i.e. to the real guarantees a project can give, taking into account the current legislation. What we heard from the financiers was that the readiness was there," said Popović.
He stated one of the main questions since the set of regulations came into effect was whether bank guarantees are really necessary.
"We heard at the conference that they might not be necessarily required, but that the focus would be on the feasibility of projects, the creditworthiness of the off-taker, the construction aspects and the extension of temporary status of privileged producer, that will continue to be a bone of contention," Popović said.
Tags: CMS, Đorđe Popović, EBRD, electricity, Fintel Energia, incentives, PPA, wind
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Innovation, Health Are in Drivers' Seats At UCSD Institute
Photo courtesy of UCSD Health.
For the past 10 years, the UC San Diego has been fielding a winning team. From engineers to community advocates to clinicians and even grant writers, it is a diverse team with an impressive mix of skill sets, and when they are on top of their game, they can be lifesavers.
The Altman Clinical and Translational Research Institute (ACTRI) has again garnered recognition and funding that will help to advance its goals.
ACTRI has received a five-year, $54.7 million Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) from the National Center for Advancing Translational Science (NCATS), part of the National Institutes of Health. The new grant is the third such award since ACTRI opened in 2010, bringing total funding support to approximately $144 million.
According to the university, the ACTRI facilitates research by providing assistance with proposal development, study design, regulatory issues and submission, biostatistics and informatics, and offers ethics consultation, clinical trial coordination, genomics and many more services.
Its members and affiliates, represent some of the top talent in town.
"The first CTSA laid the foundation for transforming our institution. It built the early infrastructure that would help change the way we thought about moving discoveries from the lab to the clinic," said Gary S. Firestein, M.D., founding director of ACTRI and dean and associate vice chancellor of clinical and translational research at UC San Diego School of Medicine.
"The greatest impact was the creation of a dedicated research clinic to perform clinical trials that can test drugs and devices," Firestein said. "A new phase I unit was developed as part of the clinic and enables first in human trials of novel treatments, often in collaboration with our local biotech partners.
"The second CTSA focused on making ACTRI the hub for clinical research and clinical trials at UC San Diego," Firestein said. That resulted in 95% of the young faculty that we support having been able to launch funded research programs, according to Firestein. It also brought recognition from hundreds of high profile publications.
The latest CTSA, Firestein said, will refine the fundamental work of the past decade and provide new resources that will launch a new wave of discovery and transformation.
"The next five years will be about bringing together basic scientists, engineers and clinicians to create a pipeline of innovation," Firestein said. "This effort builds on our Tricorder XPRIZE competition and will bring together multidisciplinary teams of clinicians and scientists."
The school said the new funding will also be used to continue a scholar program supporting young faculty members establishing careers, expand ACTRI's "Game Center," a program that uses virtual reality games to train investigators in team science and create new mentoring programs in grant-writing, the financial lifeblood of research.
Firestein explained the Game Center. "We wanted to find a new way to train people who are interested in translational research," Firestein said. "The old classroom or webinar methods are not particularly exiting and people tend to forget as soon as they walk out the door. So, we are leveraging people's fascination with games, also taking advantage of the fact that fun games get played over and over. The trick is to take a simulation, which rarely gets repeat play and "gamify" it by adding mystery challenges, scores, timers and fun."
Considering its importance in the process, one doesn't hear much about grant writing.
"When we surveyed early stage investigators, it turns out that mentoring in grant writing is perhaps the greatest unmet need," Firestein said. "We have established a 'Mentoring Core' that includes mentor training and (we've) worked with the School of Medicine on a grant writing training program to help people put together a compelling proposal."
New efforts include the Dissemination & Implementation Science Center (DISC), which will help investigators move their ideas into the community and a new Team Science Core. Mobile apps will be developed to help integrate clinical trials and the electronic health records, improving safety for research participants the university said.
"The DISC develops ways to move discoveries and new treatments from academia into the community beginning with the earliest stages of project design," Firestein said. "Examples of projects include ways to increase adoption of technology supported interventions, increasing quality improvement in primary care and implementation of evidence-based practices in childhood illnesses such as autism."
According to the university, The Center for Life Course and Vulnerable Population Research will expand to engage communities and ensure vulnerable and underserved populations are part of the research and clinical enterprise. The Center for Clinical Research will provide dedicated project managers, ethics support and clinical research infrastructure. Two new centers will be launched: the Device Acceleration Center and Center for Excellence in Immunogenomics, both intended to bring scientists and clinicians together in teams to address unmet medical needs, specifically in the science and medicine of immunity.
The new centers get some guidance. "We are creating infrastructure that will bring teams together and support innovation," Firestein said. "Devices and Immunogenomics have their own special requirements for team formation. We will provide resources to create collaborations, design studies, perform studies that move the projects forward and have developed a 'Translational Science Certificate' program to train entrepreneurial researchers."
"Science and medicine often operate in parallel universes," said Firestein. "We've taken steps to bring them together, but we want to go further in integrating research and clinical care. For example, combining data from clinical trials with health records would benefit researchers but even more so trial participants and patients. It would make clinical trials even safer."
Inclusion on many levels seems to be an underlying theme.
Increasing Engagement
"Absolutely," Firestein said. "We are focused on increasing engagement of a broad range of stakeholders in the community including our research partner institutions, community clinics, county health authorities, advocacy groups and underserved communities as far away as the Coachella Valley and Imperial County. We also include the community in governance, priority setting and selecting projects to fund."
ACTRI is an essential partner in most clinical trials conducted at UC San Diego Health, providing support in the form of informatics tools, workspace and trained personnel, an infusion center, an investigational drug pharmacy, a Phase I drug testing unit and education and training programs. Nearly 1,000 clinical and translational research faculty and staff are housed in the 7-story, 359,000-square-foot Altman CTRI building, which opened in 2016, the university said.
There are approximately 2,400 ongoing clinical trials at UC San Diego Health, involving an estimated 7,000 participants in active treatment. Approximately 250 new trials begin each year, including most recently COVID-19-related trials investigating an antiviral drug, an arthritis drug and a medication for hypertension.
Firestein, an internationally recognized translational researcher, is co-leader of the NCATS' Accrual to Clinical Trials platform, which links electronic medical records of more than 50 academic medical centers across the country and has been expanded to provide comprehensive medical data to COVID-19 researchers. The ACTRI has also created an institutional COVID-19 biobank to enable development of novel diagnostics and treatment for the virus and has collaborated with UC San Diego Health to screen all health care workers and assure a safe workplace, the university said.
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The use of cannabis has become an increasingly popular topic of discussion following its legalisation for personal use in South Africa.
Research on how cannabis affects sleep started as far back as the 1970s, with a resurgence in interest toward the mid-2010s, said Chadley Kemp, a sleep scientist at the Sports Science Institute of South Africa.
Cannabis the drug (also known as marijuana, among many other names) refers to the psychoactive agent of the cannabis plant, explained Kemp.
Cannabis may be derived from different source plants, including the sativa and indica species, and is broadly used for medical and recreational purposes.
Cannabinoids are the active compounds found within the cannabis plant.
These compounds work by actively binding and interacting with special sites in the brain and nervous system. While there are over 100 different types of cannabinoids in existence, there are two cannabinoids that are of significant interest: THC (delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol).
"Although THC and CBD are both the most commonly studied cannabinoids, they are quite different," said Kemp.
"THC is the primary psychoactive component of cannabis, better known for its 'high' inducing properties, while CBD is the non-intoxicating component of cannabis.
"The effect of THC varies largely with dose; however, CBD may modulate THC by counteracting its effect.
How does cannabis influence sleep?
Many of the studies looking at how cannabis influences sleep has come with mixed results, said Kemp.
"On the one hand, cannabis may have a short-term benefit by reducing the time it takes to fall asleep, increasing sleep duration and increasing the time spent in deep (slow-wave) sleep – the part of sleep which is important for mental recovery and memory consolidation.
Interestingly, CBD and THC have differential effects on sleep which may explain some of the many discrepant research findings, said Kemp.
"For example, THC has sleep-promoting effects, however, the effects of CBD on sleep vary with dose. Low-dose CBD has a stimulating effect and is associated with an increased feeling of wakefulness, whilst high-dose CBD has a sedating effect.
However, Kemp cautioned that long-term cannabis use seems to impact sleep negatively.
"For example, individuals may find themselves stuck in a vicious cycle of using cannabis to manage their sleep because they may habituate to the effects, meaning with repeated use, they will need higher doses of cannabis to achieve the same desired effect.
"This may lead to problematic cannabis use, which may increase the risk for cannabis dependence. Sleep disturbances are also a hallmark trait of cannabis withdrawal, meaning that if a cannabis user decides to quit, they may experience worsened sleep that may predict a relapse," he said.
So, should I use cannabis for sleep?
The type of cannabinoids, their ratios, dosage, timing and route of administration all play a critical role in their respective outcomes, said Kemp.
"Moreover, while cannabis remains unregulated, it is simply not possible to know for certain what the constituent ratio and dosage of cannabinoids are in any given cannabis sample.
"Beyond this, it's difficult to discern between short- and long-term use, given the abundance of mixed study results and variable tolerance to its use among different people," he said.
"Research on cannabis and sleep remains in its infancy and requires further research in controlled settings.


text:
#pragma once

#include <algorithm>
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namespace ace {
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template<typename T>
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is(std::string const & s) {
  T r;
  std::istringstream iss(s);
  iss >> std::boolalpha >> r;
  return (iss.rdstate() & (std::istream::failbit | std::istream::badbit)) == 0;
}

template<>
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is<long>(std::string const & s);

template<>
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is<double>(std::string const & s);

template<typename T>
T
value(std::string const & s) {
  T r;
  std::istringstream iss(s);
  iss >> std::boolalpha >> r;
  return r;
}

template<>
double
value<double>(std::string const & s);

template<>
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value(std::string const & s);

template<typename T>
std::string
from(T const & v) {
  std::ostringstream oss;
  oss << std::boolalpha << std::scientific << v;
  return oss.str();
}

template<template <class, class> class C, class A = std::allocator<std::string>>
void
split(std::string const & s, const char d, C<std::string, A> & r) {
  r.clear();
  if (s.empty()) return;
  std::string buffer;
  for (auto & c : s) {
    if (c == d) {
      r.push_back(buffer);
      buffer.clear();
    } else {
      buffer.push_back(c);
    }
  }
  r.push_back(buffer);
}

template<template <class, class> class C, class A = std::allocator<std::string>>
std::string
join(C<std::string, A> const & r, const char d) {
  std::ostringstream oss;
  size_t cnt = 0;
  for (auto & e : r) {
    oss << e;
    if (cnt++ < r.size() - 1) oss << d;
  }
  return oss.str();
}

std::string
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std::string
expand(std::string const & s, const char c, std::string const & v);

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void
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} // namespace String
} // namespace common
} // namespace ace

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
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Stocks jump as investors eye strong data, Russia's attacks in Ukraine
Stocks rallied Friday for a second day in a row as traders eyed the latest developments in Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the world's response.
The S&P 500 advanced more than 2%, rising further after a 1.5% jump on Thursday. The Dow and Nasdaq also built on Thursday's gains to add more than 1% intraday on Friday. The Dow closed up by more than 800 points, or 2.5%, posting its best day of 2022. The Nasdaq ended higher by more than 200 points, or 1.6%. The move came after new economic data showed U.S. personal spending rose more than expected in January, even accounting for a surge in inflation. Personal consumption expenditures (PCE), a closely watched gauge of inflation, soared by 6.1%, or the fastest rate in 40 years.
Stocks moved higher even against the backdrop of Russia's military attack of Ukraine and Western nation's sanctions on Russia. Though equities have been sliding and energy commodity prices soaring in recent sessions as investors considered the financial market impacts of the conflict, markets at least temporarily stabilized in absence of further evidence of U.S. economic damage.
"The market is going to overreact to good news and bad. The news [Thursday] morning was sell, sell, sell," Allan Boomer, Momentum Advisors chief investment officer, told Yahoo Finance Live on Thursday. "And now we analyzed the news … I think what the market has decided is that this Ukraine-Russia [situation] is a tragedy, [but] it's not necessarily a global event that's going to cause us to fall into a deep recession."
"I think the biggest factor right now is the Fed," he added. "And if anything, this Russian event may make the Fed a bit less hawkish."
And indeed, market participants have now priced in a much lower probability that Federal Reserve officials will front-load their interest rate hiking cycle and raise rates by 50 basis points at the end of their March meeting. The last time the Fed raised rates by more than 25 basis points in one meeting was in 2000. While such a move would serve as an aggressive shift by the Fed to begin actively reining in inflation, it could also further roil financial markets that have already endured increased volatility this year and that have now also been spooked by the specter of further international conflict.
"This has been the second worst start to the year for U.S. equities since 2000. Yet, these moves are not solely (or even mostly) driven by the Russia/Ukraine tensions," Seema Shah, Sharing Principal Global Investors chief strategist, wrote in an email. "Equity declines began in January and were, at least initially, driven by inflation concerns and expectations for significantly sharper central bank tightening."
"Energy prices had been rising steadily throughout the pandemic recovery and in response to lower-than-expected OPEC+ production. Concerns around Federal Reserve balance sheet reduction caused credit spreads to start to gap out in early January," she added. "The Russia/Ukraine situation is certainly significant—but it has simply compounded these already challenging market conditions."
Other strategists also suggested that U.S. stocks would trade primarily based on the monetary policy and earnings implications of any impacts of the latest geopolitical tensions.
"The U.S. economy has pretty low exposure directly to Ukraine and the situation with Russia. However, the important thing here is, how does it impact inflation expectations? And that's really what we're keeping an eye on," Anna S. Han, Wells Fargo Securities equity strategist, told Yahoo Finance Live on Thursday. "As inflation becomes a variable for corporates, the potential for it to eat away at earnings, or a potential for it to really steer the Fed to accelerate or decelerate that rate hike cycle — that's what we're looking at."
4:00 p.m. ET: Dow bas best day of 2022
Nasdaq (^IXIC): +221.04 (+1.64%) to 13,694.62
Gold (GC=F): -$34.20 (-1.78%) to $1,892.10 per ounce
10-year Treasury (^TNX): +1.7 bps to yield 1.9860%
1:12 p.m. ET: Ford to pause F-150 production due to chip shortage
Ford (F) said on Friday that it would pause production of its top-selling F-150 pick-up trucks at its Kansas City factory due to the ongoing chip shortage.
The automaker is one of many to suspend or pull back on production due to supply chain-related disruptions. In September, General Motors cut production at a number of North American assembly plants due to chip shortages. Earlier this month, Ford had said it expected sales to drop by the single to low-double-digits due to semiconductor shortages.
11:50 a.m. ET: Stocks head for back-to-back day of strong gains, Dow adds 600+ points, or 1.8%
The three major stock indexes soared Friday midday, looking past geopolitical tensions and instead focusing on a bevy of solid economic data.
The S&P 500 jumped by 1.8%, with the financials, healthcare and materials sectors leading the way higher. The Dow added more than 600 points, or nearly 2% as Johnson & Johnson, Merck and Amgen outperformed. The Nasdaq added 1.2%.
The risk-on mood extended to Bitcoin, which jumped more than 9% to trade above $39,000. Treasury yields rose slightly, and the benchmark 10-year yield added 0.7 basis points to hover around 1.98%.
10:09 a.m. ET: Pending home sales unexpectedly sink by the most since Feb. 2021 in January
Pending home sales posted the largest decline in nearly one year at the start of 2022, with rising interest rates and tight inventory levels weighing on housing market activity.
Homes under contract to be sold declined by 5.7% in January compared to December and fell by 9.5% compared to the same month in 2021, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) said Friday. The monthly dip was the largest since February 2021, and represented a third straight monthly decline.
10:00 a.m. ET: Consumer sentiment edged up in late Feb., but still hovered at 10-year low: University of Michigan
Consumer sentiment edged up in late February but still marked the lowest level in a decade, according to the University of Michigan's closely watched monthly index.
The institution's headline index from its Surveys of Consumers was upwardly revised to 62.8 in the final monthly print, up from the 61.7 previously reported. Still, even with the revision, this was the worst reading in about 10 years. In January, the index had stood at 67.2.
"The loss was still entirely due to a 12.9% decline among households with incomes of $100,000 or more," Richard Curtin, Surveys of Consumers chief economist, said in a statement. "The February descent resulted from inflationary declines in personal finances, a near universal awareness of rising interest rates, falling confidence in the government's economic policies, and the most negative long term prospects for the economy in the past decade."
"The financial harm and growing angst among consumers about rising inflation have pushed nearly nine-in-ten consumers to anticipate interest rate hikes," he added. "The Fed's clinging to the transient hypothesis meant missed opportunities to nip inflation at its earliest stages; aggressive actions are now needed to avoid the potential establishment of an inflationary psychology that acts to form a self-fulfilling prophecy."
9:31 a.m. ET: S&P 500, Dow open higher
Here's where stocks were trading Friday morning:
8:41 a.m. ET: Personal spending rises 2.1% in January, exceeding estimates
U.S. consumer spending rose at a faster rate than expected in January even adjusting for price increases, suggesting the biggest part of U.S. economic activity was holding up despite persistent inflationary pressures.
Personal spending rose at a 2.1% rate in January, the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) said Friday. This came in well above the 1.6% jump expected, according to Bloomberg consensus data, and helped reverse a 0.8% monthly drop in spending in December.
Real personal spending also exceeded estimates, rising by 1.5% during the month versus the 1.2% increase anticipated.
The latest consumer spending data tracked with the Commerce Department's better-than-expected January retail sales report released earlier this month. That report showed a 3.8% rise during the month, or well above the 2% increase expected at the time.
BEA data Friday also showed a flat monthly reading on personal income, following a 0.4% rise in income in December. Still, this was better than the 0.3% drop anticipated.
8:36 a.m. ET: PCE inflation jumps by most since 1982 in January
A closely watched measure of inflation soared at the fastest rate in 40 years in January, adding to a bevy of recent data underscoring persistently elevated levels of inflation reverberating throughout the U.S. economy.
The Personal Consumptions Expenditures (PCE) index jumped 6.1% in January over last year, the Bureau of Economic Analysis said Friday. This represented the fastest rise since 1982, and topped expectations for a 6.0% year-on-year increase, according to Bloomberg consensus data. In December, PCE rose by 5.8% on an annual basis. On a month-over-month basis, the PCE rose 0.6%, matching expectations.
Core PCE, which strips out volatile food and energy prices, rose 5.2% over last year in January. This core measure of inflation — and the Federal Reserve's preferred gauge of underlying price trends — also accelerated from the 4.9% annual rate seen in December. And at 5.2%, this marked the fastest increase since 1983.
7:29 a.m. ET Friday: Stock futures point to slightly lower open
Here's where stocks were trading ahead of the opening bell:
S&P 500 futures (ES=F): -13 points (-0.3%), to 4,272.00
Dow futures (YM=F): -119 points (-0.36%), to 33,037.00
Nasdaq futures (NQ=F): -18.25 points (-0.13%) to 13,948.25
Gold (GC=F): -$23.20 (-1.2%) to $1,903.10 per ounce
6:01 p.m. ET Thursday: Stock futures open lower after rally
Here were the main moves in markets Tuesday evening:
S&P 500 futures (ES=F): -21.5 points (-0.5%), to 4,262.50
Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange at the opening bell on February 22 2022, in New York. – Wall Street stocks retreated early on February 22 as Russian President Vladimir Putin's latest escalation of the Ukraine conflict stoked volatility in markets. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP) (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images)
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Corporate America's 2021 profits were higher than ever
Sat Feb 26 , 2022
Corporate America's profit margins started strong and stayed high all throughout 2021. That's according to financial data company FactSet. According to the firm, the second quarter of 2021 saw a 13.1% profit margin among the companies of the S&P 500. The 4th quarter showed a slight dip but a still-elevated […]
Top Stock Market News For Today March 10, 2022
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In this episode I am joined by author Rob Moore. Rob has written the book The Consciousness Papers, which is a twice daily meditation. According to the author this book is not an ordinary book. It is derived from beyond the cognitive mind, and connects with the more elevated aspects of yourself.


This is a 3D real-time strategy game, where you control the armies of two different factions: Tech, which is mainly composed of warriors and mechanical devices, and Magic, that prefers mages and summoned creatures in the battlefield.
Glest takes place in a context which could be compared to that of the pre-renaissance Europe, with the licence that magic forces exist in the environment and can be controlled.
The current version is fully playable, includes single player game against CPU controlled players, two factions with their corresponding tech trees, units, buildings and some maps.
The core game allows the player to take control of two completely different factions: Tech, which is mainly composed of warriors and mechanical devices, and Magic, that prefers mages and summoned creatures in the battlefield.
System Requirements: Pentium 4 / Athlon processor, OpenGL 1.3 compatible video card and drivers (ie: GeForce, radeon), OpenAL compatible sound card and drivers. Glest is also available for FreeBSD.


text:
Home/Tag: Indian National Congress
The Sardar of the Kisans
In 1931, the annual meeting of the Indian National Congress was held in the port city of Karachi. Vallabhbhai Patel was elected President. Early in his address, Patel remarked: 'You have called a simple farmer to the highest office to which any Indian can aspire. I am conscious that your choice of me as first servant [...]
By Ramachandra Guha|2021-12-23T18:40:40+05:30October 9th, 2021|Categories: Politics and Current Affairs, Biography|Tags: Bardoli satyagraha 1928, Bombay Chronicle, Indian National Congress, Narhari Parikh biographer of Patel, Sardar Patel, Vallabhbhai Patel, farmers agitation, peasant agitation|
The Past and Future of the Congress Party
In the year 1970, Rajni Kothari published a major book with the straightforward title, Politics in India. The bulk of the book was devoted to the then dominant Congress party. Kothari argued that before and after Independence, the Congress was successful in presenting itself as the 'authoritative spokesman of the nation as well as its affirmed [...]
By Ramachandra Guha|2014-08-24T18:04:22+05:30August 3rd, 2014|Categories: Politics and Current Affairs|Tags: Congress Party, Indian National Congress, Rajni Kothari|
Rahul Gandhi Vallabhbhai Patel Congress Party democracy Indira Gandhi governance corruption ambedkar Nehru Narendra Modi Manmohan Singh freedom of speech environment colonialism Verrier Elwin RSS pluralism Indian democracy nationalism C Rajagopalachari Rabindranath Tagore Hindutva Cricket BJP secularism chauvinism Mahatma Gandhi foreign policy communalism Sonia Gandhi


Q: A man I am dating demands I lose some weight to be able to proceed with a deeper involvement. I am bit hurt by this request, but I do like him and I wonder if I tell him off that someone else might tell me the same. I don't think I am too overweight, but I am not a model skinny either. Should I really lose weight to be able to have a boyfriend?
A: No! You should lose this man and learn to love yourself as you are.
The fact that you wrote this letter shows that you know you are far more important as a person than you are as a "body." Good!
But the fact that you wonder about this at all shows that you might sometimes think that you have to pretend to be under the control of some man and his perceptions of your worth. Wrong!
And by the way, although it doesn't apply to you, you should know that even people who are extremely overweight need to accept themselves as they are first, before even hoping to succeed at losing weight. Their self-hate makes them feel so bad that they eat to compensate.


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The hurricane slammed into Florida's Gulf Coast this afternoon as a high-end Category 4 storm. Michael should still be a t.
North Carolina, in 2015. He said the coach told him he was going to give it to a personal trainer for highly-touted point guard Dennis Smith Jr. as a way to get it to Smith's family. Business.
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Above: A woman checks on her vehicle as Hurricane Michael passes through, after the hotel canopy had just. offshore from t.
DeMeyer sold them to a North Carolina-based wine broker. native has been deceiving people since his high school days. Poli.
Well, on a one-night trip to Portland in 2017, Gassnola managed to drop $598.41 on a single room at the Nines Hotel. $40,0.
Peter Stevens, president of JCJ, said extensive minor league experience is crucial for the project, which includes a 10,000-p.
At some point, he changed his name. Nicolas De-Meyer, as he's named in the criminal indictment, was Nickolas Meyer in his hig.
"So the power went off and then we were just kind of lost from that point. North Carolina, headed for Tennessee before mak.
HIGH POINT, N.C. — Police are investigating a shooting. He may be driving a white 1996 Mercury Grand Marquis bearing NC re.
"So I went to the local library and dug up (old newspaper clippings) and found out she died in a car accident on the Jamestow.
The nine hotels are located in Albany, New York; Appleton, Wisconsin; Billings, Montana; Cheyenne, Wyoming; Cromwell, Connecticut; Hartford, Connecticut; High Point, North Carolina; North Baltimore, M.
Other high-profile events include a match-up of top rookies and second-year players on Friday night (Feb. 15) and the Saturda.
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There was no location better suited for this soiree than The Grand Hotel in Point Clear, AL. Rebecca grew up visiting. REL.
CHARLOTTE, NC — Gov. Roy Cooper declared a state of emergency in North Carolina Wednesday ahead of Hurricane Michael, which i.
Gassnola's first payment was when Smith was a junior in high school. The second came in 2015 when — and this will be of parti.
From there, the three went to the suspect's hotel room at Budget Inn Motel on. been arrested for charges in their jurisdiction. High Point police said they Stotts will be brought back to North Caro.
Alabama and North Carolina. William H. Chafe is the Alice Mary Baldwin Professor of History emeritus at Duke University and a.


Some powers that be on the salubrious international stand-up comedy circuit have been eyeing Whistler for some time, and now it seems they've finally got it by the humorous horns with a two night comedy special at MY Place next weekend.
The event, which organizers hope will become a regular face in Whistler, is being organized by Comedy Spot Productions, who did a similar show in Vancouver at the Vogue Theatre as part of the support for the 2010 Olympic bid.
The comic collective knew Whistler was the next step in their grand plan for world recognition of Canadian comedians.
"We want to introduce ourselves to Whistler and build a relationship so we can come back regularly with world class entertainment for your world class community," said event organizer Kelly Phelan.
"There are many top touring stand-up comedians in this country that we believe are the best in the business. Our hope for this show is to tour it across the country and along the way place some of those comedians in Whistler's international spotlight."
The four comedians chosen for the MY Place weekend all have numerous years of professional performing under their belts, garnering many TV and film credits and awards for their jokes.
The Best of Canadian Stand-Up show promises to be different from most standard comedy nights with its serving of four "headliners", as opposed to just one. There will also be a few special guests, as yet unannounced, ensuring a lot of hilarity for your entertainment dollar.
Tickets to the Comedy Show are $25 from the MY Place box office; phone 604-935-8418 or Ticketmaster.com. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m.


text:
Polymyxin är en cyklisk polypeptid. Den har en hydrofob och en hydrofil del. Polymyxin är kraftigt toxisk men används ändå som antibiotika vid vissa kraftiga infektioner. Polymyxin används som behandling mot bakterien Pseudomonas aeruginosa, en bakterie som är den främsta dödsorsaken hos brännskadepatienter. Pseudomonas aeruginosa är resistent mot de flesta antibiotika utom polymyxin. Polymyxin fäster på de yttre cellmembranen och gör att det slits sönder och cellinnehållet läcker ut.

Källor

Polypeptidantibiotika

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Government's Report to Parliament Lacked Substance, Lawmakers Say
Fact-Finding Mission Report Calls for Removal of Military from Gov't
Myanmar Caught in Her Own Trap
Parliament Approves $300M ADB Loan to Upgrade Power Grid
Rights Group Blasts Police Inaction over Rape of 14-Year-Old IDP
Police Recapture 3 Escapees from Bogale
Democratic Transition in Myanmar 'at Standstill': UN Rights Panel
China Will Use Trade War with US to Replace Imports: State Media
Leaders of Two Koreas Begin One-on-One Summit to Unlock Nuclear Talks
UK Foreign Secretary Hunt to Meet Daw Aung San Suu Kyi During Myanmar Visit
India, Myanmar to Begin Using E-Visas Along Land Border
Analysis: 'Debt Trap' Alert Rises in Myanmar as More Belt and Road Projects Scrapped
Analysis: Myanmar Still Living with Legacy of 1988 Military Coup
Police Recapture 2 of 3 Escapees Who Cut Their Way Out of Cell in Bogale
Two Men Sentenced to Death for 2017 Rape, Murder
Myanmar Govt Plans to Open Private Medical Universities
Mudslide in Mae Hong Son Refugee Camp Leaves 1 Dead, 7 Missing
Bangkok Street Vendors: From Michelin Star to Fighting Eviction
Japanese Submarine Conducts First Drills in South China Sea
Leaders of Two Koreas Meet in Pyongyang for Talks on Ending War
From the Army's Perspective, Now Is Not the Time to Stage a Coup
KNU Concerned Group Backs Call for Military Leaders to Face ICC
Thousands Protest Woman's Abduction by Armed Group in Shan State
European Film Festival to Bring More Real Life and Love to the Screens
Military Chief's Russian Social Media Account Removed, Reappears
NLD Must Act to Avoid Another Coup: USDP Spokesperson
Yangon Residents Dissatisfied with Municipal Services
Myanmar to Sign UN Nuclear Weapons Ban Treaty
Leader of Hpa-an Prison Break Shot by Police, Died in Hospital
The Strange Birds Behind the '88 Coup
Malaysia's former Prime Minister Najib Razak speaks to journalists as he leaves a court in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on September 20, 2018. / Reuters
KUALA LUMPUR—Malaysian prosecutors charged former Prime Minister Najib Razak with 21 counts of money laundering and four counts of abuse of power on Thursday over hundreds of millions of dollars received in his personal bank account.
The charges bring the total number against Najib to 32 as investigators ramp up a probe into how billions went missing from scandal-plagued 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), a state fund that he founded and chaired.
Najib has denied all charges, which have piled up since he unexpectedly lost a general election in May to Mahathir Mohamad, who reopened the 1MDB investigation.
Prosecutors, describing the abuse of power charges, said Najib used his position as prime minister, finance minister and chairman of 1MDB to obtain funds totaling about 2.3 billion ringgit ($556.23 million) between 2011 and 2014.
The money-laundering charges describe how Najib received 2.1 billion ringgit ($508 million) from Tanore Finance Corp, which US authorities have said was used to siphon money from 1MDB.
"The charges made today will give me a chance to clear my name, that I am not a thief," Najib told reporters.
He was released after the judge set bail of 3.5 million ringgit ($846,430), to be paid by Sept. 28.
Prosecutors said it was a matter of "national disgrace" for a head of state to be facing such charges.
"This is a case involving a man holding the highest elected office. And him, facing such serious charges, must face some consequences in the eyes of the court," lead prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram said, arguing for a bail amount of 5 million ringgit ($1.2 million).
Najib has faced corruption allegations since the Wall Street Journal reported in 2015 that $681 million was sent to a personal bank account of the then-prime minister in 2013. A year later, the US Department of Justice confirmed the transaction and said the funds originated from 1MDB.
Najib has said the funds were donations from Saudi Arabia, most of which he returned.
Despite growing calls to step down, he clung to power by cracking down on dissent and the media. But Malaysians voted him out earlier this year and he has since come under close scrutiny.
In recent months, prosecutors brought a total of seven charges against Najib over 42 million ringgit ($10 million) that allegedly flowed from SRC International, a former 1MDB unit, into his bank account.
The Department of Justice has said a total of $4.5 billion was stolen from 1MDB through a complex web of transactions and fraudulent shell companies. Malaysian financier Low Taek Jho is described as a central figure in the scandal.
More charges?
Azam Baki, the deputy commissioner of the anti-graft agency, said more charges could be brought against individuals.
When asked if Najib's wife, Rosmah Mansor, could face charges, he said: "I'm not denying that." Rosmah was questioned by investigators earlier this year and has been barred from leaving the country.
Najib's lawyer, Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, described the charges against his client as "bizarre".
"Can you be accused of money laundering for returning funds? It doesn't make sense," he said.
Shafee himself was charged with money laundering last week after allegedly receiving 9.5 million ringgit ($2.3 million) from Najib.
Both Malaysian and US authorities have described how Najib returned most of the money he received to the Tanore account he originally received the money from.
However, US authorities have said Tanore was controlled by an associate of Low and held funds diverted from 1MDB.
Topics: Malaysia


BENGALURU: India's largest real estate developer DLF has explored options to monetize some commercial assets worth about $500 million or Rs 3,000 crore, with a clutch of global investors to allay concerns about the company's fund-raising flexibility in the face of a regulator ban, multiple sources directly aware of the matter said.
GIC of Singapore, Blackstone and IT park developer Ascendas are among the investors who were approached as potential suitors for some of DLF's tenanted offices. However, sources cautioned that discussions were tentative even as the developer is fighting a Sebi ban on raising funds from Indian capital markets for three years.
DLF has a rent-yielding office portfolio of around 30 million sqft spread across cities, making it the country's biggest landlord of commercial assets. The Gurgaon-based company could offload part of its portfolio, outside the National Capital Region, to investors who are keen on buying Indian office buildings, sources added.
TOI last week reported that foreign investors bought in to Indian office property worth over $2 billion this calendar, a four-fold jump in their appetite for commercial assets with stable yields.
"DLF is exploring various options to boost confidence of their investors and bankers. The preliminary moves to monetize some commercial assets may be part of this exercise. The talks depend on the progress of their appeal against the regulator ban," said an investor who did not wish to be named as talks are private.
In response to an e-mail query from TOI, a DLF spokesperson replied through a text-message that read, "Your information is completely speculative and as a company policy we do not comment on market speculation."
Sources said DLF was exploring the prospect of hiving off leased and under development IT parks located in South India. The company has large operational office campuses in Chennai and Hyderabad totalling to over 5-million sqft. In Pune, DLF already sold one of its IT parks to Blackstone for Rs 800 crore a few years ago, while another IT campus is under development.
According to DLF's 2014 annual report, the company's lease portfolio of office and retail space stood at 29.4 million sqft that yielded an income of Rs 1,950 crore.
In October, Sebi banned DLF and its top directors from accessing the capital markets for three years, as the regulator claims that the company curbed information during its public float seven years ago, among other issues. DLF is contesting the ban order with the Securities Appellate Tribunal, the hearing for which is underway. As of March this year, DLF had a net debt of Rs 18,526 crore as compared to Rs 21,731 crore in the same period a year ago.


Hi Edward! There are several hotel accommodations available for a family of five staying on property at Walt Disney World. The Cabins at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort sleep up to 6 guests and include a full kitchen, private patio with Barbeque grill and picnic table. Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Disney's Contemporary Resort, Disney's Polynesian Resort, Disney's BoardWalk Inn, Disney's Beach Club Resort, and Disney's Yacht Club Resort offer rooms with two queen-size beds and a day bed. You might also want to consider the Two Bedroom Villas that sleep up to 8 guests, such as Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort, Disney's Old Key West, Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas (Jambo House and Kidani Village), The Villas at Disney's Wilderness Lodge, Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort, Disney's Beach Club Villas, and Disney's BoardWalk Villas.


From tajweed (for brothers and sisters), Arabic, sirah, an expanded children's weekday-evening Quran program, to tafseer and more, there are a wide range of courses to choose from. Please review the course listings for full details, and register today to gain knowledge, and earn blessings!
• Tafseer sessions with Sh. Abdool Hamid every 2nd and 4th Sat. of the month. Next session: Feb. 25.
• The schedule of speakers and topics has been posted for the Friday Night Adults' Class. No Friday night classes on Feb. 17.
• Al-Arbaeen an-Nawawi - Exploring the Forty Hadith of al Imam an Nawawi Tuesdays at 7pm, starting Feb. 28. Shaikh Musleh Khan will be teaching this intensive course on the famous collection of Imam an Nawawi.


I'll be playing the 2 player version.
When you play a meld and score the associated points with that meld.
If you use that meld to play off of, do you lose those initially scored points? or do you keep them?
also, do you score the tricks in each phase? then total everything? melds+tricks in phase 1 + tricks in phase 2 = total score. correct?
Are you asking about a Run that comes using on top of a pre-existing Marriage ?
Or another way is, then another ?
Adding a specific case may improve understanding.
Far as I know, there's no difference procedurally.
assuming spades trump...15 or 19? Do you get to use the queen of spades both ways?
I've seen both yes and no, honestly. Playing double deck, you can always use every card for meld, in all ways the rules allow. So the above would always be 19. My preference would be to do the same in single deck, but as I say, I've seen rules listed online that show "nope...one card, one use in meld."
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More and more companies in the Transportation industry are facing a difficult challenge – how to ensure that all of their drivers are proficient in English. A minimum level of English Proficiency is a requirement of all commercial drivers in the U.S., according to the Federal Motor Carrier Administration (FMCSA). Drivers who do not meet this requirement could be fined and/or placed out of service, not to mention the legal liability to employers if these drivers are involved in motor vehicle accidents. This can lead to significant costs, including those related to Out-Of-Service (OOS) violation fees, lost productivity and most importantly, driver-related injuries and fatalities. But can you identify candidates who meet this requirement in a manner that is objective, consistent and legally defensible? Select International has the perfect solution – the English Proficiency Assessment.
Select International's English Proficiency Assessment is a validated test specifically designed to assess driver candidates' minimum level of English proficiency. It specifically measures the key aspects of proficiency in a way that is simple and highly job relevant. Moreover, it ensures that a driver simply has a minimum level of English proficiency, rather than providing an extensive test of English fluency and knowledge, which is not necessary in order for a driver to meet the FMCSA requirements.
Developed with a team of subject matter experts with decades of experience in transportation, motor vehicle regulations and highway safety, the English Proficiency Assessment is a valid and reliable tool that is administered to driver candidates early in the application process to screen out those who have very poor English comprehension and verbal ability and as a result, would not likely meet FMCSA proficiency requirements. Administered online along with a brief interview component, the assessment is designed to measure the critical skills that determine English proficiency and has been validated in order to ensure that it is legally defensible to use as part of the hiring process for drivers in the U.S.
Given the urgent need to ensure drivers are proficient in English, let us help you select drivers in a manner that is objective, consistent and legally defensible. Request a complimentary demo to find out how an English Proficiency Test can help your organization.


text:
Elements of focus come to the forefront in preseason finale
February 24, 201912:00PM EST
David CathColumbusCrewSC.com
Follow@ ColumbusCrewSC
Even before FC Cincinnati went down to 10 men, Columbus Crew SC quickly established the tone during yesterday's preseason finale and showed, as of now, the best representation of what head coach Caleb Porter expects from the team.
"When I look at the 11v11, the start of the game, the way that we played, how aggressive we played, the two goals we scored, the way that we counter pressed; it was the closest to the vision that I have for this team thus far," Porter said.
► PHOTOS | Crew SC tops FCC in preseason finale by 3-0 final score
There's still a long way to go, Porter admitted, but to him, the foundation in his system comes down to, as obvious as it sounds, having the ball, with the wrinkle being about purposeful possession and the willingness to take chances.
"I think it was a combination of that back half buildup that they are so good at and now the front half control and dominance and counter pressure, with a purpose though," Porter said on the reason for the Crew's success last night. "You saw it wasn't just passing the ball around. It was passing it around to create a chance and I thought both of the first two goals were team goals, and obviously, the third goal was just as good."
With more possession comes more opportunities for creativity, and ultimately, more chances for goals.
"It's great to see players play with confidence and freedom," Porter said. "You can drop all these little patterns of play and move magnets all you want, but at the end of the day the players on the field have to see those things and they have to create for themselves and have to play with a sense of creativity."
Key to possession was hunger for the ball, and not just from the midfield on back.
"I was most impressed with the counter pressure," Porter said. "I thought our ability to swarm their team and get 11 yellow jerseys around the ball, I thought that was the most impressive thing because we need the ball, we are a team that needs the ball.
"Again, when the ball turned over, I thought [we] were hungry to get the ball back because the ball for us is like food – we need it. If we're not gonna have the ball, we're not gonna be a good team. We have to have the ball," Porter said.
For FCC, which played with a five-man backline, the red card forced them to shift gears and solely focus to the defensive end. For Crew SC, the mindset remained the same.
"Whether they have 10 or 11 players, we are still going to be on the ball," Porter said. "In some ways maybe it slowed us down, and I think maybe in some ways it helped them because they had to buckle down now and just defend, but for us nothing changed, and if it was 11v11, nothing would have changed. We would've kept the ball, we would've looked to create chances."
Regardless, the counter pressuring became self-fulfilling by midway through the second half, creating spells of attack-minded possession for the Black & Gold, followed by pressure if the ball was lost and then, ultimately, indecision from the other side.
"You saw at the start of the second half, we wanted to get the third goal; we got it right away and then we shut the game down and passed the game out," Porter said, "and obviously at the end when they were kicking the ball away it shows how dominate we were because you almost create this cycle of soccer where you have it and you press it and there's nothing they can do but just boot it."
Albeit preseason, there have been constructive elements to take from. For Porter and the staff, in the grand scheme, success will come down to having the ball – or rather – not allowing the opponent to have the ball, as simple as it sounds.
"We can never lose sight of the fact that we have to have the ball. We are only good if we have the ball, and hopefully, we can have the ball most of the game like today. The only way we are going to have the ball is defend well and defend as a team and be bought into the counter pressing."
Ultimately, it is just a start and nothing result-wise has been accomplished, Porter stated, so for now, the only thing that matters is the match on March 2 at MAPFRE Stadium
"But preseason's done now, we are still 0-0, we don't have a point yet, and we've not played a game, so nothing matters now except the next game and the Red Bulls and we are well aware of that," Porter said. "So we'll put this behind us and we won't take anything for granted going into this next week because we have a tough game and we need to be just as good as we were today in that game."
Kickoff on March 2 is slated for 4:30 p.m. ET.
Higuain 'easily' a top-five No. 10 in MLS according to Porter
Zardes: 'I love playing with this group of guys.'
February 24, 2019 (1 min)
Crew SC defeats FCC 3-0 in Carolina Challenge Cup finale
Crew, FCC to meet in final preseason match on Feb. 23
Mensah: 'It's always amazing when the start of the season is approaching'
Porter pleased with consistency in Crew's young, depth vs. Battery


Heat stress occurs when cows are unable to control their body temperature at high temperatures, which leads to reduced feed intake, rumination, rumen function, milk yield and milk fat and protein levels, and increased respiration rate and risk of acidosis. The higher the relative humidity (RH) the lower the temperature at which heat stress occurs, which Dairy NZ has indicated occurs at a Temperature Humidity Index (THI) of 68 for Friesians and 75 for Jerseys, which equates to 21 and 25.5oC at RH of 75%.
Famers can help reduce heat stress by ensuring cows have access to plenty of clean drinking water (>100 litres/cow/day) and shade, reducing walking distances, speed and time in the collecting yard. Cows could be cooled using sprinklers, but this may require using fans to allow for evaporative cooling through air movement.
Diets high in fibre result in higher heat production from digestion, so an option may be to ensure cows have access to lusher pastures and/or lower fibre supplements, particularly protected fats. Another strategy is to improve feed degradation and efficiency of utilisation, which can be done by feeding rumen specific strains of live yeast.
Starch degrading bacteria numbers increase at the expense of fibre degrading bacteria with increasing severity of heat stress. Rumen specific strains of live yeast are able to reduce this effect, resulting in better degradation of forage feeds. Trials have demonstrated improved neutral detergent fibre (NDF) degradation, resulting in increases in efficiency of feed utilisation as measured by increases in milk and protein yields. The improvement in milk production was greater with heat stressed than non-stressed cows. Cows fed these specific strains of live yeast also maintained higher rumen pH levels.
Heat stress increases oxidative stress, which can adversely affect immune function resulting in higher somatic cell counts and mastitis, and lower conception rates. Specific antioxidants and organic selenium have been shown in trials to help alleviate these issues.
Heat stress may also occur at lower temperatures than indicated above with cows consuming mycotoxins, particularly on some types of pasture. Cows or heifers clumping, and looking for shade is often an indication of heat stress at these lower temperatures. Management options are to move stock to alternative pastures, and/or to feed a suitable dual action mycotoxin binder. Mycotoxin binders should ideally be fed twice a day, as they need to be in the gut at the same time as the mycotoxins to which they bind.


Mike Kemper, from Shreveport, LA, started in the Real Estate industry by chance. After leaving college and moving to Bellingham, WA, along with his wife Wendy, the pair decided to sell their retail store and relocate closer to family in Frisco, TX. After months of unsuccessful listings with a commercial broker, Mike took matters into his own hands and wound up selling his company in 40 days to a local small business owner, thus spurring the start of his real estate career.
In 2005, Mike began working with Keller Williams Realty. After 8 years in the industry, Mike identified a niche in the market lacking quality customer service, expertise and professionalism: home inspections. It wasn't long before Mike partnered with fellow local Realtor, Garrett Hand to form Elite Inspection Group.
After graduating Angelo State University, Garrett Hand was promoted to VP Branch Manager at Bank of America at only 25 years old. His career at Bank of America was an exceptional one, yet after a chance encounter selling a friend's home, Garrett switched gears and began his career in Real Estate to help people with their biggest investment decisions.
Not before long, Garrett met Mike, and the two decided to tackle the #1 "deal killer" in the home sales process: the home inspection. Right from the start, Garrett sought to enhance communication between homeowner and inspector, and ensure individuals understood the inspection process and felt confident in their investment decisions. With experience in loans, the real estate process and now inspection services, with Garrett you can be confident you're making the best decision for your family.
Dianne started her career as a commercial underwriter after graduation from Illinois Wesleyan University in Central Illinois. She worked first for American Family Insurance and then with State Farm. After her time helping insurance agents, she took an opportunity as a sales executive for American Home Shield for 14 years, where she worked with real estate agents and helped them to become familiar with the products, providing first class customer support. She became involved in the real estate community and knew that's where she wanted to continue.
When her husband's job was moved to Texas, she looked for another opportunity in the field she had grown to love. She learned about Elite Inspection Group and it sounded like the perfect match for her skills and the chance to continue helping the real estate sales community and being a partner in success.


text:
Cranky on the Web: Great Lakes Calls It Quits. Who's Next?
By CF on Mar 31, 2018 | 13 Comments
Posted in: Cranky on the Web, Great Lakes
U.S. Pilot Shortage Claims a Casualty: Will More Airlines Shut Down? – Skift
The Regional Aviation Association is using the death of Great Lakes as an opportunity to fight for the relaxation of pilot requirements. This, however, is a fairly unique failure here. On the small end, you have a lot of airlines flying 9-seaters which don't have the same stringent pilot requirements. At the high end, you have the big regionals with their fancier jets. If you're a pilot with the hours required to fly for the big guys, why would you go to a small fry like Great Lakes when you can go to a regional that has a flow-through agreement to a legacy carrier? There aren't a lot of airlines playing in this space of 19 to 30-seats any more. Great Lakes was definitely doing something different.
13 Responses to Cranky on the Web: Great Lakes Calls It Quits. Who's Next?
How did this airline last as long as it did?
Make for a good book!
MC says:
Its a shame airlines like Great Lakes cant survive in today's airline industry…..if your not tied to a major, more than likely you wont survive…..I remember when small carriers were so abundant…..most of today's pilots want to fly the high tech planes of the major's and make big bucks….the kids you see flying for PSA look barely 20 years old, but to listen to them talk, they want to accumulate hours and move on as quickly as possible….
Unlike the old crusty pilots that have humor and character and know what it took to fly the big planes, they started small and took years to obtain the experience they have, in today's technology with planes that can fly themselves, young pilots lack the experience of truely beginning a flying career, they may start with the Great Lakes type airlines, because thats all they can get for now but will bail at the first opportunity to move up to the big money stuff, no loyalty or pride in building an airline career….
David SF east bay says:
It shows how one accident made a change, but was it really a good change if it means causing a shortage of pilots.
David – The worst part is that the accident wouldn't have been prevented even with this change. Both pilots on that Colgan airplane had more than 1500 hours.
Chris Miller says:
Seems like if we could change the law to be 0-30 seats without ATP we could have a more rational system and serve the rural/small markets safely. The proponents of rule can still say they one with ATP's 31 seats and larger.
Catherine Burnett says:
Good luck getting Congress to go for that. They caved to the Colgan families, which is why the 1500 hours rule became law in the first place, and there's still great interest by the families to not "water down" the law (even though, as Cranky stated above, both pilots who died in the Colgan crash had more than 1500 hours). Congress, however, is feeling the wrath of its communities impacted by reduced/cancelled operations or the loss of the EAS designation, so they're in a pickle.
If this law cuts down on EAS flights, that will be one positive. EAS is a pointless money pit that is essentially a pork-barrel program for congressmen to bring some money back to their districts. If Congress can't just eliminate it directly, this might do the trick.
But knowing how government works, they will probably increase the subsidies until airlines can make it profitable.
MJH says:
Loyalty has nothing to do with smaller commuters surviving it's the wages ,supply and demand . One commuter is going to pay more than the other which one do you think they'll work for. This is not a shortage it is free market. Either way I've never seen an airplane that will fly it's self if that was the case You'd be riding in the back of drones.
Has this type of situation happened before, I don't ever recall things being so bad with pilots moving around so much, airlines cancelling flights due to lack of pilots(except for IROPS), airlines closing due to lack of pilots….there use to be loyalty in the airline business….moving up the ranks at one carrier instead of airline hopping
In the early 60s the airlines hired individuals without any flight experience and sent them to school to get the commercial And instrument ratings, similar to how the military gets their pilots. Keep in mind if you're Riding in a Aircraft with two seats the passenger has to pay 100% of the cost of the Pilot, a ten place airplane it's only 10% of the cost. We could go back to subsidized airlines . That would be great if you lived in a town with 1000 people in it.
There are still Great small carriers like Kenmore Air in Seattle by the San Juan Islands and the small airline Mr. cranky flow out of Hawaii. Kenmore operates seaplanes. There is also some rideshare operations like Gear up that has small business Aircraft . The cost is not cheap because the utilization is low .
Ive flown Boutique Air, Southern Airways Express and Texas Sky…..thats the closest ill ever come to flying like it was in the '70's/'80's as far as regionals that were everywhere in this country….flew Air New Orleans as a Continental Express flt fairly soon after the majors went fir the regional carriers for feed traffic
pavelow42 says:
Fine with me. It keeps it all tax-deferred.
Neither one of these investments is going to fail.
iPad, Typos happen, sorry
3 Links I Love: The Qantas, Singapore, and Air New Zealand Long-Haul Edition
United Announces Plans to Make Polaris the Best Premium Cabin in the World


It wasn't. It had rained all morning and then rained all evening. This was just a bright 10 minutes.
Wow, it just shows how deceptive photos can be, doesn't it? We've had a few days like that lately too!
We haven't had enough bluse sky this week, glad someone has seen it!


Today: Areas of dense fog before 10am. Otherwise, increasing clouds, with a high near 74. Breezy, with a north wind 5 to 10 mph increasing to 15 to 20 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph.
Tonight: Mostly cloudy during the early evening, then becoming clear, with a low around 45. Breezy, with a north wind 15 to 20 mph decreasing to 5 to 10 mph in the evening. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 70. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Friday Night: A chance of showers between 2am and 5am, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 5am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 53. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming southeast in the evening. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
Saturday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 8am, then a slight chance of showers between 8am and 2pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 72. Breezy, with a south wind 15 to 25 mph becoming northwest in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 35 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 39. Breezy.
Sunday: A 20 percent chance of showers after 8am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 63.
Sunday Night: A chance of showers, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 2am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 52. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Monday: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 8am, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between 8am and 2pm, then a slight chance of showers after 2pm. Cloudy, with a high near 70. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Monday Night: Showers likely, mainly after 2am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 50. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Tuesday: Showers likely. Cloudy, with a high near 63. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Tuesday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers. Cloudy, with a low around 51.
Wednesday: A 40 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 73.


text:
Solar energy in Australia: health and environmental costs and benefits
Australia has some of the best conditions in the world for producing solar energy, and new research suggests it is also the nation's preferred future energy option.
This paper considers various advantages and disadvantages of harnessing energy from the sun. It finds the health and environmental impacts of solar to be minimal in comparison to fossil fuels, and argues that, as the cost of gas begins to rise, solar will become an increasingly competitive and valuable energy source.
It is estimated that solar energy could produce up to 60 per cent of Australia's energy needs, which would dramatically reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and reliance on fossil fuels.
Public polling by The Australia Institute shows solar is the most popular energy choice of the future, with 63 per cent of people ranking it as their number one preferred energy choice, and 90 per cent of people ranking it within their top three preferences.
This stands in strong contrast to coal and coal seam gas (CSG), which were listed among the top three energy sources by a mere 35 and 38 per cent of Australians respectively.
Fossil fuel derived energy sources such as coal and CSG have been widely criticised for their environmental and health impacts. Six out of 10 Australians consider coal and CSG to have a detrimental effect on the landscape, while only a fraction of that – 13 per cent – share the same concern in relation to solar energy.
Despite the favourable conditions and strong public support, Australia currently only produces world-average levels of solar energy. With the high potential for solar expansion in Australia, it is important to determine the costs and benefits of this energy source.
Overall, the health risks for workers in the solar sector are considerably less than for those in the fossil fuel industries. While the paper discusses some health risks associated with the manufacturing of solar photovoltaic material, these are likely to lessen over time as further improvements are made in the technology used.
There are only minimal environmental impacts in harnessing solar energy. Despite the need for large land surface areas, there is little evidence that solar resources conflict with other land uses such as farming. Additionally, community benefits can accrue from both large and small scale solar projects, such as jobs in remote areas.
Overall, solar energy is found to have minimal health and environmental impacts, particularly when compared with fossil fuels. The public desire for harnessing Australia's solar resources is strong, with 90 per cent of people wanting more solar energy, and it is predicted to become an increasingly cost-effective energy source as the technology improves.
WEB Solar energy in Australia.pdf
Jeremy Moss
Alicia Coram
Grant Blashki


Questions: Call Kara or Rashad at 410.706.3940.
Concerned about about youth being charged as adults? Join the Just Kids Partnership for a film screening and discussion about the movie Books Not Bars.
The U.S. leads the world in incarcerations with two million Americans behind bars; the number of poor, minority and female prisoners is increasing. The impact of the prison industry on the economy contributes to the complexity of the issue. Between 1988-97 there was a 30% increase in prison spending, which translates into jobs in the areas of construction and maintenance, and revenues for companies that provide products and services.


text:
Senegal loss a missed chance for Mane, more pain for Cisse
July 20, 2019, 2:10 AM UTC
Egypt Africa Cup Soccer
Senegal's Sadio Mane, right, looses a shoe during the African Cup of Nations final soccer match between Algeria and Senegal in Cairo International stadium in Cairo, Egypt, Friday, July 19, 2019. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
CAIRO (AP) — Sadio Mane will have to settle for a Champions League title. Not such a bad season.
It could have been so much better for the Liverpool forward if Senegal had found a way to end its barren run at the African Cup of Nations, which is now 15 tournaments over 54 years and counting.
Baghdad Bounedjah's deflected goal in the second minute decided Friday's African Cup final 1-0 in favor of Algeria and extended Senegal's wait for a maiden triumph.
Once again, Mane had to watch a Manchester City player — this time in the form of Algeria captain Riyad Mahrez — lift a trophy he came so close to claiming.
Actually, Mane didn't watch because he and his Senegal teammates had walked off the field at Cairo International Stadium, heads down, socks round their ankles, by the time Mahrez hoisted the golden cup over his head to mark Algeria's first triumph in 29 years.
Senegal, which has now lost two finals, will keep waiting. It has the unwanted record of playing in more African Cups without winning a title than any other team.
Mane's attempts to revive Senegal after the early shell-shock of Bounedjah's goal — an unfortunate deflection which went sailing over goalkeeper Alfred Gomis' head — ultimately came to nothing.
Mane's best moment was probably when he tricked his way past his marker and sent a dangerous cross in, only for his left boot to fly off and land at the feet of Algeria goalkeeper Rais Mbolhi. It was the second time Mane lost a boot during the game and had to hobble across the grass to retrieve it.
It was a strange tournament for Mane. He missed Senegal's opening match of the African Cup through suspension, returned to score three goals, including the winner in the last 16, but also missed two penalties.
His struggles from the spot at the African Cup continued having missed the penalty that saw Senegal eliminated in the quarterfinals two years ago. He didn't play at the 2015 African Cup because of injury.
At 27, Mane will get another chance with the next Cup of Nations in Cameroon just two years away. And he'll be consoled by Liverpool teammate Mohamed Salah, who lost a final with Egypt two years ago and was eliminated in the last 16 on home soil this year.
Whether Senegal coach Aliou Cuisse gets another chance or is willing to put himself through another African Cup is another question.
Cisse was captain of Senegal when it lost the 2002 final to Cameroon in a penalty shootout. He was the man who missed the decisive penalty that night in Bamako, Mali.
Cisse's been in charge of Senegal for four years and had been groomed for the head coach role. He thought this was his moment to put it all right.
"It's been 17 years since Senegal got to this stage of the competition and we've only experienced depression and disappointment," Cisse said. "A final is decided by fine margins and we deserved better tonight."


text:
import { BrowserModule } from "@angular/platform-browser";
import { BrowserAnimationsModule } from "@angular/platform-browser/animations";
import { NgModule } from "@angular/core";
import { FormsModule } from "@angular/forms";
import { HttpModule } from "@angular/http";
import "hammerjs";

import { AppComponent } from "./app.component";
import { MatToolbarModule, MatCardModule } from "@angular/material";

@NgModule({
  declarations: [AppComponent],
  imports: [
    BrowserModule,
    BrowserAnimationsModule,
    FormsModule,
    HttpModule,
    MatToolbarModule,
    MatCardModule
  ],
  providers: [],
  bootstrap: [AppComponent]
})
export class AppModule {}