text:
October 30, 2014 By Ira
Talking With The Naked Magicians – October 30, 2014
September 13, 2018 By Ira
Talking With Lance Burton & Friends – September 13, 2018
August 27, 2015 By Ira
Talking With Lance Burton – August 27, 2015
February 25, 2016 By Ira
Talking With Magician Gary Darwin – February 25, 2016
March 22, 2018 By Ira
Talking With David Goldrake – March 22, 2018
November 5, 2015 By Ira
Talking With Mike Hammer – November 5, 2015
September 8, 2016 By Ira
Talking With Jarrett and Raja – September 8, 2016
Talking With Jarrett & Raja – March 28, 2013
Talking With Jarrett & Raja – September 13, 2012


It brings us so much joy to finally announce Antalis UK as our exclusive distribution partner in the United Kingdom.
After almost a year of preparation and planning, we couldn't have asked for a better partner in the region. Antalis is the European leader in B2B distribution of Paper (largest outside the United States) and industrial Packaging, and the second largest distributor of Visual Communication media in Europe. In 2017, the Group reported sales of €2.4 billion and employed 5,500 people serving almost 140,000 customers, companies and printers in 43 countries.
Through its 123 distribution centres, Antalis makes more than 13,500 deliveries per day worldwide and it distributed 1.5 million tons of paper in 2017. With such substantial reach Antalis is bound to have a local point of contact and the technical support to assist you with all of your Xanita board needs.
At Xanita we pride ourselves in speed of delivery and giving you the ability to complete projects faster than ever before using Xanita board. That's why we're also thrilled to let you know that this isn't just another launch announcement, because stock is already on the ground!
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If you'd like to find out more or place an order visit xanita.com/uk , email contact@antalis.co.uk or contact your nearest Antalis office.
To celebrate the launch we will be running a massive 50% discount promotion on our cut-file store for the month of December.
If you're a printer and want to work with Xanita board but don't know how? Don't worry, our free online training academy will give you all the insight you need to get up and running with Xanita board quickly and effectively.
cue the epic launch music below!


text:
Making lives brighter with the blues
Lance Maggart
lmaggart@skyhinews.com
Staff Photo |
Music is powerful; so is compassion.
Those two ideas come together in Blue Star Connection, a Grand County nonprofit that works to provide access and ownership of musical instruments to young cancer patients and young adults facing serious life challenges. John Catt, founder/director of Blue Star Connection, has spent the last decade working to provide hope and healing to the suffering through music.
Blue Star Connection was originally formed by Catt about 10 years ago, a few years after starting the Grand County Blues Society. The "Blue" in Blue Star Connection takes its name from John's beloved music genre, the blues. The organization's website, bluestarconnection.org, outlines how the nonprofit entity was created, through a chance encounter with a young cancer patient following a concert.
Back in 2005 Catt was performing with the Grand County Blues Society for the Shining Stars Foundation, a local group of children fighting cancer. After performing Catt started a conversation about playing guitar with one of the young patients. When Catt asked the young man if he would like an electric guitar to play the boy answered, "Anything to brighten my day." About a week later an electric guitar and amp were donated to the child.
"I have the most incredible pictures of young kids playing electric guitar during bone marrow transplant solitary confinement. They have their amp and guitar while they are in there. These kids really like to rock out."John CattFounder, Blue Star Connection
A few weeks later Catt received an email from the boy's doctor, who noticed a dramatic change in the young man's outlook on treatment. Within a few months Catt was working to provide musical donations for five more children and Blue Star Connection was born. From there the organization has grown and now works with 45 different Children's Hospitals throughout the nation from Oregon to Florida. Catt estimates BSC has given away 500 electric guitars alone, not counting acoustic guitars and all other types of instruments donated by the organization.
Blue Star Connection provides all different kinds of musical instruments to hospitals, clinics, teen shelters and Native American reservations throughout the nation; with a special place in their hearts for providing electric guitars.
"I really believe the electric guitar is what kids like," Catt said. "I've been pushing electric guitars on therapists for years. These young kids today aren't listening to Joni Mitchell," he joked. "We give away our share of drums, bass and other instruments but the kids really seem to like guitar. I have the most incredible pictures of young kids playing electric guitar during bone marrow transplant solitary confinement. They have their amp and guitar while they are in there. These kids really like to rock out."
The instruments are primarily used by cancer patients, though BSC does provide instruments to anyone who displays a sincere and serious need for the benefits the instruments provide.
"In 10 years we have not said no to a single request," Catt said. "Everyone is somebody's child."
"It has never been about age either," he continued. "We have helped teenagers and mostly I would say they are under 18 years old, but there are a lot of young adults that have different issues, cancer being one of them. They don't really have much support in the world."
Catt explained that BSC has helped a wide range of people including one young woman who had previously been told she was too old to participate in other programs for cancer patients; she was 25 at the time.
"She told me 'you will never know how important that day was."
Catt said the woman, now 31 years old, lives in Denver where she works as a nurse. Catt also highlighted the story of an elderly gentleman who previously donated a large number of instruments to BSC and recently fell on hard financial times.
"Over the past five years he lost everything. Before he lost everything he had given us a few guitars. Now he has gotten back into a place to live and wanted to play guitar; it really brightens him up," Catt said. "I thought, you know what, 75 ain't that old."
Blue Star Connection's tagline is "Giving the Gift of Music". Their donations of musical instruments to hospitals, music therapy programs and patients throughout the nation are made possible through instrument donations the organization receives, monetary donations and the proceeds from concerts put on by BSC.
Catt and BSC are gearing up for a busy fall schedule. Along with their regular work of delivering instruments to hospitals and patients the organization is preparing for the annual American Music Therapy Association conference, held in Kansas City, Mo., in Nov.
"We will meet up with about 2,000 music therapists," Catt said. "We are going to donate as many electric guitars and amplifiers as we can possibly get donated. We are already up to about 40 guitars and 40 amps."
This coming weekend BSC will be putting on two different concerts in the Front Range area. Friday night BSC presents Jimmy Hall with My Blue Sky and Rachel and the Ruckus performing at the Buffalo Rose in Golden. The doors open at 6:30 p.m.
Saturday night the performance moves to Longmont and the Dickens Opera House when Jimmy Hall and My Blue Sky will once again headline the show with Paradox, Michaela Rae and Emma Marie also set to perform. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
Catt and BSC were recently recognized by the Boulder based radio program eTown with their annual Echievement Award, recognizing extraordinary community service work. Catt received the award just last week and was thrilled to be recognized by the nationally known program but explained there was plenty more work to do.
"This work changes lives and makes a difference," he said. "When I think about what would have happened if we had not been doing this, it propels you forward."
Catt talked about the cloistered lives of the young cancer patients and the importance of having creative outlets for the kids.
"These kids pretty much spend a year in bed," he said. "I think that is so contrary to their nature. Bringing music into the room is a big deal and makes a big difference."
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Resolver is working with Small Claims Mediation to help resolve customer issues.
Using Resolver, you can submit an issue about 1 service offered by Small Claims Mediation. Your case will be sent to the correct person or team at Small Claims Mediation and escalated at the correct times, to the correct person, if required.
You can use the Resolver system to help you at every stage. You can use it to escalate your issue to all three levels of Small Claims Mediation complaints. If your complaint is not resolved by Small Claims Mediation, you can then package it up and send it to the HMCTS (Customer Investigation).
Want to start a complaint about Small Claims Mediation?


text:
/Federal Budget 2019-20
Federal Budget 2019-20
3rd April, 2019
On Tuesday, 2 April 2019, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg handed down the 2019- 20 Federal Budget headlined by bringing forward and increasing personal income tax cuts for low to middle income earners, achieving the previous commitment to return the Budget to a $7.1 billion surplus in 2019-20 and announcing significant infrastructure expenditure.
An Election Budget This year's Budget was brought forward by a month to make way for the next Federal election widely predicted to be held in May. The election announcement is now expected after tomorrow night's Budget reply speech by Opposition Treasurer Chris Bowen. We will compare both parties' proposals after their final policies are released. Please remember that the measures discussed below are not yet LAW.
There may be significant differences between the proposals announced last night and the final reforms if and when implemented. Please consult us before making financial decisions based on the material in this newsletter.
From 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2022, the maximum Low and Middle Income Tax Offset (LMITO) is increased to $1,080. This will take effect upon lodgement of an individual's income tax return for the year ending 30 June 2019. The impact is outlined below:
From 1 July 2024, there will be three tax rate brackets, being 19%, 30%, and 45%.
From now until 30 June 2020, the instant asset write-off is increased to $30,000 per asset and is available to businesses with turnover of up to $50M.
A summary is below:
From 1 July 2020, the age limit for making certain superannuation contributions will generally increase. Please seek professional advice before making voluntary superannuation contributions as severe penalties can apply for exceeding relevant contribution limits.
From 1 July 2020, the 40 hours in 30 days "work" test will not apply to individuals aged 65 or 66 making voluntary concessional (i.e. tax deductible up to $25,000 in total) or non-concessional (i.e. after tax) superannuation contributions.
From 1 July 2020, individuals aged 65 and 66 will be able to use the superannuation "bring-forward" rules to allow non-concessional contributions of up to $300,000 where all relevant criteria are satisfied.
From 1 July 2020, the age limit for spouse contributions of up to $540 will increase from 69 to 74 years (conditions apply).
From 1 October 2019, insurance within superannuation will be offered on an opt-in basis to new members aged under 25 and existing members with balances under $6,000 (a three month deferral to previous announcements).
Changes to Division 7A Private Company Loan Rules Deferred Again
Start date for introduction of significant proposed changes further delayed to 1 July 2020.
Changes will simplify compliance but significantly increase most loan repayments.
Benchmark interest rate to rise from 5.2% to 8.3%.
Maximum loan term for registered mortgages to be reduced from 25 years to 10 years – this includes existing loans.
Life of current 7 year loans not extended.
No grandfathering of "old" (i.e. pre-1997) loans.
Unpaid present entitlements ("UPEs") from trusts to private companies to be brought clearly within Division 7A.
14 year income tax assessment amendment period.
6 month period to correct errors once detected.
Snapshot of Opposition Labor Party Proposals – What we Know So Far
Quarantining of negative gearing losses for investment assets acquired from 1 January 2020 – new build residential properties to be excluded.
Long term capital gains tax discount rate for qualifying individuals to be reduced from 50% to 25% for assets acquired on or after 1 January 2020.
Increase the top marginal rate from 47% to 49% (including Medicare levy).
Further personal tax cuts for those earning up to $125,000.
Minimum tax rate of 30% on discretionary trust distributions to resident adult individuals.
Denying refunds of excess dividend imputation franking credits to individuals and superannuation funds (unless aged pension recipient members as at 28 March 2018).
Remove personal superannuation deductions for concessional (i.e. pre-tax) superannuation contributions for most employees.
Reducing the non-concessional (i.e. after tax) superannuation contribution cap from $100,000 to $75,000 (or from $300,000 to $225,000 if the three year "bring forward" rules apply). Please note that strict eligibility criteria apply and severe penalties are imposed for breaching these rules  No change to the 30% company tax rate for "large" companies (i.e. turnover over $50M). Small company tax rate cut to 25% retained.
$3,000 cap on tax agent fee deduction for individuals.
Investment guarantee to apply to new business assets from 1 July 2021 – 20% of cost written off in first year and remaining 80% depreciated normally.
Please note that some of these proposals lack sufficient detail to allow you to make informed investment decisions. We will provide an update after tomorrow night's Budget reply speech and release of associated election policies.
This newsletter is for general information purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for consultation with professional advisers. Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation.
Parts of this newsletter were prepared by CE Super Advisory Pty Limited acting as Corporate Authorised Representative of Chairmont Capital Pty Limited AFSL 285043. This newsletter is not considered to be financial advice.
Family farm at risk unless tax and super rules change
International trade is now growing faster than global GDP, and Asia is the centre of global expansion, driving trade...


This page provides a general list of all the forms Honor students might need to one day fill out. Each title is a hyperlink to the respective form. If you need to use one of the forms, please print it out, complete the form, and return it to the Honors Program office in the Honors, Scholars, and Fellows house.
Graduate Classes: Honors students may elect to take graduate classes for up to six (6) credit hours that can count toward the Honors Medallion. Graduate courses that are basic competency/review classes (e.g. a language-reading course) are excluded. The course must be taken for a grade; P/F and S/U courses will not count. You are not required to submit a form in the Honors office, but students must complete the course with a C or higher for the course to count towards the Medallion Audit.
Graduation Medallion Audit Form: If you are an Honors student and intend to graduate with Honors recognition, this form must be completed and turned in by the sixth week of classes.
Individual Honors-Augmented Contract: The Individual Honors-Augmented Course Contract gives honor students additional opportunities to enrich course requirements in their majors and earn honors credits towards the Honors Medallion. Honor students may earn up to eight (8) individual honors-augmented credit hours in 2000-4000 level, non-honors courses in their major or minor by contracting with faculty to complete additional work in the courses. To earn individual honors-augmented credit, the honor student and faculty member must complete and submit the contract by 4pm on the Friday of the THIRD week of classes. Incomplete forms will not be accepted.
Honors Directed Individual Study: Honors students may earn credit hours by registering to work with individual faculty. To learn more about this opportunity click on the following link: What is a DIS?
The application is a "fillable" PDF; please type all information, print and submit signed application to the University Honors Office (HSF, Suite 2003) no later than the FOURTH day of classes of the semester for which the student will register for Honors DIS credit. Incomplete forms will not be accepted.


In the second LPSC abstract highlighted on this blog, Kandis Lea Jessup and John Spencer present the work they have done on Hubble images of Io taken during last year's New Horizons encounter. In particular, they are using the images they acquired at different wavelengths with Hubble's Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2 to study the spectral behavior of the Tvashtar plume.
While the images acquired by Hubble have a lower spatial resolution than those taken by New Horizons' LORRI camera (180 km per pixel for the WFPC2 versus at top resolution of 11.2 km per pixel for LORRI), the WFPC2 has a higher spectral resolution than New Horizons' MVIC instrument, particularly at ultraviolet wavelengths which is particularly important for identifying gases within Io's plumes. Jessup and Spencer observed Io and the Tvashtar plume on multiple occassions last February, allowing the authors to examine the plume's reflectance spectra (i.e. looking at how much light reflects off the plume, which can depend on composition, particle size, and phase angle) and absorption spectra (i.e. looking at how much light from the background Jupiter passes through the plume to Hubble).
The authors found the plume to be most noticeable in both sets of observation in the ultraviolet F255W filter, indicative of S2 gas in the plume. The authors had a similar result at Pele in 2000. They do note that the Tvashtar plume has a much higher optical depth in the F255W filter than Pele.
Interesting work. They do promise to present more work on how optical depth varies by wavelength for both Pele and Tvashtar in their poster. It is so interesting to see just how similar the Pele and Tvashtar plumes despite the apparent difference in volcanic styles: Pele being a vigorously erupting lava lake and Tvashtar being a fissure eruption. Must have to do with the magmas at both locations having a higher volatile content, allowing the formation of a bright lava fountain at Tvashtar and a constantly overturning lava lake at Pele. Note the fact that as far as I know, Pele and Tvashtar are the only two volcanoes where using relatively short exposures, it is easy to see their hotspots in the daylight, at wavelengths less than 1 micron, and at relatively low resolutions.


The Passion Forward Movement is about pursuing your own passions AND supporting other women in doing the same.
The Passion Forward Hair Tie is both a bracelet that shows support for the Passion Forward Movement AND a hair tie. Because as women, we're always multi-tasking and so should our accessories.
Made from soft, stretchy elastic, this hair tie won't cramp your style (or dent or damage your hair).
$5 from each pack of Passion Forward Hair Ties will go to a cause that supports women following their passions and making a difference in our world. Each Treadfast collection will feature a matching Passion Forward Hair Tie and new women's organization which we will proudly support.
Our first Passion Forward cause is Ms. JD - a national non-profit dedicated to supporting and advancing women in the legal profession.
Ms. JD seeks to support and improve the experiences of women law students and lawyers. Obstacles to equal participation hinder not only women in the law but also their colleagues, clients, children and communities. Ms. JD consequently strives to give voice to why it matters that women continue to overcome barriers to achieve gender parity in the profession. In doing so, Ms. JD spreads the word: women's victories are everyone's victories.
To learn more, visit www.ms-jd.org.


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text:
Valencia wants Ronaldo
July 25, 2006 By red devil
Valencia president Juan Soler claims they are trying to sign Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo.
Spanish reports quoted Soler as saying: "I have always said it will be difficult. But nothing is impossible.
"Until they tell us no several times we will not give up. At the moment it's a priority and we have until 31 August."
The Portugal international, 21, has been linked with a move to Real Madrid, however Manchester United have stressed the player is going nowhere.
But Soler, who has already signed Fernando Morientes and Asier Del Horno from the Premiership, added: "First we will negotiate with the English club and then the player."
Ronaldo's future has been in doubt this summer after he was quoted as saying he wanted a move to Spain after his World Cup spat with Wayne Rooney.
But United boss Sir Alex Ferguson insists the winger is going nowhere.
Last week Ferguson said: "Without any question, Ronaldo will be our player next season and for the rest of his contract.
"I haven't paid much attention to what Cristiano is supposed to have said about his future.
"I haven't spoken to him since the World Cup."
Ronaldo, who joined Manchester United from Sporting Lisbon for �12.24m in August 2003, is under contract until 2010.
To catch the latest news on Man Utd., visit the hottest soccer fan site on the net right now, Ji-Sung Park .com , with its dedicated RSS feed.
Filed Under: News, Pre-Season, Premiership, Transfer Talk


Background: International research suggests that meal patterns may be changing, possibly with adverse consequences for obesity and chronic disease. However little is known about the meal patterns of Australians. The aim of this study was to examine the changes in meal patterns of the Australian adult population between 1995 and 2011.
Methods: Data from two nationally representative Australian surveys were used (1995 National Nutrition Survey, n=10,851; 2011-2013 National Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey, n=8964). Dietary intake among adults (≥19 years) was measured via 24-hour recall and respondents in each survey reported their eating occasions (EOs) including meals and snacks. Frequency of meals, snacks and all EOs, time between EOs and energy intake (EI) from meals, snacks and all EOs were compared between the two surveys using an F-test. All results were weighted, adjusted for sample design effects and presented as means and Taylor linearized standard errors.
Results: Overall, there was little change in frequency of total EOs over time; only a small but significant increase was observed for women aged ≥65 years (5.5 [0.05] vs 5.8 [0.07], P<0.001). Time between EOs decreased among women but not men between 1995 and 2011-12 (181 [1.15] vs 171 [1.29], P<0.001). The proportion of total EI from meals decreased between 3-6% (P<0.001) whereas the proportion of total EI from snacks increased between 3-6% (P<0.001), except among men and women aged 19-24 years.
Conclusions: Small changes in meal patterns have occurred between 1995 and 2011. Changes in the amount of time between EOs and proportion of energy from snacks demonstrate a similar pattern to changes internationally. However they are smaller in magnitude which may reflect the different timescales over which meal patterns have been assessed. However, increases in the proportion of energy from snacks and the impact on nutrient profiles and health warrants further investigation.


text:
Q: How to implement GestureDetector in reuseable class widget? I am successfully able to make a reusable stateful widget and added text but don't know about how to make reusable gesture detector
class HomeScreen extends StatefulWidget {
  final String collectionName;

  HomeScreen(this.collectionName);

  @override
  _HomeScreenState createState() => _HomeScreenState();
}

Text(widget.collectionName)

How to use a gesture detector like TEXT ????

A: I think what you want to do is add GestureDetector to your text and pass the function via HomeScreen. If that's what you are looking for then
class HomeScreen extends StatefulWidget {
  final String collectionName;
  final VoidCallBack onTap;

  HomeScreen(this.collectionName,this.onTap);

  @override
 _HomeScreenState createState() => _HomeScreenState();
}

Your Text widget will be updated as
GestureDetector(
  onTap:widget.onTap,
  child:Text(widget.collectionName)
);

A: Example of how you can do this...
Make this..
Widget gestureDetectorforText(dynamic theText){
  return GestureDetector(
    onTap: your function here..
    child: Text(theText)
  );
 }

So using that code means that you need to pass your widget.collectionName into it..
So whenever you call the widget gestureDetector()
You pass the widget.collection name into it like this..
gesturedetector(widget.collectionName);

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
news n politics
this is amazing – i'm very surprised the book hits the best seller list in the country. that at least shows people seem to care despite they still have no power over their country. it should influence them one way or another. push the gov't to give answers.
"An expose of the sufferings of the nearly one billion peasant farmers in China has rocketed into the country's best-seller lists, apparently forcing the regime to address the issue.
A new survey has drawn attention to the suffering of peasant farmers in China
Chinese Peasantry: a Survey discloses the poverty and corruption affecting the rural majority of 900 million, whose exploitation underlies the gloss of China's perceived urban economic miracle.
It describes farmers being beaten to death for complaining about embezzlement, officials conniving to hoodwink Communist Party leaders about production levels, and a tax system which forces the poor in effect to subsidise the rich minority. It helps to explain the exodus of workers from farms to low-paid, often dangerous jobs in the booming coastal provinces or Europe and America."
First published by a literary magazine, the work immediately struck a chord with the public. Many readers said they were in tears throughout.
One journalist wrote a self-criticism on the People's Daily website saying it made him feel ashamed. "If we do not take action to overcome the obstacles that confront us, only one word can be used to describe those working in the Chinese media: degenerates," he wrote. After the magazine sold 100,000 copies, it was published as a book, which has sold 150,000 more in a month. The government has yet to respond, leaving the writers in a politically sensitive limbo, and they are refusing interviews with foreign journalists.
But this month the authorities republished "Central Document Number 1", a key statement of policy towards the countryside formulated in 1982 and demanding an improvement in farm incomes.
The book's authors, Chen Guidi and Wu Chuntao, had the idea for it when expecting their child four years ago. Ms Wu saw another mother and baby die because she could not afford a hospital delivery. The couple, children of peasants, spent three years living among farmers, recording what they saw.
The book concludes that, while economic reform in China may initially have benefited farmers, taxes and local "fees" have multiplied. A farmer pays three times as much in tax as a city dweller, on a sixth of the income.
"Those who have not left the big cities think the whole of China is like Beijing or Shanghai," they wrote. "We have seen unimaginable poverty, unimaginable evil, unimaginable suffering and desperation, unimaginable resistance and silence."
In one case, a villager named Ding Zuoming demanded an audit of his local authority after finding his taxes were being embezzled. He was arrested, beaten and killed. His neighbours protested and eventually those responsible were punished. But Ding's family never received the promised compensation. His children were forced to leave school, for lack of fees; his mother lay paralysed in bed, his father was too ill to work.
In another case, when the former prime minister Zhu Rongji was inspecting a new grain procurement method, officials requisitioned supplies from neighbouring counties to fill the stores he was to visit rather that admit the scheme had failed.
Wenran Jiang, a Chinese-Canadian academic who met the authors recently, said the book fitted with the "Close to the People" strategy of the new Chinese leadership, which might explain why such a critical work could be published.
President Hu Jintao has been been keen to emphasise his solidarity with China's poor, partly to distinguish himself from the powerful former president, Jiang Zemin, whose rule is strongly associated in many people's minds with economic growth, consumerism and widespread corruption.
"I am convinced that the release of this Central Document is a response to the book," said Prof Jiang. "The question is, can it solve the problems by calling for increased rural incomes?
"My answer, on reading this book, is 'no'. The Document will be just like other ones – come the end of the year, the officials will just falsify their figures."
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text:
"Come From Away" Rapidly Recoups Investment
By Jennifer R Jones | Posted on October 21, 2017 1:58 PM
Come From Away has recouped its $12 million investment with steady weekly grosses of over $1 million, overcoming disadvantages in a difficult climate.
Sleeper Hit Musical Earned Back Capitalization in Eight Months
Come From Away began performances on February 18, 2017 at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre, ahead of an opening night on March 12, 2017. The musical did not immediately seem destined for financial success. Positioned as a feel-good musical in trying times, Come From Away did not offer any of the usual markers of probable success. Not only does the show not feature any very well-known performers, but the ensemble piece does not even allow for one or two roles to be deemed lead parts with break-out stars. Rather, the dozen actors play multiple parts each, resulting in a 90 minute-long romp without any clear stars rising out over the rest. This Canadian import was further disadvantaged by the fact that it was an original musical, meaning that there was no brand recognition on which to rely – such as a movie adaptation or a revival of a well-known musical from a previous generation. Nevertheless, the show gained traction in its early days, and grosses have remained healthy ever since. As for Tony Award recognition, while the show did gain some buzz with its seven nominations, it only brought one home award: Best Direction of a Musical for Christopher Ashley. Still, it failed to win the award for Best Musical, which went to Dear Evan Hansen, and which is traditionally thought of as the best predictor of a post-awards box office boost. In this case, Come From Away appears to have risen above such parameters, earning back its $12 million in just eight months.
September 11th and a Visit from Justin Trudeau
The show takes place on and around the date September 11, 2001, in the small Canadian town of Gander, Newfoundland. On this day, as the World Trade Center was alarming the world, several planes were diverted to this tiny town on the east coast of Canada. Come From Away is a feel-good story of a town coming together in the face of adversity to take in the stranded travelers who could not return back to the United States during the disaster. While Broadway is a major tourist attraction for visitors to New York City, another popular destination is Ground Zero and the 9/11 museum. In this way, Come From Away manages to strike a chord with audiences who are interested in exploring this piece of recent history on their trip to New York, pulling at their heartstrings regarding this tragedy. Beyond that attraction, Come From Away succeeded in reeling in audiences due to a beneficial piece of PR: the Canadian prime minister, Justin Trudeau, saw the show not only after it opened, bringing a group of guests including Ivanka Trump. In this way, the evening was covered by the press as a message of solidarity across nations, during the period when the media was in an uproar regarding Trump's immigration ban. This boosted awareness of the show on an international scale, furthering the message of good will and the idea of this show as an uplifting, emotionally engaging work of theatre.
A National Tour on the Way
Given the success of the show in its Broadway incarnation, it has been announced that Come From Away will launch on a national tour across the United States. Starting in October 2018, the tour will embark with its first stop at Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre. Meanwhile, a Canadian production will take place for four weeks in Winnipeg in the early part of 2018, followed by a return engagement at Toronto's Royal Alexandra Theatre in February 2018. Therefore, while the Broadway production continues to run with healthy grosses, there will continue to be more opportunities to see this show across North America.


Nowadays, the road transport sector is fundamental for the overall development of countries in the world. Indeed, the roads network of a country is essential not only for the good management of resources, trade and mobility but also indirectly affects economic and social development. This is even more fundamental in the case of rural areas whose benefits from development of the road transport sector are evident.
NTU implements a range of technical assistance projects, technical audits, evaluations and feasibility studies in the road sector around the world. We help Roads Authorities and Transport Authorities manage their budgets and procure new supply, works and service contracts, and we audit and evaluate starting, ongoing and finalised road construction, upgrading and rehabilitation contracts, leading to more efficient spending of funds in the road sector. Therefore, NTU helps the clients from the road sector strategy and planning to the actual implementation of the project, and guarantees audits and supervisions before, during and after the actions on the road transport sector. We also contribute to defining the right sources of financing, which result the key for an efficient work in the road sector development. Particular attention is driven to road safety actions, which include studies and statistic analyses on the traffic management of the interested nations. Key success factors in many of NTU's activities in these projects are capacity building and trianing, road sector peformance assessment and the importance given to cross-cutting issues.
The overall objective of the project is to develop a better connected, more efficient, and safer road network in rural areas of PNG, resulting in improved access to market and social services for the rural population of the country. The purpose of the NTU's assignment is to support the EIB with the implementation of two packages of a large-scale investment program "Bridge Replacement for Improved Rural Access Project (BRIRAP)" initiated and co-financed by ADB.
Road Safety management, including road accidents analysis, detailed design stage Road Safety Audit, review the Safe Traffic Control at Road Works Field Guide and conduct regular inspections and training sessions, review the procedures for Traffic Management Plans, and conduct formal Road Safety Audits before and after the completion of each relevant project component.
Support provided by NTU will enable the PNG Department of Works to complete the BRIRAP project in a technically sound and timely manner and with enhanced road safety and social and environmental considerations, ensuring a better connected, more efficient, and safer road network in rural areas of the country.
The overall objective of the project is to develop a better connected, more efficient, and safer road network in rural areas of PNG, resulting in improved access to market and social services for the rural population of the country. The purpose of NTU's assignment was to assist the Department of Works (DoW), the government's implementing agency for Infrastructure, in ensuring timely completion of the procurement activities.
Support provided by NTU enabled the PNG Department of Works to launch the BRIRAP project in a timely manner which once completed, will ensure a more efficient and safer road network in rural areas of the country.
The overall objective of the PRODEPEMES-ESTRADA Programme, which the project is a part of, is to contribute to job creation and promotion and to an increased agriculture and fisheries production through improvement of the road network. NTU supported the National Authorising Officer (NAO) of the EDF and the National Road Administration (ANE) in achieving the specific objective of the project that was the development and implementation of a programme to support the governmental policies and actions for SME development in the road sector, including access to finance, equipment and markets.
Training of small and medium size construction companies on project management and business development issues such as: civil works organisation and planning, price estimation, participation in public procurement of maintenance works contracts, strategic business development, partnerships and strategic alliances, etc.
Development of Diagnostic studies to support the SME with market relations including access to guarantees and finance as well as access to modern equipment and technology, and establishment of a virtual round table of road construction market with participation of financial institutions and equipment suppliers.
Development and implementation of a proactive communication and visibility plan.
NTU provided informed advice and support to SMEs to effectively participate in the road sector programmes and influence the governance of the sector, and established a knowledge management system for easy access to best practices, ensuring the sustainability of the results beyond the project life. Working together with national and local authorities and the private sector companies, sustainable conditions for road maintenance in rural areas was created, involving strengthening of the local construction industry, job creation and economic development.
The overall objective of the programme was to improve the transport infrastructure and services, reduce transport costs and improve road safety thereby contributing to economic growth and poverty reduction in Malawi. The specific objective of the project was the development of sound transport strategies and programmes for effectively addressing the growth effects, which NTU provided support to the National Authorising Officer (NAO) Support Unit within the Debt and Aid Division of the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Transport and Public Infrastructure, Policy and Planning Department.
Review of the existing transport sector indicators and establishment of a Performance Indicators and a Monitoring Framework for the transport sector in the Department of Policy and Planning, and strengthening of the Ministry's capacities for sector wide monitoring and oversight of sub-sector agencies as well as coordination with the other ministries, such as the Ministry of Local Governments and Rural Development, Ministry of Finance, Ministry for Economic Planning and Development, etc.
Developing a comprehensive Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) study and support with the implementation of the agreed action plans to mitigate the adverse effects and optimize the positive effects on the environment of the road development and maintenance works foreseen in the Road Sector Programme and the TSIP.
Support provided by NTU contributed to strengthening the Malawi national authorities' capacity to implement in timely fashion the current and future SPSP in the transport sector and ensuring sound financial management of the public and aid funds, crucial to further development of the transport sector and economic development of the country.
The overall objective of the Great East Road Rehabilitation Project was to support the development of the North-South and Nacala regional corridors in order to promote equitable economic growth and regional integration of Zambia. The specific objective of the project was the rehabilitation of Great East Road in line with the objectives of the Road Sector Investment Porgramme (ROADSIP II) of Zambia requiring the establishment of a safe and sustainable national core road network with improved traffic and road safety conditions, lower operating costs and time savings on the Great East Road (T4). The purpose of NTU's assignment was to carry out periodic audits of the organizational, technical, contractual and financial aspects of the Great East Road Rehabilitation Project and make an independent assessment of the results achieved during the implementation of the EU financial package for the rehabilitation project.
Conducting audit of materials testing and quality control on site including the adequacy of laboratory facilities and staff and carrying out random independent testing of samples obtained on site.
Monitoring the implementation status of the project as to ensure completion within the budget allocation and the contractual period of performance.
Provision of factual reports including findings, assessments and recommendations.
Through periodic audits, NTU ensured that the project was carried out in conformity with the applicable regulations and contractual conditions and specifications in relation to quality and timing for completion, thus contributing to the provision of a critical road infrastructure for regional transport corridors development and economic growth in Zambia.
The overall objective of the programme was to contribute to the improvement of road safety in four MENA countries: Jordan, Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia. The purpose of the NTU's was to address a number of critical issues related to road safety at both regional and country levels, including deficiencies in road infrastructure; enforcement of the sector regulations; and sensitisation of road users and pedestrians.
Organisation and delivery of a 3-stage training course on road safety engineering and road safety audits and inspections for 63 technical staff from Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia, incl. theoretical and practical training, workshops based on real case studies, and site visits.
NTU contributed to strengthening the capacity of the road safety sector institutions and upgrading of country regulations and standards on the road safety, being these critical for the improvement of road safety in MENA region.
The overall objective of the EU Sector Policy Support Programme (SPSP Road Transport II), which the project is a part of, was to contribute to the promotion of equitable economic growth, poverty reduction and the enhancement of food security. The specific objective of the project was to support Zambia's Road Sector Investment Programme (ROADSIP II) to achieve a safe and maintainable core road network and improve accessibility, mobility and connectivity at district, provincial and national level and promote basic access and regional integration for people and goods. The purpose of the Technical Assistance provided by NTU was to support the National Authorising Officer (NAO) of the EDF at the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Transport, Works, Supply and Communications to successfully implement the SPSP Road Transport II through development and implementation of a Capacity Building Programme for the transport sector institutions at central and regional level including the enhancement of the management and financing capacities of the Road Development Agency (RDA) and the National Road Fund Agency (NRFA) for the trunk, main and district road network and the Local Road Authorities (LRA) and district/municipal councils for the rural road network (feeder roads) as well as the National Construction Council (NCC) and Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA).
Training and coaching of Local Road Authorities in quality assurance of rural road construction projects, including drainage design, materials testing and field based testing.
Promotion of the local construction industry and preparation of construction management training material and business management training manual to be used by professional training institutions.
The support provided by NTU was pivotal for strengthening the institutional capacity of sector agencies to successfully implement the government's investment programmes in the road sector as well as for effective management of EU Sector Budget Support and other donors' funds.
The overall objective of the projects is to further develop the transportation network of Tunisia, thus strengthening the accessibility of regional poles and logistics centers, and improve the links with rapidly growing Tunis metropolitan area thus improving the Capital traffic management for the medium-long distance transits, decongesting the city center and balancing the load on the road network. NTU supported the achievement of the specific objective of the project that was enhancement of the road safety in Tunisia, especially the visibility requirements from the earliest stages of the project design and implementation.
The safety recommendations made by NTU supported the improvement of the projects' designs which once implemented, will contribute to reduce the identified risks and enhance the road users' safety.
The overall objective of the project was to maintain conducive conditions for trade and economic growth in Tanzania and cohesion with its neighboring countries served by the Central Corridor. NTU contributed to the achievement of the specific objective of the project that was the rehabilitation of the existing main carriageway and service roads within the required standards thus preventing cost increases by timely maintenance intervention.
Analyzing the participation of foreign/local contractors and consultants and recommendations on how this could be improved in the future projects.
The assessment and recommendations made by NTU contributed to improving the formulation of future projects allowing a reduction of the overall maintenance backlog and improving the road conditions in Tanzania's road network.
The overall objective of the project was to increase road and traffic safety and decrease the environmental pollution in Turkey and improve the physical conditions of roads while diminishing the cost of road maintenance. NTU supported the Turkish Authorities in achieving the specific objective of the project that was to ensure the effective implementation of the vehicle weigh stations on the control of weight and dimension of trucks set up according to the EC Directive 96/53 and 2002/7.
The technical assistance and capacity strengthening support provided by NTU served to establish effective conditions for the Turkish authorities to further progress their ambitious programmes on the improvement of the road and traffic safety, physical conditions of roads and decreasing of the environmental pollution.
The overall objective of the programme was to improve access of the rural population to socio-economic services by rehabilitating and maintaining rural feeder roads and bridges, thus reducing poverty in line with the Malawi Growth and Development Strategy. The specific objective of the project of spot improvement works was to improve access of rural populations through rehabilitation and maintenance of rural feeder roads and generate employment opportunities and transfer of skills. The purpose of the NTU assignment was to carry out a technical assessment of the works/services carried out by the 6 contractors in charge of the works and the consultant in charge of the associated supervision, with regard to the organisational, technical, contractual and financial aspects of the implementation of the project.
Provision of the technical audit factual report including findings and recommendations.
The feasibility study undertaken produced a number of recommendations relating to both the policy and the process of instigating the Rural Feeder Roads Programme, as well as capacity building ensuring the long-term sustainability of the project.
The overall objective of the projects was top contribute to the development of regional infrastructure and improving access of citizens to services and markets, generating employment, and boosting the livelihoods and trade between Sierra Leone and Guinea. The purpose of the NTU assignment was to make an assessment of the technical aspects and the results achieved during the implementation of the projects and to provide the National Authorising Officer, the Governmental Authorities and the European Commission with recommendations to remedy errors that could have occurred or which could lead to improvements in implementation and results of the projects.
Making an accurate profile of the horizontal and vertical alignments of the complete project route, and the production of accurate cross-sections for the computation of the volumes of earth work involved in the project.
A second and final mission to ensure that the quantities and quality of works actually provided were consistent with those contractually due and provisionally paid for.
Provision of audit factual reports including findings and recommendations.
The technical audit assessment and recommendations made by NTU contributed to the completion of the projects according to the required specifications and quality standards as well as ensured sound management of EU funds, thus also improving the implementation of future projects and development of the road corridors in the region.
The overall objective of the project was to contribute to poverty reduction and boosting the performance of the country economy through enhanced national and regional transport interconnections. The purpose of the NTU assignment was to provide expert advice to the National Authorities and the European Commission on the adequacy, technical soundness and cost efficiency of the project design and the works compliance with the related contract and the conformity of the works supervision with the supervision contract.
Assessing the soundness and/or disputes, and checking that each party duly meets its obligations.
The technical audit assessment and recommendations made by NTU supported the National Authorities and the European Commission to complete the upgrading of the Mchinji Kawere road to the required quality and in timely manner, which brought significant improvements into the national and regional transport network.
The overall objective of the project was to contribute to the improvement of road traffic safety in Cyprus. The purpose of the NTU's assignment was to support the local authorities in upgrading, implementing and managing a reformed system for granting driving licenses, in line with the requirements of the relevant EU standards.
Launch and support of new licensing facilities.
NTU contributed to shape a new system for granting driving licenses and managing the driving testing centres which gave a crucial contribution for the improvement of road safety in Cyprus.
The overall objective of the project was to contribute to development of the road network, generating employment for the poor, and improving institutional capacity in the road sector. The purpose of the NTU's assignment was to identify technical assistance needs and propose measures for institutional support to be included in the Project Action Fiche, and to support ongoing initiatives for building sustainable road maintenance capacity and significantly improve the governance of the road sector in Burundi.
Formulation of a short and medium term road sector strategy.
The formulation study carried out by NTU allowed development and implementation of a large investment project integrating improvements in the institutional capacity and functioning of the institutions in charge of road sector and the development a new framework that laid the basis for sustainable road maintenance in Burundi.
The overall objective of the project was the improvement of economic and social development in rural areas, through the improvement of the feeder road network in four districts (Kenema, Kambia, Port Loko, Pujehun). The specific objective was to support Roads Authority for completing the rehabilitation works in feeder road network. The purpose of the NTU's assignment was to provide support to the technical staff of the Feeder Roads Department to carry out the supervision and contract management for the rehabilitation of 650 km feeder roads in four districts.
Coordination of the mapping of the feeder roads in the project with GPS.
The support provided by NTU to the Sierra Leone Roads Authority was crucial for the timely completion of the ambitious Feeder Roads Rehabilitation Project undertaken by the Government, allowing significant improvements of the socio-economic conditions in the rural areas.
The overall objective of the programme is to contribute to the reduction of poverty and to the achievement of significant progress towards the MDGs as set out in Uganda's forthcoming National Development Plan. The purpose of NTU's assignment was to provide the Government of Uganda, the EU Delegation, and other development partners with sufficient analysis and information to determine whether it is relevant, feasible and sustainable to support the road sector with a Sector Budget Support Component under the SPSP for the road sector, and eventually design the SBS to fit within the deliverables and implementation modalities of the ongoing capacity development and institutional strengthening efforts.
Drafting the corresponding financing documents as a basis for the financing and implementation of the proposed programme.
The study carried out by NTU provided the European Commission and the Ugandan Government with a well formulated SPSP for the Road Sector and SBS financing proposal that allowed effective implementation of a large investment programmes supporting the development of the road network and socio-economic development of Uganda.
The overall objective of the projects funded by the EU under the Sector Budget Support for the Road Sector was to contribute to economic growth and poverty reduction in Zambia through the development and maintenance of the country roads network supporting trade and economic growth. The purpose of the NTU assignment was to undertake a technical audit of contracts financed by the EDF funds allocated through Sector Budget Support to the Programme of Periodic Maintenance of Trunk, Main and District Roads (TMD) in Zambia.
Technical Audit of Procurement of Contracts to verify whether the procurement of works contracts was carried out in accordance with the internationally accepted standards, ensuring transparency in the procurement process.
Checking of the adequacy of bidding documents and examining whether the public opening of bids was timely and recorded, and checking that proper pre-contract negotiations took place with the recommended bidder.
Technical Audit of Civil Works to verify whether the quality of works was acceptable and in accordance with the contract requirements, and if value for money was received, as well as checking payments were made in line with the rules stipulated in the contract, and in accordance with the supporting documentation provided.
Carrying out physical inspection of the works and also the regional offices of the Road Development Agency (RDA) and its Headquarters where financial documentation was kept.
The technical audit assessment and recommendations made by NTU contributed to completion of the projects according to the required specifications and quality standards as well as ensured sound management of EU funds, thus also improving the implementation of future projects and the maintenance and conditions of the road network of Zambia.
The overall objective of the project was the development of efficient transport systems supported by well-maintained infrastructure as an increasingly important element in the Government's poverty reduction strategy. The specific objective of the project was to improve the road conditions and stimulating economic activity in the Mwanza district through rehabilitation works and improved roads maintenance capacity of the Mwanza Municipal Council. The purpose of the NTU assignment was to carry out an overall evaluation of the project in accordance with OECD DAC criteria: relevance, efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability and impact.
Role of contractors and consultants, and recommendations on how this could be improved in future projects.
The findings and recommendations of the evaluation study completed by NTU contributed to the enhancement of quality and effectiveness of future planned road projects which has brought in improvements of road maintenance capacity and road safety in the area.
The overall objective of the project was the promotion of an efficient and effective transport infrastructure as a means of supporting increased agricultural and industrial production, promoting trade and tourism, and enhancing social and administrative services. The specific objective of the project was the completion of a District Roads Re-gravelling Programme (DRRP) in order to improve the district roads conditions and facilitate the movement of people and goods. The purpose of the NTU assignment was to provide the European Commission and the Government of Uganda with an assessment of the achievements of the DRRP I and to make recommendations on actions that should be undertaken to ensure that the project objective was achieved and the results sustained.
Recommendations in relation to the institutional arrangements concerned rural/district roads maintenance in Uganda.
The findings and recommendations made by NTU were critical for improvement of key aspects of the programme which completion brought significant improvements to the road infrastructure of Uganda.
The overall objective of the project was to promote increased trade flows and regional economic integration through the improvement of the regional transport corridors infrastructure and services. The specific objective of the project was the construction of the Northern Corridor Route Kampala to Katuna to the highest quality standards thus developing efficient road transport links in the region to support trade and growth. The purpose of the NTU assignment was to upgrade the tender dossier contract documentation package to a standard ensuring value for money and also bringing the overall documentation up-to-date with respect to current Government of Uganda and funding agency standards.
Incorporation of the EDF 9 rules and regulations into both the supervision and works tender documentation.
Provision of a revised Engineer's Estimate and timeframe for construction of the works.
The design and contract documents package finalised by NTU enabled a successful completion of the construction works of the Kampala to Katuna road project which contributed to enhancing the trade flows and economic integration of the whole region.
The overall objective of the Rural Feeder Roads Programme was to contribute to poverty alleviation by improving the quality of access to rural communities and areas of strategic economic and/or social importance of the country. The specific objective of the project was rapid improvement of all country roads and further upgrading of main roads. The purpose of the NTU's assignment was to support the formulation of the Rural Feeder Roads Programme to enable the envisaged improvements in the country's road network.
Consulting with the various stakeholders (MoTPW, MLG, NRA, DA's, Ministry of Economic Planning and Development (MEP&D), and Ministry of Finance (MoF)) to establish perceived needs and priorities to confirm the relevance of the Feeder Road Concept.
Making use of the available data for the road network, held by NRA and MLG, identify the group of roads eligible for the programme (roads that serve an important 'feeder' role).
Carrying out financial and economic analyses for different intervention options, taking full account of social criteria, agricultural potential and importance, and using appropriate techniques e.g. HDM, RED or other.
Recommending a prioritised list of roads for maintenance or improvement with costing and timetable suitable for implementation under the Rural Feeder Roads Programme.
Designing a capacity building programme to strengthen the capability of District Assemblies and Local Road Agency to manage the maintenance of roads under DA jurisdiction.
Preparing a logical framework for the Rural Feeder Roads programme according to the requirements of the EuropeAid Project Cycle Management Guide.
Preparing a draft Financing Proposal based on the logical framework and following the format for 9th EDF programmes.
The feasibility study prepared by NTU allowed financing and implementation of a quality road investment programme which contributed to the rehabilitation and sustainable maintenance of rural feeder roads in Malawi as well as to designing and implementing a capacity-building programme that enhanced the ability of district road agencies to adequately manage the maintenance of road network under their jurisdictions.
Building on the overall objective of the Uganda's Road Sector Development Programme (RSDP) that was to ensure the sustainable development and maintenance of the country's national road network, the objective of the Backlog Roads Maintenance Programme (BRMP) was to improve riding conditions and extend the serviceability of the pavements on the project roads which totalled about 500km of deteriorating paved roads in Uganda. The purpose of the NTU assignment was to review the preliminary engineering design of the 'Paved National Roads Backlog Maintenance Project' and the associated tender dossiers; carry out Detailed Engineering Design of the maintenance works for the BRMP under the agreed scope and budget, prepare the revised Tender Dossiers according to 9th EDF procedures, and assist the Road Agency Formation Unit (RAFU) in the tendering process under the project.
Assisting in pre-contract activities (preparation of bid notices, minutes of pre-tender meetings, evaluation of bids, award of civil works contracts, award of supply of goods contract, contract agreements, etc.).
The design and contract documents package prepared by NTU enabled a successful completion of works under the Backlog Roads Maintenance Programme which ensured sustainable development and maintenance of the Uganda's national road network for many years after the project.
The overall objective of the programme was to promote economic growth and better living conditions for people in the programme area by bringing about a sustainable improvement in the condition of transport infrastructure. The specific objective of the project was to reduce transport costs and improve general accessibility within the programme area. The purpose of the NTU assignment was to carry out an evaluation of the programme according to the OECD DAC criteria: relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, sustainability and impact.
The findings and recommendations of the evaluation study completed by NTU contributed to the enhancement of quality and effectiveness of future planned maintenance programmes which contributed to sustainable development of the road network and decreasing of the transport costs for the users.
The overall objective of the High-Priority Roads Reopening and Maintenance (Pro-Routes) Project is to re-establish lasting access between provincial capitals and districts and territories in three provinces in a way that is sustainable for people and the natural environment in the area of influence of the project. The purpose of the NTU's assignment was to assess the economic interest of the PROROUTES Project on the primary axes of the base network, which would be reopened, and to determine the economic feasibility for the planned level of service.
Carried out traffic studies based on the existing and projected traffic of goods and passengers.
Assessed the project impacts on the traffic of the concerned road axes in addition to the impacts on the traffic of related road axes and the river transport as well as the environmental impact of the project.
The study performed by NTU provided the economic justification and foundations for the completion of the project which significantly improved the transport network and interconnections between the concerned provinces and contributed to increasing the trade flows between provinces and the overall socio-economic development of the area.
The overall objective of the programme is to support the Government of Pakistan with achievement of one of seven pillars of the national strategy (Pakistan Vision 2025) that is the modernization of transport infrastructure and greater regional connectivity. The specific objective of the Technical Assistance, provided by NTU, is to improve the safety of the road network in Pakistan in order to materially achieve a reduction in the number of fatalities and casualties.
The purpose of the TA project is to ensure that the national road safety program is effectively implemented by 2020, including a number of countermeasures and interventions on the following areas: (i) Improving road safety management systems; (ii) Improving the safety of the road network through measures addressing road user behaviour; (iii) Achieving improvements in road safety infrastructure and vehicle standards; (iv) Improving post-crash response.
The technical assistance that NTU is providing to the Government of Pakistan is pivotal for increasing road safety standards at national level in order to achieve the reduction of the forecasted level of road fatalities and improve the quality of life in Pakistan.
The overall objective of the project was to achieve a more efficient management of public assets and a better use of the funds in the road sector. The specific objective of the project was to achieve savings in funds intended for road maintenance, while maintaining the road network at the same level of quality service. The purpose of the NTU's assignment was to support with the development of modern road maintenance systems through Performance-Based Road Maintenance Contracts (PBC) for preservation of road assets and improved quality of road network.
Training of the staff of the PE "Roads of Serbia" on collecting, processing and presentation of data needed for preparation of tender documents and contract, but also for preparation of tender documents and procedure of bids evaluation.
Training of the staff for use of the Road Weather Information System (RWIS), from both the PBC Contractora and Network Manager, PE "Roads of Serbia") in relation to planning of resources, interpretation of data on type of intervention and calculation and payment of winter maintenance.
Support provided by NTU enabled the Serbian Roads Authority to enhance the effectiveness of public funds in the road sector through introduction of performance based contracts for maintaining the national road network, while ensuring the same level of quality service to the road users.


The KFC Zinger burger is joining the likes of Elon Musk and the Asgardians and is heading to space.
KFC announced this week they are building a space vessel that will carry the crunchy sandwich into the cosmos. The takeaway chain will team up with private spaceflight company Worldview to send the food on a four day trip into the stratosphere.
World View bill themselves as "Radically Rethinking Access to Space". The collaboration with KFC will be a part of their first true, multi-day test World View Stratollite System.
CEO of World Wiew admitted that when they first contacted KFC it was all a bit of a joke, but they soon realized that they were embarking on more than a kitsch marketing campaign.
The Stratollite space system is designed to take small payloads into the earth's stratosphere for up to months at a time. The service delivers internet, Earth imaging, disaster relief and other mapping applications at a sliver of the cost of other rocket launches. It works by utilizing a large balloon that thrusts payloads into the upper stratosphere. The stratosphere is where most weather occurs, the vehicle is designed to navigate as it rides the wind.
The Zinger launch will be used as a test of critical technology for the service.
No official space mission is official until it officially has its own official mission patch.
The World View team are obviously really excited about the flight and have also been active on social media promoting the big event. The team expects to get concrete data about its long-duration stratospheric flight design while testing out some new core systems they have had only previously tested in the lab.
The ultimate goal of World View is to fly ticketed space tourists up to the stratosphere in its Voyager capsule. These flights would bring people to the edge of space suspended under a giant balloon.
The Zinger burger which had not been previously available in the U.S. will launch in conjunction with the flight. The plan includes for the hamburger to take a 'selfie' mid-flight before returning to earth safely in its custom bucket shaped payload container.
Since the announcement, the internet has been digging up some great information on KFC's long history with space. CollectSpace did some digging and reminded us that KFC was involved in the Chix in Space project that was a space experiment led by students aiming to develop chicken embryos in microgravity. KFC was responsible for the funding of the project. Unfortunately, the Chix in Space project was onboard the Challenger orbiter when it was lost in flight. But later iterations of the experiment were more successful being part of the Discovery and even on the International Space Station.
The Zinger chicken sandwich is scheduled to take flight on June 21. The launch will be broadcast live online.


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What challenge were you trying to address with Meticulosity?We wanted to attract higher quality leads. We wanted to redo the website, to streamline it and optimize the keyword searches, as well as boosting our standings on Google.
What was the scope of their involvement?They redesigned our website, migrating us from WordPress to HubSpot. It made a huge difference in keeping track and not losing sight of leads. They also did blog posts, working to come up with timely and resourceful topics.
What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?Since relaunching the website, we've had close to 200 leads in a short period of time. Within the first two months of the new website, we've closed the single largest purchase order that we've ever received as a company.
Working with the team helped us become more engaged in social media. They recommended that we started posting blogs, updating Facebook, and taking advantage of the technology available to us to get our name out there. Our exposure has been increasing with pieces in the local news, so we hope to attract more business soon.
The migration to HubSpot has been excellent and things improved significantly since then. There was a time that we were tracking everything in Excel and it was painful. If I didn't save it properly or I didn't remember that I made the change, then it wasn't tracked.What did you find most impressive about them?I liked that they sold us things that they work with as well. They use HubSpot and explained how they used it has helped me to understand how we can use it. We pride ourselves on customer service. The best customer you can have is a repeat customer and we're that for them as it's been so positive. They've been very good and helpful. We appreciate all the hard work they put in. They're intelligent and passionate about what they do, which creates a really good company.
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The team at Quadrus wanted to reposition Quadrus as the local choice for IT training —and after in depth research into their competing space and the local offerings, we worked together to create a campaign that would see a positive return over time.
Summit wanted to equip the team with the ability to continue with their marketing strategies after the end of the campaign, and so the approach led to mini-training sessions on core aspects of the strategy and execution as well as a mentor approach to implementation, working directly with the President and Technical Specialists at Quadrus to refine and update the site until it launched in August 2018.Summit became an extension of their team, keeping Quadrus involved along the way, with regular weekly meetings. By keeping our actions transparent, we gave Quadrus the knowledge to continue improving even after the campaign ended.To kick things off, we begun by looking at competitors and the gaps in the market. We analyzed the gaps for healthy keywords, potential links, addressed site simplicity and click-depth and created a roadmap to to guide the team in the coming 6-12 months.
By focusing on white hat strategies, we gave Quadrus a compounding approach to their search rankings, allowing them to stay ahead in the coming years."We got amazing results from Summit Protocol's assistance! The numbers speak for themselves:• 44% increase in overall traffic year on year• 64% increase in organic traffic from search• 13% increase in average session duration • 6% decrease in bounce rate• 95% increase in Google My Business (GMB) search listing• 173% increase in GMB views• 192% increase in clicks to the website from GMB• 221% increase in clicks to the website from organic search"
Brian Donaldson, President Quadrus Development Inc.
John knows Digital Marketing and has been certified by the best in the business. He's been providing solutions that deliver ROI to businesses since 2010. With 20+ years background in Enterprise IT Software Development, IT Management and Consulting, John's specialty is certainly the IT Sector.
With well over three decades of experience, Paul is committed to delivering superior outcomes for both B2B and B2C markets. Dentists, Contractors, Financial Consultants… Small Business Owners in general come to us with one common drive: they're ready to take their brand to the next level.
Be the first to review Tastic Marketing Inc.
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text:
Elytroleptus nigripennis är en skalbaggsart som beskrevs av Bates 1885. Elytroleptus nigripennis ingår i släktet Elytroleptus och familjen långhorningar. Inga underarter finns listade i Catalogue of Life.

Källor

Långhorningar
nigripennis

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


We create and deliver incredible fruit tree, fruit palm, strawberry tree and tower for all occasions. Our fruit tree or 2- 3 tier strawberry towers are the perfect fruit display on your wedding or event. Tasty fruits and Belgian chocolate will give your guests unforgettable moment of pleasure that they will always remember.


Need a meeting? For the team, yourself or the office?
Why not try our facilities, located right next to the water, and enjoy the chance to brainstorm your companies plans all in one day or simply a chance to get the team off site for some key motivating hours!
Call our events team on 02392 465011 option 3 to take advantage of this offer!


Look out especially for the reference to Lauren's Bench – a tribute to a little Australian none of us knew, but whom many or us Greenwichians have taken to our hearts – and now always think of when we walk (or today slide) down Lover's Walk.
This entry was posted on Thursday, December 2nd, 2010 at 2:05 pm and is filed under Green Greenwich, Greenwich Christmas, Greenwich snow. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
I live in Australia now but my heart will always be in Greenwich. Lauren was my little girl and I sincerely thank the person who made this video. Thank-you for remembering…. and on such a cold, snowy and slippery day too!
Absolutely brilliant SoC, its brought a homesick tear to my eye….gorgeous! Well done and many thanks.
Absolutely lovely all round, video, music and Lauren.


text:
Cinema
 Oberst Chabert – vari film
 Il colonnello Chabert – vari film tratti dall'omonimo romanzo

Letteratura
 Il colonnello Chabert – romanzo breve scritto nel 1832 da Honoré de Balzac

Persone
 Lacey Chabert (1982) – attrice, doppiatrice e modella statunitense

Altro
 Vanga di Chabert – uccello della famiglia Vangidae


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Many teenagers may want to improve their smiles, however they are self-conscious about wearing braces. Technology has improved so much that several great choices are now offered for teenagers.
It's never too late to have a smile you're proud to show off. Orthodontic Treatment can dramatically improve your personal appearance and self esteem. Find out how we can help you look your best!
In celebration of 20 years we are giving away free braces!
Dr Sayed's Halloween Candy Buy Back!


text:
Stop exchanging your currency at the airport
By Emma Sarran Webster
When budgeting for an upcoming trip, there's one cost that's easy to overlook: The cost of exchanging your money for a foreign currency. As Sara Rathner, NerdWallet's travel expert, explained, there are several ways to exchange money — such as through a bank or credit union, dedicated currency exchange kiosks and even websites that sell foreign currency — and each one is going to charge you to do so, whether through inflated exchange rates, transaction fees or both. But how much you pay can vary significantly depending on which route you take.
"It's difficult to find the best rate while abroad, but to ensure you get the most on your exchange, you should first check what the official exchange rate is," said WalletHub analyst Jill Gonzalez. (You can see daily exchange rates on websites like XE and Oanda.) Then, she added, "compare that to whatever banks or exchange kiosks are offering, and aim for the smallest difference between rates." Beyond your initial research, there are a few key strategies to make sure you're paying as little as possible in currency exchange rates and fees.
Go for banks and credit unions over currency exchange kiosks
Getting cash at an airport, hotel or other dedicated currency exchange kiosk may be convenient; but that convenience comes at a price. "Currency exchanges at airports and in tourist areas offer less competitive rates and higher fees," Rathner said. "These should only be used as a last resort."
Instead, opt for a bank or credit union, which Rathner said typically "offer the lowest fees." She noted that some charge outright fees, while others profit by charging a slightly higher exchange rate. The fees and rates vary among these businesses, too. "You can shop around and order currency from the bank that has the best rate, but keep in mind that rates change daily," Rathner said.
Get cash from an ATM
Even better: Bypass those businesses completely and get cash from an ATM once you arrive in your destination. "ATMs generally offer the lowest fees," Rathner said. "You're likely to pay a foreign transaction fee around 1% to 3% of the amount you withdraw and an out-of-network ATM fee of $1 to $5. You can save more money if your bank has in-network ATMs at your destination; even more if it doesn't charge foreign transaction fees." Some banks, like Schwab Bank, offer accounts that waive foreign transaction fees and reimburse you for ATM fees charged by ATM operators out of their network. Before you leave home, Rathner recommends you "determine whether your bank has in-network ATMs at your destination so that you can map them on your route."
Beyond the cost benefits, Rathner pointed out that ATMs are usually easier to find than currency exchanges; and taking this route "allows you to limit your withdrawals to just the amount you need, rather than a larger amount just in case."
Pay for as much as possible with a credit card
There are plenty of destinations where you don't need much cash at all; in which case, your best bet is to pay for things with a credit card (even better if it has no foreign transaction fees). According to a WalletHub currency exchange study, the average exchange rate charged by Travelex (a popular currency exchange company) can be up to 7.6% higher than the rate charged when you pay with a credit card. "Paying with credit cards makes a huge difference," Gonzalez said. "It gives you the best exchange rate, and it provides a $0 liability guarantee for unauthorized transactions, should the card be lost or stolen." Plus, she added, "it...saves you time, and it's less risky than carrying cash around."
Rathner recommends traveling with two credit cards if you can, so that you have a back-up. "Visas and Mastercards are widely accepted around the world," she said. "Notify your credit card companies of your upcoming travel so they won't think your charges are fraudulent. You can often do this online by logging into your credit card account."
But before you rely on credit or debit cards, "you also have to consider the destination and whether it's plastic-friendly," Rathner said. "You may need foreign cash for a cab or another expense once you arrive. If you do get foreign currency ahead of your trip, only carry enough to get by. Otherwise, you could risk having it lost or stolen."
Pay for purchases in the local currency
When you pay with a credit card or debit card, or take money out of an ATM, in a foreign country, you could encounter something called dynamic currency conversion. "Some ATMs or merchants may offer to do the math and convert transactions into U.S. dollars in exchange for a fee," Rathner said. "To avoid the extra cost, you can simply decline the offer."
Try to only exchange as much as you need
If you get more foreign cash than you need or use on your trip, you'll end up paying again to exchange what's left back to your own currency. Rathner recommends coming up with a daily budget to estimate how much cash you'll need. And, particularly if you're traveling somewhere that's plastic-friendly, be conservative in how much money you change or withdraw from an ATM to avoid that possibility. "I try not to exchange currency back into U.S. dollars if I can help it," Rathner said. "Usually I only have a small amount left and may lose value in the re-exchange (plus, it's extra effort). I've had success using up the last of my cash paying off part of the remaining balance at my hotel. I've also used it at bars [and] restaurants with the server's blessing. When you ask nicely and explain that you're going home the next day, they may be happy to let you pay part of your bill in cash and cover the rest with a credit card."


Prime Ministerial Legacy – They will generate their own power when pigs fly says David Cameron.
If I have learned anything from my time on this Earth, it's that people will do the dumbest of things to fit into and impress the human herd.
The great 'switch your energy supplier' game is a simple trick used to give 'the herd' an illusion of choice. Moving you from field to field doesn't allow you to escape the farm that imprisons you. They lock you into a lifetime of unnecessary expense and keep you suckling at the teet of foreign-owned energy suppliers.
How do I know this? 700,000 and counting households have managed to reduce dependence with solar panels, and yes the grass is greener on the other side of the cattle grid.
Over the last few years, many of us 'cash cows' bravely pursued a future using alternative energy technologies. The former farmers/politicians left the gate open, just long enough for hundreds of thousands of us to begin to move away from their ever increasing energy costs.
Unfortunately, those unimpressed energy companies have 'installed' a new farmer to slam shut the 'green technology' door and to prevent others from leaving their control. The incentives for alternative technologies are shamelessly removed for no logical reason, other than, they don't want the herd generating their power.
The privatisation of our energy sector was a contract signed to purchase the herd. An agreement that spans generations to keep the British public 'locked in' and milked every quarter.
The rush across the cattle grid was unexpected but that our current crop of politicians intends to put right. Amber Rudd of the DECC (Department of Energy and Climate Change) has family ties that naturally come before the interests of our national energy and climate.
Likewise, George Osborne's family ties with the fracking industry at which unsuprisingly, have obvious conflict of interest issues.
The cattle grid is an illusion. A barrier of fear that can be crossed quickly with a few carefully placed steps. It just takes a little determination to pass.
During my early working years, I went from job to job looking for job satisfaction and a better pay deal. I found neither until I took an alternative approach. This is comparable to the 'switch your supplier' game. No matter how enthusiastic you are when you first 'switch', it's just more of the same once your introductory offer ends.
The early solar pioneers are the real heroes that I doff my cap too. People who look beyond the 'not enough sunshine in Britain' myths, Ruport Murdoch's propaganda machine (yes, he has interests in the farmyard too), and who do their proper research to beat a system that is not in their best interest.
The great 'solar escape' (as I now call it) has led to Saudi Arabia to becoming so concerned that they are flooding the world market with cheap oil to 'break the back' of the global alternative energy movement. Now that's what you call real global influence!
Of course, 'the average man on the street' doesn't realise that these current low oil prices will be raised back up further, once the alternative technology movement evolves. The most significant reason of all to add solar panels to your roof and protect our national interests.
"You can try to do a King Canute tribute act, but your plans for fracking are a very expensive production form that our USA cousins are now learning. Nuclear is more long-term, but astronomically costly from start to finish. While your darling the North Sea is going to need expensive' end of life' care. How does any of this reduce the national energy costs?
The tide of expense is against you, and the Middle Eastern problems are self-inflicted and will turn against us. This leads to a conclusion that your recent decisions to 'stamp out "green crap" based on our national interests, but your own personal or family gain. – You have sold the nation's soul to foreign-owned lobbyists. None of this leads to cheaper energy bills or an economically viable country.
£6.00 per household for solar technology as it currently stands is very much cheaper than the new cheque subsidies that you use to prop-up a privatised and antiquated centralised system that is so apparently failing in today's geopolitical unstable world.
Our children's generation will look back at your time in power and feel nothing but shame, primarily as the government have known about the climate issues and the limited life of the North Sea since the age of Margaret Thatcher.
To the people. The national penny will one day drop as more unintended consequences arise, and you don't want to be in that crowd wishing you'd installed solar panels sooner. An alternative approach to energy suddenly seems a good idea – doesn't it?
We may think we're individual, but the human herd has a strong pull. For once the human desire to impress could achieve real positive change in our fast deteriorating world.
Don't be part of the crowd scrambling to reduce their dependence because of super high-priced energy costs, caused by greed-based politics. Nationally, we're putting all our eggs in a fracking experiment that will economically and environmentally fail. Additionally, our Middle Eastern warmongering will turn against us and the cost of heating all our homes.
Someone from history once said, "you have to fight for your freedoms because they won't give it to you willingly". That's the real reason why solar panels have come under attack recently, and that's precisely why we need them.


I love this! The body language is very expressive and fits the narrative, and the floor and robe mimic/reflect each other and I really like how you did both.
I love the hand lettering! And your use of line as well.
I really like the lettering and the colour palette. And you've captured her facial expression really well. Have you used watercolours?
This illustration is so fab! love your drawing style and collage technique and you hand lettering perfectly matches.