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My GISSV
Preschool-12 Bilingual Education in
Two Locations in the Bay Area
Welcome to GISSV
The German International School of Silicon Valley is an independent, nonprofit preschool–grade 12 school with two locations in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Learning in German and English
Our high-quality dual-immersion education helps students reach their full potential in a stimulating environment that fosters critical and imaginative thinking, a passion for lifelong learning and an appreciation for cultural diversity.
Welcome by the Leadership Team
GISSV at a Glance
Working at GISSV
Meeting Students' Needs From Preschool Through High School
GISSV welcomes students of all cultural and ethnic backgrounds. We serve students from two to eighteen years old.
The enrollment period begins during the months of January and February of each year for the upcoming school year. We also accept new students throughout the school year based on availability. Knowledge of the German language is required for all children who enroll after 1st grade.
GISSV - Meine Schule
Tours & Open Houses
Visiting and Guest Students
Nurturing Holistic and Individual Development
Our well-balanced program provides rich project-based and differentiated learning experiences, fostering interests across all subject areas as well as social-emotional competency, critical thinking, artistic expression and physical motor skills.
Safe and Stimulating Learning Environments
We provide highly qualified teachers, small class sizes and an excellent student-to-teacher ratio. Our engaging and ambitious curriculum is enhanced by comprehensive science and technology resources.
Bilingual Learning
Elementary School (1-4)
German International Abitur
Rich Experiences in the Classroom and Beyond
At GISSV, we are instilling an appreciation of life, music, sports, culture and arts among our students. We take responsibility and action for ourselves, others and our planet.
Strong Sense of Community
GISSV has a vibrant international school community thanks to our small class sizes, cohesive, dynamic preschool–12 structure and enriching events that involve all our students, teachers and parents.
Library & School Supplies
Serving Families Across the Bay Area
GISSV has campuses in Mountain View and San Francisco. We also connect our students to their local environment by exploring the cultural, natural, academic and entrepreneurial destinations the Bay Area has to offer.
Two Campuses, One School
All GISSV programs are bilingual and based on the German curriculum of the state of Thuringia, which is known and respected for its well-rounded educational approach
Support GISSV
Enhancing the GISSV Experience
Family and community support is a vital part of GISSV. Voluntary contributions of time, resources and expertise are key to our success.
Every Gift Matters
Donations are essential to preserving and advancing GISSV's exceptional educational programs. Tax-deductible contributions enable us to realize our most important current and long-term priorities, preparing our students for the world ahead.
Shop & Support GISSV
GISSV Spiritwear Online Store
At GISSV, students graduate with two diplomas: the American High School Diploma and the German International Abitur.
What is the German International Abitur?
The German International Abitur, known as the Deutsche Internationale Abiturprüfung in German (or DIA for short), is an internationally acclaimed college preparatory curriculum and diploma that provides an academically exceptional and culturally rich multilingual education to students of all nationalities and backgrounds.
By inspiring inquisitive, open-minded, independent thinkers with a robust, internationally oriented and well-rounded curriculum of languages, sciences, mathematics and arts, the DIA opens doors to the finest colleges and universities in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Europe and creates a world of opportunities for its graduates.
DIA at GISSV: Subject Areas, Exams and Grading
The five Abitur exams (three written exams and two oral exams) are in the following subjects: German Literature, European History or Economics or Math or a Natural Science or a language. German is always part of the exams. Apart from that, the areas Maths/natural sciences and social sciences have to be covered. In February of senior year, all students take the written examinations for the German International Abitur in three subjects including German. In late Spring, grade 12 students have mandatory oral examinations in two subjects, which are overseen by a German educational official. The final GPA includes grades from both junior and senior years, as well as for the five Abitur exams.
Visit the DIA Website to Find Out More
310 Easy Street
office@gissv.org
San Francisco Campus
4, 5 & 8 Funston Avenue
Sitemap Privacy Policy & Credentials

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Adam and Jerod talk with Hong Lai, one of the co-founders of Phusion. His company recently got a lot of attention for their upcoming version of Phusion Passenger, which they decided to call Ruby Raptor in a clever marketing play to get people excited about Passenger again. It worked, and we invited Hongli on the show to talk about Passenger/Ruby Raptor, the challenges of marketing open source, and how to get the internet excited about your next version.


Graphics images gallery make sure you stick to this kind of link.
Luxury Bonsai Kitten Website Pics Uploaded by bonsai on Thursday, January 10th, 2019 in category Bonsai Gallery.
See also Elegant Bonsai Kitten Website Pictures from Bonsai Gallery Topic.
Here we have another image Inspirational Bonsai Kitten Website Pictures featured under Luxury Bonsai Kitten Website Pics. We hope you enjoyed it and if you want to download the pictures in high quality, simply right click the image and choose "Save As". Thanks for reading Luxury Bonsai Kitten Website Pics.


The migrant crisis in the Mediterranean is symptomatic of the wider malaise afflicting Europe, the new Wild West. As Sergio Leone put it " where life has no value, death, sometimes, had its price. That's why the bounty hunters appeared". Today, after the Euribor finally went negative, it seems quite plausible and legitimate to update the phase to "where Euros have little less value, death, sometimes, has its price, that's why the people traffickers appeared". When banks and governments are being paid to borrow Euros you have to ask the question: has this inverted perversion of classical economic theory hastened the beginning of the end for the Euro experiment?
The process of lending something must have a positive value in all but the shortest of timeframes otherwise a profit is impossible and everything must therefore end up free. If a car hire firm pays the customer to rent the car a) nobody would ever buy a car and b) as long as the business has other costs in doing business (excluding the fact that interest rates may be zero) such as staff costs or rent on premises, they will be a loss making and unsustainable business quick smartish. It all sounds, and is, an utter nonsense.
Mr Draghi wants the banks to lend, or another way of looking at it, to take on more risk, or another way of looking at it, believe in the inflation trend and ignore the likelihood of the tightening cycle. The banks don't want to lend to the real economy because they know its a terrible trade so they have dumped everything into the corporates and the interbank market resulting in yesterdays new lows.
Mr Draghi is trying to fix (and not in a good way) the competitive game. To bend the hand of the market and cui bono to his will to preserve the political project, but without the necessary fiscal union. The problem is when you fix a game you may find nobody turns up to play it. Therein lies his problem. If, for example, everyone knew the 3.10 at Perth was fixed nobody would turn up to the racecourse and nobody would place a bet on the race. He wants to bully the market with his tower of chips when everyone else just wants a stable stack.
Thomas Jefferson said two hundred years ago that "banks are more dangerous than standing armies" and that "speculators sweep away the fortunes and morals of the people". With the Euro losing values at this rate soon everything the EU does will be free. Negative nominal and real interest rates are a plausible possibility and before we know it the banks will have to subsidize their debtors. They might call it a "loyalty bonus", borrow 20,000 Euros at zero cost for a car and receive 1,000 Euros cash back every year of the loan. It sounds crazy yet worryingly possible in this brave new world.
Back to the life and death of real lives, migrants flooding into southern Europe are only operating rational self interest by trying to balance risks against benefits. They hear that the magical Eurolands (and the UK) are paved with gold where everything from housing, employment subsidies, unemployment benefit, medical provision, to name but a few, are all free on demand from conception to grave. Who wouldn't take a punt for that and to escape the savages of the Islamic State?


You can see here PTV Sports tv channel daily program schedule. So that you never miss any sports event live at PTV sports and enjoy it on TV channel live on your TV set or online steaming.
Enjoy your Cricket Matches, Boxing, Soccer Matches, Tennis and much more. Keep updated with sports in Pakistan.


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# jab
https://www.pharmacymagazine.co.uk/latest/govt-comes-under-fire-over-pharmacy-vaccine-snub
Government under fire over pharmacy vaccine 'snub'
Government under intense criticism for failing to deploy England's community pharmacy network to help deliver Covid vaccinations on a wide scale.
https://www.pharmacymagazine.co.uk/latest/nhs-urged-to-roll-out-oxford-vaccine-through-pharmacies
NHS urged to roll out Oxford vaccine through pharmacies
Community pharmacy representatives have called for the sector to be included in plans to administer the Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine.
https://www.pharmacymagazine.co.uk/latest/541008-nhs-flu-vaccination-advertising-starts-early-october
NHS flu vaccination advertising starts early October
The campaign will consist of TV, radio and digital advertising supported by search and partnership activity.
https://www.pharmacymagazine.co.uk/latest/527741-government-to-consider-non-gp-settings-for-mmr-as-measles-threat-grows
Government to consider 'non-GP settings' for MMR as measles threat grows
The Government will consider offering MMR vaccinations in "settings outside of a GP" to improve protection rates.
https://www.pharmacymagazine.co.uk/latest/phe-taken-to-task-for-vaccination-snub
PHE taken to task for pharmacist vaccination snub
Public Health England has been urged to acknowledge the "vital role" pharmacists play in immunisation programme after omitting to mention the profession.


text:
Q: Visual Studio 2012 always starts up with a maximized window, how do I prevent it? I always exit Visual Studio when its main window is at a certain area on the screen. But when it starts up, its window is always maximized. If I click the maximize button, it is restored to the size I left it in previous session.
It is bothersome to do this at every program start-up. It covers the area of the screen which it isn't supposed to; making other tools working on that area stay behind. And what makes it even more cumbersome is the bulky and slow start of Visual Studio.
Is there any way of setting the start up window size and position? It is like, in somewhere an option "Start main window maximized" is checked, but I can't find such a thing under Tools > Options. Visual Studio 2010 did do this behavior.
Version: Visual Studio 2012 Ultimate 11.0.51106.01 Update 1
Theme: Dark

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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1. Techshu Founded – 2009
Techshu is a top Digital Marketing firm in Chennai.. Founded in 2009, the company specializes in Social Media Marketing, Digital Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, Conversion Optimization, Pay Per Click, Google Adwords, Website Design, Email marketing, and Content Marketing. It is a Premier Google Partner and an Accredited Bing Ads professional. Some of the industries they serve are Apparel, Lifestyle, Automotive, Healthcare, Electronics, Consumer Durables, Hospitality, Education, etc. Their clientele features names like International Institute of Hotel Management, Bharatiya Janata Party, Maanyavar, Himalaya Opticals, Venkatesh Films, Hewlett Packard, Speech Plus, Exide, Greenply, Ernst & Young, ABP, Macroman, etc.
Location -Mumbai, Singapore & London
Services -Digital Marketing & Conversion Optimization,Social Media Management,SEO, Paid Search
Website – https://www.techshu.com/
Contact – https://www.techshu.com/contact
2. PromotEdge Founded – 2015
PromotEdge is a unique effort towards incorporating the most significant and composite verticals of Brand Promotion & Marketing Communication ideas and activities under a single roof to provide an all-encompassing and comprehensive range of promotional solutions for its clients. The company is committed to deliver unique value and out of the box thinking at every level of service delivery to its clients. Their forte lies in Digital Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, Search Engine Marketing, Paid Media, Digital Advertising, Email Marketing, Content Creation and Marketing, Conversion Optimization, Pay Per Click, and Marketing Strategy. The firm has worked with brands such as HDFC Bank, Tata Steel, Oryca, Luminous, Fishworks, Tata Housing, etc.
Services -Digital Marketing , Web Services , Strategy & Consulting
Website – https://www.promotedge.com/services/digital-marketing/
Contact – https://www.promotedge.com/contact-us/
3. Webguru India Founded – 2005
Webguru India is one of the top Digital Marketing agencies in Kolkata. It is a top-rated firm on Clutch and GoodFirms. The firm takes pride in its dynamic approach, updated know-how, proven skills, and 12+ years of experience to craft the most relevant solutions for businesses worldwide. Their services include Digital Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, Pay Per Click, Social Media Marketing, Content Marketing, and Conversion Rate Optimization. Their clientele spans across India, Australia, USA, UK, Canada, Saudi Arabia and many more countries across the world. Some of them are Zee Entertainment, The Times Group, State Bank of India, HDFC Bank, Cigniti, Aditya Birla Group, Emirates American School, etc.
Employees 501-1000
Location – Kolkata & Utah
Services -Digital Marketing , Social Media Marketing & Pay Per Click , Content Marketing
Website – https://www.webguru-india.com/
contact –https://www.webguru-india.com/contact-us
4. Pulp Strategy Founded – 2011
Pulp Strategy is a full-service interactive, digital communications and technology agency, transforming solutions with creative storytelling that translates into effective data-driven marketing initiatives of scale in the humanized digital era. Founded in 2011, the firm provides services in Digital Media Content, Digital Intelligence, Product Design, Media Planning, and Strategy. Headquartered in Hyderabad, the firm has branches in Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, Delhi-NCR and San Jose. The company has also won many awards such as The Maddies in 2016, 3 Echos, The Globes and 97 other international recognitions. Some of their clients are Philips, Hero, Tupperware, Ola, Oracle, Comicstaan, Intel, Microsoft, EMC, etc.
Location – Hyderabad, Mumbai & San Jose
Services – Digital & Social Media Marketing, Branding , Marketing Strategy & Communication Planning
Website – https://www.pulpstrategy.com/
Contact –https://www.pulpstrategy.com/contact-us
5. AdSyndicate Founded – 1997
One of India's leading Marketing and Advertising agencies, Adsyndicate has over 25 years of experience and is located in 12 cities nationwide with its main offices located in Bangalore, Mumbai, and Delhi. With a vision to be the most preferred communication solutions partner, its key offerings include Digital Advertising, Social Media Management, Search Engine Optimization, and Brand Strategy across domains such as Healthcare, Banking and Financial Services, Consumer Durables, Automotive, Food & Beverages, Technology, E-commerce, Education, Retail, etc. Some of their renowned clients are ABB, Reserve Bank of India, SanDisk, Hyundai, Freshmenu, Mahindra, Western Digital, Quikr and Manipal Academy of Higher Education among many others.
Location – Bangalore, Mumbai & Delhi
Services – Digital Advertising , Social Media Management,Search Engine Optimization
Website – https://www.adsyndicate.in/
6. Interactive Avenues Founded – 2006
Interactive Avenues is one of the best Digital Marketing agencies in Bangalore. It is a part of the IPG Mediabrands family, the global media holding company of Interpublic Group and a full-service media network. Launched in 2006, Interactive Avenues is today not just the largest in the industry, but by far the most experienced. The firm has offices located in Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore. Their comprehensive bouquet of services includes Creatives, Search Engine Optimization, Analytics, Digital Marketing, Social Media Management, and Online Reputation Management. Their clientele boasts of renowned names like Zivame, Amazon, Coca Cola, Johnson & Johnson, Durex, etc. Employees 501-1000
Location – Bangalore, Mumbai & Gurgaon
Services – Digital Strategy , Search Engine Optimization , Search Engine Marketing
Website – https://www.interactiveavenues.com/
Contact – https://www.interactiveavenues.com/contact-us/
7. Mindshare World Founded – 1997
Founded in 1997, Mindshare is a global firm specializing in Marketing, Advertising, Analytics, Media Research & Planning, Digital media and Strategy. Mindshare is part of GroupM, which oversees the media investment management sector for WPP, the world's leading communications services group. Their network consists of 116 offices in 86 countries throughout North America, Latin America, Europe, Middle East, and Asia Pacific, each dedicated to forging competitive marketing advantage for businesses and their brands. Their client list features names like Nike, KFC, Foxtel, Marmite, Lifebuoy, Cheerios, British Petroleum, Ford, Facebook, Rolex, Unilever, Volvo, IBM, Nestle and Pepsi among many others.
Employees 5001-10000
Location – Mumbai, New York & Location -Mumbai, London & New York
Services – Digital Marketing , Social Media Marketing, Paid Search & Affiliates
Website – https://www.mindshareworld.com
Contact – https://www.mindshareworld.com/offices
8. Brandsum Founded – 2002
BrandSum is a top Digital Marketing agency in Kolkata that believes in finding the right balance between creatives and software development. Their team has specialists dedicated for all things digital to ensure that all their clients' business needs are met with measurable, interpretable and most importantly, effective results. They offer solutions like Digital Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, Search Marketing, Display Marketing, Digital Analytics, Email Marketing, and Paid Media Marketing. Some of their noteworthy clients are Keventer, Star Bangla, Metro, Ideal, Quest Mall, Credai Bengal Homes, Kolkata International Film Festival, Colors Bangla, Hiland, Bengal Global Business Summit, Indian Chamber of Commerce, etc.
Services -Social Media Marketing,SEO and Search Marketing , Paid Media Marketing
Website – https://brandsum.com/
Contact – https://brandsum.com/get-in-touch/
9. FCB Founded – 1961
FCB (Foote, Cone & Belding) is a global, fully integrated marketing communications company with a heritage of creativity and success since 1873. Based on a deeply developed understanding of diversified local markets and global cultures, FCB focuses on significantly changing consumer behavior to the benefit of its clients, its people, and society. It offers services like Digital Marketing, Social Media Marketing, Mobile Marketing, and Design. With more than 8,000 people in 120 offices in 80 countries, the company is part of the Interpublic Group of Companies. The firm has worked with top brands worldwide such as Huawei, Burger King, The Millennium School, Clorox, Levi's, Coca Cola, Times of India, Anheuser-Busch, Amul, Nivea, etc.
Location -Kolkata, New York & Paris
Services – Digital Marketing , Advertising , Events
Website – https://www.fcb.com/
Contact – https://www.fcb.com/contact-us
BEST DIGITAL MARKETING AGENCIES IN KOLKATA
Originally the centre of the East India Company trade during the British rule, Kolkata; also known as the cultural capital of India has evolved into becoming the prime, business, financial and commercial hub of eastern India. Kolkata is slowly emerging as an economic powerhouse by welcoming businesses from mining to agriculture, electronics to food processing, pharmaceuticals to textile and even films and Digital media. Consistently being ranked by the World Bank for ease of doing business, it only makes sense that Kolkata is home to some of the major businesses in the country like ITC, Birla and Britannia
Digital Marketing in Kolkata
With an industrious past and propitious future, Kolkata's economic tenacity has the whole world taking notice of it. This growth has also paved the way for digital marketing and its services. The agencies that we have listed are driven by a serious passion for what they do and are fiercely creative in their field. They offer services like UI/UX Design, App Development, Brand Strategy and Design.


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Pitta – rodzaj ptaka z rodziny kurtaczków (Pittidae).

Zasięg występowania
Rodzaj obejmuje gatunki występujące w Afryce, południowej, południowo-wschodniej i wschodniej Azji oraz Melanezji.

Morfologia
Długość ciała 15–28 cm; masa ciała 42–206 g.

Systematyka

Etymologia
 Merula:  "kos". Gatunek typowy: Corvus brachyurus ; młodszy homonim Merula  (Turdidae).
 Pitta: nazwa pitta oznaczającego w języku telugu piękną błyskotkę lub zwierzę domowe.
 Brachyurus:  brakhus "krótki"; ουρα ourα "ogon". Gatunek typowy: Turdus triostegus  (= Corvus brachyurus ); młodszy homonim Brachyurus  (Mammalia).
 Melanopitta: gr. μελας melas, μελανος melanos "czarny"; rodzaj Pitta  (kurtaczek). Gatunek typowy: Turdus sordidus .
 Coloburis: gr. κολοβος kolobos "ograniczony, obcięty"; ουρα oura "ogon" (por. κολουρος kolouros, κολουρις kolouris "z obciętym ogonem, bez ogona"). Nazwa zastępcza dla Pitta  ze względu na puryzm.
 Cervinipitta: łac. cervinus "koloru jelenia", cervus "jeleń"; rodzaj Pitta  (kurtaczek). Gatunek typowy: Turdus moluccensis .
 Cyanopitta: gr. κυανος kuanos "ciemnoniebieski"; rodzaj Pitta  (kurtaczek). Gatunek typowy: Brachyurus steerii
 Calopitta: gr. καλος kalos "piękny"; rodzaj Pitta  (kurtaczek). Gatunek typowy: Pitta maxima .
 Galeripitta: łac. galerum "czapka", od galea "hełm"; rodzaj Pitta  (kurtaczek). Gatunek typowy: Turdus sordidus .
 Pulchripitta: łac. pulcher, pulchra "piękny"; rodzaj Pitta  (kurtaczek). Gatunek typowy: Pitta iris .
 Austropitta: łac. australis "południowy", od auster, austri "południe"; rodzaj Pitta  (kurtaczek). Gatunek typowy: Pitta strepitans  (= Pitta versicolor ).

Podział systematyczny
Do rodzaju należą następujące gatunki:
 Pitta angolensis  – kurtaczek angolski
 Pitta brachyura  – kurtaczek bengalski
 Pitta nympha  – kurtaczek blady
 Pitta sordida  – kurtaczek kapturowy
 Pitta megarhyncha  – kurtaczek namorzynowy
 Pitta moluccensis  – kurtaczek modroskrzydły
 Pitta elegans  – kurtaczek ozdobny
 Pitta steerii  – kurtaczek sinopierśny
 Pitta maxima  – kurtaczek wielki
 Pitta anerythra  – kurtaczek czarnolicy
 Pitta superba  – kurtaczek wspaniały
 Pitta versicolor  – kurtaczek hałaśliwy
 Pitta iris  – kurtaczek tęczowy

Przypisy

Bibliografia

Kurtaczki

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Q: Date Difference issue I want to make a school fees collection system, but I am confused about dates. I want it like this:
Count the months From Admission date to now.

A: I used the DateDiff function described here https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/api/microsoft.visualbasic.dateandtime.datediff?view=netcore-3.1
From the docs...

"The return value for DateInterval.Month is calculated purely from the
year and month parts of the arguments."

Private Sub Button1_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
    Dim Date1 = #10/2/2020#
    Dim Date2 = #12/25/2024#
    Dim DifInMonths = DateDiff(DateInterval.Month, Date1, Date2)
    Debug.Print(DifInMonths.ToString)
End Sub


Kelly Marie Uston, age 49, passed away Mon., Dec. 29, 2008, at the Macon County General Hospital. Graveside services for Kelly Marie Uston were conducted Thurs., Jan. 1, 2008 from the Underwood Cemetery with Brother Bill Sloan officiating; Interment followed. Matthew Carter, Peter Lovan, and Stephen Barber served as pallbearers. Kelly Marie Uston was born on Jan. 29, 1959, in San Bernardino, CA. She was preceded in death by; spouse, James Peterson, daughters, Brandy Marie McFayden, and Alexandria Angel Peterson. She attended the Bethel Family Worship Center. She leaves to mourn her passing; mother and step-father, Lynn Marie and Joseph Johnson of Rowland Heights, CA.; sons, Mickey McFayden of Chipley, Fl.; and Nicholas Peterson of CA; daughters, Marissa Carter of Lafayette, Tenn.; Brittany Peterson, and Emily Yetter both of Oregon; brothers, Robbie Johnson, Joseph Wade Johnson, Jr., Carey Edward Johnson, all of Rowland Heights, CA; and Shannon McCallum o f Lincoln, CA; sister, Christine Price; aunt and uncle, Mary and Peter Lovan; grandchildren, Travis Adams, Asiha Donohew, Andrew McFayden, and Gage McFayden, all of Lafayette, Tenn.


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America's Got Talent - Trump's Spotlight On Apprenticeships
Nicholas Wyman Contributor
I write about job skills in the 21st-century workplace.
U.S. President Donald Trump signs an executive order after delivering remarks on Apprenticeship and... [+] Workforce of Tomorrow initiatives in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Thursday, June 15, 2017, with Congresswomen Dr Virginia Foxx (left of the President) Chairwomen of the House Committee on Education and Workforce. Photographer: Olivier Douliery/Bloomberg
Apprenticeships are getting a lot of press in the past few days as something of a cure-all for America's economic woes. Skills shortages are stifling our economy, particularly in global export and advanced high-value manufacturing markets. In fact, across the U.S., industries are begging for talented workers as six million vacancies remain unfilled. Why? Too few Americans have the skill profiles that businesses need.
And in parallel, we pressure our kids to get a college degree thinking — and believing — it's a secure path to a job, career and higher status.
Signing a presidential order Thursday to expand modern apprenticeship, the President made it clear that apprenticeship is a solid career choice for all Americans. Not a second-class option. And this will help change perceptions.
Apprenticeships are a time-honored system to upskill the young or novices, boost productivity, allow apprentices to earn high wages and secure rewarding careers.
You've heard the Trump administration talk about the need to create five million more apprenticeships in the workplace in five years. It's all part of the federal government's ambitious target of generating 25 million new jobs over the next decade. Now that could truly "make America great again".
There's strong bipartisan support for driving more apprenticeships – we saw that in the Obama administration. He used the State of the Union address in 2015, for example, to call on businesses to increase their uptake of apprentices. Obama and his predecessors rolled out initiative after initiative to boost skill development. Sadly, there's little to show for the billions of dollars invested in education over the years. Federal and state governments have focused on funding costly school-based programs, which do a mediocre job of preparing our young people for high productivity and high wage jobs. Too many young Americans disengage and leave school with few serious employability or occupational skills.
Who should Lead Apprenticeship Expansion?
The bottom line is, in the U.S., apprenticeships must be employer-led. The thrust of the announcement is a bigger role for industry, which is good news. The plans to remove red tape and over rigid requirements will certainly appeal to employers. But with rapid expansion and deregulation comes a warning. The world's leading apprenticeship programs in Switzerland, Germany, Canada, the U.K., and Australia have one feature in common. Quality. And while many employers will be most effective at developing their own apprentice programs some may not have the same high standards.
Dr. Robert Lerman from the Institute for Innovative Apprenticeship in D.C. has one solution. Dr. Lerman said, "this is where a new public-private partnership such as a National Industry Skills Council could be established to assist industries set up the standards and support quality". These are some of the opportunities that the newly formed 'Taskforce on Apprenticeship Expansion' can look at. The formation of a taskforce forms part of the Presidential order.
There is no question the government needs a person or group to drive the upskilling of the U.S. This group or council could review and refine skills development quality programs and initiatives to ensure America has the workers it needs to dominate global markets.
Apprenticeships Work.
Turn your focus to a country with a high-quality apprenticeship system, a system its leader says sustains that country's increasing economic power and drives strong growth, particularly in manufacturing and exports. It's a country with low levels of youth unemployment. Last year, it notched a current-account surplus of 8.5% of GDP ( USD $300 billion) – that's a world record. It has a larger bilateral trade surplus with the U.S. than all countries except China. That country is Germany. It's elbowing us out of the way at the trade table. Germany is exploiting our shortages to snaffle increased market share. Its industries compete more directly with U.S. industries in high-value production sectors.
What underpins all of this strength is one thing: Germany has talent development policies that focus on applied vocational education and structured apprenticeship programs.
These policies have been finessed over time and, boy, do they deliver. They know how to successfully generate highly skilled workers for highly skilled jobs quickly and more cheaply that the U.S.' liberal arts strategy. It's a no-brainer — apprenticeships are cost effective and America is losing out by not embracing them.
America's got talent all right, and apprenticeships can forge a path to ensure we have a place on the world stage. But we can't leave that to lip service, coaxing, and chance. Quality apprenticeships in a broad range of industries and sectors can make America great again.
Like To Watch More On The Power Of Modern Apprenticeship?
This week I discussed the many advantages of modern apprenticeship for employees, employers, and the economy as a whole on a webinar called Level Up by Forbes.
Nicholas Wyman
I'm the CEO of IWSI America which is a global enterprise, committed to skills and workforce development in today and tomorrow's workplace. I have spent the last 20 year


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Hanasaku Iroha: Blossoms for Tomorrow
Hanasaku Iroha: Blossoms for Tomorrow Season 1 Episode 7
Tomoe is pressured by her mother to attend a marriage interview in a week. Meanwhile, the Kissuiso pays host to a group of rowdy 'survival gamers' who take their roleplay very seriously and cause various troubles for the employees. Planning to quit her job and return home, Tomoe decides to try and drive the gamers out and get fired. However, her attempts to irritate the gamers have the opposite effect, responding well to the gamers and making her appreciated by the other employees. As a result, Tomoe decides not to return home as she enjoys working at the Kissuiso.
Serie: Hanasaku Iroha: Blossoms for Tomorrow
Episode Title: All Quiet on the Kissui Front
Dragon Crisis!
* Based on Kizaki Kaya's fantasy romantic comedy light novel series with illustrations by Akata Itsuki. Kisaragi Ryuuji is a normal high school boy living a peaceful life, which is…
A mysterious switch appeared one day. Upon pressing it, they were sent to a different alternative world!! There are also characters from other alternative worlds gathered together…!? KissAnime Review: Isekai…
Five unlikely teenage heroes and their flying robot lions unite to form the megapowerful Voltron and defend the universe from evil. KissAnime Review: Voltron: Legendary Defender – one of the…
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Cabinet cracks increase over Brexit as Fox rounds on Hammond
Richard Porritt
Published: 7:52 AM July 30, 2017 Updated: 6:06 PM September 17, 2020
PA Wire/PA Images - Credit: PA Wire/PA Images
International Trade Secretary Liam Fox has denied the Chancellor's claim there will be three years of continued free movement after Brexit.
Hammond had claimed there was 'broad acceptance' in Cabinet of a post-Brexit transitional period lasting up to three years.
But speaking to the Sunday Times Fox said that any such move would 'not keep faith' with the referendum result adding: 'If there have been discussions on that I have not been party to them. I have not been involved in any discussions on that.'
The latest Cabinet row comes after Hammond said a transitional period would mean 'many arrangements remaining very similar to how they were the day before we exited the European Union'.
Hammond said there would be a registration system in place for people coming to work in the UK after Brexit, during the transitional period.
'If they come here to work after we leave the European Union, during that transitional period, the sensible approach will be to seek to register people so that we know who's coming and who's going,' he said.
Tory tensions were also on show as former Brexit minister David Jones branded Hammond's transition initiative 'deeply dangerous' as he accused the Chancellor of 'going on manoeuvres' while Prime Minister Theresa May was abroad on holiday.
'All this agitation by the Chancellor and his allies is hugely discourteous to her and undermines her authority,' Jones said in The Mail on Sunday.
Pro-EU Tory MP Sir Nicholas Soames praised the Chancellor, telling the newspaper: 'He has restored discipline to the political infant class who want Brexit at any cost.
'Instead of mindlessly criticising him, they should thank him for putting a stop to what was in danger of becoming a pub brawl.'
The war of words came as an ally of Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson also criticised Hammond's plans.
Gerard Lyons, who was an economic adviser to Johnson when he was London mayor, said a two-year transition period would work better.
Writing in The Sunday Telegraph, he said: 'Many of the 'risks' being highlighted about Brexit are perceived risks, not real risks. And a two-year transition would alleviate many concerns.'
Johnson has not yet commented publicly on Hammond's transition plans.
Meanwhile, divisions in Labour over Brexit emerged as senior figures urged Jeremy Corbyn to commit to staying in the single market.
The Observer reported that opponents of quitting the single market may provoke a showdown at the party's autumn conference by trying to force a vote on the issue.
Former leader Lord Kinnock told the newspaper: 'The only way to mitigate the dreadful instability that will be costly for communities and industry is to try to ensure that, at least for a transitional period, we retain participation in the single market or the customs union, or both.'
Ex-lord chancellor Lord Falconer also backed staying in the single market and TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady insisted the UK should not quit.
Writing in The Mail on Sunday, she said: 'If there's another way of getting a frictionless trade deal that protects jobs and rights at work, trade unions would love to know.'
Corbyn has said that Britain would leave the single market on Brexit, while other leading party figures like Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell have said all options are on the table.


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Craig Cuffie of Salesforce: This Moment Can Be a Movement If We're Bold Enough to Be Uncomfortable
Shortly after the social protests broke out in response to the killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor, I had a the opportunity to do a LinkedIn Live conversation with Dr Kamau Bobb – Google's Global Lead for Diversity Strategy & Research, and Senior Director of Georgia Tech's Constellations Center for Equity in Computing – on if this moment in time has the opportunity to lead to structural change and more opportunities for blacks to participate in executive positions in tech companies, given they only fill 2.7% of those positions currently according to a recent post from The Information.
The conversation with Dr. Bobb was as real and honest a discussion I've had recently, and left me wanting to get some additional perspective from Craig Cuffie, Salesforce's Chief Procurement Officer and one of those 2.7% of black tech executives. Salesforce has been a corporate leader in the areas of inclusion and diversity over the last several years, and Craig's 30+ years working at the highest levels of a number of Fortune 500 companies provided me with unique insights that puts the current moment in perspective.
Interview with Craig Cuffie of Salesforce
Below is an edited transcript of a portion of our conversation. Click on the embedded SoundCloud player to hear the full interview.
smallbiztrends · Craig Cuffie of Salesforce: This Moment Can Be a Movement If We're Bold Enough to be Uncomfortable
Small Business Trends: The protests and social unrest triggered by the killing of George Floyd in Minnesota on May 25th show no signs of slowing up. We've seen some signs of change in response. But do you think this moment has the possibility becoming a real movement that not can change the justice system, but can also lead to changes in the tech industry that will significantly increase black participation in executive positions well beyond the 2.7% rate recently cited by The Information?
Craig Cuffie: I do. I do. And I sent a text shortly after the killing of Mr. Floyd to our COO. And I said, "I have never known tougher times." I mean, and no matter where you're from, if you watched the news, listened to the news, thought about what was going on, you have to take pause and go, "What is happening? What just happened? What did we witness?" And that single incident, video for eight minutes and 46 seconds, and then broadcast on the news globally, crystallized the movement. Not the moment, but the movement. And it was hard. I mean, I have been on the phone nonstop. I mean, I got a crazy big job anyway. So I'm on the phone nonstop and you throw all this on top of that, and then a bunch of other things we're doing in the company to address it and really show up and do our part and make change. Everyone is demanding change.
So I said to my team, and it took a while to process this, to process the words. You know when something really bad happens, you have to put a schema in your head to think about it, because there are places, I think for its own self-preservation, the mind will not let you go. It just won't let you go there. So it takes time for you to figure out what just occurred. And I said to my team when I was finally able to address them, I said, "Look, here's what I believe, the way I can describe this. This country has an inch and a half of gasoline poured all over it, and the killing of George Floyd was a match. Will we let the country burn? Or will we save ourselves? Will we save ourselves?"
And so it's not just tech. It's housing. It's voting rights. It's all of those things. The systemic racism in all of its manifestations have changed. Tech, as an exemplar, we know what the answer is. We know the question because we ask that every day, and you'll get 2.7% of executives from the VP level up to CEO are Black against a population in the country of 13%. 13% against your 330 million people, roughly about 30 million people give or take, and that has been the number that has been around since I was a kid. Sticks in my head. It hasn't changed. Population has grown. Population has decreased. But when you think about an opportunity and throw this against one in three Black men between the ages of 18 and 50 are incarcerated. So you're automatically taking people out of the slipstream that could become CEOs.
I had a profound conversation with a young man doing a startup. Grew up in Florida, awful circumstances. And he was moved to a charter school and he was saved by a math teacher that moved him to the charter school. He said, "You are gifted in math. I will talk to your mom. We will get you into this charter school." And had that not happened, he goes, "Craig, I would have been selling drugs on the street." His vision of success was to get a nice car, and a gun, and sell drugs on the street. So how many more of those and successful entrepreneur plugged into the VC community here in the Valley? I mean, that story is just amazing.
So if we don't look at it, if we don't think about it, if we don't create the opportunity… No one's asking for a handout, we're just asking for an at bat. I just want to be able to swing, and people just want to be able to swing. And sometimes I hit the ball, and sometimes I miss the ball, but at least I got the opportunity to swing and that's what people are asking for, not preferential treatment, just the same opportunity. And I think if we can create that same opportunity and the big tech companies have come out with statements, they've put money behind it.
We need to put points on the board because we know there are capable African American individuals at every level available to move in slots into corporate. Let's be clear, this is a behavioral issue at its core. And it starts with behavioral changes in organizations that say, "I'm going to go against my nature." So what normally happens and what I've seen in my 38 years in corporate is when you have a recruiting team and the schools that they tend to go to is probably where the chairman of the board went, the CEO went there, and you kind of go, "How many Black people are you going to find in some small university in the Midwest?" It's just not going to happen.
So you have to force yourself, against your better nature, it doesn't mean your nature's wrong. We are all comfortable with what we like to do. It doesn't matter what it is. I work for a guy who's hilarious. He said, "Everybody says they love change. So go in your kitchen and move their silverware to a different drawer. They will lose their stuff." Right? Think of that. Right? How many times do you walk in the door and someone has moved your stuff? So you have to get people to go, "You know what? How do you get comfortable with being uncomfortable?" I submit that being a Black executive in any company, you're kind of uncomfortable all the time. And you will always recognize it. It doesn't always manifest itself in a set of actions, but you find yourself with some level of discomfort because you know that you are the only, and you don't want to be the only. We absolutely don't want to be the only.
So it is literally doing moves like we did at Salesforce where we took recruiting, and recruiting now reports into our chief diversity officer, our office of equality, Tony Prophet. That's a bold move, to make sure that we have programs and policies in place, and training in place to get away from that bias, that unconscious bias that we have as one thing, to make sure that we have a slate of diverse candidacy is another thing. And then three, make sure that we're hiring them. It doesn't mean that they're going to get a home run every time we put a diverse candidate into a pool of candidates, but it means at least they got a look. And that's all we're asking when it comes to adding Blacks in tech.
Small Business Trends: I think a lot of the beginnings of tech companies, particularly at the startup and then they grow into something big. When you're a founder of a tech company, you depend on the people you know best. I mean, you depend on your classmates, you depend on your family, you depend on your friends, and they become your core. And maybe the business starts really growing, and it grows exceedingly fast and you have to bring on people. And once again, you depend on your social circle.
And so if you're lucky enough, your tech company grows to the point where you have to start hiring people that's not in your circle. Maybe it gets to the point where you're public, but the core and the foundation is built and it's built on your social net, social circle. So when it comes time to extend it, that's when they start having to purposefully try to do things. Before, it was natural. Before, it grew organically. And I think that's a challenge for a lot of these tech companies who they start out with their friends, and family, and social networks, and the foundation of the business is set before anybody else is kind of involved. How do we infiltrate that? Because I think that may be one of the answers. How do we get them to expand their network at the time where we can have diverse voices be a part of that growing and building the business part?
Craig Cuffie: I think there's a couple of things that hit me immediately Brent. One is, to me it's less about infiltrating that. And as we know, the growing cadre of Black entrepreneurs is not duplicating that. One of my mentors and dear friends said to me years ago, it's not earth shattering but it's absolutely true, "A social system will create itself in its own image unless it's checked." It absolutely will do that, and that's just natural for us to do. So I can't fault the founder for doing what any founder would do with the opportunity in front of him or her, which is, "Who can I trust to go on this journey with me?"
I mean, that's the fundamental question I believe that the founder starts with. "Who can I trust and go on this journey with me? Who knows me? Is it my family, or my friends, or my folks I've worked with who know me well, and I know I can trust them?"
I have a dear friend who recently retired, and she would say the mark of trust or her is, "I'll let you babysit my kids." Because that's what you think about, that obvious level of trust. "I'm going to let him come in my home and watch my kids, not as a throw off. It's because I trust you." And so how do we become as a community inside that trust zone? And some of that is the opportunities that happen there. So again, the fear for me is that we do the same thing and forget the fact that a diverse team will always produce better outcomes than a non-diverse team, be that team be all White, or all White men, or all White women, or all Black men, and all Black women. Because we're just not seen.
We perceive the world and translate the world in our heads very differently. You and I will probably have shared experiences, lots of them, but how we view that world based on our experience set will drive us to different outcomes given the same opportunity. So that's the thing for me. We can't say we want it and then not do it.
Small Business Trends: Salesforce has done the best job of any tech companies I know recently of being inclusive and being diverse. You mentioned Tony Prophet. He's just one of a number of folks that I've met that I've been so incredibly impressed with that are at Salesforce and are in strategic positions, but are also very much about what we've just been talking about here, opening up opportunities for others.
But it starts with Marc Benioff. Maybe you could talk a little bit about what Marc has meant to this, and how he has set the stage for Salesforce to be what I consider to be a leader, at least particularly in the tech field, when it comes to inclusiveness and diversity and trying to set a path for increasing opportunities for Blacks in particular when it comes to executive leadership at tech companies.
Craig Cuffie: I've been with the company about three years. I'm going to give you my impressions of Marc when it comes to diversity, and inclusion, and equity, and fairness. There are scant few CEOs that I've met, and I've met many and worked for a handful of them, that are as forward looking and thinking around this issue as he is. One of the unique things about Salesforce is its culture, and it has codified that culture over the last 20 or so years, and this is dead smack in the middle of it. There are questions, and I've been around in the workforce for a long time. And there's a, I don't know what magazine or what school put it out, but the fundamental question, "Does a company have a soul?"
This company has a soul, and it's embedded in, or is its culture. And then you have a CEO that lives it and the leadership team lives it, and it flows down and we all live it. And that's really important. And he has been deeply involved with this issue long before it was an issue relative to diversity and inclusion and in indexing on the things that are right, and fair, and just. So this is a natural extension of what he does, what the company does anyway.
We started a task force, a racial equality and justice task force, and it's modeled on a conversation we had with Melody Hobson. And so we said, "Melody, how do you think about this?" And Marc was doing the interview. Melody said, "I think about the three Ps. I think about people, purchasing power, and philanthropy."
What are you doing with the people? Are we indexing in the right way? Or are we not indexing in the right way? And if not, why not? Let's understand that. Oh, by the way, they're just numbers, and don't be afraid of them. If you go through all this and you say you got 2.7% of a population is all you have and against a population of 13.4%, I think is the number, you go, "That shouldn't be such a big lift, knowing that they're out there." Purchasing power, where are we spending our money? I happen to be the chief recruitment officer. So that's why I am on this task force. Where are we spending our money? Where are we investing our money?
So I partner with the ventures team. There's the money that I manage for the company to procure goods and services, but then there's the ventures team that have committed to spending a hundred million dollars over the next three years in a dedicated fund to find and fund Black entrepreneurs. And I'm going to spend a hundred million dollars, going to spend more than that over the next three years, as well as grow our diverse supplier numbers 25% year on year. Well by the way, that's ensuring there's a slate and making different choices at selection. Assuming all things are equal, why not?
Philanthropy. What are we doing? What are we supporting? Are we enabling? And then the last piece which we added, we added another P. So there are four Ps instead of the three. Policy. We stand up and we have stood up many times around policies. When you think about what we did in Indiana, and we said, "We're not going to work there. We're not going to go keep an office there if this is the law of the land that's coming down. It's completely counter to how we think about people, and culture, and our values." So we've done that before.
So those are the things that, brain child of the CEO, unbelievably supportive. I've been doing this for the last five or six weeks with the leaders in each of those pillars. Tony Prophet has got the people pillar, Eric Loeb is the policy pillar, Ebony Beckwith has the philanthropy pillar and she runs our dot org and our foundation, direct report to Marc. So you've got the top African-Americans in the company on this task force with a subcommittee of people that are subject matter experts, and then about 50 folks at large driving this task force. Oh, by the way, coming out and putting points in the board and measuring yourself directly accountable to the CEO. So that's what Salesforce is doing. That's what Marc has, I can say, has been instrumental in creating, and he has been evangelizing this in every public forum that I've seen him in over the last five or six weeks.
Small Business Trends: In your capacity as the chief procurement officer, you are setting aside a certain amount of money to do business with Black or diverse organizations, you're investing in diverse organizations. I mean you're talking hundreds of millions of dollars. So A, this does not sound like a charity move here. You don't do hundreds of millions of dollars for charity. You maybe do maybe a couple million, but you don't do hundreds of million strictly for charity. This is for business.
Craig Cuffie: No, it's not a charity move. We have a charitable arm of the company, and they don't give out little millions of dollars. They give out tens of millions of dollars for various things. And Ebony Beckwith, my dear friend, leads that. We're talking about hundreds of millions of dollars over time. If you think about a group called the Billion Dollar Roundtable. The Billion Dollar Roundtable has been around, started by Bernard Tyson, God bless him, is no longer with us. But it's companies that spend a billion dollars plus a year on diverse suppliers. So it would be very cool to be a member of that. And I've got them working in my team to figure out how we get there before I declare that. But it's real. It's a real commitment.
So I go back to Bernard Tyson. One of the things that he had started and is now almost near completion before he passed, was a new hospital down in LA in a pretty rough neighborhood. And he mandated that 20% of the employees will verifiably live within two miles of that hospital. And keep in mind, Kaiser Permanente, big long-term partner with Salesforce, Bernard was on our board of directors. When you think about health outcomes, which he was maniacally focused on, he knew that wealthy communities have better health outcomes. And so if you raised the standard of living in any community, the health outcomes will occur. And the phrase that was used for another task force, and a bunch of them, there's other taskforces around this topic, was, "From counting spend to counting impact." From counting spend to counting impact.
Why is that important? Chief procurement officers like me talk about how much spend that we have on our management. "Well, we've got this billion and that billion." You know people like me. That's what they talk about. Go through the bragging rights. How much spend do you have under management? And so when you think about counting impact, it creates a different dynamic around where those dollars go and the impact that those dollars have in the community. So I've been saying, and I'm pushing my team is to move away from counting spend to counting impact.
Small Business Trends: I love that because if it's not having an impact, what's the point? What are we doing?
This article, "Craig Cuffie of Salesforce: This Moment Can Be a Movement If We're Bold Enough to Be Uncomfortable" was first published on Small Business Trends


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Jack Kocsis
"You couldn't have gotten there. You don't—surely you don't—have a sense of guilt about that?"
The most gripping part about Clint Hill's memoir "Five Presidents: My Extraordinary Journey with Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, and Ford" comes in one of the final chapters. After letting it simmer under the surface for most of the book, fallout from Hill's role in the JFK assassination comes bursting out in an interview with Mike Wallace on "60 Minutes." To anyone familiar with Hill, a 17-year Secret Service vet and bestselling author of two other books about the Kennedys ("Mrs. Kennedy and Me" and "Five Days in November"), this should come as no surprise. Hill was not merely serving on the Kennedy detail on November 23, 1963; he was the one who jumped on the back of the limousine in an attempt to block the shots. Since that date, Hill's life and legacy have been inextricably tied to the American tragedy. And when Wallace asks him the above question, 12 years after the fact, he had never before discussed his part in it to another living soul. No wonder the dam burst.
Although his relationship with the Kennedy clan is the lifeblood of Hill's recollections, that does not mean that his work for the other four titular presidents plays second fiddle. One of the best parts about a memoir like this, from someone who served administrations of both parties, is an evenhandedness of account that you don't normally get from people with access to power at the highest level. With the exception of Richard Nixon, for whom Hill cannot manage to even thinly veil his contempt, the author is able to provide a compelling and vivid picture of real-life men who actually led the free world. It is easy to treat these dead mean as characters in a history book—as relatable in the present day as Alexander Hamilton or Ulysses Grant. But Hill is able to effectively show them occupying a world not that long lost.
Photo via Amazon
Five Presidents: My Extraordinary Journey with Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, and Ford Paperback — $12.61
Of course, one of the reasons many people pick up a Secret Service memoir in the first place is in search of scandal. (Who can forget the minor media squall when an author alleged female Secret Service agents were offended by now President-elect Joe Biden's penchant for skinny dipping). This is not that book. Most of the things now generally known about past presidents' private lives, such as JFK's innumerable affairs, are not mentioned here. This is a credit to the author. Hill's discreetness is likely just the kind of quality needed to survive nearly two decades in the White House.
Older readers will enjoy "Five Presidents" for its recounting of history, providing the ability to read along and reminisce about past events. Younger readers interested in world events will like to learn about facts not often taught in the history books. For example, Hill tells about Nixon fulfilled his promise to reduce the U.S. presence in Vietnam to nearly zero, something that apparently made him popular at the time but that no one remembers today.
Even though it was written after Hill's other books, this might be the one to start with. As a survey of sorts, one can see if they like the style of Hill and frequent writing partner Lisa McCubbin. If so, Hill has made a font of knowledge available on the topic that most haunts him.
Related Topics:book reviewclint hilleisenhowerfive presidentsFordjfk assassinationkennedylbjnixonsecret service
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People are looking to move. I have no idea if the numbers back this up, but anecdotally at least there is talk in the air about leaving the United States for greener pastures. As the most powerful institutions in America grow ever more hostile to those adhering to traditional ways of living, it's difficult not to ask: "Is there a better place for me?"
Many people are looking to Hungary. Not only is it one of the only countries in the Western World not to be completely subsumed in the acid bath of modernity, but it also encourages repatriation by those with Hungarian ancestry. In Ireland, famous for its lax bloodline citizenship laws, you need to have had grandparents born in the Old Country. In Hungary, there is no limit to how far back you can go to prove your Hungarian heritage.
There is a catch. The Hungarian government only wants new citizens who are committed to being Hungarian. As such, you have to pass a language test in order to be eligible. And you should probably demonstrate more than just cursory knowledge about the country you are trying to be a part of. Being familiar with paprika and goulash is not going to cut it. You've got to try to learn about the history.
That's where the book "A Concise History of Hungary" comes in. Given the upsurge in interest in migrating to Hungary, it is a shock that there are so few English-language books about the storied nation.
A Concise History Of Hungary (Cambridge Concise Histories) — $20.63
Do a search on Amazon for books about Hungarian history, and you will find your results to be limited. No matter, because Miklós Molnár's work is an excellent place to start. This historical survey traces the story of Hungary all the way back to before King Saint Stephen became Hungary's first king, to even before the Magyars conquered the Carpathian Basin. It tells about the many wars in which Hungary has been embroiled, from the wars against the Ottomans to the World Wars in the 20th century.
I don't know much about Miklós Molnár, but after reading his bio on the book jacket, I was skeptical of his ability to be unbiased. The blurb notes that he was the editor of a communist newspaper ("Irodalmi Ujság"). Those familiar with the intricacies of Hungarian history will not be surprised there is no love lost between Molnár and the Soviet Communists who ruled his country for four decades; in fact Molnár fled the country like Imre Nagy after the Revolution of 1956.
So readers should not be worried about the author being to sympathetic to communists. However, there is some animus in this book, especially toward the Habsburgs, who controlled Hungary for two centuries. Also, as the events depicted get closer and closer to present day, Molnár's descriptions of political parties and movements become more clouded by his own thinking.
Overall, I do recommend "A Concise History Of Hungary," if only because there is so little else out there. Until it reaches the 18th century, the book is remarkably even-handed, almost academic in tone despite its eminent readability. If I am to be a Hungarian citizen, I would like to have read more books on Hungary than just this one. But I think it is a great place to start.
There's only one more sleep 'til Christmas. I'm not sure exactly how we got here, but Christmas Eve has come at last. For obvious reasons, this entire Christmas season has been more subdued than most; all across the world the phrase "Silent Night" may never have been so apt.
With all sorts of traditional holiday traditions being in flux, this got me thinking to a quieter way to spend the night before Christmas. This year provides a great occasion to re-read and re-familiarize yourself with some Christmas classics.
If you don't know where to start, I've listed some of my favorite Christmas books below. They include a mix of both short children's books and longer novels. And although you won't be able to order any of them now and have them arrive before Christmas Day, Kindle and Audible are both available options.
A Christmas Carol: and Other Holiday Treasures by Charles Dickens
"A Christmas Carol" had to top the list. Everyone is familiar with Dickens' tale of Ebenezer Scrooge and the three ghosts, but how many have read the source material? A good collection of "A Christmas Carol" will include some of Dickens other Yuletide stories, including "The Cricket on the Hearth," which earned him the epithet "The Man who Invented Christmas."
The Night Before Christmas by Charles Dickens
When I was growing up, it was a tradition for everyone to gather around on Christmas Eve for a reading of "The Night Before Christmas." Like "A Christmas Carol," Clement C. Moore's poem will never get old.
A Child's Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas
Dylan Thomas's prose poem "A Child's Christmas in Wales" may not be as universally well known as "The Night Before Christmas," but it is just as highly regarded.
Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
Don't let the creepy Tom Hanks movie turn you off to the book version of "Polar Express," which belongs on every child's bookshelf.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas! by Dr. Seuss
The Jim Carrey rendition of Dr. Seuss's Mt. Crumpit dweller was panned when it first hit theatres two decades ago, but constant airtime has turned it into a minor holiday classic. After re-reading "How the Grinch Stole Christmas!" it is impressive how much depth and detail Ron Howard's team was able to add to such a refreshingly simple work.
Skipping Christmas by John Grisham
While we are on the topic of books turned into films, let's talk about John Grisham's "Skipping Christmas." You know this story better as "Christmas with the Kranks." This novel is a departure for the master of the legal thriller, but if you like Grisham's writing style (and can't get enough of Luther, Nora, and their rooftop Frosty), then give "Skipping Christmas" a read.
The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen
"The Corrections" is my favorite Christmas book, as well as one of my favorite books of all time. Despite reading it nearly every December for the past seven years, I still can't make it to the end without crying.
Letters From Father Christmas by J.R.R. Tolkien
A late edition to this list, I've actually never read Tolkien's beloved Christmas letters. But a special 100th anniversary edition of "Letters from Father Christmas" was published this year, so it may be time to see if lives up to its reputation.
The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry
The first time I read "The Gift of the Magi," I was surprised at how short it was. If you know the general story of impoverished couple Della and Jim, then you know the entire contents of O. Henry's classic tale. Unlike "A Christmas Carol," the written version of "The Gift of the Magi" is not filled with details that never make their way to the screen. If anything, that sparsity of extraneous information adds depth and poignancy to the story's resolution.
Did I miss any of your favorites Christmas books? If so, let me know in the comments, and I will update the list. Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!
"The Queen's Gambit," the latest hit show from Netflix, could not have come at a better time. As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, millions of people are not only starving for content but also for more active diversions to help them occupy their time.
"The Queen's Gambit" fills both of these voids. To start, it is a short but meaty 7-episode mini-series, beautifully shot and rife with interesting situations for a viewer to imagine herself in. Perhaps more importantly, it introduces a whole new generation to the game of kings. According to news reports, chess sets have been flying off the (virtual) shelves since the series dropped on Netflix. The New York Times even features on article on how to make your own chess set at home, for those who can't find one available online.
Chess Armory Travel Chess Set 9.5″ x 9.5″- Plastic Chess Set with Folding Magnetic Chess Board, Staunton Chess Pieces, & Storage Box – Portable Chess Set Board Game — $14.99
The numbers are jarring. Sales of chess sets were already on the rise at the start of the pandemic. You may remember a slate of articles from the spring detailing celebrities, such as Arnold Schwarzenegger and Giannis Antetokounmpo, who were spending their time in quarantine playing the game. (Chess's famous fans were not limited to those with impossible to spell names; presidential candidates Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders were also said to have played.) But since "The Queen's Gambit," chess set sales have skyrocketed anywhere from 125% to 1,048%.
Chess Armory 15″ Wooden Chess Set with Felted Game Board Interior for Storage — $28.99
This is nothing if not an extremely positive development. After reading dispiriting stories about how the nation's young ones are wiling away the hours on online video game platforms like Roblox and Fortnite, or else watching other people's content on TikTok and YouTube, it is nice to see people take up a hobby that requires them to use their brains. You don't need to be able to think as many moves ahead as Beth Harmon or Benny Watts to get something out of playing chess. Furthermore, chess is a game that bridges generational gaps. Whether you are a Zoomer or a Boomer, your learning curve will be exactly the same. If there is something our society needs more of, it is spending time with those with different life experiences. Chess can help facilitate that.
"The Queen's Gambit: A Novel" by Walter Tevis — $11.78
I'm not sure when they starting making "The Queen's Gambit," but I sure am grateful they did. I suppose we also owe a debt of gratitude to Walter Tevis, who wrote the novel the show is based on. Also the author of "The Hustler" and "The Color of Money," Tevis had a knack for cinematic storytelling. I am looking forward to reading "The Queen's Gambit" to see if it can provide yet another outlet for recreation and leisure when we need it most.
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text:
Suresh Bindu
Indian Veterinary Research InstituteIndia
Convalescent Plasma Immunotherapy - A Possible Mitigation Strategy for SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic
By Rajendran Manikandan, Mithilesh Singh, Vishal Chander, Gaurav Kumar Sharma, Suresh Bindu and Murali Dinesh
Recently, a newly emerged severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) caused a pandemic coronavirus disease (COVID-19). More than 10 million confirmed cases and 503,867 associated deaths of SARS-CoV-2 have been reported worldwide to WHO in the end of July 2020. According to WHO guidelines, there is no effective therapy available for treating devastating SARS-CoV-2. Consequently, lack of evidence for appropriate treatment and vaccines has led to the re-emergence of convalescent plasma (CP) immunotherapy. Herein, we discuss the historical perspectives of CP against SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, H1N1 pandemic and mainly the clinical outcomes of COVID-19 patients with respect to neutralizing antibodies (nAbs). A brief possible clinical protocol for CP transfusion with its adverse effects and limitation were also highlighted. It is concluded that, CP transfusion with high neutralizing antibody titer administered in early course of disease significantly improved clinical outcomes in COVID-19 patients by reducing morbidity and mortality. Thus, CP immunotherapy is considered as noteworthy candidate to be further re-evaluated as a most suitable therapeutic option against SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.


If you want to get even slightly better performance of your structured queries (regardless whether they are batch or streaming) you have to peek at the foundations of Dataset API starting with QueryExecution. That's where any structured query ends at and my talk starts from. The talk will show you what stages a structured query has to go through before execution in Spark SQL. I'll be talking about the different phases of query execution and the logical and physical optimizations. I'll show the different optimizations in Spark SQL 2.3 and how to write one yourself (in Scala).
The talk is aimed at introducing Spark from near-low-level details of RDD and jobs that are triggered by actions. It's a deep dive into what happens after a simple spark-shell execution and how Spark distributes tasks amongst executors. It is also going to demonstrate the difference between Spark's local mode and clusters, how stages are created given a Spark user program with Spark shell and UI. It should be as useful for developers as administrators who would like to dig deeper into Apache Spark under the surface of RDD API. The approach is to demonstrate what is behind a simple ''spark-shell -master'', and learning Spark from another non-API perspective. The talk is a sort of a summary of what I learnt about the architecture of Apache Spark from reviewing Spark's source code and writing the notes at https://jaceklaskowski.gitbooks.io/mastering-apache-spark/.
During the presentation you will learn about the architecture of Spark's web UI and the different SparkListeners that sit behind it to support its operation. You will learn what information about Spark applications the Spark UI presents and how to read them to understand performance of your Spark applications. This talk will demo sample Spark snippets (using spark-shell) to showcase the hidden gems of Spark UI like queues in FAIR scheduling mode, SQL queries or Streaming jobs.
Today, we have 625 and 430K spark meetups and members respectively around the globe. How can we work, share, collaborate, and promote speakers and sessions?This BoF is for anyone who's Spark Meetup Orangizer, attendee, speaker, or anyone interested to share ideas for better sharing and collaborating on tech-talks and content.
Spark Structured Streaming in Apache Spark 2.2 comes with quite a few unique Catalyst operators, most notably stateful streaming operators and three different output modes. Understanding how Spark Structured Streaming manages intermediate state between triggers and how it affects performance is paramount. After all you use Apache Spark for processing huge amount of data that alone can be tricky to get right, and Spark Structured Streaming adds the additional streaming factor that given a structured query can make the data even bigger due to state management. This deep-dive talk is going to show you what is included in execution diagrams, logical and physical plans, and metrics in SQL tab's Details for Query page. The talk will also explain the other parts of SQL tab and the subpages with details for streaming queries. The talk is going to answer the following questions: - What do blue boxes represent in Details for Query page in SQL tab? - What does the black popup window tell me when hovering over a blue box in Details for Query page in SQL tab? - What's under Details section at the bottom in Details for Query page in SQL tab? - Why does a single streaming query execute many queries as shown in SQL tab? - What are the Spark jobs in Spark Jobs page in Jobs tab? - Why would a single query execution lead to zero or more Spark jobs? How does the translation happen? - Why are the shuffles/exchanges in an execution plan for a streaming aggregation query? and more!


text:
using System.Collections.Generic;
using AutoMapper;
using EasyParking.Domain.Abstract;
using EasyParking.ViewModels;
using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc;
using Microsoft.Extensions.Logging;

namespace EasyParking.ViewComponents
{
    public class ParkingAreasList : ViewComponent
    {
        private readonly IRepository _repo;
        private readonly ILogger<ParkingAreasList> _logger;

        public ParkingAreasList(IRepository repo,
                                ILogger<ParkingAreasList> logger)
        {
            _repo = repo;
            _logger = logger;
        }
        public IViewComponentResult Invoke()
        {
            var items = GetItems();
            return View(items);
        }

        private IEnumerable<ParkingAreaViewModel> GetItems()
        {
            if (_repo == null)//DEBUG
                _logger.LogError("Repository instance is null!");
            return Mapper
                  .Map<IEnumerable<ParkingAreaViewModel>>(_repo?.GetAllParkings());
        }
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub