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Detroit Driven
Patti F. Smith | Wednesday, February 22, 2017
The Backstory: How Ann Arbor's libraries went public
Librarians at Ann Arbor's Carnegie library.
Ann Arbor's Carnegie library.
Ann Arbor has the fourth-highest book sales in the country according to Amazon.com, but Ann Arborites can't necessarily buy everything they want to read. While Ann Arbor has increasingly embraced more unconventional items in its libraries, books remain at the heart of those institutions. And libraries themselves have been close to Ann Arborites' hearts since long before the Ann Arbor District Library we know today ever existed.
Just three years after John Allen and Elisha Walker Rumsey founded Ann Arbor in 1824, a group called the Ann Arbor Library Association began meeting. This was not a public library as we know it; the association relied upon the dues paid by patrons. Using the dues it collected, the association purchased 100 books by 1830.
Around the same time, the Ann Arbor Circulating Library sprang up at the office of Ann Arbor's first newspaper, the Western Emigrant. Dues were $2.50 per year and were mainly used to purchase reference books. The following decade produced another Ann Arbor Library Association and a Working Men's Library Association. Like that very first group, these were not funded by taxes but by private dues and donations. But government-sponsored public libraries were soon to come.
One of Ann Arbor's earliest public library endeavors was called the School District Library. In 1843, the state school superintendent decreed that all school districts had to set up their own libraries, earmark at least $25 for the collections, and share their books with local townships. Since these were to be public, non-dues-paying organizations, the state government announced two years later that various fines collected by local government units would go to the libraries. (The only exceptions were cases in which the funds were needed for the local poorhouse.)
The Ann Arbor school district began purchasing books as early as March of 1844, as reported by the Michigan State Journal. Twelve years later in 1856, the district's library books were consolidated into a space in Ann Arbor's first public high school: the Union School on State Street between Washington and Huron (later renamed Ann Arbor High School, then the Frieze Building, now replaced by the North Quad complex). Because this new space was open to the public, 1856 is the date generally given as the beginning of the public library system in Ann Arbor.
In 1877 the Michigan Argus reported that a teacher at the school was charged with the School District Library's keeping. The library was open once a week while school was in session. At that time, around 600 books were available and 250 of them were checked out at any given time. Walter Scott, Charles Dickens, and Nathaniel Hawthorne were almost always checked out, as were travel books and books of essays. No taxes were levied for the library, nor were general school funds used.
The only money used for the acquisition of new books came from the "small quota" of fines that came through the county treasurer, per the state requirement discussed above. But apparently that income wasn't much. The Michigan Argus rather sarcastically noted that our county was either full of law-abiding citizens, or else didn't impose or collect fines like other counties, because the funds just weren't making their way to the library. The paper advocated that more money should be made available so that the library's holdings could be increased and the library could stay open one full afternoon and one full evening at least once per week for the entire year.
The following year, the Michigan Argus printed a report from W.S. Perry, then superintendent of Ann Arbor Public Schools. He described the School District Library as being "well selected (and) well patronized" but too small. Only $59.60 worth of fines had been received the prior year. Perry asked the school board to appropriate $100 per year to enlarge the collection and allow it to "finally become a credit to the city."
Finances must have improved for the School District Library, as it hired Nellie Loving to supervise its collection of books in 1883. Her first task was overseeing the move of the 2,000-book collection from the superintendent's office to a space on the second floor. Loving spent almost 40 years working in our library system, becoming a beloved librarian and the namesake of the Ann Arbor District Library's Loving branch (replaced by the Malletts Creek branch in 2004).
An Ann Arbor Courier article from 1886 announced "good reading free!" at the library. The collection had grown to include 2,500 books, among which the Courier asserted there was "almost an entire absence of what is known as 'trash.'" On regular school days, patrons could check out a book from 8:30 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. and while students were the primary consumers, the "good natured librarian" would attend to calls "at any time". The general public could come by on Wednesday from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Loving reported that there were 10,000 checkouts per year.
By this time, the library was funded by fines, dog taxes, and appropriations at annual school meetings. The Courier called for "some scheme" to be invented to produce a permanent fund for the library.
In 1889, builders completed an addition to the school which included a room set aside for the library. In 1904, while the board of education was working to put a Carnegie public library next to the high school, both the school and the library room burned down. Fortunately, most of the library's holdings (by then over 8,000 books) were saved. In 1905, Carnegie guaranteed the library funds and voters later approved a bond for a new school. When the new school and library opened in 1907, they were connected by a passageway and fireproof door.
Of course, the School District Library was only the beginning of a robust public library system in Ann Arbor. While we've focused here on the School District Library and the precursors to Ann Arbor's public libraries, an entire book could probably be written on local library history. From people collecting dues in a newspaper office to funding a school's library with dog taxes to today's library system with five branches and a circulation of almost 9 million items, Ann Arbor has earned its reputation as a library-loving town.
Patti Smith lives in Ann Arbor, the best city on earth. By day, she is a special education teacher. By night, she writes novels (that she hopes to sell one day) and articles for Mittenbrew, the Ann, Pulp, the Ann Arbor Observer, and Concentrate.
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This video shows an operator demonstrating the Reach Truck stacking sequence. Visit our various forklift training courses for more information or to book your session today.
The rules for operators and the stability considerations of reach truck are generally the same as counterbalanced machines with some obvious differences such as fork height etc. .
The truck should be stopped with the load approximately 15cm, (6ins), away from the stack and the handbrake applied.
Normally reach trucks do not have as much forward and rear tilt as counterbalanced trucks. The load should be approximately level at this point taking care not to apply forward tilt. Note that a tall load may be impossible to stack in tight racking if tilt is applied.
The load should now be elevated to the height required watching out for overhead obstructions.
The truck should be driven towards the stack taking care that the load fits on the racking and that the reach truck legs remain just short of the racking or bottom load. Once in position, the handbrake should be re-applied.
Reach the mast out to position the load accurately on the racking.
Lower the load carefully onto the racking making sure that the forks are free and level.
Retract the mast fully back. Note that reach trucks should not be driven with the mast extended particularly when laden as the truck will then behave in a similar manner to a counterbalance truck and can turn over forwards.
After checking that the forks are free in the load look behind carefully. Reverse out looking in the direction of travel with occasional glances at the load and forks. Stop when the forks are about 15cm, (6ins), away from the stack and apply handbrake.
Lower the forks to about 10cm, (4ins), from the floor and apply rear tilt for travelling. Look all around once more before driving off.
Like counterbalanced forklifts, the stacking exercises should be practice at different heights before basic training can be considered to be complete.
Related Video: How a forklift operator would stack and de-stack using a forklift.


If you're looking for a distraction from the Christmas chaos, predict your final league table for 2019.
St Helens and Warrington's squads look stronger than the rest - Walmsley and Thompson should easily be the best starting front row. Austin looks a good buy for Warrington though other high profile NRL players have come here and flopped. I think Cas will be at a similar level to last year - just depends on whether they can finally get it together in the big games.
We'll likely drop off a little but I still think we have enough to get in the playoffs and have a crack from there. How Hardaker goes on and off the field will be key. I think we have enough to cover Bateman and Sutton in the pack and the backs are unchanged bar Tomkins. If Zak can stay on the right path and get onto the field consistently he could be huge for us.
Leeds will surely improve significantly with Furner's arrival though Im still not convinced about the halves or their front row. Catalans won't start as badly as last year and Tomkins will give them an added edge. I would have had them higher before I saw their squad numbers yesterday - a strong 17 but no depth whatsoever.
The size of Wakefield's pack is frightening but Im not convinced Danny Brough will work out for them. Wouldn't surprise me if they made the 5 though - they've done it for the last couple of years. Hull and Huddersfield will have their moments but can't see them being consistent enough to get in the playoffs.
Salford have a good halfback combination that will cause some damage but the pack just isn't good enough for me. Hull KR are a bit of a mystery - last year one week they looked very strong, the next very poor. If Drinkwater signs they could get up towards mid table. London look to have the poorest squad by far so will surely finish bottom.
Leeds will bounce back, Wire will be stronger but I still have some doubts about them being better then Saints or Wigan tbh. If Saints stay as injury free as last year they'll be up at the top you'd think. The front row of Walmsley, Roby and Thompson is international class and there can't be many better at club level around the world.
On paper I think 1.Saints, 2.Wire and 3.Leeds will finish in the top 3 with us 4th.
London and Salford will certainly be the bottom two clubs, we should have a really competitive league with the exception of those two sides.
Finish 5th = away to 4th then away to 2nd or 3rd, then away to 1st, 2nd or 3rd.
I know which route I prefer!
Frank Zappa wrote:Some scientists claim that hydrogen, because it is so plentiful, is the basic building block of the universe. I dispute that. I say there is more stupidity than hydrogen, and that is the basic building block of the universe.
The_Enforcer wrote:Most idiotic post ever goes to Grimmy..... The way to restart should be an arm wrestle between a designated player from each side.


3. Marcel Kittel (ger) s.t.
4. Sam Bennett (irl) s.t.
5. Reinardt Janse van Rensburg (rsa) s.t.
7. Kristoffer Halvorsen (nor) s.t.
8. Jakub Mareczko (ita) s.t.
9. Cees Bol (ned) s.t.
10. Max Walscheid (ger) s.t.
Charles Planet and Stepan Kuriyanov are the breakaway specialists of the inaugural UAE Tour. Once again they jump clear, this time with Fabio Calabria, who also has been on the attack before, Shilov and Vorobyev. The five widen the gap to more than 4 minutes before they are brought back inside the last 35 kilometres.
Elia Viviani outguns his rivals in the ensuing bunch sprint. Fernando Gaviria, Marcel Kittel and Sam Bennett are spread across the road, but he outguns them and wins the race by a half a bike length.
With only tomorrow's decisive summit finish on Jebel Jais left, Primoz Roglic is comfortably leading the GC.
Another interesting read: route 5th stage 2019 UAE Tour.


Tesoro Lashes are made with all natural cruelty free synthetic fibres. We carry a wide range of lashes that can be worn anywhere from your big day to your everyday. Get ready for these lashes to add some DRAMA to your life! Rock on Ladies!


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Sorry Mom, Children's Day Is Now a Thing and It's About Time
Emirati Children
Emirati Children's Day
13 March, 2018 by Najla Moussa
There's International Women's Day, Mother's Day, and Father's Day – but this is the first time we've heard of Children's Day.
Under the decree of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women's Union, President of The Supreme Council for Motherhood & Childhood, Emirati Children's Day is now an official event and will take place every year on March 15.
Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, who is also Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation, is holding the special day all over the country in accordance with The Supreme Council.
We're expecting a lot of fanfare for this annual event in its first year, public and private sector entities ranging from UAE ministries to schools, nurseries and the media have all been invited to take part in the festivities, and it should be one big happy occasion, befitting of a child's expectations.
It's aim is to raise awareness and highlight the plights and needs of children – plus establish a safe, nurturing, and healthy environment where they can grow and prosper, HE Rym Abdulla Al Falasy, Secretary General of The Supreme Council for Motherhood & Childhood has said.
This is not the first step in prioritizing children. In 2016 the government came up the Wadeema Law after the deeply shocking story of an 8-year old Emirati girl by the name of Wadeema, was tortured to death by her father in 2012. The law clarifies the legal rights of minors in the UAE, protecting them from all forms of abuse, child labor, abandonment, negligence or exploitation and prohibits the selling tobacco to minors, according to the official government portal.
As a mother-of-two, I am completely behind that. Aside from the fact that children need more laws to protect and champion them, it's as simple as this; they are our real future. Our only future, even. As mothers, the end goal is to raise kind, educated morally conscious people. As governments, why aren't we focusing more on future generations instead of allocating our efforts and resources on things that yield more financial return?
With the UAE Vision 2021 and the Sustainable Development Goals 2015-2030 in mind, this country is aiming to empower children; not just women. They're working on spreading tolerance and solidarity at the earliest age so that we don't have to have a conversation about acceptance every time a hate crime is committed somewhere in the world.
The official hashtag for Children's day is #EmiratiChildrensDay2018. We're going to be using it a lot.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography
Emirati ChildrenChildrenEmiratis

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Broward Health Medical Center residents will participate in distributive as well as clinical pharmacy functions. As a member of the multidisciplinary team, residents will experience a wide variety of practice environments. Residents may choose from a large selection of electives. The various facilities throughout Broward Health provide excellent exposure for candidates in many areas of specialized medicine. There are opportunities to expand and enhance knowledge base via training with an emphasis in acute care, ambulatory care, or pediatric care. Longitudinal experiences focusing on patient safety, administration, ambulatory clinic experience, and academia are integrated into the program. The candidate will also have the opportunity to precept Pharm.D. students throughout the year.
Residency Special Features: Broward Health Medical Center (BHMC) Pharmacy Residents will participate in operational, clinical, and administrative pharmacy experiences. As a member of the multidisciplinary team, residents will be exposed to a wide variety of practice environments such as Internal Medicine, Critical Care, Cardiology, Antimicrobial Stewardship/Infectious Diseases, Nutritional Support, and Pediatrics/Neonatology among others. Residents may choose from a large selection of electives including but not limited to Adult/Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Pharmacy Informatics, Ambulatory Care, Emergency Medicine, Liver Transplant, Psychiatry, Research Pharmacy Services, and Pediatric/Neonatal Intensive Care. The various facilities throughout Broward Health provide excellent exposure for residents in many areas of specialized medicine. There are opportunities to expand and enhance knowledge base via training with an emphasis in acute care, ambulatory care, or pediatric care. Longitudinal experiences focusing on Pharmacy Administration/Medication Safety, Clinical Pharmacy Coordination, Organ Transplantation, and Academia/Teaching Certificate are integrated into the program. Residents are required to complete an individual clinical research project, which is presented at the Florida Residency Conference. The residents will also have the opportunity to precept Pharm.D. students throughout the year.
Fringe Benefits: The resident receives (through pre-tax payroll deductions) health insurance with optional dental and optical plans, personal time off/vacation, cafeteria meal plan, and professional travel reimbursement (ASHP Clinical Midyear Meeting and the Annual Residency Conference). Parking is provided for free to the resident.
Site Special Features: Broward Health, providing service since 1938, is a nonprofit community health system comprised of four hospitals offering a full spectrum of healthcare services. As the cornerstone of healthcare in northern Broward County, Broward Health is an organization committed to meeting the healthcare needs of all citizens. It provides a complete continuum of healthcare services, from wellness and prevention programs to treatment and rehabilitation, home health, and follow-up care. This is accomplished through the availability of progressive specialty care services, advanced technology and equipment, a highly skilled and trained medical staff and professional personnel. Broward Health Medical Center offers several specialized services including the Salah Foundation Children's Hospital, Women's Health Center, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Heart Center of Excellence, and Liver Transplant program.
Orientation includes staffing, Anticoagulation and Kinetics training.
Resident must select all seven rotations.
Resident must select 3 out of the 15 offered elective rotations.
Resident must select 7 out of 7 longitudinal rotations.
Prior to each rotation, it is the responsibility of the resident to obtain required preparatory and reading materials for the next rotation. Some rotations are required prior to more advanced rotations (e.g. Internal Medicine must be taken prior to Critical Care).


text:
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			/Module not found: Error: Cannot resolve 'file' or 'directory'/,
			'Module not found:'
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		// Internal stacks are generally useless so we strip them
		.replace(/^\s*at\s.*:\d+:\d+[\s\)]*\n/gm, '') // at ... ...:x:y
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		.replace('./~/css-loader!./~/postcss-loader!./~/sass-loader!', '');

const compiler = webpack(config);

compiler.plugin('invalid', () => {
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	console.log('Compiling...');
});

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	return console.info('Starting dev server at http://localhost:3000/');
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


The Austrian section of the RCIT participated in the rally. We will continue to support the Syrian Revolution together with the Syrian brothers and sisters.
The RCIT has published numerous articles and documents on the Syrian Revolution which can be read on the RCIT's website at https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/africa-and-middle-east/.


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Q: Remove wordpress comments counter in Admin dashboard When I was cleaning my website from spams, I noticed a high number of comments (600+) in admin dashboard. Instead of going through one by one and deleting them, I decided to nuke all unapproved comments with this sql query:
delete from wp_comments where comment_approved = 0

Now my admin dashboard is STILL showing the same number of comments but all the actual comments are gone. How do I reset this counter back to zero.

A: If you prefer the SQL way, you can do:
UPDATE wp_posts SET comment_count = 0 WHERE id = id

Or you have a wordpress function: wp_update_comment_count( $post_id, $do_deferred )
WP Codex

A: For that pending comments you have to approve or reject to remove counter..!
you can use Bulk Actions for Approve at once ..!

A: In my case, as soon as new comments came in, the old counter disappear. The comment counter will just revert back to normal.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the cheese, wheat germ and seasonings. Dip chicken pieces in buttermilk, then add to bag, a few pieces at a time, and shake to coat.Place in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 1 hour or until juices run clear.


Independently owned, Helen Famulare Spa Rejuvenate LLC is one of the premier facial therapy and day spas in the greater Pound Ridge region. We strive to provide the finest spa and wellness services, incorporating traditional and new holistic treatments in an extremely comfortable and inviting environment. Our reputation is built on professionalism and a commitment to excellence.
Friendly, knowledgeable, and professional, the staff at Helen Famulare Spa Rejuvenate LLC is what truly makes our day spa spectacular. Each person has a distinct set of skills and a personality that suits our outlook and our clients. Because we are diverse, we are able to accommodate you with the right fit, ensuring your time spent with us is the most relaxing and rewarding spa experience you will ever have.
Healing and wellness are incredibly important to everyone at Helen Famulare Spa Rejuvenate LLC. It is what I do. Whether you have never had a full body service or are a seasoned spa veteran, we are here to provide you with the most amazing spa treatments and therapy. You are welcome to make an appointment or just stop by and we'll fit you in. We are here to pamper you a bit and help you relax.
Because everyone is unique, we provide tailored spa and body treatments to suit your needs.
Helen Famulare Spa Rejuvenate LLC aims to provide the finest in skin care services in the most comfortable environment.
When it comes to spa treatments and natural beauty secrets, Helen Famulare Spa Rejuvenate LLC is the perfect place to come.
A place for all your skin and beauty needs.


Washington — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today the release of its annual enforcement and compliance results. In fiscal year (FY) 2010, EPA took enforcement and compliance actions that require polluters to pay more than $110 million in civil penalties and commit to spend an estimated $12 billion on pollution controls, cleanup, and environmental projects that benefit communities. These actions when completed will reduce pollution by more than 1.4 billion pounds and protect businesses that comply with regulations by holding non-compliant businesses accountable when environmental laws are violated.
"At EPA, we are dedicated to aggressively go after pollution problems that make a difference in our communities through vigorous civil and criminal enforcement," stated Cynthia Giles, assistant administrator for EPA's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. "Our commitment to environmental enforcement is grounded in the knowledge that people not only desire, but expect, the protection of the water they drink, the air they breathe and the communities they call home."
EPA's civil enforcement actions for violations of the Clean Air Act alone will account for the reduction of an estimated 400 million pounds of air pollution per year. Those reductions will represent between $6.2 billion and $15 billion annually in avoided health costs. As a result of water cases concluded in FY 2010, EPA is ensuring that an estimated 1 billion pounds of water pollution per year will be reduced, eliminated or properly managed and investments in pollution control and environmental improvement projects from parties worth approximately $8 billion will be made. EPA's civil enforcement actions also led to commitments to treat, minimize or properly dispose of more than an estimated 11.8 billion pounds of hazardous waste.
EPA's criminal enforcement program opened 346 new environmental crime cases in FY 2010. These cases led to 289 defendants charged for allegedly committing environmental crimes, the largest number in five years, 198 criminals convicted and $41 million assessed in fines and restitution.
This year's annual results include an enhanced mapping tool that allows the public to view detailed information about the enforcement actions taken at more than 4,500 facilities that concluded in FY 2010 on an interactive map of the United States and its territories. The map shows facilities and sites where civil and criminal enforcement actions were taken for alleged violations of U.S. environmental laws regulating air, water, and land pollution. The mapping tool also displays community-based activities like the locations of the environmental justice grants awarded in FY 2010 and the Environmental Justice Showcase Communities.
The release of the EPA's enforcement and compliance results and the accompanying mapping tool are part of EPA's commitment to transparency. They are intended to improve public access to data and provide the public with tools to demonstrate EPA's efforts to protect human health and the environment in communities across the nation.


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Israel hits 2 million vaccinated with 1st dose; police to up closure enforcement
Netanyahu, health minister on hand as kindergarten teacher brings country over latest milestone; Israel said planning to start vaccinating over 40s next week
By TOI staff	14 January 2021, 8:25 pmUpdated at 9:17 pm 2 Edit
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (C) and Health Minister Yuli Edelstein (R) at a Maccabi Healthcare Services clinic in the central city of Ramle, as a kindergarten teacher becomes the 2 millionth Israeli to be vaccinated against COVID-19, January 14, 2021. (Tomer Neuberg/Flash90)
Israel on Thursday marked the milestone of having inoculated 2 million people with the first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine, as the country pushed forward with the national vaccination drive amid record daily infections.
The person declared as the two-millionth Israeli to get the first dose was a kindergarten teacher from the central city of Ramle. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Health Minister Yuli Edelstein, both of whom have received the second dose, were on hand at the Maccabi Healthcare Services clinic in the city.
"It's already become routine… It's something we're happy to grow accustomed to, but mostly we want to finish this," Netanyahu said. "We'll continue — to the next million."
The prime minister said the government was working on rolling out the "green passports," which will grant those vaccinated or who have recovered from COVID-19 access to certain gatherings and events that are currently banned.
Netanyahu urged Israelis to adhere to government-mandated virus restrictions and said no decision had yet been made on extending the third nationwide lockdown, which health officials have signaled will last beyond the original January 21 end date.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (2nd-L) and Health Minister Yuli Edelstein (2nd-R) at a Maccabi Healthcare Services clinic in the central city of Ramle as a kindergarten teacher becomes the 2 millionth Israeli to be vaccinated against COVID-19, January 14, 2021. (Screen capture: Facebook)
Israel kicked off its vaccine drive last month and on Sunday began administering second doses. It is currently first in the world in the number of people vaccinated per capita, according to the Oxford University-based Our World In Data.
According to television reports Thursday, Israel could begin vaccinating all citizens in their 40s next week, after opening up the vaccine drive this week to all Israelis over 50.
Coinciding with the launch of the vaccination campaign has been a surge in coronavirus cases, with over 9,000 daily new infections diagnosed in recent days.
There has also been a sharp rise in fatalities and the number of patients in serious condition from COVID-19 complications.
Citing a new Hebrew University report, channels 12 and 13 on Thursday said serious cases were expected to significantly increase in the coming days and peak by the end of January, with the rollout of the vaccine yet to have a noticeable impact on morbidity.
However, the researchers also highlighted a stabilization in infection rates that could lead to a drop in new cases and help ease the burden on hospitals.
Due to the high morbidity and mortality figures, the government last week tightened lockdown measures that took effect a week earlier, ordering the closure of schools and businesses.
Police were gearing up to significantly expand enforcement of the nationwide coronavirus lockdown over the weekend, setting up checkpoints that will operate 24 hours a day.
Police said dozens of checkpoints will be set up along main highways, as well as within cities and towns. The increased enforcement measures will begin at 6 a.m. Friday.
The lockdown rules prevent Israelis from traveling beyond a kilometer from their homes, except for essential reasons. Fewer Israelis are expected to be traveling over the weekend when their workplaces close.
Police at a temporary checkpoint at the Jaffa Gate in Jerusalem's Old City, on January 14, 2021, during a third national coronavirus lockdown. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
The lockdown rules prevent Israelis from traveling beyond a kilometer from their homes, except for essential purposes. Fewer Israelis are expected to be traveling over the weekend when their workplaces close.
"During the weekend we intend to give out fines and make it difficult for those traveling on roads because we understand there is no reason to go out," Assistant Commissioner Yishai Shalem, the head of the Israel Police's operations department, was quoted saying by the Ynet news site.
Shalem said police were content with their enforcement measures over the past week.
Police also said there was a 34 percent rise in the number of fines issued this week compared to the previous week, before the tightened lockdown measures came into force.
Yuli Edelstein
Ramle


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Profile: Alan Tudo, Financial Controller, Westgate Community Initiatives Group
Alan Tudo knew that his team was spending too many hours creating reports for not-for-profit Westgate Community Initiatives Group. The organisation provides a mix of services including employment, social enterprise and education, through 14 hubs in Victoria, Australia.
Unfortunately, Tudo's team didn't have the technical skills to customise the reports in their desktop accounting software, Sage 300.
"For any changes, you have to hire an external consultant to make adjustments for you," Tudo, Westgate's financial controller, says. Instead, the finance team used several workarounds with Excel to massage reports into a meaningful format for managers. Even then, exporting the data could sometimes be difficult.
Reporting is a critical function in any business and especially so for not-for-profit organisations. The finance team need to acquit expenses required to provide a service against the relevant grants. The complexity of reporting increases with the number of grants, services and locations.
Tudo was also frustrated by the office-based limitations of desktop software. He was keen to replace it with a cloud-based platform that managers could log into from any hub, not just in head office.
"We needed to be on premises in order to access the system, or access it via remote desktop. There's obviously internet issues where it may lag because you're accessing a server remotely, or the shortcut keys don't work because of the way that it's set up," Tudo says.
Tudo worked with Nunzio Giunta, Westgate's external CFO and owner of consultancy GiuntaBell, to create a business case for an ERP platform. This involved assessing the time cost for producing reports to managers each month, and responding to inquiries from executives. Giunta also estimated the cost of external consultants for producing different reports.
The low availability of information is an opportunity cost, Tudo says. "If a report doesn't provide the information we need to make the best decisions for our business, what is that cost? Are we going to lose tenders because of this?"
The business case showed that a modern ERP would give the NGO a cloud based system, the ability to link to external systems via API, and better reporting.
NFP in Transition
Westgate evaluated several other ERP systems before selecting Sage Intacct, a strong favourite in the not-for-profit sector.
The migration took about four months. GiuntaBell managed the transition and made sure Sage Intacct had the functions required. It showed where the team could improve processes limited by the previous system. Westgate added the purchasing and asset management modules to the core financial module in Sage Intacct. It marked out the revenue recognition and spend management modules for future expansion.
The move to a cloud-native ERP was timely; it occurred just before the organisation entered months of extended COVID-19 lockdowns. Tudo, the rest of the finance team and business managers could continue their daily work from home without disruption.
The greatest impact was the dramatic upgrade to the reporting process. The report writer in Sage Intacct uses a drag-and-drop interface. It is much easier to add and remove fields and view data in multiple dimensions, Tudo says.
"There's more ease of use and flexibility in terms of how we want our reports to look. If managers want something else down the track, then we can actually go in and make those changes ourselves," Tudo says.
The finance team can respond much faster to internal requests now it no longer needs to engage an external consultant to adjust reports.
Instead of manually downloading data and uploading Excel spreadsheets to folders for each manager, the team sends one email to all managers when the reports are ready for review. The managers then log into Sage Intacct and refresh their dashboards to see the latest data. If a manager wants to investigate the numbers behind a statistic, they can click on the section to see the raw data instead of firing off a request to finance.
This has saved the finance team several hours a month, Tudo says.
Alan Tudo, Financial Controller, Westgate Community Initiatives Group
Building a Better Finance Team
The new ERP platform has had a major impact on efficiency. The end of month close previously took two weeks. Now the finance team finalises it by the fifth business day.
Another productivity improvement was a shift to paperless workflows. The team now scan and attach all paper receipts and invoices to the electronic transaction in Sage Intacct.
"Previously, there was a lot of paperwork that needed to be filed away. Now we have moved away from paper. There's pretty much no one printing anything at the moment, everything is stored in the system," Tudo says.
This has saved a lot of time in investigating transactions. Instead of first searching for the date of the transaction and then looking for a physical document in the filing system, "we can find it at the click of a button", Tudo says.
This has made everyone's lives easier, especially the auditors'. Tudo estimates that requests by the auditors for paperwork have halved.
"We give the auditors a licence to log in themselves. They can click through the journal entries and see an attachment for the supporting documents. Everyone's really happy with that," Tudo says.
The next streamlining opportunity is to connect Sage Intacct with the employment-based skills assessment program, Job Ready.
Currently, Westgate's employment consultants enter purchases into the Job Ready website for internal approval before linking to the government portal. They then enter the same information into Sage Intacct and go through the internal approval process again to get paid by Westgate's accounts payable clerk.
"Once we link Job Ready to Sage Intacct via API, the data entry and approval process will be transferred across so we don't have to double handle," Tudo says.
Backing Up the Business
Perhaps the biggest change is in how the finance team sees its role within the broader business. The finance team previously focused on processing transactions, and relied on the managers to acquit programs correctly. Now the finance team ensures that expenditure is eligible based on the conditions of each contract. They then make adjustments to balance spend against revenue.
"We're more hands on with our program managers," Tudo says.
Sage Intacct has helped accelerate a key process, applying for the tenders which generate the organisation's revenue. A tender application is usually quite stressful; managers and the finance team race to assemble the required information before the tender deadline.
This process sometimes requires adjustments which effectively means starting over again. Each time this occurred, the finance team had to recollect data from supporting systems such as payroll.
"Now it's pretty easy. We can report by this department and by this month, and send it across to the managers. If you want to start from scratch again it doesn't take long at all because we know exactly where to go," Tudo says. "There's less stress on everyone working towards the tender."
Carter Gives Social Futures a Foundation for Continued Growth
CFO Michael Carter moved non-profit Social Futures to a ERP Sage Intacct to support future growth.


AppReady is a quick and easy solution to creating package files. If you want to sell your software product at Apple's Mac App Store, you must first sign it and then convert it into a package file so that you can upload it to iTunes Connect. There are some requirements. For example, the app icon must be a size of 512 x 512 px. The plist file must also have certain keys. AppReady is designed to help software developers complete these requirements and then convert the application into a package file.
Fix the HXRuntime link problem on applications that were developed with REAL Studio.
Make a package ready for Mac App Store.
Click on the button to download a beta/demo/trial version of AppReady for Mac OS X 10.6/10.7.
AppReady is no longer available for sale.
Fix: The application (AppReady) could crash when the selected application cannot be found.
The application (AppReady) remembers the locations of Login and Apps windows.
Change: After making changes on Login and Apps, the user will be prompted for confirmation before closing them.
Change: The application (AppReady) can now save application data. When the user attempts to close the Package window, they will be prompted for confirmation after making changes. Or enable 'Don't prompt me to save data' in Preferences.
Change: Once the selected application is code-signed, the application (AppReady) will prevent the user from making further changes. Label 'CODE-SIGNED' will appear at the top.
Sign/Pack: Enable 'Sandboxed' to code-sign the application as a sandboxed app. (Its effect is untested as we have not built a sandboxed application. Nonetheless, you are able to code-sign an application and create a package. If you face any difficulty, please let us know at application's support page.) Note that AppReady can only code-sign the application binary itself and will not sign dylib files for now.
Other numerous minor changes are done.
Fix: Editing application's plist only requires that it not include quotation marks.
Change: Since Mac App Store requires that the application has 2 or 3-digit version, by default, AppReady will enforce the same requirement unless the user enables the checkbox that is labeled allow a higher version.
Once the application is code-signed, AppReady prevents the user from editing the application further.
Plist: The drop-down menu for the minimum OS version is updated to include 10.7.1 and 10.7.2.
Make Intel: Instead of showing a separate window, the user will be notified with a simple label (CREATED) when the application successfully removes the PPC architecture from the selected application.
Contents: The user can remove a file from the list by choosing Files > Remove File. The user was able to remove files through the contextual menu (right-button-clicking) only before.
Sign/Pack: The application will automatically stop proceeding when it fails to code-sign an application at Step 2. The user can set the number of seconds at which the application will time out in Preferences. The default number of seconds is 8. Furthermore, when the application times out, a short message will appear at the bottom of the window.
The application prevents the user from proceeding after they open an application that has already been code-signed.
The application prevents the user from code-sign an application when the playlist version is not appropriate.
Make Intel: When the application successfully removes the PPC architecture and then exports a good application copy, the user will be prompted with a confirmation window.
Apps: The application offers a 'standard' way (according to Apple, Inc.) by which users can enter values.
Fix: The application failed to set user's default minimum OS requirement in the presence of an existing value in the plist file.
Fix: The application failed to empty the field for App Apple ID when the user clicked on the Drop button.
The user has access to the Preferences window and some of the Help commands while the second window is open.
The user can close the Login window and the Apps window by pressing Command + W.
The application is compatible with Mac OS X Lion 10.7.
Note that making a package under OS X 10.7 requires Xcode 4.1. In the meantime, an updated copy of productbuild (CLT) that comes with Xcode 4.1 may not allow the user to create application packages for the moment. Users could only upload applications to iTunes Connect under Mac OS X 10.7.
Fix: The application could crash when the user pressed Command + Q to quit it while Login and Apps were running.
The user can now drag and drop an application icon directly onto that of AppReady to start a new packaging session.
Fix: When the user clicked on the copy button for Mac App Store link on the Apps window, the application copied the URL text field content into the clipboard instead.
Preferences: 'With Open Apps window at startup,' the user can open automatically Apps at startup.
Fix: An invisible menu was revealed on some windows.
A few more minor changes are done.
Change: The vertical scroll bar is removed from the bottom multiline edit field of the Login window.
The tab order is fixed under Plist.
Change: Window > Show Login and Hide Login are deprecated. Please use Window > Login to open the Login window. Now, the user can open and close the Login window under the 2nd window (after clicking on Next on the main window).
Some changes are made for the Login window so that the application also allows the user to open Apps.
Choosing Window > Apps, the user can open the Apps window.
'Apps' allows the user to create a list of software titles that have been submitted to Mac App Store along with their App IDs. Click here for more information.
When user selects an application (or drags and drops one onto the drop box), a new edit field shows its App Apple ID, provided that AppReady finds its data on Apps.
The user can now choose a window color for Login and Apps.
The user can now run a search with Otool Default, Strings Default, Otool Additional, Strings Additional. Click here for more information.
While the Apps window is selected, choose Export Apps to export Apps data to a tab-separated text file.
Plist: AppReady reads existing values from the plist file in the package.
HXRuntime: If AppReady does not find the dynamic shared library (rbframework.dylib) in the MacOS folder, the Fix button will be grayed out.
Sign/Pack: If selected application's Plist has missing values in order for productbuild to run, AppReady will display an error message.
Plist: A better measure is taken to validate the software version the user specifies. Previously, the user was not able to enter a version higher than 10 with no consecutive numbers. The user can now enter any version as long as the version format is such that only numbers and dots are used.
Preferences: If 'Don't accept version lower than 1' is enabled under Settings1, the user will not be able to specify a version lower than 1.
Make Intel: If the source and destination share the same folder, the Make button will become grayed out.
Preferences: The user can now set their default copyright, which will be automatically inserted for Plist's NSHumanReadableCopyright.
Preferences: If 'Abide by the category list' under Settings1 is enabled, the user can set Plist's LSApplicationCategoryType according to the category drop-down list.
Choosing File > Export, the user can now export Login information as a text file to the destination of their choice. Furthermore, the user can set up their default export folder and file name in Preferences.
HXRuntime: AppReady now detects whether or not the selected application developed with REAL Studio requires a temporary fix by changing the identification name of a dynamic shared library (rbframework.dylib).
Fix: The location where the progress bar window will pop has been adjusted.
Fix: OTool (Run > OTool) could have been dysfunctional when the shell path of the application contained one or more spaces and/or one or more dashes.
Change: OTool (Run > OTool) is renamed OTool Default.
Change: Strings (Run > Strings) is renamed Strings Default.
New: The user can now run OTool against additional architecture files in the Package besides the main architecture file. Choose OTool Additional under Run.
New: The user can now run Strings against additional architecture files in the Package besides the main architecture file. Choose Strings Additional under Run.
Sign/Pack: If the user enables the Fix permission checkbox, the application will change the permission of the application file to 755 prior to code-signing it.
Clear was not working for Two of the edit fields under Plist.
Fix: The HXRuntime issue was not handled properly when the application name contained one or more spaces and/or one or more dashes.
Fix: The Show button was disabled under the App group box.
CFBundleShortVersionString will be altered in the same way CFBundleVersion is handled so that iTunes Connect server will accept software updates.
A new menu (Tools) is added.
The user can now create an Intel application by removing the PowerPC binary from the selected Universal Binary application. Choose Tools > Make Intel. Click here for more information.
Preferences: If the user leaves a certificate field blank or the first letter in a certificate field is a space under the Certificates tab, the application shows a red symbol indicating that the specified certificate is invalid.
Sign/Pack: If productbuild (command-line tool) is not found, the Start button will be disabled.
AppReady will validate the existence and the location of the selected application in real time. If AppReady loses access to it, all functions will go offline.
A contextual menu is available with the listbox under the Contents tab, allowing the user to delete one or all files/folders.
A new tab function is available. Frameworks allows the user to delete the selected Frameworks files in the package.
The first window is redesigned a bit.
Change: Clicking on the Open button under Contents will let the application open the folder, depending on the package destination.
Preferences: The user can set default options under the Settings2 tab.
The user can now select and open an application from the menu as well. Go to File > Open.
Preferences: The user can set their default folder or volume where to select an application.
Clicking on the Change button, the user can remove spaces from the package name.
A new tab function is added. HXRuntime can make a temporary fix on the missing framework (HXRuntime Carbon Mach-O).
Fix: The application could have crashed when the user clicked on the close button on the main window to quit it while the Login window was active.
Numerous other minor changes are done.
A new tab menu is added. Under Contents, the user can move files and folders to the selected package destination or copy them into the selected package destination.
Change: Clicking on the Show button under Icon, the application will point to the application icon file itself instead of just opening the package in a new window.
Change: Clicking on the Show button under Plist, the application will point to application's plist file itself instead of just opening the package in a new window.
When the application finishes creating a package, it will make the Show button active under Sign/Pack. Clicking on it, the user has quick access to the application package.
If the package name contains one space or more, the application will remind the user that the name must be revised before they send it to iTunes Connect.
The user can now store account information for iTunes Connect or whatever by opening the Login window (Window > Show Login).
The user can set their own default web browser to access web sites show in the Login window. See the 'System files' tab in Preferences.
The user can now choose an application category from a drop-down menu under Plist.
The user can now set the minimum system version under Plist.
AppReady is a product of MacHouse.


Much has happened in the five years since we last visited Club Class Chauffeurs' head office in Sussex. The company has transformed itself from an ambitious local operator to a major player with almost national coverage. And it has done this through taking an original highly innovative approach to running its business. And its latest move could define a new business model for how to run a chauffeur fleet.
Traditionally, Club Class has bought its own cars largely Volvos - taking on new and used cars as required. But now, the company has entered a new relationship with medium-term leasing specialist Meridian Vehicle Solutions that will mean Club Class not only has one of the newest fleets on the road, it'll also have built-in seasonal flexibility, enabling it to respond rapidly to peaks and troughs in demand.
Meridian Vehicle Solutions Ltd is an independent company formed in 2015 to provide a bespoke vehicle solution that sits between daily rental and contract hire. Meridian are able to provide vehicles for 3 – 12 months.


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World champion Markus Eisenbichler beat Ryoyo Kobayashi as he won his maiden World Cup event in Slovenia on Friday.
Coming into the weekend Kobayashi had the World Cup already wrapped up although he will be looking to try and take the Planica7 to go along with his Four Hills Grand Slam from earlier in the week.
The Japanese jumped brilliantly on Thursday to secure top spot in qualification and with a distance of 242.0 and points of 229.1 he led the way after the opening jump on Friday.
However in trickier second jump conditions Kobayashi struggled a bit and out-jumped by every other competitor to finish in the top ten.
Eisenbichler was the man to take advantage as he achieved the rare achievement of winning his first individual World Cup event after his first individual World Championship gold.


The talented artists in Mélange of Milieu, examine, develop and play with the concepts and emotions that are at the root of human experience and understanding. Often tackling ideas that are with us from a young age, they produce work which has a universal appeal while also being filled with a very personal passion. The artwork in The Essence of Abstraction uses the familiar forms and techniques of abstract art as a starting point for sophisticated analysis and innovation, working with the potential embedded within their genre to produce an intricate and thoughtful reflection of the past, present and future. The exhibitions open on March 4, 2014 and run until March 25, 2014. The opening reception will take place on the evening of Thursday, March 6, 2014. Entrance is free and all art lovers are warmly encouraged to attend and enjoy these thought-provoking creations.


Merced youth create clay molds of skatepark features they would like incorporated into the final design.
Like many in Merced, Damon Ramirez has felt "there's not enough to do here", and while advocates and youth leaders have made considerable strides to change the odds and create more healthy activities in their neighborhoods, Damon would be the first to admit more is needed, and he couldn't be more right.
Instead of hoping something happens, Damon and other youth made something happen. This past December, their hard work paid off, and south Merced youth were thrilled by an incredible holiday surprise: approval of a state-of-the art skatepark that will bring endless hours of recreation, smiles and joy. But beyond the immediate benefits, this skatepark means so much more.
From the beginning Building Healthy Communities Merced has supported youth so that, far from being left behind, they are leading the pack. Merced young people have advocated for investments into their futures—increased services, funding, facilities, having a voice at city hall through a Youth Council.
The new skatepark is tangible evidence by a community that the voices of its youth are indeed powerful and worth the investment. That young people themselves are truly valued. We need more of this, and we need to keep following their lead.
This is particularly true in south Merced where opportunities have been severely limited since city growth has crept steadily northward. Residents feel left behind. The new hospital and high school, as well as recent housing and retail developments, have all been built in north Merced, adding to years of disinvestment in the south. UC Merced, for all the opportunity it represents, exists far north of the city, symbolizing the considerable distance south Merced residents feel since many view attending the UC as unrealistic. A skatepark in south Merced is but one marker against this grain, but a meaningful one.
To design the skatepark, Merced youth sat with architects and told them what they want. They designed the exact features into moldable clay, literally a hands-on opportunity for them to shape real improvement in their community. Adults too came together, at times putting aside differences, to focus on what matters most for their families and neighborhoods well beyond the skatepark. The California Endowment is proud of this community building going on in Merced, instilling a true sense of belonging and power. Ground will be broken soon to initiate construction of the skatepark but its ground-breaking impacts are already far along.


I am headed to Virginia Beach today for a week long meeting for work. Hello morning boardwalk running! In the meantime, here is my review of the Blue Ridge Half Marathon.
The Foot Levelers Blue Ridge Marathon was held on Saturday, April 20 in Roanoke, VA. This year was the fourth year for the race. The race offered a full marathon, half marathon, and a 5-person marathon relay. All races started simultaneously at 7:35 AM. The race was timed using disposable chips. The half marathon cost $65 if registered before 12/31/12, $75 if registered by 3/10/13, and $80 if registered through 4/17. We signed up with an early bird special that took place shortly after the 2012 race, which was 50% off of the earliest registration fee of $65 (two for the price of one!!).
The race expo was held the day before the race, on Friday, April 15, from 3-8 PM in the City Market Building in downtown Roanoke.
The race organizers utilized the open area in the center of the City Market Building, that resembles the dining area of a mall food court. Packet pickup went very smoothly. They had the bib and t-shirt pick up area set up on one of the lofts. The loft had a stairway on each side, so participants went up using one staircase and went down using the other, which kept the minimal traffic flowing. The expo is very small and low key in comparison to other larger races, as this is a smaller (but growing!) race. It was not very crowded when we were there around 4:30 PM, but I know it became more crowded later on in the evening. There were a few vendor booths (Foot Levelers, Fleet Feet Sports, etc.), a runners information booth, and a table set up for the "running legends". As I have mentioned, Frank Shorter, Bill Rodgers, and Bart Yasso attended the expo, signed autographs, and also participated in a 5 person relay. The main sponsor of the race, Foot Levelers, was handing out shoe bags, which we used to put our stuff in.
The race also hosted a pasta dinner starting at 6:30 PM, where all three running legends spoke. We did not attend the dinner, so I cannot give any input/opinion on it. I think it's great when races offer this, though. It can be a great option for people traveling from out of town for the race, or for local folks who are interested.
The race also offers race day packet pickup from 5:30 AM to 7:00 AM.
The race has a small race packet that consists of your bib, the participant t-shirt, and a disposable chip for timing. They also had a table set up with handouts for upcoming local races, free Power Bar power gel samples, and noisemakers. As I mentioned, Foot Levelers was also handing out zip up shoe bags, which we used to carry our stuff.
This year they had technical race shirts that were specifically sized for men's and women's. They also had a different shirt for the half and the full. In the past the race has had a unisex white cotton t-shirt that was not specific to the race you ran. I think it's great that they have not only switched to a technical tee with m/w sizing, but that they also have race specific shirts. If you run the full, I think it's important that you should be distinguished.
The race medal this year was also improved. It still has a similar design to years past, but this year's had some color on the medal. Both last year's and this year's medals were specific to the race you ran. Like the shirts, I think this is important and I really like when races do this. The 2012 medal had the word "half" in small vertical letters before marathon, but the 2013 medal actually has 13.1 on it. Here is a comparison of the 2013 medal and the 2012 medal (2013 on the left).
We arrived in downtown Roanoke about 30 minutes prior to the race start. There was no traffic coming into the downtown area and we were able to park in the parking garage we had planned on without any issues. Roanoke has ample parking in it's garages and lots, many of which are free on the weekends. There were at least five free garages and lots that are within two to three blocks from the start and finish areas.
The race also offered complimentary bag check, which was close to start and finish and was quick and easy. We were provided with bag check tags to pin on our bags, and all I had to do was drop it off prior to the race. We pinned both my tag and Barry's tag on the bag. He was able to pick it up after the race without any issues.
There were plenty of porta potties located a block from the start line area. When we arrived there appeared to be a long line of at least 30 people (I know, not long compared to other races but this is a smaller race), but we waited less than 10 minutes.
The course itself is beautiful, but challenging. The first mile has some rolling hills and then miles 2-4 climb up Mill Mountain. Miles 5-6 bring runners back down the mountain, where they meander along the greenway and through neighborhoods as they make their way back to the downtown area. The second half of the race through neighborhoods and the downtown area has rolling hills with a few significant climbs.
This year they had to make some last minute changes to the course, due to flooding on the greenway. The course was detoured from miles 9-11, which ended up adding some extra difficulty to the course with an additional 206 feet of elevation change. The race organizers handled this last minute change seamlessly. The course was clearly marked and there were volunteers and course marshalls (called "sherpas" because they are our "mountain guides") making sure we stayed on course.
The course had ample aid stations located every 1 to 1 1/2 miles. All had water, a sports drink called Heed, and porta potties. There was one gel station (I think it was power gel) for the half marathons at mile 7.5. The race also provided sliced oranges, gummy bears, and bananas a little before mile 4 and just after mile 10. There were also a few spectators in some of the neighborhoods handing out sliced oranges.
Lastly, I can't say enough great things about the volunteers ("sherpas") on the course. They did a wonderful job this year, just like last year. The aid stations were well staffed and they were amazing cheering on runners while providing fluids and snacks.
The finish line area is well organized. I did not actually go through the food line, but I saw that they were offering a variety of foods, including: bagels, bananas, pizza, shrimp, and power bars. They also offered bottled water, chocolate milk, and sodas (Coke, Diet Coke, etc.). The finish line area also offered free massages. The race also coincides with the final day of the Down by Downtown Roanoke festival, so there is live music at the finish line as part of that festival.
This race has a few special touches. For one, the race director stands at the finish line and either high fives or shakes the hand of every finisher who crosses the line.
This year the race also offered a contest for two people to get to "run with the legends", where the two winners would get to run with Frank Shorter, Bill Rodgers, and Bart Yasso as part of a 5 person marathon relay. Also new this year, one of the local news stations provided live coverage of the event. We recorded it and it was really neat to get to go back and watch the highlights of the race. I think they had 35 personnel covering the race, and had them stationed at numerous locations throughout the marathon and half marathon courses.
One other neat touch that this race has is the age group trophies, which are presented to the top three male & female finishers in each age group for the half and full. I think the top 3 relay teams in each division (men's, women's, and mixed) also receive trophies. The trophies are fashioned out of railroad spikes that are donated by Norfolk Southern. Students in the Welding/Motorsports Program at the Burton Center for Arts and Technology are the ones who form them into the trophies.
Roanoke has a lot of ties to the railroad industry, so it's a neat touch.
The race also had an extra challenge thrown in this year for the full marathoners called "King & Queen of the Mountain". The first male and first female to the top of Roanoke Mountain (around mile 7.5) are crowned the 2013 King and Queen of the Moutain. They receive a free pair of shoes from Fleet Feet Sports, a King/Queen of the Moutain shirt, and "possibly a crown" (direct quote from the race website).
Overall a great race. I give it a 9/10.
Do you prefer Saturday or Sunday races?
What kind of "extra" stuff have races had that you've run?
What types of special touches do you like a race to have?
Congrats on a great race (and recap)! I hope your legs are recovering well.
I love Saturday races for the obvious reason… a rest day before heading back to work!
I haven't run the Annapolis Ten-Miler, but they give out great swag! One year they gave out a watch, one year running pants, and the next year the matching jacket (or vice-versa).
Thank you! My legs are feeling okay, surprisingly. The upper parts of my quads are sore, as well as my hips and lower back, but that's about it!
Wow sounds like the Annapolis race has some awesome swag!
You've sold me on it for next year!!
I hope you are thoroughly enjoying a recovery week on a beautiful boardwalk!
Really good review! If I didn't know about it already you would've convinced me to run! Maybe we can meet up at another local race soon??
Thanks! My intention wasn't to persuade someone to run this race, but to give my opinion on it as well as information about it.
I'd love to meet up! I try and keep an updated list on the left panel of my blog that lists upcoming races. Feel free to drop me an email if you see on that you will be at, too, and I will do the same if you mention one on your blog that I'm going to be running.
Wonderful recap Meagan. We truly appreciate it.
Thanks! And thank you for a great race. See you next year!


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SHIATSU is simply the manipulation of the soft tissues of the body – the muscles, tendons and ligaments. The therapist's hands are his most important tool through which he not only treats the patient but also detects physical and emotional problems. The massage therapist palpates the patient's body to determine the condition of the tissues and the likely source of any pain, and thus the correct form of remedial treatment. Massage works through the various body systems in one of two ways, a mechanical action and a reflex action.
Our feet and lower legs take a lot of stress in daily life. Long hours standing, sitting, walking or taking physical exercise all take their toll on this important part of the body. Our therapy focuses on revitalizes your feet and lower legs, is very relaxing and promotes well-being.


B&Q CEO to leave after Kingfisher shuffle?
Kevin O'Byrne, CEO of DIY chain B&Q, is rumoured to be leaving the company as its parent company Kingfisher has prepared some restructuring plans.
Kingfisher's new CEO, Véronique Laury, wants to restructure the company and aims to bring B&Q and Castorama closer together. Sources told The Financial Times that this would bring the chain under the direct control of Laury herself.
B&Q has met hard times in the United Kingdom, especially after its housing market largely crashed several years ago. O'Byrne, the former CFO, was given control of the company only 18 months ago, when Martyn Philips left.
Ia Cheshire, Kingfisher's former CEO, already tried to bring Castorama and B&Q closer together and his successor clearly believes there are more options in that regard. One of her goals is to lower the huge number of B&Q stores, some 360 at this point.


If you're new to Xiaomi MIUI ROM and doesn't know how to boot your Mi 6 smartphone to recovery mode, then here is the guide for you. There are two different methods which lets you boot into recovery mode. Stock recovery on any Android smartphone lets users perform several tasks like install other Zip files, wipe cache or the data partition. Users can also perform factory reset via recovery mode which will be much handy in case you've forgotten device password.
Apart from stock recovery, there is also custom recoveries like TWRP, CWM recovery, etc. which can perform more tasks compared to that of stock recovery. You can check our guide on how to install TWRP custom recovery on Xiaomi Mi 6.
There are two different methods to boot Xiaomi Mi 6 into Recovery Mode. You can use whichever way you find the easiest.
1. Firstly, you need to turn off your mobile.
2. Next power-on the Mi 6 by pressing and holding Power + Volume Up + Home buttons together.
That's it! Now your device enters into stock recovery mode. Use the volume and power buttons to navigate around the recovery mode.
This is another method which will lets you to enter into recovery mode on your Xiaomi Mi 6.
1. Make sure USB drivers / ADB & Fastboot drivers are installed on your Windows PC.
2. Take a USB cable and connect your device to PC.
3. Go to ADB & Fastboot folder and open command window. To do so, you need to press Shift + Right click anywhere in the folder.
4. Give the following command and hit Enter.
5. Your Mi 6 device will turn off and reboots into recovery mode.
If you face any difficulty while entering into recovery mode on your Mi 6 handset, do let us know in the below comments.


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Why Corcoran, Calif., Keeps Shrinking
CORCORAN, Calif. — In California's San Joaquin Valley, the farming town of Corcoran has a multimillion-dollar problem. It is almost impossible to see, yet so vast it takes NASA scientists using satellite technology to fully grasp.
Corcoran is sinking.
Over the past 14 years, the town has sunk as much as 11.5 feet in some places — enough to swallow the entire first floor of a two-story house and to at times make Corcoran one of the fastest-sinking areas in the country, according to experts with the United States Geological Survey.
Subsidence is the technical term for the phenomenon — the slow-motion deflation of land that occurs when large amounts of water are withdrawn from deep underground, causing underlying sediments to fall in on themselves.
Each year, Corcoran's entire 7.47 square miles and its 21,960 residents sink just a little bit, as the soil dips anywhere from a few inches to nearly two feet. No homes, buildings or roads crumble. Subsidence is not so dramatic, but its impact on the town's topography and residents' pocketbooks has been significant. And while the most recent satellite data showed that Corcoran has sunk only about four feet in some areas since 2015, a water management agency estimates the city will sink another six to 11 feet over the next 19 years.
Already, the casings of drinking-water wells have been crushed. Flood zones have shifted. The town levee had to be rebuilt at a cost of $10 million — residents' property tax bills increased roughly $200 a year for three years, a steep price in a place where the median income is $40,000.
The main reason Corcoran has been subsiding is not nature. It's agriculture.
In Corcoran and other parts of the San Joaquin Valley, the land has gradually but steadily dropped primarily because agricultural companies have for decades pumped underground water to irrigate their crops, according to the U.S.G.S. California Water Science Center.
When farmers fail to get enough surface water from local rivers or from canals that bring Northern California river water into the San Joaquin Valley, they turn to what is known as groundwater — the water beneath the Earth's surface that must be pumped out. They have done so for generations.
Corcoran's situation is not unique. In Texas, the Houston-Galveston area has been sinking since the 1800s. Parts of Arizona, Louisiana and New Jersey have dealt with subsidence problems. The foundations of Mexico City churches have famously tilted, and one 2012 study found that Venice was subsiding at a rate of .07 inches per year.
But how Corcoran came to dip nearly 12 feet in more than a decade is a tale not of land but of water, and the ways in which, in ag-dominated Central California, water is power — so much so that many residents and local leaders downplay the town's sinkage or ignore it entirely. Few in Corcoran are eager to criticize agricultural companies that provide jobs in a struggling region for helping to cause a little-known geological problem no one can see.
"It's a risk for us," said Mary Gonzales-Gomez, a lifelong Corcoran resident and chairwoman of the Kings County Board of Education. "We all know that, but what are we going to do? There's really nothing that we can do. And I don't want to move."
An altered landscape
It is known as the Corcoran Bowl — an area amid the agricultural fields in and near Kings County that stretches at times up to 60 miles. The bowl is the region of deep sinkage in the land, with Corcoran at the center — a sinkhole at a snail's pace.
Jay Famiglietti helped identify the Corcoran Bowl, although for much of his career he worked for an agency focused more on what is in outer space than what is beneath the ground. He is a former senior scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the research center in Southern California known for aiding planetary exploration missions.
Scientists at the NASA lab have formed an unusual bond with Corcoran, spending years tracking subsidence there and elsewhere in the San Joaquin Valley by using radar and satellite technology.
Mr. Famiglietti, now the director of the Global Institute for Water Security at the University of Saskatchewan in Canada, began warning of severe sinking in the valley based on satellite imagery as early as 2009. Years later, one of his colleagues at the Jet Propulsion Lab, Cathleen Jones, documented more than 30 inches of sinking west of Corcoran.
"There's no way around it," Mr. Famiglietti said. "The scale of the bowl that's been created from the pumping is large and that may be why people don't perceive it. But a careful analysis would find there is lots of infrastructure potentially at risk."
Some of that infrastructure has already been damaged.
The Corcoran Irrigation District had to install three lift stations to pump water through ditches. The water used to run on gravity alone, but the sinking created sags in the ditches and caused the water to pool instead of flow through. The district spent $1.2 million over 10 years on lift stations to help push the water along, costs paid for by farmers.
The sinking land crushed the casings of four drinking-water wells used by the city. Insurance paid for two new wells, but city taxes were used to redrill the other two at a cost of $600,000.
And there was the levee that was rebuilt for $10 million in 2017. The levee had sunk from 195 feet when it was built in 1983 to 188 feet in 2017.
"Our residents got hit hard," said Dustin Fuller, who is the director of the Cross Creek Flood Control District and who led the levee repairs. In addition to the higher property tax bills, some residents bought flood insurance for the first time.
Amec Foster Wheeler Environment and Infrastructure Inc., an engineering company, examined how sinking near Corcoran could affect construction of California's high-speed rail line, a section of which is being built along the town's eastern edge. Sinking had altered the topography so much that three flood zones appeared to be merging. The consolidated flood zones could engulf Corcoran and nearby towns in 16 feet of water in a major flood, according to the engineers' report.
The engineers brought their concerns to state agencies. But no one agency was tracking infrastructure damage from sinking, and no actions were taken in response to their report.
Along Highway 43
The land around Corcoran is tied to agriculture, and so is its economy.
The town is known as the home of a tough state prison that once housed Charles Manson. Corcoran rests alongside Highway 43, roughly 200 miles from both Los Angeles to the south and San Francisco to the north. Nearly 30 percent of the town's working-age residents work in the farming industry, and more than 30 percent of residents live in poverty.
Several large agricultural operations surround Corcoran, including Sandridge Partners, the J.G. Boswell Company, Hansen Ranches, the Vander Eyk Dairies and many others. Collectively, they have hundreds of wells pulling water from beneath the flat, fertile fields around Corcoran.
How much underground water is being pumped by farming companies is nearly impossible to determine. California does not require that information to be disclosed.
Boswell is by far the most prominent agricultural operation in the area. The company started in Corcoran in 1921 and has grown into a $2 billion international enterprise. It has supplied steady work for generations of Kings County families and has been an integral part of the town's identity, even helping to build the high school football stadium.
Boswell operates more wells in the area than most other ag companies, and far deeper ones. It owns 82 active wells around Corcoran, a majority of which plunge either 1,000 to 1,200 feet deep or 2,000 to 2,500 feet deep. The next largest nearby well owner, Vander Eyk Dairies, has 47 wells, only 10 of which are 1,000 feet deep or deeper.
Boswell's status as one of the largest and deepest pumpers of groundwater in the Corcoran area — and its decision to sell off portions of its surface water — has raised questions about its role in Corcoran's subsidence problems.
Some residents and local leaders said they believe that Boswell was leaning more heavily on groundwater for its crops because it had been selling surface water out of the area for substantial profits. In just two sales in 2015 and 2016, one Fresno County water district bought 43,000 acre-feet of Boswell water for $43.6 million.
"If you're selling off your water, you've got no business farming with groundwater," said Doug Verboon, a Kings County supervisor and farmer.
Others in the area say it is impossible to blame any one water user for Corcoran's complicated and long-running history of sinkage.
"We're all pumping," said Gene Kilgore, the general manager of the Corcoran Irrigation District, which installed the lift stations and serves Boswell and other companies. "Every grower is pumping, every city is pumping, and we all play whatever part there is to subsidence."
Local Boswell representatives said there was not enough data to know which water user had been pumping what amounts. All of the company's surface water transfers and exchanges have been approved by state water regulators.
Boswell executives at the company's headquarters in Pasadena did not respond to emails and calls seeking comment.
The owners of Sandridge Partners and Vander Eyk Dairies declined to comment. An executive with Hansen Ranches did not respond to requests for comment.
The drought's effects
California has been gripped, yet again, by severe drought. The situation will very likely make Corcoran sink even more.
In the 1960s, California built the State Water Project, a water storage and delivery system, to move water from the north to parched lands in the Central Valley and farther south.
Much of the water comes from the ecologically sensitive Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, where concerns over endangered fish have limited how much water can be exported. Amid the current drought, farmers have been told to expect only 5 percent of their contracted water allotments.
That means farmers may be forced to pump more groundwater to make up for the lack of surface water. That happened during California's last prolonged drought, from 2012 to 2016, when Central Valley land sank at high rates.
State lawmakers responded by passing a law aimed at stopping water-related land sinkage. The law, known as the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, requires that water basins be brought into balance by 2040 — meaning more water cannot be pumped out than goes into the ground.
Karla Nemeth, the director of the state's Department of Water Resources, said excessive groundwater pumping and its effect on Corcoran were issues that warranted a closer look.
"The plight of Corcoran is the absolute poster child for legacy unmanaged groundwater pumping that is unacceptable in California and that finally gave rise to" the groundwater law, Ms. Nemeth said.
Ana Facio-Krajcer contributed reporting.
This article was produced by SJV Water, the Center for Collaborative Investigative Journalism (CCIJ) and The New York Times. The collaboration between SJV Water and CCIJ was led by the Institute for Nonprofit News as part of a project called "Tapped Out: Power, justice and water in the West."


On Friday, April 6, near Armley, Saskatchewan, one of the most tragic events in Canadian sports history occurred when 15 people were killed in a bus accident. Of the 15 fatalities, 10 were hockey players for the Humboldt Broncos of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (the others were two Broncos coaches, the bus driver, the statistician and the broadcaster). It is the deadliest vehicle accident in Canadian history involving a sports team.
On Monday, one of the Broncos most notable alumni spoke to the Independent Sports News. Grant Jennings, a native of Hudson Bay, Saskatchewan, played the 1982-83 season with the Broncos before going on to play 10 seasons in the National Hockey League with the Washington Capitals, Hartford Whalers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Toronto Maple Leafs and Buffalo Sabres. During his time with the Penguins, the defenseman won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 1991 and 1992.
Over the last few days, Jennings has reflected back to his time in Humboldt. Even though he spent only one season playing for the Broncos, the memories of his single season in the SJHL remain prominent and positive.
The community support for the Broncos in Humboldt is extremely strong.
There is no doubt that the interview with Jennings was difficult. Jennings was still trying to process everything that happened and stated he was facing challenges expressing his thoughts in general terms.
Jennings currently works in Alaska as an aircraft mechanic. He was notified of the bus crash from his sister who lives in Whitehorse.
Jennings and his sister are family friends of the father of victim Jacob Leicht, a 19 year-old left winger for the Broncos. Jennings also had a connection to victim Jaxon Joseph, a Broncos center. Jennings played against Jaxon's father Chris when Grant played on the Penguins in 1994-95.
Jennings will be returning to Saskatchewan on April 18. He wants to get back to see if he can help in any way possible. Jennings would like to visit some of the players in hospital.
Jennings is also very familiar with the route the bus took near Armley.
Jennings has two sons, Harrison and Gordon. Both of his children played hockey, and Gordon, who is 11 years old, still plays. As a father, the accident also impacted Jennings.
On the weekend Jennings spoke to Gordon about the accident. He had difficulty answering all of his questions.
Every summer Jennings takes his son to Saskatchewan and this year plans to take him to Humboldt for the first time. Gordon has seen his Broncos jersey framed at his cabin.
As a father, Jennings responds to the question of what he would tell the parents of the victims if he had the chance. Prior to responding to the question, Jennings takes a deep breath.
Looking back further to his season with the Broncos, Jennings discusses the bus rides he and his teammates frequently had to take from small town to small town throughout the entire province of Saskatchewan.
Also with the Broncos in 1982-83, Jennings remembers playing in the SJHL All-Star Game. Due to the fact it was the first year the Broncos were playing in the Elgar Petersen Arena, Humboldt played the SJHL All-Stars, and Jennings remembers how frustrating he was, having to play a league all-star team in the game.
There was also one person from that season with the Broncos that Jennings has fond memories of and that was Elgar Petersen, who was the person the Humboldt hockey arena was named after. Petersen was the Broncos equipment manager and trainer, and Jennings remembers Petersen's five o'clock shadow. In 2013, Petersen received the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal for his outstanding contributions to the Broncos' organization.
In addition to playing for the Humboldt Broncos, Jennings also played high performance hockey in Saskatchewan with the Notre Dame Hounds in Midget AAA and the Saskatoon Blades in the Western Hockey League. While with the Hounds, Jennings played with future NHL players Russ Courtnall, Wendel Clark and Bob Joyce. Clark and Jennings would be teammates again with the Blades from 1983 to 1985. Other notable teammates Jennings had with the Blades were Joey Kocur, Trent Yawney and Todd McLellan.
Grant Jennings 1982 Air Canada Cup, Victoria BC Playing for Notre Dame Hounds of Saskatchewan.
A year after his time with the Blades, another bus crash hit Saskatchewan. Four players from the Swift Current Broncos died on December 30, 1986.
In conclusion, Jennings still highly recommends the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League.


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Louisville's regular season finale vs. Wake Forest moved to Dec. 19
By Mike Rutherford@CardChronicle Nov 22, 2020, 12:26pm EST
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Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images
The Louisville football team will now have three weeks between its penultimate and final games of the 2020 regular season.
The Cardinals were originally scheduled to play Boston College this Friday, Nov. 27. That game got moved back to Dec. 12 because of Covid issues with the Miami football team, and U of L's game with Wake Forest —originally scheduled for Dec. 5 — was moved to Nov. 28.
Well, now we've got some more changes.
The Boston College game will now be played this Saturday, Nov. 18, but the regular season finale against the Demon Deacons has been pushed all the way back to Dec. 19.
Kickoff times and TV designations for both games will be announced at a later date.
Imagine being a college kid who has to spend the first three weeks of December not seeing other human beings and practicing in the freezing cold all so you can play a (let's be honest) pretty meaningless game against a subpar opponent on Dec. 19.
I hope there's a bowl game after that, because these kids deserve something a little bit more fun to end the year.


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Q: IIS6 server not allowing ncftpget to download files recursivelly I'm working on an old Windows 2003 server with IIS 6.0. There's currently an FTP site in production on that server and I had a need to add another one which I did using a virtual directory. I can manually login, navigate several directories deep and download files one at a time without any errors thrown. However, when I try to download recursively it's only grabbing the files and folders in the root of the remote directory I specify. I have this same directory structure running on another Windows 2003 server and I have no problems downloading everything recursively using the same batch script so I'm sure the issue is not with that. I'm just at a complete loss as to what to even look into next. I have verified that the user I'm logging in has windows rights to the entire directory structure, I even enabled anonymous access and set the IUSR account to have full control on the entire directory tree as well, no luck.
I should also mention that there are no error messages returned either. I have also looked at the log file on the server and no errors shown there either, just the record of each file and folder it actually downloads, no reference to the ones its skipping. The client I'm using to download is ncftpget if anyone is curious. I'm using this in an application so the client cannot be changed, this same client is being used on another server with the same parameters without issue.

A: IIS supports two different formats of directory listing. MS-DOS and UNIX. Maybe that's the difference. The ncftpget may have problems with the MS-DOS format. Make sure, you have UNIX format selected.
In your site panel go to FTP > FTP Directory Browsing > Directory Listing Style > UNIX:

A: Wasn't able to get ncftpget to download recursively, despite having no issues with it on another server with the same configuration. It ended up being faster to just rewrite the code to use wget instead for the recursive download.


Pronounced lah-gom (like in 'car' and 'prom'), lagom is a Swedish word that may well be the next hygge. But what does it mean and how's it different?
Lagom underpins what attracts us to many Scandinavian concepts including hygge and fika: simplicity and contentment. Lagom means 'just the right amount'. It encourages balance and moderation, philosophies that have crept into many aspects of Swedish life, from work and politics to fashion and design.
Where hygge may encourage doing that little bit extra to attain calm and comfort, lagom seems to be about knowing when to slow down or stop. According to Elliot Stocks, co-editor of Lagom, hygge "captures a moment in time" while lagom is "an approach to life as a whole".
1. Balanced eating. It's no secret that healthy eating is about having things in moderation. Meal planning helps.
2. Quality over quantity. Scandinavian design is well-respected for its functionality and sustainability, which rests on the concept of lagom. We can start by doing research about materials that are affordable and/or last longer (for your clothes, appliances etc.) so that you live a lifestyle with less waste.
3. Buy/own less stuff. This stems from #2. Minimalism is trendier these days, but why? Author and meditation teacher Susan Piver describes sobriety as "Pared down. Sharp eyed. Awake." The same could be said of minimalism. When we stop consuming mindlessly, we're able to gain greater clarity about what really matters to us. We gain control of our mental chatter (and finances) as we're not constantly needing more.
4. Re-evaluate your priorities. Do you have the work-life balance you want and need? Are you grateful for what you already have?
What balances and fulfils you? Re-evaluating our needs from time to time is useful, and trending words such as hygge and lagom are perhaps just good reminders to continue that process.
What are your favourite words that don't have direct English translations? Let us know at hello@mindful-company.com.


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FeaturesIndia
Babri Masjid case: Court rejects news reports and cassettes as evidence
A Special CBI court hearing the Babri Masjid demolition case of December 6, 1992, acquitted all the 32 accused on Wednesday saying it was spontaneous and unplanned move.
A photograph from December 6th, 1992. Source.
In the verdict, special CBI judge S.K. Yadav observed that the evidence against the accused was based on newspaper reports.
The case carried on for 28 years. Those acquitted include former Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani, former Union Ministers M.M. Joshi, Uma Bharti, former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh and Mahant Nritya Gopal Das.
The verdict came less than a year after the Supreme Court verdict in the Ayodhya title dispute, which paved the way for the construction of a Ram temple at the Ayodhya site.
In the 2300-page order, the court concluded that the authenticity of audio, video provided by the CBI could not be established during the trial, and the audio of the speeches, placed on record as evidence, were not clear.
The court noted that it could not be established whether one of the cassettes, marked in the seizure memo, was sealed or open.
The CBI produced 351 witnesses and 600 documents as evidence before the court and charges were framed against 48 people. Of these, 16 died during the course of the trial.
READ ALSO: What does the Indian community in Oz think of the Ram temple in Ayodhya?
The front page of Times of India from December 7th, 1992. Source.
The court said all the evidence had been reviewed and the charge against the accused could not be proved.
The court noted that the accused wanted to save the structure as Ram Lalla statues were inside, and the leaders who were present on the dais made several attempts to persuade the karsevaks from pulling down the structure. The court noted lakhs of karsevaks arrived at Babri Masjid and the police could not control them.
The court observed the people who pulled down the Babri mosque were "anti-national elements". In the Ayodhya verdict the apex court had called the demolition of the mosque a violation of the rule of law.
Babri demolition
Babri Masjid
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