text:
\section{Introduction}

Various systems allow users to rate items.  Using these ratings, the systems are then able to present a ranked list of items. Strategic agents may attempt to manipulate these ranked recommendations in order to increase their personal utility. However, these manipulations are costly. Furthermore, such manipulation attempts can be identified by inspection, which are also costly.

Consider, for example, an application (an app) and an on-line platform (e.g., the Apple App store) . The app may buy fake ratings which translate into a higher ranking on the App Store – a measure many users look for when searching for a new app to download. The negative impact generated in this scenario is multifold. From the end user side, a monetary investment - or rather loss - is made to purchase an app that does not generate much positive utility. Collectively, from the developer side, those who cheat gain profits in the short run, while for the others there is a short term monetary loss (as the apps they develop are ranked lower).

For the platform there is reputation loss (which can be associated with lost revenues), as users may be overly cautious before downloading new apps. Therefore, it is customary for the platform to use some mechanism to detect and remove cheating apps.

In this paper, we develop a model that studies the interaction between a platform and an application. The platform collects a fee from applications that want to use it. We study two cases: when the fee is exogenously provided and when the platform sets the fee. We show that from the application's side, for an imperfect cheating detection technology, cheating will take place. We analyze how the quality of the detection algorithm and app rankings affect the incentive to cheat. Furthermore, we analyze the platform's decision as to what commission fee to impose.

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first attempt to apply game theory into ranking systems in practice.

We begin with some background (section \ref{sec:related}). We then present our theoretical model (section \ref{sec:model}) and conclude with a discussion of our main findings and future research directions (section \ref{sec:discussion}).

\section{Background}\label{sec:related}

We begin by surveying related work (section \ref{rw}), proceed to provide some intuition as to why rankings are significant enough so that people are willing to manipulate ratings in order to receive a high ranking (section \ref{rankings_matter}), and then survey methods for manipulation detection (section \ref{md}).

\subsection{Related Works}\label{rw}
We suggest a new focal point to address cheating in ranking systems - an approach related to the well-established inspection games literature (cf. \citealp{avenhaus2002inspection} for a survey). The substantial difference that we implement is that while in inspection games one of the players decides whether to commit some violation, and another player, namely, the inspector, decides whether to perform a costly test to detect this violation, in our model a noisy alert of the violation is sent automatically.

The notion of an automatically sent signal based on the action of one of the players appears in the literature in different contexts: industrial espionage (\citealp{barrachina2014entry}), international conflicts (\citealp{jelnov2017attacking}), and sports (\citealp{berentsen2002economics,kirstein2014doping}) to name a few.
In our case, we identify the favorable and adverse effects resulting in case the platform attempts to deter cheaters using an imperfect detection mechanism.

Our paper is related to the economic law enforcement literature, which goes back to \citet{becker1968crime} and is surveyed in \citet{polinsky2007theory}. In our setting, we have an enforcer (the platform) and a potential violator (the application). We study a specific kind of violation: cheating in reviewer ratings. In our setting, this violation depends on the initial rating.  Moreover, the enforcer and the potential violator may have a common interest, because the application pays a commission fee to the platform.

The work of \citet{darby1973free} resembles our topic in the sense that in their paper    a violation is wrong information given by a service supplier to a consumer. They study the existence of this kind of violation in a free market, and discuss how government intervention can reduce it. \citet{darby1973free} do not model strategic behavior by the government. In our paper, a platform, not a government, enforces honest behavior on an application, and we incorporate strategic considerations of the platform.

The literature on economics of tort law, which can be traced to \citet{landes1984tort}, relates to our paper as the application may cause  damage to the platform. However, the tort law literature discusses how to cause one party to take care and prevent accidents which damage another party. Compensation for damage is the most common tool in tort law. In our case, no compensation is paid to the platform.

\subsection{Why Rankings Matter}\label{rankings_matter}
It has been shown that a website's rank, not just its relevance, strongly and significantly affects the likelihood of a click (\citealp{glick2014does}).

As of March 2017, Google had 2.8 million apps available through its Android platform, and Apple had 2.2 million apps available on its iTunes App Store.\footnote{\textit{Statista: The Statistics} Portal https://www.statista.com/statistics/276623/number-of-apps-available-in-leading-app-stores/} With such massive numbers, users interested in discovering apps rely on rated listings, known as "top charts" such as "top free games", "top free apps", etc. Furthermore, a study by \citet{carare2012impact} indicates that users are willing to pay $\$4.50$ or more for an app that is top ranked as compared to the same app that is unranked, as people in general tend to disproportionately select products that are ranked at the top (\citealp{smith2001consumer,cabral2016box}). We further emphasize the monetary effects of higher ranking of apps by referring the reader to \citet{lee2014determinants}, who claim that one of the keys to a successful app is top rank status.

Reviews play a critical role in online commerce (\citealp{mauri2013web}). For example, hotel reviews on websites that customers perceive as credible influence purchase behaviors (see \citealp{casalo2015online}).
\citet{mayzlin2014promotional} show that competing products can self-promote by faking positive reviews for themselves, or negative reviews for competitors.
For analysis of the impact of reputation in e-commerce, see also \citet{resnick2002trust}, who show that positive reviews of previous online transactions can predict good transactions in the future. Thus, the monetary gain from a highly ranked app is an incentive for app developers to boost their app rankings on the charts. In competing over reputation and higher ranking, product managers might be tempted to engage in manipulative behavior (\citealp{gossling2016manager}).

Unfortunately, in the app development context, some app developers choose to do so in a deceptive manner by paying fraudulent ranking services. If not addressed, these deceptions are harmful to the app platform – for developers, users and platform owners. For the developers, fraudulent ranking leads to unfair competition, which might discourage honest developers. The users might be led to install misbehaving or malicious apps, or they might be dissatisfied with platform app ratings and stop trusting the app charts. Finally, the platform's reputation might be compromised.

\subsection{Manipulation Detection}\label{md}
Detection of deceptions is a top-priority for platforms, and is performed by detecting suspicious app patterns, user patterns, or both. A closely related line of work focuses on malware detection (\citealp{burguera2011crowdroid,narudin2016evaluation,seneviratne2017spam}). However, our focus is on ranking fraud, where the manipulating app is not necessarily malware.

Manipulating apps exhibit a different review pattern when compared with honest apps. Some algorithms for fake review detection focus on textual analysis of fake reviews, finding certain language constructs that are often used in fake reviews (e.g., \citealp{ott2011finding,hu2012manipulation,banerjee2017don}), while others (\citealp{schuckert2016insights}) point out the contradictions between overall (e.g. a hotel) and detailed rating of the same product (e.g.  specifics such as cleaning or location), which can expose fraudulent ratings.

Manipulated app rankings are likely to generate drastic ranking increases or decreases in a short time, or show strong rating deviations (see \citealp{zhu2013ranking}). \citet{heydari2016detection} show that the time interval in which the rating is given is also a measure of review trustworthiness. The detection can be based solely on ratings, by analyzing rating shifts, under the assumption that most ratings are honest (\citealp{akoglu2013opinion,savage2015detection}). In addition, manipulative users have a different review pattern. As the cost of setting up a valid account is quite high (e.g., to rate an app on Google Play requires a Google account, a mobile phone registered with the account, and the installed app), manipulators reuse their account and rate many apps over a short time frame. Manipulators may rate up to $500$ apps a day, rating them all with $5$ stars.

Manipulative users are usually part of a well-organized crowdsourcing system that performs malicious tasks. These are nicknamed "crowdturfing" systems, and their unique features have been mapped (see \citealp{wang2012serf}).
A recent study by \citet{Chen:2017} focused on identifying app clusters that are co-promoted by collusive attackers. The identification is based on unusual changes in rating patterns, measuring feature similarity in apps and applying machine learning techniques.
\citet{ye2015discovering} show that network information can also be employed. The baseline assumption is that an honest set of reviews for a product (or app) is formed by independent reviewer actions with various levels of activities and reviews. Therefore, a non-manipulative app should have reviews with various levels of network centrality. Furthermore, correlated review activities can be combined with linguistic and behavioral review signals (\citealp{rahman2017search}).

In the next section, we present a formal model for the interaction of two agents, an application and a platform. Our model assumes that one (or all) of the above manipulation detection capabilities are available to the platform.

\section{Model}\label{sec:model}

We consider two models: one with an exogenous fee and one with an endogenous fee i.e., a fee set by the platform.

\subsection{Preliminaries}

We consider two risk-neutral agents: an application ($A$) and a platform ($P$).
We focus only on cases when the application decides to enter the platform.

A rating for each application is calculated periodically. The rating represents the opinion of the users and is observed both by the application and the platform. Upon entrance, at stage $t_0$ each application receives an initial rating of $r_0 = 0$. At stages $t_1, t_2$, the application obtains a rating of $r_1, r_2 \in [0,1]$, respectively. For simplicity, we denote $r_1$ as $r$.
We hereby study the last stage ($t_2$).

Naturally, for the application, a higher rating results in higher visibility on the platform translating into more profits.
We assume the profit is proportional to the application's current rating $r_2$, minus a commission fee $f$  ($f \geq 0$) payed to the platform.
Thus the application is left with a revenue of $\gamma r_2(1-f)$, where $\gamma >0$ is the proportion coefficient.

In order to increase the rating $r_2$, the application may decide to cheat ($c$) (e.g., by adding fake ratings).
If the application does not cheat ($\hat{c}$) it still has a probability  $l(r)$ to obtain the highest rating $r_2 = 1$. However, with probability $1-l(r)$ the rating is $r_2 = r$.
The probability $l(r)$ ($0 < l(r) < 1$) increases in $r$, namely, the higher the rating $r$, the more probable it is that the application will reach $r_2 = 1$.

The platform has some imperfect algorithm, that enables it to detect applications that might be cheating (see Section \ref{md} for more details on such algorithms).
Indeed, no algorithm or technology is 100\% error free, and the used algorithm might overlook some cheating applications as well as label honest applications as cheaters.

At stage $t_2$,  a rating of $r_2 = 1$ triggers an automatic noisy alert sent to the platform. The alert $s$ means that the application is suspected of cheating ($\hat{s}$ means the opposite alert).
When the platform receives $s$ it is required to choose whether to ban ($b$) or not ban ($\hat{b}$) the application. The ban decision is equivalent to setting the application's rating to $r_2 = 0$. Note that this implies a different penalty cost for different applications; an application with a higher rating at stage $t_1$ has more to lose from a ban than an application with a lower rating.

Let $\alpha(r)$ be a type-I probability error, namely, the probability that $s$ is sent when $A$ does not cheat, and let $\beta(r)$ be the probability of a type-II error, namely, the probability that $s$ is not sent when $A$ cheats.

We consider $\alpha$ and $\beta$ as commonly known.
When a platform chooses a cheating detection algorithm, as part of the acceptance testing performed when integrating it, the algorithm is tested on different scenarios (where the results are known), and $\alpha$ and $\beta$ can then be estimated. In a similar manner, application developers can estimate these parameters.

We assume that $\beta(r)$ weakly increases in $r$. Namely, a high rating $r$ that increases to $r_2=1$, is less detectable than a low rating that increases to $r_2=1$.

The platform's utility consists of three factors:
the revenue from the commission fee that the application pays ($\gamma r_2f$),
the cost of non-detection (denoted $w$), and
the cost of false accusation (denoted $v$).
The two latter costs can be interpreted as a loss of the platform's reputation, which translates into loss of user confidence in the platform, leading to a decrease in purchases and thus in the platform's revenues.

Consequently, if the application cheats and is not banned, $P$'s utility is  $\gamma r_2f-w$, $w>0$. However, if the application does not cheat and is not banned, $P$ obtains $\gamma r_2f+v$, $v>0$.  If the application is banned, the platforms revenue is $0$.
The game and player utilities are defined in Figure \ref{g_descr}.

\begin{figure}[h]
\centering
\includegraphics[scale=0.5]{game2.png}
\caption{Description of the game. Each pair of utilities represents application and platform utilities, respectively. }
\label{g_descr}
\end{figure}

If $r=1$, the highest rating is guaranteed to the application. Trivially, in this case there is an equilibrium where the application does not cheat, and the platform does not ban it. We assume hereafter $r<1$.
\subsection{Exogenous fee}\label{exogenous}
We now proceed and describe our results for an exogenous fee.
The platform receives a signal $s$. If $\alpha(r) = 0$ (i.e., there is no possibility for a mistake regarding the signal), the platform bans the application. In the other cases:
\begin{enumerate}
    \item If the platform's revenue from the commission fee is higher than the cost of non-detection (i.e. the reputation loss) then it will not ban the application even if it suspects cheating. Consequently, the application will surely cheat.
    \item If $\beta(r)$ is high then the application is encouraged to cheat, since it is likely that cheating will not be detected.
    \item If none of the former occurs, then the application will cheat with some positive probability, but not with certainty.
\end{enumerate}

Formally, the following proposition characterizes an equilibrium of the game.

\begin{proposition} \label{equilibrium}
Let $\alpha(r) > 0$.
\begin{enumerate}
\item If $w<\gamma f$, then in the unique equilibrium of $G$ the application cheats with certainty, and with certainty, the platform does not ban the application.
\item If $l(r)-\alpha(r)l(r)+r-rl(r)<\beta(r)$, then in the unique equilibrium of $G$ the application cheats with certainty, and following an alert $s$, the platform bans with certainty.
\item If $w>\gamma f$ and $l(r)-\alpha(r)l(r)+r-rl(r)>\beta(r)$, then the application  cheats with a probability $P_c$, $0<P_c<1$, and following an alert $s$ the platform bans with probability $P_b$, $0<P_b<1$.
\end{enumerate}
\end{proposition}

All proofs appears in the appendix.

Note, that for  $w=\gamma f$ or $l(r)-\alpha(r)l(r)+r-rl(r)=\beta(r)$ the equilibrium may not be unique.

We now focus on part (3), where cheating occurs with some probability $0<P_c<1$. In this case, an increase in $\alpha(r)$, $\beta(r)$, $v$ and $f$ and a decrease in $w$ results in more cheating.

The application compensates for an increase in the commission fee ($f$) by cheating, which may lead to a higher rating and thus an increase in profit.
An increase in the false accusation cost ($v$) means that the platform is more reluctant to ban an application, which also leads to more cheating.

An increase in the probability of false accusation $\alpha(r)$ means that even an honest application is more likely to be (mistakenly) banned for cheating, thus the application has less incentive to act honestly. Consequently, the probability the platform will ban applications increases in $\alpha(r)$.
An increase in the probability of non-detection of cheating $\beta(r)$ as well as a decrease in non-detection cost ($w$)  will lead to more cheating. Formally, and as a direct result of part 3 in Proposition~\ref{equilibrium}:

\begin{corollary}\label{behavior}
Let $w>\gamma f$ and $l(r)-\alpha(r)l(r)+r-rl(r)>\beta(r)$. Then in the equilibrium of $G$:
\begin{enumerate}
\item The probability that the application cheats increases in: $f$, $v$, $\alpha(r)$, and $\beta(r)$, and decreases in $w$.
\item The probability that $P$ bans $A$, following alert $s$, increases in $\beta(r)$ and in $\alpha(r)$.
\end{enumerate}
\end{corollary}

When $\alpha(r)$ is independent of $r$, and cheating occurs with some probability $0<P_c<1$, then as the application approaches a rating of $1$, the more it is likely to cheat. The intuition behind this is that since applications with a rating  close to $1$ are less suspected of cheating, and hence less likely to be detected, they can thus cheat more freely.

\begin{corollary}\label{increasesr}
Suppose $\alpha(r)$ is constant, $\alpha(r) \equiv \alpha$. Let $w>fa$ and $l(r)-\alpha(r)l(r)+r-rl(r)>\beta(r)$. Then in the equilibrium of $G$ the probability that $A$ cheats increases in $r$.
\end{corollary}

Corollary \ref{increasesr}, that cheating increases in $r$, is not very surprising for a strictly increasing $\beta(r)$ since this means that less alerts $s$ are sent when $r$ is close to $1$. However, what is somewhat astounding is the fact that this claim holds even for those cases where $\beta(r)$ is constant, meaning - that even when the probability of the alert is constant, cheating increases in $r$.

\subsection{Endogenous fee }
In section \ref{exogenous} the fee $f$ is exogenous. However, in reality the fee is set by the platform. Consider a model where at an initial stage $t_0$ the platform chooses a fee $0\leq f\leq1$, and then the game proceeds as defined in Figure \ref{g_descr}.\footnote{The platform maximizes its expected utility. The technicalities are characterized in proposition \ref{EUP} in the Appendix.}

An increase in the commission fee affects the platform's utility in two ways: (1) positive – an increase in revenue and (2) negative – an increase in cheating, which reduces the platform's utility, a direct consequence of Corollary~\ref{behavior}.

As Figure \ref{res1} illustrates, the platform may maximize its expected utility for a fee lower than $1$, and the platform collects a higher fee when the alert it obtains is more precise (a lower $\beta(r)$).

These results are not general. As can be seen in Figure \ref{res5}, when the cost of non-detection is set to $w=4$ instead of $w=3$, the platform maximizes its expected utility for a fee of $f=1$.

\begin{figure}[H]
\centering
\includegraphics[scale=0.6]{res3.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.6]{res2.png}
\includegraphics[scale=0.6]{res1.png}
\caption{Result for various $\beta(r)$ with $\gamma=1$, $r=0.6$, $\alpha(r)=0.1$, $l(r)=0.6$, $v=9$, $w=3$}
\label{res1}
\end{figure}

\begin{figure}[H]
\centering
\includegraphics[scale=0.6]{res5.png}
\caption{Result for $w=4$ with $\gamma=1$, $r=0.6$, $\alpha(r)=0.1$, $\beta(r)=0.1$, $l(r)=0.6$, $v=9$}
\label{res5}
\end{figure}

\section{Conclusions}\label{sec:discussion}
In this paper, we provide a novel stylized framework to study the interaction between an app sales platform (e.g., Apple's app store or Google Play) and an app developer who may be tempted to cheat in order to increase their app ranking. Our framework captures some of this interesting interaction, and the consequential equilibrium analysis gives rise to some important implications.

Our most significant finding is that a higher fee leads to more cheating. Consequently, even a monopolistic platform may choose not to impose a high fee.

Furthermore, we found that precise alert signals decrease cheating; when the cheating detection algorithm is a good one (i.e. $\alpha$ and $\beta$ are low) less cheating occurs.
Thus, we conclude that if the platform has a good manipulation detection algorithm then it should make this known (i.e. publicize its $\alpha$ and $\beta$), since the application developers will refrain from cheating if they know that there is a high chance they will be caught.

Numerically,  we show that a lower non-detection rate allows the platform to request a higher fee. This result gives the platform yet another reason to invest in acquiring or developing a good manipulation detection algorithm.

We focused on the commission fee the product has to pay the platform and considered other costs, such as promotion costs and the cost of creating fake reviews as negligible.
We assumed that the cost of a fake review is sufficiently low, and the reward from an undetected cheat is high, so there is incentive to cheat.
Note that platforms have different tools to protect against manipulations and make it more difficult to create a fake review. For example, they can require reviewers to use the verification system CAPTCHA$^{\copyright}$, or to verify that a reviewer really consumes the product. Still, sophisticated manipulators can bypass these barriers.

Utilities in our model are exogenous. We assume that the platform is interested in its reputation, and that cheating harms the platform's reputation. In a future extended model, platform competition can be considered, where more than one platform competes for customers and customers abandon a platform if they are dissatisfied with its cheating prevention level (for platform competition in a non-cheating environment see, for example, \citealp{halaburda2016role}).

Most importantly, we provide initial insights into how the platform detection accuracy affects the incentives of the app developers. Understanding these interactions, and the resulting equilibria, provide ample foundations to address future points of interest. For example, it can be used to better understand how to put in place mechanisms that align incentives and provides a benchmark framework for future empirical work.

Our findings and conclusion are relevant to other types of e-commerce as well, and can be of interest in any scenario that involves a product that faces a fee to be rated and ranked on an online platform. Other examples of such systems may include online vendor sites such  as Amazon, eBay, and hotel bookings sites.

\bibliographystyle{apa}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaArXiv


NatureTrack Film Festival Launches for a Great Weekend!
The NatureTrack Film Festival launched a great weekend Friday evening during their opening reception! Shout out to O.n.E. for providing wonderful music, M. Special for refreshing beer, Hitching Post Wines for bringing their stellar wine, Pegalicious for a sumptuous spread, and Full of Life Flatbread for tasty, fresh-out-of-the-oven flatbreads.
Welcome to our visiting filmmakers and all of the guests coming to view the amazing array of films screened all day today (starting at 9am), and Sunday morning through 4pm.
Check out the films, mark down the ones you HAVE TO SEE, and come into Los Olivos to enjoy a beautiful day in the Valley.


1893 House Bill 0243. An Act Authorizing The Assabet Manufacturing Company To Increase Its Capital Stock.
Title 1893 House Bill 0243. An Act Authorizing The Assabet Manufacturing Company To Increase Its Capital Stock.


Today we are working in our journals. I encourage you to have fun and be experimental. This process is for you to learn different techniques that you can apply when creating art. I think it is a good idea to write in your journals and talk about the processes you are learning. It is quite possible that after a period of time you might be looking at a journal page and not quite remember how you did it. You should write down any notes you need to so this doesn't happen to you. When going over your journal individually with you, I will ask you to explain how you created certain pages.
REMEMBER IF YOU MISS A DAY, IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE YOUR WORK UP. YOU CAN DO THIS AT LUNCH, DURING TUTORIAL OR AFTER SCHOOL. LET ME KNOW WHEN YOU ARE PLANNING ON DOING THIS SO I CAN MAKE PLANS TO BE THERE.


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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


All people received expectation of needing an extra wish residence plus fantastic yet using confined finances and also confined property, will always be challenging to understand the imagine property. But, will not be anxious since presently there are numerous Canadian Tire Outdoor Patio Furniture that could create the property using simple residence style in the house appear to be expensive even though less than fantastic. Yet this time around Canadian Tire Outdoor Patio Furniture can be a great deal of interest because along with the easy, the retail price it will take to construct a family house will also be not too large. In terms of her own Canadian Tire Outdoor Patio Furniture is indeed uncomplicated, but rather appear unappealing with the easy house present is always interesting to think about.


text:
Lincoln: don't stand out
A year ago, when Lincoln presented an updated version of its flagship SUV, the Navigator, he not only made richer list of standard equipment and gave owners the opportunity to use as a key of its own smartphone, but also increased the possibilities of personalization at the expense of the three design packages exterior with a "speaking" name Monochromatic. Now plain steel and the Junior Corsair Nautilus and Aviator.
According to chief designer of Lincoln at the exteriors of Earl Lucas, monochromatic color scheme, emphasize the elegance of lines SUV and the brand. Package includes the radiator grille, badges and 20 – or 22-inch black rims. In addition, depending on the model in body color can be painted moldings and mirror housings.
Depends on the models and choice of available shades. Thus, the Navigator is still offered in the color schemes of Pristine White Ceramic, Pearl and Infinite Black. Nautilus (the successor MKX) is only available in the latest color. Corsair (the successor MKC) and Aviator – in the same Pristine White and Infinite Black, and Asher Gray.
Note that very soon all the lineup Lincoln will be confined to these four crossovers and SUVs. The MKZ sedan will be removed from production this month to free up production capacity for the Ford Bronco Sport. The flagship Continental will leave the pipeline before the end of this year. With product line expansion the determination is no: there is a joint project with Rivian, but because in the fashion industry, its terms had to be revised.
Lincolnmarket
Tesla beckons with free autopilotposted on December 30, 2020
Americans presented long-range electric motorbike for the money chargedposted on January 18, 2021
Porsche Carrera GT for million-dollar racingposted on December 30, 2020
Can't afford a real Infiniti – start with a paperposted on December 26, 2020
Concept of the car of the future from Samsung: Xzibit approvesposted on January 11, 2021

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


We've just launched a new search box design on our destination pages that we're hoping will make your experience of finding and comparing hotels at Hotels Fairy even easier and more enjoyable than ever.
The new search boxes work in the same way as before but are larger and have a much clearer layout. We'd love to hear what you think about the new search boxes so please do let us know if you have any feedback, positive or negative.
We'll soon be redesigning our homepage search box and so we'll be taking on board all ideas and experiences from the new destination search boxes.
It's just one more step to make our hotel price comparison website the world's most useful hotel website.


text:
EU prosecutor: top Kosovar rebels should be indicted
Investigation set up by the EU finds that some leaders of the Kosovar rebels should be charged for systematic crimes against minorities in the aftermath of the 1998-99 war with Serbia.
By Andrew Gardner
A special task-force set up by the European Union to investigate allegations of war crimes and organised crime in Kosovo has found enough evidence to bring an indictment against some former senior figures in the ethnic-Albanian rebel force that led Kosovo to independence from Serbia in the late 1990s, the task-force's outgoing lead prosecutor said today (29 July).
Clint Williamson, an American who formerly served as a prosecutor at the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY), said two and a half years of work by his 25-member team had found "compelling" evidence for a range of crimes whose "widespread or systematic nature…justifies a prosecution for crimes against humanity".
"These crimes were not the acts of rogue individuals acting on their own accord, but rather […] they were conducted in an organised fashion and were sanctioned by certain individuals in the top levels of the KLA leadership", the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA).
The crimes included murder, abductions, illegal detentions and sexual violence. He said that "this effectively resulted in the ethnic cleansing of large portions of the Serb and Roma populations from those areas in Kosovo south of the Ibar River".
He also said that there was evidence at this point that the organs of "a handful" – ten or fewer – people had been sold abroad after they were killed.
In all, the investigation has been looking into the fate of 500 people killed and 300 abducted and still missing from the war and its aftermath.
The prosecutor said that his team – which includes a number of north Americans and Europeans from non-EU states – had encountered "daunting" obstacles and dwelt at length on the "pervasive" practice of witness intimidation in Kosovo.
Williamson provided few additional details about specific allegations. Nor did he name individuals or indicate what positions they now occupy. He argued, however, that the process of investigation had revealed a problem with broad political implications for the future of Kosovo.
"There is probably no single thing that poses more of a threat to rule of law in Kosovo and of its progress toward a European future than this pervasive practice" of witness intimidation. "As long as a few powerful people continue to thwart investigations into their own criminality, the people of Kosovo as a whole pay the price as this leaves a dark cloud over the country," he continued.
In an effort to prevent information leaking out, the task-force has itself operated out of a secure building in Brussels belonging to the Belgian defence ministry.
There has been speculation the investigation could lead to figures close to two former prime ministers, Hashim Thaçi, a leader of the KLA's political wing during the war, and Ramush Haradinaj, a top field commander in the KLA. Thaçi and Haradinaj are currently vying for leadership of Kosovo's government after early parliamentary elections held on 8 July.
Williamson, who will leave his post on 23 August, said that he was unable to provide further details at this point because there is no court to which the task-force can currently file an indictment – a situation that he described as "unprecedented" in international justice.
Williamson said that he expected an internationally staffed tribunal to be established early next year to rule on the alleged crimes, using Kosovar law coupled with statutes from international humanitarian law in force in 1999. No country has yet agreed to host the court.
The issue of a tribunal in which to pursue indictments filed by the special investigative task-force has been among the most politically sensitive aspects in a protracted debate over the past year about the future of the EU's rule-of-law mission in Kosovo, Eulex, under whose wing the task-force has been operating. The debate concluded in mid-June with the announcement that Eulex, the EU's largest and most expensive international mission, should be phased out by mid-2016. The Eulex mission is now in a four-month transitional phase, with a set of issues – including its size – still unresolved.
The task-force was established in 2011 as a response to a Council of Europe report presented in 2011 by the Swiss politician Dick Marty. Williamson said that, in effect, the investigation had also filled a "jurisdictional void" left by the ICTY, whose mandate was – unlike those of other war-crimes tribunals, Williamson said – only to cover crimes committed during the war.
Williamson said that his investigation's initial conclusions were "largely consistent" with the Marty report.
Some of the alleged crimes that the team had investigated were committed in neighbouring Albania. Williamson said that Albania – along with Montenegro – had been "extremely helpful and responsive".
Albania and Montenegro are both candidates for membership of the EU. On Friday (25 July), Kosovo initialled a stabilisation and association agreement with the EU, the first step towards eventual membership.
In all three countries, issues relating to the rule of law are seen as the biggest obstacles to their hopes of joining the EU.
More from ... Andrew Gardner
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COVID, North Macedonia and corruption are high on the agenda for Harvard-educated Kiril Petkov.
Western countries warn Bosnian Serbs against secessionist move
Proposed withdrawal from judiciary, army and tax system seen as threat to regional stability.
Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova want to be EU's friends with benefits
Despite instability at home and fears of Russian intervention, trio pushes for closer ties with Brussels.
Ukraine PM calls for NATO's help against Russia
As Russian troops mass along border, Denys Shmyhal urges NATO to send ships and step up surveillance flights.
By Jacopo Barigazzi and	Lili Bayer
By Sarah Anne Aarup
Enlargement	Judiciary	Missions
Albania	Kosovo
Hashim Thaçi	Ramush Haradinaj


SinglePoint Inc. (OTCQB:SING) is excited to announce a successful first week of sales of the newly listed product Lalpina CBD Water. SingleSeed has already received 25 orders for the 12 pack cases of water in the first week. The water has been a nice success so far and has drove sales of other products listed on SingleSeed as well. SingleSeed supplies multiple different hemp-based CBD products. The company is in a perfect position to continue adding relationships for additional distribution of products.
According to the Hemp Business Journal the CBD market is projected to grow to $2.1 Billion by 2021. SingleSeed plans to capitalize on this growth through distributing CBD products to a wide range of customers both online through the ecommerce store as well as to physical locations. SingleSeed currently has two of its own products but plans to continue growing its distribution footprint of products manufactured outside companies.
SinglePoint recently signed a distribution agreement with the manufactures of Lalpina CBD Water, American Premium Water Corporation (ticker symbol HIPH). Quote, "We are thrilled at this first week of sales results, it has blown away our expectations especially when taking into consideration we have not yet added it to our mix of search marketing, most of the orders have been organic direct search for singleseed.com," end quote, states Wil Ralston, President of SinglePoint.


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Tearful N-Dubz rapper Dappy avoids jail for assault and affray offences
Metro News ReporterFriday 15 Feb 2013 1:45 pm
Dappy leaves Guildford Crown court after receiving a six month suspended sentence (Picture: Getty)
N-Dubz rapper Dappy broke down in tears and shouted 'yes' after he avoided a jail term when he was sentenced for assault and affray.
The singer, whose real name is Costadinos Contostavlos, was given a six-month term suspended for 18 months at Guildford Crown Court and ordered to do 150hours community service.
He was also ordered to pay £4,500 compensation to the victims and £2,000 in costs.
The 25-year-old had faced a maximum sentence of three years imprisonment after being convicted in connection with a brawl at a petrol station in Guildford.
The court heard last month the pop star became violent after two teenage women 'disrespected' him by refusing to get into his car, sparking a fight which led to three men being injured.
Dappy (c) was tearful in court as he heard the sentence (Picture: Getty)
Judge Neil Stewart told Dappy although the offences he committed were serious enough to attract a custodial sentence, he would suspend it because of his remorse at his actions.
He said: 'The report I have on you suggests you do not present overtly criminal attitudes and this offence has been a wake-up call for you."
He added: 'Spitting at someone is a repulsive action and is more serious because you have done something similar in the past.
'Even on that aggravation, the offence would not be so serious as to merit a prison sentence.
'It is clear that this spitting triggered these events that culminated in the affray but was not part of the affray.'
Dappy's sentence was made up of six months for affray and 14 days to run concurrent for the assault.
Dappy
Boy, 10, found safe and well after going missing on way to park
James Bond actor was murdered by chemsex killer's drug dealer


Writing a Ph.D. thesis in philosophy can be an easy process only if you have a good topic and well-researched content. Many students are having trouble to find a relevant topic in philosophy that can be used for a quality and unique Ph.D. dissertation.
How the philosophy of mind works?
Is the philosophy education having progress in the 21st century?
Is the spirit really leave the body when we are dead?
Is the animal ethics having progress in the 21st century?
When had the philosophy the biggest progress in the history?
These 15 topics in philosophy can be a great start and inspiration for all students who are having a problem to find interesting and quality topic in philosophy for their Ph.D. dissertation.
You can start with one of these topics or take two or more and combine them in one, so your dissertation to be more interesting, with great quality, creativity, unique and catchy for all readers. Also, you can always search for more topics in philosophy on the internet or some philosophical books. Besides that, you can always search for help from your teachers in philosophy or your friends and classmates who have already written their Ph.D. thesis in philosophy.
Writing about this subject can be really interesting, and it will definitely increase your knowledge and experience for certain things and topics. Just focus on the most important things, make it simple and readable for all your readers.


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The summer of hope
By quinersdiner | June 2, 2013
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=av5rc5IPavs]
It began on June 2nd, 34 years ago today.
The year was 1979 when the Alitalia jetliner set down in a land that time forgot for 123 years of its thousand year history. A Man in White with kind eyes stepped onto the tarmac. He knelt and kissed the earth.
What was he thinking? How did it feel to be back in his motherland?
His next nine days in Poland would change the world. For objective reporters on the scene, he would spark a revolution with 37 well-crafted speeches and sermons, delivered with the intelligence of a scholar and the heart of a poet.
To the man on the street, it was more than just the words. It was the power behind the words. It was the power defined by their shared religion, language, and literature. It was the power of the Polish culture.
It was the power of hope.
What was this culture like? A gathering of local Polish-Americans here in Des Moines shared memories of their life in Poland with me. In every instance, their Catholic heritage was in the forefront.
Artur Golebeiwski owns the Best Western Inn & Suites in West Des Moines. He told me how Catholic masses were scheduled all day long on Sundays in Poland. And they were standing-room only. He said you wouldn't even think of getting married in the month of May. The churches just weren't available because of all of the first communion masses taking place throughout that month.
Ewa Domagala Pratt, a professor at DMACC, talked about how everyone walked to Sunday mass. Few owned cars and mass transit didn't run on Sundays. The scene on Sunday mornings was pedestrian-packed streets with the same destination: the Catholic church.
This is the culture that animated Poland when the Man in White, the son of a soldier, arrived at Victory Square in the heart of Warsaw on that fateful day in 1979. Victory Square is the site for the Tomb of the Unknown soldier. It is revered in Poland.
All in attendance for the Mass about to be said had most likely walked to get there, all one million of them! Needless to say, the Communist government was concerned. In anticipation of large public gatherings, they put in place 67,000 security forces. Interestingly, 20,000 of them were undercover.
George Czerwinksi was in the Polish Air Force then, living in Krakow. (Today he's a corporate pilot for Meredith Corporation here in Des Moines.) He related to me that he saw a military truck drive past him. Leaning out the window was an undercover security agent dressed as a priest!
All that security wasn't to protect the Man in White, but to protect the communists from the people. They feared an uprising.
If you were a Pole standing in the crowd of one million that day at Victory Square, your heart was in your throat. Your beloved friend was home, and his words astounded.
In the heart of Godless communism, he said: "To Poland the Church brought Christ, the key to understanding that great and fundamental reality that is man. For man cannot be fully understood without Christ."
Even more, he said that "Poland has become nowadays the land of a particularly responsible witness." And with his kind eyes ablaze, he said, "Christ cannot be kept out of the history of man in any part of the globe. The exclusion of Christ from the history of man is an act against man."
Days of endless applause followed. Despite the Communists best efforts to suppress his schedule, the crowds swelled to three million by the time he reached Krakow a week later. There, he invoked Poland's rich thousand year history and culture.
The summer of hope continued. Ten years later, almost to the day, Lech Walesa, a member of the Solidarity Labor Union, was elected President of Poland as communism began to crumble.
The summer of hope continues, as Poland today is a stable democracy.
Ask any Pole. They'll tell you World War II ended and communism fell on the same day, June 2nd, 1979, the summer of hope. That was the day Karol Wojtya, also known as Pope John Paul II, came home.
[I'm re-running this Quiner's Diner post in commemoration of Pope John Paul II's trip to Poland on June 2nd, 1979. His trip truly was the 9 days that changed the world.]
Posted in Faith and tagged communism, Pope John Paul II


This uphill par 4 feels a lot further than the yardage indicates. A wide fairway invites driver. However position is key to set up a straight forward approach shot to a large green. (Please note that if a ball strikes a powerline you may replay your shot from the original place without penalty).


Home Blog Learning What is Ugadi and Why is it celebrated?
What is Ugadi and Why is it celebrated? is a brief article about Ugadi and its celebration. This article gives information about why and how Indians celebrate Ugadi.
People of the states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Telangana in India celebrate Ugadi as their New Year. The word Ugadi is a combination of two Sanskrit words yuga meaning age and adi meaning beginning of something. Hence meaning the beginning of a new age. It is on the first new moon after the spring equinox. It generally falls in March or April.
Ugadi is a spring festival and signifies growth and prosperity. It signifies a change in the season from winter to spring. Just as the spring brings in new leaves and buds and flowers, this festival signifies the birth of a new era. Chaitra is the first month of the New Year. This is also an auspicious time to start new ventures.
As per the legend, Lord Brahma, the creator of the world, started his creation on this day. Therefore people worship Lord Brahma and also Lord Vishnu. Bhaskaracharya, the famous Indian mathematician determined this day in the 12th century based on his astronomical calculations.
People clean and whitewash their homes before the new year sets in. Ladies of the house decorated the entrance with beautiful and colorful rangoli on the day of Ugadi. Everyone gets up before dawn, take ceremonial oil baths and wear new clothes. They also bathe the idols of gods and goddesses in oil. Then they offer prayers. According to the custom the family members see their reflection in a bowl full of melted ghee because they consider this to be auspicious.
The elder women in the family apply kumkum on the foreheads of the younger members. The entire family worships the Panchanga. The belief is that those who read or listen to Panchanga are blessed. People give Panchanga book as gifts to the priest. People also worship Indra Dhwaja for good rains.
They prepare special traditional dishes. Ugadi Pachadi is a special dish which has a combination of various flavors like sweet, sour, tanginess, bitter, salty and spicy. These signify the different experience one goes through in his life. First, they offer the food to god then they serve the family. Rest of the day they visit temples and celebrate with family and friends.
Thus Ugadi ushers in a lot of fervor and enthusiasm. The new year begins with happiness and positivity with the expectation of well being and prosperity.
Excellent information for especially young generation.It also gives significance.


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London's Miro Shot on how their AR/VR band collective is making a new kind of music.
By Helena Corvin-Swahn. // Photos by Miro Shot Collective member MR Wash, artwork by Miro Shot and the Miro Shot Collective. Show poster by Alex Ford & the Miro Shot Colective.
A creative collective of musicians, artists, designers, coders and filmmakers, Miro Shot is transforming the concert experience with their unique blend of live performance, virtual reality and sensory immersion. In addition to being a musician, the band's foreman, Roman Rappak, has a background in filmmaking, animation and sound design, allowing him to bring a finely tuned sense of visual drama and ambition to musical expression.
Inspired by creative collaboration and storytelling, Miro Shot uses Cinema 4D to create the collective's richly textured narratives, including art for their debut album, CONTENT, and the accompanying live VR concert, which was the first experience selected to premiere in the US across all three of this year's now-cancelled SXSW Music, Film and Interactive Festivals.
Rappak's journey to Miro Shot began with the artistic multimedia collective BretonLABS, where he experimented with motion graphics for music videos and directed music videos for other artists, including Sinead O'Connor and Charlotte OC. When Breton disbanded, Rappak looked for the next challenge: "I was learning Cinema 4D at the time and the tech, gaming and motion graphic worlds were optimistic and exciting," he recalls. "I wanted to hang out where things were happening with artists, designers, coders, technologists and game developers."
Struck by how generously the community shared knowledge, Rappak went on to experiment with game development and became fascinated by the creative and transformative potential of gaming and VR. He remembers thinking of creative collaboration as the new art form, and he wanted to combine music with a positive message about all of the exciting things that were happening. "I thought, slightly idealistically, let's create a band the likes of which the world has never seen, using all this new technology," he says. "And let's invite as many people as we can into it."
Miro Shot's first VR show was in Amsterdam in 2017.
A Band Like No Other
Two years later in 2017, the Miro Shot Collective put on their first pioneering augmented concert. Held in secret, with no advertising, the show gave the band an opportunity to develop their new kind of VR/MR (virtual reality in a mixed-reality experience) concert and app. Today the collective includes over 450 members who contribute to the experience according to their creative talent and interests.
Experimental augmented live concerts are central to Miro Shot's concept and the initial tour of small art venues in Europe was overwhelmingly successful. Encouraged by the reception, the band headed into the studio to record their first album around the idea of it being performed for VR/immersive experiences. Talking about the concept, Rappak is acutely aware that as exciting and enabling as technology is, there are huge dangers in sleepwalking through it.
Artwork for Miro Shot's album, CONTENT, was made by members of the collective.
Miro Shot's recently released single, "Half of Us", captures this message—use and understand this technology or it will use you. Still, Rappak feels that the opportunity is there for us to claim the technology and create positive content experiences. "It's exciting that VR technology allows us to experience things as we were meant to," he says, adding that "even if the technology is still in its infancy, it's already natural, intuitive and in tune with us as humans."
Album artwork was made using a combination of tools, including C4D.
Ultimately, Miro Shot is a celebration of both technology and creative collaboration, and they rely on Cinema 4D and Unity's game engine as their primary tools for creating mesmerizing shows that include augmented concert synth music and sound design, haptic feedback, hot and cold temperatures, bespoke scents, live-rendered VR, cinematic landscapes and interactive scenes. The music video for "Half of Us", demonstrates this same multi-layered style by combining edited footage that blends graphic layers with textures and animation and a curated juxtaposition of the best and worst of social media.
A scene from the band's augmented live concert for CONTENT.
A Hive-Mind Approach to Music
To help make clear how Miro Shot's hive mind approach works, Rappak unpacked the making of the "Half of Us" video, starting with a three-day shoot that was followed by two weeks in post. The video was broken down into over 5,000 images with over 20 artists from around the world working on different sections. Graphic designers, 3D modelers, photographers, illustrators and motion designers were sent individual frames along with the relevant lyrics and given creative freedom to rework them. Everything was curated for a cohesive look and motion tracked to blend real and virtual worlds.
A poster for a Miro Shot performance in Oslo.
It was an incredibly exciting process for Rappak, who feels that the finished piece is similar to where society is now, culturally and collaboratively, in a kind of crowd-sourced way. All of the assets that were created play a part in the VR experience, and all of the contributing members are credited. The long-term goal is to create a large-scale event, and at 60 people per group, SXSW would have been the largest yet.
One day, the band also envisions a virtual experience where anyone can attend as an avatar. "The most powerful thing about CGI is the limitless nature of it and being able to experiment on your own terms has always excited me," says Rappak. Currently, the band is inviting members of The Miro Shot Collective to submit content for their next music video for "I Used to Say Things to Strangers." The Collective is open to anyone, and those interested in joining can find submission information on the collective's website under Open Calls.
Author: Miro Shot and the Miro Shot Collective
Album co-producers: Felix Howard and Chris Zane
Composer: Miro Shot
Music Publisher: Warp
Helena Corvin-Swahn is a freelance writer in the UK.
From CG Experiment to Short Film
Freelance art director/motion designer Takayuki Sato is currently living in Japan, where he was born and got his start in the industry. But his career was meaningfully shaped years earlier when he moved to the US to study motion graphics and English.
Artful Engineering
TVs have changed so much since they were first introduced in the late 1920s, it's hard to see much of a resemblance. These days, OLED (organic light emitting diode) TVs are the cutting-edge choice for those who want superior picture quality, color and contrast. But all OLED TVs are not created equal. That's why VIZIO worked with London-based Found studio for the launch of the brand's first OLED TV earlier this year.
Behind the Screens of Feature Films
Jayse Hansen remembers exactly where he was when he realized what he wanted to focus on as an artist. It was 2005 and he was at a design conference listening to fictional user interface (FUI) pioneer Mark Coleran describe how he created FUI for films like Mission Impossible, Alien vs. Predator and The Bourne Identity. Watching intently as Coleran presented his screen designs for mini spy cameras, holo tables and FBI forensic labs, he thought: "That has to be the best job ever." Though he knew nothing about how to get started, he knew he wanted in.
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Disc-shaped weight, circular, flat top and underside, tapering in section.
Hollandia compendium : a contribution to the history, archeology, classification and lexicography of a 150 ft. Dutch East Indiaman (1740-1750), p. 453, cat.nr. 2.9.8.6.2.2.


Competitive Compensation. Excellent Benefits. Advancement Opportunities.
At Menzner Hardwoods we will continue to honor our past, while protecting our future.
From mouldings and accents to surfaced boards and stair parts, our beautiful wood products will last generations.
As a fourth generation, privately held business which was founded in 1894, Menzner Hardwoods has stood the test of time.


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Blinded by the Light at Jam Jar Cinema
117 mins | Rated 12A (Racist language and behaviour, moderate bad language)
Directed by Gurinder Chadha
Starring Sally Phillips, Hayley Atwell, Kulvinder Ghir, Rob Brydon, Dean-Charles Chapman, Viveik Kalra, Aaron Phagura, Meera Ganatra, Nell Williams
Luton, 1987, Thatcher's England: Javed (Viveik Kalra) is a sensitive British teen of Pakistani descent who, amidst the racial and economic turmoil of the times, writes poetry to escape his intolerant hometown and his inflexible father. But when a classmate introduces him to the music of "the Boss," he sees parallels to his working-class life in Springsteen's powerful lyrics. As Javed discovers a cathartic outlet for his own pent-up dreams, he also begins to find the courage to express himself in his own unique voice.
Exuberant, evocative and charming, Blinded by the Light features a winning performance by Kalra backed by a wider ensemble cast that includes Rob Brydon, Hayley Atwell, Meera Syal and Sanjeev Bhaskar. With vivid musical sequences, it colourfully explores the profound impact that popular music can have – both inspiring your dreams and pushing you to realise them.
117 mins | Rated 12A (Racist language and behaviour, moderate bad language) | Biography
Directed by Gurinder Chadha | Starring Sally Phillips, Hayley Atwell, Kulvinder Ghir, Rob Brydon, Dean-Charles Chapman, Viveik Kalra, Aaron Phagura, Meera Ganatra, Nell Williams


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"Whether I was defensive or aggressive, what was important was to win. It was important to get results." Misbah-ul-Haq
ACC Archived News - May 2011
Phuket Starts
Phuket is to have its own cricket ground. Work starts on the 16,000 sq metre site in June. The multi-purpose facility will have an Astroturf wicket and a two-story clubhouse and aims to host regular Phuket league matches. In March 2012, Phuket will host the Thai National Youth Cricket Championship.
The A Team v Pakistan A
Afghanistan are up for what is starting to feel like the biggest matches of their lives – and they have played India and South Africa in the ICC World Twenty20, won an ACC Trophy and ACC Twenty20 Cup, and been in the Final of the Asian Games in Guangzhou – when they take on Pakistan A in three 50-over matches starting this week. "This tour means a lot to us, we are playing Pakistan in Pakistan, they have six or seven players full international players, it is a genuine chance for us to prove we are good enough to play top-level cricket," says Afghanistan's captain Nawroz Mangal.
Bhutan's Dot Com Collects
Bhutan held its third national Twenty20 Championship this year, new team Dot Com coming through as winners in the eight-team tournament. Dot Com were unbeaten throughout, winning by six wickets over BTCL in the final. National team all-rounder Jigme Singye was Player of the Tournament.
ICC Intercontinental Cup 2011-13 Fixtures And Participating Teams Announced
The International Cricket Council's first-class tournament, the ICC Intercontinental Cup 2011-13 will feature eight teams this edition – Afghanistan, Canada, Ireland, Kenya, Netherlands, Namibia, Scotland and United Arab Emirates (UAE) when the tournament begins next month.
Namibia and UAE were selected by the ICC Development Committee to participate in the event having finished in the top four of the Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Division 2 tournament in April 2011.
Brunei To Renew
"No doubt about it, Brunei Cricket is struggling," says ACC Development Officer Aminul Islam. Bottom of the ACC rankings for the past four years, they have few players, minimal training and playing facilities and just two active coaches. "The ACC will always support them and out of all our member countries there will always be winners and losers. Brunei are tired of being at the bottom," says Aminul, "where they can go is up to them from now on."
ACC U-19 Challenge Cup 2011
The fixtures for the ACC U-19 Challenge Cup have been set. The tournament will take place in Penang and Kuala Lumpur from July 2nd to 9th, with the capital hosting the playoffs, semi-finals and final. Eight teams take part, Bhutan, Brunei, China, Iran, Kuwait, Maldives, Myanmar and Saudi Arabia. The games will played over 50-overs and the top two will bequeath their age-group successors a place in the 2013 U-19 Elite Cup and a chance to qualify for ICC U/19 World Cup 2014.
Kuwait Win WCL 7
Kuwait won Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Division 7, beating Nigeria in the Final by 72 runs after being put in. "I don't think we came into this tournament in Botswana as favourites. We played each game as it came and it worked out well for us as we came out victorious again," said Kuwait's captain Hisham Mirza.
Uddin Comes To Get Things Done
Renowned groundsman Jashim Uddin is in Hong Kong to be the new Hong Kong Cricket Association curator. He comes after completing a six-month long assignment at the Guangzhou Asian Games where he helped establish China's first international-standard cricket ground. "It's a great honour and privilege to be working in Hong Kong," says the soft-spoken curator, "I have been lucky to get to know how things work in this part of the world and hope to use all that I know in creating the best possible surfaces for Hong Kong's cricketers to play on."
Kuwait Aim To Climb Higher
Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Division 8 champions Kuwait will be in Botswana at the start of May playing Division 7 and "we're looking to win it also," says captain Hisham Mirza, "we're going to do our best."
click here to read our archived news >>>


Web hosting - or website hosting - is a service that allows individuals or organizations to make their website available on the World Wide Web. Web Hosting services typically offer server space that can be purchased or rented to host your website. There is a range of options from shared hosting, which offers space on a shared server, to hosting on dedicated servers.
Website Builder with built-in hosting, which offers customers a simple way to drag and drop their way to a beautiful website.
VPS Hosting, which offers customers full access to part of a server (mimics a dedicated server, but at a lower cost).
Email Hosting, which offers customers unlimited email and a great platform to built a simple, static website.


In this article and short video I'll show you how to record Two Microphones using just One Input jack.
This method uses a certain Stereo Breakout Cable by Hosa that lets you use Two Mics at the same time.
Premiere Pro doesn't operate like a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) and why should it, its video editing software. But there are situations where you wish it did! I mean just go around for a cuppa at the Apple Fortress, ask for Logic Pro and discuss tactics man! It's not that difficult.
One of the things Premiere Pro can't do is allow you to change the 'Tempo' of a project to Tempo-Sync effects to an audio file. This would make LIFE so much easier and better! Anyway, enough of the rant!
I'll now go through steps on how to make effects Tempo-Sync to your project and work with the 'limitation' mentioned.
In this particular example, I will be using the Delay Effect to end a Music file so the audio trails off and doesn't suddenly stop! You can use this workaround with any Tempo reliant effect. Ok let's go!


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Justin Timberlake Confirms The Arrival Of Baby No. 2 With Jessica Biel AND Reveals The Kid's Name!
Megan Thee Stallion's Ex BFF Kelsey Nicole Under Fire for Supporting Rival Erica Banks
Home » Sport » Conor McGregor 'on another level', claims UFC star's manager as he aims dig at Floyd Mayweather over Logan Paul fight
Conor McGregor 'on another level', claims UFC star's manager as he aims dig at Floyd Mayweather over Logan Paul fight
CONOR McGREGOR is 'on another level' heading into his UFC return against Dustin Poirier.
That is according to his manager Audi Attar, who aimed a dig at Floyd Mayweather fighting Logan Paul.
McGregor is preparing to mark his comeback next month as he rematches Poirier – who he beat in 2014 – in a lightweight headliner.
And Attar promised the Irishman, 32, is mentally and physically better than ever before.
He told The National: "This is the best Conor I've seen ever, and I've been with him almost a decade now.
"It's the mental fortitude, the emotional intelligence, the self-awareness, the time he's spending with his kids in between sessions and what that does to him.
"It's the reflection of everything that's happened to us to date – the good, the bad and the ugly – having a level of wherewithal and foresight to understand what we need to do going forward to achieve the goals we have now.
"I've never seen Conor like this. It's about the challenge, the competition, being the best version of ourselves.
"Not just the body, but the mind and the soul as well. And that's fun for me to see.
"The guy doesn't have to work a day in his life. He made more money this year not fighting; that's how good business is.
"So to see him hungry to compete, hungry to continue to evolve, hungry to prove all the naysayers wrong and hungry to prove who his really is, not only athletically but as a businessman and as a human being, that to me is exciting.
"That's a driver for me; it fulfils my purposes.
"The skill level is on another level. It really is, on all fronts. The chemistry within the team, the coaches and the coordination."
As well as plotting to win back the UFC title he has not held since 2017, McGregor is linked with a boxing match against Manny Pacquiao.
Pacquiao, 41, also has a management deal with Attar's Paradigm Sports, paving the way for a crossover bout next year.
McGregor made his boxing debut three years ago, losing to Floyd Mayweather in round ten, but has not been in the ring since.
Mayweather, 43, retired professionally after the pay-per-view spectacle, but his career as a box office star continues.
He announced he will face 25-year-old YouTube sensation Logan Paul – who is 0-1 as a pro – next February in a 'special exhibition'.
Paul's brother Jake, 23, is also making a run as a prizefighter and called out McGregor after knocking out retired NBA player Nate Robinson last month.
But Attar blasted the farcical mismatches involving the new age of boxing newcomers.
And he insisted McGregor and Pacquiao have no intentions of jumping on the trend, instead wanting to fight each other.
He said: "Manny Pacquiao sees Conor McGregor as a real threat and a real formidable opponent.
"And he has his own plans politically; he's a machine in what he does. Either of them isn't trying to go fight YouTubers next.
"At the end of the day, I don't see why it shouldn't happen.
"As we saw in 2020, you can never count anything out any more, but right now the intention is for that to happen in 2021."
Coronation Street spoilers: Faye Windass confesses to attacking Adam tonight
Who is Skai Jackson's ex-boyfriend Julez Smith?
Autism is not a mental health issue, yet I was sectioned


On 12 June, 2017 we have organized two program among Kapadi/Rag pickers as a part of campaign against E-waste under Informal sector activity. In this program we have received support of local NGO, Arunodaya Lok Kalyan Samiti. Shri. Vyas, Director of the organization whole heartedly support this program along with his staff. One program was organized at Mahadev Temple, Indore at 4.00 PM and another program was organized near Indore Railway station at 5.00 Pm. The first program was attended by 43 participants while the second program had an attendance of 20 participants. As usual, resource persons were given detailed information about E-waste and it's disastrous effect on environment and need of its proper management. Participants were also visited Exhibition showing E-waste and its impacts.


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Dictionary:vernal equinox (ϒ)
From SEG Wiki
English • español
Warning: Display title "Dictionary:vernal equinox (ϒ)" overrides earlier display title "Dictionary:Vernal equinox (ϒ)".
The point on the celestial sphere occupied by the sun at the time of the vernal equinox (about March 21), which is the reference point from which right ascension and celestial longitude are calculated. Also called the first point of Aries and symbolized by (upsilon). One of the two points of intersection of the ecliptic and the celestial equator.
Retrieved from "https://wiki.seg.org/index.php?title=Dictionary:Vernal_equinox_(ϒ)/en&oldid=59904"
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HR Administration
HR, Your Input Is Needed
By Sarah Fister Gale
In 2010, an internal survey at Dominion Enterprises showed employees were not happy with the workplace environment. And the software tools they were using to do their jobs were largely to blame.
"We had 20 different systems that didn't talk to each other which made it easy for silos to exist," says Susan Blake, vice president of human resources for Dominion, a marketing services company with 4,000 employees in Norfolk, Virginia. Many employees used their personal email accounts or Microsoft Outlook, and many implemented their own task management and document sharing tools without talking to the information technology or HR departments about whether they were appropriate.
As a result collaboration was cumbersome, and even sending out a companywide email was challenging, and potentially risky, Blake says. "All of our email distribution lists were static so you didn't know if someone was missing, or if you were sending company information to a former employee," Blake says. "Something needed to be done."
So a year ago, Dominion's chief information officer, working with Blake and other senior executives, rolled out an initiative to eliminate the disparate one-off tools employees were using, and replace them with an all-Google software suite, including Gmail, Google Docs, Google Calendar and Google Chat. The company also uses UserVoice, a feedback tool that can be accessed from the Google environment.
"Now we have a global solution that makes it so much easier to collaborate, share documents and get email from anywhere," Blake says.
Employees can now access their company email from their smartphones or other devices, they can auto-populate Google Calendars with dates and events, and they can create wikis and internal Web pages using Google Sites to streamline document sharing and editing in real time. "Instead of seven managers updating seven different documents, they all make changes to the same Google document," she says. "What used to take hours now takes 15 minutes."
Dominion is at the leading edge of the trend to centralize implementation of work-management tools across the organization. As companies look for ways to spur creativity and collaboration, they are naturally drawn to tools that break down barriers and foster better communication.
And HR needs to be leading this transformation, says Yvette Cameron, vice president and principal analyst with market research firm Constellation Research Inc. "HR leaders need to recognize that they can't just focus on technology for HR processes, they need to think about business-centric solutions," she says.
Instead of merely measuring performance, HR should be helping to improve that performance by making sure employees have the tools they need to do their job more efficiently. Whether a company implements a whole suite of productivity tools, or a single product, such as Dropbox for file sharing, Yammer for collaboration or Basecamp for project management, this software helps employees improve performance, which drives better bottom-line results.
"This is an opportunity to bridge the gap between IT and HR," Cameron says. If HR leaders team up with the IT department, they have the opportunity to head up the strategy for this category of tools.
That should be a primary goal for the HR department, says Lexy Martin, vice president of research analytics for CedarCrestone, a management consulting firm in Alpharetta, Georgia. "HR is responsible for productivity, so they need to be more invested in understanding the impact these tools are going to have."
Yet, so far, it doesn't seem as if they are. CedarCrestone conducts an annual survey on HR technology that focuses on companywide workforce management software used for everything from record keeping and service delivery to tracking time and labor, talent management and business analytics. This year Martin added a question asking respondents whether they were aware of work-management tools.
"Preliminary results show HR is not familiar with these tools," she says, and that worries her. "This is a category that HR should own, or at least be involved in the process of deciding which solutions to roll out."
Instead these decisions often fall into the hands of operations, or to individual teams or departments that implement tools that only their small group will use.
Allowing people to use one-off applications may seem like a productivity enhancer, and it can be at first, Blake says. "It starts as a way to improve efficiency, but it quickly becomes an unmanageable behemoth."
Some of these tools can even be counterproductive from the start if they don't have a strong strategic goal attached to them, warns Trip Chowdhry of Global Equities Research. Yammer, for example, the business social media tool, is designed to foster collaboration across the organization by exchanging short answers to simple questions.
"It may be a good idea to spend five minutes on Yammer looking for answers to a specific problem," Chowdhry says. "But without controls or guidelines, it can end up as the Facebook for the enterprise, and gossip doesn't equal insight."
Even worse, these employee-driven applications can increase data security risks to the company, Cameron says. Whether employees are emailing documents to their smartphones, or sharing data using unsecured Web-based tools, when employees implement their own technologies, they don't get properly vetted. "HR has an opportunity here to create a platform that keeps data safe while creating enablers to productivity that drive better business results," she says.
But HR officials can only have an impact if they work together with the IT team and the business-unit leaders to choose and implement these tools, and to define specific strategic goals for their use, argues David Arella, CEO of 4Spires, a Web-based application provider in Half Moon Bay, California.
He urges HR leaders to actively research the tools their employees use today, how they affect productivity, and to work with IT to decide which ones should be rolled out to the whole organization. "Even if they aren't directly responsible for approving the tools, they must be part of the discussion."
They should also take the time to figure out how these tools can improve their own productivity, and provide quantitative data to support training and succession-planning programs, Blake says. Whether it's tracking team productivity to identify high performers or following discussions posted on corporate social media sites to discover training needs or dissatisfaction among employee groups, these tools offer a bevy of valuable human resources data. "There is so much information out there that can be useful to HR," Blake says.
The move to companywide work-management tools is only just beginning, and it shouldn't be driven solely by the IT team. This is a chance for HR officials to take the lead, drive decision-making and link their efforts to improved productivity across the organization, Arella says. "HR people are the experts in creating a culture of communication, and that's the most powerful aspect of productivity," he says. "For them not to be involved in choosing these tools would be a huge missed opportunity."
Sarah Fister Gale is a freelance writer based in the Chicago area. To comment, email editors@workforce.com.
Workforce Management, October 2012, pgs. 24-26 — Subscribe Now!
Sarah Fister Gale is a writer in Chicago.
Minimum Wage by State in 2023 – All You Need to Know
Summary Twenty-three states and D.C. raised their minimum wage rates in 2023, effective January 1. Thr...
federal law, minimum wage, pay rates, state law, wage law compliance
Is your employee attendance policy and procedure fit for purpose?
Summary: Lateness and absenteeism are early warning signs of a deteriorating attendance policy. — More ...
compliance, HR technology, human resources
Clawback provisions: A safety net against employee fraud losses
Summary Clawback provisions are usually included as clauses in employee contracts and are used to recou...
clawback provisions, human resources, policy


Adopted and foster kids would prefer hiding under pillows than believing they "don't belong" in the family, school group, university, or place of worship.
Uncomfortable: A square peg being pushed into a round hole.
Mixed Up: Fingernails over-the-blackboard feeling.
Confused: Spontaneous sense of belonging with bio relatives but not with mom and dad.
Clanging Bell Approach: Mention as often as possible to the child that they belong, with an affectionate tap on the head.
Silent Approach: Just ignore anyone talking about the fact that child may suffer with this. It will go away in time.
Quivering-Lip Approach: If I cry, maybe my child will know how much he/she means to me.
None of these approaches work.
In fact, they hurt rather than heal.
Lifton says genealogical bewilderment comes from the fact that adoptees are confused about their origins.
She then adds another component: technical bewilderment, which means that adoptees are not able to cope with the confusion arising from the genealogical bewilderment.
I know that the material above might be upsetting to parents. You never want to wound your children.
So, what is a parent to do with this information?
Open an intentional conversation about common adoptee issues. Your child will probably resist…but keep on…through prayer and time. We adoptees and foster kids don't want to do anything to hurt or disappoint you, so we will clam up.
Red=adoptee or foster child (an amazing creation of nature and nurture …with incredible potential, rolled into one awesome person.
Green ribbon= represents the first family, who provides first home (womb) for child and all the DNA gifts.
Purple=adoptive/foster parents who nurture that gift of the bio parents.
Gold=God's power in and through all of us…for our good.
Assure that you understand child's confusion…who do I belong to? Who am I?
Affirm love and respect for first family, thus giving him/her permission to talk with you about them in the future.
Challenge: recognize feeling, remember not alone, choose to celebrate uniqueness of life.
I would add to encourage the adoptee to find peers with similar circumstances so that they can have a "social support group" of like-minded peers. One of the hardest things for me that made me feel so alone was having no one like me to talk to who would understand that this is way beyond, "Well, your mom and dad love you so". It wasn't enough to hear that. I needed, "Yeah, I know exactly how you feel. Same here".
Yes, Paige! Thanks for bringing in this important point. How we need fellow adoptee friendships. How would you advise an adoptee who has tried to find such a friend without any luck?


The outdoor wallpaper discs will be installed under the bridges of Pope's Road corner Brixton Station Road and will be on display 24/7 for anyone passing.
We hope for them to last longer than just the LDF time period due to the importance of their content/messages.
Brixton based designer Katja Behre aka Elli Popp presents her vision of cosmic landscapes and interplanetary travel.
These large collage discs use elements of Elli Popp's Cosmos Wallpaper collection inspired by Jules Verne's tales.
The pieces are playful in approach, and combine vintage photographs more than a century old with more contemporary ones.
Katja took the liberty as a Print Designer/Artist to address global environmental topics close to her heart - which all of us humans on this planet should be more aware off and help attack and make lasting changes.
50% of all profits will be donated to small charities or institutions, tackling the issues in question to help support them.
Lets help this world to become a better world!


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Q: Calculate the minimum value of a database in python with the min sql query I have a database: my column-name is waarde and my tablename is tblWaarden.
He doesn't print the minimum value but
SELECT MIN (waarde) FROM tblWaarden

Is there anyone that can help me?
def CalculateMin(dbFilename):
     connection = sqlite3.connect(dbFilename)
     cursor = connection.cursor()
     sqlQuery = "SELECT MIN (waarde) FROM tblWaarden"

     sqlCommand = sqlQuery.format()
     cursor.execute(sqlCommand)
     print(sqlQuery)
     connection.commit()
     connection.close()

A: Instead of:
 print(sqlQuery.fetchone())

This prints the result as a list with one element.
or:
 print(sqlQuery.fetchone()[0])

This prints the one item in the value.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Bolton Wanderers can announce that Curtis Fleming has joined the club in the role of first team coach.
The 44-year-old is reunited with manager Dougie Freedman and his assistant Lennie Lawrence, who he had worked with as part of the Crystal Palace backroom staff since July 2011.
Fleming previously worked as youth coach at Middlesbrough and assistant manager at Livingston.
The former full-back retired from professional football in 2005 after enjoying a lengthy playing career.
He represented Birmingham City, Crystal Palace and Darlington, although he is best remembered for a ten-year spell at Middlesbrough where he made over 300 appearances.
Fleming is also a former Republic of Ireland international having earned ten senior caps between 1996 and 1998.


For the last three decades, the SEC has repeatedly yet unsuccessfully attempted to register hedge fund managers. Resolving the tension between the industry and regulators regarding the appropriate level of regulatory oversight, the Dodd-Frank Act mandates hedge fund adviser registration as well as increased record-keeping and disclosure. To provide guidance for policy makers, this article presents the results of the first survey study after the SEC's registration effective date, March 30, 2012.
The author and a team of four research assistants contacted a population of 1,264 private fund advisers that registered with the SEC before the registration effective date. The entire population was approached via fax, in an electronic survey via email, and in phone interviews. Respondents (n=94) answered questions designed to evaluate the long-term effect of reporting and disclosure rules on private funds and the private fund industry. The survey questions assess strategic responses of the hedge fund industry, investigate the possible long-term effects of hedge fund registration, quantify compliance cost, assess compliance measures, investigate the implications of disclosure requirements in the Dodd-Frank Act pertaining to hedge funds, evaluate the effect of the regulatory regime on assets under management, and assess the effect of the regulatory regime on profitability.
The results reported in this study suggest that the Dodd-Frank Act registration and disclosure requirements and the SEC's implementation of these requirements create several areas of concern for the hedge fund industry. Despite these concerns, the hedge fund industry appears to be only moderately affected and seems to be adapting well to the regulatory environment after the enactment of the Dodd-Frank Act.


Title insurance is insurance against loss from defects in title to real property and from the invalidity or unenforceability of mortgage liens. It will cover you if a problem regarding title defects or legal ownership arises that was not discovered during the title search. Title insurance, and the search and examination process that takes place before a policy is issued, assures the homebuyer that the title to their property is clear, and that they are protected from any future challenges to their title. It protects the buyer's home investment and assures the buyer that the property is really his or hers.
An owner's policy insures the purchaser that the title to the property is free from defects, except those which are listed as exceptions in the policy. It is normally issued in the amount equal to the real estate purchase price and remains in effect for as long as the owner or their heirs retains an interest in the property.
The lender's policy is separate from the owner's policy. It assures the validity and enforceability of the lien of the lender's mortgage or deed of trust and serves as protection for the lender's security interest in the property. A Loan Policy is issued to the lender in the amount of the loan, and liability decreases as the mortgage debt is reduced.
The difference between a Loan Policy and an Owner's Policy is the length that each policy stays in effect. A Loan Policy expires when the loan is paid in full and an owner's policy protects the owner's in the property for as long as they or their heirs have an interest in the property.


Honey Apricot Pork Chops make an easy weeknight meal in less than 20 minutes. Juicy pork chops topped with a homemade sweet and tangy honey apricot reduction. Full of protein and is gluten-free for a healthy, comforting meal.
Pork chops are a favorite comfort food of mine and were enjoyed often growing up. It reminds me of the quality family time over dinner. With the fall season here, I'll be cooking plenty of cozy meals and creating more special memories. These Honey Apricot Pork Chops just may become a favorite of yours as well.
Honey: sticky, sweet and delicious. A wonderful compliment to the pork.
Here are a few of my favorite tips to make sure pork is juicy and cooked perfectly.
Bring pork to room temperature before cooking, for 20-30 minutes. This will ensure more even cooking throughout.
Be sure to not to overcook the pork, it seems obvious but it can be easily done. 4-5 minutes per side over medium-high heat is all that's needed. Watch carefully and use a meat thermometer to check the desired internal temperature.
Once cooked rest the meat 3-5 minutes before serving. If you cut into meat that hasn't been rested, juices will run out and the pork will be drier.
How to tell if pork is cooked?
Pork chops don't take long to cook through, especially if they are thinner. After about 4-5 minutes on each side, check the internal temp with a meat thermometer. For medium rare cook to an internal temperature of 145 degrees F. (followed by a three-minute rest). For well done, cook them to an internal temperature of 160 degrees.
Rub pork with salt, pepper, and rosemary.
Brown pork chops in skillet on both sides. Remove pork from pan and allow to rest.
Drain any excess liquid but keep brown bits in the pan. Add white wine vinegar and cook until reduced slightly.
Stir in honey, apricot preserves, chopped dried apricots, and red pepper. Cook until heated through.
Serve honey-apricot mixture over cooked pork chops.
Use high-quality pork, preferably without hormones, antibiotics or nitrates.
The thickness of pork chops will affect cooking time. Add more or less time depending on thickness.
Remember to rest the meat before serving.
You can easily adjust the sweetness by adding more or less honey.
Leftover pork can be used in salads, stir-fries or even sandwiches.
Store leftovers in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 3 days.
Flavorful pork chops topped with a sweet and tangy honey apricot reduction.
Sprinkle pork chops on both sides with salt, pepper, and rosemary. Rub in to evenly coat.
Heat olive oil to medium-high heat in a large skillet or pan. Add pork chops and cook 4-5 minutes until browned. Reduce heat to medium, rotate and cook the other side until browned. Pork should reach a minimum internal temperature of 145° F. measured with a thermometer.
Remove pork from pan, lightly cover with foil and allow to rest. Drain any excess liquid but keep brown bits in the pan.
Add white wine vinegar to the pan and cook on medium-high 2-3 minutes, until reduced slightly.
Stir in honey, apricot preserves, dried apricots, and red pepper. Cook until heated through. Serve honey-apricot mixture over cooked pork chops.
I really love pork chops, especially in such simple recipes like this. I love that you included temperatures instead of just cook times. Temperature is definitely the most accurate way to go.
Thanks Carmella and glad all the extra tips were helpful for making this recipe.
I love the combination of apricot with several different types of meats, but the addition of honey in recipe has be so intrigued – will be trying this one asap!
My mom wanted some pork chop ideas and I sent her this. She loved it! Thank you for the great recipe!
Aww that's so sweet. Glad to hear that Liz and thanks!
I love adding the apricot ! What a fun and delicious twist to traditional flavors. I will have to try this soon!
The sweet flavor of the apricot sauce blended so well with the pork! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe!
You're welcome and glad you liked it Jessica!
Super fab recipe. We love pork and the fruit goes sooo well. Beautiful post.
I do love a sweet sauce with my pork and I can't wait to try this delicious recipe.
Excellent prize and what a recipe. Pork and apricots go so well together.
I love apricot with pork! These sounds like a great weeknight dinner.
My husband would SO love this. Honey and apricot sounds like a delicious combo with pork.


There are times wherein people experience sensitivity or headache whenever they lean forward due to additional pressure in their sinuses. There are also people who experience tooth or ear pain, bad breath or fatigue. These things are actually sinusitis symptoms that are too often painful and very disturbing.
Sinusitis, or sinus infections, occurs when virus, fungus or bacterium grow within the sinus and block the sinus ostium. Most of the cases of sinusitis occur in places where environmental pollens are prolific. Like hay fever, sinusitis cases are the result of a series of exposure to these tiny pollens that are inhaled and stay within the system. Other cases of sinusitis are the result of exposure to irritants like chemicals, and the use and abuse of nasal sprays and other inhaled illegal substances. However, the general cause of sinus infections is the blockage of mucus in the sinus passageways.
Sinusitis can be classified in several ways based on its time span and the type of inflammation. The most common sinus infection that people experience is called the acute sinus infection that usually lasts up to 30 days. The more severe type of sinus infection is the sub-acute sinus infection that generally lasts up to over a month but doesn't exceed three months. And the worse case of sinusitis is the chronic sinus infection that lasts up to more than three months and should be treated as soon as possible.
There are several signs and symptoms of sinusitis that are easy to spot during the initial reaction. The common symptoms of sinusitis are headache, pressure or pain, facial tenderness, and fever. Other common symptoms are cough, sore throat, nasal congestion, and discoloured nasal drainage.
Since the most common cases of sinusitis are caused by viral infections, antibiotic treatments are not required. The most common treatments are decongestants, fever and pain medications, and mucolytics. The bacterial infection is usually suspected if the individual suffers from facial pain, nasal discharges that resemble pus, and the persistence of the symptoms for more than a week. Sinusitis that is caused by bacterial infections will not respond to OTC nasal medications.
No matter how annoying or disturbing the sinus infections are, there are currently no recorded serious complications that arise from sinusitis. However, it is also possible for sinus infections to cause a direct extension of infection straight to the brain using the sinus wall, which may create a life-threatening emergency when left untreated for a long period of time. These other more serious conditions are meningitis and brain abscess.
There are currently no known vaccines specifically designed to prevent the onset of infectious sinusitis. However, there are other vaccines which are very helpful in protecting the body against viruses that cause influenza and bacteria that cause pneumococci so that some infectious sinusitis can be prevented. However, if the person experiences yearly sinus infection, then he/she should consider allergy testing as it may be the underlying cause of sinusitis occurrence. Treatment of this cause may prevent the sinus infection recurrence.


The Library of Congress > Chronicling America > Amador progress news and the Ione Valley echo.
Vol. 34, no. 9 (Feb. 28,1979)-v. 46, no. 15 (June 5, 1989).
Content is identical to the Amador ledger and the Amador record, and the Amador dispatch, Nov. 7, 1984-June 5, 1989; these merged to form: Amador ledger-dispatch.
Published with the corresponding day of the week preceding the title, Nov. 7, 1984-<Apr. 25, 1986>.


text:
Anisimova tests positive for COVID-19 - report
WTA Premier 5 - Italian Open
(Reuters) - American world number 30 Amanda Anisimova has tested positive for COVID-19, Tennis Channel reported on Friday.
The 19-year-old has not confirmed the result but she is not competing at the WTA tournament in Abu Dhabi.
In an Instagram post on Friday which included a crying emoji, she wrote: "I want to play."
The hard-hitting Anisimova is among a crop of rising American women making waves in the sport, a group that includes Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin, 22, and 16-year-old Coco Gauff.
Anisimova won her maiden tour-level title on the Bogota clay in April 2019 and reached a career-high ranking of 21 six months later.


James Cromwell wallpapers for your PC, Android Device, Iphone or Tablet PC. If you want to download James Cromwell High Quality wallpapers for your desktop, please download this wallpapers above and click «set as desktop background». You can share this wallpaper in social networks, we will be very grateful to you.
The famous actor James Oliver Cromwell was born on 01/27/1940 in Los Angeles and grew up in Manhattan. His mother – a famous actress Kay Johnson and his father – a popular actor, producer and director John Cromwell. Occupation of parents influenced the fate of James. But he at first left school, went to college, then studied engineering at Carnegie Mellon University. On television, Cromwell first appeared in 1974 in the role of Terry in the film "Dossier detective Rockford." Next starred in the television series "All in the Family" in the image of Stretch Cunningham. In '75, James broke his first leading role in «Hot L Baltimore», where he performed the role of Bill Lewis.
In 2000, James was nominated for the first time on the "Emmy", a year later was again nominated for the same award in the "Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series" category, for the excellent role of Bishop Lionel Stewart in the TV movie "Ambulance". James in 2004 participated in telekartinah such as "The West Wing" (D. Wyre Newman). In 2005 he starred in the film "Six Feet Under" as George Sibley, for which he received a nomination for the 3 "Emmy." In addition to these awards earned 2 times the Screen Actors Guild. In 2006, in the film by Stephen Frears, "The Queen" played image of Prince Philip.
Cromwell addition to acting, playing in Geyeti Theatre. He brought to life the character of James Tyrone in the play "Long Day's Journey Into Night" at the Eugene O'Neill in 2007. In the comedy Oliver Stone's "Bush" (2008), a bold actor acted as the 41st President George Herbert Walker Bush. Cromwell is also known as a critic, who opposes the Bush administration and the Republican Party. James first married Anne Alvested in 1976. They have three children. In 1986 they divorced, and James married a second time to actress Julie Cobb. Today, she also filed for divorce.