The goal of every investment portfolio is to capture growth while preserving capital, yet these two goals are at odds with each other. Taking on too much risk to increase returns (growth) risks large losses. Being too conservative to prevent loss (preserving capital) stymies growth. The trick is to find the right balance and know when to play more offense than defense or more defense than offense.
That's where understanding equity market valuations and what they tell us about coming returns comes into play. Your initial starting conditions matter and can serve as a guide to help you know how to best position your portfolio for the period immediately ahead.
Today, let's take a look at our initial starting investment conditions. We'll look at the most current valuations and see what they are telling us about coming 3-, 5-, 7-, 10- and 12-year returns. And we'll look at what they are telling us about the level of risk.
To set the stage, it is important to note that markets go through periods of bull and bear market cycles. We love bull markets and loath bear markets. Both happen. Here is a look at the bull and bear market secular trends since 1990. Annualized returns are noted in each period.
Next is a look at the DJIA over the same period of time as the chart above. From 1966 to 1982, the DJIA lost 1.5% per year before factoring in inflation. Sixteen years averaging -1.5% per year is a long and painful run. Compounding investor pain were the inflation pressures in the 1970's and early 1980's. My personal view is that the coming restructuring of the debt will lead to a period of high interest rates and higher inflation. That's not currently factored into the 2.65% 10-year Treasury yield we see today. With valuations high and the bull market aged, the point I'm hitting hard is that risk is high and coming returns will be low. This year, next year? Don't know. Over the coming five to 12 years, I think the data you'll find below will be pretty close.
Now, if you are in your 20's or 30's, then simply find a good ETF that gives you the market at low cost, keep adding money every year and dollar cost average for the next 30 years. When the next recession resets valuations, add more, don't worry and stick to the plan. However, if you are a pre-retiree or retiree, like me, unfortunately, we just don't have the same time runway and can't afford to wait the years it will take to overcome another 50% loss on our retirement savings. For us, I suggest a more adaptive investment approach. More defense than offense today. More offense than defense after asset prices reset lower. The next recession will likely create that opportunity.
It can take time to recover from a bear market. Especially when inflation is factored in. For example, imagine you are 50, 60 or 70 years old and it is December 1999, and you were planning to retire in the next 10 to 15 years. Look at the next chart and observe how long it took, after inflation, to get back to even. And inflation matters, since we need to grow our money in order to buy things. Our initial starting conditions matter. It took 14 to 18 years to recover from the two recessionary-driven market meltdowns that occurred. I'm turning 58 in a few short weeks. Age 58 to age 72 is a long gap with zero gain.
The pink zone in the following chart is the period of time spent underwater.
The DJIA is the green line, the S&P 500 Index is the blue line and the NASDAQ is the red line.
The "hamburgers" were expensively priced in 1999, suggesting that more defense than offense was the better game plan. I argue the same is true today.
Note the gray bars in the chart. They were the two recessions and they reset valuations and improved initial starting conditions. Recessions tend to clean house and can create outstanding investment opportunities. You can buy much more for your money.
Should we play more offense than defense or more defense than offense? Valuations can help. Grab a coffee, find your favorite chair, and read on. You'll find a number of different valuation metrics and compelling data I hope you find helpful as you map your offense/defense game plan for the period ahead. I conclude today's OMR with a story about Alexander Hamilton, our first Treasury Secretary, the NYSE and a really great day.
high valuations they are likely to get 0% to 2%. Trouble spots?
Following are a number of different valuation charts, but you should be able to read through this section quickly. I do try my best to hit the high points and summarize "bottom line" what each means. Keep Buffett's quote on hamburgers in the back of your mind as you'll find consistency in the data.
Bottom line: The markets, by most measures, are expensively priced.
Note the yellow dot vs. the 1929 and 2007 market peaks.
The dotted orange line marks the tech bubble period.
The market is currently in the 95th percentile of all P/E readings since 1900.
My favorite valuation chart is median P/E. I like it because median P/E is the middle out of all the stocks in the S&P 500 Index. This method tends to eliminate one-time accounting gimmicks, etc. I also like it because we can then compare where we are valuation-wise vs. where we have been historically and then look at that historical data to see how the market did 10 years later. Meaning, putting real life performance stats to Buffett's hamburger theory. Let's look at Chart 2.
Note the red "We are here" annotation. It is lower than it was in mid-2018 but remains higher than it was in 2007 and higher than the late 1990s and early to mid-2000s.
Note the few times since 1964 where the market was this much overvalued.
Take a look at the red arrow and red circle at the bottom of the chart.
A good entry price (fairly valued "hamburgers") is when median P/E drops to the dotted green line. That is the 55-year average median P/E. At the end of February 2019, median P/E was at 22.2. It would have to decline to 17.2 to move back to that 55-year average. Look for stocks to drop to 2152.41 to be at a level where the "hamburgers" would be considered "Fair Value." That would require the market to drop by 7% from February's S&P 500 Index closing level of 2784.49.
Today, March 8, 2019, the S&P 500 is at 2730.30.
Absent recession, 2152.41 is probable in my view. With recession, I'd expect the market to move to the "undervalued" level or 1489.70 on the S&P 500 Index (red circle, bottom section of chart).
I also like how the data process considers levels of both "overvalued" and "undervalued." Perhaps that is why the market has had so much trouble at the 2800 level.
Bottom line: set your sites on the green dotted "Fair Value" line. More defense than offense until this metric improves.
When I posted this chart last February, median P/E stood at 26.8 and the S&P 500 Index was at 2823.81. Our initial starting conditions and valuations do matter!
I mentioned that valuations are a great long-term predictor of the annualized returns we're likely to get. Let's look at that in this next chart.
When valuations are high, forward returns are low. We have no idea as to the next one to two years, but we have a really good idea about the coming 10 years.
Median P/E was sorted into five quintiles that ranged from lowest median P/E readings to highest. Quintile 1 is the lowest 20% of all month-end median P/E and quintile 5 is the highest incidences.
Then what happened? Next to each quintile is the annualized return data. Shown is the annualized nominal returns (before factoring inflation) achieved 10 years later.
Today, we remain in quintile 5.
Bottom line: The stock market is richly priced, expect forward returns to be low.
Data is from 1880 to present.
The Shiller P/E is down from its 2018 high in the low to mid 30s, but still as high as the 1929 "Black Tuesday" peak.
It still remains higher than any other time with the exception of the 2000 tech bubble.
We are in the highest quintile of all monthly valuation numbers since 1880.
The chart details the returns that occurred 10 years after each month-end Shiller P/E reading. It then groups the numbers into five quintiles ranging from lowest P/Es to highest P/Es and shows the average annualized return after inflation based on each quintile.
Note the average P/E for each quintile is shown at the bottom of each blue bar.
Bottom line: you get much more return on your money when you buy low (valuations are most attractive) and least when you buy high (like today). Expect 2.4% real annualized returns over the coming 10 years (and likely a bumpy road on the way to those low returns).
Blue line tracks the percentage of household financial assets that are allocated to equities. The dotted black line is important. It tracks/plots the returns that were achieved 10 years later.
The logic is that when investors are heavily invested into stocks, there is less buying power left to drive prices higher.
The red boxes and lines mark certain dates when ownership was high and the arrows point to the returns that were forecast based on the percentage investors had in equities.
For example, note 2000 and the forecast return of -3% per year for 10 years. The dotted black line shows what the actual return turned out to be. The actual return from 2000 to 2009 came in slightly better at -2% but you get the point.
Now, take a look at the green boxes. Same concept but in reverse. Low equity percentage ownership means that there is more money available to buy stocks. And the subsequent returns tell the story.
Simply, periods of high stock ownership correlate with lower subsequent returns and low stock ownership correlates with higher subsequent returns.
As Sir John Templeton said, "The secret to my success is I buy when everyone else is selling and I sell when everyone else is buying." This chart is a demonstration of Sir John's axiom.
Finally, note how closely the dotted black line (the plotting of the actual return over a rolling 10-year period) closely tracks the blue line (percentage of stock ownership)… We geeks look at something called a correlation coefficient to see how closely one thing relates to another. Since 1951, the correlation is 0.89. 1.0 is a perfect correlation. 0.89 is very high and with data back to 1951, that is a number not to be ignored.
Bottom line: As of December 31, 2018, the potential return over the coming 10 years improved from about 1% to 3% before inflation. Better but not so great.
I added the red arrows for emphasis.
Forecasting -3.7% for equities and -0.80% for U.S. bonds over the coming seven years.
I have followed GMO's monthly forecast updates since the late 1990s. You can learn more about how they calculate their forecast at gmo.com.
Bottom line: Ugh! Remain patient. More defense than offense.
Bottom line: Most valuation metrics reflect a richly priced "overvalued" market.
This indicator takes the value of corporate equities from the Fed's Quarterly Z.1 Balance Sheet and compares it to U.S. Gross Domestic Product.
Think of the U.S. as one big business and it produces a number. In this case, GDP is used.
If your business produced $1 million and the value of all your outstanding shares times your current stock price was $2.38 million, the value of your business would be worth 138% more than what you produced.
Think of it just as a baseline measure.
You can then compare that baseline measure to points in time (history) and see just how richly priced you are relative to history.
If I'm going to buy your stock, am I paying a lot or getting a good deal? Of course, that depends on your ability to grow your sales; I can estimate that…but I want to see how much I'm paying for your shares relative to your business growth over time.
So think of all the stocks in the U.S. compared to where they have been historically. Since 1990, GDP has averaged around 3%. I suspect over time, as it has in the past, it will fluctuate between 2% and 4% with a few select periods above and below those numbers. See chart on GDP since 1990 here.
Bottom line: While slightly off from recent highs, the "Buffett Indicator" remains at the second highest level since 1950. We are not getting a lot of meat for our money. Also note the opportunities that presented in 2002 and 2008.
The chart below shows our MAPE (Margin-Adjusted P/E) on an inverted log scale (left) along with the actual subsequent S&P 500 average annual total return over the subsequent 12-year horizon. While the December decline briefly pushed our expectation for 12-year S&P 500 total returns above zero, the recent advance has driven that expected return back to negative levels, as indicated by the arrow at the lower right.
As I've often observed, the key feature of bubbles like 2000, 2007 and today is that, by the market peak, actual S&P 500 total returns over the most recent 12-year period outpace the return that one would have anticipated on the basis of valuations 12 years earlier. This is not an indication that valuations have failed, but rather an indication that prices are likely to do so.
Bottom line: Forecasting -1.25% annualized returns over the coming 12 years.
What I like about this chart is that it looks at four different valuation measures to come to what NDR terms "Normal" valuation.
Focus in on the middle section (red "We are here" arrow). Note the current "Normal" valuation reading is above 20 and in the "overvalued" zone.
Next look at the bottom right-hand section. It shows returns six months, one, two, three, five and 10 years later. These are not annualized returns. Returns are the % gain years later. So $100,000 grew to $126,200 or up 12.62% five years later.
Now compare that to when the "Normal" valuation reading was below -20. $100,000 grew to $164,530.
Bottom line: Wait for a pullback to below 0 and get very aggressive when below -20.
One last important point. Not only are returns greatest when valuations are lowest, risk is also lowest when valuations are lowest. The reverse is true as you can see in the next chart.
Bottom line: There are times to play more offense than defense and times to play more defense than offense. I suggest the playbook should be defensively minded today. Trade with stop-loss risk management rules firmly in place.
The next chart shows the NDR Global Recession Probability Model based on the Amplitude-Adjusted Composite Leading Indicators (CLIs) created by OECD for 35 countries. Each CLI contains a wide range of economic indicators, such as money supply, yield curve, building permits, consumer and business sentiment, share prices and manufacturing production. There are usually five to 10 indicators, which vary by type and weight, depending on the country, and are selected based on economic significance, cyclical behavior, and quality. The CLIs are normally released on the second Friday of each month for two months prior, or about a six-week lag. Meanwhile, the NDR Global Recession Probability Model is a forward-looking model using a two-month lead in the CLI data.
Bottom line: A score above 70 indicates high recession risks while a score below 30 means low risks.
I shared this next chart in July last year. It showed the risk of a global recession at approximately 59%. Take a look and then look at the second chart dated February 2019. We are likely in a global recession.
As for the U.S., the economy remains in ok shape but we are not immune to the global economy. You'll find my favorite recession watch indicators in the Trade Signals section below. You'll need to click on the link that will take you to Wednesday's post. My two cents: I expect the economy to continue to slow into 2020. Risk of recession late 2019 into 2020. So we may not have to wait that long before another good buying opportunity presents.
Playing defense means risk managing for recessions. A lot of analysts are suggesting better returns owning emerging market equities and fixed income. That may be true, but EM won't be immune to a U.S. recession, so I'd be patient and risk-minded with that exposure as well. Key word: Patience.
After having one of the strongest starts to a New Year in history, major stock indexes continue to test potential overhead resistance levels. Up nearly 20% from the Christmas Eve low, the markets remain over-extended. I previously shared the following chart highlighting the red zone. Then, investor pessimism was extremely high (which is a short-term bullish indicator for stocks) and I suggested the S&P 500 would recover from the December decline with a likely rally back to the "red zone." It has recovered more than that and now sits with investor sentiment in extreme optimism (which is short-term bearish for stocks). I suspect we've reached a short-term top in equities. A logical pull-back is back to the red zone. Note the red 50-day moving average (MA) line remains below the blue 200-day MA line. One last short-term note, the red circle in the bottom right section of the chart shows something called MACD. It just turned lower, suggesting the market rally is out of gas. Given the level of extreme optimism, I suspect a correction of recent gains and with Fed support back on the table, a better buying opportunity at the 200-day MA line. A break above the black line will likely then see a test of the 2018 high. No guarantees. The economy remains late cycle, expensively priced and the bull market aged. More defense than offense.
You'll see below that the MA trend signals remain in sell signals as does the 50-day vs. 200-day MA signal. Notable is the 13-week vs. 34-week trend signal just turned bullish. The Ned Davis Research CMG Large Cap Long/Flat Index remains in a 40% invested position but the trend is improving. Global recession risk remains high; however, I believe the key is the U.S. and current U.S. recession risk is low. The really bad stuff happens in recessions so let's keep close watch. The recession data updates monthly – the February month-end data is below.
In March 1982, my father loaned me his big honkin' 1979 yellow Lincoln Continental. I drove across Interstate 80 from Penn State to NYC. My destination was the New York Stock Exchange. The car totally fit right in on 42nd Street, if you remember how shady that area was back then. It really looked more like a pimp mobile with the long hood and ornament at the front of the hood. After coming through the Lincoln Tunnel, I found the first parking garage I could, jumped in a cab and raced downtown to meet a man named Freddie Block. Freddie was the institutional floor broker on the New York Stock Exchange for Montgomery Securities.
I spent the day shadowing Freddie and left mesmerized by how the stock exchange functioned. Freddie would carefully hide his hand (a large customer order to buy or sell a stock) from the specialist who handled that stock. All buying and selling met at that point. His job was to get the best price for his client. He'd tell me what he was trying to do, what he would say, the questions the specialist would ask, how he'd respond… a poker game of sorts with the sole objective to get the very best price for the client. One day on the Exchange and I knew the markets were for me.
This past Wednesday afternoon, I returned to the floor to watch my friends at Syntax Advisors and my daughter, Brianna, ring the closing bell. We arrived at 1:30 pm and before we went down to the floor, a historian gave us a brief tour and history of the Exchange.
Among many great things Alexander Hamilton did for our country, he created the first bonds. They were called the Hamilton Bonds. He had headed the first bank of the United States, which was located adjacent to the New York Stock Exchange. In the late 18th century, there was a buttonwood tree at the foot of Wall Street under which traders and speculators would gather to trade securities. The benefit was being in proximity to the bank. In 1792, traders formalized their association with the Buttonwood Agreement, which was the origin of the New York Stock Exchange (pictured above).
The idea of the agreement was to make the market more "structured" and "without the manipulative auctions," with a commission structure. Persons signing the agreement agreed to charge each other a standard commission rate; persons not signing could still participate but would be charged a higher commission for dealing. In 1789, Wall Street was the scene of the United States' first presidential inauguration when George Washington took the oath of office on the balcony of Federal Hall on April 30, 1789. This was also the location of the passing of the Bill of Rights. Alexander Hamilton, who was the first Treasury Secretary and "architect of the early United States financial system," is buried in the cemetery at the top of Wall Street at Trinity Church.
We sit in a position of privilege. The world's greatest capital markets system with the heart of the system beating in lower Manhattan at the world's largest stock exchange, the New York Stock Exchange.
A fun day: Here is part of the very excited team from Syntax and the listing of their first ETF. Much more about Syntax in letters to come. Brianna is on the far right. Dad is on the floor just down below. Click on the picture for all the excitement. A big congratulations to Syntax Advisors' CEO, Rory Riggs, his wife Margarete and the entire Syntax family. And a big hat tip to Mark Finn and his team at Vantage Consulting Group, the sub-advisor to the new Syntax Stratified Large Cap ETF. An exciting day and a very proud moment for dad to see Brie on the NYSC podium. I'm checking in happy.
I'm going to have to get next week's letter done by early Friday morning. I've been looking at late business cycle profit margins and have a few thoughts on the subject to share with you. So look for that in next week's letter. I'll load up my computer and write on another plane ride. Son Matt is in a season-ending ski event in Jackson Hole, Wyoming next Friday. He does the freestyle event (jumps and rails) and it is great fun to watch. I fly in next Thursday so I can hang out on the mountain with him. It's not such a quick in and out of Jackson Hole. Yes, skis will be traveling with me. I'm really excited to watch Matt and his teammates and it looks like we'll have some time to ski together on Saturday.
March 22 finds me in Salt Lake City presenting at the Barron's Institutional Advisor event. The calendar remains full. John Mauldin and I are speaking at a large advisor/client event in Austin, Texas on April 3 and again in Dallas for a dinner presentation on April 4.
If you have not yet registered for the Mauldin Strategic Investment Conference, it is nearly sold out. Over 575 people have registered. The max number is 650. Please send me an email if you are interested in attending and I may be able to get you a preferred rate. It's not inexpensive, but it is easily the best conference I attend each year.
Mauldin Strategic Investment Conference in Dallas is on May 13-16. A strong line-up of speakers: President George W. Bush, Howard Marks, Feliz Zulauf, Carmen Reinhart, Jeffrey Sherman, Dr. Michael Roizen, Louis-Vincent Gave, Liz Ann Sonders, Bill White, Mark Yusko, Grant Williams, Lacy Hunt, George Friedman, David Rosenberg and more… Hope to see you in Dallas.
Speaking of Rosenberg. As I was enjoying the Syntax closing bell celebration, just behind me was good friend David Rosenberg mic'ing up for a CNBC interview from the Exchange floor. I tried to catch him and find the great Art Cashin but exit is swift and I missed.
Have a great weekend! Thank you for reading On My Radar.
The Market Crash Is Coming… How Do You Prepare Yourself For It?


Confirmation classes are offered as a two year program. They begin with 9th grade class and end with 10th grade. For those in their second year of the Confirmation process, please ensure that the DRE has a copy of your Baptismal and First Holy Communion certificates. To enroll for Religious Education classes fill out our Registration Form under Faith Formation.
If you are over 18 years of age and only need to receive your Confirmation, please refer to our Religious Education program under RCIA.


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Find out more about Thunderbird School of Global Management
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Founded in 1836, Davenport is the largest of the Quad Cities. With a population of almost 100,000, it is Iowa's third largest city. In 2007, Davenport, along with neighboring Rock Island, won the City Livability Award in the small-city category from the U.S. Conference of Mayors.
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Sun Life announces Laura Money as new Chief Information Officer
TORONTO, May 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ - Sun Life Financial Inc. /zigman2/quotes/206642387/delayed CA:SLF +0.37% (NYSE: SLF ) is pleased to announce the appointment of Laura Money as Executive Vice-President and Chief Information Officer effective June 29, 2020 to continue the company's strong commitment to be a leader in technology solutions for Clients and our digital transformation journey.
Laura is joining Sun Life from a major Canadian bank where she was SVP and CIO Corporate Centre Technology. As a leader focused on innovation that makes a difference to Clients, Laura has held various senior IT and business roles throughout her career in Canadian banking and a global consulting company. Her expertise has shone in leading IT transformation projects, business transformation projects, technology infrastructure groups, strategic planning and technology development.
"We're excited to have Laura join our Sun Life team at such a pivotal and unprecedented time during our digital journey," said Dean Connor, President and CEO of Sun Life. "We've made significant progress in digitizing our business. I know that Laura will help us to accelerate on that path as we continue to deliver innovative ways of meeting and anticipating Client needs. Our focus on investing in technology over the years has been a tremendous benefit in continuing to serve our Clients in an uninterrupted way and this shift to everything digital is an outcome from the pandemic that is here to stay."
Laura will report to Kevin Strain, Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice-President, Sun Life. She succeeds Mark Saunders, EVP and Chief Information Officer, who announced his plans to retire at the end of April next year. Mark will support Laura in her transition to CIO and continue to lead in areas including real estate, procurement and shared business services as they evolve in the coming year. Mark will be leaving Sun Life as a recognized industry veteran with 12 years with the company next year, a CIO of the year in Canada in 2018 and more than three decades in technology leadership. Most recently, Mark oversaw the business continuity efforts that allowed Sun Life to seamlessly transition 95 percent of Employees globally to work from home and continue to support Clients successfully.
"I want to thank Mark for his countless contributions to Sun Life and welcome Laura to our team," said Kevin Strain, CFO and EVP, Sun Life. "Mark took technology to new levels of innovation for our Clients and Employees. Laura will build upon this momentum so we can continue to stand out in our industry for our mobile apps, digital coaches, virtual health care, mental health navigator, global advisor apps and much more to come. We're focused on our company purpose of helping our Clients achieve lifetime financial security and live healthier lives – which is more important than ever before during these difficult and physically contactless times."
About Sun Life
Sun Life is a leading international financial services organization providing insurance, wealth and asset management solutions to individual and corporate Clients. Sun Life has operations in a number of markets worldwide, including Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, India, China, Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia and Bermuda. As of March 31, 2020, Sun Life had total assets under management of $1,023 billion. For more information, please visit www.sunlife.com .
Sun Life Financial Inc. trades on the Toronto (TSX), New York (NYSE) and Philippine (PSE) stock exchanges under the ticker symbol SLF.
Note to editors: All figures in Canadian dollars
Media Relations Contact:
Catherine Melville
Assistant Vice-President, Corporate Communications
catherine.melville@sunlife.com
View original content to download multimedia: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sun-life-announces-laura-money-as-new-chief-information-officer-301066365.html
SOURCE Sun Life Financial Inc.
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28th of December, 2017 - Facts, Nostalgia and Videos!
What Day: The 28th of December, 2017, fell on a Thursday.
1 years, 3 months and 21 days have passed since the 28th of December, 2017.
Week Number: This date occurred during Week 52 of 2017.
Native American Zodiac: The 28th of December, 2017 falls under the Goose.
Age: Anyone born on the 28th of December, 2017, will be 1 years of age.
American Format: 12-28-2017 (the MDY format is also used in Belize).
YMD Format: 2017-12-28. This format is often used by software applications, simply because numbers such as "20171228" are easier to sort.
Unix Timestamp: The Unix Timestamp for this date is 1514419200.
Trending news stories and fads that were prevalent throughout this time period. These are news stories and events that would have been in the media on the 28th of December, 2017.
Donald Trump was the President of the United States on the 28th of December, 2017.
A baby that was born on the 28th of December, 2017 was probably conceived around the 20th of March, 2017. (Rough Estimate).
The due date for a baby that was conceived on the 28th of December, 2017 is the 7th of October, 2018. (Rough Estimate).
Enter your date of birth below to find out how old you were on the 28th of December, 2017.
Looking for some nostalgia? Here are some Youtube videos relating to the 28th of December, 2017. Please note that videos are automatically selected by Youtube and that results may vary! Click on the "Load Next Video" button to view the next video in the search playlist. In many cases, you'll find episodes of old TV shows, documentaries, music videos and soap dramas.
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Since this date, 494,510 meteors have entered the earth's atmosphere!
What does the 28th of December, 2017 mean to you? Were you born on this date? Did you finish school? A loved one passed away?


text:
Thunk.
fake bergs
Floating Mirrors Against Global Warming
Global cooling
Ice Rink Global Cooling
Increase the Earth's Albedo with Poor White Trash
Ping Pong Albedo Enhancement
Ping Pong Albedo Enhancement 2
Reflective planetary cooling system
Spotlights against global warming
public:global warming: albedo
Exchange all black trash bags with white ones
If we must have landfills with trash bags that someone has decreed need to last for 5 million years, then let's improve our climate situation with white bags to retain less heat and reflect more sunlight. That's all.
— RayfordSteele, Nov 30 2019
Ping_20Pong_20Albedo_20Enhancement [pertinax, Nov 30 2019]
Shade balls https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shade_balls
black [DenholmRicshaw, Nov 30 2019]
Albedo Chemtrails. https://www.cbsnews...y-today-2018-11-23/
[2 fries shy of a happy meal, Dec 01 2019]
This is just a reimagining of the "everyone should paint their roofs white" idea doing the rounds a few years back.
— Skewed, Nov 30 2019
Wouldn't it be more helpful to have a somewhat larger white surface area than afforded by landfills?
I know! ping pong balls ..
How about we manufacture enough white ping pong balls to cover the 71% of the earth that's ocean? a single thickness of ping pong balls won't restrict shipping (or even a row boat) & that should really have an effect.
Additional advantage : all that petroleum going into plastic ping pong ball manufacture means we can't burn it & might evene exhaust what fossil fuel reserves we have left, so there'll be less CO2 pumped into the air as well.
Additional additional advantage : plastic has been accused of feminising men & reducing their fertility, apparently plastic leaches oestrogen like chemicals or something? less people, less CO2 from people breathing & less other pollution.
We have a hatrick! perfect.
I think we're onto a winner here.
The generation by generation fall in world population is maybe the most effective bit ..
So maybe we should call the idea "Decrease the Worlds Libido with Cheap White Trash".
Déja vu, [skewed], déja vu (link)
— pertinax, Nov 30 2019
Dang! what can I say, I only joined in 2014 & still haven't got around ta readin em'all ;P
So, prior art, half baked & (if I could be bothered to look, which I can't) probably baked & (maybe?) even WKTE too, my anmo & your idea both.
//apparently plastic leaches oestrogen// I think that depends on where the ping-pong ball has been recently.
— MaxwellBuchanan, Nov 30 2019
<Wonders if [MB] needs to know that one of his siblings is using his computer again/>
<Decides it will be more fun to keep quiet/>
— 8th of 7, Nov 30 2019
// ping pong balls //
There's a thing called Shade balls -- link
— DenholmRicshaw, Nov 30 2019
I was a wee bit frightened to open this. But pleasantly surprised after reading. Yay, love it.
— blissmiss, Nov 30 2019
Perhaps we should discourage bald people from getting tans, or blond(e)s from dying their hair.
They could paint all the roadways and city streets with something optically transparent to visible but reflective of IR
— beanangel, Nov 30 2019
^IR reflective fish gut linings so marine bacteria are cosy warm.
— wjt, Dec 01 2019
...or chemtrails.
<out of corner eye notices a cricket pushing a tumbleweed>
Crap. I typed that out loud didn't I?
<sigh>
I'll just be over by the bar if anyone needs anything.
— 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Dec 01 2019
[Inadvertently steps on a cricket]
Eew! sticky.
[Spots a scrap of paper tangled up in a tumbleweed by his foot]
//or chemtrails//
So fly more to reduce global warming?
Mines a beer by the way.
— Skewed, Dec 01 2019
Well, there were measurable effects on weather in the post- 9/11 flying ban in the US.
If an additive could be devised to stabilize contrails, there might be a measurable drop in global temperatures.
— MaxwellBuchanan, Dec 01 2019
There was some talk not too long ago where chemtrails had been admitted to and that changing Earths albedo was given as the reason but like so many other things it just disappeared... unlike the actual chemtrails themselves. More like real contrails, which dissipate behind the aircraft and don't hang around spreading out all day.
Here's a CBC news article on exactly this but written as though it's just being discussed and not already being done.
//written as though it's just being discussed//
They're always doing that.
I remember being promised by the BBC & all the major news rags back when I was 18 that (thanks to all the chemicals leaching from plastic) I'd have no younger competition for 18 & 20 something girls (who'd all have really big mammaries) before I was 40 because males exposed to those chemicals during their formative years would have tiny dicks, even smaller libidos & zero fertility .. I'm over fifty now & it still hasn't happened.
But whenever it gets a new mention it's still always presented as if it's some sort of new news, instead of the really old olds that it is.
Not sure which I'm most annoyed about.
That the predicted over abundance of frustrated sex deprived young women didn't happen.
Or that they appear to think I'm so stupid I can't remember far enough back to know it's not actually news.
They promised flying cars, too, and "power too cheap to meter" ... and a bunch of other stuff.
You have a perfect right to feel cheated.
— 8th of 7, Dec 01 2019
All of those things could have existed by now so yes... yes we do.
[RayfordSteele], fair enough. One problem -- the trash bags end up burried in landfils, below the trash with lower albedo.
[DenholmRicshaw], shade balls would way too heavy, but oil with aluminum suspension spilled in the oceans just might.
— Mindey, Dec 02 2019
//There was some talk not too long ago where chemtrails had been admitted to and that changing Earths albedo was given as the reason but like so many other things it just disappeared..// Yeah, right.
//right//
A conspiracy theory yes, so certainly true there was 'some conversation' :)
//some conversation//
Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, John O. Brennan addressed instability and transnational threats to global security at a meeting with the Council on Foreign Relations. During his long-winded talk of threats to US interests and how the largely CIA-created ISIL threat is impacting the world, Brennan brought up the topic of geoengineering.
"Another example is the array of technologies—often referred to collectively as geoengineering—that potentially could help reverse the warming effects of global climate change. One that has gained my personal attention is stratospheric aerosol injection, or SAI, a method of seeding the stratosphere with particles that can help reflect the sun's heat, in much the same way that volcanic eruptions do."
Brennan went on to echo the calls from some scientists who have called for aerial spraying.
"An SAI program could limit global temperature increases, reducing some risks associated with higher temperatures and providing the world economy additional time to transition from fossil fuels. The process is also relatively inexpensive—the National Research Council estimates that a fully deployed SAI program would cost about $10 billion yearly."
The extent at which Brennan talked about stratospheric aerosol injection shows that he and the CIA have likely been considering this for some time.
"As promising as it may be, moving forward on SAI would raise a number of challenges for our government and for the international community. On the technical side, greenhouse gas emission reductions would still have to accompany SAI to address other climate change effects, such as ocean acidification, because SAI alone would not remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere."
"On the geopolitical side, the technology's potential to alter weather patterns and benefit certain regions at the expense of others could trigger sharp opposition by some nations. Others might seize on SAI's benefits and back away from their commitment to carbon dioxide reductions. And, as with other breakthrough technologies, global norms and standards are lacking to guide the deployment and implementation of SAI."
//The extent at which Brennan talked about stratospheric aerosol injection shows that he and the CIA have likely been considering this for some time//
Yes but they gave The Men Who Stare at Goats rather a lot of serious consideration too so I'm not so sure that's really much of an endorsement.
Not (I hasten to add) that I'm in any way trying to suggest the idea doesn't have merit.
Just that CIA support for it is probably a minus when it comes to trying to sell the idea :)
Despite the intelligence in the name they're not exactly known for smarts after all.
Well, it's jolly interesting that Brennan talked about cloud- seeding the stratosphere. Obviously that can only be a thinly-veiled reference to the fact that commercial aircraft at 30-35,000ft are dispersing chemicals in order to mind- control everyone. I mean, obviously the pilot is going to swerve a few dozen miles to avoid flying over his family (and the families of his fellow pilots, who are all in on this). Presumably they do it in order to suppress the potentially dangerous dowsing abilities of sasquatch.
Safest thing, obvs, is to hold your breath any time you can see a plane.
Laugh it up. Fill yer boots.
What is ionospherically deployed from the other side of the world may be designed to land much farther than it was first dispersed. Elevation determines trade winds, which determines dispersal targets by particulate weight.
Why bomb other countries and make a big international stink when you can just gas them from a distance?
...under the guise of deflecting sunlight.
I could be totally wrong, and I am more than fully willing to admit that in a heartbeat... it's just that, when you get raised by a con-man and learn how they think at a young age... and then reject it... you don't get to ever look at anything ever again without seeing whatever potential angles went into it's make-up and getting a feel for things.
Even on an international scale.
Snakes are always gonna be snakes.
Sometimes something that looks like a snake is actually a legless lizard, or an eel.
So, we're up to the ionosphere now? Well, it's jolly impressive not only that they can get the stuff up there, but that they can figure out where it's going to land after drifting half way around the world. But since all countries everywhere are clearly doing this, you have to wonder what the net advantage is.
//under the guise of deflecting sunlight//
You know how China used to manage pest control for flies right?
At the first detection of the intercontinental aerosol attack (they no doubt have detector planes patrolling likely vectors of approach & it may be visible by satellite) they'll just instruct the entire population to step outside with their hairdryers on extension leads & point them at the sky on maximum heat & full blast .. the warm updraft will push the airborne attack up, timed to drop on the sender after another global part circuit.
Garden bonfires & home heating on full with the doors & windows open might be used for additional lift if needed.


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Wallet backups and other DB examination are easily possible in a safe, atomic, transactional fashion... if and only if DB_PRIVATE flag is removed.
What, if any, problems arise from doing this? Obviously, this does not cover the non-db4 databases such as the block data file.
DB_PRIVATE enables a few optimizations by making the assumption that only one process will access the db4 database. Notably, this flag enables db4 to use pthreads-style mutex locking rather than heavy, operating-system-provided flock and shared memory. Ref: DB_ENV->open documentation.
The general motivation is that db4 databases can be safely accessed in parallel with bitcoin client, assuming (a) DB_PRIVATE is removed and (b) bitcoin properly uses db4 transactions. db4 transactions may even be employed to wrap around non-db4 data such as blk0001.dat, if the code is properly architected.
Trying it without the DB_PRIVATE flag in rev 153. We need to keep an eye on what's different.
On Windows at least, it creates six __db.001 - __db.006 files with sizes from 24K to 4MB. It doesn't delete them on exit, it just leaves them behind.
The docs say it uses memory mapped files. I assume they have the same file permissions as the database files, so the same user access restrictions apply.
I wasn't expecting them to come out exactly the same.
Great, thanks! Removing DB_PRIVATE should enable useful tools like gavin's bitcointools.


Come see my popular conference sessions scheduled so far this year. If you are a Hyperion/EPM/BI System Administrator or will soon become one, these sessions are a must!!
Shoot me an email if you plan on attending!
Hyperion User Group Minnesota's techday2010. March 11. Solera Restaurant, Minneapolis, MN.
Southwest Regional OAUG Conference. March 19th, Hilton Irvine/Orange County Airport, CA.
OAUG Collaborate 2010. April 18-22, Mandalay Bay Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV.
~ by Eric Helmer on February 8, 2010.


Experience the the economy and culture of Hong Kong! Join Dr. Trey Denton on an 11-day intensive immersion into the business practices that characterize contemporary Hong Kong and in East Asia. Learn about the challenges and successes the Special Administrative Region faces as it continues to innovate, engage in growth, and face the inequalities and challenges left in the wake of its colonial past and current relationship with mainland China.
Undergraduate students in the BBA program may use this course as a substitute for their BUSA 4131 requirement. Other undergraduates may use this course as a free-elective. MBA students may use this course as a substitute for their "international" requirement, BUSA 7130, and MAcc students may use this as an approved elective.
Undergraduate students should have a declared business major and at least 45 credit hours at the time of application, with a 2.5 GPA. Graduate students should have graduate standing and permission of the Director of Graduate Programs for the College of Business. All students should have no active disciplinary record with the institution. All students must be fully admitted to the institution, and at least 18 years of age by the program departure date.
Student will enroll for credit and attend additional course meetings in the Spring 2019 term.
Students should plan to depart the U.S. on December 8 to arrive to Hong Kong on December 9.
Includes: All regional and local transportation; lodging for the duration of the program; breakfast everyday; several lunches and dinners; tour and entrance expenses; guest lectures; site visits to local companies and businesses; and insurance coverage.
Additional Costs: Tuition & fees for 3 credit hours of course enrollment, round-trip airfare to Hong Kong, and additional meals/personal expenses not included in the program cost.
Students will experience and learn to navigate concepts about issues critical to successful business practices in the globalized economic environment.
Through visiting Hong Kong, students will learn how the colonial past of the territory influenced its rapid industrialization and economic boom to join the club of "Four Asian Tigers," rapidly emerging economies in the Asia-Pacific that maintained high rates of economic expansion for several decades. Hong Kong is now notorious as a major economic and transit hub, serving as the world's seventh largest trading entity characterized by low simple taxation and minimal government intervention in the market. Its characteristics attract high levels of capital investment and many international and regional corporations elect to house their Asia-Pacific headquarters in Hong-Kong.
Specifically, students will gain tremendous insight into concepts such as financial regulation and interest rates, unemployment, GDP, social welfare spending, Foreign Direct Investment, wealth inequity, public debt, port services/shipping, export services, taxation and property revenue, luxury property development, and migrant labor and labor laws.
Need to learn more about Hong Kong? Check out this interactive feature!
All payments should be made through the Georgia Southern Studies Abroad College of Business Asia Marketplace webpage.
Once accepted to the program, all payments are non-refundable.


For all of its financial success, Star Wars: The Last Jedi has become quite a controversial offering from Lucasfilm. As everyone knows, it saw the long-awaited return of Luke Skywalker, which came two years after his famously silent cameo in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. In the story, this occurs roughly three decades after his victory in Return of the Jedi.
Yet, there's been a strong backlash against The Last Jedi. Many enthusiasts have even asked for the film to be struck from the canon, with a large portion of the anger stemming from Luke's characterization as a disillusioned and downtrodden Jedi, which fans have decried as too different from his younger self.
Of course, he's since gone on the record to admit that he was wrong and regrets airing his doubts and fears in public, but it turns out that it wasn't only Episode VIII that gave Hamill some second thoughts, as he also had issues with the script for Return of the Jedi when he first read it.
While we can't see Hamill's suggested nudist colony escape plan becoming canon anytime soon, we suspect there's a good chance the character could return in some form in Episode IX. Potentially in a flashback to his training of Kylo Ren at the Jedi Academy but most likely as a Force ghost. After all, TLJ director Rian Johnson has already explained that he thought his decision opened up "more possibilities" for what his successor J.J. Abrams could do with Luke in the next movie.
It'll be a while yet before we learn whether or not we'll ever see Hamill's character again, but in the meantime, you can relive Luke's final (?) moments when Star Wars: The Last Jedi arrives on Digital HD on March 13th and on Blu-ray March 27th.


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The Need for the "Good-Feel" Vibe of Photobooths during the COVID Era
Photobooths are one of the oldest, most recognized products in the coin-operated amusement industry. The first photobooth was introduced over 130 years ago at the World Fair in Paris in 1889. It wasn't until 1925 that the photobooth was mass-produced by a Russian immigrant, Anatol Josepho, in New York City, yet almost 100 years later photobooths have continued to make us smile. The first photobooths were the familiar black and white stripes, but as photography and technology have evolved through the years so has the photobooth. Today photobooths use digital cameras and cutting-edge technology to not only provide smiles but also to deliver customized, unique experiences for the customer.
While photobooths have a long history, they are far from being a relic even in the age of the smartphone. Photobooths have survived wars, recessions, polaroid cameras, the digital camera, the smartphone, and now a pandemic. But how? Photobooths are embedded in American culture with an apple pie like nostalgia. Many grandparents have youthful memories of snaps taken in five-and-dime stores or may recall Andy Warhol's photobooth strip inspired artistry. Parents may remember photobooths at their weddings or other meaningful life events. Today children of all ages and their parents, and maybe even grandparents too, continue to step into photobooths operating in an ever-
expanding entertainment universe at locations like family entertainment centers, malls, movie theaters, zoos, aquariums, museums, bars, restaurants, theme parks, major league sports venues, bowling centers, and arcades. Photobooths appeal to all generations, blending the nostalgia of the traditional photobooth with the innovation of the new experiential photobooths.
Modern photobooths still capture the simple joys in life like a silly photo with a friend, a
memory of a favorite outing, or a secret kiss, but now these moments can be amplified. You can take a silly photo with 10 of your favorite friends in the Face Place Photo Studio Deluxe. You can celebrate the exciting moment you finally saw a long-awaited blockbuster film release surrounded by characters from
the film in the Face Place Movie Booth. You can share a cosmic kiss with your partner in space in the Face Place Scene Machine. However, the most advanced photobooths on the market today do more than capture the smiles and memories of all those simple joys in life, they provide an immersive experience for the customer.
Technological innovations have paved the way for a new completely unique photobooth experience. Rather than going to a different photobooth for a new experience, you can now have multiple experiences in the same photobooth. Much like the beloved childhood Choose Your Own Adventure books, photobooths today let you choose your own unique photo experience. In the Face Place Marvel Adventure Lab, you can transform into your favorite Marvel superheroes, posing right
alongside of them. The Marvel Adventure Lab uses the voice of J.A.R.V.I.S from Iron Man to direct you to strike your best superhero pose, punch, grimace as you battle villains, and ultimately smile victoriously. Maybe you'll choose to pose like you're shooting webs alongside Spider-Man in your very own comic book cover? Or maybe you want to be part of a comic story in an action-packed battle scene alongside Guardians of the Galaxy? You have the option of returning time and time again for a different
experience with a new Marvel superhero…Black Panther, Thor, Iron Man, Captain Marvel, etc. Each time you enter the Marvel Adventure Lab, J.A.R.V.I.S. guides your imagination through a new self- selected comic experience.
While each photobooth experience may be different, there is one constant for the customers…they always smile! Allen Weisberg, CEO of Apple Industries, the manufacturer of Face Place, Photobooths has always been inspired by the wisdom that, "An entertainment location owner's job is
for the customer to have a good time. The customer doesn't need to know why they had a good time, but they just need to know they had a good time." Customers return to places and locations where they remember having a good time. Photostrips and prints are physical manifestations of the good vibe feeling attached to a photobooth and a location. The lighting and the camera settings in the photobooth are always set to make the customer look their best and all photobooth experiences, as varied as they may be, provide ample opportunities for smiles.
Photobooths have thrived in the coin-operated amusement industry, outlasting competitors, for almost 100 years because they provide consumers the perfect blend of old and new. They offer a timeless entertainment experience combined with new technology pushing the traditional boundaries of the photobooth concept. In the era of COVID, customers are looking for the comforts and the familiarity of the past but are also voraciously seeking new entertainment experiences as the venture out again. During COVID there have been many challenges and so much more sadness than joy. Photobooths give customers a reason to feel good, a reason to smile, a moment to escape the "new normal" and maybe now more than ever… that's just what we need!
Category: Photobooth tipsBy Apple Industries October 16, 2020
Author: Apple Industries
PreviousPrevious post:How to Make Your Photo Booth Business Stand Out
How to Make Your Photo Booth Business Stand Out


Begged his parents for a piano.
Began piano lessons at eight, sang in the church choir, played the organ and taught piano while in high school.
Equally talented in art and music. Always interested in philosophy, education and the arts.
Graduated from Lebanon Valley College, Columbia University Teachers College and did post graduate work in California at USC. Served in the US Army for two years in Georgia.
Taught at Southern Illinois University five years before moving to Denver to teach at the University of Denver School of Music.
With his wife, Carolyn, established the Shaak Music Studio, composed numerous books of instructional piano music.
Together they gave solo and two-piano recitals and presented workshops and seminars.


The Basic Guide to Dental Procedures provides an indispensable induction to the core preventative and restorative treatments routinely carried out in the modern dental practice. Written as an introductory guide for the whole dental team, it makes no attempt to explain the theory and clinical technique behind each procedure in detail. Rather, with the aid of 'before and after' colour illustration it offers sufficient overview to enable the reader to understand and explain procedures to their patient with confidence. Each section is clearly structured to cover the reasoning behind the treatment described, the relevant dental background, the basics of how each procedure is carried out and if applicable, aftercare information.


Reading standard: Students read, view, analyse, critique, reflect on and discuss contemporary and classical imaginative texts that explore personal, social, cultural and political issues of significance in their own lives. They will also read, view, analyse and discuss a wide range of informative and persuasive texts and identify the multiple purposes for which texts are created. They explain how texts are shaped by time, place and cultural setting in which they are created.
Writing standard: Students write persuasive texts dealing with complex ideas and issues and control the linguistic structures and features that support the presentation of different perspectives on complex themes and issues.
Speaking and listening standard: Students engaged in discussion, they compare ideas, build on others' ideas, provide and justify other points of view, and reach conclusions that take into account of aspects of an issue.


It has been revealed that the operator of the Fukushima nuclear plant knew about leaks of radioactive groundwater into the ocean a month before it publicly disclosed the problem.
Japan's nuclear watchdog has rebuked The Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) for its slack response to the leaks.
TEPCO admitted earlier this week that contaminated groundwater from the crippled Fukushima plant was leaching into the Pacific Ocean.
It has now been revealed that the plant operator knew about the problem a month ago, but despite that TEPCO continued to downplay any threat of radioactive run-off reaching the ocean.
TEPCO's inability to stem the flow of contaminated water has earned it a rare rebuke from Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority.
About 400 tonnes of groundwater flows into the plant every day and becomes contaminated.
The head of the Nuclear Regulation Authority believes contamination of the sea has been continuing since the explosions at Fukushima following the 2011 tsunami.
TEPCO had previously failed to confirm the ground water leakage, more than two years after the worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl in 1986.
Masayuki Ono, TEPCO's general manager, told a news conference this week: "We would like to offer our deep apology for causing grave worries for many people, especially for people in Fukushima."


Alan Paller is director of research for the SANS Institute, a provider of security training and certification.
Alan Paller: And the trouble with lawyers.
A few Sundays ago, two visitors from a large law firm in New York came to my home for conversation. The managing partner and IT partner flew to Washington to talk about what they might do in the aftermath of a troubling visit they had had from the FBI.
Here's how the conversation went (after getting them coffee).
Alan: What exactly did the FBI agents tell you?
Attorneys: They said that our files had been found on a server in another country. The server was used as a way station for sending data to a large Asian country. Off the record they said it was China.
Alan: Did they tell you which files?
Attorneys: They showed us a listing of what they had. It was all our client files.
Alan: What would you like to know?
Attorneys: We understand we cannot get the files back, but we would like to know why they were stolen and how they are likely to be used. And then we hope you'll tell us how we can stop those attacks in the future.
Alan: The first part is straightforward; the second is very hard. The Chinese People's Liberation Army runs a very active industrial espionage program because the PLA has the joint mission of ensuring both military and economic security. So when companies from another country attempt to do business with a Chinese company or agency, in an important area of technology, the PLA helps give their side an advantage by stealing data from the other side using the same targeted cyber intrusion techniques they use to steal military secrets. They are after the "play books," the collection of documents that tell what the company is willing to give up and where they will hold the line. That data gives them an advantage in negotiations. Sometimes, as in the Google case, they just steal the technology they want.
Attorneys: How do you know that?
Alan: Because Jonathan Evans, Director General of the British Security Service (MI-5) sent a private letter to the Managing Directors of the 300 largest companies in the UK telling them that this was happening . (At that time I was unaware that Bear Bryant, the U.S. Counter Intelligence Executive in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence was going to tell the U.S. the same thing in a press briefing in November).
Attorneys: That makes sense, but what does that have to do with us?
Alan: What the MI-5 director told the MDs was that their information was as likely to be stolen from their attorneys and international consultants as from their own computers. Most law firms have very weak security, attorneys are often arrogant so they don't pay attention to security notices and guidelines, and the important files relating to clients' international activities are usually much easier to find in the law firms' files than in the corporate files.
So the question is, Do you have any clients doing business in China?
Alan: So I have a question. What are you planning to tell your clients?
Attorneys: Are you crazy? Can you think of a better way to destroy their trust in us than letting them know we had lost every documents they gave us under (attorney-client) privilege.?
Alan: So let's talk about how the attackers find you and how they get in and that may help you in stopping future intrusions.


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Q: qgis-grass-plugin7 problem updating 2.18.12 ->2.18.13 (win10-linux) after updating qgis to  2.18.13 version (and GRASS from 7.2.1 to 7.2.2) via OSGeo4W advanced setup on win10 (and via repository on linux mint 18.1) the qgis-grass-plugin7 has disappeared from the list of available plugins.
This is the processing->options->programs:
How can i fix this problem?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


The XXIII Olympic Winter games are upon us. It's the biggest winter sporting event in the world - and it's all going down this year in South Korea.
More than 2,500 athletes from 90 nations will travel to the country to compete in ice and snow, and estimates indicate over one billion viewers expect to tune in to watch.
The 2018 Winter Olympics will be held in Pyeongchang, South Korea, taking place from February 9 to February 25, with the opening ceremony starting at 11 am GMT on the first day, or 6 am EST. A record 92 nations applied to compete in this year's games, and the event has also made headlines as North and South Korea will enter the Opening Ceremony marching under one flag.
Like it did the Super Bowl, NBC is set to broadcast this year's Olympics. It will be broadcast on various NBC networks, including NBC, NBCSN, and USA Network. NBC will present 176 hours of live coverage, from February 8 at 8 pm ET to February 25. However, the Pyeongchang Games officially begin on NBCSN on February 7. It will have 369 hours of coverage, including live primetime, starting 11pm EST.
NBCSN will also broadcast 10 days of 24-hour coverage from February 18 to February 25. As for CNBC, it will present 46 hours of coverage, from February 12 to February 23. And finally, USA Network will present 40.5 hours of coverage, mostly between 7am 9:30am EST. Coverage begins on February 10. If you have a cable subscription in the US, you can easily watch the games from your TV.
You can watch on most modern browsers, too, via NBCOlympics.com, but you need a cable subscription to do that. The NBC Sports app will present more than 1,800 hours of streaming coverage, as well, including live streaming of all NBC network primetime broadcasts. It is available on iPhone, iPad, Android, Windows, Amazon Fire, Roku, and more. Unfortunately, it does require a cable login.
However, there is a workaround if you try a skinny TV streaming service. Just subscribe to one of the following that offers NBC Sports in your area: DirecTV Now (starts at $35 monthly), Fubo TV (starts at $17.99 monthly), Hulu with Live TV (starts at $40 montly), Playstation Vue (starts at $39.99 monthly), Sling TV (starts at $25 monthly with Blue package), and YouTube TV (starts at $35 monthly).
All these services do come with free trials, which may be all you need, so be sure to sign up for those if possible. These services will work across a range of set-top boxes and media players, like Apple TV, PS4, Xbox, Fire TV, and Roku. You only need to search for the skinny TV streaming service on your device, subscribe to it (if necessary), and navigate to the NBC Sports app from within that service.
You can stream the games for free over the air using an antenna, which picks up a local NBC station in 1080p high-definition, as long as you live close enough. Check the AntennaWeb site for recommendations on antennas and how to get started with them.
The Winter Games is only available in certain regions and locations. If your ISP is throttling you or throwing up a region-based broadcasting limitation, you can always use a virtual private network (VPN), such as PureVPN, to access a network's website from anywhere.
Both Eurosport and the BBC will broadcast live coverage in the UK.
BBC One, BBC Two, Eurosport 1, and Eurosport 2 plan to air all the events.
The BBC will also have nightly highlights on BBC Two, allowing you to catch up all the action from the day.
You can watch via your TV, the website, BBC iPlayer, or the BBC Sport app - although you're supposed to have a valid TV licence and may need to log in.
Naturally everything will be streamed online - whether live or on demand - in HD and you can also access highlights and so on via the red button.
Daily coverage is taking place on a huge scale - there will be action on either BBC One or Two from midnight until 8pm (yes, all night and all day) for the full 17 day duration of the Winter Games. The TV coverage is being hosted by Clare Balding and Hazel Irvine, joined by Eilidh Barbour and Radzi Chinyanganya.
There;s also coverage on BBC Radio 5 Live, too, hosted by Eleanor Oldroyd and Rob Hatch. The breakfast programme will be the first to bring listeners overnight key activity from Pyeongchang.
As for streaming with Eurosport, you can use the Eurosport Player. However, you need a day pass, which costs £4.99, or an annual pass, which costs £29.99. It gives you access to both channels on a range of devices all year round.
Eurosport will broadcast live coverage across Europe. Eurosport 1, and Eurosport 2 plan to air all the events.
Again, you can also buy access to the Eurosport Player.
If you're unable to watch the games due to geo-blocking, never fear. Simply register with a virtual private network, or VPN, tostart streaming the Winter Olympics. Sign up with PureVPN, then download one of the several apps for your chosen Mac, Windows PC, Kodi player, iPhone, Android or router. Connect to one of the servers hosted in the United States, then use a local service to stream the games live.
Another option is to check with your local broadcasting network to see if they are showing the game. To watch the Winter Olympics in the United Kingdom, for example, you can watch free of charge via BBC iPlayer as long as you have a TV license.


openmedia: DSE AU site is down at the moment. Is their model network unlocked?
yes says unlocked on the pic above.
Working for me on Telstra cable, yes it's unlocked - "HUAWEI Ideos X5 Android™ Unlocked Mobile"
The picture of the aussie one looks different for some reason,notice it doesnt have buttons down the bottom.
webup: do i then need to use the phone or open it before arriving back here so i dont pay gst here on bringing it in?
That's up to Customs, usually they won't hassle you but if it's been opened and used there's probably less chance of them trying to ping you for it. You can actually open and use the item before you get to the airport (unlike duty free goods), you just need to have purchased it less than 30 days before you leave.
I think you can use it prior, but bring the box and all accessories/original packaging and documentation on to the plane with you in hand luggage.
I might even buy it online now from the Australian site and have it sent to my friends house.
It doesn't hurt to have the boxes with you, but I've claimed an SLR, lense & camera bag before which wasn't in its original box (it was in the camera bag).
Just went to Hornby and bought one.
webup: Just went to Hornby and bought one.
Lols. My friend bought a regular SDHC instead of a Micro SDHC after he got his one.
I love it. It's a great phone.
Nice re the DSU Au price and I have a mate going to Melbourne this weekend!
When is the X6 expected to arrive though?
PB Technologies have a pretty good price for the X5 and the trade price for those eligible, although not as good as Aussie, isn't too far away.


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Community Health Sciences Contacts
Home » Directory of People » Jennifer Hatfield
Jennifer Hatfield
Teaching Research & Wellness 3E44
jhatfiel@ucalgary.ca
Dr Hatfield was Associate Dean Global Health and International Partnerships from 2009-2014 and has recently competed her term as Associate Dean Strategic Partnerships and Community Engagement in the Cumming School of Medicine 2014-2019. She is a researcher, educator and leader in global health with a focus on public health, gender, and maternal and new born child health in low and middle income countries. She is dedicated to promoting scholarship in the area of global health research governance that promotes ethical and equitable partnerships and principles. Most recently she has worked on initiatives to build capacity at the Cumming School in indigenous health.
Dr. Hatfield is leading many innovative research projects around the world on behalf of Canada and the University of Calgary. She is co leader of the One Health Field School in Tanzania and is engaged in the development of two Schools of Public Health, one in Tanzania and one in Nepal. As a Senior Mentor for the United Nations Institute for Training and Research, she participated in post-conflict reconstruction leadership development projects with health sector, civil service and NGO professionals in Afghanistan. As co-chair of the Canadian Coalition for Global Health Task Group on Global Health Research Partnerships, Dr. Hatfield was part of an international leadership team working to promote and improve partnerships between researchers in Canada and lower and middle-income countries. Over the last five years was the Chair of the Canadian University Advisory Council on Global Health Research which unites 24 universities across Canada in their efforts to build capacity in Canada and abroad.
Through her work as a mentor and facilitator, she has supervised dozens of graduate and undergraduate student research projects in Canada and abroad. She is committed to both building the capacity of the Cumming School of Medicine to respond global health challenges and to ensuring that the next generation of researchers and clinicians will be ready for the future as global citizens.
jennifer-hatfield-cv.pdf


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Home	CompaniesB2B	Atlanta Firm Boosts ROI Through Virtual Reality
B2BFeature
by Heather Seelbach January 5, 2021
"We're in the midst of a second industrial revolution — the automation revolution," said Automation Intelligence co-founder Richard Schrade III. "Our economy demands products to be delivered faster, more customized, and produced cheaper. This requires an industry beyond humans. So we provide clarity and analytical support to companies who wish to innovate their industrial assets."
As a consulting firm based in Midtown, Atlanta, Automation Intelligence leverages technology such as rapid prototyping, virtual commissioning, machine learning, and virtual reality to solve an array of problems for fields such as eCommerce, Bio-Pharma, and Aerospace.
Rapid prototyping enables a company to assess the value of an investment, and find hidden flaws not obvious in a static model. Prototyping offers benefits such as proof of concept and efficient collaboration.
"We shift that prototyping and evaluating of robotics into a physics-based virtual world that all exists inside of our computer," said Schrade. "I say that it replicates the real world with 85% precision."
Demonstration of Automation Intelligence's prototyping capabilities
With virtual commissioning, Automation Intelligence creates a digital twin of a facility that allows a company to test programming of automated equipment offline with no shutdowns required.
"Using innovative Digital Twin technology, we create a virtual replica of a new system and optimize it before building it," said Schrade. "We can improve a factory that hasn't been built. We find what will go wrong before it does. This increases the efficiency of money-making assets, reduces the risk of disastrous cost overruns, and creates a safer working environment for people."
With artificial intelligence and machine learning, a company can utilize Automation Intelligence's proprietary prediction and classification algorithms to uncover insights within their own data sets. Machine learning models allow a company to test an infinite number of hypotheses in a safe, virtual environment.
"What we can do is basically connect the computers that will make the decisions for the target facility in our model," said Schrade. "We trick their computers into thinking they are running the real system when really they're not. That allows us to test a site that is performing poorly or a site that is not open yet. We can recreate the factory or facility in this virtual world, test it really quickly, and iron out all of the kinks. Typically, it would take six weeks to commission that, and it requires having all the engineers on the floor to see what works. We can shorten that typically by about 50%."
Virtual reality allows companies to see and experience a facility long before it is built. Through the use of HTC Vive, companies can interact with machines, computer screens, and objects like scanners and tablets to test and train before start-up.
"We can allow future operators or workers in these facilities to train and get familiar and learn the system," said Schrade. "That's one thing that we also offer towards the end of virtual commissioning. Let's say you're hiring and you don't want to train somebody on the real system, this is especially prevalent in pharmaceuticals where there's too much on the line for a novice person to make a mistake. We train them in virtual reality, throw wrenches at them, and make sure they check all the boxes when they're doing certain tasks. It's a really interactive and immersive way for people to get comfortable with their working environment and learn what to do."
Schrade said one of the biggest hurdles of his business is the educational component of showing potential clients what is possible with the type of technology Automation Intelligence provides. However, he said Atlanta has been very receptive.
"I think that there's an exciting future for automation in America," said Schrade. "I think Atlanta is and will continue to be a really powerful player when it comes to smart logistics and intelligence automation."
Currently, Automation Intelligence operates as a consulting firm, but Schrade hopes the company can expand by adding a product component.
"Our vision for the company is to create more intelligence for these automated systems. Rather than doing 'if this, then that,' we want to replace that with a machine learning model or with an operations research model," said Schrade. "Something that can make the perfect decision every time and in some cases increase the throughput or increase the capacity of the system by five to ten percent in some cases just by changing one decision, or implementing one-piece or changing one thing. That's where we are taking this company – building out this intellectual property that we can take to companies who have these circumstances and small little targeted problems and give them a better way to do that."
Co-founders Richard Schrade III and Ari Siesser met while completing their undergraduate degrees in Industrial Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
"We were in senior design together. Ari went on to do his Masters in Analytics and was in the Machine Learning Ph.D. Program when he left to start this company with me," said Schrade.
The Automation Intelligence team currently consists of nine employees who specialize in various fields such as engineering and robotics. The industrial automation consulting firm has always embraced a remote culture, even prior to COVID. Schrade lives in Nashville Tennessee, while Siesser lives in Atlanta.
"We've got people that work all over," said Schrade. "We do have a small office in Midtown Atlanta where we can all have a home base. We like to recruit and hire interns out of Georgia Tech, and that office allows them the opportunity to get immersive face-to-face training."
AtlantaAutomation IntelligenceDigital Twinmidtownprototypingtechnologyvirtual reality
Heather Seelbach
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IGNITING THE SPARK with Nick Hocart, Chizu Media
5th September 2017 by David Farquharson
Nick Hocart
The moment that ignited the spark in me was…
I can't narrow it down to one moment. I moved to London after high school and started working for a start-up when I was 19. During the next eight years, the business became quite successful. Having seen first-hand what works to generate success, I felt it was time for me to attempt to do my own thing. So, it wasn't one single event but rather, the experience of joining a young business, being a part of its growth, and then having the self-belief to go it alone.
The thing that's most surprised me since I made that move is…
The amount of learning never slows down. Each day brings new problems to solve, there's so many more skills you need to master when you're on your own in comparison to when you've got the support network of a larger team (and an experienced boss) around you.
The toughest challenge I've faced is…
There's been many! Off the top of my head, a seed investment we made into a start-up company became problematic when the founder acted outside of the agreed purpose for the funds, and it became apparent he had been outright dishonest in his dealings with us. Forgetting about how quickly barrister fees rack up, it's a lot of wasted time, energy and resources over a prolonged period of time. Dave and Ignition provided us with close support throughout and we did eventually have a successful outcome. There was a lot of stress, but it's all part of the learning curve.
My biggest success has been…
I hope it's still ahead of me! On Sunday 8th October, we will be premiering British composer Roy Budd's orchestral score to the 1925 silent film The Phantom of the Opera at the London Coliseum with a 77-piece orchestra. That will potentially be my biggest professional achievement to date. I don't think my excitement is at its peak yet, as there is still a lot of work to be done, so I have to keep my focus, but, it's starting to look pretty good.
I'm very good at…
Getting things done! I dropped out of mainstream high school to study music at a specialist school as I wanted to pursue a career in music, before a change of focus led me to working in finance and investing for the next decade plus. I tend to get involved in things due to personal interest, and once I start something I fully immerse myself and see each challenge through to successful completion.
The type of person I look to recruit into my organisation is…
I look for young people who are very keen to learn. They don't need a degree, or a complete life plan; they just need a positive disposition and a willingness to learn and work hard.
The part of my day I most look forward to is…
Anytime, I just get on with it!
If I could give my 18-year old self one piece of advice it would be…
18 year olds, along with most teenagers, already know everything, there wouldn't be much that I could say that would make much of a difference….
Outside of work I can be found…
Behind the drums in a dark bar with my cover band of fellow reprobates!
My philosophy on life is…
Give everything a go!
What I like about working with Ignition Law…
I've been working with Dave since my first start up in 2009. Working with Dave and the team has hammered home the importance of taking advice from the outset when making investments and getting involved in projects. We all know the upside when things go well, but it pays to get a 'divorce' plan in place too. Even if funds are limited in your start-up, budgeting in some advice up front is definitely money well spent. Ignition are always available at short notice, they're reactive, forthcoming with ideas, recommendations and introductions along the way. My only worry is, they will get too popular as word gets out!
Nick's production of Roy Budd's score to Phantom of the Opera will premiere at the London Coliseum on Sunday 8th October at 5pm. For tickets visit londoncoliseum.org
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I love time lapse photography. The developments of landscapes are one of life's little rewards for those who install them. In fact, aside from the pleasure of rendering a bowl of dust or mud into something far more than that, it is the second-most Primary Benefit of the trade. You can enlarge many of these pictures by left-clicking.
Two years is a short period of time for a landscape. After one, this actually approached what it looked like.
And the lawn! Can't fergit the lawn!!
Incredibly enough, I actually get paid to do all this!
For new homes or businesses, one needs a hole approximately twice the size of the pot the plants is contained in. While excavating, attention needs to be paid to the overall soil quality, especially in new subdivisions where fill was used to establish the overall grade. I mention this because there are fills which are problematic. Rocks and such are endurable, provided they are embedded in soil. But cement debris, chemicals, garbage and the like will not help a young growing plant. Once determined, bear in mind, especially in the case of trees and plants which tend to eventually produce extensive root systems, no matter what amendments one uses to get the plant established, those roots will reach the existing soil.
Below, we plant up new plants and trees using the existing soils combined with just a bit of new stuff.
Current thinking in planting techiniques holds this thought in mind. I personally advise a minimum of amendments, perhaps as much as half new soil, mixed with the existing. There is an element of "sink or swim" here. Unless the soil is insufferable, as mentioned, the plant or tree's roots will hit the soil and expect to push on. Also bear in mind the condition of the soil. Clay soils may not be applicable to some plants, just as sandier soils may not be for others. There is usually information available indicating which soils are best for certain species. I would use this guideline in selecting a plant or tree. If the soil is extremely hideous, I recommend excavating and reinstalling entirely new soil, paying particular attention to the locations of trees and deeply rooting plants.
1. Vegetable and food/herb gardens These require extremely nutritious and workable soils. They are tender, generally, and fast growing. Composts, especially one's own' are excellent amendments to any soil. A mix of compost, sand and topsoil are usually recommended and I advocate installing about 18 inches worth in depth. Some composts, obviously, are "hot", especially manures without sufficient time spent curing. There is no need to install anything not already broken down. So, the thrust of my advice means allowing composts to age. Fertilizers are available for all plants, although they are not necessarily good as an "implicit" product. They just boot up progress and can be as destructive in the wrong hands as they are helpful.
Below is a small circular Herb and Flower Garden we installed which has abundant good stuff as a planting medium.
At any rate, these amendments make the soils less dense, in the end, and the compost and topsoil tend to hold moisture for longer, necessitating less watering. Gardening for food is a high intensity maintenance operation, needing attention often. One checks for growth, for diseases and pests, molds and mildews and critters. Watering will need adjusting according to the heat indices. One can, indeed, overwater almost anything. And, naturally, one can under water as well. Another consideration: go easy on the fertilizers! These plants were made to grow. Give them a field they can enjoy and they will. Sometimes, less attention is better than too much, a strange caveat, I guess.
2. Bedding Plants and Annuals These plants need nearly as good a caliber of soil as does a food garden, just not usually as deep. Typically, annuals do not root deep, although there are exceptions in the cases of some tubrous items, like Dahlias, for example (which can also be a perennial, in certain climates). I rarely go deeper than 12″ of totally prepped soil and the quality of said soil can be a slight step less rigorously composted than a food garden. Having said that, care should be taken inasmuch as these plants are always hungry and always thirsty. Once again, these can also be over- or under-watered, but they require tons less maintenance and attention than vegetables and some herbs. Always pay attention to Sun issues. Begonias, for example, are not enamored of tons of Sun. The New Guinea hybrids, which I adore, are particularly shade-loving. Seen as below, mixed with Coleus in a very shady but extremely lush scene, they work marvelously in good soil.
3. Perennials Here we have what must be my favorite category of plants. I use them liberally in all my construction projects since they offer enormous swaths of the brightest colors and tend to bloom for long stretches. They do, however, also require soils which are a step above 'unadapted'. I typically use a mix of compost and native soil, about 1/3 native and 2/3 compost and sand. I also dig holes for eventual growth. In other words, I make a larger than normal hole first, fill with my amendments, when planting. I think 3 years down the road for perennials and where the roots will be by then. After that, they will either be divided or can readily adapt, literally producing its own bacteria and compost from its own growth and detritus (leaves, root deterioration, etc.). Perennials are low maintenance plants. Another groovy aspect.
The alkaline soils of Reno were perfect for this gorgeous Desert Penstemon, a native of sorts which stands on its own as a splendid-looking plant who enjoys where it sits.
All in all, soil quality is the be-all and end-all of planting almost anything. Attention should also be paid, in the selection of plants and, consequently the necessary soil work, to native species. Some natives, such as those we find in Nevada actually prefer some pretty nasty, alkaline soil. Inasmuch as they were nursery-grown, of course, they will need some early love, with what I call "introductory soil": a mix of the closest one can some to native soil with a tad of amendment. This is just to prevent an utter shock zone for the pampered little fellows.