text:
Q: incremental bundles of git repositories I am creating incremental bundles of my git repository using:
#!/bin/bash

if [ ! -f ./source0.bundle ]; then
    git bundle create source0.bundle --all
elif [ $(git rev-parse HEAD) != $(git bundle list-heads source0.bundle | head -1 | cut -d' ' -f1) ]; then
    declare -i LARGEST_NUMBER=$(ls | grep "source.*\.bundle" | tail -1 | grep -o '[0-9]*')
    LARGEST_NUMBER_PLUS_ONE=$((LARGEST_NUMBER+1))

    git bundle create source${LARGEST_NUMBER_PLUS_ONE}.bundle $(git bundle list-heads source${LARGEST_NUMBER}.bundle | head -1 | cut -d' ' -f1)..HEAD
fi

It creates source0.bundle, source1.bundle, source2.bundle....
To restore the bundles, I have to run:
$ git clone source0.bundle extract
$ cd extract
$ for ((i = 1 ; i < 3 ; i++ )); do git pull ../source${i}.bundle; done

Is this a good approach or am i complicating things?

A: man git-bundle

DESCRIPTION
Create, unpack, and manipulate "bundle" files. Bundles are used for the "offline" transfer of Git objects without an active "server" sitting on the other side of the network connection.

This is the first time I hear about git bundles. If you need to maintain a copy of your repository somewhere, you can create a remote to a local folder like:
git remote add secondary /backup/foo/bar.git

Then you can push to this remote.
git push secondary master

There are some quirks, such as not being able to push to a checked-out remote, but you can make it a "bare" remote as in a "server" remote.
git init --bare /backup/foo/bar.git

Pushing to a bare repository is same as pushing to github or bitbucket.
In my opinion, you don't need bundles unless you know you do. If in doubt, you don't need them.


Portfolio and Wealth management is the professional management of various securities and assets in order to meet specified investment goals for the benefit of the investors. Our active portfolio management approach includes research, due diligence, asset selection, plan implementation, and ongoing monitoring.
We take great pride in our ability to provide outstanding portfolio management services to our clients. In particular, we believe our investment process, coupled with our distinguishing quanitative analysis and intellectual capital, provides our clients with industry leading wealth management value.
1. Understand our client's objectives, risk tolerance, goals, time horizon, and distribution or contribution expectations.
2. Develop an investment strategy that provides the best probability of achieving client goals while managing the portfolio volatility to an agreed upon level.
3. Utilize a broad array of investments to build a customized portfolio for each client using negative or low correlated assets. This provides an opportunity to manage portfolio volatility without sacrificing the expected rate of return for a given level of volatility. Furthermore, we seek to construct diversified portfolios across a wide range of asset classes while actively monitoring portfolio exposures.
4. We develop forward looking forecasts of our investment strategies using research and monitoring changes in the world economies and financial markets.
5. We update our forecasts to account for changes in opportunities and volatility. Since these are actively managed accounts, we allow for tactical changes to the portfolio while maintaining the long-term strategic parameters. Our flexible and adaptive approach to portfolio management allows us to actively adjust the asset mix in response to prevailing market dynamics.


The department of financial services (DFS) expects "good" recovery of bad loans by the public sector banks (PSBs) in the second quarter of the current financial year. It said the department had made efforts to de-clog debt recovery tribunals, put them on e-mode, auction properties by banks online, and coordinate with states to fast track resolution of cases, which would help in the recovery.
"... expecting good recovery in the second quarter," financial services secretary Rajiv Kumar told reporters.
He said promoters were willing to pay up outside the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) process.
"It's pay-up time for the defaulters," he said. State-run banks made a total recovery of Rs 365.51 billion in the first quarter of 2018-19, nearly half of which was recovered in 2017-18.
Kumar said PSBs would launch an e-auction bazaar for defaulting properties. "A common landing platform is on the anvil," he said. Details of auctionable properties across banks are standardised, he said.
"Auctioning of properties is a core activity of banks to ensure recoveries. However, in the absence of modern techniques, positive results accruing from these actions were limited and potential buyers were not fully informed of all details such as those available for e-auction of market place," the secretary said.
Now, PSBs have been advised to join hands with the Indian Banks' Association (IBA), steering an initiative to redesign the PSB e-auction websites.
The government, Kumar said, had made a list of states where a large number of cases were pending under the Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Securities Interest (SARFAESI) Act, and had instructed all district magistrates to clear pending cases in 60 days.
He said 10,000 cases of PSBs were pending under the Act, with a stuck-up value of Rs 400 billion.
Kumar stressed that his department had taken various steps to push for fast-track recovery, including raising of the threshold for filing cases in the debt recovery tribunals (DRTs) from Rs 1 million to Rs 2 million. This would de-clutter DRTs and help them focus on high-value matters.
Also, all DRTs are being put on the e-DRT module and are going to start functioning by the end of this financial year, Kumar said. The department has adopted a targeted approach to make debt recovery laws and processes more effective so as to increase recovery of public money from defaulting borrowers.
"The e-DRT software, for which there has been a successful pilot run, has features similar to e-court software, which includes e-filing, e-payment of fees, uploading of orders, viewing cases status, cause list generation, etc," Kumar said.


text:
Northern Ireland Screen oversees the Ulster-Scots Broadcast Fund (the 'USBF') with an anticipated budget of £1million per annum from 2020 to 2021.
The USBF provides finance for the production of film, television or other moving image projects relating to the Ulster-Scots heritage, culture and language in Northern Ireland.
The overarching aim of the Ulster-Scots Broadcast Fund is to ensure that the heritage, culture and language of Ulster-Scots is expressed through moving image. As a support to the primary aim, the USBF is also open to supporting radio content produced for BBC Radio Ulster; other local commercial stations and/or community radio with assessment based on standard USBF criteria.
The USBF Committee has, with the assistance of an independent evaluation, revised and refined the workings of the USBF. The primary theme of these revisions is to present greater clarity as to the content the USBF wishes to support, and to present a framework that will more effectively ensure the quality and appropriateness of the USBF supported content. USBF Programme Commissioning Guidance provides further information on these revisions including editorial interests/priorities, changes to the USBF's operation and objectives and targets.
The objectives of the Ulster-Scots Broadcast Fund are:
To deliver 10 additional hours of Ulster-Scots moving image programming per annum in a range of genres conducive to the delivery of the heritage, culture and language aim;
To include Ulster-Scots Language Programming (including radio programming) to a minimum value of 20% of the available USBF production budget per annum;
To also deliver Ulster-Scots radio programming to a maximum of 10% of the available USBF production budget per annum;
To deliver online projects consistent with the aim of the USBF to a maximum of 10% of the available USBF production budget per annum;
Consistent with the aim of the USBF, the Committee will place a higher priority on projects that have strong links with Ulster-Scots sectoral and community groups;
To achieve general audience satisfaction levels consistent with those for other local programmes broadcast in Northern Ireland of a similar genre in a similar broadcast slot;
To broadcast 90% of the USBF funded programming within 9 months of delivery;
To reach a significant Northern Ireland audience, primarily but not exclusively through broadcast television, with an average per programme audience target of 40,000 people in Northern Ireland.
Whilst these are yearly objectives and targets it is recognised that on occasion where projects merit, it may be more beneficial to achieving the overarching aim of the USBF to spread targets across a 2 year period.
General information on applications to the USBF
The USBF will organise a minimum of two and a maximum of four funding rounds in 2020/21. Please refer to the Funding section for further information on call dates.
Normally production companies must submit applications to the eligible broadcasters in advance of submitting applications to the USBF.
For further information on the USBF please refer to the USBF guidelines and USBF Programme Commissioning Guidance.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Is It Normal My 9month Old Has 4 Bottom Teeth And No Top Teeth??
my daughter is 9months and she first got her 2 bottom teeth and then when i thought she was getting more i kept checking the top gums, then one day for whatever reason i checked the bottom gums and i felt a third tooth coming in on the right and now shes getting the one to the left, so shes got 4 bottom teeth!! she looks so weird!!! where are her top teeth? is it possible she wont ever have any?? any advice or similar stories??
babies cut teeth differently. You can always ask the doctor dentist is you're worried but I'd say it's nothing to worry about both my babies have been different in cutting there teeth. Some babies are even born with teeth.
how many teeth does your baby have now?
How fast did your child get teeth? Or do they have any yet?


Deputy Charlie McConalogue says he's become increasingly worried about the impact of the government's lack of preparedness for a no deal Brexit on the agri-food sector.
The Donegal TD has described as "alarming" the fact that the Agriculture Minister was unable to give a definitive answer when asked how many SPS (sanitary and phytosanitary) and veterinary officials will be employed by the State on March 30th in the event of a no deal scenario.
"There's only a matter of weeks until Britain is due to leave the EU, and unfortunately the prospect of a no-deal Brexit cannot be ruled out. I am growing increasingly worried by what appears to be an astonishing lack of contingency planning for the agri-food sector.
"The Minister for Finance has been able to confirm that 200 additional customs officials will be operational on by March deadline. What can't the Agriculture Minister provide the same data?" asked Deputy McConalogue.
He added what is also a cause for concern is the fact that only 53 veterinary officials have been hired since the Brexit referendum in 2016.
The Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Agriculture, Food & the Marine said "Last summer, the Taoiseach announced that the government was planning to hire 300 veterinary inspectors in the event of no deal Brexit. Following that it was confirmed that 116 staff would be recruited for SPS (sanitary and phytosanitary) and fisheries control checks. However, the no deal plan published just before Christmas stated failed to set out a timeline for recruitment.
"We are also waiting for infrastructure at Dublin and Rosslare ports to be upgraded so that they can cope with anticipated paperwork and control checks which will have to be carried out in the event that the UK becomes a third country. Neither the Department of Agriculture nor the Office of Public Works spent any money on this work in 2018.
"I am urging Minister Creed and his Cabinet colleagues to clarify these issues as a matter of urgency to allay the fears of agri community, who share my concerns about our preparedness for a no deal scenario".


Handbag habit getting out of hand? These clever Xtend Bag Holder Accessory Hooks clip onto the Xtend Closet Extension Kit, putting your bags within easy reach and freeing up the drawer, shelf or floor space where you usually stash your handbag horde.
It's hard to find dedicated storage for handbags, which is why they so often end up stuffed in drawers, piled up on shelves or adding to the general clutter at the bottom of your wardrobe. This practical pair of holders let you give your best bags a handy home hanging up inside your wardrobe, where they'll be safely out of the way of scuffs and easy to find when it's time for that big night out.
These handy hooks are also perfect for holding onto all those scarves, ties and belts that seem to otherwise get themselves tangled up inside your wardrobe.
Designed to be used with the Xtend Closet Extension Kit, they slot onto the cross bars of the vertical rails – on the inside or outside, and at whatever level suits your bags best, offering you brilliantly bespoke storage. Just position them wherever you want them, then hook your bag's handles or strap over the curved holder. They're specially shaped to keep your bags where you left them, with a raised rim on the outside to help stop bags slipping off and ending up on the wardrobe floor.
Each 7.5 x 5 x 8cm H.


Vintage female bust on a black tailor stand. The bust comes with a moveable head covered with flax colored canvas fabric. Ideal for displaying womenswear in any type of store from boutique to department store.


The 50 states and the District of Columbia are currently holding at least $32 billion in unclaimed funds, just waiting to be reunited with the rightful owners.
"Good Morning America" has helped dozens of people find money held for them by the states.
There are simple searches you can do in ten minutes or less. Plus we've uncovered more unusual sources of unclaimed cash that few people know about.
"GMA" is here to help with the top 10 tips you can use today to find your unclaimed cash!
If you would like to search several states at once, you can do so at another free, though commercially run site called www.missingmoney.com. When you first search, you are prompted to enter your home state. Be sure to search again and this time choose "all states and provinces" on the drop down menu. One last thing: it's not actually ALL states. On the site's home page you can view a map of which states are and are not included. If you have lived in states that do not participate in this site, be sure to go back to Unclaimed.org and search those sites individually.
It's easy for savings bonds to go unclaimed because they take 30 to 40 years to mature. That's why the Treasury Department has set up a simple search website, available HERE, where you can find forgotten bonds by typing in your social security number. Certain bonds are not listed online and require a hand search. You can read about them at the same Treasury link.
Everybody looks forward to getting an income tax refund check, but if yours didn't arrive, what do you do? The IRS now provides a "Where's my Refund?" feature on its website. You can look up your missing check by entering the amount you are owed, plus your social security number.
The proceeds of lost life insurance policies may turn up in your state search. If not, and you suspect you are the beneficiary of a loved one's lost life insurance policy, you can hire a company called MIB Solutions to search for you. MIB is a private company that houses life insurance application information for much of the industry. It costs $75 to search. Go to www.policylocator.com for more information.
If you didn't collect your money when your bank went under, chances are your account was insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). The good news, in that case, is that the FDIC is holding your money, and you can find it HERE.
If your money was in a credit union as it failed, visit the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) HERE to track down your money.
If your company still exists, or has been bought out, you need to approach the company directly. If you are owed a pension from a company that went under, there is a federal agency, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC), that safeguards private pensions. You can track down your pension HERE on the PBGC website.
The Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA), is the federal agency charged with making sure retirement money is reunited with its rightful owners. The EBSA sometimes even sues to seize retirement money. You can utilize the agency's services by clicking HERE.
Sometimes when people leave a job, they leave behind a 401(k) as well. If the company goes out of business, that only compounds the confusion. Fortunately, companies that administer 401(k) plans have teamed up to create a search engine you can use to track down your 401(k).


text:
Die Vereinigte Kärntner Brauereien AG (VKB) ist ein Brauereiunternehmen in Kärnten. Zum Unternehmen gehören:
 Villacher Brauerei in Villach
 Schleppe Brauerei in Klagenfurt (Übernahme 1993)
 Piestinger Brauerei in Markt Piesting (Übernahme der Markenrechte im September 2005; Brauerei seither geschlossen)

Geschichte

Im Jahre 1738 wurde die Villacher Brauerei unter der Leitung von Jakob Fischer als Steinbierbrauerei erstmals urkundlich erwähnt. Im Jahre 1858 ließ sie Johann Fischer in eine moderne Kesselbierbrauerei umbauen. In den folgenden Jahren erfolgte ein steter Ausbau und laufende Modernisierungen. Gär- und Lagerkeller mit künstlicher Kühlung und eine automatische Flaschenwaschanlage wurden ebenso errichtet wie ein Doppelsudwerk und oberirdische Abfüllhallen.

Zweigniederlassungen wurden in Triest, Krain, Istrien, Pula, Venedig, Brindisi und Ancona eröffnet.

1901 erwarb Johann Koutnik die Brauerei Fischer und baute sie unter erstmaligem Einsatz von elektrischem Strom zur Großbrauerei aus. Der Erste Weltkrieg zwang Johann Koutnik, die Brauerei auf eine breitere Basis zu stellen und führte nach dem Krieg zur Gründung der Vereinigte Kärntner Brauereien AG. Koutniks Partner waren Peter Reininghaus, sowie sein Bruder, die Brauerei Göss und andere kleinere Brauereien. 1929 konnten somit in Villach bereits wieder 55.000 Hektoliter Bier gebraut werden.

1941 hinterließ Johann Koutnik seinen Aktienanteil von 50 % seiner Tochter Dorothea Grubissich. Nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg wurde die stark beschädigte Brauerei modernisiert und ausgebaut.

Als 1982 Dorothea Grubissich starb, vererbte sie ihren 50 %-Aktienanteil an ihre Enkelin Madeleine Herberstein. Mit 26. September 1984 brachte Herberstein ihre Unternehmensmehrheit in die zu 100 % in ihrem Eigentum stehende Gambrinus Beteiligungs Aktiengesellschaft ein.
Der zweite 50 %-Anteil steht im Eigentum der Brau Union, zurückgehend auf die 50 %-Gründungspartner der Vereinigten Kärntner Brauereien, Brauerei Puntigam der Brüder Reininghaus, Brauerei Göss und die anderen kleinen Brauereien (siehe oben), die in der Brau Union aufgegangen sind. Unter der Leitung des früheren Vorstandsdirektors Johann Stockbauer wurden seit seiner Bestellung zum Alleinvorstand des Unternehmens 1990 massive Investitionen getätigt.

Am 3. September 2005 wurde das neue Sudhaus eröffnet und das alte Sudhaus als KunsthausSudhaus für Ausstellungen adaptiert. Mit 1. Jänner 2009 übernahmen Clemens Aigner und Josef Pacher das Vorstandsmandat des in Pension gehenden Johann Stockbauer. Im November 2014 wurden Verträge unterzeichnet, nach denen zum Jahreswechsel 2014/15 auch die zweite Hälfte in das Eigentum der Brau Union AG übergehen wird. Seit 2016 ist Thomas Santler Vorstandsdirektor.

Produkte

Die Produktpalette der Villacher Brauerei umfasst die folgenden Biersorten:
 Das Villacher Märzen ist ein untergäriges, helles Vollbier mit 11,8° Stammwürze und 5,0 % Vol. Alkohol. Es stellt mengenmäßig die Hauptsorte dar.
 Das Villacher Glocknerpils ist ein untergäriges, helles, kohlensäurereiches und hopfenbetontes Bier mit 11,7° Stammwürze und 4,9 % Vol. Alkohol.
 Das Villacher Dunkel ist ein untergäriges, dunkles, leicht gehopftes Spezialbier mit malzbetontem Antrunk. 12,8° Stammwürze und 4,9 % Vol. Alkohol.
 Der Villacher Festbock ist ein Starkbier mit 16,4° Stammwürze und 6,9 % Vol. Alkohol. Es wird nur zur Weihnachts- und Osterzeit gebraut.
 Das Villacher Zwickl ist ein untergäriges, helles, ungefiltertes Vollbier mit 11,8° Stammwürze und 5,0 % Vol. Alkohol.
 Das Villacher Frühlingsbier ist ein untergäriges Leichtbier mit 7,9° Stammwürze und 3,3 % Vol. Alkoholgehalt.
 Das Villacher Senator ist untergäriges, kräftiges, feinherbes Spezialbier mit 18,8° Stammwürze und 5,5 % Vol. Alkohol.
 Das Villacher Hugo ist ein Mischgetränk aus Minze, Zitrone und Holunder mit 9,8° Stammwürze und 2,0 % Vol. Alkohol.
 Das Villacher Pur wird mit Saphierhopfen gebraut, hat eine Stammwürze von 9,5° und 4,0 % Vol. Alkohol.
 Das Villacher Oktoberbräu wird mit Karamelmalz gebraut, hat eine Stammwürze von 12,9° und 5,3 % Vol. Alkohol.
 Das Villacher Radler ist ein Bier mit 10,8° Stammwürze und 2,4 % Vol. Alkohol
 Das Villacher Radler Naturtrüb ist ein Radler mit leichter Trübung mit 9,8° Stammwürze und 2,0 % Vol. Alkohol
 Das Villacher Pils ist eine dezente Bitternote und feinaromatischen Geschmack mit 11,7° Stammwürze und 4,9 % Vol. Alkohol
 Das Villacher Bockbier ist eine saisonale Starkbierspezialität, die in der Weihnachtszeit verkauft wird mit 16,4° Stammwürze und 6,9 % Vol. Alkohol
 Das Villacher Freilich ist das erste alkoholfreie Bier Kärntens

Tochterunternehmen
 IVG Immobilienvermietungs GesmbH (zur Verwertung des nicht mehr betrieblich notwendigen Immobilienvermögens)

Weblinks
 Vereinigte Kärntner Brauereien AG. Eintrag in Der Brauereiführer von Michael Kranewitter.
 Geschichte auf der Website des Unternehmens
 Webpräsenz der Unternehmensgruppe Villacher Bier
 Webpräsenz Schleppe Brauerei
 Webpräsenz Piestinger Brauerei

Einzelnachweise

Brauerei (Österreich)
Unternehmen (Kärnten)
Heineken

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
The Link with the Royal House of Denmark
In 1689 the Lord High Admiral's Regiment, the 3rd Foot, was disbanded. The Holland Regiment took its place as the 3rd Regiment of Foot, and Prince George of Denmark, who was the husband of Princess (later Queen) Anne and Lord High Admiral, was appointed Honorary Colonel. From 1689 until his death in 1708, and following the custom of the time, The Holland Regiment was known as Prince George of Denmark's Regiment.
The Links with HRH The Princess of Wales
The first link that the Regiment had with HRH The Princess of Wales was in 1714 when The Queen's took on the title of HRH The Princess of Wales Own Royal Regiment. The then Princess of Wales was Wilhelmina Charlotte Caroline of Brandenburg-Ansbach, more commonly known as Caroline of Ansbach. She married the then Prince of Wales who later became King George II.
The Modern Regiment
Since the foundation of The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment on the 9th September 1992, the Regiment has continued to maintain the best traditions of the past, whilst establishing a sound professional reputation in its new guise. The inherited traditions are explained in other parts of this Online Museum; this chapter illustrates the activities of the current Regiment.
The Regimental Collect
The re-organisation of the Army in the early 1990s, called Options for Change, necessitated new Collects or regimental prayers, and provided the opportunity to amend existing ones. The current collection is the work of the Reverend R A McDowall and included the Regimental Collect of The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment. It is said at all religious services that include the Regiment and reads as follows:
The Regimental Ethos
The Tigers are a fighting regiment - we thrive on complex, tough operations. We are the senior English Regiment of the Line. We are forward looking, yet fiercely proud of our famous forebear regiments whose fighting spirit and traditions thrive in today's Regiment.
The Third Colour
The 1st Battalion of The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment has the unique Army distinction of still retaining a Third or 'Colonel's' Colour. This distinction, dating from the late 17th Century, was inherited from The Queen's Royal Regiment.
The Tiger - Why is it worn? An explanation.
Our Forebear Regiment 67th of Foot, having served 21 years of active service in India was ordered by to England in 1826. In commemoration of this, King George IV authorized the figure of the Royal Bengal Tiger with the word 'India' superscribed to be borne on its Regimental Colour and other appointments. The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment retains this honour today and maintains the nickname of 'The Tigers'.
Officers and Solider of the Regiment ware a 'Tiger' badge on their right arm.
The Tigers' Regimental Association
The Tigers' Regimental Association is based at Regimental Headquarters at the Tower of London. Its main aims are to foster the spirit of comradeship between all members of the Regiment and to provide assistance to past and present members, their wives, children or other dependents who are in distress or suffering financial hardship. Its membership, which is free, comprises all officers and soldiers who have served or are serving in the Tigers. The forebear regiments also have their own regimental associations, the details of which can be obtained from Regimental Headquarters.
THE TIGERS' FOREBEAR REGIMENTS IN THE PENINSULAR WAR
Colonel Patrick Crowley, Deputy Colonel Heritage
The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (PWRR) or 'The Tigers' have a long and distinguished military heritage, with strong connections to the Peninsular War of 1808-1814. This is particularly notable, when it comes to the commemoration of the Battle of Albuhera and the part played by:
• 3rd Foot, The Buffs, later The Royal East Kent Regiment,
• 2nd Battalion 31st Foot, later The East Surrey Regiment and
There remain many opportunities for 'The Tigers' to serve overseas, either with a battalion or as an individual, including exchange opportunities in Australia and New Zealand or loan service posts in Eastern Europe and Western Africa. Training activities are varied and overseas training exercises offer soldiers the opportunity to experience varied conditions in unique and unusual terrain.


text:
The Gambia returns to the Commonwealth
By Charlie Proctor
The Commonwealth has a new member as The Gambia rejoins the family of nations headed by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
The West African country departed the Commonwealth only five years ago but has rejoined following a pledge by the country's President.
This means the Commonwealth now has 53 members opposed to just 52.
The Gambia was officially reinstated to the family of nations during a ceremony on Thursday morning attended by the Commonwealth Secretary-General, Baroness Scotland.
Secretary-General Scotland said: "When the Gambia left in 2013, the heads of government expressed their regret in its leaving the Commonwealth family.
"We've looked forward to the Gambia's return and were delighted when, after his election victory in 2016, President Barrow pledged to return.
"The Gambia's application to rejoin has been unanimously accepted by all 52-member states, who welcome back their brothers and sisters to again play their full part in the Commonwealth family."
The British Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson, said: "The Gambia's return to the Commonwealth family is fantastic news. When I visited the country last year, I saw huge enthusiasm for the values and opportunities offered by our modern, diverse Commonwealth.
"This shows that when a country commits to strengthening democracy, governance and the rule of law, it is welcomed back to the international community and the Commonwealth family.
"I very much hope to welcome President Barrow to the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in London in April."
The Prime Minister, Theresa May, added: "I am delighted that The Gambia has today rejoined the Commonwealth family, an institution built on a shared commitment to strengthening democracy."
President Barrow of The Gambia will now be eligible to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in April which will be hosted by The Queen.
The country left the Commonwealth in 2013 after the previous president called the family of nations a "neo-colonial institution."
The Royal Family's links to Freemasonry
Loathsome petition launched to bar Meghan Markle from having a role in The Royal Family


Not very active here but always looking in. Finally got round to installing my subscription scenery.
I have Orbix NI/SI installed along with its Queenstown Milford addons.
I want to add VLC and its associated addons and Robins Ashburton.
What do i have to do to any existing scenery as i see Orbix has a Ashburton.
It doesn't really make much sense to install VLC, as the only way that Orbx NZ can work means it will over-ride everything. Well, you can install it, but you won't serve any purpose with FTX NZ installed.
I'm not sure about the airfields -- worth a try. I have them working, but really I'm too old to remember what if anything needed to be tweaked. Plus, now that I think of it, I don't have any FTX scenery in P3Dv4, which is the only one I use these days, only the North Island in v3, and both islands in FSX for testing.
GZ Ashburton should work ok, although it was never tweaked for Prepar3d, so there may be quirks. Just make sure that you set the FTX insertion point in FTX Central, so that FTX is below (in the FTX Central list) any Godzone/Real NZ or other custom NZ scenery. If it doesn't get rid of the FTX version completely, let me know, I think I have a tweaked exclusion somewhere.
Maybe he means VLC libraries for objects?
jpreou wrote: Maybe he means VLC libraries for objects?
I did initially cover the Libraries in my reply, but as these are installed by the first subscription issue, they should already be there.
I'm on FSX but seriously thinking of moving to P3Dv4.
Like Jeff, i am also rebuilding a system for NZ and have installed subscription addons along with FTX NI/SI.
Next up should be so more Real NZ stuff. Any other suggestions to add to a P3D install.
There is Stewart Island, North Otago, Canterbury and the West Coast with South Canterbury to come when I get my A into G and get it finished.
All the scenery is compatible with ORBX NZSI and is for FSX and P3D all versions.
No the North Otago joins Rob's Dunedin at Waikouaiti so you have photo scenery all the way from Dunedin to Christchurch apart from the South canterbury which will join up the north Otago with canterbury covering from the Waitaki river to Pareora when I get around to finishing the AGN.
But still rather busy winding up the daughters estate so will get back to it when I get all that sorted.
Thanks for that, have d/loaded and will install shortly.
Jeff: Thats the part i was wondering to but great to see rob's and Doug match up.
and the best pair i've owned.
One of these days when I not landscaping, assembling shelves, putting up washing lines, etc, etc, etc ... I may even get to download and install.
Still have my various Saitek panels to get working again yet ... tbh, I keep getting side-tracked by theHunter:Call of the Wild!


All shareholders are invited to attend the Annual Shareholders' Meeting.
The Annual Shareholders' Meeting passes resolutions concerning the discharge of the executive board and supervisory board as well as the appointment of auditors, the approval of changes to the articles of association and the implementation of measures affecting the capital structure of the company. In the interest of good corporate governance, German legislation requires that all measures that affect the capital structure of a company have the approval of the shareholders of that company.
Shareholders who do not wish to vote in person at the Annual Shareholders' Meeting can transfer their vote to a representative of the company who is bound by instruction.
Please find below detailed information on our Annual Shareholders' Meetings. To view the download files, you need the Adobe Acrobat Reader, which can be downloaded here. All documents are available in German only.
at our headquarters, InVision AG, Speditionstraße 5, 40221 Düsseldorf, Germany.
As our 2018 Annual Report incl. the Group Management Report is available online only, it is not listed under "Downloads" below. Please click here to view the 2018 Annual Report.
Please find below the invitation, agenda and voting results of our 2018 Annual Shareholders' Meeting, which was held on 1st June 2018, at our headquarters, InVision AG, Speditionstraße 5, 40221 Düsseldorf, Germany.
Please find below the invitation and agenda as well as the voting results of our Annual Shareholders' Meeting 2017, which was held on 23rd May 2017 at our headquarters, InVision AG, Speditionstraße 5, 40221 Düsseldorf, Germany.
Please find below the invitation and agenda as well as the voting results of our Annual Shareholders' Meeting 2016, which was held on 10th May 2016 at our headquarters, InVision AG, Speditionstraße 5, 40221 Düsseldorf, Germany.
Please find below the invitation, agenda and voting results of our Annual Shareholders' Meeting 2015, which was held on 18th May 2015 at Innside Hotel Düsseldorf Hafen.


fuboTV is opening the door to live streaming sports experiences, giving fans and cord cutters access to all the action of live sports with a rich set of programming packages. The virtual multichannel video programming distributor keeps viewers engaged with a lineup of more than 70 channels and a heavy emphasis on sports programming from all major teams, leagues, and international tournaments – including more channels that carry sports in its base package than any other vMVPD. Through its own desktop and mobile web sites, and apps on TV connected devices such as Roku, Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV - as well as iOS and Android phones and tablets - fuboTV aims to bring viewers the live sports and entertainment they want, at home or on-the-go, with a flexible, user-friendly experience.
Choi and Thomas Symborski, principal software engineer at fuboTV, explored different approaches to implementing dynamic ad insertion. The solution had to provide on-demand placement of personalized video advertising via established ad networks, integrate seamlessly with its cloud-based infrastructure, and require minimal effort to deploy and manage. fuboTV signed on for a private preview of AWS Elemental MediaTailor and soon brought the solution into its production workflow.
As part of the fuboTV video workflow, AWS Elemental MediaTailor queries personalized ad content from two ad decision servers, which determine which ads to send based on information about the viewer and parameters defined by fuboTV. The solution inserts ads directly into individual video streams prior to encoding and distribution. Advertising and primary content reach the viewer with the same adaptive bitrate profile, resolution, aspect ratio, frames per second, and audio levels. Ads are inserted frame accurately, creating smooth transitions between content and advertising.


text:
import warnings
from dallinger.db import redis_conn

warnings.warn(
    "Importing from heroku.worker is deprecated and may cause errors."
    "The redis `conn` should be imported from `dallinger.db.redis_conn`",
    DeprecationWarning,
)

conn = redis_conn

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Chapeau is a sans-serif typeface designed by Timo Gaessner and released through Swiss foundry Milieu Grotesque in 2010. The design was inspired by a typewritten letter from Johnny Cash that Gaessner found printed on the back of a German compilation album. Chapeau is available in six weights with matching italics, as well as a monospaced version.


Company at A Glance The name Century Link is one of the finest and most renowned telecommunications company in the world. It is basically stationed in Monoroe – louisania , Australias. Well the company is going strong with a well-structured man force that makes sure that all the requirements of their respective clients get resolved easily. We offer a very wide quality of services like – network and data systems management, Big data analytics and IT consulting, in accordance with this it also runs the operations smoothly throughout North America, Europe and Asia. There is no other player in the market that has been able to deliver superior type of broadband services to their both domestic and international clients.
Investors Relations – Just like any other company Century Link has been able to successfully grab the attention of many other agencies that have shown promise in our work. The companies like – Webcast, Webcast Transcript etc. has also been with us for many long times. It is this joining of hands that has enabled us to deliver good quality of work.
Community Services – The company has shown very wide knowledge of the fact that apart from taking care of the product quality even the work done for charity means a lot. Lots of philanthropic activities are also carried out. This is the true reflection of the fact that this company has thought of making concrete changes and till the time tensions are not relieved work quality can't be enhanced.
The work environment of Century link is very growth oriented. One can find numerous stories of how the management has nurtured the talent of their workforce in the area where maximum amount of output can be generated. Through this way there is a close harmony being maintained amongst the team members. On top of this the work being delivered also gets enhanced. There are many types of online courses being run and the management makes sure that the workforce takes advantage.
With this the employees, can keep themselves abreast with the new developments.
The employees get lots of opportunity when they can grow and attain high standards.
The most important thing is to make sure that each employee is completely satisfied with the job or position.
Contact Us The top management is very clear about their approach with the outside world or public. Extensive work is being carried out through Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram etc. The company aims to make sure that all the modern tools are used judiciously because this will set the tone for their normal pace in the market. If still there is someone who is unable to contact then the toll free number can be dialed 800 871 9244.


text:
Q: Haskell hGetContents not reading data written with external program I am opening a file handle with openFile, writing data to it using ByteString.hPutStrLn, and then opening the file in an external editor.  I seek the handle back to the beginning of the file with hSeek and expect to read back in the changes made with the external editor.  However I am not seeing the changes made in the external editor.  Example:
module Main where

import System.Process
import System.IO
import qualified Data.ByteString.Char8 as BS

main :: IO ()
main = do
  handle <- openFile "myfile" ReadWriteMode
  BS.hPutStrLn handle . BS.pack $ "hello"
  hFlush handle
  callProcess "vi" ["myfile"]
  hSeek handle AbsoluteSeek 0
  str' <- BS.hGetContents handle
  BS.putStr str'

All that ever gets printed to my terminal is "hello" no matter what changes I make while in vi.  However, if I then examine the file, the changes are there.  Why isn't hGetContents seeing the changes?

A: The editor is creating a new file when it saves, and the handle in Haskell is reading from the old file.  My editor was going to Vim which has the writebackup feature set by default.
Turning off writebackup results in the behavior I expected, as did using ed.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Q: How can I use Entity Framework 6 and my repository to delete multiple records? I am using Entity Framework 6 and I have a repository looking like the following with the Add and Update methods removed to make it shorter:
 public class GenericRepository<T> : IRepository<T> where T : class
{
    public GenericRepository(DbContext dbContext)
    {
        if (dbContext == null)
            throw new ArgumentNullException("An instance of DbContext is required to use this repository", "context");
        DbContext = dbContext;
        DbSet = DbContext.Set<T>();
    }

    protected DbContext DbContext { get; set; }

    protected DbSet<T> DbSet { get; set; }

    public virtual IQueryable<T> Find(Expression<Func<T, bool>> predicate)
    {
        return DbSet.Where<T>(predicate);
    }

    public virtual IQueryable<T> GetAll()
    {
        return DbSet;
    }

    public virtual T GetById(int id)
    {
        //return DbSet.FirstOrDefault(PredicateBuilder.GetByIdPredicate<T>(id));
        return DbSet.Find(id);
    }

    public virtual void Delete(T entity)
    {
        DbEntityEntry dbEntityEntry = DbContext.Entry(entity);
        if (dbEntityEntry.State != EntityState.Deleted)
        {
            dbEntityEntry.State = EntityState.Deleted;
        }
        else
        {
            DbSet.Attach(entity);
            DbSet.Remove(entity);
        }
    }

    public virtual void Delete(int id)
    {
        var entity = GetById(id);
        if (entity == null) return; // not found; assume already deleted.
        Delete(entity);
    }
}

In my controller I call the repository like this:
    public HttpResponseMessage DeleteTest(int id)
    {
        Test test = _uow.Tests.GetById(id);
        if (test == null)
        {
            return Request.CreateResponse(HttpStatusCode.NotFound);
        }
        try
        {
            _uow.Tests.Delete(test);
            _uow.Commit();
            return Request.CreateResponse(HttpStatusCode.OK);
        }
        catch (Exception ex)
        {
            return Request.CreateErrorResponse(HttpStatusCode.BadRequest, ex);
        }
    }

This works for a single test but how can I delete for example all tests that have an examId column value of 1 being
that examId is one of the columns in the Test table.

A: You can create another delete method in your generic repository class, see below:
    public virtual void Delete(Expression<Func<T, bool>> predicate)
    {
        IQueryable<T> query = DbSet.Where(predicate).AsQueryable();
        foreach (T obj in query)
        {
            DbSet.Remove(obj);
        }
    }

Then you can use it like below, it will delete all records which Id equalsid.
  _uow.Test.Delete(n => n.Id = id)

A: I'm not sure if EF is able to handle multiple delete now given a certain value, but the last time I did this I had to resort to a loop.
public HttpResponseMessage DeleteTest(int id)
{
  var testList = _uow.Tests.GetAll().Where(o => o.Id == id);
  if (testList.Count() == 0)
  {
      return Request.CreateResponse(HttpStatusCode.NotFound);
  }
  try
  {
      foreach (var test in testList)
      {
        _uow.Tests.Delete(test);
      }
      _uow.Commit();
      return Request.CreateResponse(HttpStatusCode.OK);
  }
  catch (Exception ex)
  {
      return Request.CreateErrorResponse(HttpStatusCode.BadRequest, ex);
  }
}

If the "test" table is a foreign table linked to a primary table on the "ID" column, you may want to consider doing a cascading delete in this case.

A: You can use RemoveRange()
public virtual void Delete(Expression<Func<T,bool>> predicate)
{
   var query = Context.Set<T>().Where(predicate);
   Context.Set<T>().RemoveRange(query);
}


text:
Nete är ett vattendrag i Belgien.   Det ligger i provinsen Antwerpen och regionen Flandern, i den centrala delen av landet,  km norr om huvudstaden Bryssel.

Runt Nete är det i huvudsak tätbebyggt. Runt Nete är det mycket tätbefolkat, med  invånare per kvadratkilometer.  Kustklimat råder i trakten. Årsmedeltemperaturen i trakten är  °C. Den varmaste månaden är juli, då medeltemperaturen är  °C, och den kallaste är januari, med  °C.

Källor

Vattendrag i Flandern


This Advance Series litter is exceptionally strong yet flexible, weighing in at only about 14 lbs. The shell is extremely abrasion resistant because of its hand laminated composites. Its shape, handrails and ample brackets provide maximum victim protection and comfort as well as optimum maneuverability for the litter attendant. This litter also features tough titanium construction.


text:
Pop-up vaccination clinic for Indigenous residents comes to Kelowna
Twila Amato
Apr. 28, 2021 4:00 p.m.
Danny Fulton receives his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at the Coast Capri Hotel on April 28. The pop-up clinic was hosted by the First Nations Health Authority. (Aaron Hemens/Capital News)
Billy Merasty takes a photo of his daughter, Precious, as she receives her first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at the Coast Capri Hotel on April 28. The pop-up clinic was hosted by the First Nations Health Authority. (Aaron Hemens/Capital News)
Michelle Jacobs receives her first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at the Coast Capri Hotel on April 28. The pop-up clinic was hosted by the First Nations Health Authority. (Aaron Hemens/Capital News)
Keegan Myra receives his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at the Coast Capri Hotel on April 28. The pop-up clinic was hosted by the First Nations Health Authority. (Aaron Hemens/Capital News)
Kelly Fosbery receives his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at the Coast Capri Hotel on April 28. The pop-up clinic was hosted by the First Nations Health Authority. (Aaron Hemens/Capital News)
More people received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in Central Okanagan thanks to a pop-up clinic hosted by the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA).
The clinic first opened up on Wednesday (April 27) at the Coast Capri Hotel and will be in town until Thursday (April 29). The goal is to give vaccine access to Indigenous residents who may have missed vaccination clinics in their home communities or live away from their community.
"Really, this is an additional avenue for Indigenous residents who are living away from home," FNHA regional manager Casey Neathway said.
"Interior Health also makes vaccines available through their provincial program for all Indigenous folks 18 years and older. We also hosted clinics within First Nations communities.
"Between all those avenues, we're feeling pretty good about the access to vaccines for Indigenous residents."
Neathway added that First Nations communities have managed the spread of the virus in their communities, keeping people safe.
"First Nations communities have done a fantastic job of protecting their members and that's everything from establishing COVID safety routines to setting up vaccine clinics as soon as those vaccines were available," he said.
"And I think we're seeing a really positive trend in terms of the number of positive COVID cases that are happening in those communities."
The clinic's goal may be to vaccinate Indigenous residents away from their home communities, but Neathway added they aren't turning anyone away.
An example is a resident who drove from Hedley to Kelowna to receive her first dose.
"I'm Mohawk, but I work for the Upper Similkameen Indian Band. I missed the vaccine clinic then due to health reasons, but I'm happy to be here now," Michelle Jacobs said.
"It took two hours to get here, but it's worth it."
Kelly Fosbery from Westbank First Nation said she's grateful to receive the vaccine and for her community's management of the virus.
"Our Chief and council, they've handled it all very well. They had a vaccine clinic that we missed, but it's going pretty well. People are looking out for each other," she said.
She also wanted to encourage people to get vaccinated as soon as they can.
"We're getting vaccinated to protect our family and our community, and it's exciting to get rid of some of that anxiety around COVID."
The clinic will be offering vaccines until Thursday (April 29). To register for a timeslot, email Sue Storey at susan.storey@fnha.ca or call 236-484-4002.
READ MORE: Brighter days coming in May for B.C.'s long COVID-19 battle
@twilamam
twila.amato@blackpress.ca
B.C. COVID-19 patients in hospital up to 515, 5 deaths Wednesday
B.C. workers now eligible for 3 hours of paid leave to get COVID-19 immunization


text:
Red Sox Wrap
Red Sox Wrap: David Price Tosses Gem In Boston's 100th Win Of Season
by Lauren Campbell on Wed, Sep 12, 2018 at 9:51PM
One day after clinching a playoff berth, the Boston Red Sox reached another milestone in their spectacular season.
Boston secured its 100th win of the season Wednesday night thanks to some lights-out pitching from David Price, beating the Toronto Blue Jays 1-0 in the middle contest of a three-game set at Fenway Park.
Price continuing to showcase his best stuff was key for the Red Sox, as the offense was quiet, scoring its lone run on a passed ball. The Sox now are inching closer to winning the American League East, lowering their magic number to eight.
With the win, the Red Sox improved to 100-46, while the Blue Jays slipped to 65-80.
Here's how it all went down:
GAME IN A WORD
The left-hander has been in peak form since the All-Star break, and Wednesday night was no different.
ON THE BUMP
— Price was brilliant, tossing seven scoreless innings with no walks and seven strikeouts.
The southpaw carried a perfect game into the fifth inning, but a Yangervis Solarte one-out single put an end to the perfection. Toronto couldn't capitalize with a runner on though, as Price got the last two outs of the stanza with a lineout and strikeout.
With two outs in the seventh, Solarte again singled, but Price got Teoscar Hernandez to strike out swinging to end the threat and preserve Boston's 1-0 lead. His night concluded after the punch out, as he left to a standing ovation from the Fenway Park crowd.
— Steven Wright pitched the eighth and immediately ran into some trouble as he gave up a leadoff double followed by a walk. But he responded by getting the next three outs, keeping the lead safe.
— Craig Kimbrel put the tying run on via a walk with two outs, but got Dwight Smith Jr. to look at strike three to close out the game, earning save No. 39.
IN THE BATTER'S BOX
— Boston struck first in the fifth inning after Blue Jays starter Aaron Sanchez ran into a bit of trouble. Rafael Devers moved from first to third on a Brock Holt single, and later scored on a wild pitch to give the Red Sox the 1-0 lead.
— The Red Sox threatened to extend the lead in the eighth after Jackie Bradley Jr. doubled and later stole third before Mookie Betts walked. A J.D. Martinez walk loaded the bases for Xander Bogaerts, but the shortstop flied out to end the potential threat.
— Betts, Bogaerts, Holt and Bradley all had a hit for the Red Sox.
— All other Boston batters went hitless.
TWEET OF THE GAME
Dominance.
David Price done after 7 IP.
* 1.82 ERA in his last 10 starts.
* 1.56 ERA in 9 starts since the All-Star break.
* Season ERA down to 3.42.
* Sox have 3 quality starts since Aug. 19. He has all three of them.
— Pete Abraham (@PeteAbe) September 13, 2018
The two sides will wrap up their three-game set Thursday at Fenway Park. Eduardo Rodriguez is expected to get the ball for Boston and be opposed by Sam Gaviglio. First pitch is set for 7:10 p.m. ET.
Red Sox Wrap: Brock Holt Plays Hero In 7-2 Win As Boston Clinches Playoff Berth


text:
I Fell in Love with a Nun
By Cathleen Falsani
Sister Annunziata in Rome in the 1960s. Photo courtesy of Cathleen Falsani.
This is a love story.
An unlikely love story, perhaps, but a true love story just the same.
Not 10 minutes after meeting her for the first time in the shadow of a 33-foot-tall metallic statue of the Virgin Mary at a convent in the Rust Belt suburbs of Chicago's south side, Sister Annunziata told me she loved me.
Reaching out an elegant, wizened hand from her wheelchair to touch my cheek, she first asked me whether I was Irish and then said, "You have the face of an angel."
I was a goner.
Annunziata, who was 83 at the time, had me completely from that moment forward — utterly devoted to her for the rest of her life. I was Annunziata's and she was mine — and that was that. She became the Maude to my Harold, showing me how to love without limits.
Falling helplessly in love with an octogenarian wheelchair-bound Roman Catholic nun was not exactly what I had been expecting those many summers ago when I was a cub reporter dispatched to the convent in a town called Blue Island to write a story about the giant statue of the Virgin Mary (nicknamed "Aluminum Mary" by us newsroom denizens). The pet project of an eccentric Catholic businessman, the statue had been drawing huge crowds as it made the rounds from parish to parish on the back of a flatbed truck.
I've never had much use for saints and their statues and never truly understood people's devotion to them, even to the Virgin.
My parents had christened me with the middle name Mary — at the time a sign of my mother's religious devotion and the namesake of my godmother, my mother's only living sister, Mary. As a child, I would visit my great-aunt Sister Mary Charles, a Sister of Mercy nun, at her convent in Connecticut, and spend hours studying the statues of the young woman in blue the sisters referred to as "Our Lady" with the same kind of fascination I lavished on my dolls. The statues were like giant stone and plaster versions of the Madame Alexander dolls that my mother collected for me and that I doted on cautiously, careful to not damage their delicately fashioned limbs or muss their taffeta costumes and elaborately plaited hair.
As I set out that hot summer afternoon to see the enormous metal statue of Our Lady of the New Millennium, as it officially was called, I figured the reward would be some kitschy anecdotes about the devotees who flocked to pray at its enormous feet. When I arrived, a few dozen people — mostly pensioners and women with their young children — had gathered in folding chairs beside the flatbed truck that carried the giant Mary to say the Rosary. There were dozens of roses and bouquets of supermarket flowers propped up at the statue's gleaming feet, dozens more tall votive candles flickering in the light breeze, handwritten petitions on scraps of paper, and prayer cards with familiar images of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the dark Lady of Czestochowa tucked here and there.
As I strolled across the courtyard of Our Lady of Sorrows convent, a clutch of older ladies wearing badges identifying them as members of the Blue Army — die-hard Marian devotees — greeted me as I approached the assembled crowd and invited me to
join them in a decade or two of the Rosary and bring my own concerns to the Virgin in prayer. I thanked them but declined, explaining that I was a journalist and was only there to observe, not participate.
I found a chair off to the side and watched as the group prayed in English, Spanish, Polish, and Italian, marveling at the devotion I couldn't quite fathom. Some of the penitents knelt in the lush grass or on the pavement. A few stood alone, quietly weeping. After watching for an hour or so, I dutifully approached a number of people and asked why they'd come to see the statue, what the experience meant to them, what they were hoping to accomplish or feel, spiritually or otherwise. They told me about illnesses and lost souls, about how the Virgin Mary had drawn near to them in prayer, how she loved all people and was the last great hope for a world gone mad. I wrote down their names and their stories and moved back to my seat to reflect on what they'd said and to bask in the amber light and encroaching cool of the evening.
++ Join us in showing our appreciation for Catholic women religious (aka nuns or "sisters") on Thank-a-Nun Day, May 9. Click HERE to send a thank-you note online. ++
It was about this time that a small motion caught my attention. I turned to see an elderly nun sitting in a wheelchair in the shade, a thick black cardigan pulled tightly around her hips. She was looking at me and was waving, beckoning me to her.
Her name was Annunziata, she told me, grabbing my hands and pulling me low to her. I crouched down and introduced myself, and that's when she said I had the face of an angel.
"She's our mother," Sister Annunziata said of the massive statute looming in the distance. "She's everyone's mother. I don't know what I'd do without her."
I stayed there for a while, holding hands with this elderly nun, who was a stranger to me but who felt instantly like family.
As I stood to leave, explaining that I had to return to the newspaper and write my story, Annunziata asked if I'd come visit her again. I said I would.
"I love you," she said.
"I love you too," I found myself saying. And I meant it.
Why do so many people have such a hard time saying, "I love you"?They ration those words, as if their meaning could be somehow cheapened or diminished were they said too many times to too many people. Is it possible to love too much? Too recklessly? Unconditionally and indiscriminately?
No. There is nothing better in life than knowing you are loved. There is no more precious gift, no sweeter burden.
A few weeks later, I returned to Our Lady of Sorrows to see Annunziata. She was waiting for me in the convent's first-floor dayroom in her wheelchair, smiling and spreading her arms wide as if I were her long-lost child. She had tears in her eyes, and the first thing she said was, "Oh, I love you so much!" Then she giggled. She was always giggling, a bubbling stream of joyful laughter that made her seem more like a silly schoolgirl than a wise, holy woman.
She wanted to know all about me, about my family, my mother and father, Sister Mary Charles, where I grew up, what I studied, what I liked to read, how I fell in love with my husband, whether I hoped to have children someday, why I had become a writer. I told her my stories with no holds barred. She was my instant confessor and listened to my stories as if they were the most riveting she'd ever heard.
Annunziata told me her stories too. How she'd entered the Mantellate Sisters Servants of Mary religious order in 1937, when she was twenty-one years old. That she was the child of Sicilian immigrants and grew up in an Italian neighborhood in Chicago that had been transformed into something she didn't recognize with high-rise public housing and violent crime.
She told me she disliked her given name, Biaggia, and hated the Americanized nickname "Bessie," bestowed on her in grade school; that she couldn't wait to get her religious name, Annunziata; and that her sister, Marie, had been the pretty one. When I said she was beautiful — and she really was — she got cross with me and said she had a fat face, that she'd never been pretty. I told her she was ridiculous, and we agreed to disagree.
Over the years, in subsequent visits, which were never as often as I would have liked them to be, Annunziata told me stories about her students in Blue Island and in Rome, where she lived and taught from 1958 to 1972. She was an English teacher, a voracious reader,
a true lover of language, art, and film. One afternoon, she revealed that her favorite film was Casablanca.
"Not The Bells of Saint Mary's or The Song of Bernadette?" I said, jokingly.
"Oh, no. I loooooooove Casablanca! It's so romantic, such a sad love story," she swooned.
At the time we were in the small room in the convent's infirmary where she'd been moved some months earlier as her health began to fail. She was unhappy there and missed being on the ground floor where she could see the visitors who came to call on the other sisters, where it had been her job to answer the main phone line, a responsibility she loved because she got to talk to all sorts of people. In the infirmary she felt isolated and old.
As she talked about her years in Rome and more about Casablanca, Annunziata fished out a stack of photos from the bureau next to the easy chair where she slept because it was
more comfortable for her than the single bed. She handed me a small black-and-white snapshot of a much younger Annunziata standing with two uniformed Catholic schoolgirls. "Those were her daughters," she said.
"Whose daughters?" I asked.
The pretty Swedish actress, she said, the one whose name was escaping her. I looked closer, and one of the girl's faces looked familiar. I couldn't place it at first, and then she said, "Ilsa." The Catholic schoolgirl in the photograph, the one smiling shyly next to a beaming younger Annunziata was Ingrid Bergman's daughter, Isabella Rossellini. I said the names — Bergman, Rossellini — and the nun's face lit up. "Oh, yes! Yes, that's her!"
"They were so cruel to her; they said such awful things," she said of Bergman. "I felt so sorry for her. She had these beautiful daughters. I couldn't understand why people were so cruel to her." Annunziata was talking about the controversy that had swirled around Ingrid Bergman nearly a half century before, when the Swedish actress (who, of course, played the role of Ilsa in Casablanca), a married mother of one, had a love affair with the Italian director Roberto Rossellini, became pregnant, and gave birth to his son in 1950. It was absolutely scandalous at the time, and Bergman became something of a pariah. She even was denounced on the floor of the United States Senate as "a horrible example of womanhood and a powerful influence for evil" and was, by a floor vote, officially declared persona non grata in the United States.
Bergman, who lived in self-imposed exile in Italy, divorced her first husband, married Rossellini and in 1952 gave birth to twin daughters, Isabella and Isotta, who were, for a time, Annunziata's students in Rome. At least that's the story she told each time she brought out the photograph. Though I couldn't be sure, I chose to believe her.
The way Bergman was treated by the church, by the establishment, by the so-called keeper of society's moral authority, haunted Annunziata, this pious woman who loved everyone with abandon. It pained her, troubling her soul into her last days on earth. She was so sensitive to cruelty, judgmentalism, the absence of forgiveness and grace even or perhaps especially when it came to those she didn't know. It's one of the greatest lessons she taught me, and she taught me so very much.
In the last year of her life, Annunziata was sick much of the time. She wanted to die, she said, to "go home" to Jesus, her Lord, her love, her "bride." Each time I talked to her, she'd ask me to
pray for her to die in her sleep. She wasn't afraid of death, but she didn't want to suffer. Her body, she said, was falling apart. She was frustrated and scared.
"Everything is just so icky," she told me one day as a dark mood flashed across her otherwise cherubic face when she couldn't recall what she'd been talking about moments earlier. "I used to read profusely. To tell me I can't read anymore is so mean to me," she said, clenching her birdlike hand into a fist around the gold crucifix ring with a half-inch of yarn wound around the band to hold it in place. "Sometimes I stand up and I feel so bad, like I'm going to die. I get so angry because I want to be going on my way, but I keep pulling back through."
She thought for a few moments and then the familiar smile returned to her face. "The end is near. It's soon. I know it is. I'm not afraid. Not at all. God is so good," she said. "I'm going to die while I'm sleeping. I'm depending on you for that." I told her I'd pray for that, and I did.
On one of our last visits a few months before she went home to her bride, I brought a copy of Casablanca and we watched it together on an old television set the size of a steamer trunk in the infirmary's lounge. We didn't say much during the movie, except to comment on how beautiful Ingrid Bergman was. Mostly we sat in rapt silence next to each other, sipping superstrong, supersweet espresso coffee in tiny porcelain cups one of the Italian sisters brought up from the kitchen downstairs.
After the movie, a nurse and I helped Annunziata back to her room a few feet away. As I said good-bye to her in the shadowy room and tucked her into her easy chair with an afghan, she grabbed my hand and pulled me close to her face as she often did. "I love you so much," she said.
Those were the last words she ever spoke to me.
Sister Annunziata died in her sleep on July 22, 2002. She was 86. At her funeral a few days later in the chapel at Our Lady of Sorrows, the priest presiding at the Mass mentioned her smile. It was a sign of her hospitality, he said, which was a central part of her vocation as a servant of the Virgin Mary.
My nun, which is how I think of her, was the most profound witness for God's love I've ever encountered in this world. She was a magnet for lost souls, a petite fortress of strength and unconditional love. What this sprightly, silly, lovely woman did from the obscurity of a faded convent in Rust Belt Chicago was to fulfill in a passionate, tireless way the supreme commandment of Jesus' gospel every day of her life.
According to John 13, just after Jesus washed the feet of his 12 disciples (including the one he knew would betray him and deliver him into the hands of his executioners), he gave them an order: "Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
When Annunziata said she loved me or any of her thousands
of other friends and beloveds, she was really saying, at least in my mind, "God loves you." To paraphrase the singer/songwriter James Taylor, she showered the people she loved with love, always showing the way that she felt without holding back.
Even as her body could barely contain her soul any longer, she'd open wide the gates of herself with a smile, that giggle, her twinkling eyes, and she'd let the supernatural love flow through her.
Walking out of the chapel after her funeral, a woman I'd never seen before stopped me and said, "You're Cathleen, aren't you?"
"Yes," I croaked, tears rolling off my nose as I fingered the prayer card with Annunziata's picture on it.
Slipping an arm around my shoulders, the woman explained that she was one of Annunziata's former students and said, "She loved you so much."
Cathleen Falsani is Web Editor and Director of New Media for Sojourners. Annunziata's story is taken from the chapter "Aluminum Mary" in Cathleen's book Sin Boldly: A Field Guide for Grace. Follow Cathleen on Twitter @GodGrrl.
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A great way to use up Christmas leftovers, this pasta is simply delicious.
In a large pan, cook the pasta in boiling salted water according to the packet instruction. Drain when cooked.
Meanwhile heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the turkey and cook over a medium high heat for 4 minutes, add the onion garlic, red pepper and courgette and cook for a further 4 minutes, stirring.
Pour in the stock, bring to the boil, cook for 3 minutes to reduce by half.
Stir the sweet corn, pesto sauce and creme fraiche into the pan, cook over a medium heat until everything is heated through.
Add the drained pasta and toss together before serving.


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Q: PDO comma separated array search only returning results for first item I have a comma separated array of ids stored in a string that looks like this :
$array_string = "4,6,15,94,122,145";

I'm trying to query the database to return results based on these ids but I'm only getting results for the first id in the string, the rest are being ignored.
$sql = 'SELECT * FROM table WHERE user_id IN (:array) ORDER BY last_updated DESC';

$db = static::getDB();
$stmt = $db->prepare($sql);
$stmt->bindParam(':array', $array_string, PDO::PARAM_STR);
$stmt->execute();

return $stmt->fetchAll(PDO::FETCH_OBJ);

This will only return results for id 4 and none of the others. What am I doing wrong?