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Category Archives: Me @ work
UPDATED to include Sci-Hub data from six months: September 2015–February 2016, and correcting a coding error that inflated download counts.
Well, they might not have lost the downloads, but they didn't get them.
Sci-Hub is a pirate operation that uses stolen university login credentials to harvest, store, and distribute for free virtually every academic article published anywhere. It is a simple, if criminal, solution to a very big problem: the lack of access to published research for people who can't pay for it. When someone goes to the Sci-Hub site and requests an article, by simply pasting in the DOI or URL, the system either serves them the paper, or goes and steals it for them and then keeps a copy for the next user. For us university people who are used to dealing with the maze of logins and forwarding and proxies that come between us and the information we seek, it's unbelievably fast and almost never fails.
Their most recent claim is an archive of 76 million papers and 400,000 users per day.
Today is 5 September and Sci-Hub is 8 years old. In eight years, the website grew from zero to 76,000,000 research articles available for free reading, and from 2,000 users per day to 400,000.
— Sci Hub (@Sci_Hub) September 5, 2019
Currently available at sci-hub.se or –.tw, it sometimes moves, but this site always lists where you can find it now. Naturally, both civil and criminal authorities are trying to shut it down, preferably by catching its mastermind, Alexandra Elbakyan, the elusive student programmer from Kazakhstan.
That picture is from the excellent (free streaming) documentary Paywall: The Business of Scholarship. Chris Bourg, the Director of Libraries at MIT (and a sociologist), also interviewed in the movie, said of Sci-Hub:
Those of us who work in scholarly communications, writ large, really have to look at Sci-Hub as sort of a poke in the side that says, "Do better." We need to look to Sci-Hub to say, "What is it that we could be doing differently about the infrastructure that we developed to distribute journal articles, to distribute scholarship?" … I think we need to look at what's happening with Sci-Hub, how it evolved, who's using it, who's accessing it, and let it be a lesson to us for what we should be doing differently.
Sociology's stolen papers
Science magazine writer John Bohannon reached Elbakyan in 2016, and she turned over to him a 6-month cache of Sci-Hub server logs for a piece titled, "Who's downloading pirated papers? Everyone." He analyzed 28 million downloads, and Science made the data available for analysis, here. Eight million of those hits were from India and China, and the busiest location was Tehran.
The data archive includes only the time and date, the DOI number of each paper downloaded, and the location of the user. I'm not expert in DOI analysis, but Bohannon included a guide that shows the prefix 10.1177 is associated with Sage Publications, which publishes the American Sociological Association's journals. Looking at the entire six-month series, September 2015 — February 2016, I found 171,000 Sage items, downloaded 377,000 times. Of those (if I got the DOIs right), 805 titles downloaded 1628 times came from the ASA research journals (my Stata code is here).
ASA / Sage downloads from Sci-Hub, Sept 2015 – Feb 2016
Articles Downloads
American Sociological Review 239 693
Teaching Sociology 221 269
Journal of Health and Social Behavior 94 188
Social Psychology Quarterly 77 152
Sociology of Education 73 157
Sociological Methodology 57 76
Sociological Theory 44 93
Total 805 1628
On an annualized basis, that would be 750,000 Sage downloads, and 3,200 from ASA journals specifically. For comparison, the most popular article in ASR in 2017 was downloaded about 10,000 times from the Sage site, so it's a small share of the legitimate traffic. So over the life of Sci-Hub it cost (and saved) ASA thousands of downloads, probably a few tens of thousands. [Note in the first version of this post, I had a coding error that multiplied the counts, and this read "hundreds of thousands". I regret the error.]
The most-downloaded ASR paper for the entire period was:
Mears, Ashley. 2015. "Working for Free in the VIP: Relational Work and the Production of Consent." American Sociological Review 80 (6): 1099–1122. (downloaded 33 times)
The most-downloaded from a different journal was:
Kanazawa, Satoshi. 2010. "Why Liberals and Atheists Are More Intelligent:" Social Psychology Quarterly, February. (29 times)
I looked at a couple of them in more detail, and found, for example, that Paula England's 2015 ASA Presidential Address was downloaded by users in Seoul (South Korea), Durban (South Africa), New Delhi, London, Chicago, Washington, and Virgie (Kentucky).
Interestingly, at least one of the popular papers, Lizardo et al.'s introduction to their editorial tenure at ASR, is already ungated on the Sage site, so you don't need to use Sci-Hub to get it. This suggests, as Bohannon also noted, that some Sci-Hub users are just using the site because it's convenient, not because they don't have access to the papers.
Do you Sci-Hub?
I use Sci-Hub a lot, often for things that I also have subscription access to. (I do not, however, contribute anything to the system; I free-ride off their criminality.) Why? I'm not in the paywall game business, I'm in the information business. I am always behind on my work, and adding a few seconds or minutes of hunting for the legitimate way to get each of the many articles I look at every day is not worth it. (And when I find my university doesn't subscribe? Interlibrary loan is wonderful, but I don't want to spend more time with it than necessary.) Does my choice cost the American Sociological Association a few cents, by reducing legitimate downloads, which somehow factors into the profits that get kicked back to the association from Sage? I don't know.
Of course, one of the dumb things about the paywall system is that it's expensive and time-consuming to manage who has access to what information — it's not a small task to keep information from reaching millions of determined readers from all around the world. (I assume one of the reasons my university recently introduced two-factor authentication — requiring me to click a pop-up on my phone every time I log in to university resources [even when I'm in my office] — is because of Sci-Hub. Ironic!)
Chris Bourg is right: "let it be a lesson to us for what we should be doing differently." Elbakyan may have committed the most efficient product theft in history, in terms of list price of stolen goods per unit of effort or expense on her part. Her archive has been copied and distributed to different sites around the world (it fits in a large suitcase). And it was made possible by the irrational, corrupt nature of the scholarly communication infrastructure. Her success is the system's failure.
For more information, read my report, "Scholarly Communication in Sociology."
Tagged as american sociological association, ASA, oa, open access, paywall, publishing, sage, sci-hub
Blogging is dead. Long live the blog!
At 268,000, visits to this blog are now down 37% from the peak year of 2015. At the same time, this year I had the fewest number of new posts, just 39. On the other hand, this year I had 25 million impressions on Twitter. Whatever that means.
In my case, and probably many others, the role of the blog has changed with the growth of Twitter. A lot of what the blog did was provide an immediate outlet for daily chatter and work in progress thoughts, a way to get feedback, check in with colleagues, learn new things and meet new people. That's a lot of what I use Twitter for now, more efficiently (if more noisily).
The other squeeze on the blog is the imperative to do open science more systematically, for which I use the Open Science Framework to post data and code — in projects, which may include multiple files, and quick files for single documents. And of course I use SocArXiv for more formal working papers, reviews, and preprints (mine are here).
So what is the role of the blog? It's the place for official news and announcements about new work — including notifications of stuff I'm publishing elsewhere — longer arguments, and informal work. It's a way for people to subscribe to my news via email (it also goes on Facebook, which a lot of sociologists use).
In several talks I have tried to illustrate the total information strategy in something like this pentagulation:
For a wider perspective, I also wrote a report on Scholarly Communication in Sociology, which is intended especially for grad students and early career scholars.
I'm happy to hear suggestions (on any platform) for how to handle communication strategy.
Book aside
The tricky relationship between platforms and different media came home to roost in my book, Enduring Bonds: Inequality, Marriage, Parenting, and Everything Else That Makes Families Great and Terrible. That book was inspired by the success of this blog, which is what enticed University of California Press to consider it. Unbeknownst to the vast majority of my readers on other platforms, I worked pretty hard on it, selecting the best blog posts, and then combining, updating, and adding to them to make a collection of essays, with data. I don't know how successful the book is compared with other academic books generally, but, with almost no marketing beyond my social media platforms, it has generated basically no buzz for me (media, invitations, etc.). That's in contrast to working papers, tweets, and blog posts, which continue to bring in wider attention. I know other people have done amazing blog-to-book projects, but this experience definitely showed me that the successful translation is far from automatic. Live and learn! Maybe in the long run the book will be what persists from the first decade of this blog.
Tagged as blog, books, media, open science, social media, twitter
I had a popular post in 2013 called, "Why taller-wife couples are so rare," a title given it by my old Atlantic editor, who ran it under a picture of Nicole Kidman (5′ 11″) with her second shorter husband. I also put a version of it in my book Enduring Bonds, and reference it in The Family. In it I used data from the 2009 PSID to show that people are more likely to pair up as taller-man-shorter-woman than would be expected by chance. I've now updated it with the 2017 PSID data. This is a revised version of that post with the new data.
Men are bigger and stronger than women. That generalization, although true, doesn't adequately describe how sex affects our modern lives. In the first place, men's and women's size and strength are distributions. Strong women are stronger than weak men, so sex doesn't tell you all you need to know. Otherwise, as retired colonel Martha McSally put it with regard to the ban on women in combat positions, "Pee Wee Herman is OK to be in combat but Serena and Venus Williams are not going to meet the standard."
Second, how we handle that average difference is a matter of social construction: We can ignore it, minimize it, or exaggerate it. In the realm of love and marriage, we so far have chosen exaggeration.
Consider height. The height difference between men and women in the U.S. is about 6 inches on average. But Michael J. Fox, at five feet, five inches, is shorter than almost half of all U.S. women today. On the other hand, at five-foot-ten, Michelle Obama is taller than half of American men. So how do people match up romantically, and why does it matter?
Because everyone knows men are taller on average, straight couples in which the man is shorter raise a problem of gender performance. That is, the man might not be seen as a real man, the woman as a real woman, if they don't (together) display the normal pattern. To prevent this embarrassment, some couples in which the wife is taller might choose to be photographed with the man standing on a step behind the woman, or they might have their wedding celebrated with a commemorative stamp showing her practically on her knees—as the British royals did with Charles and Diana, who were both the same height.
They were the same height pic.twitter.com/I9YVAcU4hn
— Philip N Cohen (@familyunequal) March 18, 2017
But the safer bet is just to match up according to the height norm. A study from Britain measured the height of the parents of about 19,000 babies born in 2000. They found that the woman was taller in 4.1 percent of cases. Then they compared the couples in the data to the pattern found if you scrambled up those same men and women and matched them together at random. In that random set, the woman was taller in 6.5 percent of cases. That means couples are more often man-taller, woman-shorter than would be expected by chance. Is that a big difference? I can explain.
For illustration, and to compare the pattern with the U.S., I used the 2017 Panel Study of Income Dynamics, a U.S. survey that includes height reported for 4,666 married couples. These are the height distributions for those spouses, showing a median difference of 6 inches.
Clearly, if these people married (and didn't divorce) at random we would expect the husband to be taller most of the time. And that is what we find. Here is the distribution of height differences from those same couples:
The most common arrangement is the husband six inches taller, and a small minority of couples—2.7 percent—are on the left side of the line, indicating a taller wife.
But does that mean people are seeking out taller-husband-shorter-wife pairings? To answer that, we compare the actual distribution with a randomized outcome. I made 10 copies of all the men and women in the data, scrambled them up, and paired them at random. They I superimposed the two distributions — observed and random — which allows us to see which arrangements are more or less common in the actual pairings than we would expect by chance:
Now we can see that from same-height up to man-8-inches-taller, there are more couples than we would expect by chance. And below same-height—where the wife is taller—we see fewer in the population than we would expect by chance. There also are relatively few couples at the man-much-taller end of the spectrum—at 9 inches or greater—where the difference apparently becomes awkward, a pattern also seen in the British study. In the random distribution, we would expect 10 percent of couples to have a taller wife, but we only see 7 percent in that range in the observed data.
You could look at this as people marrying to conform more closely to a norm of husbands being 6 inches taller, because there is reduction in both tails. But that left tail just happens to be pulled down right after you get to taller wives, so you could also call it a taller-man norm.
Humans could couple up differently, if they wanted to. If it were desirable to have a taller-woman-shorter-man relationship, it could be much more common. In this sample, 27 percent of women could marry a shorter man, if they all insisted on it. Instead, people seem to exaggerate the difference by seeking out taller-man-shorter-woman pairings for marriage (or maybe the odd taller-woman couples are more likely to divorce, which would produce the same result).
What difference does it make? When people—and here I'm thinking especially of children—see men and women together, they form impressions about their relative sizes (and related capacities). Because people's current matching process reduces the number of woman-taller pairings, our thinking is skewed that much more toward assuming men are bigger.
I put the Stata code for this analysis up here.
Thanks to Sebastian Karcher, who figured out for me that 34 percent of women could marry a shorter man.
Special thanks to Jeff Spies, who talked me down on Twitter the other night when I thought the results were all different, and then went and got the data and showed me that I was wrong, which led me to fix it, in the process restoring my faith in the resilience of patriarchy.
Tagged as demography, dimorphism, gender, height, marriage, sex
I wrote a short working paper on U.S. mortality trends for the last decade. You can go straight to the paper on SocArXiv, or the code and output, if you want the full version.
The issue is that premature mortality has been rising for Whites, partly because of the opioid epidemic and also from suicide and alcohol, and also from other causes related to stress and hardship. (See, e.g., Case and Deaton, and Geronimus.) And a recent NCHS report showed that mortality nationally declined much more for married people since 2010.
So I got the Mortality Multiple Cause Files from the National Center for Health Statistics, for two years: 2007 and 2017. These are a complete set of death certificates, which include race/ethnicity, marital status, and education. I linked these to the American Community Survey, to create age-specific mortality rates by age, sex, marital status, and education, for non-Hispanic Whites, Hispanics, and Blacks, in the ages 25-74 (old enough to finished with college, but too young to die).
The basic result is that virtually all of the growth in premature death is among Whites, and further among non-married Whites. (Whites still dies less than Blacks, and more than Hispanics, at each age and marital status.)
Here is the figure of age-specific mortality rates, by race/ethnicity, sex, and marital status for 2007 and 2017. At the bottom of each column I calculated "marriage mortality ratios," which are how much more likely single people are to die than married people. Note these death rates are deaths per 10,000, but they're on a log scale so you can see changes where rates are very low.
In the figure you can see how much the marriage mortality ratio jumped up, for Whites only. Now, at the most extreme, single White men age 35-39 are more than 4-times more likely to die than married White men (that's in the bottom left).
Then I zoom into Whites specifically, and do the same thing for four levels of education:
In the lowest education group of Whites (the far left), mortality rates for married and single people increased similarly, so the marriage mortality ratio didn't increase. However, for the other education levels, death rates increased for single people more than married people, so the ratio increased (across the bottom). Even among White college graduates, there were increases in mortality for single people. I did not expect that.
My bottom line is that marriage is taking an ever-more prominent place in the social status hierarchy, and now we can add growing mortality inequality, at least among Whites, to that pattern.
Early version, comments welcome!
Tagged as american community survey, demography, marriage, mortality
"Why we need open science in demography, and how we can make it happen" is the title of a talk I gave at the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research yesterday, as part of an open science workshop they hosted in Rostock, Germany. (The talk was not nearly as definitive as the title.)
The other (excellent) keynote was by Monica Alexander. I posted the slides from my talk here. There should be a video available later. The organizing committee for the event is working to raise the prominence of open science discussions at the Institute, and consider practices and policies they might adopt. We had a great meeting.
As an aside, I also got to hear an excellent tutorial by E. F. Haghish, who has written Markdoc, a "literate programming" (markdown) package for Stata, which is very cool. These are his slides.
Tagged as demography, germany, open science, socarxiv, stata


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Luftwaffe Late War Designs
ossel Customizer last edited by
Found an interesting website and thought I'd post it here. It's a collection of late-war German aircraft prototypes. Some of these are really crazy, others are eerily similar to Cold War or even modern designs.
http://www.luft46.com/
This one looks a lot like a MIG
This one is almost like a modern jetliner
This one reminds me of a Harrier
Ummm…Osprey anyone?
ABWorsham4 last edited by
Wow, that looks to be the famed MiG 15.
Tall Paul Customizer last edited by
@ABWorsham:
––I think what you meant to say is:
"that Mig-15 looks like the German FW". After all, the Russians (as well as the Americans) did capture and utilize many of the German designs. The large Russian 4-engine bomber was a "copy/modification" of an American design. And let's not forget about the A bomb either.
––Aint history cool!
"Tall Paul"
@Tall:
"Tall Paul"Â
Eloquently said Tall Paul! How are you? Happy New Years.
AB,
––As they say down here in the South,…"Backatcha!"
"Happy New Year". I always enjoy your WW2 history threads. Congrats on getting people to speak up & get envolved.
Imperious Leader 2017 '16 '15 Organizer '14 Customizer '13 '12 '11 '10 last edited by
I wish somebody would finish the Horton X Jet to see if it could fly using the original designs
We once talked about organizing an A&A match. You still want to wage war.
ABWorsham,
––I'm always "up" for some Fun, although I haven't gotten envolved in the computer version of A&A here on A&A.Org. I much prefer the face-to-face games over the computer versions, although I'm certain I would learn a lot and become a better player.
----To tell you the truth, I've been spending most of my time lately preparing for a large donation to my soon to be incorporated Railroad & Military History Museum. Just think of two commas and six zeros. Some of my permanent plans include a "military simulations" room (A&A games) so I can host games with friends like you and eventually sponser a A&A gaming convention one day. I'm very much looking forward to the day,….hopefuly very soon. We were expecting the donation to happen about a month after Christmas, but haven't received the enabling message yet. Keep you fingers crossed for me/us.
Wittmann 2020 2019 2018 2017 '16 '15 '14 '13 Moderator last edited by
We will.
Yavid last edited by
@Imperious:
do you mean the Ho-229?
Gargantua Liaison TripleA '11 '10 last edited by
You mean this? LOL
From this original "sketch"
There's a documentary where they make one of those and test it's stealth capabilities.
I'll try to dig it up…
If the confederates win at Antietam do they win the war?
World War II History • • thechariot1x
Hi Mallery. When I said a war weary North I meant there would have been less fervour from some of the electorate if things had not gone as well in the West.if the South had realised the importance of it and allocated better resources and a better Army of Tennessee commander, then it is possible Lincoln may not have won relection. As for Louisiana and Tennessee voting as it did, I think the fact those states were under occupation and any or all its Southern leaning voters were under arms or trying to avoid attracting the enemy's attention, may have helped the result. I am not sure but could a Southerner have voted how he wanted anyway? Did they have representation? Am interested to know, but cannot find any evidence of figures.
Kokoda trail, Lost WWII battlefield found, war dead included
World War II History • • Raunchy The Pirate
A more realistic distance is over 800 statute miles. Zero had a range of 1,600 miles, so yes thats consistent with Sakai's account over Java. Also, they had over 400 Zeros in active service by July 1940.
Good link for understanding Japans war plans before 1941
World War II History • • Imperious Leader
Interesting read so far, although I have not gotten through the whole thing yet (the site is huge!). Thanks for sharing.
World War One Armies
World War II History • • cts17
I can certianly see why Canada would be at the tops of this list, the Canadian assault on Vimy ridge is one that has certianly deserves mention, Epic, simply epic. Of course, their counter attack in Belgium at Ypres in the face of a German gas attack, cant go unmentioned, full credit to them. I think the German Sturmabteillung, and their descendants the Stormtroopers, were some of the best formations not only in the German amry, but in the world. However, I would be remiss if I did not mention Paul Von Lettow-Vorbeck and his determined group of east african (Tanzanian) Askari schutztruppen, who waged a very spirited and determined guerilla campagin against the Allies, and is the only German commander who was never defeated in battle. Another very impressive allies was the American 93rd division and their black troopers, the Harlem Hellfighters of 369 regiment. And this really only scratches the surface.
The reason the west went to war with germany is pure BS
World War II History • • balungaloaf
Read "world war 2 behind closed doors" by laurence rees There was a secret part in the treaty between the french, british and poles which the brits and the french promised military assistance against a German attack not a Soviet attack and remember they did not help in the war between the poles in the soviets in late 1910's and early 1920's but instead suggested the curzon line (which the Molotov-Ribbentrop line basicly followed) Also the soviets at Tehran were more interested in soviet post war borders than they were in actually winning the war and remember in 1943 this was not a certainty. They wanted to keep there pre 1941 gains. This is just a brief overview of some othe parts of the book I suggest you read it. It is very good. The brits and the french could have attacked the siegfried line before the germans finished it and probably would have been succesful and because they did not co-operate with the Belgium people (I don't know the correct word) and the dutch because the later two did not want to appear co-operating with the allies because at that time they were neutral. The Germans had a brilliant strategy in attacking (the aaa territory North West Europe) and then following nit up with the tank drive through the ardennes they cut of the Elite French and British troops from the rest of the army. They shouldn't have allowed Dunkirk and should have forced the British and French into the sea and this would come back to haunt them.
Maritime war graves missing
World War II History • • KaLeu
What if there were secret plans and an alien craft on the cruiser? Government conspiracy.
Great War Dreadnought Showdown:
Japan would have lost that battle to the western powers. The Great War was really a European conflict with a minor chase in the Pacific against a number of Light German cruisers. The Central powers objectives did not include much outside Europe/ Middleast
Most valuable U.S. fighter plane in World War II
World War II History • • Fishmoto37
@Fishmoto37: All of the above made important contributions to the war effort. Which one do you think contibuted the most. Do you think that there is one fighter that the U.S. could not have done without? The voting is now closed and the P51 is the winner by 3 votes. Although there was very little commentary as to why.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Mirza Ghalib And Javed Akhtar shayari
A1FACTS
Confirmed: Aamir Khan to play astronaut Rakesh Sharma in biopic
a1facts February 14, 2017 A1facts, Arts and Entertainment, Bollywood, India No Comments
Aamir Khan is all set to essay the role of wrestler Mahavir Phogat in his upcoming film Dangal. And we hear that if things fall in place following huge role Aamir Khan can portray is that of India's 1st astronaut Rakesh Sharma. Yes, we bet that fans of the actor are super thrilled to hear that one. Now, it is confirmed that Aamir Khan to play astronaut Rakesh Sharma in biopic. Bollywood is presently smitten by biopics and their stupendous success at the box office only makes them a lot of bankable. But Aamir is forever up for challenges thus we have a tendency to bet that it wasn't the idea of playing it safe by doing a movie on real world personality however the idea of venturing it into space that isn't explored by Bollywood-wallahs as yet.
Aamir Khan to play astronaut Rakesh Sharma in biopic
Come to think of it, what would it mean to be within the shoes of first Indian to fly into space. It's an uphill task to imagine Rakesh Sharma's thoughts as he would have entered the space 34 years ago, his mind bubbling with a countless number of emotions. For one, to even feel a speck of his mind-space before crossing the stratosphere, would mean a vicarious space travel. And we ought to thank filmmakers to have chosen Aamir Khan to recreate this one rare incident of Indian history.
Who would you have imagined playing 1st Indian man in space if not Aamir? Amongst this crop of actors, Aamir Khan is the only man who will take this humongous challenge. Because he has given his record of consistency and risk-taking ability. The film is after all in safe hands.
According to a report published in Mumbai Mirror, Siddharth Roy Kapur has approached Aamir Khan for the film. "Sid had approached Aamir with the script of his last film and this time too he went straight to him. The 2018 film will be created under his newly-launched banner RK Films (Roy Kapur Films). Mahesh Mathai will direct this movie," a source was quoted in the report.
Title of the movie: "Saare Jahaan Se Achha" or Any Other?
The film was initially rumoured to be titled 'Saare Jahaan Se Achha'. This song's title is the Sharma's response to the then PM of India Indira Gandhi's question, " How India looked from outer space?". The makers, however, have changed the title to 'Salute'. As of now, there are no confirmations on the title of a biopic. However, the report suggests that the film is titled Salute. Hence the biopic will jointly be created by Siddharth Roy Kapur and Aamir. In 2018, the film is expected to release.
Roy Kapur and Aamir are however to confirm this news.
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By Syed Raza, Robert Kirkpatrick
Cross-Post: Operationalising Mobile Phone Network Data for Development and Humanitarian Action
How has mobile network data been used to inform policy? What building blocks need to be in place to leverage mobile phone network data for real-time policy analysis, decision making and impact tracking? UN Global Pulse and the Digital Impact Alliance are excited to host a joint-session at the UN World Data Forum in Dubai […]
By Brittany Caplin
#TBT: Bringing the Digital Principles to Life in Jakarta
In February, the Digital Impact Alliance hosted its second Practicing the Principles event in Jakarta, Indonesia. The event shared insights from public and private sector implementers on how they are putting the Principles for Digital Development into practice, finding innovations and gaining efficiencies that are inspiring a new way to implement development projects. The Principles […]
By Mitch Hulse
The Challenge of Upholding Data Privacy in Digital Development
Across the global development community, non-profits, government agencies, and humanitarian response organizations are using data to catalyze innovation through increasing mobile access, scaling up field operations and promoting inclusive decisions between implementers and beneficiaries. While organizations may act with best intentions, and in doing so, embrace digitization and adopt advanced analytics to improve these efforts, issues […]
By Danielle Dhillon
The Future of ICT for Agriculture
At the recent ICTforAg 2017 conference, supported by Abt Associates, DAI and FHI 360, there was a lot of food for thought around how new innovations can empower smallholder farmers, and the communities that support them, through information and communication technologies (ICT). Inspired by a day of keynotes, lightning talks and group breakouts, here are some of […]


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Featured: A Racer's Perspective on the 2014 Tour Auto (2 of 2)
A Racer's Perspective on the 2014 Tour Auto (2 of 2)
Story by Frédéric Brun, Photography by Rémi Dargegen for Petrolicious
To me, the primary difference between us and the red Ferrari 250GT SWB team behind us, on the Tour Auto Optic2000, is that nobody would tell them, "Fantastic! That was my father's first car!"
Of course, we would have preferred to hear about boys growing up in the back seats of Aston Martin DB 2/4s or Lancia Aurelias during the 1950s and '60s, but the most frequent car on French post-war roads was a tiny four-door: the Renault 4CV.
Despite the fantastic range of dream cars participating in this fantastic French tour, our little blue 4CV was still very popular. Organized by Patrick and Sylviane Peter beginning in 1992 as a retrospective of the Tour de France automobile, first held in 1899, the Tour Auto Optic2000 is an annual rally open to cars that originally competed between 1950 and the late '70s. For those who love sports and competition cars, this one is of the world's most amazing road rallies: an open sky, beauty, speed, and a wonderful soundtrack crossing wonderful French landscapes, historic cities, castles and, of course, the tracks at Dijon-Prenois or Le Castellet.
With the modest 750cc engine mounted in the rear—thanks to Mr. Porsche, war prisoner in France in the late '40s, as the legend says and Renault's engineers contest completely—was not really a competition car. But for young enthusiasts, around 1950, the Renault 4CV was the cheapest way to build a speed machine. Renault refused to sell competition versions, the R 1063, so enthusiasts would buy a simple R 1062 sport and transform it into a desirable 1063 version, with a bigger carburetor, a four speed gearbox, a camshaft with more overlap, or various upgraded elements.
Which is exactly what Mr. Adrien Maeght and his fellow mechanic Mr. Jean Gamot did in 1953 with our 2014 Tour Auto 4CV. With the amusing-to-drive Renault, those two gentlemen-drivers participated in premier road rallies between 1953 and 1955, like the 1953 Tour de Belgique (finishing 2nd, just after René Hugonet's 4CV), 1953 and '54 Neige & Glace rally, a glorious snow race, and 1954 Mille Miglia. As Adrien–the world famous art collector, dealer, and former owner of the Cannes vintage car museum–where his 4CV was exhibited since 1978 until the museum closed ten years ago–agreed to lend Mr. François-Jean Daehn and me that iconic car, we decided to comtest the Tour Auto in our way, just to celebrate the Maeght & Gamot experience and as a testimony of a French passion for automotive pleasures. That's how we decided that everything in the car must be "Made in France." With the help of Renault, Monsieur Magazine, and Crooner Radio, we convinced French brands to join the project. From tools by Facom, leather jackets by Chapal, silk ties by Hermes, made-to-measure blazers by Smuggler and fine driver's moccasins by JM Weston (both hand made in Limoges): everything was French, even our Navarre cigars!
But, in fact, we must admit that François-Jean and I would never have imagined the success of our blue, French car with number one on the bonnet. Why number one? Not because it was the oldest. An oh-so elegant green Jaguar XK120, driven by famous French enthusiast Etienne Raynaud and his brother Guillaume "Ray" Raynaud was from 1950, but certainly because the staff wanted us to be on time at night for the traditional Lanson's champagne glass.
On many occasions, people came, passing brilliant Alfa Romeos, hypnotic Cobras or the marvelous number two racing OSCA from Argentina, just to ask us about the Renault, and, every time, beginning or concluding with the following, "I had one" or "that was my first car." The Renault 4CV remains a star in France, carrying family memories and a very communicative popular happiness. And, if by any chance, we needed any advice or a mechanic's help, there were always one or two people that knew the car perfectly!
On the road, the car is also rather idiosyncratic. It sits close to the road because of the thin wheels and tires, and needs to build momentum to carry on. The engine, delivering a soft and haunting sewing-machine melody, is brave, especially when climbing a hill. I must confess that our best moments were during a speed session on a closed road. Just as if we were competing in a world championship rally race, we were wearing gloves and helmets, stopwatch in hand. The engine roared and the noise was fantastic as the car strained. Somehow in unison, both my co-pilot and I looked at the dashboard at the same moment. The speed was close to… twenty mph! And so we had a good, memorable laugh.
As most of the competition can imagine, finishing the Tour Auto in Marseille, we didn't had spent the same week as them. Of course, we ran the same kilometers, took part in all the special sections of the race, even on the track. Nevertheless, we had a different experience. For us there was no fight for victory or glory, we just enjoyed a fantastic road, the high springtime sun on France's most beautiful landscapes, and a lot of smiles. It was just like the '50s. We'd open the rear bonnet to refresh the engine after a climb or tune the carburetor beside the road, and each morning we checked the sparkplugs, all the while with a feeling of timeless sensations, pleasures, and habits. Perhaps, thanks to our relative slowness, we have had much more fun than the others, frantically racing on "their" Tour Auto. So we realized with happiness that for a 4cv driver, in 1953, France must have seemed a very large country.
To read the previous article in the series, click here.
Tags 2014 Tour Auto/	750cc/	France/	François-Jean Daehn/	Patrick Peter/	Racer's Perspective/	Rally/	Renault 4CV/	Sylviane Peter
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Chris Robins
Absolute enthusiasts!!! Awesome car. A great way to do the Tour Auto, I hope to do it that way in the next few years sometime, enjoying the scenery and being retro in my 50's Lancia Aurelia B20S Nardi.
Dear Frederic
Congratulation for this remarquable tale of the Tour Auto
I hope you don't mind if I molest your modesty but your forgot to mention that you were by far the most elegant (I would venture dandy) team in the Tour, and quite good drivers as well. I have a sweet and sour memory of the 4cv rushing just behind us at full speed in a hill climb race in the Jura.
Name of your jacket please?
Great article, btw!
Matthew Lange
It will a jacket by Chapal but I don't know which one http://www.chapal.fr/
FyB
Our fantastic "A1" leather jackets are made in France by Chapal
http://www.chapal.fr/CHAPAL/index1.html
Thanks for another great article!
While I enjoy 500hp sports cars as much as the next person, I often feel that automobiles today have become too fast too easy for their own good. But then, I guess the world just moves faster nowadays.
The Tour Auto is on my bucket list. While I dream of doing it in a Group IV spec Daytona, I reckon I would have just as much fun in 'La Motte de Buerre' 🙂 Great story Frédéric and great pics Rémi.
I'm sure, dear Matthew, that you perfectly know the origins of that nick-name "la motte de beurre" ("piece of butter").
Because Renaul gave, as a war damage, a large stock of sand colour paint, coming from… the Afrikakorps!
I am restoring a 4CV (we have four really)! And I am very excited to read the article and look the pics!
Thanks petrolicius.
Yoav Gilad
Let us know how it turns out!
Well, I am writing a blog with the advances of the restoration, unfortunately we proceed very slowly!
Dustin Rittle
This was a good finish to a already good article. Plenty of great pictures to go around. I don't think most people would give a 4cv a second look but the one in this article is simply very stunning.


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Hi guys, what a week we've had!
I was right about needing time at home after the Flu jabs - Coo was poorly, he developed a cough and a temperature and additional seizures kicked in too - not an easy one to cope with but on the plus side I was absolutely fine and thank God for that!
We waited it out a few days in the hope things would settle and it was just some effects from the jab, but...no - never one to do things by halves - Coo got sicker and the dreaded vomiting seizures returned so it was time for a rethink!
I'm always concerned when the vomiting seizures show up, we had a nasty bout of Aspiration Pneumonia before and it really was the worst of times! These seizures just makes everything scarier and so much more difficult to deal with. The noise, the choking, the fluids, the rest...getting the picture Yeah thought so...enough said!
Our GP is a lovely guy, he's good with Coo and he listens...so first things first, AED (Anti Epilepsy Drugs) are usually all over the place when Coo's ill and if they're too high (or too low for that matter!) things escalate so - bloods done, next - chest, he's prone to infection after Pneumonia and especially this time of year!
Everything seemed ok so we sat it out, stayed home and just hoped for the best - not really a good week.
Fast forward a week, things are no better, maybe worse so back we go!
Blood results are back...they're high, not toxic yet but too high! - safe range is 10-20 and Coo's currently at 25 - there's a concern but and it's a big but! He now has developed a chest infection and needs anti-biotics and this will all effect the drug levels too!
Do we stick and see if they come down on their own? Do we reduce the doses and trigger yet more seizures? Decisions, decisions! I think that's one of the worst parts about caring, influencing and making decisions for another person and sometimes there really is no easy answer, you just gotta trust the judgement, hope for the best and hang on for the ride!
Caring sure is a roller-coaster ride at times and...it's never boring that's for sure!
We've talked it over and decided to wait for a few days and regroup - hopefully by then, we'll have caught a break and things will be back on the up!
Meantime, another week at home is on the cards.
Enforced time at home used to bother me, I used to feel hemmed in and kinda caged but as time has travelled along, it's easier and it so helps we have an SDS (Self Directed Support) care package in place. It means however bad things are I can still escape for a bit and more importantly - sleep soundly a few nights a week!
As my granny always said - "It's a good life if you don't weary"


A Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday declared as illegal a Special Joint Investigative Panel set up by the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, to investigate the alleged crimes committed during the December 10, 2016 national and state assembly rerun elections in Rivers State.
But Justice Gabriel Kolawole, in his judgment on Tuesday, rejected the prayers of Governor Nyesom Wike to disband the special investigative team and quash its report which was allegedly prepared and submitted to the Inspector-General of Police while the suit was pending.
The judgment came about more than two months after the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, relying on police investigation, charged 23 officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission before the Federal High Court for allegedly receiving N360m bribe from Wike for the conduct of the rerun elections in the state.
Justice Kolawole also refused to grant the prayers in which Wike had sought a declaration that the joint investigative team's report was a witch-hunt.
He also ruled that contrary to Wike's contention, the setting up of the police joint investigative team did not inhibit the governor's powers under section 2(1) of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry, Laws of Rivers State 1999, to constitute the judicial inquiry to investigate the causes of violence during the elections.
The judge also ruled that the governor was unable to show how the decision of the defendants to set up the joint investigative team had violated any legal or constitutional right.
Though the judge faulted the validity of the report for use in any judicial proceedings, he ruled that he was unable to quash it because a copy of it was not presented before him.
Justice Kolawole held that the report of the team was at best ministerial.
He granted only the first prayer concerning the legality of the joint investigative team out of the 12 contained in the originating summons filed by Wike.


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religious-liberty
Evangelical 'Religious Liberty' is Messed-Up
Dec 15, 2022 by David Fowler
It seems to me the chief ground offered by Christian policy organizations for opposing the Respect for Marriage Act, namely, religious liberty, is demonstrative of a fundamental problem among the "Christian right." I think it is time that...
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SCOTUS Is Reaping the Illegitimacy Its Illegitimacy Has Sown
Oct 8, 2021 by David Fowler
Last Friday, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito decried the media creating the perception that the Court is a "dangerous cabal." Justices Amy Coney Barrett and Stephen Breyer also recently spoke in defense of the Court 's legit...
us-supreme-court religious-liberty god-centered-perspective christians justice-samuel-alito
Redefining Religious Liberty
Sep 30, 2021 by David Fowler
At a recent conference, Christians expressed concern that civil government was increasingly infringing on the right to religious liberty. But it became clear to me that the right will continue to shrink if they don't change the way they speak a...
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Parental Rights and School Mask Mandates: It Is Worse Than You Think
Aug 26, 2021 by David Fowler
This is my last commentary on COVID-related issues, at least for a while, and parents who are frustrated with public K-12 schools and mask mandates do not really know how bad things are regarding parental rights. For the following reasons you have no...
mask-mandate religious-liberty covid-19 tennessee governor-lee parental-rights
My Open Letter to the Governor and General Assembly on COVID
When in a state of crisis, one must be able to retreat to and reflect on fundamental principles to develop workable solutions. I believe Governor Lee's Executive Order 83 and his more recent one about mask mandates in schools have given us an e...
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Vaccine Mandates and Religious Liberty
With a flap last week over vaccine mandates being imposed on employees of certain state and local government agencies here in Tennessee and perhaps a nationwide mandate on all persons, I couldn't help but think of what President Obama's C...
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Tennessee Thrives and the Lie From the Pit of Hell
Tuesday, the Tennessee Senate passed and sent to the governor a bill that, in sum, prohibits a governor from trying, by executive order or regulation, to force private organizations to make adoption placements in violation of their religious beliefs ...
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The Ins and Outs of a Design Sprint
Finally, a design approach you can't afford to ignore.
By Tenny Pinheiro - June 5, 2017
"We wanted to make the best for the most for the least"
- Charles Eames
When was the last time you choose the harder, more expensive approach to solve a problem?
That's the reason behind why the adoption of the Design Sprint practice has been skyrocketing worldwide. But before backing up that claim, let me set the stage with some foundation for the reader that is unfamiliar with the term Design Sprint.
What is a Design Sprint?
Think of a challenge the business you are in may be facing. If you can't think of a real one, just play along and pretend you have one. Now, what if you could work together with customers, employees, and partners to fix, improve, or even completely transform that situation?
What if I told you all of this—from discovery to solution—could be accomplished very cheaply in a timeline as short as one week? Sound too good to be true?
Well, that's the power of a Design Sprint.
A Design Sprint allows a product development team to use Design Thinking to map users and stakeholders' needs and work along with them to create and test solutions with real users in only a couple of days. Now I'm sounding a lot like those "as seen on TV" ads, but wait, there's more: everything can be done with an extremely low, near zero budget.
All of this make Design Sprints a low cost / high added value "gig" no product developer can afford to be unfamiliar with.
There are many approaches to Design Sprints, but the overall flow of a Design Sprint follows this structure:
Source: Design Sprint School.
This is where Sprint Masters gather the team, analyze previous known materials, work on user recruitment, and scope the challenge definition.
Some approaches rely more heavily on human-centered research than others and may differ on what types of users the sprinting team is more interested in having conversations with. This is a crucial stage to inform the team on how to create relevant offers that solve real problems and address real needs.
This is where the Sprint master and the sprinting team get together with end users, specialists, and other important stakeholders to generate ideas and refine concepts.
Prototypes are a lot of fun. This stage is where the sprinting team tests the newly created concepts with end-users and gathers valuable feedback.
Adjust & Iterate
Sometimes during a sprint the sprinting team may have the opportunity to make adjustments to their prototypes and run a second prototyping session.
Like I said before, there are many approaches you can learn from when it comes to Design Sprints. In this article, I will talk about two: The Google Ventures model and the MVS model.
The Google Ventures Model
The Google Ventures model was published by Jake Knapp in his book "SPRINT - How to Solve Big Problems and Test New Ideas in Just Five Days" (2016). The GV model, as we will be calling it from now on, inherits most of its techniques from Design Thinking. Although the book was launched in 2016, the GV model's most known sprint "The Blue Bottle Case" took place around 2013. Since then, the Google Ventures team has been sprinting with numerous startups and companies. You can read many of those case stories here.
The team defines the challenge, makes a map, defines target customers, and talks to experts from inside and outside the team.
Starts with a benchmark research on great solutions for the team to get inspired on, use it, remix, and improve. The team then defines a "How Might We" question (don't worry about this right now, we'll cover it extensively later). Finally, the team moves into idea generation mode.
The team decides on the best solutions and moves on to create a storyboard.
Using the storyboard as a foundation, the team will build a realistic prototype and do a trial run.
Test the prototype with users, watch and learn from them.
Pros: Inherits tools from Design Thinking. Easier to recruit users since user sessions take place only on the last day. Great if you have high-quality raw input coming into the sprint and are able to put together a very diverse and creative team.
Cons: Very little exploratory research. No co-creation with users, which may silence serendipity by turning off the gathering of user insights and user generated ideas at early stages. The team builds first and learns from users later.
The Minimum Valuable Service - MVS Model
The MVS, Minimum Valuable Service, model is an open source framework based on Service Design.
I kick-started the MVS in 2014 with the release of my book, "The Service Startup :: Design Thinking gets Lean". Since then, the model has been evolving in collaboration with the global sprintmaster.co community, universities, and people using the model worldwide. You can read many of those case stories here.
This is where the team maps the ecosystem of the challenge and refines their understandings about who the interesting stakeholders might be.
A day of fast paced ethnographic dives and deep interviews to uncover how people learn, use, and remember their relationship with the challenge.
This is for the team to process the user interviews and recruit targeted users.
This is where the team gathers with users to co-create concepts with end-users and all relevant stakeholders.
This is where the team tests the concepts with users.
Pros: Inherits from Service Design which makes it more tailored for service offers. Intense exploratory rounds including co-creation and user research help create variation and produce a diverse pool of raw insights even when you don't have a diverse team.
Cons: Because of the amount of exploratory research involved, it may be a challenge to recruit users so quickly. You may end up with less than ideal users.
Deciding which Approach to Use
It's less related to the "super-powers" each methodology may carry (like people used to think) and more related to the resources you may have at hand before the sprint starts. Recently we've answered the same question during a practice feedback session we held at the Design Sprint School.
Here is the thread:
When to Run a Design Sprint
Usually, a Design Sprint works better in situations where the challenge can generate a real outcome:
- Co-develop with a new partner.
- Improve the checkout process of our website.
- Create a new product.
- Improve our product to beat the competition.
- Test a solution we have for relevance and adjust if needed.
Warning: Sprints are Messy WYSIWYG Animals
Photo: Sprint in action. Cisco Innovation Center in London and DesignSprintSchool.com core-team. Source: Design Sprint School
It is imperative that the sprint master and the sprinting team set up the mood and expectations with the client correctly.
Design Sprints are intense and messy, and there is no cover layer to shield the sprinting team from the client's view. There is no shelter to retreat to and surprise the client with "a-ha" moments. What you see is what you get in a Design Sprint.
People will get happy, sad, frustrated, irritated, happy, and sad again all in one day, all in the same room. The work is collaborative, and the client is designing as well.
Many sprints flop because people leading them fail to communicate, clarify, and align these characteristics and end up in a room with stakeholders that want to be impressed and served by the design sprint team.
It's been a while since we got into the battle of proving Design Thinking as a relevant asset to businesses anywhere. In it, Core77 has been instrumental in helping educate the world on the value of the Design practice and how it can really create a monster positive impact to the business bottom line.
But what I see happening with Design Sprint is different.
First, It takes a millisecond for any product developer to realize the value of it. The value of a fast-paced design-infused hackathon with customers and employees. It's really a no-brainer—no further explanation needed.
Second, it's fast and cheap. So people jump on it with a more open "what do I have to lose" mindset. This ultimately means they carry less pressure on their shoulders, which helps innovation thrive. A one-hour brainstorming in the right cultural environment, with the right creative mood, has the potential to generate ideas that dozens of meetings in the wrong cultural environment will never be able to.
It's been great to see Design Thinking and Service Design helping companies and initiatives that before would never sign up for it. From high-tech industries and their machine learning new adventures to NGOs fighting Dengue mosquitos, HIV or helping Syrian Refugees.
Photo: Design Sprinting a drone solution to combat Dengue Mosquitoes in Malaysia .
Design Sprints are the future of Design Thinking and Service Design. Why? Because of its "why not?" nature:
- Low risk, low resources? let's give it a try.
During its mere four years of existence, design sprint adoption levels have been growing exponentially fast. This becomes even more evident when we compare it to the adoption levels of Design Thinking and Service Design during the same period. It also helps the fact that Google has been spreading the word about the approach, and applying it to every startup they are backing.
Good news: This may be the mass adoption of Design Thinking designers always wanted to see.
Bad news: To the despair of many, including design firms and the Academy, Design Sprints are also teachable. They can be easily learned by anyone and are more about street smart than academic training. Because of that, in the very end, they may contribute to disintegrate once and for all the idea of Design Thinking and Service Design as siloed disciplines and specialized practices, freeing its skills, methods, and practices to emerge as an ingenious yet ubiquitous new design practice.
About time.
Tenny Pinheiro
Dreaming as an entrepreneur, seeing as a designer and making as an engineer. Deeply wired to human intentions. Always in search of the perfect interaction. Extremely hungry. Insanely foolish.
Tenny is a serial entrepreneur, designer and the author of six books on Design Thinking and Service Design. He was the founder and, during 5 years, the CEO at the Latam studio of live|work, the British pioneer Service Design agency. His book The Service Startup: Design Thinking Gets Lean, pioneered the use of Service Design Sprints.


Asset valuation of M/s. Hindustan Prefab Limited for Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, Government of India.
Asset valuation of M/s. HSCC (India) Ltd. for Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.
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Benetton & coleman Co. Ltd.
5 Star Hotel Project of Marriot Group at Sushant Lok Gurgaon located on a land parcel of 9633 Sq. Yds. , 5 Star Hotel Project of Marriot Group (Developed by Raheja Group) at Sahar Airport, Mumbai on a land parcel of 1000 Sq Mtr & 5 Star Hotel Project of Marriot Group at Sushant Lok Gurgaon located on a land parcel of 9633 Sq. Yds. & 5 Star Hotel Project of Marriot Group (Developed by Raheja Group) at Sahar Airport, Mumbai on a land parcel of 1000 Sq Mtr.
Detailed valuation for the land parcel of M/S Indiabulls Real Estate Ltd located at Sohna Road,approved for mixed-use area admeasuring 448 Acres.
Proposed Group Housing Project of Shipra Estate in collaboration of the GDA located 400 Mtr. of National Highway adjacent to Shipra Mall and Shipra Suncity.
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Mixed commercial (Hotel, Commercial and Residential Tower) property "Delhi- 1" located at Sector-16B, Noida developed by Lotus Green (3C Developers).
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26 multi storied school buildings located at various part of India belonging to Educomp group.
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5 star Hotel project of Chalet Hotel (Hotel Marriot; developed by Raheja Group) at International airport, Mumbai on a land parcel of 29047.25 sq m and Built-up area 774265 sq ft.
Amrapali Ultra Homes Pvt. Ltd.
ADROIT was appointed to find the Fair Market and Liquidation Value of Various Residential and Commercial Projects located across India belonging to Amrapali Ultra Homes Pvt. Ltd.
Trident Hotels & Resorts Pvt. Ltd.
This exercise involved valuation of a five star luxury hotel under the banner of "Trident Hotels & Resorts Pvt. Ltd.". This Property is located in Jaipur, Rajasthan on a land measuring 33939 sq m.
This exercise involved valuation of a mixed commercial project comprises of Hotel, Commercial Towers and Residential Units. This project is developed by 3C Group and named as "Delhi- 1".


Best way to visit Ireland with one's sweetheart?
One year wedding anniversary is coming up (in July) and we've been talking about taking a trip to Ireland.
… I know I'm a procrastinator.
I'd like this to be a no stress vacation where we don't feel forced to 'see all the sights', but I also don't want to be stuck in a very rural town with nothing to do.
When left unsupervised my spouse has a tendency to over-plan and come up with exhausting agendas which are great, but very stressful.
Fly to Dublin and rent a car to travel the countryside.
Perhaps rent a little place in a pretty town and take day trips in all directions? It's relaxing to have one home base. Check on line for these kinds of rentals.
Here's a large listings of rental homes by owners.
You could half plan it and book time in, say Dublin, Galway and Killarney (for example) and then do what you fancy once there. The weather in Ireland is so variable that you are better planning day trips once you are there. Ireland is great for relaxing in and too demanding a schedule can spoil the atmosphere. It is best to leave some room for spontaneity. You can always return another year.
What works for us is a compromise and being flexible. My suggestion would be to either buy a tour book or check out some web-sites and put together individual lists of what each of you would like to do. Then, compare the lists and make a combined list, ranking them by 'must do/see' that is on both of your lists, and be willing to cross some off.
Once that's sorted, let your spouse work out the travel itinerary. I prefer to do the research, including hotel and flight selections, but I have the time to do it. We recently used a tour group to go to Marrakesh, booked by a travel agency. The advantages were that a representative met us at the airport, provided shuttle service to the hotel, and then came to visit us a day or two after we arrived, just to check in on us and answer questions.
Cork is a great city with plenty to see and do, and some wonderful and varied scenery nearby.
I would explain just what kind of trip you want to a travel agent who can help you create it.
I'm not sure you can get stressed in Ireland, it's too laid back, to be sure.
Ring of Kerry is lovely and is near Cork. You've got to see the Giants Causeway too, it's on the north coast but top to bottom is only about a 4 hour drive.
Just make sure you try lots of Guiness and enjoy plenty of the craic.
YAY.. I live in Dublin and have been here for the past 5 years.
I am telling you the best part of Ireland is in the countryside.
First of all buy a travel guide for ireland.. A really good one like national Geographic or Lonely Planet.
Also a really good road map of Ireland… actually a Sat Naf would be much better . Both best.
I recommend you fly in to dublin.. spend only about 3 days here. Do the hop on hop off tour bus or the Viking tour ( more exciting) and walk around the city with a tour book. Dublin is a small city and very manageable city by foot . Actually it is better to explore it by walking around rather than in a bus or Car.
Nice places in Dublin county but outside the city centre you should visit is Howth and Phoenix Park. Both are easily accesible by buses from the city centre. Go into Dublin Bus on O' Connell Street for Bus information or you can just google it.
Buses are very handy for getting around the Dublin city and are quite cheap. You must have change/coins though . Do not hand the bus driver notes please. Alternatively you can buy a Bus card from mini marts or newsagents throughout the city centre that are prepaid.
There are buses that go directly from the airport to the city centre.
One is the Aircoach for about 8 euro one way or 12 euro return and the other is a green bus called the Air link for 6 euro single. You can also take dublin bus but it is not as frequent or 24 hour but much cheaper about 1/8 the price of the other two buses.
Oh also in dublin take the train that passes along the sea side towns one morning it is lovely. get off at dunloghaire and from here there is a walk you can do up to killiney and back..just ask someone when you get here they will know what I am talking about.
rent a car and then go to the countryside..Renting a car is a must for country side visits. Ireland is not like other European countries where you can get everywhere by train. There are trains but they don't have major coverage.
I think the best thing would be to visit one major city at each point.
West – Galway and County Clare and the Aran islands. Donegal if you have time. Must see is the Cliffs of Moher and St. Patrick's Head and Kylemore Abbey.
Boats leave Galway city and Doolin in County Clare through out the day for the Aran Islands. best to book trip to Aran islands in advance. just google it online or ask the B&B you choose in the west to give you info on it.
I say for each region North, South, West and Dublin and Aran Islands you need a minimum of 3 days each to explore the main things.
Also try to stay away from hotels. Stay in Bed and Breakfasts i.e B&Bs. they are much cheaper than hotels. I think in America you call it Guest houses.
Definitely better to plan independently.. agencies are a rip off..
and most Irish people especially in the country are friendly to visitors.. so don't worry about getting lost or anything like that.
Make sure to visit pubs for a a good drink. :).
Make sure to visit the Guiness factory and one of the whisky factories like Jameson in Dublin or Bushmills up in Northern Ireland.
If you don't like too much activity just google top ten things to see in ireland or something like that. You don't have to do everything to get a feel for the place.
I don't think you could surpass staying in a castle…even a little one! Perhaps where there is a lake you could take a little boat out on and that is close to a town with many activities your wife could participate in if you wanted to relax with a Guiness in the Great Lounge…and, a bit off the beaten track, is the fact Ireland has some of the finest antiques and horse breeders. I would start googling now! Have a lovely time and Happy Anniversary!
What should I see in Ireland?
Whats the best way to connect teammates in another country?
What's the best micro-brewery in Washington State?


Bookfoolery : Blog Break - Happy Holidays to all!
Have a great break for the holidays! I think I'm out for the week too!
Thanks, Jenny! Happy Holidays to you and yours!
Hope you are enjoying your blog break and the Holiday Season!
I am, thanks, Iliana! Hope you're enjoying the holidays, as well!


text:
Talent Guide
Science Channel » Programs » What On Earth?
CAUGHT ON CAMERA: NEW SEASON OF 'WHAT ON EARTH?' PREMIERES AUGUST 27
2020 – ever more advanced satellites and drones are above our heads, invisible to us yet scanning every inch of our planet. Bizarre, long hidden structures, mysterious natural phenomena, and top-secret facilities – these are only some of what the more than 4,000 satellites and countless aerial cameras uncover every day.
In an all new season of WHAT ON EARTH?, viewers will embark on an extraordinary journey as they travel around the globe, discovering the truth behind these mysteries thanks to state-of-the-art aerial imaging and analysis from the world's leading investigators and scientists.
WHAT ON EARTH? premieres Thursday, August 27 at 9pm ET/PT on Science Channel. In addition to watching WHAT ON EARTH? on Science Channel, viewers can join the conversation on social media by using the hashtag #WhatonEarth and following SCIENCE CHANNEL on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
In this season, experts investigate mysteries captured in the skies above every corner of the globe, from Brazil to China, England to Australia.
When satellites uncover a strange field of mounds the size of Great Britain, it leads to an incredible discovery that dates from the time of ancient Egypt. In Turkey, aerial images reveal the drowned remains of a building linked to the dawn of Christianity. In Scandinavia, eyes in the sky discover a macabre new form of Viking burial. In England, a satellite image leads historians to investigate the coverup behind one of the most catastrophic explosions in history.
From a spontaneously combusting lake to a 21st century zombie town, a Celtic portal to the land of the dead to the lost pyramids of China, the WHAT ON EARTH? leaves no mystery unexplored.
WHAT ON EARTH? is produced for Science Channel by Wag TV. For Wag TV, the executive producers are Nick Patterson and Martin Durkin. For Science Channel, Neil Laird is executive producer.
About Science Channel
Science Channel, a multi-media business unit of Discovery, Inc. is the home of all things science around the clock, including series such as MYTHBUSTERS, WHAT ON EARTH?, HOW THE UNIVERSE WORKS, UNEARTHED, and MYSTERIES OF THE ABANDONED. Science Channel's programming also includes timely, expert-driven specials covering breaking science news and discoveries. Science Channel is the premiere TV, digital and social community for those with a passion for science, space, technology, archeology, and engineering, providing immersive, engaging, high-quality entertainment across all Science Channel assets including: Science Channel television network, available in more than 63 million homes in the U.S; complimentary Video On Demand offering; SCI Go app allowing viewers to catch up on full episodes of their favorite shows anytime; deep video, interactive storytelling and virtual reality at www.sciencechannel.com; and conversations on Science Channel's popular social platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat via @ScienceChannel.
Discovery, Inc. (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) is a global leader in real life entertainment, serving a passionate audience of superfans around the world with content that inspires, informs and entertains. Discovery delivers over 8,000 hours of original programming each year and has category leadership across deeply loved content genres around the world. Available in 220 countries and territories and nearly 50 languages, Discovery is a platform innovator, reaching viewers on all screens, including TV Everywhere products such as the GO portfolio of apps; direct-to-consumer streaming services such as Eurosport Player, Food Network Kitchen and MotorTrend OnDemand; digital-first and social content from Group Nine Media; a landmark natural history and factual content partnership with the BBC; and a strategic alliance with PGA TOUR to create the international home of golf. Discovery's portfolio of premium brands includes Discovery Channel, HGTV, Food Network, TLC, Investigation Discovery, Travel Channel, MotorTrend, Animal Planet, Science Channel, and the forthcoming multi-platform JV with Chip and Joanna Gaines, Magnolia, as well as OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network in the U.S., Discovery Kids in Latin America, and Eurosport, the leading provider of locally relevant, premium sports and Home of the Olympic Games across Europe. For more information, please visit corporate.discovery.com and follow @DiscoveryIncTV across social platforms.


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Rich and smooth, Macanudo is one of the most popular cigar bands with a distinct, smooth and robust taste that defines all their cigars. Hand Rolled, their cigars are twice aged to ensure that the leaves are as strong, smooth and flavorful as possible. A brand unlike any other, Macanudo is an award winning giant, that is on the list of every serious aficionado.
Few moments rival the decadence of indulging in the first draw of a freshly lit cigar. A good cigar will greet you with warm, complex notes and a brief aromatic escape. A great cigar will make that greeting into a journey lasting from first light, to smooth finish. Few cigarmakers can claim the coveted title of being a great cigar, but Macanudo not only lives up to this in both the quality of smoke and in pedigree, but it proudly wears greatness as its namesake—having been given the name Macanudo, Spanish for "the great."
In 1968 Macanudo began life as a frontmark for select cigars produced by the Cuban brand, Punch Cigar Co. After General Cigar Co., prominent manufacturer of several of the world's most beloved premium cigar brands, acquired Macanudo in 1971, cigarmaking legend, Ramon Cifuentes Toriello of Partagas cigars, was placed at the helm and oversaw production in Jamaica. Macanudo quickly became an icon with its classic, uncomplicated Parejo and Torpedo designs, and a smooth, unmistakable flavor all its own. In 2000 production moved to Dominican Republic, where all Macanudo cigars are handcrafted as they have been since 1968, using primarily Dominican tobacco, aged for up to two years in rum barrels, then skillful artisans strip, sort, blend and roll the leaves by hand to the exacting standards of excellence which have become synonymous with Macanudo. Macanudo remains a marquee member of the General Cigar Co. family, lauded by critics and fans alike.
Macanudo's most iconic offering is their Macanudo Café, a mild, flavorful blend of Dominican (Piloto Cubano), and Mexican tobacco, hand-bound with Mexican San Andrean leaf, and beautifully finished with a Connecticut Shade wrap. This classic offering can be enjoyed by both veteran aficionados and beginners, but Macanudo has a wide and distinct range of flavor experiences. For the bold, Macanudo has the Macanudo Inspirado Black, named #17 Best Cigar of 2016 by Cigar Journal and nominated for the Cigar Trophy 2016 for Best Value, as well as the full-bodied Macanudo 1968. For fans of the rare and exclusive, there is the limited Macanudo Estate Reserve, made with leaves aged for eight to ten years, celebrating Macanudo's 45th anniversary.
Whichever flavor profile from the Macanudo lineup you elect to experience, you will enjoy a perfect balance of the signature Macanudo smooth smoke, with the more daring or mild blends of your choice. With each draw, you will immerse yourself in a fragrant homage to Macanudo as it was in 1968, with modern blends and notes that embody the company's position as "the great" cigar, and an "evolution of an icon." Every aficionado owes it to themselves to experience the icon that is Macanudo.
M by Macanudo
Bonus Item on Brand Above
Macanudo Inspirado Black
Macanudo Vintage Maduro


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I have an autoimmune disease which impacts my digestive system. When I heard about LoveBug Probiotics, I was eager to give them a try.
Probiotics can have many benefits, including improving digestion and absorption of food, as well as promoting overall health. Specific strains can even help fight colds, eczema, and sleep disorders. However, they can vary in quality and strength. The higher the concentration of active cultures, the greater the likelihood that you will see beneficial effects.
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The LoveBug system is designed as a short-term concentrated dose of bacteria, with a special coating on the pills to bypass the gastric acid in your stomach and make it to the digestive tract. You take several flavorless, non-allergenic pills per day, and keep them in the fridge when not in use; the cycle is complete in 1-2 weeks.
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The probiotics can be purchased through the LoveBug website, or on Amazon.


Officials said the plot — of which few concrete details were made known — bore the hallmarks of Al Qaeda and involved links to plotters in Pakistan.
Late Thursday, the authorities in Pakistan said an unspecified number of arrests had been made there, too.
An American counterterrorism official, who spoke in return for anonymity because of the sensitivity of the case, said several of the plotters had traveled to Pakistan in the last few weeks and might have met there with at least one person affiliated with Al Qaeda. The official said it was after that person's arrest by Pakistani authorities that the British, fearing that word of the detainment would send the plotters into hiding, decided to move in.
This is the latest in a series of conspiracies apparently rooted in the disaffection of young, British-born Muslims, many of Pakistani descent, who cast themselves as part of a jihadist struggle against Britain, which they see as an outrider of the United States in Iraq, Afghanistan and now Lebanon.
It also mimicked a failed plot in the Philippines in 1995 financed by Osama bin Laden to blow up airplanes over the Pacific. That ended when the chemicals exploded at an apartment in Manila.
On Thursday, Britain raised its terror threat assessment by one notch to its highest level, "critical," meaning an attack was imminent.
The American official said the plotters were planning a "dry run" of the operation in the next few days when they planned to test whether they could board flights simultaneously. If this had worked, a full-scale attack would have been carried out within days, the official said.
British police officials, who spoke in return for anonymity because of their customary procedures, said the attacks had not been planned for Thursday.
In recent days, the Federal Bureau of Investigation sent hundreds of agents around the United States to chase down possible leads from British intelligence sources.
"There is no indication as of now that anyone in the U.S. was tied to this," a senior Justice Department official said.
About 8:30 Wednesday night, federal officials called security officers at the major airlines and told generally of what was happening as well as the security measures that would begin on Thursday. Among the airlines believed to be targets were United, American and Continental, according to officials from the Department of Homeland Security, although it was unclear whether the plotters had bought tickets.
Mr. Chertoff said the attackers planned to carry explosive material and detonation components "disguised as beverages, electronic devices and other common objects" onto the planes.
A bulletin issued Thursday by the F.B.I. about the plot gave details of some of the properties of liquid-peroxide-based explosives. It noted that they are sensitive to "heat, shock and friction" and can be detonated with heat or an electric charge.
In some ways, news of a plot that could have killed thousands of people reinforced the sense among Americans after Sept. 11, 2001, and the British after July 7, 2005, that their world had changed irrevocably in a way few would have wished. "This is the new way of life," said Arleen Malec, 60, a homemaker from Chicago who arrived in London from the United States.
At the same time, both American and British officials were left to contemplate what seems a remarkable robustness among British jihadists who, since shortly after the Sept. 11 attacks, have been embroiled in five or six known conspiracies. Some have been unsuccessful, some unproven and one — on July 7, 2005 — terrifyingly effective when four bombers killed themselves and 52 commuters on the London transportation system.
But all of them have defied official British efforts to forestall new attempts, either through ever-more stringent security arrangements that have angered civil rights groups or through efforts to embrace what are seen as moderate Muslim leaders. The latest conspiracy came despite the jailing or forced exile of prominent radical clerics like Sheik Abu Hamza al-Masri and Sheik Omar Bakri Mohamed.
For the first time in the United States, the threat assessment level on transatlantic flights was raised to its highest — "red" — and stringent new security measures were enforced, as was the case in Britain.
The suspects were arrested in nighttime police raids on modest-seeming homes as far apart as East London's Walthamstow District; High Wycombe, west of the capital; and Birmingham, in the Midlands. Some 24 hours later, none had been identified by name.
[Early Friday, the Bank of England announced that it had moved to freeze the funds of 19 of the suspects, and it released their names, ages and hometowns. The youngest two were 17 and 19, the oldest was 35, and the rest were in their 20's.
The conspiracy, which British officials said had been under surveillance for months, again raised the question of how closely British-born terrorists were linked to Al Qaeda.
Robert S. Mueller III, the F.B.I. director, said the plot had "all the earmarks of an Al Qaeda plot" but added that there was no direct evidence of this.
He acknowledged similarities to the plot in the Philippines 11 years ago. The conspirators in that plot were Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, who was starting his climb to become a top Qaeda operative, and Ramzi Ahmed Yousef, who was the mastermind of the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center. After the Sept. 11, attacks, another plot involving airplanes related to Richard C. Reid, the so-called shoe bomber, a British-born Muslim who tried to blow up an America-bound flight from Paris with explosives hidden in a sneaker.
The scale of the British raids and arrests was particularly remarkable since, only weeks ago, the police drew criticism from British Muslims for arresting two brothers in East London whom they later had to release for lack of evidence. At the time, the police indicated that they were looking for a chemical bomb.
At Britain's airports, chaos spread rapidly as airlines closed down flights. For much of the day, British Airways canceled short flights to Europe, and many European airlines canceled flights to London.
At Terminal 3 in Heathrow Airport, hundreds of passengers jammed into the terminal building, and airline officials handed out clear plastic bags to passengers for their limited carry-on items. Many passengers said airline officials refused to tell them what was going on.
In Paris, after an emergency cabinet meeting, Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy said France had increased its security alert to "red" — one degree below maximum level. He said France had stepped up airline security measures and was introducing new steps for flights bound for Britain and Israel, including thorough searches of all hand baggage.
French airports were nonetheless crowded with thousands of stranded passengers. Flights to Britain were canceled during most of the day, but air traffic bound for the United States was close to normal, spokesmen for different airlines said.
Many passengers deprived of their connections from London flocked to the Eurostar train under the Channel, to reach the European continent and to continue their travel via Paris. At train stations and airports, uniformed members of the police and military increased their patrols.
Prime Minister Blair had left for a Caribbean vacation last weekend after delaying his plans because of the Lebanon crisis. His office said that he had briefed President Bush on the situation. British politicians in general refused to be drawn into what has become a familiar public debate about whether Britain is a target for terrorists because of its alliance with the United States.
In High Wycombe, west of London, residents said the police seemed to have raided two places and a wooded area. "It's shocking when it's so close to us, on our doorstep, not on the other side of the country," said Sue Needham, a 36-year-old homemaker near the wooded area.
In Walthamstow, East London, John Weir, 50, said he lived opposite one of the houses raided in London. "It was sold overnight," he said. "One day it was up for sale, and the next it was gone." He said two men moved in the next weekend, but the house often seemed empty.
Reporting for this article was contributed by Stephen Grey and Pamela Kent in London; Karla Adam in High Wycombe, England; Katrin Bennhold and Marlise Simons in Paris; Raymond Bonner in Jakarta, Indonesia; Carlotta Gall in Kabul, Afghanistan; Eric Lichtblau and Mark Mazzetti in Washington; Renwick McLean in Madrid; and David Rohde in New York.


Batwing Zanzibar linen top is ideal to pair with jeans, leggings or trousers.
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text:
package com.ghgande.j2mod.modbus.net;

import com.ghgande.j2mod.modbus.io.ModbusUDPTransport;
import org.slf4j.Logger;
import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;

import java.net.DatagramPacket;
import java.net.DatagramSocket;
import java.net.InetAddress;

/**
 * Class implementing a <tt>UDPMasterTerminal</tt>.
 *
 * @author Dieter Wimberger
 * @author Steve O'Hara (4NG)
 * @version 2.0 (March 2016)
 */
class UDPMasterTerminal extends AbstractUDPTerminal {

    private static final Logger logger = LoggerFactory.getLogger(UDPMasterTerminal.class);

    /**
     * Create a UDP master connection to the specified Internet address.
     *
     * @param addr Remote address to connect to
     */
    UDPMasterTerminal(InetAddress addr) {
        address = addr;
    }

    /**
     * Create an uninitialized UDP master connection.
     */
    public UDPMasterTerminal() {
    }

    @Override
    public synchronized void activate() throws Exception {
        if (!isActive()) {
            if (socket == null) {
                socket = new DatagramSocket();
            }
            logger.debug("UDPMasterTerminal::haveSocket():{}", socket);
            logger.debug("UDPMasterTerminal::raddr=:{}:rport:{}", address, port);

            socket.setReceiveBufferSize(1024);
            socket.setSendBufferSize(1024);
            socket.setSoTimeout(timeout);

            transport = new ModbusUDPTransport(this);
            active = true;
        }
        logger.debug("UDPMasterTerminal::activated");
    }

    @Override
    public synchronized void deactivate() {
        try {
            logger.debug("UDPMasterTerminal::deactivate()");
            if (socket != null) {
                socket.close();
            }
            transport = null;
            active = false;
        }
        catch (Exception ex) {
            logger.error("Error closing socket", ex);
        }
    }

    @Override
    public void sendMessage(byte[] msg) throws Exception {
        DatagramPacket req = new DatagramPacket(msg, msg.length, address, port);
        socket.send(req);
    }

    @Override
    public byte[] receiveMessage() throws Exception {

        // The longest possible DatagramPacket is 256 bytes (Modbus message
        // limit) plus the 6 byte header.
        byte[] buffer = new byte[262];
        DatagramPacket packet = new DatagramPacket(buffer, buffer.length);
        socket.setSoTimeout(timeout);
        socket.receive(packet);
        return buffer;
    }

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


NTCA2018 Nomination Entries Begins Shortly.
Who would you be Nominating this year? Get ReAdy!!!
It's that time of the year again, NTCA Nominations is in full swing. Where those with outstanding potentials and talents would gain massive recognition and get showcased to the world.
It's the Nomination Round and NTCA has left it to YOU to Decide and let us know who is worthy of recognition by visiting www.ntcawards.org to Nominate those personalities into 50+ Categories such as; Music, Fashion, Media, Entertainment, Sport, Social Achievement, etc..
Remember it is an Open Nomination and Anyone/everyone with great potentials can get recognitionognised and get rewarded for their outstanding excellence and achievement.


LATEST BLOG : Why most people prefers to use online coupons for shopping?
Why most people prefers to use online coupons for shopping?
Online coupons are nothing however the coupons which are offered by the retailers on online. Most of retailers on the net supply online coupons for the reason that this can be the easiest strategy to get publicity for their merchandise. These coupons meant for a lot more discounts and no cost home delivery of bought goods. Online acquire of products is growing from day to day. Due to this online coupons became common today.
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text:
Home Entertainment Here is everything you need to know about the eighth season of...
Here is everything you need to know about the eighth season of The Flash!!
March 27, 2021 4:00 pm EDT
Source: Observer
The Flash is the most loved superhero across the world because he is one of the most scientifically accurate. He can run at the speed of light which is an exceptional ability. The live-action comic of DC The Flash is one of the most loved series to date. However, the story of the series is a bit complicated but it had done its job of holding its standard in the right way.
Now fans are anticipating the latest updates regarding The Flash season 8 and we are here with all of them.
The release date for The Flash Season 8!!
It is a well-known fact that the series follows a format of premiering its all seasons but this time, due to covid, we have to wait a bit longer. The seventh season of the series is being premiered and we are watching its episode since 2nd March 2021. Now talking about the release date of the eighth season, there is no official announcement made regarding this, but we can expect to have it in 2022.
Source: Small Screen
The cast for the upcoming season!!
We might be getting some sort of a surprise in the eighth season as it is heard that there will be some of the long-forgotten villains and heroes that will be coming back. We will see Grant Gustin playing the role of Flash (Barry Allen). Candice Patton, Danielle Panan, Carlos Valdes, Jesse L. Martin, Tom Cavanagh, and Danielle Nicolet will be seen reprising their respective roles.
Want to know the story of The Flash Season 8? Here is a glimpse of it!!
We know that the story of the series revolves around a forensic reporter Barry Allen. He is The Flash with some inhuman capabilities and he uses his power to save humanity and fight with metahuman villains. The story this time will be full of twists and experimental secrecies. However, nothing much had been revealed about the plot of the eighth season but it is known that the series has never disappointed its fans. So let's wait for more updates.
As of now the seventh season of the series is going on so watch it and do not forget to leave your valuable reviews over there for others. Stay tuned with us as we will keep you updated with further information regarding the eighth season of The Flash.
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