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2013 Macedonia Global Investment Summit Highlights
By admin_macedonia | Announcements, Announcements 2015 | No Comments
The Summit of 2013 that took place in Ohrid was the most successful event of its kind in the history of Macedonia. The large number of distinguished professionals, who attended the Summit as speakers and guests, is the best contribution Macedonia could receive in the economic development discussion.
In 2013 we had in attendance and as participants, a former CEO of Motorola, Chris Galvin; the head of Human Resources of Unilever, Sandy Ogg; Samih Elhage, CFO of Nokia Solutions and Networks; Curtis Girod, Chief Strategy Officer of the Banking and Financial Services of Cognizant; Filip van Hool, CEO of Van Hool Belgium and many more.
Besides the international guests the Summit in Ohrid was attended by cofounders and members of Macedonia2025, such as Mike Zafirovski, John Bitove, Vera Stavroff, Robert Arsov, Mitre Kutanoski, Professor Dr. Mile Terziovski and others, who were joined by representatives of the Macedonian government and by Macedonian professionals from around the world, as well as businessmen and businesswomen who live and work in Macedonia.
2013 SUMMIT TESTIMONIALS:
We are happy to share some of the impressions that our participants shared about the summit:
Christopher Galvin Co-Founder and Chairman of Harrison Street Capital and former CEO of Motorola: "Your country has already proposed an architecture for how countries become ultimately successful, now you have to implement it. An important thing is to have the ability to educate and develop people – they are the main asset for every company and country in general. Events like this Summit also contribute towards making the country more competitive."
Filip Van Hool Chief Executive Officer of Van Hool, Belgium: "The Summit is an extremely important venue for establishing business contacts and discussing experiences."
Dr. Jana Marin Assistant CEO of the Acibadem Sistina Hospital "The Macedonia Global Investment Summit 2013 was an extraordinary opportunity to establish contacts with the global business elite. It was an event where one could learn and observe, exchange experience on relevant topics – on how to succeed, how to advance and – what seems to be the most difficult part – how to remain on the top!"
One of the themes of the summit was ENHANCING NATIONAL COMPETITIVENESS THROUGH ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INNOVATIONS. Macedonian businesspeople and government representatives presented to the international guests the improvements that have taken place in Macedonia in the past several years leading up to the Summit. Data from the World Bank report, the Global Innovation Index, the Global Competitiveness Report and other surveys, was presented to the guests in an effort to encourage representatives of important international companies to invest in Macedonia.
The results of the Summit are visible. Two years later, more than 10 companies have made investments in Macedonia. This is the impact of events such as this and Macedonia2025 is eager to continue this amazing effort by continuing the discussion at the Macedonia Economic Summit, where noted professionals, movers and shakers in the world of science, business and development will discuss development in Macedonia along the lines of economic integration with the region, with Europe and how to ride global trends that are key to bringing prosperity to developing countries.
SANDY OGG'S FIVE E's THAT SHOULD CHARACTERISE EVER LEADER
Sandy Ogg, who gave a keynote speech during the Gala dinner in Ohrid, shared a inventory of practical advices for current and future leaders. Mr. Ogg said:
There are 5 things that I want to share with you that are a result of my last 25 years of experience in working to make change in large systems. I have verified this most recently in my work at Blackstone, by looking at 80 of our companies, and looking at the successes and failures of our CEOs. Some people even say that execution is strategy, and strategy is execution, but I'm going to add one thing to that and that is that execution plus speed equals mobilization….
We will share with our audience Sandy Ogg's five leadership essentials in our next Macedonia Economic Summit highlights article, so we invite you to stay tuned for that!
PRE-SUMMIT ENTREPRENEURSHIP WORKSHOP
In 2013 Macedonia2025's cofounder Mike Zafirovski invited a number of young Macedonian professionals who have gained international business experience, such as Emil Hristov, then President of EMSA Construction and EMSA Solar and Chris Pavlovski, founder and President of Cosmic Development. Both Emil and Chris had taken part of their business operations to Macedonia, where they transfer their know-how and consequently, leadership skills. We invited Mr. Khamran Ozair served as the Executive Vice President of Mindtree Limited, where through the years he held several other positions. Bratislav Stankovic, Advisor for Science and Technology to the President of the Republic of Macedonia, also attended the workshop and contributed to exciting presentations. Attendees at the event had the opportunity to learn from world professionals, entrepreneurs and educations.
This year we will have a second edition of an amazing event that filled the hall with enthusiastic young business leaders. We invite you to mark your calendars for the event that in 2015 is adequately titled LEADERSHIP TALK! The date and venue are coming soon so make sure you check back our website and social media profiles.
www.macedonia2025.com/summit
2013 Summit Highlights: Sandy Ogg's Five E's for Successful Leadership
In our previous announcement dedicated to the last Summit that took place in Ohrid in 2013, we announced that we will share the Five Leadership E's that Sandy Ogg, the former Human Resource and Leadership Development Manager, shared with the audience during the Gala Dinner. We are happy to share that part of his speech with you with the hope it will provoke you to reflect on your own leadership skills and the things that can bring you closer to success.
We are also going to view the Summit in Ohrid through some fun facts and numbers, the media coverage of the event, as well as a pie chart of the sectors that were featured.
Sandy Ogg's Five E's for Successful Leadership
One thing I have learned about leadership is when the past and the future collide, and strategy and culture collide, the past or the culture will always win. But there is caveat in the absence of leadership, it is leaders that bring the past and the future together; it is leaders that make strategy and culture come together. Macedonia has great culture but when residing in that culture there will be a certain amount of inertia in the way you do things. You are going to have to have the courage to sort through that and figure out what you are not willing to change, and what things you are willing to change in order to win. And making this type of decision is leadership. It is the judgment and the will to be able to do so; you have to assemble the collective will of everyone here. I will tell you more about the five points that begin with "E" and that should characterize every leader.
The first "E" of any leader is ENVISION. Do you have a vision for yourself, for the business that you are in? Do you have a vision for your family; do you have a vision for your son or daughter? The first criterion is to have a vision but the second is to give vision to others. Do you see your vision present in your people, in your children? You can't be the judge of this! Other people around you will be the judges of your vision. It is the vision that resides in the organization that lives in the business in which you have given your vision that will live on. Slogans are simply putting a vision on the wall, it is just a technical term, but where you work, from there is what gives your vision meaning. Does the vision live? Grade yourself.
The second "E" is ENERGIZE. Does anybody have a Smartphone? When your Smartphone rings are there people that when you see their name appear on the screen, you don't want to answer it because they suck the energy right out of you even before you answer it? I call those people energy vampires. Are you an energy vampire? Take care of yourself and of the people who give you energy. When you come home at night do you still have the phone to your ear? When you come home do your children run up to you or does just the dog run now? This might be an indicator. Be present for your family, just as you are present at work, because they are going to give you your energy back so you can give it to others. Ask yourself do you have energy and do you give energy, or you are the energy vampire?
The third "E" is EDGE. Edge means the willingness to make tough decisions about people and businesses. It is absolutely cruel to leave people in a job that they are unable to do. Everyone should be challenged, but when they are not in the right job, it is difficult for them and for the company to succeed.
The fourth, is EXECUTE. Are you the person people will turn to when they need to get something done? We used to call Mike Zafirovski the "execution monster". If it was on Mike's to do list, and if you happened to get in between him and him getting it done, he will either do it with you or through you, but always in an energizing way.
The final "E" is ETHICS. Without ethics there is no trust, and without trust there is nothing. So as a leader if you are not trusted, it doesn't matter which of these four "E's" you may have or how successful you are. And it is not only the big things, but the small breeches that begin to dissolve the trust others have in you.
The Summit through numbers
The Summit hosted around 300 participants, including international top CEO's, managers, entrepreneurs, the Government's economic team and high officials, business associations and chambers, diplomats and foreign missions, as well as international financial institutions. The five panels hosted an impressive list of 43 keynote speakers and panelists. The list of speakers included globally renowned executives, Ministers, leaders in innovation and research, representatives of the biggest foreign investments in Macedonia, successful entrepreneurs, and institutional representatives. The participants included 240 local and 60 international guests from more than 20 different countries.
The summit survey was distributed to 226 participants, out of which 43 people have responded (19% response rate). Here is a short summary of the results: The most prominent benefits for the participants are networking, business opportunities and getting new ideas, updates and insights. 87% come to the Summit for networking; 93% are satisfied with the networking opportunities. 77% come to the Summit to investigate business opportunities; 67% of the respondents are satisfied with the business opportunities presented at the Summit. 90% of the respondents are very satisfied or satisfied with the Summit Topic/Theme, and 95% find the quality of speakers very satisfying or satisfying. 92% are very satisfied or satisfied with the panel sessions. The respondents have identified the panels on "Innovation Driven Business" and "Leadership Development" as the most interesting sessions at the Summit.
The Summit was popular in the Media
The Macedonia Global Investment Summit established close communications with nine media partners during this year's Summit: two news agencies, three national television stations, three daily newspapers and one business magazine. There were also twenty-two journalists from eighteen accredited media outlets reporting from the Summit events in Ohrid. The Macedonian media had a notable interest in covering the events and news regarding the Global Investment Summit both in 2012 and 2013. There were a total of 432 news articles released to the Macedonia public from June 1st to October 16th discussing the Summit; in 252 articles, it was the dominate subject. The remaining 162 articles were covering other program activities of Macedonia 2025 and activities of some of its Board Members. From the total number of articles, thirty were television broadcasts, nine were radio announcements or discussions, fifty-two were published news and 341 were internet posts. The Summit and its participants were highlighted in twenty-five interviews.
By Stefan | Announcements | No Comments
The Macedonia Global Investment Summit established close communications with nine media partners during this year's Summit: two news agencies, three national television stations, three daily newspapers and one business magazine. There were also twenty-two journalists from eighteen accredited media outlets reporting from the Summit events in Ohrid. The Macedonian media had a notable interest in covering the events and news regarding the Global Investment Summit both in 2012 and 2013. There were a total of 432 news articles released to the Macedonia public from June 1st to October 16th discussing the Summit; in 252 articles, it was the dominate subject. The remaining 162articles were covering other program activities of Macedonia 2025 and activities of some of its Board Members. From the total number of articles, thirty were television broadcasts, nine were radio announcements or discussions, fifty-two were published news and 341 were internet posts. The Summit and its participants were highlighted in twenty-five interviews.
Samih Elhage of Nokia Networks at the Summit in Ohrid: IT is becoming a new environment where people are communicating
Samih Elhage, is the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial and Operating President of Nokia Networks. Mr. Elhage also serves as a Member of the Executive Board of Nokia Solutions, Networks Oy and Nokia Solutions and Networks.
At the Global Investment Summit that took place in Ohrid in 2013, Mr. Elhage spoke about the future of data centers, connectivity, the exponential growth of data transfer and much more. We offer an exceprt from his panel speech.
At this year's Macedonia Economic Summit in Skopje, taking place on November 18-20, we will have panelists who have exceptional experience, who are looking forward to lead many forward-thinking discussions about economic development in the region.
Act now to get the early-bird discount on the Summit's admission fee.
Chris Galvin, former CEO of Motorola: Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore started with zero
Christopher Galvin, of the family that founded Motorola, is the former CEO of Motorola and a co-founder of Harrison Street Capital. Mr. Galvin has had decades long experience in business and capital management. During his leadership in 2004 Motorola registered significant revenue growth of 41 percent to $8.7 billion. Mr. Galvin serves as board member and board trustees to a number of universities and councils.
At the Macedonia Investmnet Summit in Ohrid, Mr. Galvin reflected how small countries can make significant strides in economic development and gave some directions how it can be achieved in Macedonia.
Executive Study Tour in Toronto participant experience: Mihajlo Pavlov, Owner of Creative House
I want to recount my positive experience as a part of the group that was led by Macedonia2025 on the Executive Study Tour in Toronto. We visited a number of very exciting companies in Toronto and the surrounding area. My own company has already started the process of opening its office in Canada! These visits have helped us a great deal to better understand business ethics, relations and the way companies organize and function in Canada. Now we are ready to do business in this market as well. The personal contacts, and connections with a dozen of local enterprises we made during that week, can prove very helpful for a future cooperation with our company or other companies we work with in Macedonia.
Again, we wish to express our gratitude to the team of MK 2015, Jordanka Kacharska, and especially to Biljana Markovik who excellently followed the agenda she set as a team leader.
Mihajlo Pavlov is the Owner and Marketing Strategist at Creative House and Owner/Director/Producer at Digital Star; Motion Pictures, TV & Marketing
Executive Study Tour in Toronto: Visits to Telus, Purpose Investments and Cross-Link Bridge Corp
The participants of the Executive Study Tour in Toronto visited Telus – one of Canada's largest telecom providers. The company offers mobile, television and home telephone service to more than 13.9 million customer connections. The group from Macedonia learned the core principles that Telus embodies in order to be a highly successful company. The company host Phillip Solakov said that Telus combines valuable offers and competitive prices in order to get closer to the customers. In terms of diversifying the sources of revenue, Telus develops an international capability by buying out smaller companies in Canada and abroad. It is one of the leaders in cloud services and Canada's leader in internet security. Last but not least, the company is proactive in other sectors, by, for example, developing products for the healthcare industry that combine electronics and communication.
Participants of the tour were interested to know what are the most important trends at the moment that Macedonia can explore towards economic development. Mr. Solakov said: Internet of Things, Data centers and Internet and data security. These are here to stay and that the sooner companies explore the opportunities tied, the better it is. The group from Macedonia then was taken on a tour in the Telus Innovation Center where they were able to see how state of the art tech equipment is developed. Another important thing that the host wanted to communicate was philanthropy. Reaching out with philanthropic initiatives means giving back to the customers and at the same time reminding them that Telus is doing wonderful things for everyone.
Purpose Investments
The group from Macedonia met Vlad Tasevski, Vice President of Purpose Investments, at his company's offices. The company manages investments that offer similar possibilities as hedge funds. Because hedge funds demand a very large buy-in, Purpose has developed strategies that allow almost anyone to invest. The company wanted to minimize the downside to clients and provide them daily liquidity, transparent work and low cost of management. Vlad Tasevski presented his company's approach in customer care. He said, "Having a voice that people can understand is what differentiates us as an investment company." Mr. Tasevski adds that investing is complicated even for people in the industry, so it is always good to have someone who can explain things in the best possible way. Purpose Investments currently has a strategic span that has brought the number of direct competitors to virtually none. When it comes to marketing and promotion, the group from Macedonia learned from the company's Marketing Manager that Purpose doesn't do product pitching. Instead, they have found a way how to effectively communicate through the media by doing weekly videos with the Financial post, by preparing commentary pieces but also though Social Media engagement.
Cross-Link Bridge Corp
Zoran Cocov of Cross-Link Bridge took the participants of the Executive study tour to Niagara Falls, where his company is working on a real-estate development project. The purpose of the company is to create value of real-estate by renovating and changing the use of the property. The group from Macedonia learned about the dynamic real-estate market in Canada and the United States and how investors enter that market to purchase property, develop it and then sell it at a profit.
Macedonia Economic Summit Newsletter and Address by Zoran Martinovski – Chair of the Summit
View the official Newsletter and Address HERE
American Chamber of Commerce in Macedonia: Announcing the Macedonia Economic Summit
By Stefan | Announcements, Announcements 2015 | No Comments
View the original post HERE
Sandy Ogg speaking at the Macedonia2025 Investment Summit in Ohrid
By admin_macedonia | Announcements 2015, Summit Speakers 2015 | No Comments
At the 2013 Investment Summit in Ohrid organized by Macedonia2025 we had the honor to have Mr. Sandy Ogg as speaker during the gala dinner. Mr. Ogg has decades' worth of experience in consultancy, leadership development and HR in companies such as Unilever, Motorola and Blackstone. He shared with the audience some his best insights which he had acquired in his experience.
Stay tuned for more info. Act now to get the early-bird discount on the Summit's admission fee.


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Shinjiro Heshiki Nago Pineapple Park Winery Retail Shop
Home > Design Award Winners > #114544 Nago Pineapple Park Winery
Nago Pineapple Park Winery Retail Shop is Silver Design Award winner in 2020 - 2021 Interior Space and Exhibition Design Award Category.
Nago Pineapple Park Winery Retail Shop
The huge object designed in the atrium space forms a focal point with its overwhelming presence. Made of steel, the object is reminiscent of a pineapple wine brewing machine. Heikki Shinjiro imagined a space that would symbolize the next 100 years of Okinawa, a time of transformation for the facility. The project team for the Nago Pineapple Park Winery aimed to create a space where adults can enjoy the image, taste, and color of pineapples.
Shinjiro Heshiki
He was born in Okinawa Prefecture. After graduating from high school, he moved to Tokyo and entered a design school. After graduation, he worked at a shop design office, where he learned to design restaurants, retail stores, apparel stores, and houses. He moved to Los Angeles LA USA in 1991. While living in the U.S., he worked as a bartender and club manager, while working in design for a living. This background in restaurants seems to have enhanced his design communication. And returned to Japan in 2001, Then he started his own company, emergene, inc. which is the predecessor of Conception, and has been designing restaurants, bars, cafes, clinics, retail stores, offices, houses, gardens, and other spaces in Okinawa Prefecture. Conception is a no other DESIGN BRANDING OFFICE Which offers ideal space For your Life & Business with hospitality mind. Conception is a design and branding office that designs "Century Style" spaces that are still sophisticated after 100 years. Based on the concept of "designing hospitality space" based on human psychology, we create the "ideal space" by giving shape to our clients' ideas.
Nago Pineapple Park
When it was founded in 1979, it was such a cozy shack, selling only pineapples from Okinawa Prefecture. In 1992, Nago Pineapple Park was reborn as a "theme park" specializing in pineapples from the pineapple sales store it was then. In the same year, the Nago Pineapple Winery was established and Japan's first pineapple wine was born. In the midst of the 2020 covic19 pandemic, a new winery and souvenir facility, sweets de painanpple, opened with the aim of creating a theme park for adults. In the future, a factory lounge with a brandy factory made from pineapple, and an entertainment restaurant are scheduled to open.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Spring – a great time for new projects. And I need a new project – what with raising a family, learning French, trying to become a proficient sewer and attempting to get back into running after baby no. 3 – I have so* much time to fill. Why not start a blog?
I'm also anticipating some side benefits to blogging . Hopefully it will teach me to take notice of and appreciate everything going on around me (sometimes difficult to do from inside the cyclone). A bit of motivation to get on and finish some sewing projects taking up valuable flat surface area would also be nice, not to mention an incentive to improve my photography skills. Oh, and if I can keep track of the links to all the sites and shops I can't live without, that would also be great. Thanks.


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Celtics take a final setback sitting down
Almost all of the regulars get a night off as Boston loses for the seventh time in 10 games.
BOSTON — Ray Allen watched from the bench as his Boston Celtics lost to the Milwaukee Bucks. Then he faced the television in the locker room showing the Miami Heat on their way to a victory.
That win determined the Celtics first-round playoff opponent — the Heat, not the Bucks.
Ersan Ilyasova of the Milwaukee Bucks drives against Brian Scalabrine of the Boston Celtics in the first quarter of Milwaukee's 106-95 victory Wednesday night. The Associated Press
It made no difference to him.
"It has nothing to do with those two teams," Allen said Wednesday night after the Bucks' 106-95 victory, the Celtics seventh loss in 10 games. "It's all about us."
And that includes the Big Three. On Wednesday, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Allen sat out to avoid possible injury because the Celtics already had clinched the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference.
"This is the healthiest we've been," Coach Doc Rivers said. "I think this is the best (Garnett's) been since early in the season. I think (Pierce) is feeling fantastic right now."
The game began as a possible first-round preview if Milwaukee won and Miami lost to New Jersey. But the Heat beat the Nets 94-86 in double-overtime. That meant the Celtics would face the fifth-seeded Heat and the sixth-seeded Bucks would meet the third-seeded Atlanta Hawks.
The Bucks had cleared out of the dressing room by the time the matchups were set. But they were pleased with a season in which they finished 46-36, a 12-game improvement over last season. That was the biggest in the Eastern Conference as the Bucks snapped a two-game losing streak and are in the playoffs for the first time in four years.
"We didn't want to go into the playoffs on a three-game losing streak," said Jerry Stackhouse, who tied Luke Ridnour with a team-high 17 points. "Winning your last game gives you a little bit of confidence."
Even if it came against a team that didn't use four starters — their big three plus center Kendrick Perkins. He has 15 technical fouls and another might have brought a one-game suspension in the playoffs. Rivers said a call to the NBA didn't provide an answer as to whether a suspension would be served then or at the beginning of next season.
The game lacked defense and excitement.
Rajon Rondo had 21 points and 15 assists for the Celtics.
"Everybody says they have three stars — KG, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce," Jennings said, "but he's the key."
The other three, though, will be well rested.
"I feel good about my team," Rondo said. "We had guys rest tonight, the older guys. So I'm excited. It's a different atmosphere playoff time, a different feeling, different vibe, everything."
For the Celtics, Marquis Daniels scored 13 points, and Shelden Williams and Nate Robinson added 12 each.
"This is my first playoff experience so I want to go all the way and help this team do that," said Robinson, acquired from the New York Knicks on Feb. 18.
The Celtics finished at 50-32, their worst record in three seasons.
They won the NBA title in 2008 but were eliminated in the Eastern semifinals in 2009.
DOC RIVERS said he'll consider whether to return as Celtics coach after the season, just as he does every year.
Rivers said his family will be a key factor. Next season, one of his sons will be a senior basketball player at Indiana University and his daughter will be a senior volleyball player at the University of Florida. Another basketball-playing son will enter his final high school season.
Rivers is in his sixth season as the Celtics' coach and has one more left on his contract.
Topsham to present energy conservation talk


Why have an oil portrait painted by Kathleen? - There are many options for you to consider when having a portrait created to honor a person who is important in your life. Photographs often flatten the subject, distorting perspective and not accurately capturing colors. A fine art oil painting by Kathleen is truly an original work of art by a master craftswoman who has developed her talents over the years to achieve a style all her own. Her paintings are heirlooms to be handed down for generations to come. She captures the vivid combinations of color that only a skilled artist can produce using oil paints. Her choices of relationships in placing colors next to each other are exquisite. In addition, she is very accurate and effective in her use of values – the shades of color and light used in paintings. The artistic judgment she uses in composition and design show unity and movement. Where do you look when seeing one of Kathleen's portraits for the first time? Right to the eyes of the subject – the focal point of any portrait. Her interpretations enter into every portrait. Her work is not the rendering of a photograph; instead, it is the creation of a portrait that conveys mood and emotion to celebrate the subject. Kathleen does not romanticize her subjects, yet she defines them to capture their essence. Through her artistic abilities she produces an authentic sense of presence, attitude, personality and spirit. Witnessing her portraits, viewers feel as if they immediately know the subjects, and often tears of joy appear in response.


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Michaela Bradshaw Talks Sarah Lacina
Survivor Increases Placement Payouts For Every Season 40 Cast Member
Season 37 Cast
Themes and Twists
Cast Bios
Edgic
Next Time On…Survivor
Give Me Five!
Alternative Reality
Contestant Interviews
Winner Rankings
Day 38 Club
50 Best Episodes
Cast Assessments
End of Year List
Dream Tribe Game
Survivor New Zealand
All Spoilers
Next Time On
All Weeklies
Weeklies November 14, 2018
Survivor: David vs. Goliath Episode 7 – Hot Or Not
By Ali & Gus
Who is Hot or Not after Week 7?
Photo: CBS
In our new feature, Gus and Ali, a real-life couple and fans of Survivor, will be individually ranking the Survivor players into two categories, Hot or Not. The Hot list symbolizes anyone we feel has put themselves in a good position or exhibited good gameplay that week. Those people are individuals we think will not go home in the next episode. The Not list is people that we feel have had their Survivor stock take a significant hit that week. We will then share our rankings with one another and have a chance to trash talk each others' analysis. Also, we encourage merciless teasing to anyone who has someone on their Hot list go home the following week.
Go ahead, hit us with your best shot. We're probably wrong anyway, but that's why it's fun!
Disclaimer: Our article contains discussion centered around information revealed as part of the "next time on" preview segment. Should you wish to watch this coming week's episode without any foreknowledge, don't read this article!
Gus: Angelina
Angelina is so fun to watch. She's not playing very well, but she's a riot to watch. My favorite thing is the aggressive hypocrisy she displayed in practically back-to-back scenes: she bullied her tribemates to vote for Christian. Her tribemates had a discussion wherein the concluded that Elizabeth would be the better vote (not the right choice, I would argue, but, eh). Then, when John comes to Angelina and informs her, offering to walk with her and explain the situation, she refuses, and we get several confessionals in which Angelina complains about being cut out of the decision making process. Hey, sorry, but didn't you try to order your entire tribe to flip the vote around like two hours ago? When this is added to Elizabeth's ill-planned inflammation of Angelina's jury-pandering move from Tribal, Angelina's game is looking awfully dicey.
Ali: Angelina
"I don't want to sit around and let the game come to me."
Angelina, I warned you from week one that you were playing too hard. Now, don't get me wrong, I am so here for a woman who is ready to play. I'd much rather witness a woman who played hard and went out in a blaze of glory than a milquetoast little red riding hood who goes out like a wet fart. And, for the record, Angelina is right, Christian is a much bigger threat. I even predicted that Angelina would start gunning for Christian once the merge hit. But what Angelina failed to do was gauge how close Christian had become to so many Goliaths. Like with the Jeremy vote, Angelina tried to muscle her will into being, and this time it fell flat. Angelina didn't learn from her friend Natalia; you can't bully people into doing what you want. And it was a terrible look when, after she tried to force what she wanted, she accused Dan of being a bully. Not only that, but Angelina was caught red-handed trying to wrestle a jury vote from Elizabeth. Being jacket-less isn't the only thing about her that's exposed. Her saving grace may be that the Goliaths want to stick together for another vote. She might also be such an obvious boot at this point that she can ride the goat wave for a while as other targets get taken out. For however long she has left, Angelina won't be begging for jackets anymore, she'll be begging for votes to stay.
Gus: Carl
Well, the good news for Carl is that he got to get very drunk, and he got his main target (for whatever reason) out. The bad news is, he threw a target onto an ex-David and put himself even farther down in the numbers, while simultaneously forming almost zero additional game connections that we know of. Carl has… what, Davie? And that's about it? I mean, he does have an idol nullifier too, but that won't help him much when he's so far behind in numbers.
Ali: Carl
"To me, the merge signifies that you really have to start playing strictly for yourself, so I'm gonna have to build some different relationships."
I'm pretty confident that a David is going home again this week. It's in the Strike Force's interest to keep the Goliaths in the dark for as long as possible, and the Davids on the team have already been willing to get rid of fellow Davids. I think the members of the Strike Force are going to shield the David members, which leaves any non-Strike Force David as cannon fodder. Despite saying the above quote, the only real bond we see Carl have is with Davie. This might be enough to save Carl, since Davie has an idol, but I also see Davie wanting to keep that idol for himself. Plus, Carl's drunken ranting alone was enough for me to put him as a Not. Carl needs to learn to keep his frustrations to himself. Overall, there's a semi truck headed for Carl, and I don't think he's going to be able to roll out of the way.
Gus: Davie
Not just because of his near-invisibility this episode, Fisher King Davie also finds himself in the Not list this week. The only bond he is part of that's solid is his connection with Carl, and Carl isn't putting in the greatest showing this week. Davie should be safe for a while thanks to his Hidden Immunity Idol, but he was not showing off much exemplary gameplay this past week.
Ali: Davie
Davie is also certainly in trouble this week. However, he has an idol, which might be able to keep him safe. One thing that I'm not a fan of is that he seems to have been unable to really build any relationships with anyone other than Carl. That's not going to serve him well going forward, and an idol can only keep you safe for one vote. I'm worried that Davie looks expendable to the Davids on the Strike Force and he could easily become a target as a result. But, if the Goliaths are as bad at keeping the boot this week secret as they were with Elizabeth, Davie might stand a chance.
Gus: Dan
Dude, stop announcing your damn idol finds. I know you and Kara are, you know, a thing, I guess. But just STOP. Oh, and also, take some deep breaths around camp. Unfortunately, Dan was not taking his potential vote-out well; he freaked out to a handful of people and fumed in confessionals. If Dan doesn't get his emotions controlled and his lips locked up, he'll be in Ponderosa before he's realized he should play an idol.
Ali: Dan
"So I actually told her that I found a second idol. I planned on keeping that all to myself, but I was just so excited to see her. I can't help it."
Can I just say a pet peeve of mine? It really bugs me when people on Survivor get offended because their name is being thrown around. Ummm hello? It's Survivor! Everyone's names are being thrown around! Dan is fine talking about which Davids should go home, but the second things get real, he flips out. And, as Kara said, he's sitting pretty on two idols and in the majority alliance. Freaking out is only going to bring attention to yourself and make your alliance question why you're so nervous. Even Kara commented on how irrational Dan was being. When your boo thinks you're being a hot mess, then you're not looking pretty. Dan, if you can't handle the heat, get out of the jungle.
Furthermore, this dude can't keep a secret to save his life. He said he was going to keep that idol a secret and that goes out the window the minute his "blanket" is back. And then, he spends two hours flirting with Kara in the middle of camp while everyone is sleeping, and he still can't figure out why everyone is looking at him. This dude can't sit pretty on two idols and a majority alliance, but he will be sitting pretty on the jury bench, and I bet he'll still be scratching his head and wondering why his name was written down.
Gus: Kara
Kara's game picked up some negatives and some positives this week. She reconnected with Dan (eh?), she learned about his backup Hidden Immunity Idol (positive), she had her option of a target go home (positive), and she eliminated Elizabeth, one of the only Davids that she's been on a tribe with (negative). It's a shame that she didn't make more bonds with the ex-Davids that lasted, considering that she opted to kill Elizabeth right out. I feel like the move in Survivor is to stay true to your tribe, but just if you can be sure that's what literally all of the other players are doing. The second one person cuts and makes a group that contains folks from the other tribe (like the Strike Force), tribal unity shatters to an extent. Of course, Kara couldn't have known about this, but her unwillingness to hold tight to any Davids is concerning at the least.
Ali: Kara
"We've got the golden ticket to keep this going, just don't mess this up."
Man, this quote is ominous. My ears definitely pricked up here thinking that maybe it was a sign of things to come. Kara is smart, and her reads on the game are spot on, so it hurts my heart to rank her as a not. Kara's like that friend in middle school that starts dating a guy and everything goes out the window. She has such natural abilities in this game, but natural abilities don't count for anything if you don't put in the work to back it up. We're in the merge now, and she's whispering with Dan in the middle of camp until the wee hours. We haven't seen her form any kind of meaningful bonds with any Davids, and every clue this week indicated that that's going to make the difference between the middle of the pack and endgame players. Kara's due for a blindside, maybe not next week, but the week after. If she can focus on building relationships with anyone who isn't Goliath, she might be fine. She's a cheerleader, so she's used to rooting for one team, but she needs to learn that teamwork does not last in Survivor.
Gus: Gabby
Frankly, I'm surprised too. Not that Gabby is playing well, but that I have finally given her a Hot. What next, John getting a Not? Gabby seems to be making a strategy of her "cry a lot and complain and try to make people feel bad for you" strategy, which, if it works, will take her far into the game. Furthermore, she wandered into a sub-alliance (the Strike Force) and managed a pretty incredible performance at Tribal. Is she winning David vs. Goliath? I certainly do not think so. Will she be in the finale? I would be surprised were she not.
Ali: Gabby
"It's so infuriating to feel like an underdog this whole game and have to just sit there in the shelter and hope that it's not you."
Yeah, I felt the same way during dodgeball. My last name is Shields, so people would hold me in front of them to shield themselves from the balls because they said: "that's your job." I know that Gus and I are going to argue about her yet again this week, so let me say a few things as to why I think she's hot. Yes, her plan that she pitched Elizabeth didn't pan out per se, but I think that what Gabby was doing was what Angelina was trying to do. Gabby was making Elizabeth feel like they were on the same side before Elizabeth went out the door. Gabby tried to help Elizabeth, even though she knew for certain that Elizabeth's name was getting written down. Gabby is a big fan of Survivor, so I'm sure that she knows that last minute tribal pitches aren't the way to go. But, she did manage to throw a big spotlight onto Angelina and create a little bit of chaos with that move, which will take some of the heat off of the Davids. In addition, Gabby was able to get cozy in the Strike Force, and she didn't force her way in. Alec came to her. That wouldn't have happened if Gabby hadn't presented herself as a good person to work with, and if she hadn't built up such solid relationships with Alison and Christian. The Strike Force is going to protect Gabby this week, and Gabby has a lot of shields to hold in front of her when the balls start flying. Maybe Gabby can give us nerd girls a little sweet justice.
Gus: John
Ugh I don't want to talk about it. This was hard. I love John, but, similar to what I've written about Kara, he didn't connect to the Davids. In fact, he openly thought about eliminating Christian – his sole David ally. Look, if the Strike Force weren't a thing, this would be the ideal strategy; however, with its existence, John looks a bit out of the loop. If he doesn't wise up to the next level of in-game strategy, I fear that he'll be out of the game before too long.
Ali: John
"We stay Goliath strong, cause the numbers are seven to six. And start whittling away at the old Davids. And then we do battle like gentlemen and ladies at the end."
Oof, John's confessionals indicated to me that he is far too comfortable right now. Many confessionals this week stressed the importance of branching out to other tribes, which makes it seem like that's going to come into play moving forward. John's reluctance to do so could result in a full-scale slamming. The merge isn't a tea party; it's a bloodbath. John has created a relationship with Christian, which might be his saving grace, but if he's content to rest on his laurels, then it's not looking good for him. I know that John has said that he's more than a wrestler, but we need a little more Slamtown John and a little less Geology John.
Gus: Alison
I'm overjoyed to be seeing so much more from Dr. Alison. She was a key player in a number of big tactical conversations and decisions that took place in this week's episode, and she's part of Alec's Strike Force. Perhaps the subtle gameplay that didn't quite make it to air ahead of the merge will rear its gorgeous head over the next few weeks, and Alison will come forth as a strong, dominant player. Or, you know, she could also get eliminated in the next episode.
Ali: Alison
"I needed a new piece of jewelry."
The doctor is finally in the house! First, she secured herself immunity for this week without looking like a major threat. Then, she found herself in the Strike Force because she's a good enough player to realize that you don't get to the end with just your starting tribe. She's formed good enough bonds that people want to work with her, and I think the story that's being told indicates that the Strike Force is going to be a long-term arrangement. Alison's game has a pulse!
Gus: Mike
The most David of the Goliaths has teamed up with the most Goliath of the Davids (I think that's what Christian is becoming?), the most David of the Davids (Gabby, at least at this point in the game), and… uh, Nick, Alec, and Alison. What a glorious team he's found himself on. Mike's fate in Survivor is tied to the well-being of his new Strike Force; if he can keep it a six-strong, under-the-radar group, then he's bound to be golden. If he has another "ugh get rid of Miss Natalie" freakout… I'm not sure.
Ali: Mike
"We know that the Goliaths are going to fall apart eventually. And I want to make sure that I have a solid six so that we can monopolize the game."
Mike has made the merge and from now on no one will look at him, provided he plays his cards right. He's managed to create a solid enough relationship with Alec, Alison and Nick that he was invited into the Strike Force. I'm really proud of him. He's managed to go from the very bottom of the Goliaths to a major contributor in a secret alliance of six. This takes a certain social finesse that spells a good player. Smiling emojis only.
Gus: Christian
Yet another difficult decision with respect to the Comptroller this week. The good news is, he's part of a sub-alliance (the Strike Force), he's still got all of the tight social bonds that I applauded him for last week, and he's continuing to be a social threat to the point that Angelina went out of her way to strongarm all of her tribemates to vote him out. The bad news is, Angelina went out of her way to strongarm all of her tribemates to vote him out, and a little bit of negative coverage goes a long way to forcing pen to parchment in Survivor. Christian was lucky that the target last week wound up being one of the handful of people with whom he did not have a concrete bond. However, with people starting to float his name and with the Strike Force still down in the numbers, I worry that our Comptroller may just wind up recalled to Ponderosa next week.
Ali: Christian
"I kind of call it a strike force… which as far as I'm concerned will be parachuted into some battlefield, somewhere, to deploy a vote and take out a target when we see fit.
Christian might be in the best position in the game if he can play this correctly. He's got the Brochachos (Next Time On notwithstanding) and he has the Strike Force. These alliances will do their best to keep him safe going forward. If you think about it, Alison, Mike, Alec, John, Dan, Nick, Alison, and Gabby all have an interest in keeping Christian safe. That's the majority right there. Even if the Brochachos break up like they were hinting in the preview, they still have an alliance of six. They only have to convince Carl and Davie to keep Christian around, and it's definitely in their best interests to do so. It's quite possible that we see the dissolution of the Goliaths as early as next week. I think, much like this week, Christian is a decoy this week.
Gus: Nick
Our fears for Nick originated from a concern that his web of alliances would wind up hurting him before long. In fact, it looks like at least one of them is paying off in a big way. As he himself put it, he took a walk along the beach and was pulled into a tight six-person alliance – an alliance that has even numbers of both Goliaths and Davids. If his Strike Force can stay a unified force, Nick ought to be sitting pretty as the game continues. Moreover, losing Elizabeth may have been a positive for him, as she was an alliance thread that was disconnected from what looks to be Nick's new core alliance.
Ali: Nick
"When the Goliaths are ready to turn on each other, I'm going to have more power in the game."
This week was great for Nick's game. Earlier, I thought Nick might be playing too hard with all of the alliances that he formed. However, this week, Nick was able to connect two of his allies, and the one who was left out got the boot. Even better, Nick was able to get rid of Elizabeth in a unanimous vote, so he has the excuse that he couldn't save her. He was able to dodge a bullet that I thought would totally bite him in the butt. And now, he's got some Goliaths with an interest in keeping him around. Gus and I used to foster this cat who liked to contort his body to fit between the back of our desk and the wall. He was so squished in there that his eyes would bulge out of his head, but he loved it back there and he never got stuck. Nick is like that cat. If he can find a crack, he will contort his body and fit right in.
Gus: Alec
This dude is really surprising me. I thought he'd be toast at the merge, but he's actually made some shockingly tight bonds for a guy who has such a seemingly cavalier attitude about so much. His new Strike Force looks set up to be a significant force within the game, and there's no reason for the people within it to cut him any time soon. Combine that with decent challenge ability and Alec is, amazingly, looking awfully solid yet again.
Ali: Alec
"You're naive to think, going into a merge, that things are going to stay David and Goliath. So, keep doing your thing, and think you're Goliath strong. I'll jump on board with the Davids. I'll make those connections."
I would like to first say that the way Alec was able to dodge heat for Natalia's boot this week was masterful. I'm very impressed by his gameplay at the moment. He's able to spot opportunities and gun for them in a way that doesn't strike me as overplay. He was given credit as one of the driving forces for the Strike Force. This week, he looked like he had a great grasp of how to move forward in the game. And, unlike Dan, Alec is able to keep secrets in the game. I worried for a while that Alec is an emotional player who doesn't have the strategic sense and the finesse to pull off big blindsides without getting caught in the crosshairs. I think this week, he proved me wrong and I toast him. The only thing that worries me going forward is that he is clearly the biggest physical threat in the Strike Force, so he might want to make sure he keeps some physical threats around so he doesn't get struck himself.
RETROSPECTIVE: ELIZABETH OLSON
Last week, Ali and Gus both ranked Elizabeth as Not.
Over the course of the season, Elizabeth received:
2 Nots from Gus
3 Nots from Ali
3 Hots from Ali
4 Hot from Gus
Culminating in a total of 7 Hots and 5 Nots
-Elizabeth is the first player eliminated with a net positive temperature from Gus (+2).
-Elizabeth is the third player eliminated with a temperature of 0 from Ali (after Pat and Jeremy).
-Gus and Ali only differed in their ranking of Elizabeth once, for Episode 3 (after Jessica's elimination; Ali gave her a Not, and Gus gave her a Hot).
Elizabeth's last two weeks spelled the end for her game. She got back pain induced rage, which Ali would like to state is entirely fair. Sending Jessica home set up a precedent for her rivalry with Carl, which only got worse as the game went on. Lastly, her strategy to blow things up at tribal council was shortsighted. As Stephen Fishbach often says on Rob Has a Podcast, things rarely change during tribal council. The cowgirl tried to shut the stable door after the horse had bolted, and sadly she now reigns as the (rodeo) queen of Ponderosa.
TRASH TALK ZONE
Ali: Okay, let's fight. Christian is our only disagreement this week. I think between the Brochachos and the Squad he's fine. There's enough people with an interest in keeping him that he's going to be fine. You wait and see, at this point, I'm confident that the six are going to run the game and we will be seeing Christian going out as a heartbreak in the late merge. He's a textbook decoy, just like he was last week.
Gus: Hey, this is going to be a VERY boring trash talk week, because I think you could very easily be right. My Not is really just because Christian didn't do much in terms of self-campaigning or helping his game.
Ali: Don't hedge your bets.
Gus: I'm not hedging my bets, I'm being honest. I think Christian is probably a decoy, but I also think that enough people have been bringing his name up that he's bound for trouble as the game goes along.
Ali: I disagree. I think that he did a lot to help his game in the long term, so he didn't have to do a lot of short term scrambling this week. He set himself up nicely with great alliances, and he's going to go far with those people until anyone who has a bigger target is gone.
Gus: I mean, even if the Strike Force runs everything, I could see them eliminating him RIGHT before they start killing everybody else… Or letting him be the final sacrificial lamb.
Ali: Absolutely he's in trouble down the road, but I think he has enough people wanting to protect him this week that I'm not worried about him in the immediate future.
Gus: So, I guess the actual strong gameplay of Christian this week was remaining unruffled and unbothered. A polar opposite from Hot Cop's freakout.
Ali: What I think will happen is eventually Nick will turn on Christian and use Mike White to do it, right before the time where the six need to turn on each other, so Christian won't see it coming. So maybe… final seven or eight?
Gus: Oh that would be heartbreaking.
Ali: That's my wild theory. Then Gabby will go desert storm. I'm writing amazing fan fiction right now.
Gus: Well, in the long run, Christian's way too happy. He's way too… I mean, giddy. Like, Nick is conniving and really shady in a wonderful way. Christian is basically just Elmo but an adult. And I adore him for it. I think Nick WILL ultimately ruin Christian's whole game, and that's really part of why he got my Not.
Ali: I think in terms of winning, Christian has an uphill battle.
Gus: Yes. And he gets a Not for that. Gabby got a Hot because she actively helped her situation while doing it in a shockingly original way. Christian's Not is from not showing me the deceptiveness which I think he'll have to show in the long run. Nick showed it. Gabby almost showed it. Christian has AMAZING social networks, but that's really it. So, slightly concerned for him.
Ali: I think his stock rose this week rather than plummeted. You don't necessarily need to be deceptive. Ultimately, this is a game about being liked, and Christian is winning in that regard. Christian was a Not last week for me because he didn't have nearly the connections he does this week. For his alliance building alone this week, he gets a Hot from me.
Gus: I think it's either Dan or Carl next out. I feel like our safe folks are Alec and Gabby.
Ali: Carl or Angelina for me. Probably Carl. For me, safe is Alison and Mike.
Gus: Really? Why Angelina? Angelina is playing horribly, but I don't see her being voted out very soon. She's too clear of a target.
Ali: I just feel like the Davids might be able to convince them to get rid of her instead if they were inclined. I could also see Angelina simply burying herself.
Gus: I predict that Angelina is going to be the first boot following the rise of the Strike Force.
Ali: At this point, she's easy pickings and they might be attracted to that.
Gus: So, around… 10. Next or the following week.
Ali: Exactly, and that's possible that with Christian in trouble they might have to act as early as next week. And there she goes.
Gus: Ugh I hope. So, is that all we've got to say?
Ali: I think so! Tune in next week for more fighting!
Gus: See ya! I'm off to play some pubg.
Ali: I'm going to go watch British Bakeoff because I'm worth it.
Ali & Gus
Alexandra "Ali" Shields is a sketch writer and playwright from Chicago and a graduate from Northwestern University. Alexandra has published humor articles with The Second City Network and cracked.com. Alexandra's play, Twelve, won first place in the Jackie White National Memorial Playwriting Contest in 2018. Gus Schlanbusch is a Chicago-based playwright, theatre director and Survivor fan. His plays have been produced in Chicago, Detroit and Boston. He is a relatively new survivor superfan, his first live season having been Season 33, but Ali has caught him up pretty thoroughly on what he missed before then.
View all posts by Ali Shields and Gus Schlanbusch
Hot or Not, Season 37, Season 37 Hot or Not, Survivor David vs Goliath
yeltra
When I watched episode 7, I thought Gabby was an emotional wreck. But when I watched it again, with the knowledge that Gabby was intending to vote Elizabeth all along. She now looked like a master manipulator, I believe she can turn on the waterworks on cue. She was definitely pandering for Elizabeth's vote, right under everyone's nose, while they were berating Angelina for doing precisely that. How dare you suggest Christian is going home next week (well actually later tonight), he will be sitting in final 3, with Gabby. He will be explaining how he wrote an algorithm, on how to win Survivor, but didn't want to reveal that until final 3. So how's that for fan fiction?
Kim from Texas
How ironic would it be if Davie (David) wins the "David vs. Goliath" season?
More Hot or Not
Survivor: Island of the Idols Hot or Not - Finale Edition
Survivor: Island of the Idols Episode 12 - Hot or Not
« Next Time On Survivor – Episode 8
Episode 8 Recap – Sneak Attack »
Inside Survivor was created as a one-stop shop for Survivor fans. A place to visit for all the up to date news and spoilers regarding upcoming seasons, as well as weekly features, in-depth articles, and exclusive interviews.
Inside Survivor was made by fans for fans. We are not endorsed by or affiliated with CBS or SEG.
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text:
Q: Reading CSV using spark-csv package in spark-shell I am trying to use spark-csv to read a csv from aws s3 in spark-shell.
Below are the steps that I did. Started spark-shell using below command

bin/spark-shell --packages com.databricks:spark-csv_2.10:1.2.0

In the shell, executed the following scala code
scala> val hadoopConf = sc.hadoopConfiguration
scala> hadoopConf.set("fs.s3.impl", "org.apache.hadoop.fs.s3native.NativeS3FileSystem")
scala> hadoopConf.set("fs.s3.awsAccessKeyId", "****")
scala> hadoopConf.set("fs.s3.awsSecretAccessKey", "****")

scala> val s3path = "s3n://bucket/sample.csv"
scala> val df = sqlContext.read.format("com.databricks.spark.csv").option("header", "true").load(s3path)

Getting the below error
java.io.IOException: No FileSystem for scheme: s3n
    at org.apache.hadoop.fs.FileSystem.getFileSystemClass(FileSystem.java:2584)
    at org.apache.hadoop.fs.FileSystem.createFileSystem(FileSystem.java:2591)
    at org.apache.hadoop.fs.FileSystem.access$200(FileSystem.java:91)
    at org.apache.hadoop.fs.FileSystem$Cache.getInternal(FileSystem.java:2630)
    at org.apache.hadoop.fs.FileSystem$Cache.get(FileSystem.java:2612)
    at org.apache.hadoop.fs.FileSystem.get(FileSystem.java:370)
    at org.apache.hadoop.fs.Path.getFileSystem(Path.java:296)
    at org.apache.hadoop.mapred.FileInputFormat.singleThreadedListStatus(FileInputFormat.java:256)
    at org.apache.hadoop.mapred.FileInputFormat.listStatus(FileInputFormat.java:228)
    at org.apache.hadoop.mapred.FileInputFormat.getSplits(FileInputFormat.java:313)
    at org.apache.spark.rdd.HadoopRDD.getPartitions(HadoopRDD.scala:207)
    at org.apache.spark.rdd.RDD$$anonfun$partitions$2.apply(RDD.scala:219)
    at org.apache.spark.rdd.RDD$$anonfun$partitions$2.apply(RDD.scala:217)
    at scala.Option.getOrElse(Option.scala:120)

What is that I am missing here? Please note that I am able to read the csv using
scala> sc.textFile(s3path)

The same scala code is working fine in databricks notebook as well
Created a issue in spark-csv github. I'll update here when I get answer for the issue

A: For the URL s3n://bucket/sample.csv, all properties for s3n has to be set. So setting the below properties makes me to read the CSV using spark-csv
scala> val hadoopConf = sc.hadoopConfiguration
scala> hadoopConf.set("fs.s3n.impl", "org.apache.hadoop.fs.s3native.NativeS3FileSystem")
scala> hadoopConf.set("fs.s3n.awsAccessKeyId", "****")
scala> hadoopConf.set("fs.s3n.awsSecretAccessKey", "****")

Refer https://github.com/databricks/spark-csv/issues/137

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
[ARCHIVED] Eddie Cook Appointed Maricopa County Assessor
In a unanimous vote, the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors appointed Gilbert Town Councilman Eddie Cook as the next Maricopa County Assessor.
"Eddie Cook is a dedicated public servant who has proven he puts constituents, and not himself, first," said Board of Supervisors Chairman Clint Hickman, District 4. "His background in both government and business, especially as it relates to technology, makes him a great fit for this important position," said Board of Supervisors Chairman Clint Hickman, District 4.
"In Gilbert, we've been able to show how a local government can be transformed to operate like a billion-dollar corporation," said Cook. "I look forward to coming into this excellent, high performance environment and building a team culture focused on outstanding service to Maricopa County residents."
Cook cannot be officially sworn in as Assessor until the Town of Gilbert accepts his resignation. Cook stated publicly today he will resign at his final council meeting on February 18.
"I would like to thank all the applicants for their willingness to serve," said Vice Chairman Jack Sellers, District 1. "I believe Mr. Cook is the right man for the job. His professional and governmental experience will allow him to hit the ground running."
Cook has served on the Gilbert Town Council for the past nine years while also working in the private sector. Since 2002, Cook has served in a leadership position for a technology company that provides cloud-based data services to Fortune 100 companies. He has also served on various boards and commissions including the Arizona State Information Technology Authorization Committee, which reviews some of the state's largest IT projects.
Board members expect Cook to provide leadership and guidance on a high-profile IT project within the Assessor's Office called MARS.
"Eddie Cook is the right leader at the right time and the public can feel confident in his commitment to exceptional customer service," said Supervisor Steve Chucri, District 2. "During his time on the Gilbert Town Council, he not only helped Gilbert advance its business practices, he also helped build a stronger organizational culture."
"Along with years of public service experience, Mr. Cook brings integrity and intelligence to the Assessor's Office," said Supervisor Bill Gates, District 3. "I look forward to working with him to provide excellent customer service to the taxpayer while maintaining fiscal responsibility in the office."
The Assessor position has been vacant since January 8. By state law, the Board of Supervisors is responsible for filling any vacancy. Under state law, the appointee had to be a Maricopa County resident over the age of 18 as well as a registered Republican. The Board began accepting applications in mid-January. Completed application packets for all the applicants were posted on the county website for the public to review. Supervisors interviewed five of the candidates this month before voting today to appoint Cook.
"Ed Cook's background in public service makes him the ideal person to fill the position of Assessor," said Steve Gallardo, District 5. "Ed will provide much-needed leadership and integrity to the office."
Cook will serve out the remainder of the term and plans to run for the office in the 2020 primary and general elections.
About the Maricopa County Assessor's Office
The Maricopa County Assessor's Office is responsible for all property valuations within Maricopa County. The Assessor sends notices about those valuations to property owners each year. The office is not involved in tax collecting.
Other News in Newsroom Feature
Workforce Center @ Mesa Offers Comprehensive Career Services at No Cost


This Alert covers CVE-2010-0891 for the Sun Management Center product.
Please see http://www.oracle.com/technology/deploy/security/alerts.htm for more information about Critical Patch Updates and Security Alerts. This publication relates to the CPU for April 2010.
Description: Unspecified vulnerability in the Sun Management Center component in Oracle Sun Product Suite 3.6.1 and 4.0 allows remote attackers to affect confidentiality and integrity via unknown vectors related to Solaris Container Manager.


Designed by Giulio Lacchetti, the Noe Bottle Holder is intended as a functional accessory that is as suited to the kitchen as it is the living room. This thermoplastic resin, the Noe can hold up to six bottles of wine. With a contemporary aesthetic that is accomplished by combining separate rounded modules, the Noe Bottle Holder can even serve as a striking decorative piece on its own.
Holds up to six bottles of wine.
Dimensions: 15.5cm x 10cm x 11.5cm.


Andrew recently wrote about his thoughts on 'realistic fantasy'. It made me think a bit about it. I've always had my own criteria on how I judge a book to be good. I've always read fantasy and one of my main (come to think about it 'unconsious') criteria was that the author must make the reader believe the store could happen. No matter how out of this world the story is if the author is good the story will captivate the reader and make the reader forget 'reality' as he knows it and to a certain point believe the reality that is in the book.
A well written fantasy novel, in my opinion, must feel true. Not necessarily 'real' but true. That the characters in the book, though a figment of the author's imagination, are true. That they exist within the authors imagination. Now for a story to feel 'true' the author must make an effort to make the story seem plausible. Of course since it's fantasy the reader will obviously know that it is not part of reality as we know it. However, the author can either make the reader forget reality as we know it or create a new 'possible' reality.
All 'realities' must have explanations; they must have reasons; and above all the world must be real to the characters. So if you magically were transported into that world everything should make sense around you to a certain point of course.
I've never thought of 'realistic fantasy' being an oxymoron but now that I think about it I understand how it could be taken that way. As a first impression it could be an oxymoron but that's just on the surface. We as 'humans' can only comprehend things within a limit. So a story that doesn't explain things so that the mere mortal may comprehend it is a poorly written story. The reader can not know what is going on inside the author's mind/imagination so the author must go into details on certain things so that the reader may understand where the author is coming from. And 'fantasy' doesn't completely cancel out 'reality' from it's vocabulary.
I must say I've read many novels and stories where the author is able to make a completely impossible story seem so real.


text:
#ifndef ASYLO_PLATFORM_CORE_ENCLAVE_MANAGER_H_
#define ASYLO_PLATFORM_CORE_ENCLAVE_MANAGER_H_

// Declares the enclave client API, providing types and methods for loading,
// accessing, and finalizing enclaves.

#include <string>
#include <utility>

#include "absl/container/flat_hash_map.h"
#include "absl/memory/memory.h"
#include "absl/status/status.h"
#include "absl/strings/string_view.h"
#include "absl/synchronization/mutex.h"
#include "absl/time/time.h"
#include "absl/types/variant.h"
#include "asylo/enclave.pb.h"  // IWYU pragma: export
#include "asylo/platform/core/enclave_client.h"
#include "asylo/platform/core/enclave_config_util.h"
#include "asylo/platform/core/shared_resource_manager.h"
#include "asylo/platform/primitives/untrusted_primitives.h"
#include "asylo/platform/primitives/util/message.h"
#include "asylo/util/status.h"  // IWYU pragma: export
#include "asylo/util/statusor.h"

namespace asylo {
class EnclaveLoader;

/// Enclave Manager configuration.
/// \deprecated EnclaveManager no longer needs to be configured.
class EnclaveManagerOptions {};

/// A manager object responsible for creating and managing enclave instances.
///
/// EnclaveManager is a singleton class that tracks the status of enclaves
/// within a process. Users can get a pointer to the singleton instance by
/// calling the static Instance() method.
///
/// NOTE: Configuring the EnclaveManager with Configure() is no longer required
/// before obtaining a pointer to the singleton instance.
///
/// \deprecated Users of this class first supply a configuration using the
/// static Configure() method, and then get a pointer to the singleton instance
/// as specified by this configuration by calling the static Instance() method.
class EnclaveManager {
 public:
  /// Fetches the EnclaveManager singleton instance.
  ///
  /// \return A StatusOr containing either the global EnclaveManager instance or
  ///         an error describing why it could not be returned.
  static StatusOr<EnclaveManager *> Instance();

  /// \deprecated EnclaveManager no longer needs to be configured.
  /// Configures the enclave manager.
  ///
  /// \param options Configuration options as described in
  ///                EnclaveManagerOptions.
  static Status Configure(const EnclaveManagerOptions &options);

  /// Loads an enclave.
  ///
  /// Loads a new enclave utilizing the passed enclave backend loader
  /// configuration settings. The loaded enclave is bound to the value of field
  /// `name` set in |load_config|.
  /// The enclave is initialized with custom enclave config settings if the
  /// `config` field is set in |load_config|. Else, the enclave is initialized
  /// with default Asylo enclave config settings.
  ///
  /// It is an error to specify a name which is already bound to an enclave.
  ///
  /// Example:
  /// 1) Load an enclave with custom enclave config settings
  ///
  /// ```
  ///  EnclaveConfig config;
  ///  ... // populate config proto.
  ///
  ///  EnclaveLoadConfig load_config;
  ///  load_config.set_name("example");
  ///  load_config.set_config(config);
  ///
  ///  load_config.SetExtension(example_backend_extension);
  ///  ... // populate Asylo backend extension proto.
  ///  LoadEnclave(load_config);
  /// ```
  /// 2) Load an enclave with default enclave config settings
  ///
  /// ```
  ///  EnclaveLoadConfig load_config;
  ///  load_config.set_name("example");
  ///  load_config.SetExtension(example_backend_extension);
  ///  ... // populate Asylo backend extension proto.
  ///  LoadEnclave(load_config);
  /// ```
  /// \param load_config Backend configuration options to load an enclave
  Status LoadEnclave(const EnclaveLoadConfig &load_config);

  /// Loads an enclave.
  ///
  /// Loads a new enclave with default enclave config settings and binds it to a
  /// name. The actual work of opening the enclave is delegated to the passed
  /// loader object.
  ///
  /// It is an error to specify a name which is already bound to an enclave.
  ///
  /// Example:
  /// ```
  ///   LoadEnclave("/EchoEnclave", SgxLoader("echoService.so"));
  /// ```
  ///
  /// \param name Name to bind the loaded enclave under.
  /// \param loader Configured enclave loader to load from.
  /// \param base_address Start address to load enclave(optional).
  /// \param enclave_size The size of the enclave in memory(only needed if
  /// |base_address| is specified).
  /// \deprecated Use LoadEnclave(const EnclaveLoadConfig &load_config)
  Status LoadEnclave(absl::string_view name, const EnclaveLoader &loader,
                     void *base_address = nullptr,
                     const size_t enclave_size = 0);

  /// Loads an enclave.
  ///
  /// Loads a new enclave with custom enclave config settings and binds it to a
  /// name. The actual work of opening the enclave is delegated to the passed
  /// loader object.
  ///
  /// It is an error to specify a name which is already bound to an enclave.
  ///
  /// Example:
  ///
  /// ```
  ///  EnclaveConfig config;
  ///  ... // populate config proto.
  ///  LoadEnclave("/EchoEnclave", SgxLoader("echoService.so"), config);
  /// ```
  ///
  /// \param name Name to bind the loaded enclave under.
  /// \param loader Configured enclave loader to load from.
  /// \param config Enclave configuration to launch the enclave with.
  /// \param base_address Start address to load enclave(optional).
  /// \param enclave_size The size of the enclave in memory(only needed if
  /// |base_address| is specified).
  /// \deprecated Use LoadEnclave(const EnclaveLoadConfig &load_config)
  Status LoadEnclave(absl::string_view name, const EnclaveLoader &loader,
                     EnclaveConfig config, void *base_address = nullptr,
                     const size_t enclave_size = 0);

  /// Fetches a client to a loaded enclave.
  ///
  /// \param name The name of an EnclaveClient that may be registered in the
  ///             EnclaveManager.
  /// \return A mutable pointer to the EnclaveClient if the name is
  ///         registered. Otherwise returns nullptr.
  EnclaveClient *GetClient(absl::string_view name) const
      ABSL_LOCKS_EXCLUDED(client_table_lock_);

  /// Returns the name of an enclave client.
  ///
  /// \param client A pointer to a client that may be registered in the
  ///               EnclaveManager.
  /// \return The name of an enclave client. If no enclave matches `client` the
  ///         empty string will be returned.
  const absl::string_view GetName(const EnclaveClient *client) const
      ABSL_LOCKS_EXCLUDED(client_table_lock_);

  /// Destroys an enclave.
  ///
  /// Destroys an enclave. This method calls `client's` EnterAndFinalize entry
  /// point with final_input unless `skip_finalize` is true, then calls
  /// `client's` DestroyEnclave method, and then removes client's name from the
  /// EnclaveManager client registry. The manager owns the client, so removing
  /// it calls client's destructor and frees its memory. The client is destroyed
  /// regardless of whether `client's` EnterAndFinalize method succeeds or
  /// fails. This method must not be invoked more than once.
  ///
  /// \param client A client attached to the enclave to destroy.
  /// \param final_input Input to pass the enclave's finalizer.
  /// \param skip_finalize If true, the enclave is destroyed without invoking
  ///                      its Finalize method.
  /// \return The Status returned by the enclave's Finalize method, or an
  ///         OK Status if that was skipped.
  Status DestroyEnclave(EnclaveClient *client, const EnclaveFinal &final_input,
                        bool skip_finalize = false)
      ABSL_LOCKS_EXCLUDED(client_table_lock_);

  /// Fetches the shared resource manager object.
  ///
  /// \return The SharedResourceManager instance.
  SharedResourceManager *shared_resources() {
    return &shared_resource_manager_;
  }

  /// Fetches the shared resource manager object.
  ///
  /// \return The SharedResourceManager instance.
  const SharedResourceManager *shared_resources() const {
    return &shared_resource_manager_;
  }

  /// Get the load config of an enclave. This should only be used during fork
  /// in order to load an enclave with the same load config as the parent.
  EnclaveLoadConfig GetLoadConfigFromClient(EnclaveClient *client)
      ABSL_LOCKS_EXCLUDED(client_table_lock_);

 private:
  EnclaveManager() ABSL_EXCLUSIVE_LOCKS_REQUIRED(mu_);
  EnclaveManager(EnclaveManager const &) = delete;
  EnclaveManager &operator=(EnclaveManager const &) = delete;

  // Loads a fake enclave with custom enclave config settings and binds it to a
  // name. An enclave loaded using this interface doesn't build on any Asylo
  // backend technology and is strictly meant to be used for testing only. The
  // actual work of opening the enclave is delegated to the passed loader
  // object.
  Status LoadFakeEnclave(absl::string_view name, const EnclaveLoader &loader,
                         const EnclaveConfig &config,
                         void *base_address = nullptr,
                         const size_t enclave_size = 0)
      ABSL_LOCKS_EXCLUDED(client_table_lock_);

  // Deletes an enclave client reference that points to an enclave that no
  // longer exists. This should only happen during fork.
  void RemoveEnclaveReference(absl::string_view name)
      ABSL_LOCKS_EXCLUDED(client_table_lock_);

  // Manager object for untrusted resources shared with enclaves.
  SharedResourceManager shared_resource_manager_;

  // Value synchronized to CLOCK_MONOTONIC by the worker loop.
  std::atomic<int64_t> clock_monotonic_;

  // Value synchronized to CLOCK_REALTIME by the worker loop.
  std::atomic<int64_t> clock_realtime_;

  // A mutex guarding |client_by_name_|, |name_by_client_|, and
  // |loader_by_client_| tables.
  mutable absl::Mutex client_table_lock_;

  absl::flat_hash_map<std::string, std::unique_ptr<EnclaveClient>>
      client_by_name_ ABSL_GUARDED_BY(client_table_lock_);
  absl::flat_hash_map<const EnclaveClient *, std::string> name_by_client_
      ABSL_GUARDED_BY(client_table_lock_);

  absl::flat_hash_map<const EnclaveClient *, EnclaveLoadConfig>
      load_config_by_client_ ABSL_GUARDED_BY(client_table_lock_);

  // Mutex guarding the static state of this class.
  static absl::Mutex mu_;

  // Singleton instance of this class.
  static EnclaveManager *instance_ ABSL_GUARDED_BY(mu_);
};

/// An abstract enclave loader.
///
/// Host applications must load an enclave before using it. This is accomplished
/// via an architecture specific implementation of the EnclaveLoader interface.
class EnclaveLoader {
 public:
  virtual ~EnclaveLoader() = default;

 protected:
  // Only allow the enclave loading via the manager object.
  friend class EnclaveManager;

  // Loads an enclave, returning a pointer to a client on success and a non-ok
  // status on failure.
  virtual StatusOr<std::unique_ptr<EnclaveClient>> LoadEnclave(
      absl::string_view name) const {
    EnclaveConfig config;
    return LoadEnclave(name, /*base_address=*/nullptr, /*enclave_size=*/0,
                       config);
  }

  // Loads an enclave at the specified address, returning a pointer to a client
  // on success and a non-ok status on failure.
  virtual StatusOr<std::unique_ptr<EnclaveClient>> LoadEnclave(
      absl::string_view name, void *base_address, const size_t enclave_size,
      const EnclaveConfig &config) const {
    return absl::InternalError(
        "EnclaveLoader::LoadEnclave not implemented for test enclave");
  }

  virtual EnclaveLoadConfig GetEnclaveLoadConfig() const = 0;
};

// Loads a new enclave with the provided parent enclave name, base virtual
// address and enclave size, as part of servicing a trusted fork() call inside
// the enclave. Returns a pointer to the primitives Client of the enclave
// loaded. The method does not set the current_client of the primitives Client
// with the Client it returns. That is the responsibility of the caller, if
// desired.
// This method currently only supports SGX, since fork is only supported for
// local SGX.
primitives::Client *LoadEnclaveInChildProcess(absl::string_view enclave_name,
                                              void *enclave_base_address,
                                              size_t enclave_size);

}  // namespace asylo

#endif  // ASYLO_PLATFORM_CORE_ENCLAVE_MANAGER_H_

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Max Viril - Is Max Viril the Best Male Enhancment Pill?
MaxViril is a natural male enhancement supplement that advertises itself as along for longer "performances" as well as your typical male enhancement. Performance duration issues are a common problem for men in the USA with over 60 million men experiencing some issues during their lives. MaxViril advertises their use of a specialized flower formula as its unique angle on male enhancement.
What ingredients are in Max Viril?
MaxViril contains rhodiola rosea, damiana, nutmeg, saffron, liquorice, ginseng, pine, nettle, and polygala comosa.
Do the ingredients in Max Viril Work?
They might for some. Ginseng was reported in our survey to provide male enhancement to some users. It also may stimulate the central nervous system, which could help improve sexual stamina.
MaxViril's other ingredients have not been shown to effective during our analysis for male enhancement, however. Our research show saffron and nutmeg do not improve any of the common male enhancement goals, despite its use as a cure-all for sexual problems in Indian medicine. Many of its ingredients also contain psychoactive properties, which can affect the secretion of hormones in the brain if taken in large enough doses, leading to psychiatric effects--such as a feeling of "drunkenness", hallucinations or sudden mood changes.
Not for everyone. Damiana can cause adverse reactions in people with a history of breast cancer, a psychiatric disorder (such as bipolar disorder), dementia, Parkinson's disease, or who take diabetic medications that control blood glucose levels. Ginseng and nutmeg can also cause psychiatric problems in rare cases, such as mania and hallucinations.
Although ginseng can help improve a few aspects of male enhancement, this probably isn't a desirable product for men who suffer from premature issues. None of its ingredients are very effective for premature issues, and may cause dangerous psychiatric reactions in rare cases. People with a psychiatric disorder should speak with their doctor before taking this supplement.


text:
Earlsboro és un poble dels Estats Units a l'estat d'Oklahoma. Segons el cens del 2000 tenia una població de 633 habitants.

Demografia
Segons el cens del 2000, Earlsboro tenia 633 habitants, 228 habitatges, i 183 famílies. La densitat de població era de 26,5 habitants per km².

Dels 228 habitatges en un 34,2% hi vivien nens de menys de 18 anys, en un 68% hi vivien parelles casades, en un 8,8% dones solteres, i en un 19,7% no eren unitats familiars. En el 18% dels habitatges hi vivien persones soles el 10,1% de les quals corresponia a persones de 65 anys o més que vivien soles. El nombre mitjà de persones vivint en cada habitatge era de 2,78 i el nombre mitjà de persones que vivien en cada família era de 3,13.

Per edats la població es repartia de la següent manera: un 25,8% tenia menys de 18 anys, un 11,1% entre 18 i 24, un 25,6% entre 25 i 44, un 23,1% de 45 a 60 i un 14,5% 65 anys o més.

L'edat mediana era de 37 anys. Per cada 100 dones de 18 o més anys hi havia 91,1 homes.

La renda mediana per habitatge era de 28.214 $ i la renda mediana per família de 32.396 $. Els homes tenien una renda mediana de 30.956 $ mentre que les dones 15.865 $. La renda per capita de la població era de 12.488 $. Entorn de l'11,3% de les famílies i el 12,6% de la població estaven per davall del llindar de pobresa.

Poblacions més properes
El següent diagrama mostra les poblacions més properes.

Referències

Comtat de Pottawatomie (Oklahoma)
Pobles d'Oklahoma

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Physical Description Buxom. Extremely so. Impeccably made up and dressed at all times.
General Overview How the heck did she become a Marine???
Strengths & Weaknesses Very manipulative... To males. Very smart, though somehow she never seems to use it.
Personal History Does she really need one?


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Learning and Sharing with Ms. Lirenman: Why do I blog?
I blog because it helps clear up the traffic jam of ideas inside of my head. Why do you blog?
I love your shortest blog post ever! I blog for similar reasons.
Sometimes there is just no one with skin on close enough to talk about the things going on in my head, so I blog. Then, joyfully, there is often someone far away who understands and can help me shed even more light on the traffic jam ideas in my head.
Thanks Denise. I really love blogging. While I've blogged in the past for personal reasons - like my year living in Australia, and my journey to my first ironman in 2004 - I have never blogged professionally. I wish I had started this professional blog years ago. I wonder, in my 20 years of teaching, how many cars I've left inside my brain stranded because I didn't rescue them by writing things down. Hmm.
What a great reason! I blog to share what I've learned & I blog to learn more.
Love it! I love to share my thinking too and like I said in response to Denise I love it when people connect to my thinking and/or push my thinking.
Gotta hate those traffic jams! Glad you've found a way to work with them!
I love the analogy! I blog because I love to share. It also helps me make my way around perceived stop signs in my mind and give excellent ideas another lane travel in down the highway.
All of the above! Organizing my ideas, focusing on ONE thing, and keeping track of ideas for Genius Hour!
I need to reflect on my own practice and thinking. Blogging forces me to slow down and analyze that a bit. I don't always express it as nicely as I would like but it's really about the reflection for me.
I know what you mean. Just recently started teaching and blogging but it helps me reflect on my teaching and organize the mess in my head. If I don't write something down, it is gone!
Blogging is great. I find sometimes when I'm short on time but have something I want to blog about I create a blog post with a title only, then save it to draft. Sometimes I make my way back to those empty titled blog posts other times I don't and that's okay too.
I do the same thing Karen!
I blog because I like to work ideas out, and I find it easier when I write them down. I like the notion that one's blog is a gym for the brain. And I do like to see my writing improve and blogging has definitely made it better.
Thanks Chris. I love all of your reasons for blogging. As for the improvement in writing, I would agree that I too think I am getting better as a writer because of the blogs I maintain. Happy Blogging!


I wanted to do something different and I've watched a lot of crack!vids lately so I wanted to make one.
Share on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+!! SUBSCRIBE! ▻ http://bit.ly/iTwe4kz Gaming Channel! ▻ http://bit.ly/iTwe4kzGames Don't forget to hit LIKE and SUBSCRIBE!
The Incredible HULK 2008 – Download PC Game Here!


text:
(AP Photo/Reed Saxon)
When US News & World Report debuted its list of "America's Best Colleges" nearly 30 years ago, the magazine hoped its college rankings would be a game-changer for students and families. But arguably, they've had a much bigger effect on colleges themselves.
Yes, students and families still buy the guide and its less famous competitors by the hundreds of thousands, and still care about a college's reputation. But it isn't students who obsess over every incremental shift on the rankings scoreboard, and who regularly embarrass themselves in the process. It's colleges.
It's colleges that have spent billions on financial aid for high-scoring students who don't actually need the money, motivated at least partly by the quest for rankings glory.
It was a college, Baylor University, that paid students it had already accepted to retake the SAT exam in a transparent ploy to boost the average scores it could report. It's colleges that have awarded bonuses to presidents who lift their school a few slots.
And it's colleges that occasionally get caught in the kind of cheating you might expect in sports or on Wall Street, but which seems especially ignominious coming from professional educators.
The latest example came last week at Claremont McKenna, a highly regarded California liberal arts college where a senior administrator resigned after acknowledging he falsified college entrance exam scores for years to rankings publications such as US News.
The scale was small: submitting scores just 10 or 20 points higher on the 1,600-point SAT math and reading exams. Average test scores account for just 7.5 percent of the US News rankings formula. Still, the magazine acknowledged the effect could have been to move the college up a slot or two in its rankings of top liberal arts colleges. And so it was hard not to notice Claremont McKenna stood at No. 9 in this year's rankings, which to people who care about such things sounds much sweeter than No. 11.
"For Claremont, there is I would think a psychologically large difference between being ninth and 11th," said Bob Schaeffer of the group FairTest and a rankings critic. "We're a top 10 school,' (or) 'we're 11th or 12th' — that's a big psychological difference. It's a bragging rights difference."
If it was an effort to gain an edge, it backfired badly. Another popular list, Kiplinger's "Best College Values," said Friday it was removing Claremont McKenna from its 2011-12 rankings entirely because of the false reporting. The college had been No. 18 on its list of best-value liberal arts colleges.
Competitiveness may be naturally human, but to many who work with students, such behavior among fellow educators is mystifying. Contrary to widespread perceptions, they say, students typically use the rankings as a source of data and pay little attention to a school's number.
"When I started in this business, I thought, 'The rankings are terrible,'" said Brad MacGowan, a 21-year-veteran college counselor at Newton North High School outside Boston. "But spending all this time with students, I just don't hear that much about them. I'm sure it's colleges that are perpetuating it."
It's hard to know how common cheating like that reported at Claremont McKenna is, given that while US News cross-checks some data with other sources, it relies largely on colleges themselves to provide it. Modest forms of fudging through data selection are undeniably common, especially in law school rankings. The most high-profile case of outright cheating involved Iona University in New York, which acknowledged last fall submitting years of false data that boosted its ranking from around 50th in its category to 30th.
But most rankings critics say by far the most pernicious failure of colleges isn't blatant cheating, but what they do more openly — allowing the rankings formula to drive their goals and policies.
Colleges, they argue, have caved to the rankings pressure in a range of ways. A big one is recruiting as many students as they can to apply, even if they're not likely to be a good fit, just to boost their selectivity numbers. And they've showered shower financial aid on high-achieving, and often wealthy, kids with high SAT scores.
In the mid-1990s, roughly one-third of grant aid, or scholarships colleges of all types awarded with their own money, was given on grounds other than need (typically called "merit aid'). A decade later, they gave away three times as much money — but well over half was based on merit.
Yes, some colleges recruited better students, but there was a price to be paid. Consider a 2008 study by The Institute for College Access and Success that examined the $11.2 billion annually four-year colleges were awarding in grant aid. Of that, $3.35 billion was awarded as merit aid. That would have easily covered the $2.4 billion in unmet need-based aid that the colleges said their low-income students still faced.
Rankings critic Lloyd Thacker, founder of the group Education Conservancy, calls that a shift in financial aid from "charitable acts to competitive weapons." Or, as Schaeffer describes it, "they end up giving the money to rich white kids."
The vast majority of students attend college within three hours of home, so national rankings have little meaning. What matters? Usually more mundane or subjective concerns. One student who went to MacGowan's office last week for a college planning meeting, junior Bridget Gillis, said she'd yet to even see a college ranking guide. Her criteria: "If they have my major, if it's a nice campus, how big it is, if they have the sport I want to play in college (field hockey)."
The latest version of a huge national survey of college freshman conducted annually by UCLA's Higher Education Research Institute asked students to list various factors affecting their choice of college. Rankings in national magazines were No. 11 for current college freshmen, with roughly one in six calling them very important, well behind factors such as cost, size and location.
Those findings may be somewhat misleading. The leading factor cited, by almost two-thirds of students, was their college's "academic reputation," which can be hard to disentangle from its ranking. A reputational survey ranking accounts for 25 percent of a college's score in US News, and fame from a high US News rankings contributes to reputation, even if students say the ranking itself wasn't a factor. Such circularity is one of many things critics dislike about the US News methodology.
But the survey data do suggest students generally heed the magazine's advice not to use the rankings to make fine-grained distinctions between schools.
"As someone who is asked every year to comment on the rankings, it seems to me that who cares most is the media," John Pryor, who directs the UCLA survey, wrote in a blog post last year. "Second would be college presidents and development officers. Way down the list seem to be those who are actually trying to decide where to go to college."
Thacker says the rankings do have negative psychological effects on students, though usually only the top 10 to 15 percent who are applying to competitive colleges. But it has affected a much broader swath of colleges that have been unable to suppress their competitive urges for the educational common good.
"It has more an impact on colleges, presidents and trustees than it does on students," Thacker said. "The colleges have shifted resources and changed practices and policies that were once governed by educational values to serve prestige and rank and status."
That effect, he says, is dishonorable, even if some colleges at least feel guilty about it. More than 80 percent of college admissions officers surveyed for a report last fall by the National Association for College Admission Counseling felt the US News rankings offered students misleading conclusions, and roughly the same proportion agreed they caused counter-productive behavior by colleges. Yet more than 70 percent said their schools promoted their ranking in marketing materials.
The fact that the highly regarded dean apparently involved in the scandal at Claremont McKenna may have been driven to submit inflated test scores is an indicator of the scale of pressure that surrounds the rankings, said David Hawkins, director of public policy and research at NACAC, the counseling group. That pressure comes from all corners of the university — trustees, alumni, presidents, even politicians,
"It's clear from the (Claremont McKenna) story that admission offices are under pressure," he said. "The key question is, how do you stop the madness?"
Bob Morse, who oversees the US News rankings as director of data research, says many of the behaviors the rankings have incentivized in colleges are benign. He points to universities like Northeastern and Southern California that have moved up in recent years through concerted efforts to improve their stats in variables that go into the formula — but which also are good for students. Things like more small classes, programs to boost retention, higher faculty-to-student ratios. And why, Morse asks, should colleges be criticized for casting a wider recruiting net?
But even Morse, who says colleges paid the rankings little attention when they debuted in 1983, says he's been shocked by how seriously they now take their standing, and the lengths they go to move up.
"None of those things when we first started we had in mind would even happen or even could happen," he said. "It's evolved in ways that have taken on a life of their own. To us, it's proof people are paying attention."
Source AP
The Trust Project: Big Media and Silicon Valley's Weaponized Algorithms Silence Dissent
Bad News for The News: The Fox-Disney Merger Again Shortens the Media Menu
Losing a Generation: UNICEF Sees Saudi War Robbing Yemeni Children of Their Future


Nursing has grown feathers and wings over the years. Nowadays, nurses are required to be thoroughly professional and updated with latest therapy techniques. Experience is another key aspect.
You can also take courses which require preparing dissertation in nursing. Herein, you have to delve into the layers and not remain merely at the surface. You have to enunciate the fulcrums and pivotal points you perceive in the line and process accordingly.
Chart a segment – You need to pick out any segment in nursing that you have thorough knowledge of. Take care that the segment offers enough scope for restrained and suggestive methodology to carve a well-etched dissertation.
Accentuate major points – Identify the major points. Now, nursing is not only about tending to the patients; it is also about fostering warm relations with the relatives of the patients. As a nurse, you should engender proper communication channels with the doctors. You should be fairly conversant with the new technologies.
The Methodology – You may pick out disparate patients suffering from same illness and find out the type of nursing etiquettes that are most influential. You may also carry an acute research on how accredited health care centers care about certain types of patients; say, terminally ill or geriatric ones. You may also seek pertinent and valuable interventions in nursing which can change the dynamics.
The Analysis – Your inferences should be comprehensive, even if it takes time. You cannot be chivalrous about this. Your analyses should be carefully drawn out and rechecked by changing the variables. You may also check results where the facilities are rather inadequate. Your dissertation should appear diligent; that is the basic premise.
The conclusion – You should seek to find pertinent solutions through your dissertation. You should offer feasible processes which can change the nursing equations almost exponentially. Make sure you extract the conclusion only after steadfast calculations and permutations; not on a whim.
The references – Whatever subject you write your dissertation on, it is necessary to refer to credible and deep-seated resources. Otherwise, your piece will lack the depth and authenticity. You also need to ensure that the resources are relevant to your piece of your work.
It is actually preferable to work as an intern in an established healthcare center to gather inside knowledge of their knowhow. This will support and strengthen your research work. A well-crafted work stands like a giant out of charred ruins!


Ninja Arashi is an intense platformer with mixed RPG elements. In this game, you play as arashi, a former legendary ninja who fights his way through the corrupted world to save his kidnapped son from the hand of the devil Orochi. With superior acrobatic and deadly weapons, arashi is ready to face menacing traps and enemies who have sworn to protect Orochi. Ninja Arashi features simple yet addicting gameplay, giving you thrilling moments and an unexpected experience. You can upgrade abilities using gold and diamond collected from enemies and the environment in order to keep tracks with the difficulty of the game. Manuever through traps, lay waste on enemies who try to stop you and rescue your son.
You'll enjoy your time with Ninja Arashi, as it sports solid hand-drawn style with a samurai touch, familiar and accessible controls, and a solid platforming challenge.