Great news for Isle of Man Swimming as Charlotte Atkinson is featured in this month's issue of the Swimming Times, the official monthly magazine of the ASA and British Swimming.
Charlotte was chosen to be part of the Senior Girls relay team for Plymouth College, competing in the 4 x 50m freestyle event in the ESSA Relay Championships at Crystal Palace, London. The team first set a new record long course time of 1.46.95 in the heats, then lowered the record time to 1.46.65 to take gold in the final.


text:
Q: jsonp and POST action I know from reading on here that it is not possible to do a cross domain POST action using jsonp and javascript.
But I have to write back data to a web service that's on a different domain using javascript - how do others do it? Just hack it and use a GET action?

A: Write a proxy, it is super simple.

A: I've ended up just using a GET method and sending my details back. Not the way REST is supposed to be used but on investigation this is what a number of other web sites seem to do.

A: how different are the urls?  Depending on the answer you might be able to do it with javascript.  Assuming that the same origin policy does indeed apply, one way would be to  post to the server that served the page, and then on the server use an http library to post to the other system.

A: There is this article on ajaxian, just about this annoyance:
http://ajaxian.com/archives/how-to-make-xmlhttprequest-calls-to-another-server-in-your-domain

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


This second wine could be an interesting alternative for those who find the first wine a bit too expensive. The style is sweet and soft with mostly a touch of tobacco and cedar in the nose. The taste is supple but intense.


text:
Friday, May 03, 2019 10:32 AM
How NFL Offenses are Shaping NFL Defenses & Story Time with Bucs Assistants | Carmen Catches Up
Carmen Vitali
The team grew by eight draft picks and a crop of undrafted free agents this past week. We've covered that extensively and I'll be breaking down each draft pick individually in advance of rookie minicamp next weekend. But in case you were living under a rock, here's how the Bucs fared in the draft.
Round 1: LB Devin White, LSU
Round 2: CB Sean Murphy-Bunting, Central Michigan
Round 3: CB Jamel Dean, Auburn, S Mike Edwards, Kentucky
Round 4: DE Anthony Nelson, Iowa
Round 5: K Matt Gay, Utah
Round 6: WR Scotty Miller, Bowling Green
Round 7: DT Terry Beckner Jr., Missouri
-If you want to know how our division opponents did, I've got something for you here, too. It's also worth noting that Pro Football Focus called the Buccaneers the most improved team in the division after the draft. I'll take it.
The @Buccaneers got great value outside of the first round in the 2019 NFL Draft. In fact, @PFF Lead Draft Analyst Mike Renner (@PFF_Mike) named Tampa as the most improved team in the NFC South following the draft.
📰: https://t.co/lfaoRAhBDO pic.twitter.com/y4COW07OWV
— PFF TB Buccaneers (@PFF_Buccaneers) May 2, 2019
-I'm just glad all the speculation is over. Scott Smith and I put together dueling mock drafts ahead of the first round of the NFL Draft last Thursday. If you want to see how (pretty horribly) we did, here you go. All you really need to know is that I got more right than Scott did and if we're being honest, that's all that really matters.
There aren't a lot of times I get to beat him in anything Bucs-related so I'm relishing. Leave me be.
-We got to talk to a majority of Bruce Arians' assistants this week as each assistant coach from both sides of the ball (as well as special teams and strength staff) were brought into the media studio to meet with reporters. There were plenty of fun stories that came out and we'll get to those later. One thing I thought was extremely interesting was something safeties coach Nick Rapone said. He was asked about what the safety position has evolved into in the modern NFL and why we don't exactly see bigger safeties along the lines of what Buccaneer-great John Lynch was. He ended up likening the so-called demise of the big safety to the demise of the big man in the NBA, which when you hear his logic is a kind of perfect parallel.
Coach Rapone likens the phasing out of bigger physical safeties in the NFL because of the spread offense to the phasing out of the big man in the NBA because of the 3pt play.
— Carmen Vitali (@CarmieV) May 1, 2019
"[Not seeing big safeties anymore] is not because of the NFL," Rapone said. "That's because of college football. In college football, everything is spread out so all of these safeties that we eventually get, college football is recruiting more athletic safeties so you're looking at the 5-10, 5-11, 6-0 athletic safeties. It's just like in basketball. The big man is no longer important because of what? The three-point play. The big man is gone. In football, if you're not athletic at safety, there are few big guys that are big and athletic at the safety position."
He trailed off before finishing his thought but if you're not athletic at safety these days with how many wide receivers offenses are putting on the field, you're kind of screwed. The rise of 11-personnel plus the evolution of the NFL tight end into more of a receiver than anything contributes heavily to that. It's a big reason why the nickel position, which was once a defensive wrinkle, has now become a necessity. It starts to beg the question of how NFL offenses are shaping NFL defenses. The offense will take what the defense gives it, yes, but as a defense facing four wideouts with a pass-catching tight end and often, a pass-catching running back, if you try to defend that in a base defense using four players in coverage, you're going to give that offense a lot.
What has stemmed from college football has now created a shift at the NFL level in defenses needing to be faster, which Defensive Coordinator Todd Bowles understands fully.
"I think it's the offensive schemes of the game," Bowles said. "The game has gotten a lot faster, especially out on the perimeter and the edge where you don't see as much power running. So, there's a lot of things out on the perimeter where you need a lot of faster guys."
With the crop of rookies they'll have this year, it's clear that the Bucs' defense is prioritizing speed to continue to adapt to the offenses they'll face. Just some food for thought, there. Feel free to throw out your comments to me on Twitter. I love talking about this stuff.
-I promised we'd get to some of the fun little anecdotes that came out of the week later so here it is! Story time with BA's assistants:
Defensive assistant Cody Grimm on playing with Ronde Barber here in Tampa Bay:
"That's what was good about Ronde [Barber]. Ronde understood the game. Ronde, I remember, it was against Carolina and I was supposed to cover Ronde's man and he was supposed to blitz and he was like, 'Nah, you go.' I was like, 'Yeah, that's Steve Smith in the slot, that's a good idea, I don't want to cover him,' [laughs]."
On just how impressed Assistant Head Coach Harold Goodwin is with Bucs QB Jameis Winston's leadership:
"Good leader. Very bossy leader. We had a deal last week where he basically let everyone in the huddle know, 'I'm in charge.' He came to me after practice and apologized and I was like, "Bro, I thoroughly enjoyed watching that.' He told the guys, 'This is my huddle, everybody shut the hell up. Listen to what I say.' I was like okay, I like that. We're going to be alright with him, you guys don't worry about him."
What defensive line coach Kacy Rodgers learned from working under coaching great Bill Parcells:
"One, he gave me my first NFL job and the reason I'm still in the NFL is probably because of things he instilled in me. First thing he instilled in me is that you better have thick skin, because he didn't mind telling you how he felt about certain things. Next thing he taught me, I walked in and the first thing he told our guys was to get your expectations up. Get your expectations up and we'll go from there."
Offensive Coordinator Byron Leftwich on BA cleaning up his language:
"He actually cusses less now than he ever did back then. You had to hear it back then, back then it was crazy. There was no governor on B.A. back then. He really said whatever, but now he's a head coach now so he knows how to stand in front of you guys. As you could see last year, I think he got reprimanded or something for cussing on TV. I don't know how they thought that was going to go 16 weeks without having it."
Offensive assistant Antwaan Randle El playing for basketball coach Bobby Knight:
"He was always prepared. When it was time to start, let's get our work done. When you stepped on that court and when he came out of the locker room, you better have a sweat going, your shoes laced up and ready to go. That's what I expect out of our wide receivers."
Inside linebackers coach Mike Caldwell on getting approval from his niece, LSU women's basketball Head Coach Nikki Fargas, on the Bucs' first-round pick out of LSU, Devin White:
"I watched the film and then when I went down to visit, I stayed with her. That's my niece, that's family. What I wanted out of the true answers, I was able to get there. Coaches, you get the answers because they know him as a football player. She was able to talk to me about him off the field, what she's seen down there. Once I got her ok, from there it was just me selling it to everybody else. He would come out with women's basketball. I'm a big women's basketball fan. I have two daughters so I'm a huge women's basketball fan. But understand, not everyone is like that. For him to be able to do what he did down there as far as helping the women's program out was just huge and shows what type of player and what type of person we're getting."
-Last, but very much not least, the Buccaneers released a new episode of In the Current surrounding the draft and a very special dream come true for Make-A-Wish Kid Kacey Reynolds. I'm not crying, you are.
Devin White Becomes Firefighter White and a Bold Prediction for Lavonte David | Carmen Catches Up
The Buccaneers rookie class took a visit to MacDill Air Force Base that included a stop at the firehouse, Mike Evans hosted his Mike Evans Foundation Celebrity Golf Outing and Scott Smith has a bold prediction about Lavonte David in 2019.
We're 100 Days Out from Bucs Football and Ndamukong Suh Has Arrived | Carmen Catches Up
It's been a busy week at AdventHealth Training Center as the Bucs wrapped OTAs. New defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh arrived in the building on Friday and had plenty to say regarding how he hopes to fit in to Defensive Coordinator Todd Bowles' defense.
Wrapping up the First Week of OTAs and Bowling for a Great Cause with Donovan Smith | Carmen Catches Up
Get the run down on OTAs this week, along with community events like Donovan Smith's second annual Bowling for Autism. Plus, find out which Buccaneer player had Bucs coach Antwaan Randle El's jersey growing up.
Bucs Prepare for Preseason and an Ingenious Addition to the Coaching Staff | Carmen Catches Up
The Bucs' preseason opponents were announced this week, giving a clearer picture to what the Bucs will face come training camp.
Winston, Evans and Howard Get Extra Workouts at Texas A&M Before Phase I of the Bucs Offseason Program Begins | Carmen Catches Up
AdventHealth Training Center is busy again with the return of players for voluntary workouts. Plus Jameis Winston, Mike Evans and O.J. Howard apparently couldn't wait, getting in extra work at Texas A&M's facilities prior to being back in the building on Monday.
Josh Allen Headlines Four-Round Mock on NFL.com & Getting Ready for the Bucs Offseason Program | Carmen Catches Up
NFL.com released its first four-round mock draft and we break down each pick inside. Plus, the start of the offseason program is just on the other side of the weekend.
Free Agency Frenzy & How Perriman, Bucannon Will Fit into the Bucs Current System | Carmen Catches Up
We know the transactions – but let's examine how a couple additions to the Bucs' roster could impact the team in 2019.
A Flurry of Signings and What the Buccaneers Should Take Away from the Combine | Carmen Catches Up
A left tackle, a right tackle and a linebacker walk into an office... and sign contracts. Plus, reactions from Indianapolis and how the Combine affected the Buccaneers.
Crew Love from GMFB About Bruce Arians, Jameis Winston Combo and How BA Reacted Seeing O.J. Howard for the First Time | Carmen Catches Up
With the NFL Combine in full swing, you can bet on a lot of little tidbits coming out this week. Plus, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Foundation Social Justice Fund made a matching donation toward a University of South Florida scholarship program founded by a former Bucs tight end.
Four-Legged Bucs Fans and the Veteran Addition to the Bucs Running Back Corps | Carmen Catches Up
Warning: pets in Bucs gear and ensuing cuteness overload inside.
Mock our Mock Draft and Questions About the Bucs Offensive Line and Running Backs | Carmen Catches Up
Buccaneers.com Mock Draft 1.0 is out and we're talking about the offensive line and running backs this week. Plus, the Bucs' front office earns a top ranking for the fifth time in seven years.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Through the thousand images on the net in relation to infinity symbol tattoo designs , we choices the best libraries together with greatest image resolution exclusively for you, and this images is one among photographs libraries in your best photographs gallery in relation to The Most Elegant infinity symbol tattoo designs regarding Body Tattoo. I'm hoping you will want it.
This specific picture (55 Lovely Infinity Tattoo Designs For The Endless Loves Magic for Infinity Symbol Tattoo Designs) previously mentioned is actually labelled together with:cute infinity symbol tattoo designs, double infinity symbol tattoo designs, infinity symbol small tattoo, infinity symbol tattoo designs, submitted by tattoos on July, 4 2018. To discover just about all photographs with The Most Elegant infinity symbol tattoo designs regarding Body Tattoo photographs gallery you should adhere to that web page link.
55 Lovely Infinity Tattoo Designs For The Endless Loves Magic For Infinity Symbol Tattoo Designs Uploaded by tattoos on Sunday, September 2nd, 2018 in category Tattoo Design.
See also Unique Infinity Symbol Tattoo Design Tattoo Ideas Regarding Infinity Symbol Tattoo Designs from Tattoo Design Topic.
Here we have another image 55 Infinity Symbol Tattoo Designs Inside The Most Elegant Infinity Symbol Tattoo Designs Regarding Body Tattoo featured under 55 Lovely Infinity Tattoo Designs For The Endless Loves Magic For Infinity Symbol Tattoo Designs. We hope you enjoyed it and if you want to download the pictures in high quality, simply right click the image and choose "Save As". Thanks for reading 55 Lovely Infinity Tattoo Designs For The Endless Loves Magic For Infinity Symbol Tattoo Designs.


Get ready! It's that time of year again where fans and industry colleagues meet up in South Florida for Miami Music Week. This year we are back at the legendary Club Space in Downtown Miami and bringing a massive crew along featuring Markus Schulz, Nifra, Jerome Isma-Ae, Fisherman & Hawkins, and Grube & Hovsepian + Special Guests.


Ola Galera Sejam Todos Bem Vindos Mas Uma Vez ao Canal RDS DA PLAYER Quem Esta Falando Aqui e o RD e Hoje Estou Trazendo Pra vocês Atualizando o PES 2017 Para PES 2019 Next Season Patch 2019.
By downloading, you agree that we are NOT responsible for anything that happens to your game or software by using Atualizando o PES 2017 Para PES 2019 Next Season Patch 2019. Please download with responsibility.


Disney has finally revealed the opening date for the highly-anticipated Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, coming to both Disneyland and Walt Disney World this year.
The opening date for Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge at Disneyland park has been revealed!
With the opening dates for Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge now officially announced, fans everywhere are scrambling to plan their trips to Batuu AKA Star Wars land – and with that planning comes a few questions.
We've got a running list of FAQ's when it comes to visiting Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge when it opens later this year.


Go through our simple,quick and hassle free online application & get multiple quotes.
Compare all the quote to choose the best one according to your needs and budget.
You can consider applying for a low interest rate military auto loan program online if you are in active services of the Canadian armed forces. Such a prerogative could enable you to build credit within a fixed frame of time. Besides, car loans for military with bad credit personnel may have lenient qualification criteria and can be easier to get than ordinary loans. The interest rates provided on such types of car finances could be much lower and loan repayment terms flexible.
CarLoanNoCredit can help you in qualifying for the best auto loans for military online through a simple, easy and hassle-free process that takes few minutes. Take advantage of our specialist services online for securing a solution that fits your needs and budget.
Finding Most Affordable Guaranteed Military Auto Loans Bad Credit– Why Choose Us?
Quick responses that enable getting multiple free quotes with one single application.
Cost-free expert guidance and advice for securing a competitive car finance loan deal.
Understand the tricks for enhancing chances of obtaining lower interest rates on auto loans.
Shop car like a cash buyers and drive it home within few hours after having received an approval.
Get car loan approval though you have low income. Apply today & get approved.
To get started with your task of finding lenders that offer affordable car loans for military members, you must first determine your eligibility for the process. Lenders have some basic requirements for approving online applications and they expect probable applicants to strictly adhere to those. To that effect, if you have decided to apply for a car loan military program then just make sure that you meet the following conditions.
Give proof for being in active military services.
Provide details of your current station posting.
Offer contact information if stationed overseas.
Mention the status of your credit profile, if asked.
Ensure that you have valid Social Security Number.
There might be more such guidelines which you need to be aware of that only an expert may be able to tell.
With our specialist assistance online, you have much better chances of qualifying for a low interest rate military car loan program at the most favourable terms. This is primarily on account of the fact that we manage a massive nationwide network of specialized subprime lenders.
Consequently, we can assist you in locating low costmilitary car financing with bad credit quote that fits your specific requirements. To let us help you in your effort, all you need to do is just fill and submit a quick online request form. Expect to receive a call from one of our local auto loan advisors in few minutes!
Low interest rates as well as fees charged for auto loans military programs.
It is possible to get low income auto financing loan even if you don't have collateral to pledge.
Approval criteria are relaxed and so getting approved is hassle free.
If stationed abroad for national duty, power of attorney can be granted to kin for singing loan documents.
Our qualified and experienced car financing professionals will help in preparing the necessary paperwork which is to be submitted along with application.
Online application procedure is totally streamlined and therefore, one can navigate through the process with ease.
You might not have sufficient time to find companies which provide affordable military car loans bad credit due to your busy work schedule. That's where our expert's role may prove to be of critical help during your effort to secure a solution that works best for your financial as well as credit situation.
However, to improve probability of getting a good military car financing deal online, it could be better if you follow the below mentioned guidelines.
Get A Vehicle On Lease – See if you can get a car on lease although most of the rental car contracts don't permit that. Members of the Canadian military are subject to frequent transfers and their deployments can require moving from one state to another. But still, it could be advisable for you to make sure that that the auto renting company, from which you are getting a car on lease, gives that in writing.
Negotiate Selling Price – Regardless of what you think, the most crucial aspect of car financing is the monthly car payments. It is important for you to negotiate tough on the interest rate and terms with the lender that you have chosen to work with. That is vital for ensuring that car instalments are affordable as well as sustainable.
Timing of Car Purchase – The best time to purchase car is during the year end when dealerships compete with each other to provide some of the best deals in business. Even car makers offer rebates or incentives for promoting sales of new car models. As a result, you have the chance to secure some of the most exclusive deals.
Purchase Warranty Direct - If you buy warranty directly from third party distributor instead of car dealership, you can save up to 40% money. But you must make sure that the third party insures the warranty.
Go Through the Fine Print – Prior to finalizing any deal with the lender that you have chosen to work with, read the fine print of the contract document to ensure that you have understood the contents of the agreement. This will enable you avoid getting into unnecessary troubles later on as some lenders may charge pre-payment penalties or closure fees.
Sell Car Instead of Trade-In – It could be better to sell your used vehicle rather than considering a trade-in as by doing so, you are likely to get more amount of money than you would with a trade-in.
Fill out our simple,fast & Secure online application process. Learn guidelines to qualify for manageable as well as sustainable monthly car payments.


Hail causes billions of dollars in property loss each year. IBHS believes better products on roofs and better understanding of what hail damage to expect across a storm's path will result in reduced losses.
IBHS researches hail damage and prediction in both the real world and in a laboratory setting. Insights from this research will empower manufacturers to develop better products, inform best practices and installation guidelines, and lead to improved test standards and forecast models with more accurate risk assessment.


text:
<?php

namespace Estimate\Service\Factory;

use Zend\ServiceManager\ServiceLocatorInterface;
use Estimate\Service\EstimateService;

class EstimateServiceFactory
{
    /**
     *
     * @param ServiceLocatorInterface $serviceLocator
     * @return \Estimate\Service\EstimateService
     */
    public function __invoke(ServiceLocatorInterface $serviceLocator)
    {
        $mapper = $serviceLocator->get('Estimate\Mapper\EstimateMapperInterface');

        return new EstimateService($mapper);
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


(petnutrition.com) A website designed to explain pet nutrition.
(pethealthnetwork.com)Answers from veterinarians about your pet's health, behavior, and care.
(pncvets.com) Some valuable information for anyone considering breeding their dog for the first time.
(farleyfoundation.org)The Farley Foundation assists people in need by subsidizing the cost of veterinary care for their sick/injured pets.
(veterinarypartner.com) A fantastic resource for clients looking to understand more about their pets medical conditions. Written by vets for our clients.


text:
« Want to own a print from Doug Menuez's historic "Fearless Genius" project? Now you can take your pick, without breaking the bank, at the new website menuezprints.com
Fulvio Bonavia shoots campaign for Lavazza's cute coffee maker the Jolie »
Brinson+Banks on photographing the epic new rock festival Desert Trip for AARP The Magazine
Inspired by the enormous popularity of Coachella, the music festival that draws hordes of millennials and thirtysomethings to Indio, California, every year, the new fest Desert Trip Music Festival—also set in Indio—is aimed at boomers drawn to the legendary rock musicians whose songs were the soundtrack of their youth. The festival took place over two weekends that concluded on October 16 and featured six indisputably iconic acts: the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, Neil Young, Roger Waters, and the Who. And Brinson+Banks were there to document the scene at weekend one for AARP.
"We've shot at a fair share of music festivals the past two years: two Coachellas (for Garnier and Instagram) and I Heart Music, Bonnaroo, and Firefly for Garnier. So when AARP asked us to cover Desert Trip Music Festival, we knew what we were in for: Lots of dust, lots of sweating (it topped out at 99 degrees), lots of walking, and lots of characters," say Brinson+Banks.
"We weren't there to cover the stage, though we did get chances to ooh and ahh and shake a leg at the amazing shows, too. We wandered the camping areas and the crowds and found so many friendly faces, even people who had traveled from as far as Denmark for the first time, a former assistant tour manager for the Grateful Dead, and a man who had attended Woodstock and had a Rolling Stones logo tattoo on his chest. It was exhausting, but it was a blast to just be directed by the light and the most unique faces in the crowd of 75,000."
AARP featured the duo's images on Instagram and online. Below, some of our favorites…
"Steve Fish, of Wyoming, Rhode Island, dressed the part of a hippie on day three of the Desert Trip Music Festival. He is a postal worker by day but says he is a 'rock 'n' roll animal.' 'It's very thrilling to be here. I saw the lineup and said I'm not missing this. It's like the Super Bowl. It's huge.'" Photo by Brinson+Banks.
"Terrell Adkins, 66, of Desert Hot Springs, California, on the lawn before Neil Young graced the stage." Photo by Brinson+Banks.
Photos by Brinson+Banks.
"Just outside the festival gates, where fans were lined up to get in. Mark Portman (left) and his wife, Jan Simmons (right), of Oregon, and longtime friend Maggie Sichel-Pinatelli, of California, braved the 95 degrees. Simmons was the assistant tour manager for the Grateful Dead." Photo by Brinson+Banks.
"Desert Trip offered the thousands of fans more than live concerts at night; there was a silent disco, an arts & crafts tent, a record store, delicious food, a vintage market, a jive joint, and even a free packed pinball arcade with 40 different machines. We saw dozens and dozens of vintage Rolling Stones T-shirts being worn by proud fans, even one who traveled all the way to the U.S. for the first time from Holland just to see the band live again." Photo by Brinson+Banks.
"There were multiple camping areas for the fans—teepees with cots and tents (including VIP Safari tents for $10,000 for the three nights!), as well as a car camping lot and this RV camping lot." Photo by Brinson+Banks.
Photo by Brinson+Banks.
"Ben Ailes, 69, who first saw the Who in 1973 in Vienna, Austria, geared up to see the band again on the third night of Desert Trip." Photo by Brinson+Banks.
"Jay Bogner of Buffalo, Wyoming, attended Woodstock and saw the Beatles for the first time when he was 8 years old, with his babysitter. Bogner also sports a chest tattoo of the iconic Rolling Stones logo." Photo by Brinson+Banks.
"Carl Fox, 60, and his wife, Sonya Fox, 59, of Pioneertown, California, posed for a portrait on the general admission lawn. The couple, who just celebrated their 21st anniversary, worked together in the music business years ago for Bill Graham Represents. Photo by Brinson+Banks.
"A very young concert attendee taking in the performance of the Who on the final night of musical performances during the first weekend of Desert Trip." Photo by Brinson+Banks.
"Fans on the lawn while Roger Waters performs." Photo by Brinson+Banks.
"A couple walks through the festival grounds." Photo by Brinson+Banks.
"Fans watching the Who perform." Photo by Brinson+Banks.
A Brinson+Banks selfie.
This entry was written by kfeliciano and posted on 10/21/2016 at 1:26 pm and filed under interviews and behind the scenes, recent work with tags AARP The Magazine, Brinson+Banks, Brinson-Banks behind the scenes, music. Bookmark the permalink. Follow any comments here with the RSS feed for this post.	Post a comment or leave a trackback: Trackback URL.


This is a very nice craft quality sheared beaver skin from Canada.
Genus and species: Castor canadensis. Wild from Canada. Not endangered.
You get the exact skin shown in the pictures. It is in stock and ready to ship..


SKU: WQH/453.ZM11609. Categories: Party + Occasion Dresses, Womens Dresses + Rompers. Tags: Black, Urban Outfitters.
Simply femme in this mini dress from Urban Outfitters. Made from a textured knit in a fit + flare silhouette. Topped with a square neckline + spaghetti straps that lead to an open back with a tie-back accent.


Course Books for students on RYA Yachtmaster, RYA Dayskipper, RYA Competent Crew.
Adlard Coles Book of the International Certificate of Competence By Bill Anderson 3rd Edition ..
It is a requirement in most European countries that boaters hold the International Certificate ..


text:
Cancer Council WA announced as new charity
Pindan has selected Cancer Council Western Australia as its new principal charity partner. Cancer Council WA is the state's leading independent, evidence-based cancer organisation.
Through the generosity of the Western Australian community, it funds world-class cancer research, as well as running life-saving prevention programs such as SunSmart and Make Smoking History, and providing much-needed support to Western Australian families affected by cancer.
Pindan Managing Director, George Allingame, said the Pindan team was passionate about raising significant sums of money for worthwhile causes that assisted the community including Pindan's own team members and their families.
"Pindan's culture, built on family values and with its strong focus on partnerships, is a perfect fit for supporting the work of Cancer Council WA do," George said.
Pindan's longest serving employee, Terry Sayers, was diagnosed with stage 3 bowel cancer nearly 12 months ago.
"Being diagnosed was devastating, both for me and my family. While friends are always supportive, sometimes you need more: you need information, advice and help to navigate the long road ahead. The Cancer Council with their nurses, information booklets and counsellors were always there, at the end of a phone. Knowing where to go for advice, and how to deal with the changes in our lives, was invaluable.
"The support we've had from Pindan, both as a company and from their individual employees has been amazing. Once you're part of the Pindan family, you never seem to be alone."
Terry Sayers, Long Serving Employee, Pindan
Cancer Council WA CEO Ashley Reid said he was delighted that Pindan has chosen to support Cancer Council WA.
"As a community-funded organisation, we rely on the generosity and support of both individuals and companies like Pindan.
"We thank Pindan for their generous support which will help us to continue our important work in bringing the defeat of cancer closer," Ashley said.
In the past decade, Pindan has raised almost $1 million for charities, including Parkerville Children and Youth Care, Cystic Fibrosis WA, Association for the Blind and the Peel Health Campus.
Pindan Homes launches as Pindan's residential home builder
News / Cancer Council WA announced as new charity


text:
HG Wells Called It
by Erin Clermont
Filed under: Satire
From Erin Clermont: I recently learned about Pareto's Principle. In 1897 Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto studied how wealth and income was distributed in Europe. In Italy, he observed that 80% of the wealth in Italy went to 20% of the population. The pattern extended to every other country he studied.
Pareto's Principle has become known as the 80/20 rule and is applied to virtually every sector of modern life – business management, computer science, in social relations, etc., etc. Oliver Curry's evolutionary theory (in the below BBC News article) appears to be another application of the 80/20 idea.
But we don't have a chance in hell of lasting 100,000 years, according to filmmaker Alex Jones, who I happened to hear on the kooky talk radio show "Coast to Coast" late last night. His film "Endgame" makes the argument that the world's global elite, US Republicans dominant among them (whose inclusion seems eminently sane), have a plan to reduce the rest of the world's population by-guess what?-80 percent!!
So the 80/20 question is: Are we doomed through global genocide or will we live long enough to turn into goblins?
Human species 'may split in two'
Humanity may split into two sub-species in 100,000 years' time as predicted by HG Wells, an expert has said.
Evolutionary theorist Oliver Curry of the London School of Economics expects a genetic upper class and a dim-witted underclass to emerge.
The human race would peak in the year 3000, he said – before a decline due to dependence on technology.
People would become choosier about their sexual partners, causing humanity to divide into sub-species, he added.
The descendants of the genetic upper class would be tall, slim, healthy, attractive, intelligent, and creative and a far cry from the "underclass" humans who would have evolved into dim-witted, ugly, squat goblin-like creatures.
Race 'ironed out'
But in the nearer future, humans will evolve in 1,000 years into giants between 6ft and 7ft tall, he predicts, while life-spans will have extended to 120 years, Dr Curry claims.
Physical appearance, driven by indicators of health, youth and fertility, will improve, he says, while men will exhibit symmetrical facial features, look athletic, and have squarer jaws, deeper voices and bigger penises.
Women, on the other hand, will develop lighter, smooth, hairless skin, large clear eyes, pert breasts, glossy hair, and even features, he adds. Racial differences will be ironed out by interbreeding, producing a uniform race of coffee-coloured people.
However, Dr Curry warns, in 10,000 years time humans may have paid a genetic price for relying on technology.
Spoiled by gadgets designed to meet their every need, they could come to resemble domesticated animals.
Receding chins
Social skills, such as communicating and interacting with others, could be lost, along with emotions such as love, sympathy, trust and respect. People would become less able to care for others, or perform in teams.
Physically, they would start to appear more juvenile. Chins would recede, as a result of having to chew less on processed food.
There could also be health problems caused by reliance on medicine, resulting in weak immune systems. Preventing deaths would also help to preserve the genetic defects that cause cancer.
Further into the future, sexual selection – being choosy about one's partner – was likely to create more and more genetic inequality, said Dr Curry.
The logical outcome would be two sub-species, "gracile" and "robust" humans similar to the Eloi and Morlocks foretold by HG Wells in his 1895 novel The Time Machine.
"While science and technology have the potential to create an ideal habitat for humanity over the next millennium, there is a possibility of a monumental genetic hangover over the subsequent millennia due to an over-reliance on technology reducing our natural capacity to resist disease, or our evolved ability to get along with each other, said Dr Curry.
He carried out the report for men's satellite TV channel Bravo.
Maya Angelou Prank Show
Paris processes
Paris finds God in jail
Coyle & Sharpe: The Imposters Podcasts, Episodes 1, 2 & 3


Join career expert and award-winning author Andrew LaCivita for today's video on a job interview tip guaranteed to get you hired!
In this video, I'm teaching you one of the slickest, most-powerful job interviewing techniques you'll ever find. Bold? Sure. True? Yes.
It's the ultimate technique that literally ensures you get hired. It's super simple to remember. Even easier to execute.
But, rarely do job seeker's ever try this because, honestly, most people wouldn't think to do it. Most job candidates are too concerned with sharing their credentials. They're concerned with showing off their past.
They want the employer to believe they can do the job well—because of their experience. If this is you, you are completely missing the point of the job interview.
The best part about this video is I'll show you how to tap into the most powerful motivator any interviewer has about wanting to hire you.
You will own it. They will love you. And, you'll show the job interviewers a brighter future when they hire you.
MORE RELATED VIDEOS I MENTIONED!
SUBSCRIBE FOR MY LIVE OFFICE HOURS!
Join me on Thursdays each week at NOON ET for my LIVE OFFICE HOURS on my YOUTUBE CHANNEL. Make sure to SUBSCRIBE to my Youtube Channel so you can get the Live Office Hours alerts.
GET INTERVIEW INTERVENTION HARDCOVER FREE!
Want a hardcover edition of THE best job interview book on the market for FREE? How about the eBook and Audiobook too?
While supplies last, the $29 book is FREE. I bought it for you. I'm also adding in the $27 digital experience. I only ask that you pay $7 so my friends at the warehouse can pick it, pack it, and ship it. I'll send it anywhere in the world for $7!
I also toss in a super cool workbook with all the session notes, job search workplans based on your demographic, and more!
I have seen your video. I really appreciate because it is very useful for me. My problem is resolved.


text:
Q: JAVA JPA: Exception trying to configure JPA for project I am trying to incorporate JPA in my project. When doing so I receive the stack trace and exception posted below. It seems as the usual cause of this issue is a persistence unit not being defined in persistence.xml however I have done so (see below).
persistence.xml (url/user/pass scrubbed for security):
<persistence xmlns="http://java.sun.com/xml/ns/persistence"
xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
xsi:schemaLocation="http://java.sun.com/xml/ns/persistence persistence_1_0.xsd"
version="1.0">
<persistence-unit name="samples" transaction-type="RESOURCE_LOCAL">
    <provider>org.eclipse.persistence.jpa.PersistenceProvider</provider>
    <exclude-unlisted-classes>false</exclude-unlisted-classes>
    <properties>
        <property name="javax.persistence.jdbc.driver" value="oracle.jdbc.OracleDriver" />
        <property name="javax.persistence.jdbc.url" value="" />
        <property name="javax.persistence.jdbc.user" value="" />
        <property name="javax.persistence.jdbc.password" value="" />
        <property name="hibernate.default_schema" value="gc_image_relational"/>
    </properties>
</persistence-unit>

RelationalTableWrapper.java :
@Entity
@Table(name = "runs")
public class RelationalTableWrapper implements ITableWrapper {

@Id
@Column(name = "id")
private int id = 0;

@Column(name = "name")
private String name = "";

@Column(name = "attributes")
private String attributes = new String();

// This is the constructor of the class RelationalTableWrapper
public RelationalTableWrapper(Integer id, String name, String attributes) {
  this.id = id;
  this.name = name;
  this.attributes = attributes;
}

public RelationalTableWrapper() {}

// Returns the id related to the table
public int getId() {
  return id;
}

// Returns the name of the Run or Sample
public String getName() {
  return name;
}

// Setter to change the name of the Run or Sample
 public void setName(String name) {
  this.name = name;
}

// Getter to retrieve the HashMap that relates to the dynamic columns of
// the Run or Sample
public String getAttributes() {
  return attributes;
}

// Setter to change values in the HashMap relating to the dynamic columns
// of the Run or Sample
public void setAttributes(String attributes) {
  this.attributes = attributes;
}

}

And finally the client side code (Exception occuring at EntityManagerFactory factory = Persistence.createEntityManagerFactory("samples"); JpaIntegrationTest.java:
package com.gcimage.relational;

import java.io.IOException;
import java.sql.SQLException;
import java.util.Set;

import javax.persistence.EntityManager;
import javax.persistence.EntityManagerFactory;
import javax.persistence.Persistence;
import javax.persistence.metamodel.EntityType;

import org.junit.Test;

import com.fasterxml.jackson.core.JsonParseException;
import com.fasterxml.jackson.databind.JsonMappingException;

public class JpaIntegrationRelationalTest {

  @Test
  // Retrieves data from data_file with reference to the service_request_id
  // field.
  public void testRelationalJpaIntegration() throws SQLException,  ClassNotFoundException,
  JsonParseException, JsonMappingException, IOException {
    EntityManagerFactory factory =
    Persistence.createEntityManagerFactory("samples");
    EntityManager manager = factory.createEntityManager();

    Set<EntityType<?>> results = manager.getMetamodel().getEntities();

    for (EntityType<?> type : results) {
       System.out.println(type.getAttributes());
    }
  }
}

stacktrace:
javax.persistence.PersistenceException: No Persistence provider for EntityManager named samples
at javax.persistence.Persistence.createEntityManagerFactory(Persistence.java:61)
at javax.persistence.Persistence.createEntityManagerFactory(Persistence.java:39)
at com.gcimage.relational.JpaIntegrationRelationalTest.testRelationalJpaIntegration(JpaIntegrationRelationalTest.java:25)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(Unknown Source)
at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(Unknown Source)
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Unknown Source)
at org.junit.runners.model.FrameworkMethod$1.runReflectiveCall(FrameworkMethod.java:50)
at org.junit.internal.runners.model.ReflectiveCallable.run(ReflectiveCallable.java:12)
at org.junit.runners.model.FrameworkMethod.invokeExplosively(FrameworkMethod.java:47)
at org.junit.internal.runners.statements.InvokeMethod.evaluate(InvokeMethod.java:17)
at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner.runLeaf(ParentRunner.java:325)
at org.junit.runners.BlockJUnit4ClassRunner.runChild(BlockJUnit4ClassRunner.java:78)
at org.junit.runners.BlockJUnit4ClassRunner.runChild(BlockJUnit4ClassRunner.java:57)
at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner$3.run(ParentRunner.java:290)
at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner$1.schedule(ParentRunner.java:71)
at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner.runChildren(ParentRunner.java:288)
at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner.access$000(ParentRunner.java:58)
at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner$2.evaluate(ParentRunner.java:268)
at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner.run(ParentRunner.java:363)
at org.eclipse.jdt.internal.junit4.runner.JUnit4TestReference.run(JUnit4TestReference.java:86)
at org.eclipse.jdt.internal.junit.runner.TestExecution.run(TestExecution.java:38)
at org.eclipse.jdt.internal.junit.runner.RemoteTestRunner.runTests(RemoteTestRunner.java:459)
at org.eclipse.jdt.internal.junit.runner.RemoteTestRunner.runTests(RemoteTestRunner.java:675)
at org.eclipse.jdt.internal.junit.runner.RemoteTestRunner.run(RemoteTestRunner.java:382)
at org.eclipse.jdt.internal.junit.runner.RemoteTestRunner.main(RemoteTestRunner.java:192)

A: I see no values provided for the following properties.
  <property name="javax.persistence.jdbc.url" value="" />
  <property name="javax.persistence.jdbc.user" value="" />
  <property name="javax.persistence.jdbc.password" value="" />

Also can you please update the stack trace for further analysis?

A: Right click at resources directory from Eclipse then select "Build Path" > "Use as Source Folder".
I think the problem is that META-INF/persistence.xml is not in classpath.


The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, will be held February 12-28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia with some of the events to be held nearby in the resort town of Whistler.
The 2010 Winter Paralympics, officially known as the X Paralympic Winter Games, will be celebrated in Vancouver and Whistler, British Columbia between March 12 to March 21, 2010.
Eighty-six winter sports events have been announced as part of the 2010 Winter Olympics. The eight sports categorized as ice sports are: bobsled, luge, skeleton, ice hockey, figure skating, speed skating, short track speed skating, and curling. The three sports categorized as alpine, skiing and snowboarding events are: alpine, freestyle and snowboarding. The four sports categorized as Nordic events are: biathlon, cross country skiing, ski jumping, and nordic combined. Five sports will be on the Paralympic Games program: Alpine Skiing, Nordic Skiing, Cross-Country Skiing, Wheelchair curling, and Sledge Hockey.
All of the Greater Vancouver venues are approximately two hours in driving time from Hope while Whistler is a further 74 km north of Vancouver.
Visitors to Hope during the duration of the 2010 Winter Olympics and the Paralympics Games should inquire about accommodation and transportation options at the Hope Visitor Centre located at 919 Water Avenue. Staff will be able to answer questions about local viewing opportunities and celebrations related to the 2010 Games and assist with travel plans to the venues in Vancouver and Whistler. They will also have information about the Cultural Olympiad 2010 which is 60 days of arts and culture celebrations from January 22, through to March 21, 2010.
Prior to the start of the 2010 Games the Olympic Torch Relay will make its way through the Hope region.
The sacred Olympic Flame will be lit in an ancient ritual in Olympia, Greece, site of the first Olympic Games. After a short run through Greece, the Olympic Flame arrives in Athens, where it is handed over to a representative from Canada. From there, the Olympic Flame will make a trans-Atlantic flight and arrive in Victoria, B.C. on October 30th, 2009 signaling the start of the longest Olympic Torch Relay to take place in a single country. The Olympic Flame will travel more than 45,000 kilometres across Canada — some by land, air and water; and some by other means. The national relay route will link together over 1,000 communities and places of interest.
The Olympic Flame passes through the Hope region on the 101st day of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Torch Relay on Sunday, February 7th, 2010. The Torch begins its day in Merritt and then travels to Hope via Princeton and along Highway #3 though Manning Park, and past Sunshine Valley before entering Hope. From here it continues on to Seabird Island and Harrison Hot Springs plus Agassiz via Highway #7 before traveling on to Rosedale and Chilliwack, finishing its day in Abbotsford. Route details and celebration plans will be released closer to the flame's arrival so check with the Hope Visitor Centre & Museum Complex at 604-869-2021 as this date approaches.
Throughout 2009 and the start of 2010, the Spirit of BC-Hope Region Committee will be holding a variety of events to mark the countdown to the 2010 Games so be sure to check with the staff at the Hope Visitor Centre & Museum Complex at 919 Water Avenue for details about memorable occasions that you can include in your visit to the Hope Region during this final countdown year to the 2010 Games.
See www.spiritofbc.com and www.vancouver2010.com for additional information.


Like a lot of women in my circle, I have always wanted to be in business for myself. The reason? I want to be in charge of my own schedule and actually enjoy my life. For me, it all boils down to freedom! I want to be able to adjust my schedule and take a vacation without having to negotiate those details with another person. I want to accomplish satisfying and fulfilling work without compromising my beliefs or my self worth. Apparently, I'm not alone.
According to the 2014 State of Women-Owned Business Report commissioned by American Express, more than 9 million women own businesses in the United States. Wouldn't it be amazing to tap into the information these women have at their fingers tips? Before starting any one of my failed businesses, I would have given almost anything for some solid faith-based business advice. The type of advice provided by the phenomenal woman who authored When Women Become Business Owners.
When Women Become Business Owners was compiled by Tyora Moody and written by several amazing female entrepreneurs. Lending their considerable talents to this project were successful female entrepreneurs such as Sarah Keeva, owner and operator of Day Seven Bed & Breakfast, Dr. Monica Anderson, Dental Surgeon, speaker, and humanitarian, as well as our very own, Tabitha Vinson, Motivational Worshiper, author, and visionary behind Prophetic Worship Intensive CHRIST Unit (PWICU).
There were parts of this book that read very much like my own story. The pitfalls of doubt and fear one experiences when starting a business was very familiar to me. What I wanted to know when I started reading this book was, how can I overcome them? Well, my question was answered and then some. There are so many valuable pieces of advice littered throughout this book, I couldn't possibly list them all here. It would be almost impossible to even pick out one or two favorites. What I will say is that each story of defeat, dreams deferred, and ultimately success is encouraging, motivating, and Inspirational.
When Women Become Business Owners was a fairly short read; I finished in just under two days, and it captured my attention from page one. It's incredibly well written, well organized, and probably one that I will refer to again and again. I would definitely recommend this book for all aspiring entrepreneurs, but especially women.
Linchpin - The Kingdom of God Within - Duration: 3 minutes, 14 seconds.
Dealing with Laban - Duration: 3 minutes, 43 seconds.
Spot Check - Duration: 118 seconds.
The Right Track - Duration: 49 seconds.
Who Do You Need? - Duration: 3 minutes, 27 seconds.
Receive and Accept - Duration: 27 seconds.
You're Not a YoYo but a Slingshot - Duration: 7 minutes, 23 seconds.
The Goats & Sheep - Duration: 6 minutes.
Character - Duration: 27 seconds.
Cassietta Jefferson reviews: When Women Become Business Owners - Compilation 1 - Duration: 3 minutes, 12 seconds.
PWICU Radio Coming Attractions - October - Duration: 57 seconds.
PWICU - What's In It For You? - Duration: 6 minutes, 3 seconds.


The Speed and Strength® Straight Savage™ leather and waxed canvas motorcycle jacket is built with a combined cowhide leather and waxed cotton canvas frame with a 1" mandarin style collar. It's features removable Vault™ C.E. approved shoulder, elbow and spine protectors for impact protection and a removable hoody liner for multi season use.


I typically dedicate posts to a single location on a trip, but this post is dedicated to a single f-stop – f0.95. Mitakon makes a 35mm lens with a wicked-fast f0.95 aperture. Shooting wide open with this lens yields a razor-thin depth of field. This is a video slideshow with the results of shooting exclusively at f0.95 for two weeks in Hong Kong & China.
February 7, 2018 | Filed under China, Hong Kong, Night, Old People, Portraits, Really great shots, Shopping and tagged with China, Eats, Hong Kong, kids, Night, Old people, shopping, Street photography.


First, let's talk about what trailing stops are and why you would want to use them. A trailing stop is a stop loss level that will "trail" the current price for a specific distance. Usually, the trailing stop will only move in the direction of your trade. This means that, as the price moves in your direction, the stop loss will move along. Then, if the price suddenly moves against you, the trailing stop will stay at the same level. Because of this, the trailing stop may act as a profit taking level as well.
Let's use an example: say you create a buy order EURCAD at 1.30000, with an initial stop loss at 1.20800 (that's 20 pips) and a trailing stop of 30 pips. If your trade idea was correct and the price moves up to say 1.30500, the trailing stop will have moved along, keeping a 30 pip distance below the current price, so 1.30200. Every time price moves up, our stop loss will trail the current price by a fixed distance of 30 pips. Every time price moves down again, our stop loss will stay at the same level, protecting our profits.
The main advantage of having trailing stops is that it protects unrealised profits. If the price has moved your way, having a trailing stop prevents giving away too much of the profits in the event that the price turns around and moves against you.
A trailing stop allows you to let profits run and cut losses quickly.
Another advantage of trailing stops is ease of trade management. Whereas you previously might need to move your stop loss once in a while, a trailing stop loss provides you with an automatic way to take care of that. There's no need to micro-manage your trades. Because of the trailing stops, your orders will play themselves out. Knowing you don't need to check up on the stop loss of your trades also provides extra peace of mind.
Finally, it's a very systematic way to deal with risk management. Your stop will always be x% of your position. Or a fixed number of pips. It provides you with a framework that aligns with your risk and money management profile, so you don't have to second-guess stop placements.
If you thought there is only one type of pip-based stop, think again! While a trailing stop of a fixed number of pips might be the most common, there is a multitude of ways to trail stops.
A lot of them are also described in Van K. Tharp's excellent book called Trade Your Way To Financial Freedom, which I can really recommend if you're looking for a good book that helps you in designing your own trading system.
There are other ways to trail stops (e.g. using a percentage based system or using previous support and resistance levels) but I prefer to write a separate article that goes into trailing stops in general. For now, I want to focus on trailing stops within the context of our expert advisor. Therefore, we will start by using a pip based dynamic trailing stop, as this is one of the easiest to implement.
This basically means that if we already have orders open, return and exit the function. We did this to prevent having multiple orders open at the same time. While this is not a requirement at all, it made our Forex Expert Advisor a bit easier to manage.
What this does, is executing a function called TrailStops if (and only if) we have open orders. We've learned about functions before in the second part of our course. Back then, we defined a function called OnTick, which is called every time a tick (or the smallest change in price) happens.
Then, we create a for-loop, going over every open order we have. For every order we find, we select it using the OrderSelect function. Then, we check if the symbol of the order is actually the symbol we want. There might be orders for other symbols that we don't want to influence.
Note: there are better ways to make sure that we don't influence orders that haven't been created by our expert advisor. Because we currently focus on trailing stops, I have omitted these from the code. I will, however, show how to do this in a future part of the course.
This is the most complex part of our new code, so let's break it down. First, we check if the order type is actually a buy order. The reason for this is that depending on if it's a buy or a sell, we will need to change some of our logic (e.g. using the Bid price instead of the Ask price). For now, our expert advisor only creates buy orders, so we only have to check for those.
Next, we do some very basic checks inside the if statement. The first one checks that if we subtract the order open price from the current bid price, the result is greater than our predefined trailing stop distance. Implementing this check means that the price first has to move in our favour for at least the distance we have set as our trailing stop (30 pips). Only if this happened, our trailing stop will kick in. This check isn't necessary, but doing so gives your trade the initial breathing room to make a move.
The second check looks at the current stop loss level. Only if that level is smaller than the current Bid price minus our trailing stop distance, we will move our trailing stop. This basically means that we don't move our stop loss if price retraces back to our open price.
That's it! Now, it's time to hit that Compile button again. If everything went well, you should have no errors. If you do get an error, feel free to have a look at the full code and copy it to your MetaEditor.
Still not too convincing! But I did notice that our profit factor went up from 1.16 to 1.19 and our absolute and relative drawdown numbers went down. This is a good result and also expected since our trailing stop will make sure that any unrealised gains will not be lost, hence reducing risk.
Remember that our goal was to show you how to implement trailing stops, not how to create a profitable expert advisor (at least not yet!). When you try this out, have a play with the various parameters we have defined so far, such as EMA period, trailing stop distance, initial stop loss and take profit levels, and so on. Changing each of these variables will very likely give you a different result in the strategy tester and it's up to us to find the combination of variables that works the best.
In this article, you've learned what trailing stops are, why you might want to use them and which types of trailing stops are available. Then, we modified our expert advisor to implement an example trailing stop and went over the code required to do so.
Next time, we will look at making our expert advisor a bit more robust and find out ways we can increase our profitability, while still keeping our drawdown and overall risk profile low. Stay tuned!
If you have any questions on expert advisors you want to see answered, leave me a note in the comments!


Brockwell & Carrington is Proud to Announce the Completion of Two of Our Most Exciting Projects! | Brockwell & Carrington Contractors Inc.
Brockwell & Carrington is Proud to Announce the Completion of Two of Our Most Exciting Projects!
New Construction of a 59,000 SF dining/bookstore/student life building for Ocean County College. It includes a dining facility with full kitchen, coffee shop, campus store, lounge spaces & student life administrative office space. The project has been designed to recognize Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) parameters and will seek LEED Silver Certification. Site components include a new loading dock area, underground utility connections including connection to the campus Cogeneration plant for power, HW and chilled water, concrete sidewalks, landscaping.
The new 75,000 SF 6-story structure has a mechanical penthouse and contains science labs, general classrooms, computer labs, stepped lecture hall, multi-purpose room, lobby & outdoor patio space. The project has been designed to recognize Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) parameters and will seek formal certification (40 credits).
© 2019 Brockwell & Carrington Contractors Inc.


David Caiado plays the position Midfield, is 31 years old and 176cm tall, weights 72kg.
In the current club Gaz Metan Medias played 2 seasons, during this time he played 36 matches and scored 4 goals.
How many goals has David Caiado scored this season?
In the current season David Caiado scored 3 goals.
In the club he scored 3 goals ( Liga I). David Caiado this seasons has also noted 2 assists, played 2797 minutes, with 17 times he played game in first line.
David Caiado shots an average of 0.14 goals per game in club competitions.


Brain-to-brain interfacing – it's previously been accomplished between two rats, but now it's been achieved between two humans. Rajesh Rao, who studies computational neuroscience at the University of Washington, has successfully used his mind to control the hand of his colleague, Andrea Stucco. The two were linked via a Skype connection.
Rao put on a skull cap containing electrodes, which was in turn connected to an electroencephalography (EEG) machine. Via those electrodes, the machine was able to detect the electrical activity in his brain.
Meanwhile, across the campus, Stocco wore a swim cap that was hooked up to a transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) machine. That machine was capable of activating a magnetic stimulation coil, which was integrated into the cap directly above Stocco's left motor cortex, the part of the brain that controls movements of the hands.
Back in Rao's lab, the scientist watched a screen displaying a video game, in which the player must tap the spacebar in order to shoot down a rocket – a computer in Stocco's lab was linked to that same game. Instead of tapping the bar, however, Rao merely visualized himself doing so. The EEG nonetheless detected the electrical impulse associated with that imagined movement, and proceeded to send a signal – via the Skype connection – to the TMS in Stocco's lab.
This caused the coil in the cap to stimulate his left motor cortex, which in turn made his right hand move. Given that his finger was already resting over the spacebar on his computer, this caused a cannon to fire in the game, successfully shooting down the rocket. He compared the feeling to that of a nervous tic.
It should be noted that neither of the scientists could see each others' Skype video feeds, plus Stocco was wearing noise-canceling earbuds, so no subconscious cues could pass between them. Rao is also quick to state that the technology couldn't be used to read another person's mind, or to make them do things without their willing participation.
The researchers now hope to establish two-way communications between participants' brains, as the video game experiment (which can be seen below) just utilized one-way communication. Additionally, they would like to transmit more complex packets of information between brains. Ultimately, they hope that the technology could be used for things like allowing non-pilots to land planes in emergency situations, or letting disabled people transmit their needs to caregivers.


text:
Committees & Caucuses
Correa and House Colleagues Call for President Biden to exempt vaccinated travelers from the 24 hour testing requirement
Washington, D.C. — Congressman Lou Correa (D-CA) lead a bipartisan group of 15 congressional members in a letter sent to President Joe Biden calling for fully vaccinated travelers to be exempt from the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) current 24-hour negative COVID-19 testing requirement. All members represent communties where travel and tourism is a major source of employment. Exempting vaccinated travelers from the testing requirement would support states economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic by removing the travel barriers and would allow for better coordinated travel nationwide and internationally.
Rep. Lou Correa said, "The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has had a long-term impact on the travel and tourist industry in our country. Travel is a critical component of the economy of my district, and despite the changes of COVID-19 travel restrictions, travel to and from the United States continues to be challenging. Travelers are scared of being stranded abroad and having their vacation plans wrecked, which is preventing the revival of our domestic travel and tourism industries. It is past time for our testing criteria to be brought into line with those used by other countries. Our fully vaccinated travelers will feel more at ease and more willing to travel as a result of the removal of these testing barriers. My district is home to one of the largest vacation destinations in the country and by implementing these measures, we will see an increase in our economic recovery and an increase in job creation."
"Florida is open for business, and as COVID-19 becomes endemic there is no reason vaccinated international travelers coming to Miami or elsewhere should be subject to testing mandates before entering the United States. I encourage the Biden Administration to drop this burdensome and inconvenient restriction so we can restore our tourism economy and international commerce." stated Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar.
Full letter here.
Dear President Biden:
We proudly represent communities where travel and tourism is a key driver of jobs and economic activity, and write today to respectfully request that fully vaccinated travelers be exempted from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) current order requiring proof of a negative coronavirus (COVID-19) test or documentation of having recovered from COVID-19 for all air passengers arriving from a foreign country ("inbound testing order").[1] Doing so would bring the U.S. in line with the decision of other countries to drop such testing requirements, including in Europe, Latin America and South Asia.
As you know, under the current order, inbound travelers must present a negative COVID-19 viral test conducted within one day of travel before boarding their flight into the United States – regardless of vaccination status or citizenship. This "testing window" was shortened from 72 to 24 hours in the wake of the highly-transmissible omicron variant, along with a ban on travelers from eight countries in Southern Africa (subsequently lifted).
While we understand the rationale behind the inbound testing order when it was put in place in January 2021, it continues to present a number of challenges to our constituents who must or desire to travel internationally for business or personal reasons or whose livelihoods depend on a fully functioning international travel system. These challenges range from uncertainty as to the availability of timely testing in the destination to the financial and psychological burdens associated with being prevented from returning home due to a positive (or false positive) test result to a general chilling effect on international travel bookings. The recent shortening of the testing window has only exacerbated these challenges.
Beyond the impact on our constituents, it is unclear to us whether at this stage in the pandemic this rule is having any meaningful impact on the spread of COVID-19 from overseas destinations to the U.S. As of today, more than 78 million people have contracted COVID-19 in this country, meaning that at least 23 percent of the population has had the virus (though this figure is almost certainly an underestimate due to the number of asymptomatic infections and limited testing early in the pandemic). In mid-January, the seven-day average for newly reported cases in the U.S. topped 800,000, 73 percent of which were the omicron variant. Clearly, COVID is widespread throughout the U.S. and attempts to control its importation via air travel under today's circumstances are unlikely to change that fact.
As such, as we enter the third year of the pandemic and reflect on how far the science related to COVID-19 mitigation has advanced since the order was first put in place, we respectfully request that fully vaccinated travelers be exempted from the order. According to the CDC, "the best way to slow the spread of COVID-19…is for individuals to get vaccinated…vaccinated individuals are 5 times less likely to be infected and 10 times less likely to experience hospitalization or death due to COVID-19 than unvaccinated individuals."[2] Exempting fully vaccinated travelers, including almost 215 million Americans, from the order would be consistent with the scientific consensus that widespread vaccinations are the single most important element of the fight against COVID-19 while allowing the travel industry's recovery to begin in earnest. It would also incentivize those who aren't vaccinated to consider becoming so, restoring an incentive that existed for a mere 28 days between the effective dates of the Administration's October 25 and December 2 updates to the order.[3]
Moreover, a growing number of countries have recently moved in the direction of removing the pre-departure test requirement for the fully vaccinated, including the United Kingdom (U.K.), Greece, Ireland, Sweden and others, and the European Union now recommends its member states not require vaccinated residents to undergo pre-departure tests.[4] The U.K. concluded that the cost to both passengers and airlines of the testing mandate could no longer be justified, as there was no evidence the regime protected the population from COVID-19. This decision was supported by a January 5, 2022 study by Oxera and Edge Health that concluded when a variant is already highly prevalent in the domestic environment, travel restrictions are likely to have a very limited impact on the growth and the peak of cases and hospitalizations.
Our constituents who work in the travel industry tell us that the inbound testing order remains the single biggest barrier to the full recovery of the international travel system on which so many rely for their livelihoods. While it will take several years for the industry to return to health, we believe that exempting fully vaccinated travelers from the inbound testing order will help speed the recovery of a sector so critical to the broader U.S. economy.
As omicron cases decrease, and COVID-19 restrictions ease in many parts of the county, as we all adapt to this virus becoming endemic, we believe now is the time to remove this significant barrier affecting Americans who must and wish to travel. Thank you for considering our views on this critical issue.
[1] U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2022, January). Requirement for Proof of Negative COVID-19 Test or Documentation of Recovery from COVID-19.
[2] The White House. (2021, October.) A Proclamation on Advancing the Safe Resumption of Global Travel During the COVID-?19 Pandemic.
[3] Effective November 8, 2021, unvaccinated U.S. citizens and permanent residents were to provide a negative test taken within one day of departure, while vaccinated travelers continued to require a negative test within 72 hours. In the wake of the omicron variant, effective December 6 that distinction was erased and all travelers were required to present a negative test within 24 hours.
[4] Hardingham-Gill, Tamara. "EU wants test-free travel for vaccinated residents." CNN. 25 January 2022.
Appropriations Request Form
Flag Request
Inauguration Tickets
Passports & Immigration
Young Congressional Leaders Program


text:
package org.apache.calcite.runtime;

import org.apache.calcite.util.SimpleNamespaceContext;

import org.apache.commons.lang3.StringUtils;

import org.w3c.dom.Node;
import org.w3c.dom.NodeList;
import org.xml.sax.InputSource;

import java.io.StringReader;
import java.io.StringWriter;
import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.HashMap;
import java.util.List;
import java.util.Map;
import java.util.regex.Matcher;
import java.util.regex.Pattern;
import javax.xml.transform.OutputKeys;
import javax.xml.transform.Source;
import javax.xml.transform.Transformer;
import javax.xml.transform.TransformerConfigurationException;
import javax.xml.transform.TransformerException;
import javax.xml.transform.TransformerFactory;
import javax.xml.transform.dom.DOMSource;
import javax.xml.transform.stream.StreamResult;
import javax.xml.transform.stream.StreamSource;
import javax.xml.xpath.XPath;
import javax.xml.xpath.XPathConstants;
import javax.xml.xpath.XPathExpression;
import javax.xml.xpath.XPathExpressionException;
import javax.xml.xpath.XPathFactory;

import static org.apache.calcite.util.Static.RESOURCE;

/**
 * A collection of functions used in Xml processing.
 */
public class XmlFunctions {

  private static final ThreadLocal<XPathFactory> XPATH_FACTORY =
      ThreadLocal.withInitial(XPathFactory::newInstance);
  private static final ThreadLocal<TransformerFactory> TRANSFORMER_FACTORY =
      ThreadLocal.withInitial(TransformerFactory::newInstance);

  private static final Pattern VALID_NAMESPACE_PATTERN = Pattern
      .compile("^(([0-9a-zA-Z:_-]+=\"[^\"]*\")( [0-9a-zA-Z:_-]+=\"[^\"]*\")*)$");
  private static final Pattern EXTRACT_NAMESPACE_PATTERN = Pattern
      .compile("([0-9a-zA-Z:_-]+)=(['\"])((?!\\2).+?)\\2");

  private XmlFunctions() {
  }

  public static String extractValue(String input, String xpath) {
    if (input == null || xpath == null) {
      return null;
    }
    try {
      XPathExpression xpathExpression = XPATH_FACTORY.get().newXPath().compile(xpath);
      try {
        NodeList nodes = (NodeList) xpathExpression
            .evaluate(new InputSource(new StringReader(input)), XPathConstants.NODESET);
        List<String> result = new ArrayList<>();
        for (int i = 0; i < nodes.getLength(); i++) {
          result.add(nodes.item(i).getFirstChild().getTextContent());
        }
        return StringUtils.join(result, " ");
      } catch (XPathExpressionException e) {
        return xpathExpression.evaluate(new InputSource(new StringReader(input)));
      }
    } catch (XPathExpressionException ex) {
      throw RESOURCE.invalidInputForExtractValue(input, xpath).ex();
    }
  }

  public static String xmlTransform(String xml, String xslt) {
    if (xml == null || xslt == null) {
      return null;
    }
    try {
      final Source xsltSource = new StreamSource(new StringReader(xslt));
      final Source xmlSource = new StreamSource(new StringReader(xml));
      final Transformer transformer = TRANSFORMER_FACTORY.get().newTransformer(xsltSource);
      final StringWriter writer = new StringWriter();
      final StreamResult result = new StreamResult(writer);
      transformer.transform(xmlSource, result);
      return writer.toString();
    } catch (TransformerConfigurationException e) {
      throw RESOURCE.illegalXslt(xslt).ex();
    } catch (TransformerException e) {
      throw RESOURCE.invalidInputForXmlTransform(xml).ex();
    }
  }

  public static String extractXml(String xml, String xpath) {
    return extractXml(xml, xpath, null);
  }

  public static String extractXml(String xml, String xpath, String namespace) {
    if (xml == null || xpath == null) {
      return null;
    }
    try {
      XPath xPath = XPATH_FACTORY.get().newXPath();

      if (namespace != null) {
        xPath.setNamespaceContext(extractNamespaceContext(namespace));
      }

      XPathExpression xpathExpression = xPath.compile(xpath);

      try {
        List<String> result = new ArrayList<>();
        NodeList nodes = (NodeList) xpathExpression
            .evaluate(new InputSource(new StringReader(xml)), XPathConstants.NODESET);
        for (int i = 0; i < nodes.getLength(); i++) {
          result.add(convertNodeToString(nodes.item(i)));
        }
        return StringUtils.join(result, "");
      } catch (XPathExpressionException e) {
        Node node = (Node) xpathExpression
            .evaluate(new InputSource(new StringReader(xml)), XPathConstants.NODE);
        return convertNodeToString(node);
      }
    } catch (IllegalArgumentException | XPathExpressionException | TransformerException ex) {
      throw RESOURCE.invalidInputForExtractXml(xpath, namespace).ex();
    }
  }

  public static Integer existsNode(String xml, String xpath) {
    return existsNode(xml, xpath, null);
  }

  public static Integer existsNode(String xml, String xpath, String namespace) {
    if (xml == null || xpath == null) {
      return null;
    }
    try {
      XPath xPath = XPATH_FACTORY.get().newXPath();
      if (namespace != null) {
        xPath.setNamespaceContext(extractNamespaceContext(namespace));
      }

      XPathExpression xpathExpression = xPath.compile(xpath);
      try {
        NodeList nodes = (NodeList) xpathExpression
            .evaluate(new InputSource(new StringReader(xml)), XPathConstants.NODESET);
        if (nodes != null && nodes.getLength() > 0) {
          return 1;
        }
        return 0;
      } catch (XPathExpressionException e) {
        Node node = (Node) xpathExpression
            .evaluate(new InputSource(new StringReader(xml)), XPathConstants.NODE);
        if (node != null) {
          return 1;
        }
        return 0;
      }
    } catch (IllegalArgumentException | XPathExpressionException ex) {
      throw RESOURCE.invalidInputForExistsNode(xpath, namespace).ex();
    }
  }

  private static SimpleNamespaceContext extractNamespaceContext(String namespace) {
    if (!VALID_NAMESPACE_PATTERN.matcher(namespace).find()) {
      throw new IllegalArgumentException("Invalid namespace " + namespace);
    }
    Map<String, String> namespaceMap = new HashMap<>();
    Matcher matcher = EXTRACT_NAMESPACE_PATTERN.matcher(namespace);
    while (matcher.find()) {
      namespaceMap.put(matcher.group(1), matcher.group(3));
    }
    return new SimpleNamespaceContext(namespaceMap);
  }

  private static String convertNodeToString(Node node) throws TransformerException {
    StringWriter writer = new StringWriter();
    Transformer transformer = TRANSFORMER_FACTORY.get().newTransformer();
    transformer.setOutputProperty(OutputKeys.OMIT_XML_DECLARATION, "yes");
    transformer.transform(new DOMSource(node), new StreamResult(writer));
    return writer.toString();
  }
}


text:
Heathrow expansion: The four biggest environmental challenges
Simon Pickstone
Heathrow airport opened a consultation in June on its plans to construct a controversial third runway. Over hundreds of pages of its updated scheme development report, it set how just what a gargantuan effort the project will require, with plans to divert rivers, bury part of the M25 motorway and demolish and expand rebuild existing terminals. ENDS takes a look at the environmental barriers the plan faces – and how Heathrow intends to tackle them.
Perhaps the most contentious aspect of Heathrow's plans relate to its impact on the global climate. The consultation itself does not consider its impact on the UK's new target to reach carbon neutrality by 2050, on the basis that it had not become law by the time the consultation had opened.
It says increasing emissions from its ground operations by around half would not "materially affect" the government's previous 80% reduction target, adding that international aviation emissions – which form the vast majority of total emissions – would be covered by the CORSIA offsetting scheme set up by the International Civil Aviation Organization.


Olive Suites offer sophisticated elegance and comfort in the light shelter of Mediterranean trees.
Enjoy luxurious comfort in modern equipped suites for carefree rest with an unforgettable seaside. There are 16 modern and well-equipped suites located right by the sea, in the green oasis of 1,500 Mediterranean trees.
The Convent Hotel is part of a resort with a private beach.
Parking space by the hotel.
and so is the border with Italy.
Business meetings, weddings and teambuilding.
Each suite has a bedroom with 2 beds and a comfortable sofa in the hall. All guests have a rich offer of resort, which includes authentic local cuisine, a wide selection of activities for every taste and relaxing pampering with the use of local natural factors.
Only 10 minutes from Koper or the Italian border.
Comfortable and above the standard equipped hotel suites located close range to the sea.


text:
China: Police detain website founder in raid
13 March 2014, 00:00 UTC
The Chinese authorities must immediately release the founder of a human rights website who has been detained following a police raid on his home, said Amnesty International.
Huang Qi, founder of the website 64 Tianwang, was taken away by 11 police officers in Chengdu, in south west China, at around 3pm on Thursday. Police also seized computers, mobile phones and USB sticks.
The detention is the latest in a series of raids in the past week against individuals that write for 64 Tianwang. All have been accused of "picking quarrels and provoking troubles".
"There now appears to be a concerted campaign of intimidation by the Chinese authorities against those associated with the 64 Tianwang website. Once again the authorities have shown their intent to stifle debate on human rights within China," said William Nee, China researcher at Amnesty International.
"These are spurious charges against Huang Qi and others detained solely for their work for 64 Tianwang. They must be immediately released."
64 Tianwang – which is run by hundreds of volunteers - covers human rights news for a mainland Chinese audience.
Three citizen journalists that write for the website remain in detention after they were taken away by police last weekend. Liu Xuehong, Xing Jian and Wang Jing had been reporting on a security crackdown in Beijing during the National People's Congress, China's annual parliamentary session which closed on Thursday.
Up to one million detained in China's mass "re-education" drive
Myanmar: First state visit in almost 20 years highlights China's role in human rights crisis
Hong Kong: Peaceful protesters targeted as police start 2020 with renewed attack on dissent
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: Condemn systematic violations of fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong & police violence


text:
Traditional Elders Council Flay Over Umahi Residence Invasion
By Nwogha Ndubuisi Andy
The Ebonyi State members of Traditional Elders Council on Wednesday, 18 September 2019 called on President Muhammadu Buhari to beef up the security structure in the country so as to contain the impunity with which the country's laws are broken by the citizens.
This is following the recent invasion of the residential home of the state governor, Engr. David Umahi, at Abuja by alleged men of Nigeria Police force who forcefully gained entry into the building and harassed a sitting governor.
Speaking shortly after a closed-door meeting in Abakaliki, the State Chairman, Traditional Rulers Council, and the Traditional Ruler of Ezamma Autonomous Community in Ezza South LGA, Eze Charles Mkpuma, condemned in its entity, the action and described it as abuse of democracy.
Suspected Thief Escapes Lynch At Water Works Road
Ojiji Festival Not Fetish, Says Monarch
Cultism: Community Embarks On Spiritual Cleansing
The state Chairman who is also Vice Chairman, Council of Traditional Rulers, South East, stated that the peaceful habit of the state government should not be undermined by the alleged armed men.
He noted that the security structure of the country if not properly beefed up would truncate the peaceful effort of Muhammadu Buhari administration.
On his part, His Royal Highness, Eze Dominic Alo, JP Orimaogudu 111 of Amagu Ikwo Autonomous Community in Ikwo LGA, pointed out that the invasion was strange and tragic, but being that the people of the southeast are marginalized and issues concerning them are always handled with disdain.
He noted that their action was unjustified being that they learned that the invasion was linked with the case of the governor going on air as southeast Governors' Forum Chairman to ban herdsmen carrying arm while doing their grazing business in the zone.
The traditional ruler while maintaining optimism that the country's president being a man who gives adequate and sincere attention to security matters should ensure that those behind the mask would be made to face the wrath of the law.
Also, His Royal Highness (HRH), Eze Dr. Cosmas Nnaemeka Agwu, (Enechi Ekuma 4) of Okposi kingdom in Ohaozara LGA, stated that the action was unfortunate and barbaric, stressing that the silence of concerned agency was troublesome.
The traditional ruler while emphasizing the detribalized nature of the state governors revealed that he has given many important political positions to many nonindigenous of the state and advocated that those behind the action be brought to book to serve as a deterrent to others.
Previous Human Capital Development Ministry to Partner with SMEDAN…Set to Train Ebonyi Youth, Workers on Entrepreneurship
Next Man, 26 Remanded For Robbery In Abakaliki


The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has made remarkable progress in the past decade to become an economic powerhouse. ASEAN Secretariat data shows the region's combined gross domestic product was US$2.76 trillion in 2017, making it the world's sixth-largest economy. With an annual growth forecast of about 5%, ASEAN is expected to become the fourth-largest economy by 2030.
As growing affluence continues to translate into spending power, ASEAN consumers are moving from buying basic necessities to discretionary items. Along with urbanisation, the rising number of residential property developments has boosted demand for housewares and small home appliances in major ASEAN cities. Home furnishings, furniture, kitchenware, tableware and home decorative items – such as ornaments, candleholders, clay pots, vases, cushion covers and rugs – are all in demand.
To provide practical guidance for Hong Kong small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the houseware and small home appliances industry, this report explores the export potential of these products in selected ASEAN markets – Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore. The report evaluates the retail structure and distribution channels and provides a guide to the optimal market entry and marketing strategies. Extensive trade interviews and desk research were conducted to obtain concrete market and channel information from each researched country.
Easily accessible health and wellness information has made healthy living a key focus of ASEAN consumers' purchase decisions, which results in the popularity of "food safe" materials for cookware and food contact articles, water filters, air purifiers, blenders and mixers.
Innovative multi-functional home appliances, such as a 4-in-1 steamer, a sink built-in dishwasher, and a hotpot with grill pan, are desirable and welcome inventions to help ASEAN consumers make better use of limited home space.
Higher electricity tariffs and increasing conservation awareness have spurred demand for more energy-efficient appliances.
Collaborations between established homeware brands and prominent fashion designers, which allow homewares companies to bring the designers' sense of style to their home products, have proven to be mutually beneficial for both parties, as consumers are hungry for a complete lifestyle experience.
Distribution channels are very diverse, ranging from home-lifestyle stores to home-improvement stores, as well as department stores, hypermarkets, home shopping, electrical appliances specialist stores, and more.
A home lifestyle store aims to evoke a lifestyle that target customers are either accustomed to or aspire to. With artistic interior design, enchanting merchandise displays and attentive salespeople, a home lifestyle store creates a seemingly effortless yet completely fulfilling shopping experience.
These stores are not interested in generic products that can easily be found in a regular store. Brands or designers have to offer limited editions or rare pieces specially designed for the store, appealing stories and histories behind the goods, an extra cultural element as well as products and designs that resonate with the store's theme and its customers' lifestyle.
Furniture dominates but furniture and home-improvement stores also sell many types of household goods, ranging from kitchenware (utensils, dishes and cookware) and bathroom accessories, to tableware (knives, glasses, cups) and interior décor accessories (mirrors, rugs, pillows, curtains, wall art, vases, candles, candleholders) that contribute to a dream home.
Unlike furniture stores, home accessories and décor stores focus more on smaller home items. They give visitors easy home decorating ideas to bring character to a living space.
Facing strong competition from e-tailers, bookstore chains have started to transform retail outlets into cultural and lifestyle destinations full of eye-catching presentations, giving customers an experience that goes beyond just book purchase. For instance, Thailand's leading bookstore chain, B2S (main picture), has developed the Think Space B2S project that offers a new feel and connects emotionally with visitors.
The future success of bookstores depends on whether they can incorporate new features and improve their product mix to enhance the overall shopping experience. As such, they are actively sourcing new products with aesthetic appeal and unique concepts.
Some department stores have transformed from brand showcases to a curation of lifestyle assortments across categories, bringing together cosmetics, clothing, home products and more.
A department store's biggest asset is its card membership. Through customer loyalty programmes and good after-sales service, department stores cultivate and maintain strong relationships with these VIP members.
Competition with global brands' own mono-brand stores and with their online experience are driving department stores to work with emerging brands to bring in unique product assortments.
Hypermarkets offer a wide variety of goods, ranging from household items and food to clothing and accessories. Their business model focuses on high-volume, low-margin sales. Their streamlined large-scale operation, which reduces unit costs, means hypermarkets offer consumers value for money.
Hypermarkets are an effective channel to reach the large suburban populations in ASEAN, but key players such as Tesco, AEON and Lotte were forced to rethink their business models in response to the threat from online shopping.
To improve product assortments and continue to grow merchandising of non-food lines to satisfy all the consumers' shopping needs in one trip, hypermarkets have a high demand for diverse household goods. The bestselling household goods in hypermarkets are cooking pans, kitchenware and gadgets, tableware, and cooking gifts sets.
Targeting mostly housewives, home shopping is a convenient way to purchase housewares and home appliances for consumers who live in non-urban areas. Bestsellers offered through this channel are small home appliances, such as irons, fans, and vacuum cleaners, as well as food preparation and cooking equipment.
TV shopping is an ideal channel to sell cooking equipment and kitchenware because these products can be demonstrated. The Thailand-based TV Direct distributes products through free TV, satellite TV, cable TV, and digital TV. It sources products direct from Mainland China through Hong Kong traders or distributors.
24 Shopping publishes home shopping catalogue 24Catalog, which targets women aged over 30. Bestselling products include groceries, bedding, kitchenware, housewares, home appliances, electronics, exercise equipment and beauty. One of the "killer" best-selling products is a multi-functional home appliance, a hotpot with grill pan.
Increasing tourism arrivals drive demand for new hotels, while busy urban life results in consumers eating out more frequently, both leading to growth in demand for kitchen equipment and utensils from the hospitality industry.
In ASEAN, some local suppliers of cookware and kitchenware products for hotels and restaurants try to establish their own private labels by placing orders with mainland factories directly. Such businesses do not mind going through a Hong Kong company as they believe intermediaries in the city can better communicate with the factories in the mainland and conduct quality control, saving a lot of hassle. Major suppliers include Evergreen Intertrade, Seven Five, and Arctika.
The high mobile-phone penetration in ASEAN, together with the fact that consumers are reluctant to share their financial and personal information online and that less than 20% of the population (except Singapore) use either debit or credit cards to make payments, explains why social commerce has become such as a booming phenomenon in ASEAN.
Thailand is the biggest social commerce market in the world. Facebook has selected the country as the first test market for social commerce payments and Facebook Shop. However, social commerce is difficult to measure, because the negotiation and transaction happen online but payment typically happens offline.
Social-media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram are ideal for selling housewares and small home appliances, through posting videos, Instagram Stories, and including links to shoppable content to allow smooth transition from browsing to buying. Social commerce presents a great opportunity for small suppliers or non-brands to test consumer markets in ASEAN.
Electrical appliance specialist retailers remain the leading distribution channel for consumer and home appliances in ASEAN. In-store promotions and instalment payment schemes are major purchase-decision factors.
As online shopping in ASEAN grows rapidly, electrical appliance specialist retailers are expected to respond by developing online sales portals and home delivery services that complement their physical stores. Manufacturers and suppliers can offer their unique home products to these online channels to gain access to the large customer base.
Some home furnishing and accessory retailers have opened their own stores in major ASEAN cities while others expand through franchising. IKEA and Index Living Mall are major franchisors in this sector. Brands that have reasonable brand recognition, a proven business model, good revenue records and sufficient support for franchisees can consider franchising as a means of overseas expansion.
Selling directly to retailers is possible if suppliers are willing to sell on consignment and accept extended credit terms. An overseas supplier must set up a local team to handle delivery to retailers' locations, merchandising and display, marketing and promotion, as well as providing on-premises sales.
Selling through a local agent or distributor allows suppliers to start retail penetration without having to involve company resources in channel building. Distributors can help finance transport, handle customs clearance and manage inventory. An experienced local distributor with first-hand market knowledge is very valuable, as each ASEAN country has its own unique mix of ethnicity, language and religion.
The downsides of working with a local distributor are that, in return for taking on the supplier's trade-related risks and burdens, distributors will expect heavy discounts and generous credit terms. Also, suppliers may lose some control of the way their products are marketed and priced, while distributors often demand a long period of geographic exclusivity.
In a world where customers have infinite choices, branding is a way to differentiate an offer from others – like a Panasonic rice cooker, a Dyson purifying fan, a Nespresso coffee machine, or a Wedgwood dinner set. Effective branding elevates a product from being just one commodity among many identical commodities, to become something with a unique character and promise. An effective brand should be associated with the company's core values and align itself? with its product development goals.
Difficulty in obtaining trade finance is restricting the export potential of small businesses in Hong Kong. However, nowadays SMEs can find institutes to fund retail orders, based on the purchase order or invoice from an overseas buyer.
Hong Kong companies widely use regional e-fulfilment hubs combined with cross-border shipping to operate e-commerce sales into the fragmented ASEAN markets. Many companies chose Singapore as a regional e-fulfilment hub because the city state is particularly cross-border friendly, with low customs tax close to zero, mature infrastructure, and transparent customs regulations. Malaysia is another choice of regional distribution hub, as land is much cheaper and operational and labour costs are substantially lower than in Singapore.
Other marketing avenues include hosting a pop-up shop in retailers' stores and social-media marketing. Facebook is a top choice for marketing home and kitchen supplies. It offers a wide variety of advertising and post types for advertisers to choose from, as well as the option to target specific demographic groups. Facebook's behavioural targeting allows advertisers to target users that are more likely to purchase based on their past behaviour.


text:
Big Thief spreads its bets
By Jonaki Mehta,
Noah Caldwell
Josh Goleman
Big Thief released a new album on Feb. 11, Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You, that is demonstrative of the band's tightly-knit, collaborative spirit. Produced by drummer James Krivchenia, the 20-track project was purposefully recorded in four distinct and very different locations around the country – Upstate New York, Topanga Canyon in Calif., Telluride, Colo. and Tuscon, Ariz.
"We came up with this idea," Krivchenia explains, "of structuring the record by recording. Four different places with four different engineers, with four different batches of Adrianne's songs, because Adrianne had written a lot of songs – we were kind of choosing from 50 or 60 like, voice memos."
In an interview with NPR's All Things Considered, Big Thief discusses its region-hopping experiment of Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You, and how they've evolved within, and as, a band.
You can use the audio player at the top of this page to hear the story, and find more from Big Thief below.
Jonaki Mehta
Jonaki Mehta is a producer for All Things Considered. Before ATC, she worked at Neon Hum Media where she produced a documentary series and talk show. Prior to that, Mehta was a producer at Member station KPCC and director/associate producer at Marketplace Morning Report, where she helped shape the morning's business news.
See stories by Jonaki Mehta
See stories by Noah Caldwell
Barrett Strong was one of Motown's most gifted songwriters who collaborated with Norman Whitfield on such classics as "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," "War" and "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone."
R&B singer Vedo on his new album 'Mood Swings'
NPR's Ayesha Rascoe talks to R&B singer Vedo about his new album "Mood Swings."