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02 March 2015 Reply
This is very nice but I would like to have it never show scrollbars, while maintaining the zoom/pan abilities via drag & scroll wheel. I was able to hide them but in doing so it broke the image display. What would be the correct way to accomplish that here?
I took a quick look, but all the approaches I tried did have the effect of breaking it. I didn't spend a huge amount of time looking at it, but all the approaches I tried (using ShowScrollbar, removing the WS_HSCROLL and WS_VSCROLL styles etc serve to break it. I did some other tests and the SCROLLINFO data for the control does still seem to be correct, so it's mostly likely something to do with the way the ImageBox is processing the information - in other words it should be resolvable with time.


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Bessler Stairway Company is a division of American Stairways Inc. Since 1909, Bessler is the original disappearing stairway. The disappearing sliding stairway is designed to replace the conventional folding attic ladder and is specially engineered to fit existing folding-stair openings. Constructed with solid, one-piece stringers, stairs slide into the attic instead of fold for the ultimate in strength and support. Ladder rods under each tread for added strength and rigidity. Bessler stairs are made with kiln dried yellow pine, full length handrails and grade A 1 3/8" hollow core doors on most models. Sliding stairs are fully counterbalanced for weight control to respond to the lightest touch. Load capacities up to 800 lbs (depending on model). With angles as small as 53 degrees, you don't climb a Bessler, you walk up it. For residential or commercial use (Space Saver is for residential use only).
Bessler stairs are available in eight models, including a folding space saver model.
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A Quickstep Forward into the Future
Billington’s Dance Academy, a building with great history has a new owner and an
Billington’s Dance Academy has been a famous fixture of Ascroft Street in Oldham town
centre since 1934. It is named after Albert and Nora Billington, who acquired what was
formerly Turner’s Dance Academy. No one really knows how long it was a dance school prior
to Billington's taking over, but what we do know is that from 1934 to 2016, for 82 years,
thousands of dancers’ feet have trodden its floors, learning not only to dance but socialise
and even fall in love. Mrs Billington’s long service to the community and the arts, was
recognised in 2013 when, aged ninety-two, she received an MBE.
Two people who met, danced and fell in love with each other within those walls of the
Dance Academy, were Brenda and Dennis Massey. Brenda began dancing there at the age of
nine and her husband, Dennis, was aged fourteen when he first attended. They had no
knowledge then that they would go on to take over the business and keep the name of
Billington’s alive until 2016.
From 2016 to 2021, the building remained virtually untouched, used primarily for storage by
two brothers, who purchased the building from the Masseys. But, earlier this year Krzysztof
Zemlik, co-director of Ascroft Medical, purchased the former dance school and the adjoining
house, the former home of Dennis and Nora.
The building sits directly between Ascroft Medical’s two other locations – at Ascroft Court
and Clegg St. It’s early days for the exact plans to be published, however, Ascroft Medical is
set to host state of the art surgeries, reception area and procedure rooms on the site.
Krzysztof is keen to maintain some of the history and to that end, the upper floor (pictured
above) will become an exhibition and conference space which will be called ‘Billingtons’. He
says “It’s a building with 82 years of history, so we are keen to keep as many of the
features as possible, especially on the top floor of the building. In its time Billington’s was
definitely the catalyst for many marriages, romances and friendships.”
Recently, Brenda Massey accepted an invitation to visit the building, she was accompanied
by her late husband Dennis’ best friend, Graham, who regularly helped with the daily
running of the dance academy. They were shown around the building by Krzysztof, ahead of
the renovation work about to take place. It was something of a blast from the past for
Brenda and Graham, who were transported back to the final days of the business, as, to
their great surprise, the building was in virtually the same condition as when they last saw it.
Both were delighted with the plans for the building and the firm intention to keep the
memory of Billington’s alive within its walls.
If you would like to share any stories and past memories of Billington’s you are welcome to
send them to – firstname.lastname@example.org please note that Ascroft Medical might use these
stories or memories in future press releases.


Sophomore center Alexus Patterson.
Dec. 28, 2012
By Bill Ford
CARBONDALE, Ill. — The Southern Illinois women’s basketball team looks to end its non-conference slate on a two-game winning streak as the Salukis face Chicago State on the road Saturday.
Date: Saturday, Dec. 29
Time: 2 p.m. CST
Location: Chicago, Ill.
Site: Jones Convocation Center (7,000)
Radio: WVZA 105.1 FM
Play-by-play by Bryce Williams
Color commentary by Johnny Sole
Southern Illinois Salukis (2-8, 0-0 MVC)
Head Coach: Missy Tiber, Fourth Year (184-152 overall, 17-82 at SIU)
Chicago State Cougars (1-11, 0-0 Great West)
Head Coach: Angela Jackson, 10th Year (117-166 overall and at CSU)
SIU VS. CHICAGO STATE
SIU leads its all-time series with Chicago State 4-1 with the Salukis winning the last matchup last season in Carbondale. The Cougars enter Saturday’s game on a nine-game losing streak with a 1-11 overall record. Tierra Williams leads CSU in scoring with an average of 9.2 points per game while Layne Murphy is the team’s top rebounder at 6.0 per game and Jackie Jones averages 3.3 assists per game.
LAST TIME THEY MET
The Salukis topped the Cougars 76-54 last season in Carbondale, ending an MVC-record 22-game losing streak. Five Salukis scored in double figures led by 15 from Brooke LeMar and 13 from Cartaesha Macklin. The 22-point winning margin was SIU’s second largest of the season and its largest in non-conference play.
LEADING THE SALUKIS
Sophomore guard Cartaesha Macklin leads SIU and ranks fifth in the MVC with an average of 14.2 points per game while freshman guard Rishonda Napier is second on the team at 10.0 points per game. Freshman center Dyana Pierre leads the MVC in rebounding and blocks with averages of 9.8 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game. Macklin leads the Salukis with an average of 2.9 assists per game and sophomore center Alexus Patterson averages a team-best 1.1 steals per game.
SALUKIS TOP SISTER SCHOOL SIUE
Southern picked up its first road win of the season with a 68-63 victory over sister school SIU Edwardsville on December 21. Cartaesha Macklin scored 13 of SIU’s last 17 points to help the Salukis hold off a late-game push by the Cougars. Macklin finished the game with a game-high 18 points while Rishonda Napier tallied 13 points and Alexus Patterson added 11 points and eight rebounds. Also for the Salukis, forward Jameeka Bouie chipped in eight assists, the most by an SIU player this season.
STARTING A STREAK
SIU enters its matchup with Chicago State searching for its first winning streak of the 2012-13 season. A win over the Cougars would give SIU its third win in five games heading into Missouri Valley Conference play January 3.
SALUKIS VS. THE STATE
Southern finishes its non-conference schedule against in-state school Chicago State, having already played non-conference games against Illinois schools Loyola-Chicago and SIU Edwardsville. Along with its conference matchups against Bradley and Illinois State, the Salukis will play seven total games in Illinois this year. SIU is 228-138 all-time against other Illinois schools.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
SIU is winding down its longest road swing of the season, which started December 16 at Missouri. The Salukis play three consecutive road games over the intercession and won’t be back at SIU Arena again until opening Missouri Valley Conference play January 3 against Creighton.


Thank you to the members who attended our General Membership Meeting (GMM) this month!
Members and friends of CUPE 3906: You are invited to join us on September 1st for a fun-filled and family-friendly parade and barbeque! This annual event is hosted by the Hamilton & District Labour Council and will take place rain or shine. If you are interested in marching in the parade, please meet us at the corner of York Blvd … Read More
Dear Members, CUPE 3906 is having a General Membership Meeting on June 26! When: Thursday, June 26th, 5:30pm. Pizza will be there at 5:00. Where: KTH B104 (near the CUPE office!). The Agenda is as follows: Call to Order Communications Update on Mosaic Changes to Payroll impacting Unit 1 (Question and Answer Period) Elections Vice President External Delegate to Coalition … Read More
Please join us this Thursday, April 10th, at Liauna Station in downtown Hamilton for this very important all unions/all locals meeting regarding Ontario Conservative Party leader Tim Hudak’s propsed regressive attacks on your rights that will set back the clock on wages, representation and health and safety! For more information, or to RSVP, please visit: http://ofl.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014.04.10-Reg.Mtg-HamiltonFlyer1.pdf and: http://ofl.ca/index.php/campaigns/rightsatwork/ All members are welcome! … Read More
Hi everyone! How is your term going? Are you working hard to keep up with school? Why not take a break and hang out with some fun people over free food? What? We are organizing a fun words games and conversations night Why? To help you improve English and communication skills! Why?? To interact effectively at your work and in job interviews! Why??? … Read More
Your union’s elected bargaining team has reached a tentative agreement with the Employer for a new contract between Sessional Faculty and Hourly Rated Sessional Music Faculty. Both sides are recommending ratification. Details of the deal will be released at a Special General Membership Meeting (SGMM) open to all Unit 2 members. This meeting will take place on Wednesday, October 2nd, … Read More
CUPE 3906, and our semi-autonomous Political Action Committee (PAC), are proud to be involved in the upcoming Take Back the Night event in Hamilton. Take Back the Night, an annual event organised by SACHA — Sexual Assault Centre (Hamilton & Area) — is a powerful opportunity for all woman-identified individuals to actively build connections, assertively reclaim our right to safety, … Read More
These look like they’ll be fun. Join us there!


The Wenatchee Downtown Association has been a proud member of the Washington State Main Street Program since 1992. Our mission is to strengthen and enrich the downtown experience.
The Main Street Approach is a community-driven, comprehensive program that is used to revitalize older, traditional business districts throughout the United States. It is a common-sense way to address the variety of issues and problems that face traditional business districts. The underlying premise of the Main Street approach is to encourage economic development within the context of historic preservation in ways appropriate to today's marketplace. The Main Street Approach advocates a return to community self-reliance, local empowerment, and the rebuilding of traditional commercial districts based on their unique assets: distinctive architecture, a pedestrian-friendly environment, personal service, local ownership, and a sense of community.
The Main Street approach is incremental; it is not designed to produce immediate change. Because they often fail to address the underlying causes of commercial district decline, expensive improvements, such as pedestrian malls, do not always generate the desired economic results. In order to succeed, a long-term revitalization effort requires careful attention to every aspect of downtown — a process that takes time and requires leadership and local capacity building.
Let us know if you have questions about this model — we would love to schedule a time to get together and "fill you in" in more detail!
Need more information about Main Street communities?
- Gig Harbor
- Mount Vernon
- Port Angeles
- Port Townsend
- Walla Walla
- Bainbridge Island


Happy New Year's Eve, friends! How will you be ringing in the new year tonight? Todd and I will be at home and in our pajamas with our dogs, which is our favorite way to celebrate. I don't know what we'll eat, but I have sparkling cider and a real bottle of champagne waiting on us in the fridge.
I thought I'd share some highlights from this year that I would like to end this year with. To keep it from being too long, I'm picking one or two highlights per month.
The year started off with a bang for most of us politically, but aside from that, January rolled in nice and easy. We all had trust issues with 2021 when the year first began, and for good reason. I stayed home a lot, I read a lot, we enjoyed a lot of fires in our fireplace.
We had an epic snowstorm in February! It rarely snows like this where I live near Memphis, but we enjoyed the days it kept us at home. (Mostly. If I'm being completely honest, I'll confess that the more snow that fell, the more claustrophobic I became.)
And I can't leave the month of February without mentioning our sweet Crash. He had two major surgeries this year beginning in February and I've never been so ready for someone to be back to normal.
The nurse sent us this the night he had to spend there in recovery. Poor pup! He's doing great now and I'm relieved it's all behind us.
We spent March celebrating birthdays! In this month, we celebrated Jonah and Noah turning eighteen, Graham turning twenty-two, my dad-in-love and my dad turning ninety.
My sister Debi was here to celebrate the boys! Look how we matched that night. These were the grandsons that were here for Dad's 90th, and the rest of the fam joined over a Zoom call, thanks to my awesome hubby for putting it all together and making it work so well.
Drew celebrated turning 21 in April and they had a bros' weekend in Nashville!
Our twin sons graduated from high school on Mother's day weekend in May and put me into the category of retired homeschool mom. I couldn't be more proud of them!


Mashed potato - but not just any old mashed potato - fluffy & creamy Spinach Mashed Potatoes loaded with green spinach (duh!) herbs & feta. No need for greens with this side dish, it's all in one.
So, at the moment you are probably wondering...
Table of Contents
Can you add spinach to mashed potatoes?
You bet! I fold through roughly chopped baby spinach, which means you don't even have to cook the spinach first!
Gotta say that plain spinach on it's own is one of those veggies that frankly isn't a favourite in our house, and I don't think we are alone there. I'm sure there are two camps - the spinach lovers and the non spinach lovers. We here at home are in non lovers section, but this recipe for green spinach mashed potatoes really went down a treat!
Of course, if you are in the spinach lovers section this recipe is obviously great for you too!
For us non lovers the addition of all the other yummy herby cheesy stuff, PLUS then mixing it into - Mashed Potatoes - (yes it deserves capitals) takes eating your greens to a whole new level.
Ingredients for mashed potatoes with spinach
- Milk - light or full fat
- Salted butter
- Sour cream - I used light
- Garlic powder
- Lemon zest
- Chopped baby spinach, parsley, chives and shallots (green onions)
- Danish feta
- Salt and pepper
How to make spinach mashed potatoes
- Boil, steam or microwave some cubed potatoes until tender.
- Drain potatoes, then mash.
- Add butter, sour cream, powdered garlic, and lemon zest then mix lightly to incorporate and melt butter.
- Add milk 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing lightly until you reach your desired consistency.
- Fold through chopped parsley, chives, shallots & baby spinach.
- Transfer your potato mixture to a microwave safe bowl/dish (if needed), and microwave for 2-3 minutes or until well heated.
- Gently fold through crumbled feta, add salt and pepper to taste and serve.
My top tips for making spinach mashed potatoes
- The variety of potato I used in this dish is Coliban, but Sebago (they are both common in Australian supermarkets) would also work well. What you are looking for is floury potatoes.
- Putting the finished (or in this case nearly finished) mash in the microwave is my secret for adding some fluff to your mash. When you microwave the potato mixture, not only does it get hot but I find that it tends to puff up a bit. You have also just added a big bunch of cold green spinach to your mixture, so it will need heating.
- It's up to you if you boil or microwave your potatoes, you could steam them too if you want.
- The amount of milk in the recipe isn't hard and fast, because it depends on your variety of potato as well as how you like your mash consistency wise. The reason I suggest adding it 1 tablespoon at a time is that once it goes in, you can't get it out! We have all been there - loose mash!
- I have only added seasoning at the end (after you add the feta) because feta itself is a bit salty, so you don't want to over season.
More potato recipes
Irish Champ Potatoes - my take on the traditional Irish dish, filled with garlic & butter!
Colcannon - mashed potatoes combined with cabbage and bacon - more healthy greens in your mash!
Mustard Mashed Potatoes - ribbons of buttery mustard running through creamy mash.
Mashed Potato Cakes with Bacon - little cakes of mashed potato, wrapped in bacon and baked.
Warm Mustard Potato Salad - a no-mayo potato salad.
Chicken Mornay Baked Potatoes - baked jacket potatoes stuffed with a creamy chicken, bacon and avocado mornay sauce.
Extra Crispy Potatoes - our go-to roast potatoes, crispy and glass-like on the outside but fluffy in the middle. The roast potatoes I serve at my Christmas table!
(That's not even all of them - can you tell I like potatoes???)
If you are like us, and not really spinach lovers I suggest you give this recipe a go, you might be pleasantly surprised - like I was when my green spinach hating husband actually said he liked this!
For you spinach lovers - well, it's spinach. You like spinach. Tastes great with everything else I've added too eg: potatoes, feta, herbs. Job done.
Spinach Mashed Potatoes
- 900 g peeled potatoes, evenly chopped I used coliban
- 60 g baby spinach leaves chopped
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
- 2 tablespoon chopped flat leaf parsley leaves
- 1 tablespoon finely sliced shallots/scallions/green onions
- ½ teaspoon powdered garlic
- 3 tablespoon sour cream I use light
- 50 g salted butter
- zest of 1 lemon
- 3-5 tablespoon milk (see notes)
- 50 g danish feta crumbled
- salt & pepper to taste
- Boil or microwave your potatoes until they are tender, about 20 - 25 mins depending on the size of your chunks of potato, then drain. Allow to steam dry for a minute or two, then place back in the pot/bowl they came out of, which should by now have steamed dry as well.
- Mash potatoes using a potato masher, potato ricer or fork to your desired consistency. Add butter, sour cream, powdered garlic, and lemon zest then mix lightly to incorporate and melt butter.
- Add milk 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency, then fold through parsley, chives, shallots & baby spinach. If you boiled your potatoes on the stove in step 1, then transfer your potato mixture to a microwave safe bowl/dish.
- Microwave potato mixture on high for 2-3 mins or until well heated, then fold through crumbled feta, add salt & pepper to taste and serve.


So, you’ve decided to take that final step and get braces to achieve the smile you want, but you don’t know exactly what to expect. Or perhaps you’ve just had your braces put on and you’re wondering if your experience is normal. Either way, our Waukee orthodontist wants to provide some information on what to expect with new braces!
The First Day
When your braces are first put on, the adhesive for the brackets will need about 24 hours to set. Try to stick with soft foods at first and keep an eye out to check that the brackets set properly. Make sure that you have all the tools you need, such as a water pick, floss, dental wax or elastics, and schedule a follow-up appointment with our orthodontist.
Should They Hurt?
Since braces are putting new pressure on your teeth to perfect your smile, it is normal to feel some discomfort for the first few days. However, it should be temporary and resolve within five to seven days as you adjust to your braces. You may use pain medication, like Tylenol, to help with the discomfort.
If you’re experiencing extreme pain, the pain persists for longer than a week, or you have wires poking you, contact our orthodontist to schedule an appointment.
What Changes Should I Make?
The most important changes you should make in your daily habits are frequent brushing and flossing. Ensuring that all food is removed from your braces will help you avoid decay and staining around the brackets. Additionally, avoiding crunchy, sticky, or otherwise hard foods is incredibly important to preserve your braces and avoid cracking your brackets. If there is damage done, it may lengthen your treatment time!
Contact Our Waukee Orthodontist For More Information!
The information provided in this article is not meant to be medical advice and is for educational purposes only. If you would like to learn more about this and other topics related to orthodontics, feel free to contact Stork Orthodontics, with a convenient orthodontist office in Waukee by clicking here or by calling 515.608.8830.


I began reflecting on the images I’ve created this past year, and I have made an interesting observation. There was one filter that was pivotal in the creation of some of my favourite images — images that I would have really struggled to create any other way. And that was my Singh-Ray Vari-ND.
Some of the techniques I’ve been able to use with this filter have been rather interesting — and I like to share them with other photographers whenever I can.
First up is an image called Tired and Hungry, One by One the Birds Returned to Roost. It’s a composite of the light patterns generated by three aircraft returning home to our local airport over about a 1-hour period. One was a smaller plane that stopped short on the runway and taxied off. A second plane taxied close to where my camera was positioned before turning off their landing lights. Then the third bird ‘kindly’ taxied right past me with all its lights still on before moving on via a taxiway to park outside the terminal — thus generating the red dashes from the flashing red tail light.
Photographically, this scene presents a bit of a challenge as the aircraft lights require a different exposure depending on where and how close they are to the camera. On massive waterfall their initial approach they are several kilometres away, but towards the end of the long exposure they’re passing less than 100 metres away and are thus a LOT brighter — which requires far more attenuation. Using my Singh-Ray Vari-ND with a bit of practice, a bit of experimenting, and a bit of luck thrown in for good measure, I was able to carefully increase the attenuation DURING THE EXPOSURE as the aircraft approached. I can’t think of an other way I could have achieved the right effect.
The second image is Enlightening Journeys. Here again the Vari-ND saved the day. Shooting these kinds of scenes requires managing a number of variables. We need to choose an exposure that properly exposes the background, and — at the same time — allows sufficient time for the right number of vehicles to pass by. By using the Vari-ND, I was able to get a good exposure over a 2-minute period @ F22 @ ISO 50.
The last image is Golden Sunset, for which my camera was positioned on a rather unstable swing bridge. but I was able to program a 2-minute delay to let the bridge stabilise after I’d walked off it. The delay was followed by a 5-minute exposure.
Many people tell me that they’d love to be able to create shots like this. But to be honest about it, any photographer with a good tripod and the Vari-ND should find it as easy as catching fish in a barrel.
Find more of Colin’s images by visiting his online gallery. Or stop by his Facebook page where he welcomes your questions or comments.


Aaron Coleman, a 19-year-old candidate for Kansas House of Representatives, 37th District, has responded to recent criticism.
Coleman leads long-time legislator, Rep. Stan Frownfelter, by five votes in the Democratic primary, after totals reported on Friday. On election night, he was ahead by one vote.
There are reportedly hundreds of provisional ballots that may be considered on Aug. 17 during canvassing, although it is not certain how many ballots are in the 37th District. The county Board of Canvassers will decide if the provisional ballots will be counted.
Coleman wrote this response recently to an opinion published in another newspaper, which discussed a social media comment he made earlier concerning Herman Cain and Republicans who didn’t wear masks deserving to become ill or die. Coleman has since said that he is “learning from mistakes.” His response:
‘Respect the decision of the voters’
“As a 19-year-old college student defeating a seven term Democratic incumbent for a legislative seat in the Kansas House of Representatives, I expected that I would feel the wrath of party insiders and establishment Democrats. But I did not expect that the media would enter into the dogpile.
“I was saddened to read a recent opinion-editorial from another local newspaper that sets a false equivalency between my legitimate, though poorly communicated, policy positions and the illegitimate, un-American, and anti-Semitic viewpoints of a Missouri Republican legislator.
“My Grandpa Charles’ mother was the only survivor of our family from Auschwitz. I have spent a great deal of time since my election victory this week reflecting on my family’s challenging journey from the Holocaust to the Kansas Legislature. There is a certain pride to know that, if elected in November, I may be both the only Jewish representative and the youngest member of the Kansas House.
“I recognize that the local newspaper’s opinion writers may not have understood or appreciated the anti-Semitic false equivalency displayed in their opinion editorial. I firmly believe in a robust First Amendment that protects free speech and a free press. Legitimate disagreements about my policy positions should always be the centerpiece. Sadly, the local newspaper’s opinion editorial was nothing more than unfortunate, anti-Semitic ‘bile,’ even if unintentional.
“I am young, and I acknowledge that I have made mistakes. I cannot promise that I won’t make more mistakes, but I can promise that I am learning from my mistakes, like every young person does.
“Despite those mistakes, the Democratic voters of Kansas House District 37 have exercised their fundamental right to be heard at the ballot box and elected me as their nominee for the November ballot. It is my sincere hope that the Kansas Democratic House Caucus, the Kansas Democratic Party and the media will respect the decision of the voters in Kansas House District 37.”
Democratic nominee for Kansas House 37


- ISO 9060 First Class
- Active temperature correction from -40°C to +70°C
- No change of desiccant for 10 years
- RS-485 Modbus® communication
- 2 year warranty (*)
The SMP6 is a first class pyranometer that combines the sensor technology and housing from the CMP6. The SMP6 has both digital and analogue outputs, low maintenance, extremely robust and reliable and comes with 5 years warranty (*).
The SMP6 has an internal desiccant that will last for at least 10 years. This minimizes maintenance significantly.
The interval for dome cleaning can be extended, and the quality of measurements maximized, by fitting SMP6 with the CVF4 ventilation unit.
The SMP6 has a RS-485 Modbus® RTU interface, amplified analogue output, improved response time and temperature corrected measurement data. The wide and low power supply range from 5 to 30 VDC makes integration in meteorological and solar energy stations easy. The SMP6 is extreme robust and reliable and comes with 5 years warranty
Thanks to standardized output and connections of every SMP6, exchanging instruments for recalibration is easy.
SmartExplorer Windows™ software for data logging, display of data and Modbus® address setting is provided as standard.
|Spectral range (20% point)||280 to 3000 nm|
|Spectral range (50% points)||285 to 2800 nm|
|Response time (63%)||< 1.5 s|
|Response time (95%)||< 12 s|
|Zero offset A||< 10 W/m²|
|Zero offset B||< 4 W/m²|
|Directional response (up to 80° with 1000 W/m² beam)||< 15 W/m²|
|Temperature dependence of sensitivity (-40 °C to +70 °C)||< 3 %|
|Analogue output (-A / -V version)||4 to 20 mA / 0 to 1 V|
|Digital output||2-wire RS-485|
- Flyer – introduction new smart range
- Brochure – Solar Irradiance Monitoring in Solar Energy Projects
- Brochure – Pyranometers
- Newsletter 35 – January 2016
- Newsletter 34 – October 2015
- Newsletter 36 – April 2016
- Newsletter 38 – October 2016
- Newsletter 37 – July 2016


SoapWorld takes a look at the latest goings on in EastEnders, Emmerdale, Hollyoaks and Doctors.
Mick struggles to process Linda’s bombshell but realises he needs to get Linda to the doctor. When the couple return, Mick clocks on that Woody knew all along – leading to a huge fallout between the pair.
With Ian needed in the Square, Max offers to stay with Jane who soon wakes up to find herself alone with Max – but is Jane safe?
Elsewhere, Sharon and Michelle report Tom to the police; Keanu considers escorting; will Ted and Joyce go through with their plan?
EastEnders, Thursday at 7.30pm on BBC One.
Zak is convinced something inappropriate has happened between Gerry and Liv and takes action.
When Vanessa and Charity unwittingly get locked in the Woolpack cellar they are soon tucking into a bottle of whisky, which leads to a passionate kiss.
Elsewhere, the aftermath of last week continues to have a bearing on village life; Lisa is concerned about Sam’s plan.
Emmerdale, Thursday at 7pm and 8pm on ITV, STV and UTV.
As the McQueens grieve for Bart, Cleo questions Joel’s strange behavior and he admits Warren was responsible. Myra gets suspicious about Joel and after calling the police about him, he is arrested for Bart’s murder.
Meanwhile, Sienna manages to escape with Kim and Glenn’s help, leaving a furious Warren behind.
Elsewhere, Tony lies to Diane that they’ve secured the loan to buy a share in Nightingale’s.
Hollyoaks, Thursday at 6.30pm on Channel 4 and a ‘first look’ at 7pm on E4.
Rob is trying to enjoy some quiet time fishing, but he is anxious. He has a flashback to his memory loss the last time he went fishing.
Rob is joined by Driver, but becomes defensive when she asks him about the fostering. Driver denies seeing Rob as a liability, but thinks that if Rob continues on the medication, and the therapy, then they can let him come back to work, on desk duties to start with. Rob is overwhelmed with her kindness, close to tears.
Doctors, Thursday at 1.45pm on BBC One.


Guernsey's Generali Insurance To Merge Operations
by Jason Gorringe, Lowtax.net, London
15 April, 2015
Generali Worldwide Insurance Company and its wholly owned subsidiary Generali International have announced that they are to merge, in a deal intended to capitalize on the expanding expat market.
Following the amalgamation of the two Guernsey-based companies, subject to approval from regulators, the new company will retain the name Generali Worldwide Insurance Company and will have combined assets of over GBP3.6bn (USD5.3bn). The deal is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
The new company will look to capitalize on the increasing number of internationally mobile individuals and global employers by strengthening the two firms' existing ties and deploying the full assets of the wider Generali Group, one of the world's largest insurance providers.
Generali in Guernsey comprises Generali Worldwide Insurance Company, Generali International, and Generali Portfolio Management. Generali Worldwide focuses on the internationally mobile and multinationals, providing employee benefit solutions in particular.
Aidan Cullen, Head of Marketing at Generali International and Generali Worldwide, said: "The amalgamation will bring the two companies together to singularly focus on the growing expat market, which, if it were a country, would now be rated as the fifth largest population in the world. We envisage the transition process will have very little impact on the organizations."
Nick Griffin, Head of Sales at Generali International, said: "We will look at individual jurisdictions in our own right where they are compatible for us as we have already done in Hong Kong and Singapore. We will also look to collaborate more closely with the companies within the Generali group for local opportunities, as we have already done in the Middle East."
Existing customers will not be affected by the changes.
See all of today's news


by ROC Apr 2021
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By Max Bloom
Thursday, July 13, 2017
Suppose that we have on our hands a federalist-minded conservative. It comes to his attention that, say, Hawaii has done something silly. Perhaps the well-meaning folks in Honolulu have increased the minimum wage to $15 an hour; perhaps they have decreed that rents cannot increase faster than inflation; perhaps they have decided that what UH Mānoa really needs is another three dozen gender-studies professors. Ours is a good conservative, so he shakes his head in dismay and suppresses a chuckle — but he is a good federalist, too, so he accepts that, strange and unfortunate though the ways of others may sometimes be, Hawaii is Hawaii’s to ruin.
The benefits of federalism are manifold, and were our man asked why the federal government shouldn’t intervene, he could recite them well: Apart from being the constitutional political arrangement, federalism is a damn good system. It promotes democracy, since it allows local constituencies to decree their own values and determine their own policies. It cools the American discourse and allows for easier compromise on contentious issues, for the same reason. It accounts for the possibility of local needs and local expertise: What works in one state may not work as well in another, and Boston likely knows better than Washington what Massachusetts needs. It averts the excessive consolidation of power, putting the American people on a more equal footing vis-à-vis their government, and thus acts in the service of liberty. In short, it is the sort of durable, just political arrangement that America has always depended on.
But suppose that our federalist conservative lives in Houston and he hears that Austin is up to something funny. His impulse, at least judging by the patterns of conservative governance in America recently, quite likely would be to call upon the governor and the Texas legislature to impose some good conservative policy on the renegade liberals from above. Conservatism at the national level is generally associated with localism and decentralization, but these principles tend to evaporate at the state level. This is a shame: The considerations that militate in favor of federalism on the national scale militate as well, with some exceptions, in favor of local governments and against state “preemption.”
State preemption, or the practice of state governments’ overriding local legislation, is widespread. The most notable recent case is that of North Carolina, which sparked a national debate over transgender bathrooms last year, when the general assembly overturned a Charlotte ordinance allowing transgender residents to use either male or female public restrooms. But most cases of state preemption get less press: Perhaps the most wide-ranging battle between state and cities is in Texas, where Governor Greg Abbott has been pushing for legislation that would preempt the “patchwork of local regulations” by mandating that local constituencies not pass occupational-licensing laws more rigorous than those set by the state. In Illinois, Governor Bruce Rauner has campaigned for a freeze on property taxes set by municipalities across the state. The Iowa House joined dozens of other states in March in blocking local minimum-wage hikes. Minnesota has preempted local paid-leave ordinances. Arizona has banned municipalities from banning plastic bags.
In part because of the collapse of the Democrats at the sub-national level and in part because even the most conservative states tend to have a few liberal cities, state preemption tends to be a Republican matter. This puts conservatives in an awkward position: There truly is no shortage of reckless regulations, unsustainable minimum-wage hikes, and illiberal ordinances across municipal America. Cities truly do act vindictively, irresponsibly, and illogically. Is it really such a bad idea to have Republican governors and Republican legislatures impose some sense?
Most of the time, it is. For starters, a consistent localism is the best hope for conservatives on the national scale. The politics behind federalism and behind localism are frustratingly anti-symmetrical: While state preemption is generally a story of conservative states’ overriding liberal municipalities, federalism is very often a story of conservative states’ wishing to operate independently of liberal federal policymaking. Conservatives cannot afford to propagate the school of thought that recalcitrant local politics justifies intervention from above — this sort of ends-justify-the-means theorizing has been, and will always be, used as a battering ram to impose progressive policies on rebellious states. Defending localist principles even when doing so runs at odds with conservative policies in the short-term would signal that conservatives are genuinely committed to decentralized, small government and would help counter the largely false but damaging charge that federalism is little more than a right-wing tactic.
But localism is also justified in its own right. The principle of democratic self-governance is a higher one than the principles of economic or social conservatism, attached though we should be to all of these. Whenever a town or county votes to govern itself in a certain way and is slapped down by the state, it is a small defeat for popular sovereignty. It is not the role of the state governments to ensure that the lower levels of government make the right choices: The freedom of individuals to govern themselves and the freedom of individuals to collectively err are inextricable. The best argument for federalism has always been that of self-governance: What matter is it to California what level of taxation Texas prefers? Likewise, what matter is it to Houston what set of regulations Austin wishes to adopt? If Austin wishes to make itself less competitive, so be it. That is Austin’s prerogative.
Nor are highly centralized polities necessarily better off. Particularly in our current, highly partisan age, one of the great benefits of localism is its tendency to quarantine disputes. Consider the acrimonious debate that North Carolina entered into when it repealed Charlotte’s ordinance on transgender bathrooms — a debate that poisoned the political atmosphere in North Carolina, helped nationalize the local politics, and was entirely avoidable. Even conservatives who staunchly opposed the Charlotte ordinance and agreed with the North Carolina legislature on the merits have cause to oppose state preemption in this instance: Now that the precedent exists for the state government to make the decision, it will be impossible for conservative and liberal constituencies to address the issue individually. If North Carolina elects a Democratic legislature in the near future, it will preclude municipalities from enacting socially conservative laws. In the long-term, this may be a bad bargain indeed for social conservatives.
This is not to say that localism at the municipal level and federalism are precisely analogous. Most crucially, the Constitution explicitly dictates the relationship between the states and the federal government, delegating certain domains of policymaking to the federal government and leaving the rest to the state. But there are no such constitutional provisions concerning local governments, which are treated, from a constitutional standpoint, as nothing more than convenient organs to enact powers delegated to them by the states.
There are also practical differences: Since municipalities are far smaller than the states, it is not practicable to give them the same range of policymaking authority that the states have. State preemption of firearm laws, for instance, makes sense given that some level of legal uniformity is necessary to prevent gun owners from accidentally committing a crime whenever they cross a municipal boundary. Abbott’s preemptions in Texas go quite far, but there is a reasonable case to be made that some level of standardization of municipal regulations is worth the cost of constraining local governments, since businesses might otherwise avoid the state entirely. There are likewise cases where selfish municipal regulations hurt other communities in the state: When a city like San Francisco or New York passes zoning regulations that make it very hard to build housing, the cost is largely borne by residents of the metro area who wish to move into the city but can’t afford to pay the rents. Here, too, there is a case for state preemption.
But most examples are far more clear-cut. There is no such compelling reason for Arizona to ban its towns and cities from taxing plastic bags, or for Iowa to prevent towns from setting their own minimum wages, or for North Carolina to mandate a uniform set of social values. These may be tempting goals for conservatives, but they are ultimately in conflict with principles of self-rule and decentralization that are more compelling. Federalism is a wonderful concept, and it is wonderful for reasons that go beyond the Constitution and the relation of the states to the federal government. Conservatives should remember that.


A Nigerian lady claims achievement of staying without s*x all her life as she strolls into the new year, 2017.
She posted pictures of herself with her massive b00bz protruding as well as her tongue in the fashion some corrupt teenagers will do to seek attention.
The pictures POSTED By Kenny Bickk came with this message “Walking into 2017 a proud virgin. I know some people won’t beliv me lolz. #WCW”
This led to a round of debates about the truthfulness of her claim by social media users who entertained themselves with her gist.
The issue of virginity is already losing its value in Nigeria as most suitors fail the challenge of being celibate during courtship as envisaged by a 27-year old University student who wrote to a relationship adviser, Joro Olumofin about her sorry plight as a virgin.
Read her own story below:


WHEN deciphering the difference between a prospect and contender, it is sometimes difficult to see the blurred line between the two.
However, in the case of world rated bantamweight Andrew Moloney, never has there been a clearer outright owner to the above honours, the Action Fitness Centre Prospect of the Year in Memory of Braydon Smith.
The former Commonwealth Games gold medallist was a standout in 2016, blitzing all six of his credible opponents in the calendar year, including wins over Japanese livewire Ryohei Takahashi, Argentine pair Ricardo David Ocampo and Carlos Ruben Dario Ruiz as well as Filipino trio Cris Alfante, Markquil Salvana and Jether Oliva.
But it was his win over the aforementioned Oliva, a rugged Filipino veteran and former world title challenger, that solidified Moloney’s place amongst the best in his division domestically while highlighting his name as an emerging talent alongside the countries best talent.
Given the lack of depth in his division, most fighters who compete within the lower weight classes fill the early stages of their resume with non-existent challenges from underweight imports that are clearly brought in to lose. This was not the case with Moloney, as the Melbourne-born dynamo consistently fought opposition of a relatively high standard.
“It was a great year and everything has gone to plan,” said Moloney in an earlier interview with Aus-Boxing. “We aimed to have a busy year after only having the three fights last year. We wanted to have at least five fights in 2016 and we have managed to squeeze in six, so I’m very happy.”
“We also set ourselves up with an amazing team with Hosking Promotions – and our managers Tony Tolj and Angelo Hyder – who are all doing a great job. The future is looking really good for us and I couldn’t be happier.”
“It was a very busy year and I’m lucky that I’ve had a few early knockouts, which has helped with the workload. It also helps that I love training, so I’m doing something that I love everyday and I’ve got a lot of supportive people around me, which keeps me motivated to show up and train hard everyday.”
2014: Kye MacKenzie
2015: Anthony Buttigieg
Photo: Justin Gan


Delicious lentil soup
Time: 1 hour if you use a pressure cooker. 1½ if not.
Servings: 2 as a main course or 4 as a starter.
- 1 cup (7 oz / 200 g) green or brown lentils. Puy lentils are the tastiest, if you can get them.
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped or crushed
- 4 handfuls powdered milk, or about 1 pint (½ litre) real milk
- 1 pint (½ litre) vegetable stock (or water + stock cube)
- Worcestershire sauce
- Dried herbs (sage, rosemary, thyme, basil, oregano, bay leaves)
- Fry the onion and carrot in a little oil until softened.
- Add the garlic, lentils, stock, milk, Worcestershire sauce and lots of herbs and another pint (½ litre) or so of water.
- Bring to the boil and simmer for about 45 minutes (or pressure cook for 10 minutes) until the lentils are tender.
- Blend until smooth(ish), add salt to taste and boil for a few minutes with the lid off if necessary to reduce to a creamy consistency.
- Serve with grated parmesan cheese and lots of ground black pepper.


Where’s Sheryl? Celebrating Bill and the Ripple Effects of First Funding in Pescadero
By Sheryl Young, San Mateo County Program Director
“Please thank Bill! He funded us $2,500 for the first summer club for children in Pescadero – the start of so many good things!”
Logan Payne was a new young teacher 40 years ago, who wanted to help her community. That initial investment of $2,500 brought together a group of enthusiastic young women who taught language arts, math and science to 30 farmworker children.
Over the past 40 years, these women and others have continued to operate a thrift shop and organize bake sales to receive donations from neighbors, continuing to create opportunities for hundreds of children to learn and explore the world.
Bill always says, “Find ’em and fund ’em – find the right people with good ideas, and invest in them.”
Recently, Puente held its annual Fall Harvest Appreciation, and over 250 children and adults attended to celebrate its work. As one of Puente’s earliest funders, Bill Somerville and PVF were honored and recognized for supporting Puente’s many innovative ideas over the years: adult, youth, and children’s programs, including paying for books and school supplies for college students, summer internships for youth, dental services for families, and Mexican dance classes for children.
“Bill believed in us when no one else did, and he encouraged us to dream,” said Rita Mancera, Executive Director at Puente.
Puente is a catalyst for inclusive new solutions and opportunities in the San Mateo County South Coast community and beyond. Puente has touched almost everyone’s life on the coast – as a donor, partner, volunteer, staff or board member, and participant. We are proud to be a partner with this organization, which will celebrate its 20th anniversary next year!


This happened on Republicans' watch
I don't understand why corporations can make bad decisions that ruin them and yet still get a $700 billion dollar bailout at taxpayers' expense, but homeowners are having their homes foreclosed with no similar bailout from the government. Why does this administration, the Bush administration, side so often with corporations and leave regular non-rich Americans high and dry?
I hate that both of my senators are Republicans because that party is not a fiscally responsible party, and they only care about helping rich Americans get richer. If they're so fiscally responsible, why did this mess, which has the potential to usher in the Great Depression II, happen under a Republican watch? Why did Phil Gramm, a Republican, ram through legislation that allowed this mess?
Republicans lie, lie and lie some more. Eight years of President Bush have destroyed this country. He inherited a budget surplus when he took office, and now he's got the worst financial mess since the Great Depression on his hands. I'm making my voice heard with this message, but I'll really make it heard come Nov. 4.
Are smokers' rights unlimited?
Hugh Haynsworth IV gives new meaning to un-American activities in his recent letter to the editor regarding smoking bans as un-American. Since dope dealers contribute to fewer deaths than smokers, locking these people up would be un-American also. He speaks of rights enjoyed by Americans over 21. Do these rights include poisoning the air for people in the proximity of their toxic smoke? Is it a right allowed when they grind their butts into a nice floor? Is it a right when they toss their cigarette stubs out the window of a car and cause forest fires.
I wonder how many people have died from fires caused by smoking, not to mention more than 50,000 lives lost from secondhand smoke each year. How nice it would be to go into any establishment serving the public and enjoy clean air and go home without the stinking odor of cigarette on their clothes.
How could a law that protects the health of the American public be anything but the right choice? God bless all smokers who are trying their best to quit, knowing the consequence of smoking is a serious threat to their health and continues to increase health insurance premiums to a point when close to 40 million people in American can't afford the cost.
Many places serving the public have voluntarily banned smoking and have seen no loss of income as a result. Their thoughtfulness is very much appreciated.
Harold E. Martin
Mother sets bad example
A week or so ago, my husband and I took our two children, ages 2 and 5 months, to Cherry Park. We wanted to be sure to take advantage of of the unseasonably cool weather before it turned hot and humid again, as is the norm for South Carolina.
The playground area at Cherry Park was full of children running and playing. I was helping my daughter down one of the slides, being thankful for this lovely cool fresh air, when I noticed a mother on the other side of the slide doing the same thing. With one hand, she helped her daughter down the slide. With the other ... she was holding a cigarette.
While mothers should be commended for their great multi-tasking skills, smoking a cigarette while simultaneously playing with your child at the playground is appalling. I realize smokers should be able to smoke outdoors but on the playground? With dozens of kids running around breathing in that cigarette smoke? Not only is she endangering all of the children playing near her, she is setting a bad example for her child ... and mine.
I guess my next letter will be to the city to ask them to post no-smoking signs in the playground area. While I would have thought it would be a no-brainer to keep your cigarette smoke away from playing children, I guess some people are just oblivious to the obvious.
Some animals are chained humanely
I have dogs that are on chains. They are fed, walked and not mistreated. They actually belong to a family member who had no other place to keep them.
They do not run loose! I have another dog, which is mostly inside, and a cat, also inside. I have no other way to make sure they are not loose. They all have a house and water. I have had dogs before that did run loose, before the leash law.
People should be allowed to do what they need to do on their own property. I can see that if someone is not feeding and watering the animals, something needs to be done. But as long as they are not starving or being used for fighting, leave people alone. Like the lady who said she has a fence but they dig out, so she needs to chain them: That's her right -- and she is right to do it so they don't get hit by a car.
Laws would make teen drivers safer
I am 14 years old. I'm a freshman at Nation Ford High School. I read your opinion about the driving age. I mostly agree with your opinion, because if you got locked up by your parents until you were 18 years old, then you won't have any driving experience at all. In my opinion, graduated driving is a good idea, so teens can get a lot more experience. I know that many crashes are because of young drivers, but if they don't drive at an early age, there still will be a lot of crashes when they turn 18.
If there are young teenagers driving, our government should make more laws. If the laws are harder and there are more police, then there won't be a lot of crashes on the road. One cause of crashes is because it is so easy to get a driver's license, so teenagers don't study the laws of driving that much. I think that if we had more laws preventing cell phone use, too many passengers and restricting driving at night, teenagers would crash less.


In history, Cinco de Mayo means more than margaritas and all-night parties. On the 5th of May in 1862, the Mexican army savored an unlikely victory over the French legions in the Battle of Puebla. It’s no wonder the Federalistas decided to cap the win with a party, and this May 5 should carry on the tradition.
And what kind of party would you have on Cinco de Mayo if it didn’t include traditional Mexican dishes? Although there is too great a range of flavors to describe in one column, most Americans think spice, chiles, and complex dishes when they think of Mexican food. Consider Chicken Mole which combines long-cooked chicken pieces with a sublime sauce that balances the heat of chile peppers with the succulent accents of cinnamon, anise, raisins and chocolate.
Tamales, tacos, and burritos all depend on corn meal for their wrapping, but the insides of each are what drives the dish. Consider the range of meat—chicken pork, beef, and fish—and onions and cooked vegetables; but it all comes back to the chiles that set the flavor stage.
And what about simple salsa, featuring tomato, garlic, and jalapeños that can set fire to any palate.
The complex flavors and vibrant spice of these dishes push the wine selection toward Pinot Noir for red wine devotees and toward Viognier for those who need a drink and something cold to put out the fire. Try these:
Gloria Ferrer 2006 Pinot Noir (Carneros, $22).
Sequana 2007 Pinot Noir Sarmento Vineyard (Santa Lucia Highlands, $32).
Merry Edwards 2007 Pinot Noir (Sonoma Coast, $36).
Penner Ash 2008 Viognier (Oregon, $28).
Yalumba 2008 Organic Viognier (South Australia, $16).
Oh, and also to be noted? French bread goes well with many Mexican dishes, especially Mole.
Planning your own Cinco de Mayo fiesta? Check out a recipe for fruit guacamole from New York City’s esteemed Mexican temple Toloache; a recipe for black bean salsa, as well as cocktail suggestions and tips for cooking with both Tequila and Mezcal.


The Carrington Rouse (originally known as the Rebuffet Terray) is a classic ice and mixed climb on the Aiguille Des Pélerins in the European Alps. With 550m of technical climbing and a close proximity to the mid-station of the Midi lift it makes for a nice winter day-trip from town if you plan to simul-climb it or a 1-day climb if you pitch the cruxes with a bivy before or after at the mid-station. Dan, Kim, Rose and Peter climbed this in thin conditions in late January 2016. We found it to be fun and engaging with a crux just below the routes top-out at the Col des Pélerins. What follows is a quick route description and some gear beta.
From what is admittedly a very limited amount of experience, there’s one thing about first ascents which stands out to me. Perhaps I do have a shred of paternal instinct and it’s finally kicking in, but in many ways, I find a first ascent to be akin to having a child (again, limited experience).
It’s a fraught process, into which you invest a significant part of yourself. More than anything, a first ascent is a journey: a formative journey replete with angst, joy, relief and a small shred of pride.
In early December Reg Measures teamed up with visiting climber Tim Elson to link some classic face and ridge routes in a rapid traverse of New Zealand's two highest peaks. They found excellent conditions on White Dream (S Face of Aoraki/Mt.Cook) and the Syme and Silberhorn Ridges (Mt. Tasman/Horokoau) but slower blue ice conditions on the summit ridges.
The Eiger North Face is one of the classic alpine routes in the world. Long, steep, committing and a story made famous by books like The White Spider and Clint Eastwoods movie the Eiger Sanction, it is a must do climb for many alpinists. There is much written about the North Face of the Eiger and also some excellent topos available online. I thought however it might be good to share the climbing gear we took with us for a winter ascent.
"One of the classic climbs in the Alps,” says Allan Uren in the Mt Aspiring Guidebook of the South West Ridge of Mt Aspiring. It has been on my ‘top-priority list’ of climbs for an embarrassingly long time, one to do at the first available opportunity. I don’t know why 5 years has gone by since I last went up Mt Aspiring, but it might be that we have so much good climbing in New Zealand and every time a high pressure system comes along, there is too much to choose from.
I feel warmth as it leaves my body. Cold plastic, warmed by a steady stream of 40 degree fluid. On a cold night there is mild relief for my frozen fingers as they firmly wrap around a 1.5L Nelgine come piss bottle. Brett Gilmore a friend from Hawkes Bay first introduced me to the guilty pleasures of the piss bottle in a tent on Mt Ruapehu. At the time I was less than convinced, especially as he was trying to negotiate the confines of a narrow coke bottle mouth, which for anyone who has tried knows, extra care and attention is required.
For a climb which the guidebook describes as “A classic ice climb, perhaps the finest in New Zealand…” there’s remarkably little information about the East Ridge of Aoraki/Mt Cook. While there can be something alluring about a little enigma surrounding a climb, there’s also something to be said for some beta on such a route, which hopefully encourages more people to get out there and climb such a stunning line.
We're stoked to be able to announce the newest members of the New Zealand Alpine Team!
Recently, we requested applications for the NZAT mentoring program from climbers aged 18-25. A number of candidates stood out and 9 were selected for trials held in Queenstown (and Australia). From those, 6 were selected for the team.


Rent Smart Wales – Are you still compliant?Rent Smart Wales is responsible for landlord and rental property registration and licensing of landlords and agents. Their goal is to improve property standards, management practices and relationships between landlords, agents and tenants.
Rent Smart Wales landlord registrations and licences are valid for a 5 year period, allowing them to expire could mean you are operating illegally…
Landlord registrationThe immediate landlord of rental property in Wales must complete a landlord registration. This process involves providing landlord personal details, property addresses and details of those responsible for letting and managing the tenancy. A registration must be renewed every 5 years if the landlord is to remain compliant.
Landlord and Agent licensingAfter completing a registration, a landlord who conducts letting and management activities must also apply for a licence. If the landlord appoints an agent to conduct these activities on their behalf, the agent must hold a valid Rent Smart Wales licence. A licence must also be renewed every 5 years.
As part of the licensing process, a landlord/agent must complete approved Rent Smart Wales training before submitting an application.
Check to see if your registration or licence is still valid here: https://www.rentsmart.gov.wales/en/check-register/
Penalties for non-complianceLocal authorities across Wales are working closely with Rent Smart Wales to identify unregistered properties and landlords.
Failure to comply with the requirements currently could result in:
• Fixed Penalty Notices (of either £150/£250)
• Criminal Prosecutions and Fines
• Rent Repayment Orders
• Rent Stopping Orders
• Your ability to secure possession of the property being restricted
If you are a landlord in Wales and are unsure how to comply with Rent Smart Wales requirements or to learn more about registration and licences please speak to your local branch today.
Rents have also increased significantly recently, if you would like an up to date lettings valuation speak to your local lettings team or visit www.peteralan.co.uk/#valuation to find out instantly online


Museum of Modern Art
LOUISE LAWLER: “WHY PICTURES NOW” new york, ny
American artist, Louise Lawler, took over a floor of the Museum of Modern Art on April 30th with her “Why Pictures Now” exhibit – a title in which she purposely leaves out proper punctuation to accentuate the importance of pictures. Her major retrospective combines non-linear groups of photographs with mural-scale, “adjusted to fit” images that are stretched and distorted to fit the dimensions of the walls.
As with any museum project, Coloredge’s objective is to support the artist’s vision of an environmental experience, while keeping our work and our production techniques inconspicuous. For “Why Pictures Now,” we meticulously produced and installed immense wall coverings using over 5,000 square feet of vinyl, including production of the black-and-white tracings of Lawler’s photographs. This project provided a wonderful opportunity for Coloredge to demonstrate our strength in visual arts while supporting a highly accomplished artist. On display through July 30th.
“Digital Images © 2017 The Museum of Modern Art, New York.” Photographed by Martin Seck


Close your eyes and imagine this.
A layer of chocolate génoise. A layer of chestnut cream. A layer of chocolate almond crunch. Another layer of chestnut cream. Repeat.
The result: a Chocolate Chestnut Crunch Cake.
That was the reality for our Christmas dinner, with a decadent cake to cap off an already decadent dinner.
This was a mash-up of several recipes. The chocolate génoise was a recipe from Cordon Bleu Cakes. The chocolate-almond crunch was initially inspired by Ricardo Larrivée. The chestnut cream came about by mixing things in a bowl and tasting as I went along.
Unfortunately the recipe for the glaze wasn't enough to cover the whole cake, and I was left with a half-covered cake that looked...well, very fugly. Delicious, but fugly.
The cake was a bit of a daunting project, and from start to finish, took almost four hours to put together. But it was well worth it. Decadent and luxurious without being overly rich or sweet.
From chocolate and chestnuts, we went to chocolate and pears for New Year's Eve (or technically, New Year's Day as I was just too tired after making the epic meal to do dessert afterwards). Upon the the suggestion of my brother to make poached pears, I decided upon making a Chocolate Pear Tart.
First I poached the pears in some mulled wine to infuse some Christmas flavour into them and to give them a gorgeous red hue. The shortcrust dough is an Anna Olson recipe, while the filling was based off Jamie Oliver's own Chocolate and Pear Tart.
The tart is sinfully rich from the dark chocolate, with great texture thanks to the ground almonds. The poached pears were absolutely delicious, having soaked up a lot of the flavours from the spices in the poaching liquid. A beautiful and delicious dessert that's a great finish to any meal!
Chocolate Pear Tart
Adapted from Anna Olson and Jamie Oliver
For the poached pears:
3 large (or 6 small) ripe but firm pears (Bosc or Anjou are great choices)
Juice from 1/2 lemon
2 cups dry fruity red wine
1 cup sugar
1 2-inch stick of cinnamon
2 2-inch long, 1/2-inch wide strips orange peel
2 whole star anise
8 whole cloves
1 vanilla bean
For the shortcrust:
1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
3 tablespoons sugar
2 large egg yolks
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
For the filling:
125 g ground almonds
2 large free-range or organic eggs
125 g butter, softened
95 g caster sugar
185 g dark chocolate, melted
To make the poached pears: Cut the pears into eighths and place them in a large bowl of water with the lemon juice, to help prevent oxidation.
In the large pot over medium flame, bring the wine, sugar, spices and vanilla bean to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Reduce the heat to a simmer.
Drain the pears and add them to the wine mixture. Place a parchment round the same diameter size as the pot and place on top of the pears, to ensure the pears remain submerged in the wine.
Reduce the heat to a medium low and slowly simmer the pears, covered, until they are soft, but not mushy when poked with a sharp knife, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Remove from the heat and allow the pears to cool completely in the syrup. Reserve in the refrigerator in the poaching liquid until ready to use. The pears are best poached the day before.
To make the shortcrust: Cream butter and sugar together. Stir in egg yolks, adding one at a time. Sift together flour, cocoa and salt and add to butter mixture. Mix until dough just comes together. Roll into a log and chill until ready to roll. If preparing ahead of time, pull dough from fridge an hour before rolling.
On a lightly floured surface, Cut the log into 1/4-inch slices and line a 9-inch (23 cm) removable-bottom tart shell with the dough slices. Use your fingers to blend the overlap slices together by pushing the dough around. Trim off any excess edges and chill for 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350˚F. Dock pastry with a fork and bake for 18 to 20 minutes. Allow to cool.
To make the filling: Mix your almonds, eggs, butter and sugar together and stir in the melted chocolate while it’s still warm. Pour the mixture evenly into the pastry case.
Remove the pears from the poaching liquid and drain off any excess liquid on some paper towels. Slice them on the horizontal. Slide the whole pear piece onto your knife, lightly press down to fan out the slices, and place gently onto the chocolate and almond mixture, pressing the pears down slightly. Repeat with the remaining pears. Alternatively, you can leave the pears whole if you want.
Bake the tart for about 45 minutes until the chocolate and almond mixture is firm. Serve warm with lightly whipped cream or good quality vanilla ice cream.


Rory Burns, Ollie Pope, Chris Woakes and Stuart Broad the players to drop out as England make four changes for Boxing Day Test; tourists are 2-0 down in the five-match series and must win final three games, in Melbourne, Sydney and Hobart, to regain The Ashes
Last Updated: 26/12/21 7:53am
England have rung the changes for the must-win Boxing Day Ashes Test with Zak Crawley, Jonny Bairstow, Mark Wood and Jack Leach returning to the side in place of Rory Burns, Ollie Pope, Chris Woakes and Stuart Broad.
Crawley will be deployed as Haseeb Hameed’s opening partner against Australia at the MCG with Burns dropped after scoring just 51 runs at an average of 12.75 across the first two Tests, while Bairstow will slot in at No 6 in place of Pope, who has managed only 48 runs at 12.00.
Paceman Wood and left-arm spinner Leach, whose omissions for the second Test on a dry Adelaide surface were criticised, return to add variety to England’s bowling attack – Woakes and Broad the players to make way with fellow seamers James Anderson and Ollie Robinson retained in the XI.
Zak Crawley, Haseeb Hameed, Dawid Malan, Joe Root (c), Ben Stokes, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler (wk), Ollie Robinson, Mark Wood, Jack Leach, Jimmy Anderson
England are 2-0 down in the five-match series and must win the final three fixtures, in Melbourne, Sydney from January 5 and Hobart from January 14 to regain the Ashes, which Australia have held since a 4-0 victory Down Under in 2017-18.
Crawley averages just 11.14 from seven Tests in 2021 and was dropped after the first game of the home series against India in August but does have a Test match double century to his name – against Pakistan at The Ageas Bowl in the summer of 2020 – and his height and back-foot game could be suited to Australian pitches.
The Kent player will open with Hameed, who has retained his place despite scoring only 58 runs at an average of 14.50 across the Brisbane and Adelaide Tests, which England lost by nine wickets and 275 runs respectively.
Burns – clean bowled by Mitchell Starc from the first ball of the series in Brisbane as he recorded his sixth Test duck of the year – is the opener to be axed.
The 31-year-old is joined on the sidelines by Surrey team-mate Pope, who scored 35 in England’s first innings at The Gabba but has since returned scores of four, five and four to see his Test average dip below 30.
Bairstow takes Pope’s place in the middle order – the Yorkshireman scored a century in Perth four years ago and brings a wealth of experience in the Test arena with this week’s clash in Melbourne to be his 79th in the format.
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England wicketkeeper Jos Buttler says they are ‘excited’ to play in the ‘hostile’ atmosphere of the Melbourne Cricket Ground for the Boxing Day Test against Australia
Wood was rested in Adelaide but is now back to inject pace into the bowling line-up, while Woakes’ omission means Robinson will bat at No 8 in what looks a long England tail.
England XI for third Ashes Test: Zak Crawley, Haseeb Hameed, Dawid Malan, Joe Root (c), Ben Stokes, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler (wk), Ollie Robinson, Mark Wood, Jack Leach, Jimmy Anderson
Australia XI for third Ashes Test: David Warner, Marcus Harris, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland


четверг, 25 октября 2007 г.
NASA climate data were wrong
Blogger finds errors in 2000, NASA climate data, 1998 is no longer wärmstes year!
The blogger Steve McKintyre, which operates the climateaudit.org side, the historical climate data from the NASA examined and a strange leap from January 2000 in the graphic curve discovered.
These prints are from Reto Ruedy and James Hansen of NASA created. As Hansen on request has refused to publish the logs McIntyre, as the plot curves were made, these rückgerechnet McKintyre. As a result, he discovered the Millennium errors in the raw data.
The couple has McKintyre pointed informed about the error and Ruedy said that they had identified the problem and it would be only a "vision" was what remedied.
NASA has still secretly and the corrected figures and this change is amazing. The warmest year of record is now 1934. The year 1998 which is always by the media as a record year has been declared in second place. In 1921, in third. In fact, five of the 10 warmest years in all of the records before 2 World War II. Anthony Watts, the new data as a graphic created, together with a detailed summary of the events.
The effect of the correction to the global temperatures is minimal, between 1 and 2% less warming than originally thought, but the propaganda machine for the climate warming may affect larger. Or not, because I suspect that this story does not fit into the climate hysteria which the mass media disseminate and therefore they will ignore it.
You have to know the temperature table for NASA is a key argument for the assertion of global warming and James Hansen is the "guru" of Klimahysteriker.


NAIROBI, Kenya -- The Carter Center says Kenya's 2017 elections were a setback to this East African country's democratic development.
In its final report on the elections the U.S.-based center said the process of tallying final results suffered from delays and a lack of transparency.
The center and other international observers were criticized for praising the polls in their initial reports.
President Uhuru Kenyatta was declared winner of the August 8 election, but the Supreme Court nullified the results citing irregularities and illegalities and ordered a fresh election. Those new elections were held on Oct 26 but opposition leader Raila Odinga boycotted saying there were not adequate electoral reforms to ensure a fair poll. Kenyatta was re-elected but Odinga said he lacks legitimacy due to the low voter turnout in the repeat poll.


Here are the requirements to claim your gift this Christmas
Make sure to pass these on or before December 24,2011 AT 11:59 PM
Incomplete requirements = NO GIFt
No Requirements = NO FOOD and GIFt
1. Original, Authenticated copy of your baptismal certificate.
2. Certified TRUE and ORIGINAL copy of your birth certificate. (NSO-Yellow)
3. NBI Clearance of your Parents
4. Baptismal Picture of you and me
5. Exact time, date and location of your Baptismal.
6. What was the first gift that I have given to you.
7. Any proof that I am your Ninong..
8. Screen shot Required.
9. Authorization Letter is not allowed.
10. A 15minutes Production Number, with atleast 20 lifting and 20 acrobatic stunts.. Bring your own CD.. (ala-Showtime)
No Proxies when passing the requirements.
Copied from Iniakito's Facebook Status
On 13 December


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Sweater Dress: Lulu’s || Plaid Scarf: Lulu’s ($22!) || Riding Boots: Tory Burch (last season – entire collection here) || Gray Handbag: Saint Laurent || Gold Watch: Michael Kors || Screw Bracelet: Wanderlust + Co.
It’s fall and that means I can FINALLY wear all of my most fave scarves, sweater dresses and boots! YAY! I found my sweater dress at Lulu’s for only $38 bucks. I mean who doesn’t like basically wearing a giant blanket in public?! Oh but wait, it’s cute and warm – sign me up! A sweater dress is a fall staple that every lady should have in her closet. I paired mine with riding boots and a fun holiday plaid; also from Lulu’s and only $22! If the weather is cooler in your neck of the woods, style your dress with tights and throw on a coat to stay warm! I finished my look with a classic Saint Laurent handbag – splurge alert! 🙂 If you are looking for a lil’ gifty for yourself or for Santa to bring you (wink wink) this holiday season, a handbag is the way to go! For a go-to bag that is uber chic AND will never go out of style, a sac de jour is THE perfect choice. Below I’ve found more great dress and scarf options so you can get this look too.
MORE SWEATER DRESS & PLAID SCARF OPTIONS:


“War is sweet to those that have no experience of it.” These ancient words illustrate one of life’s greatest ironies. They also explain the enthusiasm with which many marched off to war in August 1914. Most people had never seen combat, and—steeped in the idealism of the times—imagined it in abstract, glowing terms.
In mid- August 1914, the British Expeditionary Force had yet to experience the brutality of modern warfare. Many of their soldiers were still unbloodied; still innocent in their carefully studied, and rigidly adhered to bravado. Buoyed by cheering French crowds as they marched to the Belgian border, many approached the war with an enthusiastic optimism that amazes us today. With the benefit of hindsight, the march of these innocents is given the somber aura of tragedy.
John Lucy, a 20 year-old corporal in the Royal Irish Rifles, was one of these innocents. He was young, proud, and, infused with the spirit of adventure, he was spoiling for a fight. On the 23rd of August 1914 he, along with the rest of his battalion, would get one at the small Belgian town of Mons. The German army, having smashed through Liège, was headed straight for him.
The British soldiers of 1914 were excellent. Theirs was a tiny army by Continental standards, but it was perhaps the best trained in the world. Every soldier was a professional with stern discipline, pride, and ability. They were not only ready to face the enemy; they were looking forward to it. In preparation to receive the seemingly unstoppable Imperial German army, the well-disciplined “Tommies” dug shallow trenches, positioned their guns, and assumed an air of cool cockiness. They were about to get their first taste of modern war. John Lucy wrote of this day:
“At half-past three in the afternoon, as nearly as I remember, the Germans discovered us before we saw them, and three or four dull thuds to our distant front followed by a whirring noise rapidly approaching us marked the discharge of enemy guns, and our first moment under shell-fire.
The salvo of shells passed over our heads, and burst about eighty yards in rear with a terrific clattering crash.
We were highly interested. More came, and still more, all going over. The heads of our curious men appeared above the trenches looking back to see the bursts. ‘Look’ they shouted, ‘a black one’, or ‘One only’, or ‘Four more whites’. Some laughingly imagined themselves on butt duty on the rifle ranges at home, and shouted advice to the German gunners: ‘Washout’, ‘Another miss’, and ‘Lower your sights’. One wag, simulating great terror, cried: ‘Send for the police, there’s going to be a row on here,’ and another, in mock despair: ‘Oh mother, why did I desert you?’
Then the enemy gunners shortened, and the shells exploded above our trenches, and the men, already taken in hand for exposing themselves, crouched low.
The Germans now ranged well, and their shell-fire seemed to concentrate heavily on the trenches. The acrid smoke of the explosions blew about us, and screaming pieces of metal and shrapnel balls flew in all directions. One shrapnel bullet hit my pack, and I instinctively moved a little further along the ditch to a burly sergeant, who laughed at me when I handed him the still hot ball for his inspection. I was too young to discern nervousness in the laugh.
Finally the shelling ceased, and we put up our heads to breathe more freely. Then we heard conch-like sounds—strange bugle calls. The German infantry, which had approached during the shelling, was in sight, and about to attack us.
In answer to the German bugles or trumpets came the cheerful sounds of our officers’ whistles, and the riflemen, casting aside the amazement of their strange trial, sprang into action. A great roar of musketry rent the air, varying slightly in intensity from minute to minute as whole companies ceased fire and opened again. The satisfactory sharp blasts of the directing whistles showed that our machinery of defence was working like the drill book, and that the recent shelling had caused no disorganization. The clatter of our machine guns added to the din.
For us the battle took the form of well-ordered, rapid rifle-fire at close range, as the field-grey human targets appeared, or were struck down. The enemy infantry advanced, according to one of our men, in ‘columns of masses’, which withered away under the galling fire of the well-trained and coolly led Irishmen. The leading Germans fired standing, ‘from the hip’, as they came on, but their scattered fire was ineffective, and ignored. They crumpled up—mown down as quickly as I tell it, their reinforcing waves and sections coming on bravely and steadily to fall over as they reached the front line of slain and wounded. Behind the death line thicker converging columns were being blown about by our field-guns.
Our rapid fire was appalling even to us, and the worst marksman could not miss, as he had only to fire into the ‘brown’ of the masses of the unfortunate enemy, who on the fronts of two of our companies were continuously and uselessly reinforced at the short range of three hundred yards. Such tactics amazed us, and after the first shock of seeing men slowly and helplessly falling down as they were hit, gave us a great sense of power and pleasure. It was all so easy.” (1)
By the end of the day, thousands of Germans had been shot down by the quick-firing British, and John Lucy had seen his first battle. But he was yet to be acquainted with war. The Battle of Mons, by his own reckoning, had resulted in only three or four men from his unit killed and the same number wounded; a relatively light toll for a modern battle.
It was, however, was only a prologue to the coming war. The shelling, the rapid-fire, and the appalling way that men were thrown uselessly into slaughter foreshadowed the suffering and horror that was to come. In the coming months, the war would devour most of John Lucy’s comrades, and his company would be all-but exterminated more than once.
As the years dragged on, and one after another of his friends and loved ones were claimed by the insatiable appetite of war, John Lucy began to see its true character. As his experience of war grew, its sweetness disappeared—submerged beneath the bitterness of fear and loss. This first taste was to prove deceiving.
1. John F. Lucy, There’s a Devil in the Drum (Uckfield, UK: The Naval & Military Press, 1993), 111 – 114.
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