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Saudi’s Shoura Council Seeks Probe Into Haramain Rail Project Delays - railmeds JimdoPage!
04/06/2014 (Gulf Business - UAE): Saudi Arabia’s Shoura Council has asked the national anti-corruption commission (Nazaha) to investigate the delay in the completion of the Haramain Railway project. The Haramain high-speed link, which will link the holy cities of Makkah and Medina, has seen a number of construction delays, which have pushed back its launch date to 2016 from 2012. The project has also seen cost revisions from $12 billion to $14 billion, according to an earlier report by Saudi Railway Organisation (SRO). “The Nazaha should also investigate the budget allocated to the Haramain Railway project and the reasons for the increase in the funds needed for the completion of the project,” the Shoura Council said in a meeting held to discuss the annual report of the SRO, Arab News reported.
02/06/2014 (Gulf News - UAE): Abu Dhabi: Etihad Rail — the developer and operator of the UAE’s national railway network — has said it has achieved more than 10 million working man-hours, or over 250 days, with zero lost-time injuries.“This achievement, which includes time dedicated to the testing and commissioning of trains since September last year, reflects that the high safety standards of the rail industry have carried over into Etihad Rail’s activities prior to the launch of commercial operations,” said Engineer Faris Saif Al Mazroui, Acting CEO of Etihad Rail. Al Mazroui added that at Etihad Rail, they believe that all accidents, injuries and work-related illnesses are preventable, with safety being a value and mind-set shared by all. “From senior management through to the frontline, each of our employees and contractors is trained and empowered to eliminate unsafe conditions and implement the necessary corrective actions to make an area or situation safe. This has resulted in a common set of principles and behaviours that ensures working safely is part of our daily business. This 10 million hours figure is a significant milestone for us, particularly considering the challenging desert conditions of the Western Region,” Al Mazroui said.
06/06/2014 (AzerNews - Azerbaijan): Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Iran railway will be put into operation this year. The remark was made Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov at a meeting with his Kazakh counterpart Nursultan Nazarbayev in Turkey. Turkmen and Kazakh presidents met as part of the Summit of the Cooperation Council of Turkic-Speaking States (CCTS), held in Turkey's Bodrum city on June 5. During the talks the Turkmen president invited his Kazakh counterpart to take part in the solemn ceremony of opening of this strategic railway, which is an essential part of the North-South transport corridor, with a global significance. The sides also noted the new railway will provide a convenient and economical transportation of goods to South Asia, to the Gulf ports, as well as in the opposite direction - to the Eastern Europe through Russia, Turkmen media reported.
Qatar committed to schedule of GCC railway network - Min.
02/06/2014 (KUNA - Kuwait): DOHA, June 2 (KUNA) -- Qatari Minister of Transport Jassem Al-Sulaiti on Monday reaffirmed his country's commitment to the schedule of the implementation of the GCC railway network, due to go operational by 2018. "The developers of this mega project in the GCC member states are working closely together to lay out the designs of project; this process is well underway and will complete this year," the minister told reporters. Al-Sulaiti made the comments on the sidelines of the IATA's 70th Annual General Meeting (AGM) and World Air Transport Summit, being hosted by Qatar Airways (QA). "Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have already made good progress, compared with other GCC countries, in the development of technical and feasibility studies and offering them to bidders," he pointed out. "The meeting of the GCC ministers of transport and communication in Bahrain two months ago was a step forward towards the implementation of the project," he recalled, noting that undersecretary of the Bahraini Ministry of Transportation will be visiting Doha on Thursday for technical talks on the project.
03/06/2014 (The New India Express - India): As the Modi government defines its foreign policy priorities, one of the issues that needs urgent attention is the finalisation of India’s investment in the development of Chabahar Port in Iran. This is particularly important because the window of opportunity available to India to have a presence in Chabahar may be closing rapidly. India and Iran had agreed to cooperate on the development of this Iranian port way back in 2003 when Iran’s president Mohammad Khatami had visited India but nothing much has been achieved in these 11 years. It appears the previous government was close to approving US $100 million investment in the development of the port but could not take the decision. The new government could pick up the threads and quickly seal the deal. The strategic importance of Chabahar Port for India cannot be overstated. Located in the Sistan-Baluchistan province of Iran on the Makram coast and just outside the Persian Gulf, Chabahar is a natural gateway for India to Afghanistan and Central Asia. In the last 10 years, the Iranians have invested considerable sums of money in the development of Chabahar city. A 600km-long highway linking Chabahar to Zahidan in the north is operational.
01/06/2014 (Fars News - Iran): TEHRAN (FNA)- Iran's Ambassador to Moscow Mahdi Sanayee and Head of the Russian State Railways Company Alexander Yakunin pledged to do their best to complete joint railroad projects, specially the one which will link the two countries via the Azerbaijan Republic. In a meeting on Friday, the two officials voiced readiness for consolidating Tehran-Moscow economic cooperation in all domains, particularly joint railway projects. “The plan for connecting the two countries through railway is practically complete now and only a few kilometers of it have remained, whose construction will not take a long period,” said the Iranian ambassador. Sanayee went on to say that there are four other joint projects between the two countries in railway transportation field, including electrifying the two countries’ railway systems. Iran-Russia trade currently totals $5bln a year, but economists say they can at least quadruple the volume of their trade exchanges.
06/06/2014 (ABC - Azerbaijan): The Asian Development Bank (ADB) informs hat it keeps in force its proposal of technical assistance for the preparation of Multi-Financing Facility (MFF) Preparing MFF Railway Investment Program. "The Bank is ready to award a $1 million grant for MFF preparation," the ADB said. CJSC Azerbaijani Railways (ADY) remains an attractive partner for ADB. Thus, in the Country Partnership Strategy (CPS), which is being prepared for Azerbaijan and will cover the period of 2018-19, cooperation in the development of the railway system in the country remains a priority. The Strategy has not been adopted, but back in 2010 the government refused from the use of Bank’s finances under the formal pretext of lack of investment project. Then ADB planned to approve the first tranche in the amount of $200 million with overall Preparing the Railways Sector Development Program MFF loan in the amount of $500 million. The Bank-drawn consultants fulfilled successfully the first stage of technical assistance by 13 April 2010. The second stage of works on technical assistance (feasibility study and preliminary designing of first tranche of MFF) was never started.
06/06/2014 (RT - Russia): Russia will team up with North and South Korea in a railroad construction project that could restore peace between the two neighbors. The link will extend the world’s longest railroad, so goods can be shipped between Europe and Korea 3x faster. Russia’s Minister for Far East Development Aleksander Galushka announced the plan to extend the Trans-Siberian Railroad at a meeting in Vladivostok on Thursday. The expansion would provide a link between the Korean peninsula and Europe’s $17 trillion economy, making Russia a major transit route between Europe and Asia. Shipping by rail is nearly 3 times faster than via the Suez Canal, Russian Railways CEO Vladimir Bakunin has said.
04/06/2014 (Global Post - USA): URUMQI, June 4 (Xinhua) -- The trial run for the first high-speed railway in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region started on Tuesday, marking a countdown to formal operations by the end of the year and a confidence boost to the region. A CRH2-061C high-speed train ran through the 300-km Urumqi-Shanshan section at speeds of 160 km to 277 km per hour. The designed speed is 250 km per hour, but the train must slow down when passing through windy areas. The train is part of the Second Double-track Line of the Lanxin Railway, which links Lanzhou City in northwestern Gansu Province and Urumqi. The 1,776-km line crosses a vast expanse of the Gobi Desert and windy areas -- a major technical feat -- and will be Xinjiang's first high-speed railway when it begins operation by the end of 2014. With the new railway, travel time between Lanzhou and Urumqi will be cut from the current 21 hours to 8 hours or less.
06/06/2014 (The Nation - Pakistan): ISLAMABAD - Ministry of Railways on Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with leading state-owned Chinese company, China Gezhouba Group Corporation (CGGC). The agreement was signed between RAILCOP, a subsidiary company of Pakistan Railways and the CGGC which is a subsidiary company of China Energy Engineering Corporation.
The MoU demanded RAILCOP to work as local partner of Chinese company in Pakistan to identify potential construction projects and relevant information. As per agreement RAILCOP would also ensure complete cooperation in provision of engineers and supporting staff under the clause of human resource cooperation. It is pertinent to mention here that presently, the CGGC company is working on 1.5 billion US dollars Neelum - Jhelum Hydro Project. Recently, the company has also submitted expression of interest for National Highways Authority’s Lahore - Karachi motorway project.


text:
In his freshman year, Max Brown wanted more than anything to be class president. But his intense shyness and fear of public speaking prevented him from winning. When he got up in front of a group he would stutter, his face would flush, he would feel faint and dizzy and he felt overly self-conscious. Not a state conducive to winning an election.
At the end of the NLP Comprehensive Practitioner Certification Training we have a Guest Day where people come in with real problems and our students work with them in a supervised context as part of the certification process.
Max chose to participate in our Guest Day to work with his fear of public speaking. It changed his life. He was guided through three NLP processes: the Phobia process, the Circle of Excellence, and some timeline work. Max went through the summer feeling like nothing had changed.
And then he thought, “Oh well.” And he went on to give a great speech without any anxiety and hasn’t had any anxiety since then. He was elected class president and credits NLP with helping him to gain the resources that helped him win. Max now routinely speaks in front of groups of people with confidence and ease.
Max is now 17 years old and a Junior at Fountain Valley High School in Colorado Springs. He has applied what he learned during the Guest Day to other areas of his life such as managing his class work and taking tests. He has also started to do peer counseling and wants to develop his leadership skills and writing ability.

industry_corpus2: Subject Education


text:
29th Workshop in 2019: "Gaining skills - sharing knowledge - building networks"
Every other year, the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture organises the International Leadership Workshop for Rural Youth. It has been taking place for over fifty years in Herrsching on Lake Ammersee in southern Germany.
The desire expressed by many European rural youth leaders in the 1950s to build up a permanent training centre for the mutual exchange of experiences and ideas came from a meeting of the representatives of the FAO (UN Food and Agriculture Organisation), UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) and WAY (World Assembly of Youth) on 22 July 1960 in Paris. There, Germany declared its willingness to establish an International Workshop for Rural Youth Work.
Leaders from all over the world were to be given many different forms of support and provided with ideas for the further development and strengthening of rural youth work.
Ever since the first event in 1962, all international seminars have been conducted at the House of Bavarian Agriculture in Herrsching (Lake Ammersee) under the patronage of the FAO. Over 1900 participants from roughly 150 countries have attended the 28 international workshops that have been held to date.
Important inspiration and concrete ideas for improving rural youth work have been implemented all over the world in the past decades.
Unique in the world, this workshop enjoys an excellent reputation in the rural youth movements of all continents.

industry_corpus2: Agriculture & Fisheries


text:
> license, for example a proprietary one?
> forms, with or without modification, are permitted".
> made a copylefted fork of X windows, but chose not to.

industry_corpus2: Others


text:
Rachio controllers can be installed outdoors by using a Rachio Weatherproof Outdoor Enclosure. Our outdoor enclosure protects your controller from the elements and keeps it safe from water damage.
Installing outdoors can be more challenging than the typical indoor installation. Need to find an irrigation professional? Click the button below to find a local Rachio Pro!
Want to preview the installation steps? Check out our video below demonstrating outdoor installation of the Rachio 3 and Generation 2 Smart Sprinkler Controllers.
Select your controller below to learn about our outdoor enclosures and how to install one outside your home. Controllers can be mounted indoors or outdoors. If outdoors, they're usually hardwired and can be a bit tricky to change out.
The Rachio 3 Controller has a custom outdoor enclosure that makes it easy to swap out an existing controller and have a clean, elegant looking outdoor controller that can be locked up and hardwired.
Outdoor outlet: If your old controller had a power adapter and plugged into an outdoor rated & covered outlet, please use the same outlet with the Rachio's power adaptor.
Simply feed the power adaptor wiring through the bottom right hole of the enclosure and leave 6-9" of slack.
Power Adaptor doesn't fit in your outdoor rated & covered outlet?
Follow the steps listed in hardwiring (below), then plug the pigtail into your outlet!
Hardwired power: If your old controller did not have a plug, you'll need to hardwire the outlet inside the Rachio enclosure.
Unscrew the two screws on the lid of the Hardwiring Bay to access the enclosure wires of the outlet.
TURN OFF POWER to your hardwire power source. Clean and straighten the wires. Attach a strain relief bushing (not included) if you have slack in the wire -or- if you're installing a pigtail. Position the bushing about an inch below the beginning of the black insulation.
Feed the power supply wires through the bottom left hole of the enclosure.
Black (or red) supply wire to the black enclosure wire. This is your power supply wire, also known as "hot".
White supply wire to the white enclosure wire. This is typically the common/neutral wire.
Wrap all wire connections with electrical tape for a secure connection.
Close Hardwiring Bay of the outdoor enclosure with the cover and two screws that came with the enclosure.
DO NOT install the cover on the base of the controller after it's mounted in the enclosure.
Rachio user Chris Vazquez did an AMAZING job installing his Rachio 3 in a Weatherproof Outdoor Enclosure!
The Rachio Smart Sprinkler Controller, Generation 2 has a custom outdoor enclosure that makes it easy to swap out an existing controller and have a clean, elegant looking outdoor controller that can be locked up and hardwired.
1) Unscrew the two screws on the lid of the Hardwiring Bay to access the enclosure wires of the outlet.
2) TURN OFF POWER to your hardwire power source. Clean and straighten the wires. Attach a strain relief bushing (not included) if you have slack in the wire -or- if you're installing a pigtail. Position the bushing about an inch below the beginning of the black insulation.
3) Feed the power supply wires through the bottom left hole of the enclosure.
5) Black (or red) supply wire to the black enclosure wire. This is your power supply wire, also known as "hot".
6) White supply wire to the white enclosure wire. This is typically the common/neutral wire.
8) Wrap all wire connections with electrical tape for a secure connection.
9) Close Hardwiring Bay of the outdoor enclosure with the cover and two screws that came with the enclosure.
The Rachio Generation 1 controller is not waterproof. If your location calls for outdoor installation, we require the use of a waterproof enclosure. You can order the Rachio recommended enclosure on Amazon.
Do NOT directly hard wire your Gen1 controller. Hardwiring the Rachio will void your warranty.
Also, it's important to make sure you have a strong Wi-Fi signal at the controller's location. If you have a smartphone handy, set it onto your home network and see how many bars you have at that outdoor location. We recommend at least 2 bars for consistent operation.
Below is a detailed step-by-step process on how to install a Rachio Generation 1 outdoors using the enclosure listed above. Please note that your installation and site conditions might be different, so this is only intended as an overview of the parts included; possible additional parts/tools may be needed as well as advice/suggestions on best practices.
Note that some additional parts/tools may be necessary for outdoor installation.
The images below show all of the parts of the outdoor enclosure. Each one is explained individually.
Bottom of Rachio enclosure. There are three openings for all of the wires to enter; zone wire(s), common wire(s), master valve/pump wire, ground wire, rain sensor wires, AC power wires and any additional wires.
Inside the Rachio enclosure. The AC Panel Cover is where the AC power wires and ground wire will be connected and where the power adapter to the unit will be plugged in. This process will be outlined more in depth later. There is also three holes for screws to mount to the wall. Additionally, there are two black fabric fasteners to Velcro the Rachio to the enclosure.
Enclosure with AC Panel Cover removed.
AC Panel Cover. You will have to remove this cover to connect the necessary wires to it and to thread the other wires to the Rachio.
Bottom part of AC Panel Cover. There are two plastic coverings that are attached with small screws. These plastic coverings are not necessary to have so it is up to you to put them on once you have wired everything. There is a Caution Warning regarding electrocution so be advised.
AC Panel Cover with the plastic covering removed.
The slots in outlet terminal will be explained later, but the wires to power the unit and the ground wire are connected to the outlet terminal, shown below.
1) Begin by removing the old controller. Be sure to take a picture of the wiring, or number the wires. You will want to make sure you know what wire goes to which terminal in your controller.
We added some PVP pipe to the left side and added an adapter that we feed through two of the holes in the enclosure. The brown housing unit on the right side has our AC power wires and ground wire enclosed.
4) Next we feed the zone wires through the left hole in the bottom of the enclosure, and feed the brown housing connector through the right hole. (Note: We removed the rubber barriers from the bottom holes that way it was easier to feed the connectors through.) One we feed the adapters through, we screwed an adapter nut to hold these adapters in place. This also completely solidified that everything was waterproof. Screw the enclosure into your wall using the three holes provided. Two are directly above the black fabric fastener, and one is centered below the black fabric fastener.
6) We then took the Velcro that comes with the enclosure and connected it to the back of the Rachio. We advise attaching the Velcro as displayed below. This will attach the unit securely.
We suggest attaching the unit to the far left side of the black fabric fastener, that way there is room to put extra wire and the power adapter cord to the right of the Rachio.
After the wires were connected we closed the brown housing unit.
There will be two black sections with four inserts each.
The green wire will be wrapped around the green screw, ground, and the screw will be tightened. The green wire may need to have some extra plastic stripped off to make sure that only the copper is wrapped around the screw. This can be a little tricky.
10) Attach the AC Panel Cover to the enclosure. (Note: We removed both plastic coverings from the back of the AC Panel Cover to allow for more room for the wires.
11) Plug in the power adapter to the outlet and attach the front panel of the Rachio to the wall mount.
From here the only remaining steps are to register your Generation 1 controller to your Rachio App.
If you'd like to source your own enclosure, the dimensions of the Generation 1 Rachio are: 7.25"H x 7.25" W x 2.075"D, not including the transformer.
Alternatively, you can also use the Orbit enclosure, available at Home Depot. Please see installation instructions for more details.

industry_corpus2: Power & Energy


text:
Thank you for the great page for the lift.
Loved Marnie's inspiration design, so I had to play along.
Thank you for the inspiration marnie333!
On behalf of Anna and everyone on Anna’s Creative Team THANK YOU for participating in the AnnaLift Inspiration Challenge inspired by "marnie333.” Such truly amazing works of AnnaART! Thank you, again, for sharing your beautiful pages with us in the Anna gallery!!
Random generator selected lucky number 14 which belonged to dady. She will receive a $5 GiftKard to Anna’s shop. dady, I will be sending you a message.
Congratulations to our winner, dady, and THANKS again to everyone for your participation in the AnnaLift!
Congrats to dady! Thanks to all for the fabulous lifts! And thanks to Christy and Anna's Creative Team for inspiring all of us! Happy New Year everyone!


text:
Alloy soft magnetic with a saturation induction of at least 1.2−1.5 T, high magnetic permeability and a rectangular hysteresis loop. Used for making cores of magnetic amplifiers, switching choke, rectifier units, elements of computing machines computing machines.
The manufacture of cores of magnetic amplifiers, switching choke, rectifier units, elements of computer technology.
We offer precision alloy 34NKMP, the price is due to the technological features of production without the inclusion of additional costs. On the company’s website shows information about latest product arrivals. You can order products in non-standard settings. We have the best ratio of price and quality for the entire range of products. In the segment of magnetic alloys company Evek GmbH — best supplier.

industry_corpus2: Computing & Telecommunications


text: Westbury offers all sorts of specialty packaging products ranging from highly intricate hand made chocolate boxes to customised insulated cooler bags. The only limit to what we can offer is your imagination. In general quantities of 2,000 pieces and more are viable for us to supply without you incurring large, and often prohibitive, setup costs.

industry_corpus2: Manufacturing


text:
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Your password is ciphered (a one-way hash) so that it is secure. However, it is recommended that you do not reuse the same password across a number of different websites. Your password is the means of accessing your account at “phantombrigade.us”, so please guard it carefully and under no circumstance will anyone affiliated with “phantombrigade.us”, phpBB or another 3rd party, legitimately ask you for your password. Should you forget your password for your account, you can use the “I forgot my password” feature provided by the phpBB software. This process will ask you to submit your user name and your e-mail, then the phpBB software will generate a new password to reclaim your account.


text:
Quality Inn in Pasadena – Book now!
Our whole crew would like to gladly welcome you to the QUALITY INN. As a member of the Choice family, this hotel is part of a network dedicated to providing you with total satisfaction with your accommodation. During your stay, make use of the laundry service. You can hire a car directly from the hotel during your stay.

industry_corpus2: Hospitality & Catering


text: With solid blue embossed rim. Delightful romantic scene either side. This china is no longer in production, but stocks remain available.


text: Never go out of style with the CL Leather from Reebok. This stylish shoe features soft garment leather uppers that provide superior all-day comfort. Another great feature is the die-cut EVA midsole that provides lightweight cushioning and support. Be sure to snap up your very own pair today and thank us later.


text:
What would it look like for you to live in twenty-first century London with the same sort of focus and power that Jesus had? God not only sent us out on a mission, but also promised to equip us to be bold and effective. This five-week series looks at what it means to be empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Jesus didn’t simply care about people’s spiritual wellbeing; he treated people as whole beings and provided for their spiritual, emotional and physical needs. Everywhere he went he restored sick people, and told his disciples to do the same. In this talk, Liam will look at the subject of healing, and consider how we can have faith to pray for God to heal sicknesses.
In the fourth week of our Empowered series, Tim looks at how the Holy Spirit leads and empowers us to be witnesses for Jesus, by first witnessing to us the truth of the gospel.
What are the characteristics that God wants to develop in our lives, and how does the Holy Spirit help us to grow in these areas? This week Andy Tilsley will look at Paul’s teaching in Galatians 5 about the fruit that the Holy Spirit wants to develop in us.
Does God communicate with people, and if so how can we hear Him? In this talk, David will look at ways in which God speaks today, and help us to learn how to hear Him better, discern what He is saying, and then be obedient to what He asks us to do.
As he sent them out, Jesus promised his disciples that they would receive power to equip them for the mission ahead. At the outset of this new sermon series, David looks at what it means to be empowered by the Spirit, and how we can live effective lives as Christians in twenty-first century London.


text:
According to the findings of a report prepared by the United States Senate Committee on Finance the manufacturer of rosiglitazone failed to warn patients or regulatory authorities of cardiovascular concerns. This publication has been reported in the British Medical Journal.
A two year investigation has reviewed over 250,000 documents submitted by GlaxoSmithKline, the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) and other organisations after the publication of a study in the New England Journal of Medicine that raised concerns that rosiglitazone increased the risk of myocardial infarction.
This investigation found that the manufacturer of rosiglitazone knew for several years prior to this study that there were possible cardiac risks associated with [rosiglitazone] Avandia®. Additionally, independent physicians were intimidated, the risks were misrepresented and positive results for competing drugs were downplayed.
Finally, this investigation is critical of the role played by the FDA. The FDA requested a cardiovascular safety trial be conducted however internal FDA documents note that two safety officials conducted an analysis of the available data at that time and concluded that any proposed head-to-head trial of rosiglitazone vs. pioglitazone would be unethical and exploitative.
Action: As previously advised, clinicians should continue to implement the existing guidelines. Glitazones (and gliptins) are considered as alternatives to metformin or sulphonylureas when these agents are contraindicated or poorly tolerated. Pioglitazone currently has fewer prescribing restrictions and may be a better choice where a glitazone is indicated.

industry_corpus2: Biopharmaceuticals


text:
More than just a piece of paper, your passport to career success.
Flexible and practical Vocational Qualifications, either online or on-campus, that teach the knowledge you need to fast-track career success.
Whether you’re learning new skills and knowledge from scratch or you’re complementing your existing skillsets and experience, our Vocational Qualifications are designed to teach you the latest theories and practical tools that will allow you to thrive in any industry. Taught by our industry-leading team of expert Facilitators, AIM’s Qualifications are designed and developed by highly experienced business people who have a wealth of knowledge to share with students. Choose a flexible study program that suits you and your schedule by studying online through our state-of-the-art portal, MyAIM, or study alongside your peers at one of our modern professional campuses.
Want to find the ideal course or qualification for your career? Download our course directory to review all of our programs.
Not sure what you’re looking for? Search our range of Vocational Qualifications by subject area or alphabetically to find the right course for your career.


text:
After an awesome holiday break with grownup 'kiddos' and their mates, it was back to putting finishing touches on site and the highlight of the week: 3rd-5th graders! My stint of Bible class on Wednesday began. It is exciting to see the Word become real in the lives of the young (which at my age refers to anyone younger than 50). We brought teens and kids all together for my lesson intro of our Bee-Attitudes series. I found an awesome object lesson to make the point of keeping the 'Spirit of Christ' in your life ( I love using every day things to pass on Biblical concepts and this is a great resource: http://www.childrensministryacademy.com. ) PLUS it AMAZES me that many times while teaching God puts things in my head to be more effective. I threw the bottle of soda to a teen and asked them to open it. Needless to say, they asked for a different bottle Which gave me the chance to share what God has just revealed to me:That a person with the "spirit of Christ" can't help but to bubble over sharing Christ's love if they are 'active' in daily walking with God. Sprite unlike water sparkles with bubbles and sweetness. Just like a disciple of Jesus is different because they have the spark of Jesus and the sweetness it creates inside. In addition, if you leave the cap off the Sprite it looses it fizz, just like someone who doesn't hold tight to the truth of God's word by prayer, daily study, and sharing the Good News.
Prayerfully, the water and soda did more than wet their 'thirst' for learning about God. I believe even the teens enjoyed having some Sprite to share! My students were excited and each wrote down 6 friends to invite for next week.
One of the Wed lesson intro times, I hope to figure a way to show 'The Butterfly Circus'. (We don't have internet @ church building) If you haven't seen it, take 20 minutes and watch: http://t.co/KRwPTJ7 I hope to contact Nick Vujicic and send him one of our 'Jesus Freak in the Circus of Life' shirts' in appreciation for this powerful short film. And as you go through the Circus of Life remember your perspective will affect God's ability to use you.
Til the next rambling springs forth.....God bless and keep you!


text:
(MCT)—We are now officially in the peak spring home buying-season. I was asked the other day for advice on what should be at the top of the list for homeowners after they move into their new home.
That was an easy question to answer. My No. 1 piece of advice for recent homebuyers is to switch from the traditional monthly mortgage payments to either weekly or bi-weekly payments.
Why? Because it’s the least painful, simplest way I know to shave approximately four years off the life of a traditional 30-year fixed rate mortgage. Here’s what you need to do.
First, contact your mortgage lender to set up automatic withdrawals from your bank account for your mortgage payments. While you could theoretically achieve the same result by mailing in your payments, the vast majority of people won’t have the discipline to stick to this alternate payment schedule if it’s not set up as an automatic withdrawal.
Next, ask your lender to establish a payment every two weeks. Take your monthly mortgage payment and divide it by two to come up with your payment amount. For example, if your mortgage payment is $1,000 a month, your payment should be $500 every two weeks. You could also establish weekly payments instead, which would be $250 a week instead of a $1,000 monthly payment.
This simple change in your payment schedule will cut approximately four years off of a traditional 30-year fixed rate mortgage. Check with your mortgage lender for an exact calculation of the reduction in years based on your individual circumstances.
Tom Reddin, former president of LendingTree, writes for the Charlotte Observer about mortgages and home ownership. A version of this column previously appeared on his blog, MortgageRates.us. He runs Red Dog Ventures, a venture capital and advisory firm for early-stage digital companies.

industry_corpus2: Real Estate & Construction


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KHOST, Afghanistan, August 13, 2014 (ENS) – Sari, a resident of Motun in the Khost province of southeast Afghanistan, wept as he described how he could do nothing but wait for his son to die.
Nearly a month ago, the boy was bitten by a stray dog as he made his way home from school. He did not tell his parents about the bite, and became increasingly weak until he was almost paralysed. By then, nothing could be done to save him.
Rabies remains a major public health concern in Afghanistan. Although the disease is present in many wild animals, most cases in humans are caused by dog bites, with packs of strays a common sight in towns and villages.
Khost residents say the officials need to do more to clamp down on the threat these dogs pose to both humans and livestock.
The director of the Khost provincial hospital, Dr. Abdul Majid Mangal, said that 1,300 people were treated there for dog bites last year. Most of the animals would not have been rabid, but people still needed to be vaccinated as a precaution, he said. This is because the only post-exposure treatment consists of multiple doses of vaccine given within a week or so. Without this, rabies is fatal, with few recorded exceptions.
However, as Fazel Rahman, the owner of Khost’s Sehat medical laboratory, explained, rabies treatment was expensive.
“If a mad dog scratches a human, it cost 40 dollars to treat it. If the wound is bigger, it costs from 200 to 300 dollars,” he said, adding that sometimes people who could not afford the vaccine only came to them when it was already too late.
“We cannot help such patients at all,” he said.
For most people, their only hope is to receive free treatment at a state hospital, although supplies of the vaccine often run low.
Dr. Hedayatullah Hamid, the director of public health in Khost, said his department had run out of serum after vaccinating 250 people bitten by dogs in the last three months alone. They had no choice but to send people to seek treatment elsewhere.
The financial consequences can be severe. Abdul Wahed, a resident of the village of Khalesi, said that he and three other family members had sought help at a state hospital after being bitten, only to be told vaccine supplies had run out. The treatment they were forced to seek at a private hospital bankrupted them.
“We spent more money than we will be able to earn in a year. We are poor people. The government must provide affected people with services. It is the government’s fault; why does it not get rid of the street dogs?” he asked.
“The only solution is for the government to monitor house dogs and euthanise street dogs,” said Badshah Zar Abdali, director of Khost’s Motun Baba Hospital, adding that on average three people a day arrived at the clinic with dog bites.
Although dogs are often considered unclean by Muslims, many people in Afghanistan keep them as guard dogs, for hunting, to protect livestock or simply as family pets. All these provide opportunities for transmission of the disease, which presents in two forms: furious rabies, which results in aggression, high fever, hallucinations and fear of water, as well as the less common paralytic rabies, which leads to muscle weakness and loss of sensation.
Symptoms of rabies usually appear within a month, although incubation can be much longer.
Locals say that wild dogs present a threat to their livestock as well.
Qasem, a vet who heads a clinic in Khost city, said that more than 50 cows bitten by stray dogs had been brought in for attention last year, as well as buffaloes, sheep, dogs and donkeys.
Local authorities insist they are trying to address the problem through vaccinating pet dogs and euthanising strays.
Municipal officials said they had destroyed 650 street dogs last year and Naqibullah, head of the veterinary department at Khost’s directorate of agriculture, said that his team had vaccinated 3,000 pet dogs last year and were planning to start another province-wide campaign. In addition, 258 pet dogs infected with rabies had been put to sleep so far this year.
However, Khost city mayor Mohammad Rasul Bawari said that these efforts had now been suspended as the municipality had already run out of the bait used to kill dogs.
Hamid, the director of public health in Khost, blamed municipality workers for spreading the poison too liberally and exhausting their supplies.
Public awareness campaigns are also needed, as many people do not take action until the disease has progressed to an untreatable stage.

industry_corpus2: Health & Medicine


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How Not to Be a Networking Leech: Tips for Seeking Professional Advice. Photo Businesspeople generally think of networking as a mutually beneficial meeting for both parties.
But that’s not usually what it is. Far more often, it is one person asking the other for a favor. I have been a management consultant, business owner and speaker for more than 12 years. Before that, I was a business executive and a trial lawyer. During the course of a year I receive numerous requests from people I do not know, asking me to network. In the course of these meetings, I have come across people who fall under the category of what I call “networking parasites.” I am not alone in this. Surely you do not want to be the kind of person who antagonizes professionals in this way. Make the meeting convenient. Recently, someone asked me to meet him for coffee, and I told him I could make “just about anything work” on a particular Friday.
Buy their coffee or meal. 10 Tips For A Powerful Elevator Speech. The Smartest Ways to Network at a Party. Some people enter a room of strangers and glide along from one lively conversation to another, uncovering golden new business contacts.
How do they do it? These people know how to read a room—a capacity that can be partly inborn, but also learned. From the barrage of sights, sounds and behavioral details, they extract clues about which people have the most to offer and which to avoid. That energetic guy with the 1,000-watt smile, booming voice, ready handshake and a fistful of other people’s business cards might seem like fun, for example.
But he’s moving too fast to connect with people in a meaningful way and is probably just trying to bag clients. “You meet somebody at a business function, and five minutes later they’re slapping you on the back and calling you by a nickname, ‘Yo, Vic!’ The cues to finding allies in a crowded room aren’t obvious. Participants in groups that are welcoming often make eye contact as a newcomer approaches, raise their brows in a welcoming way and smile. Ms. Gameconfs. CompoHub - Find game jams.
Find your people. How to Target the Right Gigs for You - Video Game Music Academy. In this post, I’ll discuss how any freelancer can define their ideal client/project – and why it’s important.
When you’re trying to establish yourself within an industry, it’s very tempting to take any opportunity that comes your way. Gaining experience can be critical to building out your early portfolio, and the bills don’t pay themselves! Having said all that, it’s important to keep a clear idea of the kinds of projects you’d like to work on and who you’d like to work with. One of the best ways to do that is by developing a customer persona or avatar to help focus your efforts. I’ve heard both terms used, but I prefer persona so we’ll use that one for sake of this post.
A customer persona is a fictional description of your ideal client, which contains details about who that person is, what their concerns and needs are, and where they spend their time. 10TipsForGameAudioGDC2015-SchoolOfVideoGameAudio.pdf. Game Industry Networking: Part 1 - How to introduce yourself — Akash Thakkar - Composer/Sound Designer. This month, we're going to start the first in our game audio networking series with a simple topic: how to introduce yourself at networking events.
Let me ask you: the last time you were at an event and someone asked "So, what do you do? " how did you respond? Did your booming voice shake this stranger to their very core, or did you stammer out a response that left your conversation partner looking at her watch? We have introduced ourselves to people thousands of times, but few among us takes the time to get any better at this crucial aspect of meeting people.
Most of us never realize that getting good results from our networking efforts is a skill, not some in-born talent. Effective Networking in the Game Industry. Ask The Headhunter: Networking for People Afraid of Being Obnoxious. Photo by Flickr user Samuel Mann.
Nick Corcodilos started headhunting in Silicon Valley in 1979, and has answered over 30,000 questions from the Ask The Headhunter community over the past decade. In this special Making Sense edition of Ask The Headhunter, Nick shares insider advice and contrarian methods about winning and keeping the right job, on one condition: that you, dear Making Sense reader, send Nick your questions about your personal challenges with job hunting, interviewing, networking, resumes, job boards, or salary negotiations. No guarantees — just a promise to do his best to offer useful advice. Question: What’s your opinion on networking the way most people seem to practice it? They ask you if you know about any jobs or if you can introduce them to somebody at Company XYZ. Nick Corcodilos: Sadly, people squander many of the good relationships they already have because they don’t stay in touch.


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TheBlueGuerilla: Van Rompuy plans £5bn EU tax grab from Britain.
With some 87% of the public now opposed to more money going to Brussels there's uproar this morning at the news that the appointed EU President Herman Van Rompuy and Co are plotting another £5.6 Billion tax grab from Britain.
Leaked documents seen by tbg. and forwarded to the Daily Express detail how the EU want to increase Britain's contribution by £800 million a year for the next seven years. Such a move would slash the rebate won by Lady Thatcher in 1984.
At present the UK gets an annual rebate of £3.2 Billion but under the leaked plans this would fall to below £2.4 Billion.
Its an issue that's almost certain to pile more pressure on David Cameron from his eurosceptic back-benchers.

industry_corpus2: Politics & Administration


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Application area :Hydraulic Industry,Aerospace, Machinery Engirneering, Defense & Military,Shipping.
YDQLU consumble are suitable for the pipelines in the range of 3-750mm, other size can be made according to clients requirment .
YDQLU series products can be applied to any material piping and any of the curved line can be used. Rubber hose，hose, steel tube，all kinds of metal tubes without connecting fittings can also remove large particles, which can be easily recovered and residual oil liquid. The selected materials must be greater than ten percent of the diameter of the pipe to be cleaned is best.
The fundemental maintenance:put the projectiles half a meter above the floor to avoid moisture. The clients should also keep the projectiles off the light and seal it hermetically to avoid the discoloration.

industry_corpus2: Petrochemicals


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True to its meaning, Umang is hope of a home beyond home for 25 of our special children entering adulthood. Launch of Umang is like a dream coming true. It is designed and built to be the future home for children with developmental disabilities ranging from cerebral palsy, mild to severe mental retardation and some with physical disabilities as well. These are the children who are orphaned and are free for adoption but there are no takers for them. So where do they go once adults?
Spread across an expanse of 61/2 acres in Vanjarwadi Karjat District, 90 minutes from Mumbai, Umang is set on an agricultural property with possibilities in various areas ranging from farming and gardening to making handicrafts and even space for a full-fledged cafeteria. Over the last many years, these children have been receiving specialized training at Bal Anand from professionals to develop skills that best suit their individual capabilities and aptitude. In doing so, we have ensured the children will be self-sufficient. To help them function as smoothly as possible, we have appointed a team of dedicated staff and made provisions for all the therapy, vocational training and medical care they may need. The children are already receiving occupational and physiotherapy which will continue for as long as it is required.
We acquired property in 2006 and have an advisory team voluntarily come forward to make the dream of Umang a reality. We hope the children turned adult will move to their new home by 2010.
To make Umang, a reality we have had support of some of the following people, without whom Umang would not have been possible.
Mr. Arvind Prabhoo is an active advocate for the cause of challenged individuals. He’s a great help for project Umang.
Mr. Krishna Hedge is our financial advisor. He’s been actively working for almost 2 years now in the development of Umang.
Mr. Harshad Mehta has for over 30 years been a legal consultant. He is advising Bal Anand in adoption matters and now he’s also helping us with Umang.
Mr. Rajiv Prakash, a thorough management professional, has been advising on the project structure including plans and proposals.
Ms. Anuradha Jatar is the headmistress of Sulabha School, school to some of Bal Anand’s special children.
Ms Jatar has been advising on the occupational and therapeutic care facilities required for the Umang children.
Dr. Swapnil Keny has extensive experience in the field of medicine in India and abroad. His contribution to Umang is vital.
Mr. Viswas Gupta and Ms. Smita Gupta are our architects and landscape designers.
Mr. Sandesh Bendre is our interior designer leading a great team that is working hard to make the interiors look beautiful.
Mr. Siddarth Kalro joined our team recently and is helping us with developing communications material.


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It’s now 3 months since Hugh joined us as the CEO of Greening Australia Capital Region. Here he reflects on his time on the team so far.
Hello, my name is Hugh Wareham and I am delighted to have joined Greening Australia Capital Region as the new CEO. I come with a passion for working in the environment sector and over twenty-five years’ experience in Australia and the UK. I have worked in a mix of government and non-government roles and recent positions have included Deputy to the Victorian Commissioner for Environmental Sustainability and CEO of not for profit organisations ECO-Buy and Beyond Zero Emissions. I am very excited to now be in a role with Greening Australia that makes a real and direct impact in a practical way while working with such a dedicated team of staff and volunteers.
During my first week here I had the privilege of meeting the Governor General, Sir Peter Cosgrove and I have subsequently met a huge range of people; volunteers, Government Ministers, partners and landholders to name a few. Through all these groups there has been overwhelmingly positive feedback on the work and achievements of this organisation.
Since I started at the end of May we have had successful community planting days including those for World Environment Day, National Tree Planting Day and the recent planting at Molonglo Gorge. Other highlights have been the launch of our bushtucker garden and a great story on ABC 730 about our seed production partnership with CSIRO and the Australian National Botanic Gardens.
More recently, the opening of our Bush Tucker Garden by the Attorney General and Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Island Affairs was another highlight as it brought together volunteers and partner organisations to celebrate an important milestone in a really rewarding project.
We have also had news that we have been successful in gaining funding for a number of new and innovative projects. These build on our work around habitat restoration and protecting and enhancing threatened species. This is very exciting, with the opportunities that it creates to transform our landscapes and to protect biodiversity.
It has been a fantastic three months and I look forward to working with all of you over many more!


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c. Smolyan. Municipality Smolyan. State Smolyan.
Inside the cottage it’s really nice and comfortable. There is a small bathroom and a kitchen. There are three double beds and another huge room with a fireplace, a big table, many chairs, a TV and a stereo system. There you can celebrate many different holidays anytime of the year. That brings you comfort four seasons a year. There is an amazing panoramic view of the surrounding mountain. Rent: 50 lv.
Villa for relax "Skalata" is siturated 5 km far away from the city of Smolyan. It offers cosiness, Rodop food, combined with songs and bagpipes. There are two bedrooms. There is also a sauna. You will be fully relaxed among the clear air and the beautiful nature.

industry_corpus2: Travel & Geography


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Celebrate love and life with the Yves Saint Laurent Heritage Collection Yvresse Eau de Toilette 80 ml, a cocktail of sparkling notes first launched in 1993.
The fruity, floral and chypre harmonies of this joyful essence are as fizzy as a glass of champagne. Fun yet elegant with a twist of YSL style, it is a scent for women who live life to the fullest. With Yvresse, Yves Saint Laurent created a scent dedicated to his love for feminine women; those who make every moment pleasurable.
A luxurious fruity opening awakens the taste-buds and the senses. The middle notes come from the flowery and heady notes of Rose Otto, and the dry down embraces the skin with its deeply woody notes of vetiver and patchouli.
Yves Saint Laurent Heritage Collection Yvresse Eau de Toilette Spray 80ml is rated 5.0 out of 5 by 9.
Rated 5 out of 5 by Janny1 from Lovely feminine fragrance I had this perfume back when it was called champagne and remember a taxi driver asking me for the name of it as he liked it so much. Have read reviews that since name and bottle shape changed its not the same. The fragrance smells as I remember it, but it doesn't seem to last the way it used to, could be that's just me, I am quite a bit older now, I find this with most perfumes. Still a lovely smell and a really good price from this site.
Rated 5 out of 5 by JusY22 from Absolutely gorgeous perfume I was so pleased to find Yvresse back on sale, as seemed to have disappeared for last few years. I first bought it when it went by the name of 'Champagne' and it has been my favourite perfume ever since. I get so many compliments about it. It is absolutely divine smelling. The discount offered by Escentual was extremely pleasing, and the delivery time was excellent. Overall, a very pleasant shopping experience with Escentual, and means of course, I will buy from them again!
Rated 5 out of 5 by Anonymous from Yvress This is the most beautiful perfume I have ever had. It used to be called Champagne. No matter where I go I am always asked the name of the perfume as others think it is beautiful too.


text: Our second vintage of 100% Farmhouse Vineyards Mourvèdre, fermented on native yeasts and 15 months in neutral French oak. Redolent of dark cherries, forest floor cinnamon. Elegant and juicy with notes of herbs de Provence. 12 bottles produced.


text: June 20-21. Ages 5-7. 9:00 a.m.- 11:00 a.m. Wildlife is very active at this time of year! Let s welcome the summer solstice by exploring the lives of our winged friends. Advanced registration is required.


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520 persons arbitrarily detained in Homs Central Prison began a hunger strike on Tuesday, 17 October 2017 demanding their immediate release after spending several years in arbitrary detention. These demands were renewed in the aftermath of direct threats from the “new administration” of the prison, represented by brigadier Bilal Suleiman Mahmoud. These threats began with cutting of the water and electrical supplies for several hours during a failed attempt to storm the prison. The prisoners are in control of two buildings in the prison, in protest of possible referral of several of them to exceptional courts and security branches.
The situation of Homs Central Prison came to the forefront after a visit to the prison by a delegation from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on the 16th of October 2017 to review the health situation of prisoners, the quality of food provided, and other relates issues. However, the prison administration monitored the interviews by insisting on the attendance of the prison police members during the interviews. This prevented prisoners from fully presenting their demands to the ICRC, especially the demands of 492 individuals imprisoned as a result of the conflict in Syria, who have spent several years in detention (most of the earlier detainees were referred to security branches in 2011 and 2012). According to reliable sources based inside the prison, there are (28) detainees in danger of being referred to military field courts, in addition to (462) detainees who were referred to the “Terrorism Court” which lacks international standards towards the conduct of fair trials. In addition, (30) detainees are being held for different criminal reasons.
The prison’s director continues his threats to storm the buildings where prisoners are held, broadcasting them through the prison’s intercom system. Detainees reported that the prison director also threatened to burn them with their families.
The undersigned organizations demand that the Syrian government immediately accept the demands of hunger strikers, particularly those related to their right to not be subjected to ill-treatment, or prolonged arbitrary detention any longer. The signatories also demand that Syrian authorities refrain from referring prisoners to military field courts or other courts, such as “the Terrorism Court,” and to stop all arbitrary executions.

industry_corpus2: Law & Justice


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More than 16,000 people were killed in the Nepal conflict 1996-2006. Nearly 2,000 people were disappeared, tens of thousands were wounded and hundreds of thousands of Nepalis were displaced. As in most modern wars, it was the civilians who suffered the most.
In February 2006, when Kunda Dixit and collaborators began working on the project A People War, Nepal's future looked bleak. The war was killing an average of 40 Nepalis a week, an uncompromising autocrat-king was in power in Kathmandu, and it looked as though the country would sink into full-scale civil war. Journalists were satisfied with counting bodies, with being the chroniclers of carnage.
This project recognizes the importance of covering not a conflict, but the people caught up in it. In response to a public call for photographs, a small but representative sample of photographs were collected. They became the basis for A People War, a traveling photo exhibition and tour, which visited 32 venues across Nepal over three months in 2007-8. Some 350,000 people came to see the photographs and filled guest books with comments, testimonies, poems and their own experiences. It was as if Nepalis had been made one in their grieving memory. In every corner of Nepal, the message was the same: "Never again." This project honors the overwhelming desire of the Nepali people for peace and justice. Each photograph functions as a visual metaphor of this country and its future.
Nepal's conflict may be just taking a break, we may see a return to war. There may be untold misery ahead, there may be much more of the kind of horrific sights we see in this project. Or, perhaps we are really on our way to resolving not just this war, but future crises by addressing the social injustices that make people take up the gun. We hope that the interactive visual archive we are developing will further help the cause of non-violence. Let's close this cruel chapter in our history and open a new one that will bring peace, prosperity and justice to all Nepalis, and greater understanding of the conflict to international communities.
A documentary by Prem BK and Kesang Tseten that profiles the civilian victims of Nepal's Maoist conflict and A People War.

industry_corpus2: Film & Entertainment


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How exciting is it to feel like you have renewed sense of self? In reality, the days just go on, however in our minds, there is definitely some kind of reset button that gets pushed.
Am I right? I know that with the new year, it feels as if we have shed an old skin, and put on some new shoes that make us feel 10 feet tall and walk around with our head held high. A rebirth. And I love sitting down for a couple of days to take a look at the past year, count my blessings, note my mistakes, and write down what I want for the next year.
It seems like this year is more of a interior shift kind of a list rather than a check it off and feel accomplished type.
However, it is important to acknowledge all the good things 2017 has brought me and I will take into the new year! I've got a few things up my sleeve for 2018 and can't wait to share them, but for now let's take a look at how wonderful 2017 was!


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After this Court decided, in Shaw v. Hunt, 517 U. S. 899 , that North Carolina's Twelfth Congressional District was the product of unconstitutional racial gerrymandering, the State enacted a new districting plan in 1997. Believing that the new District 12 was also unconstitutional, appellees filed suit against several state officials to enjoin elections under the new plan. Before discovery and without an evidentiary hearing, the three-judge District Court granted appellees summary judgment and entered the injunction. From "uncontroverted material facts," the court concluded that the General Assembly in drawing District 12 had violated the Fourteenth Amendment's Equal Protection Clause.
Held: Because the General Assembly's motivation was in dispute, this case was not suitable for summary disposition. Laws classifying citizens based on race are constitutionally suspect and must be strictly scrutinized. A facially neutral law warrants such scrutiny if it can be proved that the law was motivated by a racial purpose or object, Miller v. Johnson, 515 U. S. 900, 913 , or is unexplainable on grounds other than race, Shaw v. Reno, 509 U. S. 630, 644 . Assessing a jurisdiction's motivation in drawing district lines is a complex endeavor requiring a court to inquire into all available circumstantial and direct evidence. Arlington Heights v. Metropolitan Housing Development Corp., 429 U. S. 252, 266 . Appellees here sought to prove their claim through circumstantial evidence. Viewed in toto, that evidence-- e.g., maps showing the district's size, shape, and alleged lack of continuity; and statistical and demographic evidence--tends to support an inference that the State drew district lines with an impermissible racial motive. Summary judgment, however, is appropriate only where there is no genuine issue of material fact and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. The legislature's motivation is a factual question, and was in dispute. Appellants asserted that the legislature intended to make a strong Democratic district. They supported that contention with affidavits of two state legislators and, more important, of an expert who testified that the relevant data supported a political explanation at least as well as, and somewhat better than, a racial explanation for the district's lines. Accepting the political explanation as true, as the District Court was required to do in ruling on appellees' summary judgment motion, appellees were not entitled to judgment as a matter of law for a jurisdiction may engage in constitutional political gerrymandering, even if it so happens that the most loyal Democrats happen to be black Democrats and even if those responsible for drawing the district are conscious of that fact. See Bush v. Vera, 517 U. S. 952, 968 . In concluding that the State enacted its districting plan with an impermissible racial motivation, the District Court either credited appellees' asserted inferences over appellants' or did not give appellants the inference they were due. In any event, it was error to resolve the disputed fact of intent at the summary judgment stage. Summary judgment in a plaintiff's favor in a racial gerrymandering case may be awarded even where the claim is sought to be proved by circumstantial evidence. But it is inappropriate when the evidence is susceptible of different interpretations or inferences by the trier of fact. Pp. 4-13.
Thomas, J., delivered the opinion of the Court, in which Rehnquist, C. J., and O'Connor, Scalia, and Kennedy, JJ., joined. Stevens, J., filed an opinion concurring in the judgment, in which Souter, Ginsburg, and Breyer, JJ., joined.
JAMES B. HUNT, J r ., GOVERNOR OF NORTH CAROLINA, et al. , APPELLANTS v.
In this appeal, we must decide whether appellees were entitled to summary judgment on their claim that North Carolina's Twelfth Congressional District, as established by the State's 1997 congressional redistricting plan, constituted an unconstitutional racial gerrymander in violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.
This is the third time in six years that litigation over North Carolina's Twelfth Congressional District has come before this Court. The first time around, we held that plaintiffs whose complaint alleged that the State had deliberately segregated voters into districts on the basis of race without compelling justification stated a claim for relief under the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Shaw v. Reno , 509 U. S. 630, 658 (1993) (Shaw I) . After remand, we affirmed the District Court's finding that North Carolina's District 12 classified voters by race and further held that the State's reapportionment scheme was not narrowly tailored to serve a compelling interest. Shaw v. Hunt , 517 U. S. 899 (1996) (Shaw II) .
"The second majority-black district, District 12, is ... unusually shaped. It is approximately 160 miles long and, for much of its length, no wider than the [Interstate]-85 corridor. It winds in snakelike fashion through tobacco country, financial centers, and manufacturing areas `until it gobbles in enough enclaves of black neighborhoods.' Northbound and southbound drivers on [Interstate]-85 sometimes find themselves in separate districts in one county, only to `trade' districts when they enter the next county. Of the 10 counties through which District 12 passes, 5 are cut into 3 different districts; even towns are divided. At one point the district remains contiguous only because it intersects at a single point with two other districts before crossing over them." 509 U. S., at 635 -636 (citations omitted).
The State's 1997 plan altered District 12 in several respects. By any measure, blacks no longer constitute a majority of District 12: blacks now account for approximately 47% of the district's total population, 43% of its voting age population, and 46% of registered voters. App. to Juris. Statement 67a, 99a. The new District 12 splits 6 counties as opposed to 10; beginning with Guilford County, the district runs in a southwestern direction through parts of Forsyth, Davidson, Rowan, Iredell, and Mecklenburg Counties, picking up concentrations of urban populations in Greensboro and High Point (both in Guilford), Winston-Salem (Forsyth), and Charlotte (Mecklenburg). (The old District 12 went through the same six counties but also included portions of Durham, Orange, and Alamance Counties east of Guilford, and parts of Gaston County west of Mecklenburg.) With these changes, the district retains only 41.6% of its previous area, id ., at 153a, and the distance between its farthest points has been reduced to approximately 95 miles, id. , at 105a. But while District 12 is wider and shorter than it was before, it retains its basic "snakelike" shape and continues to track Interstate-85. See generally Appendix, infra .
Districting legislation ordinarily, if not always, classifies tracts of land, precincts, or census blocks, and is race-neutral on its face. North Carolina's 1997 plan was not atypical; appellees, therefore, were required to prove that District 12 was drawn with an impermissible racial motive--in this context, strict scrutiny applies if race was the "predominant factor" motivating the legislature's districting decision. To carry their burden, appellees were obliged to show--using direct or circumstantial evidence, or a combination of both, see Shaw II , 517 U. S., at 905 ; Miller , 515 U. S., at 916 --that "the legislature subordinated traditional race-neutral districting principles, including but not limited to compactness, contiguity, and respect for political subdivisions or communities defined by actual shared interests, to racial considerations," ibid.
Appellees offered only circumstantial evidence in support of their claim. Their evidence included maps of District 12, showing its size, shape, 3 and alleged lack of continuity. See Appendix, infra . They also submitted evidence of the district's low scores with respect to traditional measures of compactness and expert affidavit testimony explaining that this statistical evidence proved the State had ignored traditional districting criteria in crafting the new Twelfth District. See App. 221-251. Appellees further claimed that the State had disrespected political subdivisions and communities of interest. In support, they pointed out that under the 1997 plan, District 12 was the only one statewide to contain no undivided county and offered figures showing that District 12 gathered almost 75% of its population from Mecklenburg County, at the southern tip of the district, and from Forsyth and Guilford Counties at the northernmost part of the district. Id. , at 176, 208-209.
Appellees also presented statistical and demographic evidence with respect to the precincts that were included within District 12 and those that were placed in neighboring districts. For the six subdivided counties included within District 12, the proportion of black residents was higher in the portion of the county within District 12 than the portion of the county in a neighboring district. 4 Other maps and supporting data submitted by appellees compared the demographics of several so-called "boundary segments." 5 This evidence tended to show that, in several instances, the State had excluded precincts that had a lower percentage of black population but were as Democratic (in terms of registered voters) as the precinct inside District 12. Id. , at 253-290; 3 Record, Doc. No. 61.
Viewed in toto , appellees' evidence tends to support an inference that the State drew its district lines with an impermissible racial motive--even though they presented no direct evidence of intent. Summary judgment, however, is appropriate only where there is no genuine issue of material fact and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. See Celotex Corp. v. Catrett , 477 U. S. 317 (1986); Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc. , 477 U. S. 242 (1986). To be sure, appellants did not contest the evidence of District 12's shape (which hardly could be contested), nor did they claim that appellees' statistical and demographic evidence, most if not all of which appears to have been obtained from the State's own data banks, was untrue.
The District Court nevertheless was only partially correct in stating that the material facts before it were uncontroverted. The legislature's motivation is itself a factual question. See Shaw II , supra , at 905; Miller , supra , at 910. Appellants asserted that the General Assembly drew its district lines with the intent to make District 12 a strong Democratic district. In support, they presented the after-the-fact affidavit testimony of the two members of the General Assembly responsible for developing the State's 1997 plan. See App. to Juris. Statement 69a-84a. Those legislators further stated that, in crafting their districting law, they attempted to protect incumbents, to adhere to traditional districting criteria, and to preserve the existing partisan balance in the State's congressional delegation, which in 1997 was composed of six Republicans and six Democrats. Ibid.
More important, we think, was the affidavit of an expert, Dr. David W. Peterson. Id., at 85a-100a. He reviewed racial demographics, party registration, and election result data (the number of people voting for Democratic candidates) gleaned from the State's 1998 Court of Appeals election, 1998 Lieutenant Governor election, and 1990 United States Senate election for the precincts included within District 12 and those surrounding it. Unlike appellees' evidence, which highlighted select boundary segments, appellants' expert examined the district's entire border--all 234 boundary segments. See id ., at 92a. He recognized "a strong correlation between racial composition and party preference" so that "in precincts with high black representation, there is a correspondingly high tendency for voters to favor the Democratic Party" but that "[i]n precincts with low black representation, there is much more variation in party preference, and the fraction of registered voters favoring Democrats is substantially lower." Id. , at 91a. Because of this significant correlation, the data tended to support both a political and racial hypothesis. Therefore, Peterson focused on "divergent boundary segments," those where blacks were greater inside District 12 but Democrats were greater outside and those where blacks were greater outside the district but Democrats were greater inside. He concluded that the State included the more heavily Democratic precinct much more often than the more heavily black precinct, and therefore, that the data as a whole supported a political explanation at least as well as, and somewhat better than, a racial explanation. Id. , at 98a; see also id ., at 87a ("[T]here is at least one other explanation that fits the data as well as or better than race, and that explanation is political identification").
Accepting appellants' political motivation explanation as true, as the District Court was required to do in ruling on appellees' motion for summary judgment, see Anderson , 477 U. S., at 255 , appellees were not entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Our prior decisions have made clear that a jurisdiction may engage in constitutional political gerrymandering, even if it so happens that the most loyal Democrats happen to be black Democrats and even if the State were conscious of that fact. See Bush v. Vera , 517 U. S. 952, 968 (1996); id. , at 1001 ( Thomas, J ., concurring in judgment); Shaw II , 517 U. S., at 905 ; Miller , 515 U. S., at 916 ; Shaw I , 509 U. S., at 646 . 7 Evidence that blacks constitute even a supermajority in one congressional district while amounting to less than a plurality in a neighboring district will not, by itself, suffice to prove that a jurisdiction was motivated by race in drawing its district lines when the evidence also shows a high correlation between race and party preference.
Outright admissions of impermissible racial motivation are infrequent and plaintiffs often must rely upon other evidence. Summary judgment in favor of the party with the burden of persuasion, however, is inappropriate when the evidence is susceptible of different interpretations or inferences by the trier of fact. 9 That is not to say that summary judgment in a plaintiff's favor will never be appropriate in a racial gerrymandering case sought to be proved exclusively by circumstantial evidence. We can imagine an instance where the uncontroverted evidence and the reasonable inferences to be drawn in the nonmoving party's favor would not be "significantly probative" so as to create a genuine issue of fact for trial. Id. , at 249-250. But this is not that case. And even if the question whether appellants had created a material dispute of fact was a close one, we think that "the sensitive nature of redistricting and the presumption of good faith that must be accorded legislative enactments," Miller , 515 U. S., at 916 , would tip the balance in favor of the District Court making findings of fact. See also id. , at 916-917 ("[C]ourts must also recognize ... the intrusive potential of judicial intervention into the legislative realm, when assessing ... the adequacy of a plaintiff's showing at the various stages of litigation and determining whether to permit discovery or trial to proceed").
In reaching our decision, we are fully aware that the District Court is more familiar with the evidence than this Court, and is likewise better suited to assess the General Assembly's motivations. Perhaps, after trial, the evidence will support a finding that race was the State's predominant motive, but we express no position as to that question. We decide only that this case was not suited for summary disposition. The judgment of the District Court is reversed.
Justice Stevens , with whom Justice Souter, Justice Ginsburg and Justice Breyer join, concurring in the judgment.
The disputed issue of fact in this case is whether political considerations or racial considerations provide the "primary" explanation for the seemingly irregular configuration of North Carolina's Twelfth Congressional District. The Court concludes that evidence submitted to the District Court on behalf of the State made it inappropriate for that Court to grant appellees' motion for summary judgment. I agree with that conclusion, but write separately to emphasize the importance of two undisputed matters of fact that are firmly established by the historical record and confirmed by the record in this case.
Second, as the Presidential campaigns conducted by Strom Thurmond in 1948 and by George Wallace in 1968, and the Senate campaigns conducted more recently by Jesse Helms, have demonstrated, a great many registered Democrats in the South do not always vote for Democratic candidates in federal elections. The Congressional Quarterly recently recorded the fact that in North Carolina "Democratic voter registration edges ... no longer translat[e] into success in statewide or national races. In recent years, conservative white Democrats have gravitated toward Republican candidates." See Congressional Quarterly Inc., Congressional Districts in the 1990s, p. 549 (1993). 2 This voting pattern has proven to be particularly pronounced in voting districts that contain more than about one-third African-American residents. See Pildes, The Politics of Race, 108 Harv. L. Rev. 1359, 1382-1386 (1995). There was no need for expert testimony to establish the proposition that "in North Carolina, party registration and party preference do not always correspond." Ante, at 9.
Indeed, for me the most remarkable feature of the District Court's erroneous decision is that it relied entirely on data concerning the location of registered Democrats and ignored the more probative evidence of how the people who live near the borders of District 12 actually voted in recent elections. That evidence not only undermines and rebuts the inferences the District Court drew from the party registration data, but also provides strong affirmative evidence that is thoroughly consistent with the sworn testimony of the two members of the state legislature who were most active in drawing the boundaries of District 12. The affidavits of those members, stating that district lines were drawn according to election results, not voter registration, are uncontradicted. 3 And almost all of the majority-Democrat registered precincts that the state legislature excluded from District 12 in favor of precincts with higher black populations produced significantly less dependable Democratic results and actually voted for one or more Republicans in recent elections.
The record supports the conclusion that the most loyal Democrats living near the borders of District 12 "happen to be black Democrats," see ante, at 10, and I have no doubt that the legislature was conscious of that fact when it enacted this apportionment plan. But everyone agrees that that fact is not sufficient to invalidate the district. Cf. ibid. That fact would not even be enough, under this Court's decisions, to invalidate a governmental action, that, unlike the action at issue here, actually has an adverse impact on a particular racial group. See, e.g., Personnel Administrator of Mass. v. Feeney , 442 U. S. 256, 279 (1979) (holding that the Equal Protection Clause is implicated only when "a state legislatur[e] selected or reaffirmed a particular course of action at least in part `because of,' not merely `in spite of,' its adverse effects upon an identifiable group"); Washington v. Davis, 426 U. S. 229 (1976); Hernandez v. New York, 500 U. S. 352, 375 (1991) ( O'Connor, J. , concurring in judgment) ("No matter how closely tied or significantly correlated to race the explanation for [a governmental action] may be, the [action] does not implicate the Equal Protection Clause unless it is based on race").
Accordingly, appellees' evidence may include nothing more than (i) a bizarre shape, which is equally consistent with either political or racial motivation, (ii) registration data, which are virtually irrelevant when actual voting results were available and which point in a different direction, and (iii) knowledge of the racial composition of the district. Because we do not have before us the question whether the District Court erred in denying the State's motion for summary judgment, I need not decide whether that circumstantial evidence even raises an inference of improper motive. It is sufficient at this stage of the proceedings to join in the Court's judgment of reversal, which I do.
In response to the District Court's decision and order, the State enacted yet another districting plan, 1998 N. C. Sess. Laws, ch. 2 (codified at N. C. Gen. Stat. §163-201(a) (Supp. 1998)), which revised Districts 5, 6, 9, 10, and 12. Under the State's 1998 plan, no part of Guilford County is located within District 12 and all of Rowan County falls within the district's borders. The 1998 plan also modified District 12's boundaries in Forsyth, Davidson, and Iredell Counties. See ibid .; see also Cromartie v. Hunt , No. 4:96-CV-104-BO(3) (EDNC, June 22, 1998), App. to Juris. Statement 178a-179a. The State's 1998 congressional elections were conducted pursuant to the 1998 plan with the District Court's approval. Brief for Appellees 6, n. 13; App. to Juris. Statement 179a. Because the State's 1998 law provides that the State will revert to the 1997 districting plan upon a favorable decision of this Court, see 1998 N. C. Sess. Laws, ch. 2, §1.1, this case is not moot, see City of Mesquite v. Aladdin's Castle, Inc. , 455 U. S. 283, 288-289 , and n. 11 (1982); Zablocki v. Redhail , 434 U. S. 374, 382 , n. 9 (1978); Bullock v. Carter , 405 U. S. 134, 141-142 , n. 17 (1972).
Cf. Reno v. Bossier Parish School Bd. , 520 U. S. 471, 488 (1997) (holding that, in cases brought under §5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the Arlington Heights framework should guide a court's inquiry into whether a jurisdiction had a discriminatory purpose in enacting a voting change); Rogers v. Lodge , 458 U. S. 613, 618 (1982) (same framework is to be used in evaluating vote dilution claims brought under the Equal Protection Clause).
Justice Stevens asserts that proof of a district's "bizarre configuration" gives rise equally to an inference that its architects were motivated by politics or race. Post , at 1-2. We do not necessarily quarrel with the proposition that a district's unusual shape can give rise to an inference of political motivation. But we doubt that a bizarre shape equally supports a political inference and a racial one. Some districts, we have said, are "so highly irregular that [they] rationally cannot be understood as anything other than an effort to `segregat[e] ... voters' on the basis of race." Shaw I , 509 U. S. 630, 646-647 (1993) (quoting Gomillion v. Lightfoot , 364 U. S. 339, 341 (1960)).
In the portion of Guilford County in District 12, black residents constituted 51.5% of the population, while in the District 6 portion, only 10.2% of the population was black. App. 179. Appellees' evidence as to the other counties showed: Forsyth District 12 was 72.9% black while Forsyth District 5 was 11.1% black; Davidson District 12 was 14.8% black while Davidson District 6 was 4.1% black; Rowan District 12 was 35.6% black and Rowan District 6 was 7.7% black; Iredell District 12 was 24.3% black while Iredell District 10 was 10.1% black; Mecklenburg District 12 was 51.9% black but Mecklenburg District 9 was only 7.2% black. Id ., at 179-181.
Boundary segments, we are told, are those sections along the district's perimeter that separate outside precincts from inside precincts. In other words, the boundary segment is the district borderline itself; for each segment, the relevant comparison is between the inside precinct that touches the segment and the corresponding outside precinct. See App. to Juris. Statement 92a; Brief for United States as Amicus Curiae 20, n. 7.
In addition to the evidence that appellants presented to the District Court, they have submitted with their reply brief maps showing that in almost all of the majority-Democrat registered precincts surrounding those portions of District 12 in Guilford, Forsyth, and Mecklenburg Counties, Republican candidates were elected in at least one of the three elections considered by the state defendants' expert. Reply Brief for State Appellants 4-8; App. to Reply Brief for State Appellants 1a-10a. Appellants apparently did not put this additional evidence before the District Court prior to the court's decision on the competing motions for summary judgment. They claim excuse in that appellees filed their maps showing partisan registration at the "eleventh hour." Brief for State Appellants 10, n. 13. We are not sure why appellants believe the timing of appellees' filing to be an excuse. The District Court set an advance deadline for filings in support of the competing motions for summary judgment, so appellants could not have been caught by surprise. And given that appellants not only had to respond to appellees' evidence, but also had their own motion for summary judgment to support, one would think that the District Court would not have needed to afford them "an adequate opportunity to respond." Ibid .
This Court has recognized, however, that political gerrymandering claims are justiciable under the Equal Protection Clause although we were not in agreement as to the standards that would govern such a claim. See Davis v. Bandemer , 478 U. S. 109, 127 (1986).
We note that Bush , Shaw II , and Miller each came to us on a developed record and after the respective District Courts had made findings of fact. Bush v. Vera, 517 U. S. 952, 959 (1996); Vera v. Richards , 861 F. Supp. 1304, 1311-1331, 1336-1344 (SD Tex. 1994); Shaw II , 517 U. S. 899, 903 (1996); Shaw v. Hunt , 861 F. Supp. 408, 456-473 (EDNC 1994); Miller v. Johnson, 515 U. S. 900, 910 (1995); Johnson v. Miller , 864 F. Supp. 1354, 1360-1369 (SD Ga. 1994).
Just as summary judgment is rarely granted in a plaintiff's favor in cases where the issue is a defendant's racial motivation, such as disparate treatment suits under Title VII or racial discrimination claims under 42 U. S. C. §1981, the same holds true for racial gerrymandering claims of the sort brought here. See generally 10B C. Wright, A. Miller, & M. Kane, Federal Practice and Procedure §§2730, 2732.2 (1998).
I include the last phrase because the Court has held that a state legislature may make race-based districting decisions so long as those decisions do not subordinate (to some uncertain degree) "traditional districting principles." See Shaw v. Hunt, 517 U. S. 899, 907 (1996); Miller v. Johnson , 515 U. S. 900, 916 (1995) (holding that racial considerations are subject to strict scrutiny when they subordinate "traditional race-neutral districting principles"); id., at 928 ( O ' Connor , J., concurring) ("To invoke strict scrutiny, a plaintiff must show that the State has relied on race in substantial disregard of customary and traditional districting practices"). In this regard, I note that neither the Court's opinion nor the District Court's opinion analyzes the question whether the "traditional districting principle" of joining communities of interest is subordinated in the present Twelfth District. A district may lack compactness or contiguity--due, for example, to geographic or demographic reasons--yet still serve the traditional districting goal of joining communities of interest.
The Congressional Quarterly's publication, which is largely seen as the authoritative source regarding the political and demographic makeup of the congressional districts resulting from each decennial census, is even more revealing when one examines its district-by-district analysis of North Carolina's partisan voting patterns. With regard to the original First District, which was just over 50 percent black, the book remarks: "The white voters of the 1st claim the Democratic roots of their forefathers, but often support GOP candidates at the state and national level. A fair number are `Jessecrats,' conservative Democratic supporters of GOP Sen. Jesse Helms." Congressional Quarterly, at 550. The book shows that while the Second and Third Districts have "significant Democratic voter registration edges," Republican candidates actually won substantial victories in four of five recent elections. See id., at 549, 552-553. Statistics also demonstrate that a majority of voters in the Eleventh District consistently vote for Republicans "despite a wide Democratic registration advantage." Id., at 565. Although the book exhaustively analyzes the statistical demographics of each congressional district, listing even the number of cable television subscribers in each district, it does not provide voter registration statistics.
See App. to Juris. Statement 73a (affidavit of Sen. Roy A. Cooper, III, Chairman of Senate Redistricting Committee); id., at 81a-82a (affidavit of Rep. W. Edwin McMahan, Chairman of House Redistricting Committee).


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SPIDriver is an interested SPI debugging / programming tool that connect to your PC’s USB port to control SPI devices, such as LCD Displays or LED strips, while showing the SPI signals and voltage/current levels on a color display. The tool can also be used as an SPI flash programmer.
The board works with an open source program available in Windows, Linux, and Mac OS using either a GUI or a command line. It’s also possible to program the device using C/C++ or Python.
The project has launched on CrowdSupply aiming to raise at least $2,700. Rewards start at $27 for SPIDriver Core with hookup jumper, but two kits are also offered namely SPIDriver Expert ($57) with extra Arduino-style SPI adapter, 160×128 SPI LCD display, and an in-circuit flash programming clip, as well as SPIDriver Gold ($67) based on Expert rewards but with a custom 8-character USB Serial ID. Shipping is free to the US, $12 to the rest of the world, and you can expect to received your perk by the end of August.
Thanks, but I’ll continue using my Bus Pirate.
The Display of this thing is much too small, to be useful for anything, and why do I need a dedicated LCD, when I already have a PC?
I’ll stick with my Bus Pirate too, thanks. It’s only 15 cents more and does about 5x more stuff. Or, if I need to bus-master at speed, I’ll use my Orange Pi Zero and command-line utilities, saving $10 or more and SCKing at tens of MHz.
It’s a simple equation: USB-to-serial chip + AVR = just another toy.
500kbps? for SPI? It is a way slower than the most SPI devices.
I have to agree, the SPI in my system is running at 20Mhz.


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Glad you found another one. I like the older stuff myself.
Welcome to the forum Dextar.