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This is a Celebrity Edge cruise ship review that was sailed in November 2018.
It wasn’t that long ago when all the new cruise ships being introduced were pretty much the same as the ships before them. But as the industry continues to grow exponentially, cruise lines are doing everything in their power to attract passengers – whether they are new to cruising, or simply new to the line itself.
This week, Celebrity Cruises raised the bar by introducing Celebrity Edge: a ship combining groundbreaking technology, old-fashioned showmanship, and even game-changing staterooms to create a completely unique cruising experience.
People love to say things like “this ain’t your grandma’s cruise ship.” Turns out, things are changing so quickly that this ain’t even your mom’s cruise ship. Celebrity Edge is packed with firsts – not the least of which, is the immediately recognizable (and much buzzed about) Magic Carpet.
But there’s so much more to this ship than meets the eye. From the second you step aboard, Edge has a vibe unlike any other ship I’ve sailed on, and it continuously reveals new surprises — big and small — the more you explore.
The Grand Atrium on Celebrity Edge.
There’s a flow to Celebrity Edge that makes it incredibly easy to navigate. When moving from the forward section of the ship to the aft, you generally do so by walking past restaurants, shops, and other venues — including the casino — as opposed to having to cut through them.
If the atrium is the beating heart of a ship, Edge’s sits on deck three… where the Martini Bar serves as a stunning anchor to a space filled with comfortable seating – perfect for meeting your party or people watching. One deck up is a coffee shop, bistro, and shopping with more seating allowing you to look down into the atrium below.
Throughout the ship, the color schemes are largely muted without being dull. The overall feeling of the decor is relaxed and comfortable while still slightly upscale.
Yes, the ship has some of the same staterooms you’ll find on any modern cruise ship. But the ones everyone will be talking about are the first-of-their-kind Infinite Veranda staterooms. With the push of a button, these rooms go from an oceanview cabin with floor-to-ceiling windows, to a balcony which becomes an extension of the living space.
When you want access to the sea, there’s a switch by the balcony that lowers the window, and brings in that fresh sea-air. Folding doors can also partition off the sitting area and your stateroom. It’s the kind of thing that, once experienced, makes you wonder how no one ever thought if it before. It will also forever ruin traditional balconies for you because they’ll just never measure up. (It’s worth noting that just like with a traditional balcony stateroom when the door (or in this case, the window) is open, the air conditioner shuts off).
The interiors of the staterooms were designed by Kelly Hoppen, who set out to make the rooms feel like an “indulgent urban apartment.” The result is a stateroom that’s spacious (23% larger than those found on the Solstice-class) and soothing, with soothing colors which seem to gently echo the ocean on which the ship sails.
The rooms are also something of a technological marvel, using a smartphone app to control everything from the stateroom’s temperature to the blackout curtain that can be raised or lowered. And, for the tech-heads among us, take comfort in knowing that my stateroom had four USB plugs (two by the bed and two on the vanity), three standard plugs (one by the bed and two on the vanity), and one European plug (also on the vanity). If you needed one more additional plug, you could bring along a power converter to put into the European plug .
If I had one issue, furnishings wise, it would be that the bed was definitely on the firm side. But some folks will, no doubt, like that. There’s plenty of space inside the cabin with six drawers, two spaces for hanging clothes, and a bed sitting high enough off the ground so you can stow your suitcases underneath it.
The bathrooms in the Infinite Verandah stateroom have a larger-than-normal shower with a shaving bar. And yes, it’s an enclosed shower as opposed to one with a shower curtain. The amenities offered in the shower were shower gel, shampoo, and conditioner.
Food is an integral part of any cruise. It’s one of the first things people either praise or complain about when posting about a cruise on social media. Tough as it may be, the best ships offer something for everyone – whether you’re a foodie with a high-developed flavor palate or someone who would be perfectly happy living on fast food. The good news here is that Edge has options for people at both ends of the spectrum.
There are some really nice, high-end eateries on Edge, but none in which you’ll find unapproachable food, or feel uncomfortable about eating in if you’re not a foodie. The buffet (located on Deck 14) is called Oceanview Cafe and, as its name implies, it has a nice, open feel with some great views. It also has fairly high ceilings, which help give the space a more airy feeling than buffets sometimes have. The buffet handles crowds well thanks to about a dozen food stations, each with a different focus.
Some of the popular spots were the carving station, made-to-order pasta, and a grab-and-go section featuring those kid-pleasing buffet must-haves: chicken fingers and burgers. There’s plentiful seating wrapping around the whole cafe and extending aft along the outside railing of the ship.
Celebrity borrowed the dynamic dining concept from Royal Caribbean when creating this ship’s main dining rooms. In other words, gone are the traditional main dining rooms, replaced here with four themed restaurants. About 75 percent of the menu in each location is different, while the rest is comprised of items relevant to that particular restaurant’s theming. Normandie offers up French fare, Cyprus focuses on Mediterranean style dishes, Cosmopolitan is “global-inspired,” and The Tuscan serves up Italian selections. Each of these venues – as well as the Eden Cafe and Mast Grill – are complimentary.
Guests can choose traditional dining (which will offer the same table and waiter each night at either 6 p.m. or 8:30 p.m.) or they can go with Celebrity Select Plus, which allows them to pick any of the four restaurants on any given night (with dining hours between 6:30 and 9:30 p.m). Those who go the traditional route receive notice in their stateroom of the restaurant they’ll be dining in, but they can request a different venue on any given night, if it is available.
Tiramisu served in the Tuscan Restaurant.
Specialty dining (aka for a fee) includes Le Grand Bistro (French, $25 per person), Raw on 5 (seafood, ala carte), the Rooftop Garden Grill (American BBQ, $45 per person), Fine Cut steakhouse ($55 per person), and Eden ($65 per person). Once per sailing, Le Petit Chef – a dining experience that uses 3D animation to bring the dinner table and the meal atop it to life – is offered in Le Grand Bistro at a cost of $45 per person.
Of course, a popular dining spot is sure to be the Magic Carpet, where you can have lunch or dinner – both of which are a la carte for a selection of raw bar and seafood items. Two additional venues, Blu and Luminae are available only to Aquaclass and suite guests, respectively.
When it comes to entertainment, you basically have to start by talking about Eden. Why? Because it’s what everyone will be buzzing about. The multi-level jungle-like area located on deck five aft is literally indescribable, as it’s unlike anything else I’ve ever experienced. It also becomes a different space entirely based on when you visit and what’s unfolding there at the time.
In the mornings, it’s a great place to chill, and in the afternoons you might find people napping or taking in the views. But it is after dark that Eden blossoms, as characters who reside in its environs take you on a tour of their home. It’s discombobulating in some regards, as you have no idea what’s about to happen next. During our visit, we met Zoom and Bloom, who escorted us through the various levels that make up the space.
I’ll admit that when Celebrity first began talking about this concept, I struggled to wrap my head around it. Now, having spent some time wandering around Eden, it makes sense, and yet defies description. It is like nothing you’ve ever experienced on a cruise ship, and it definitely falls into the category of something you have to see to believe – let alone grasp.
Elsewhere, there’s a beautifully-designed main show theatre. The stage actually juts out into the audience, and they’ve managed to create a space that, as far as I could tell, has great sitelines from just about every seat. There’s also an incredible sound system comprised of 154 speakers that allow sound to come at you from every direction.
The space will house several shows, but the one I saw was called Hype. Described as “a musical journey” it did exactly what this kind of show should by featuring lots of musicians and singers doing their thing unhindered by a hoky plot. The second show I was able to see was more on the elaborate side. Called The Jewelry Box, it combined technology, music and wildly flexible acrobatics to create a briskly-paced spectacle that was pretty impressive on every level.
Another major entertainment venue is aptly named “The Club” and, like other areas of the ship, it serves multiple purposes depending on the time of day, hosting everything from game shows to late-night dance parties.
Decks three, four, and five are where you’ll find most of the spaces to grab a drink and relax. One thing you’ll notice is there are all kinds of places in which to just relax – whether sitting and pretending to read while staring at the ocean or hanging out with a group. The Rooftop Garden Grill is a particularly great space, offering fantastic views, a big-screen TV, a variety of seating configurations, and even the occasional acoustic-guitar player.
Pool wise, Edge has a large one surrounded by loungers (and a few very cool hanging chairs from which you can dangle your feet into the water). There are also two hot tubs one deck above the pool which, when viewed from below, look like giant champagne glasses.
Living an active lifestyle, a feature that really sticks out on Celebrity Edge is the outdoor running track. This isn’t your average cruise ship running track as this one has hills. And unlike most cruise ships that take 7 laps to make a mile, this one only takes 4.5 laps to clock in a mile.
Part of the jogging track on Celebrity Edge.
The casino is pretty much what you’d expect from a cruise ship casino… with one major exception: The entire space is non-smoking. Which means you don’t have to worry about the smell of smoke wafting into surrounding spaces – because it’s simply not an issue. I’m sure a lot of gamblers are going to complain about this, but the non-smokers will no doubt, be thrilled.
The casino on Celebrity Edge.
Time for another confession: When Celebrity began talking about the “Magic Carpet” that would hang off the side of their new ship, I thought it sounded like a ridiculous gimmick. But, as with Eden, being able to experience the Magic Carpet completely changed my mind. I’ve never seen a 90,000-ton piece of equipment (which is sort of a hyper-glorified elevator) used for so many different things.
When the ship is in a tendering port, it serves as a loading dock from which you can board the boats to be shuttled ashore. (This is also where you’ll find Destination Getaway, a space that can be used to help educate passengers about the port they’re about to explore). Raised a few levels, it becomes an extension of the restaurant Raw On Five for lunch or dinner. It can also serve as a venue for live music or a bar.
One thing it can’t do is take you from one level to another. This isn’t like the Rising Tide bar on Royal Caribbean ships, which travels between decks while people enjoy cocktails. The Magic Carpet never operates while people are on board, and serves its various functions only after being locked into place.
If there’s one thing I look for in a cruise ship gym, it’s a view. I don’t want to watch television or the back of someone’s head… I want to get on the treadmill and work up a sweat while staring out into the ocean. Because Celebrity Edge’s workout facilities are located at the front of the ship, you wind up having amazing views while burning off the calories.
The thermal spa has eight different “spaces”, most of which are very modern takes on a familiar concept. For example, the sauna uses infrared heat – offering all the benefits of the sun with none of the damaging UV rays. Perhaps the coolest space in the spa is the “float room” in which hanging chairs gently sway as you take in amazing views of the ocean. Everything about the spa is designed to soothe and relax. There’s also, of course, a full set of services and treatments you can purchase, as well as a full salon and barber shop.
Thermal chairs on Celebrity Edge.
From the moment Celebrity Edge was announced, it had people talking. Now, after getting a chance to explore the ship, I can say that the Edge definitely lives up to its hype.


text: Maths4Stats: Educating teachers. The inadequate nature of the education infrastructure in South Africa has led to poor academic performance at public schools. Problems within schools such as under-qualified teachers and poor teacher performance arise due to the poorly constructed education system in our country. The implementation in 2012 of the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) at public schools in South Africa saw the further crippling of some teachers, as they were unfamiliar with parts of the CAPS subject content. The Statistics and Population Studies department at the University of the Western Cape was asked to join the Maths4Stats project in 2012. This project was launched by Statistics South Africa in an effort to assist in training the teachers in statistical content within the CAPS Mathematics curricula. The University of the Western Cape's team would like to share their experience of being part of the Maths4Stats training in the Western Cape. This article focuses on how the training sessions were planned and what the outcomes were. With the knowledge gained from our first Maths4Stats experience, it is recommended that future interventions are still needed to ensure that mathematics teachers become well-informed and confident to teach topics such as data handling, probability and regression analysis.

industry_corpus2: Subject Education


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Just before his shooting spree at two Christchurch, New Zealand mosques, the alleged mass murderer posted a hate-filled manifesto on several file-sharing sites, and emailed the document to at least 30 people, including New Zealand's prime minister. He also posted on several social media sites links to the manifesto and instructions on how to find his Facebook profile to watch an upcoming video. The video turned out to be a 17-minute Facebook livestream of preparing for and carrying out the first attack on March 15. In his posts, the accused killer urged people to make copies of the manifesto and the video, and share them around the internet.
On March 23, the New Zealand government banned possession and sharing of the manifesto, and shortly thereafter arrested at least two people for having shared the video. By then, the original manifesto document and video file had long since been removed from the platforms where they were first posted. Yet plenty of people appear to have taken the shooter's advice, making copies and spreading them widely.
To find as many different versions of the manifesto as possible, I chose an unusual keyphrase, called a "hapax legomenon" in computational linguistics: a set of words that would only be found in the manifesto and nowhere else. For example, Google-searching the phrase "Schtitt uses an unamplified bullhorn" reveals that this phrase is used only in David Foster Wallace's novel "Infinite Jest" and nowhere else online (until now).
A few minutes of Google-searching for a hapax from the manifesto (which I'm intentionally not revealing) found copies of the document in Microsoft Word and Adobe PDF formats on dozens of file-sharing services, including DocDroid, DocumentCloud, Scribd, Mega and Dropbox. The file had been uploaded to blogs hosted on Wordpress and attached to message boards like Kiwi Farms. I also found numerous broken links to files that had been uploaded and quickly deleted, like the original versions that the author had uploaded to Mediafire and Zippyshare.
Any change to a file – even a small one like adding a single letter to the manifesto or one extra second of video – will result in an entirely different file hash. All those changes made my analysis of the spread of these artifacts difficult – and also complicated social media companies' efforts to rid the internet of them.
Despite the internet companies' claims that these problems will disappear as artificial intelligence matures, a collection of "alt-tech" companies are working to ensure that hate-fueled artifacts like the manifesto and video can spread unbidden.
Just 24 hours after the mosque attacks, Monster explained on Gab that he shared the manifesto and video file onto IPFS, or the "Interplanetary File System," a decentralized peer-to-peer file sharing network. Files on IPFS are split into many pieces, each distributed among many participants on the network, making the removal of a file nearly impossible. IPFS had previously been a niche technology, relatively unknown even among extremists. Now, calling IPFS a "crazy clever technology" that makes files "effectively uncensorable," Monster reassured Gab users that he was also developing software to make IPFS "easy for anyone ... with no technical skills required."
As in-person hate groups were sued into obscurity in the 1980s, extremism went underground. But with the advent of the commercial internet, hate groups quickly moved online, and eventually onto social media. The New Zealand attacker was part of a far-right social media "meme" culture, where angry men (and some women) justify their grievances with violent, hateful rhetoric.
Widespread adoption of artificial intelligence on platforms and decentralized tools like IPFS will mean that the online hate landscape will change once again. Combating online extremism in the future may be less about "meme wars" and user-banning, or "de-platforming," and could instead look like the attack-and-defend, cat-and-mouse technical one-upsmanship that has defined the cybersecurity industry since the 1980s.
Megan Squire is a professor of Computer Science, Elon University.

industry_corpus2: Computing & Telecommunications


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Child Care & Development Foundation relies on everyone's commitment to the humanitarian cause and its underlying values. The strongest possible support from individuals, companies and foundations is essential if we are to meet the challenges we are currently facing. Your support to CCDF is more than just a donation - it is a true act of humanity.
Let's join hands and support more and more needy children - the future of any nation and help them come out of their ignorance and other problems which it entails by giving them a gift of education and providing them with all-round support essential for their overall well-being. Your donations are a vital source of income that will allow us to make a significant positive impact on the society around us.


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Anne Elliot and Captain Wentworth exemplify the country gentry in Regency England in Jane Austen's endearing tale.
Anne Elliot is a young woman of perfect breeding and unwavering integrity. Seven years after she is persuaded to reject Captain Wentworth's offer of marriage, her feelings for him are still strong. By the time she realizes this, Wentworth seems to only have eyes for the attractive, though flighty, Louisa Musgrove.
Set against the world of the country gentry in Regency England, "Persuasion" critically portrays the many aspects of proper society its failings and humor as well as presenting a tender story of determination and enduring love.

industry_corpus2: Literature & Emotions


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Grove - Bee Socket is an adaptor of Xbee serials which can connect wireless modules with Arduino, such as WIFI Bee, RF Bee, Bluetooth Bee, etc. It is Arduino compatible and more effective to conduct peer-to-peer operations and mesh network runned by wireless modules. Regulator CJT1117 guareteens Xbee of stable 3.3 voltages. LEDs can reflect working modes of the Grove modules clearly.
Grove-Bee Socket has similar functions to XBee Shield. Grove-Bee Socket and Arduino are connected by cables, and XBee Shield is a standard adapter that can plug to Arduino.


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We would like to announce that Arihara Kanna is leaving °C-ute and Hello!Project as of 09.07.2009. Arihara worked hard after she joined Hello!Project in the 2004 audition, joined °C-ute in 2006, and as their member, she had a major debut the year after.
As you know, she stopped appearing on the stage since February this year, due to the bunion, and now she has decided to leave °C-ute and Hello!Project and return back to the life of a normal girl.
We are very sorry to bring such unexpected news, but we hope you will keep supporting °C-ute in the future.
It was announced back in February 2009 that Kanna would be taking leave from all group activities due to hallux valgus, or bunion deformity. °C-ute immediately carried on without her, and she was absent from concerts and all °C-ute singles and photoshoots. Fans grew suspicious as the reported recovery time for hallux valgus is usually six to eight weeks, yet she has been gone for well over four months.
This is not official, but an inside source tells Hello!Online that there was more at play here. Firstly, it had been long rumored that Kanna had a boyfriend, which is forbidden in her contract. But our source also indicates that there were new images including Kanna that put Up-Front Agency management in a tough position.
These photos apparently surfaced just recently (within the last week or so). To be clear: we're NOT referring to the previously-published magazine photos, but brand-new private photos.
It's possible UFA knew more about Kanna's situation before the "bunion" story came out and quickly removed Kanna from the public eye.
So was there actually a bunion problem? Perhaps we'll never know. What is certain is that Arihara Kanna's time in Hello!Project has come to an abrupt end.

industry_corpus2: Film & Entertainment


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Satellite TV There are 254 products.
The new satellite module has 4 inputs allowing the reception of 4 different satellite bands per module. Because the module has 8 satellite tuners and a built-in multiswitch, reception of 8 different transponders coming from any of the 4 input satellite bands is possible.
Oxygen free cable coil 100 meters, dimensions 2 x 4 mm.
Cold retractable, Contech Systems. Provides excellent environmental protection for all connections, splices, jacket repair and components. PCS-RG59/6-20. Size 59/6 - Length 3" - Color Black - PCS 20.
SBR Surface Support ROVER Surface supplement to install television sockets in surface mount.
type "BNC" connector to install by compressing, Ø6.6mm for RG6 coaxial cable.
Anvimur derivator 5-2400Mhz 6 outputs 20dB.
Anvimur derivator 5-2400Mhz 6 outputs 25dB.
Anvimur derivator 5-2400Mhz 8 outputs 20dB.
Anvimur Derivator 5-2400Mhz 8 outputs 25dB.
Anvimur Derivator 5-2400Mhz 8 outputs 16dB.


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In the wise words of ANA Coach Sheila, a School Psychologist and an ANA Synchro alumna, “Synchro is a microcosm of development.” With a Bachelor of Psychology from Keene State, and a Master’s in both Education and School Psychology from Worcester State University, as well as two years of synchro coaching experience under her belt, Sheila would know! Sheila sees synchro as an intense sport centered around three important developmental layers. The first being athletic ability, where swimmers train for skills such as speed, endurance, and strength. Second, the develop of social-emotional skills such as communication, collaboration, and leadership. Lastly, synchro swimmers must master the creative aspect of the sport including, musicality, expression, choreography.
Her deep insight, knowledge, and experience from her position at Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School, as well her coaching and lifeguarding work, make Sheila a respected and sought-after ANA Coach. At the heart of all it all, Sheila’s favorite lesson for synchro swimmers is instilling the importance of teamwork. Sheila believes every swimmer has unique strengths and weaknesses that they bring to the team. If each girl plays their part and shares their strengths and always remembers to uplift their teammates (literally and figuratively) they will always come out as winners.
As a swimmer with ANA Synchro for nine years, Sheila can recall many happy memories with her teammates and specific instances where they worked tirelessly to achieve their goals. She will never forget the first time her 14-15 Age Group Team qualified for Finals at Nationals. Many of the girls had been swimming together since Intermediate years and they had only dreamed of realizing such a great accomplishment. However, after a of a season of intense dedication and putting in long hours in the pool, the team found themselves on the deck at Nationals. Sheila vividly remembers going through the warm-up dance routine and being cheered on by parents and older teammates, all while soaking in the amazing moment and swimming an impressive routine.
ANA Synchro influenced Sheila’s life in many immeasurable ways. The lifelong friends she made and the strong role models she had while competing in a sport predominately led by women, helped define her as a self-assured coach, counselor and mentor. She feels privileged to be able to give back to the ANA community and share her strong message of teamwork, friendship and self-confidence.
Live saving competitions and patrolling the beach on an ATV!


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We only sell full festival passes to Tiny Lights due to our limited capacity. We love to have everyone here for the whole weekend helping us co-create the best festival experience.
Can I sell or give my ticket to someone else?
Tickets are transferable but the TICKET SELLER must forward US the initial confirmation email they received with the TICKET BUYER Ccd in on the message. We will change the name on our will call list. Passes are issued by name AND confirmation number at the gate and ID must be presented to receive a wristband.
As clearly stated on our ticket purchase page, tickets to Tiny Lights are non-refundable. Please see our Facebook ticket exchange page to connect with people wanting to purchase tickets.
Will you send me a ticket in the mail?
We do not send out physical tickets to Tiny Lights. A confirmation code is sent after your online purchase which is to be brought to the gate along with ID to claim your festival pass and receive your wristband.
Is camping included in my Festival pass?
Camping IS NOT included in your festival pass and MUST BE PURCHASED SEPARATELY. Please see our Camping FAQ page for more info on camping.
If I buy multiple tickets for myself and others how can I get them at the gate?
If you purchase multiple tickets under one name, that number will be listed at the gate and if you do not all arrive at the same time, each person will need to have the confirmation code.
You can pick up your pass and receive your wristband at the ticket booth when you arrive onsite with your confirmation code. Please see our FESTIVAL FAQ page for ticket booth hours.
Are children free and do they get a wristband?
Children 12 and under are free and will be given a wristband at check in.
Are there youth tickets available?
Tiny lights does have a specific youth pass for people aged 13-18. If the festival is sold out, there will be no youth passes available at the gate.
You will need photo ID to pick up your passes at the ticket booth.
THE WEBSITE SAYS YOU ARE SOLD OUT, CAN I STILL GET A TICKET?
If the website says tickets are sold out, you will not be able to purchase a ticket for the festival. There may be people selling their tickets on our Ticket Exchange Facebook Page.
I KNOW YOU'RE SOLD OUT BUT WILL THERE BE DAY TICKETS AVAILABLE?
If full festival tickets are sold out, there will be NO day tickets available. We are tiny festival with limited capacity venues and seats must be reserved for those with full festival passes.
I KNOW YOU'RE SOLD OUT BUT WILL THERE BE TICKETS AT THE GATE?
If festival passes are sold out there will be NO tickets available at the gate, please do not arrive on site expecting to get in as you will be turned away.

industry_corpus2: Travel & Geography


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Do you want to hire a trusted House Cleaning in Park Royal Ealing London W3?
Hire our dependable House Cleaning company in Park Royal Ealing London W3 for all your cleaning requirements; we offer top-notch House Cleaning services at affordable prices.
Whether you want to book a one-off cleaning appointment or you need daily or weekly cleaning services in Park Royal Ealing London W3, we can help you. Contact our experienced customer service team by phone or via email and we will offer you a free quotation. You can also book our Park Royal Ealing London W3 cleaning services by utilising the booking form on our site. After you give us your specific cleaning requirements and confirm the price of the job with us, our House Cleaning efficient cleaners will visit your address in Park Royal Ealing London W3 to handle the job.

industry_corpus2: Others


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All of my guests continued to rave about Fr Jim the entire night of my wedding! From the youngest guests to our grandmothers, everyone loved Fr Jim. After meeting with Fr Jim we felt like we had known him forever. He makes you feel very comfortable as you exchange family stories and tell him about yourself and your finance. By the time we had our ceremony we really felt so comfortable and felt that we had made the right choice. We wanted an officiant that would be personal and we also wanted religion to be part of our ceremony. My own Lutheran pastor was on a trip that week and my finance was never confirmed Catholic. Fr Jim made us feel so welcome and created such a natural feel to our ceremony. Our guests thought that we had known him for years! After returning from our honeymoon we still hear our guests raving about what a beautiful ceremony we had!
Father Jim is the best! Don't hesitate a second to contact him. We had so many guests tell us how much they enjoyed the ceremony. Father Jim is kind, professional and easy to work with. Like many others mentioned, you get a feeling like you've known him forever. His message was very powerful, yet delivered with a humorous touch to it. Everyone loved it! Father Jim truly made our wedding special. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
Father Jim is simply the best. He took the time to get to know the bride and groom. He added the right amount of humor and kept the ceremony interesting and kept the crowd engaged while making it very meaningful. It was a great balance.
Father Jim was amazing! We received numerous comments from our guests saying how much they enjoyed the ceremony. He made it a wonderful and memorable experience!
With Father Jim already booked for our date, we were pointed in the direction of Father Bill. Father Bill ended up being the perfect officiant for our Wedding! From our first meeting with him, we enjoyed talking and sharing stories with him. I come from a very Catholic family but my now-husband is a non-Catholic. In order to get married in a Catholic church, he would have to go through all the sacraments. Not wanting to force him into doing that, we found Father Bill who was still able to perform the traditional Catholic Wedding ceremony I wanted but without the restrictions of the church. His homily was beautiful & he even presented us with a small but beautiful/meaningful gift at the ceremony. Both of our families (and of course us) enjoyed his ceremony very much. I would highly recommend him! Also, he reminds you that he is always there to talk to even after marriage to help you in building a stronger relationship. Very kind & funny man.
I cannot begin to say how HAPPY I was to have found Fr. Jim to be our officiant for our wedding last month. After our first meeting (which lasted 2 hours!) to our wedding day, Fr. Jim is someone who just makes you feel at ease and is a truly special person. He did an exceptional job with our wedding ceremony, and we were so happy to have found a Catholic priest for our outdoor wedding. We received so many compliments after the ceremony and people thought that he had been my childhood priest and had known us for years based on how he spoke and how personal he made his homily, etc.
They also have a very easy to use website, where we were able to customize and choose how we wanted to say our vows, the wording for certain blessings, and select our readings. Overall, Fr. Jim made our wedding day very special and I will forever be grateful for that.
Father Jim was a big hit at our wedding. We received so many positive comments from our family and friends about him. In the months before the wedding, we sat down with him at a local Panera and really got to know each other. My husband was raised going to Protestant churches down south. I was raised Catholic. He told us that we should strive to hug each other at least six times a day – good advice which we’ve tried to follow ever since. He spoke to us a lot about the challenges of marriage and the importance of always striving to remain connected emotionally as we both continue to grow as people. In regard to the ceremony itself, his approach was traditional, yet conversational – fun yet, still formal. Overall, we really enjoyed having Father Jim as our officiant and would recommend him to other couples who are tying the knot!
Father Jim was an absolute pleasure. We were so happy to have him as our officiant. We had one Skype session with him several months prior to the wedding to talk about marriage, our service, and all the details. He is definitely a seasoned expert at all things pertaining to wedding ceremonies. On the day of the wedding, he arrived about an hour prior to the ceremony, walked us through the steps again, and put us at ease. His personable and humorous demeanor immediately made everyone comfortable and we are still getting comments from our guests about how much they loved his homily. Couples from ages 25 to 85 found pearls of wisdom in his words. Thank you again, Father Jim, for an amazing experience.
There is no question... Father Jim is amazing! The day we met him, we couldn't stop smiling, laughing, and learning! He makes you feel so comfortable and want to talk to him for hours. We knew we had to book him for our wedding then and there. He made our day even more beautiful and special than we could have imagined. Everyone is still talking about how much they loved him and how beautiful our ceremony was. He held everyone's attention. If you are looking for someone inspiring, funny, and wonderful, look no further. Thank you Father Jim for your amazing service. My husband and I couldn't be happier.
Father Jim was the perfect officiant for our wedding. All of our guests raved about him after the ceremony was over. From our first meeting until the actual ceremony, he was professional and helpful.
We are so glad we chose Father Jim as our wedding officiant. He was is incredibly warm and welcoming and so easy to work with. Our ceremony turned out perfect and was exactly what we had envisioned for our wedding. Our guests thought he we had known him for ages! Even our relatives who gave us some slack for not getting married in a church were raving about him and even recommended him to another family friend!
Father Jim was absolutely excellent. It was a pleasure dealing with him and he really put our minds at ease on the day. I would definitely recommend using him.
My fiance and I wanted to be married by a catholic priest but not in the church. We heard of Contemporary Catholics from a family friend and I am so glad we reached out to them. We submitted a request and within a day or so, Father Jim emailed us back and we eventually made a skype call together to get to know each other. I am so glad we were able to secure Father Jim as our celebrant - he is such a pleasure to speak with and as an added bonus, he's so funny - he makes talking about marriage a wonderful conversation. I would highly recommend Father Jim to others.
Father Jim made our wedding ceremony one to remember! I think it's very unusual for people to comment on how great the officiant is, but that's all we heard after the ceremony. Father Jim did a great job combining tradition, humor and charm! Our outdoor wedding ceremony was everything we wanted. Highly recommend Father Jim and Contemporary Catholics!
Father Jim was easygoing, pleasant, and funny from on our first meeting to the wedding day. He was very accommodating to doing a bilingual ceremony. Everyone absolutely loved his sermon. He is a nice blend of being serious and lightheartedness.
Father Jim Balija was our wedding officiant. He was accommodating to our out of state needs and made time to email and skype with us as needed. Our wedding ceremony was well done as he kept our guests engaged and symbolized the meaning for the day. Father Jim speaks from his heart.
“Awesome!” “Amazing!” “Fantastic!” just some of the words our guests used to describe Father Jim. When my husband and I were looking for a priest, it was important to us to find someone who would perform a Catholic ceremony outside. I found Father Jim online and his reviews were great, so we reached out to him to schedule a meeting. When we met with him, we found him incredibly engaging. He touched on everything that was important to us, made us laugh and we felt comfortable right away. By the end of our meeting, we couldn’t imagine anyone else presiding over our ceremony. During the year of planning, we communicated via email and Father Jim was always responsive and helpful. He guided us through the process with no problem. On the day of our ceremony, Father Jim set the upbeat pace for the rest of the night. His words were genuine, touching, full of love, and he had everyone laughing. He let us incorporate family and friends into the ceremony which made it extra special to us.
Father Jim brought something special to our wedding day. His words have stayed with us and many of our guests. Three weeks later, we are still receiving compliments on the ceremony. We couldn’t be happier that Father Jim presided over our ceremony. He was wonderful! We would recommend without hesitation. Thank you, Father Jim!!
Father Jim married my husband and I in April and we couldn't have been happier with our ceremony. Our guests were beyond impressed with how much Father Jim's advice applies not just to newlyweds, but to any couple. His homily provided truly practical and realistic advice about the hard work that goes into any successful marriage. Everyone in the room laughed, shed tears of happiness and left the ceremony feeling that they had never been to one quite like ours. Guests still tell us that Father Jim was amazing, so he was clearly a memorable part of our day. If you are looking to maintain the religious aspects of a church wedding, but want to enjoy your ceremony at your venue, Father Jim is definitely the way to go!! We have already recommended him to two engaged couples who have booked him for their special day!!
Peace! Thank you for the kind words, they are much appreciated. One of my goals is to not only help the couple on their wedding day but to also encourage all coupes to look into their marriages to enhance them. May you enjoy all God's blessings in abundance!
Amazing in every way, couldn't have asked for more! His unique combination of traditional and modern, humor and seriousness, and ultimate relatedness are unmatched! All our guests asked us where we found him because he was so awesome!
I know I might be biased because it was my own wedding, but Father Jim was absolutely the best officiant I have ever met! His homily was wonderful and was perfect for newlyweds as well as those that have been married for 40 years! I can't believe how many people are still telling me (3 months later) how much they enjoyed our ceremony!
I couldn't have been more happy with Father Jim. When we first met him we instantly felt at ease and so comfortable with him. He was there during our planning to offer advice and suggestions and was always available to is. The ceremony was everything we wanted and we got so many compliments from our guests. Call Father Jim you will not be disappointed!
I can't say enough wonderful words about Father Jim! My husband and I have different beliefs, so when it came time to plan our wedding it was tricky—I wanted a catholic service, but he didn't want to do a church wedding. After finding Father Jim's website, I felt like he might be just who we needed—and after we met with him, we knew right away he would deliver a ceremony meaningful for us both! His insights on marriage are so in line in what we feel in our hearts, and he has just the right touch of humor added into his delivery. Nearly every single guest—no matter what their background, asked me where I found him because they thought he was wonderful & his words hit home for many. And as a professional, Father Jim was one of the most reliable—and calming!—vendors that I dealt with every step of the way. We couldn't be happier we found him!
Father Jim is such a wonderful man. Our ceremony would not have been the same without him. He brought the catholic faith and prayer to our ceremony. All our guest commented on how beautiful the ceremony was and how perfect father Jim was. He made everyone smile and laugh especially my husband and I which helped calm our nerves. We already have people asking for his information for their wedding.
All of our guests were raving about the ceremony and how funny and relatable the homily was. I highly recommend Father Jim, very professional and provided a great mix of sentiment and humor into the ceremony. He was the highlight of our ceremony.
Once we met with Father Jim, my husband and I felt very comfortable knew that we made the right choice for our officiant. We both wanted a spiritual ceremony but non-traditional. Father Jim was so open and really wanted to get to know the both of us. We got to choose from many readings and did choose write our own vows. The ceremony was amazing and Father Jim was perfect – during the reception all of our guests were asking how we knew Father Jim, he was a perfect fit for the two of you and had such great words/thoughts on marriage and love. Thank you Father Jim for making our day so special, helping us relax and laugh.


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Innovations in digital payments are expanding the economy.
As consumers (most notably Millennials) opt for new ways to pay for goods and services, traditional financial institutions are being circumvented. Alternative payment methods like mobile wallets, peer-to-peer (P2P) networks, crowdfunding, and cryptocurrencies are moving steadily into the mainstream.
Smartphone companies are leading the disruptive charge with mobile wallets. The physical wallet will disappear as Apple Pay, Android Pay, and Samsung Pay eliminate the need to carry separate cards or cash. The mobile wallet market is expected to grow in market share by 7% in the U.S. by 2020. In some instances, mobile wallets are more attractive to consumers because they offer greater security based on biometrics.
PayPal, Venmo and Dwolla are P2P companies that also offer digital wallet services but are not affiliated with any bank. Instead, users store funds in their P2P account until they are ready to send a payment. If PayPal were a bank, its collective holdings would make it the 21st largest bank in the U.S.
Perhaps the most promising innovation, especially in terms of security, scale, and extensibility, has been the use of blockchain technology to produce cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin.
Bitcoin uses blockchain technology to provide records of transaction in an anonymous, distributed online ledger that protects against modifying or revising data. As one of 1,100 virtual currencies available today, Bitcoin has captivated the market. A growing number of businesses are accepting it as a legitimate form of payment, including 260,000 new retailers in Japan this coming summer.
As traders gain confidence in digital payments, Bitcoin has become an attractive, alternative investment. On March 3, 2017, Bitcoin overtook gold for the first time, trading at $1,290 U.S. compared to $1,228 U.S. for an ounce of gold. And just this past October, Bitcoin surpassed both American Express and PayPal in value in its climb to $100 billion U.S.
Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin are changing our attitudes about the exchange and management of wealth. Fulfilling on the promise of digital, they are faster, easier to access, and more affordable than traditional payment methods because they do not require bank fees. The overall costs of transactions are lower, allowing markets to grow and buyers to connect with sellers across the globe.
What is most compelling about cryptocurrencies is their ability to create a decentralized marketplace that could eventually replace the Amazons and eBays of today. These global, open markets will impact supply chains. As business moves online, transactions and exchanges will become increasingly digitalized. Powered by real-time data, machine learning and agile processes, digital supply chains of the future will transform the way the world trades in goods and services.
Governments and policy makers will be tasked with regulating alternative payment methods. This will be no small feat considering how complex the compliance landscape is and how challenging it is to enforce regulations. And since Bitcoin is a global cryptocurrency, who would enforce these regulations? Finally, how would users or transactions be taxed, and how would this be regulated from country to country?
Individual financial security will have to be protected. Although Bitcoin works based on anonymity, this also makes it very hard to identify a perpetrator if someone hacks the system and accesses a secret bitcoin code. In a recent Bitcoin tax scam, victims sent over $300,000 CAD in bitcoins to scammers who were hard to trace because the transactions were anonymous and unregulated. Eventually, technologies like quantum computing will render unbreakable encryption useless, which will make virtual currencies vulnerable.
Digital payment methods will revolutionize the nature of commerce. The burning question will be how to balance these innovations with security and privacy for individuals. In my next blog, I’ll explore how individuals, organizations, and entire nations will need to be defended on emerging digital fronts.
Mark J. Barrenechea is OpenText's Vice Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Technology Officer. A prominent thought leader, he has extensive experience in information technology and his vision is to enable the digital world to help transform organizations.

industry_corpus2: Finance & Economics


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Breeders in Washington state area?
Does anybody know of hamster breeders within the Pacific Northwest (Washington, Oregon, Idaho) in the US? I'm not currently looking for another hamster but I would love to get any future hamsters from breeders if that is possible. I've done all kinds of research on the web but it always directs me to dog and cat breeders. If anyone knows of like a website that might help me find one that would be great too.
Re: Breeders in Washington state area?
The only breeder I know in the USA is Flowering Hamstery in Indiana. Not sure how close that is to you. Probably very far away but it may be worth asking her if she knows via her website.

industry_corpus2: Agriculture & Fisheries


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Brown Sheep Company Lamb's Pride Worsted, Jaded Dreams, 125 yds.
Brown Sheep Company Lamb's Pride Worsted, Wine Splash, 125 yds.
Brown Sheep Company Lamb's Pride Worsted, Indigo, 125 yds.


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HGH Infrared Systems’ SPYNEL panoramic thermal sensor family offers five panoramic thermal imager models to answer recurrent security and defense requirements: critical infrastructure protection, self-protection of ships, border security, FOB protection, human intrusion detection, and drone flyover tracking. All SPYNEL security sensors are operated by CYCLOPE, an advanced image processing software analyzing in real-time the panoramic images day and night.
The 360° thermal sensors SPYNEL-C and SPYNEL-M are used for FOB protection and by special forces globally. SPYNEL-C is one of HGH’s key security products and has proven its worth in various defense applications. SPYNEL-M is the most compact 360° thermal imager, often carried in a backpack to be deployed in remote places or ensuring the security of a VIP procession. For more information, visit HGH Infrared Systems.

industry_corpus2: Technology & Research


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Data Privacy Day has been promoted, supported and celebrated by hundreds of privacy-conscious organizations since 2008. 2013 was one of the most active years, and the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) along with other supporters are hoping for a more fruitful 2014.
ExpressVPN is one of the top global VPN providers that has steadily protested for greater online privacy and freedoms. Data Privacy Day is one of the laudable global efforts towards that same goal. People need to be well informed on their privacy rights, how they are currently being violated, and what they can do about it. ExpressVPN stands as one of the dependable services that can help people reclaim their online privacy and freedom by controlling their Internet footprint and distribution of their personal data.
Data Privacy Day actually started as the European Data Protection Day in 1981. Then, people commemorated January 28th as the day when data protection and privacy was first recognized internationally as a legal right. Today, many around the world join in this celebration on the international treaty called Convention 108 and what it means for Internet users everywhere.
One aim of Data Privacy day and supporting organizations like ExpressVPN is to inform everyone, everywhere about what’s happening to their data online. There are as yet few firm laws that protect people from online data snooping. So people need to learn what is going on, and how they can protect themselves. Since governments do not have enough control over user data, and it is many times the governments themselves that are mining this data, users need to become adept at using tools such as ExpressVPN. ExpressVPN is a personal VPN that is made to give users control over their online presence. It hides their IP addresses, prevents tracking, encrypts data and traffic, and generally secures the users’ online sessions.


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Morningstar, Inc. is a leading provider of independent investment research. Our mission is to create great products that help investors reach their financial goals. We offer an extensive line of Internet, software, and print-based products for individual investors, financial advisers, and institutional clients around the world.
Morningstar is a trusted source for insightful information across a spectrum of investment disciplines. With operations in 18 countries, we currently provide data on more than 260,000 investment offerings.
Quickly and easily screen and rank Morningstar’s database of funds and stocks.
Use Instant X-Ray to see how a group of funds will work together in your portfolio’s overall asset allocation, style, and regional exposure.


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Organic Marijuana Las Vegas is a premium supplier and producer of high quality organic marijuana. Las Vegas organically grown marijuana can achieve exceptional levels of potency, aroma and flavor. Organically grown marijuana is widely considered superior in flavor and aroma to conventionally-grown marijuana for similar reasons to those outlined above. As the micro-environment is optimized for vigorous, healthy growth, plants are able to produce optimum quantities of terpenes and terpenoids as well as cannabinoids themselves.
Cannabis is a complex plant with over 400 chemical entities of which more than 60 of them are cannabinoid compounds, some of them with opposing effects. Cannabis is also the most widely used illicit drug in the world and its use has been associated with various mental health problems, particularly in the young.
Our Vision is a world where wellness abounds and cannabis is used as a means to alleviate pain and suffering to boost health and promote well-being.


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Breakfast Q&A Panel with Paul White, CEO Brisbane Broncos and former player Petero Civoniceva.
On the 12th June 2017, Hanrick Curran hosted 23 Papua New Guinea small business owners, training and delegation coordinators as arranged by their Brisbane host Michael Johnson, Kokoda Capital.
Hanrick Curran have strong ties to the PNG region with a long history of delivering advisory services to PNG private, expatriate and government clients. It was our pleasure to have the opportunity to contribute to the professional development of the delegates during their immersion in Brisbane.
Following on from a breakfast Q&A with Paul White, CEO Broncos, we arranged for Hanrick Curran Business Adviser Rob Pitt to facilitate a workshop titled The 7 Steps to Start-Up Success, which was supported by a printed guide and intended to have application across industries and current business maturity.
The workshop highlighted the importance of balancing initial enthusiasm for a new idea with a structured process to determine if the right underlying factors are present to take a particular business idea through to business success.
Based on many years of experience with start-up businesses Hanrick Curran developed a seven step assessment guide entrepreneurs can follow to help find those diamonds in the rough.
Step 1: What problem is being solved?
Step 2: Does solving that problem create value?
Step 7: Do you have the right team?


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How to make absinthe? This is one question that's being asked by connoisseurs of alcoholic beverages more often today as there is enhanced fascination with absinthe. The reason being fairly easy to comprehend, absinthe has made a spectacular recovery after being restricted for nearly a century.
There are two ways for you to answer the question, how to make absinthe? One way will be detailing how to prepare an absinthe drink and the alternative could well be how to prepare the liquor absinthe. In this article we are going to discuss how to prepare the liquor working with conventional a recipe and herbs.
Absinthe is manufactured using diverse alpine herbs such as wormwood or Artemisia absinthium. Absinthe was actually used as being a bitter digestive tonic. High quality absinthe is manufactured by soaking wormwood and other herbs in alcohol then distilling the solution. Wormwood consists of thujone which is the active component in absinthe and gives absinthe its bitter taste.
The components necessary to create absinthe are 750 ml of vodka or any neutral spirit, herbs like wormwood, hyssop, fennel seed, anise seed, angelica root, lemon balm, veronica, sage, coriander, mint, thyme and cardamom. To ready green absinthe coriander and mint are being used while to ready red absinthe green herbs are excluded and red herbs just like paprika are used.
Depending on the hue of absinthe desired; ground all of the herbs finely and place in a cup. Fine grounding of herbs brings about successful removal of herbal constituents. The perfectly ground herbal mixture is included with vodka or some other neutral spirit and put in a jar and sealed.
The bottle or jar will then be stored in cold and dark place for nearly two months. The longer you retain the higher is the infusion of herbs in the solution. This process is called as maceration. The length of maceration may also influence the taste of the last product.
After the mixture is kept for 2 months, then it is removed and strained. The strained liquid will be brown colored and very bitter. This liquid will then be distilled to reduce the bitterness and present it a transparent hue. This liquid is called as being the "absinthe blanche". You now could add other flavoring and colouring herbs like hyssop, mint and coriander if you prefer a green absinthe or paprika should you prefer a red absinthe. This second maceration gives the absinthe its very last flavor and color.
While combining the distillate with flavoring herbs you ought to further dilute the absinthe with vodka. Keep for a fortnight and your absinthe is set.
Absinthe should be enjoyed making use of the conventional ritual. Absinthe may be the only liquor that will need an elaborate ritual working with special absinthe spoon, absinthe glass, sugar cube, cold water, and also absinthe fountain.
You could make your own absinthe by a less difficult method in comparison to the one mentioned above. Simply buy genuine absinthe essence that's produced making use of traditional absinthe recipe and combine it with vodka as well as other neutral spirit, and your absinthe is ready to serve. Absinthekit.com is certainly a trusted name from which you can source genuine absinthe essences of various strengths.
Visit absinthekit.com for additional info on absinthe essence as well as other absinthe accessories such as absinthe spoons, absinthe glasses as well as absinthe labels.

industry_corpus2: Biopharmaceuticals


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One of Fremantle's best-known buildings in the historic West End precinct is to have its heritage values recognised by the State Government.
The P&O Building in Phillimore Street will be placed on the Heritage Council of Western Australia's interim register of heritage places.
Heritage Minister Richard Lewis said the turn-of-the-century building was important historically and aesthetically.
"The P&O Building was one of several shipping offices erected in Fremantle following the opening of the deep water port in 1897," Mr Lewis said.
"This was part of the growing prosperity of Western Australia as a result of the gold rush of the 1890s.
"In particular, Fremantle boomed during this era and became established as a major trading port.
"The P&O Building also contributes to the West End streetscape of historic buildings of the same period and similar architectural style.
"It adds to the mercantile feel and historic character of that part of the Port city."
Mr Lewis said the P&O Building was originally built for the Australian Union Steamship Navigation Company in 1903.
"Before the gold boom, shipping in Fremantle had been spasmodic," he said.
"The ports of Albany and Geraldton took most of the agricultural shipping and local shipping was given a subsidy to service Fremantle.
"The gold rush saved many ship-owners from financial ruin and suddenly people from all over the world were clamouring for a ship to take them to Fremantle. Cargo ships were not far behind.
"The inner harbour was opened in 1897 and shipping companies which once ignored the port now rushed to build offices there."
Mr Lewis said the Australian Union Steamship Navigation Company had carried migrants from the eastern states to WA on the `Bulimba'.
The oldest of the major Australian coastal steam navigation companies, it decided to build new premises in Phillimore Street in 1903.
The two-storey, brick and stone building was built in the Federation Free Classical style. It was designed by prominent architect Charles Lancelot Oldham.
It featured an impressive facade, with arches balanced around the dominant, centrally located pediment.
Mr Lewis said the Australian Union Steamship Navigation Company prospered for some time, enjoying a monopoly of trade routes in both the Eastern States and WA.
The company was taken over by P&O in 1914 after the WA Government formed the State Shipping Service, which destroyed the company's monopoly.
Mr Lewis said the building had continued to be used for mercantile office space over the years.
The ground floor currently housed Maersk West Australia Line and the Danish Consul, while the upper floor was occupied by the University of Notre Dame's college of business.

industry_corpus2: Real Estate & Construction


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Forsyth County Government is committed to providing Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) to all qualified persons regardless of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, disability or political affiliation. All employment and personnel policies and practices will be administered according to EEO principles.
In support of our commitment to provide Equal Employment Opportunity, Forsyth County has developed an Equal Employment Opportunity Plan (EEOP) Short Form which provides a summary demographic comparison of the County’s workforce to the available labor market. In addition, it identifies areas of underutilization where we are not in line with the available labor market and details specific strategies designed to remedy those areas of underutilization.
Download the EEOP Short Form.

industry_corpus2: Politics & Administration


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Encore's competitive advantage is its culture. We are an exceptional team with talented team members from varying and diverse backgrounds. For the 3rd year in a row, Encore is among the top 25% of the most racially diverse companies in the U.S. according to the EEO Joint Reporting Committee. Our culture, in large measure, accounts for our extraordinary performance.
Will Flaa focuses on raising institutional equity and debt placement for Encore and directs the day-to-day operations of the analytics and underwriting team. He has overseen more than $10 billion in transactions in the underwriting, closing, and origination of numerous commercial mortgage loans involving all property types across the United States. When Mr. Flaa joined Encore in 2017, he brought with him over 30 years of experience in real estate, including valuation, analysis and research, and mortgage capital analysis. Previously, Mr. Flaa served as Managing Director for Cantor Commercial Real Estate and Regional Director for Goldman Sachs Commercial Mortgage Capital, L.P., based in Dallas, Texas. During his tenure with both firms, he was responsible for the management of mortgage banking relationships, loan origination, and underwriting and managing all aspects of the loan closing process. Mr. Flaa is a graduate of the University of North Texas with a degree in Real Estate and Finance. Affiliations and memberships include: International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), the Mortgage Bankers Association of America (MBA), the North Texas Real Estate Council, and The Appraisal Institute (MAI). Mr. Flaa was raised in Dallas and is married with two children. In his spare time, he enjoys golfing, fishing and hunting.


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Amelia is a Hairdresser & Artistic Director based in London. She came to us in search of a modern brand that would separate her from the rest of the industry and make her stand out.
Amelia's work is heavily inspired by the fashion industry, so together we felt it made sense to create an identity that resembled a high fashion brand. After a few iterations, the finished result was clean & elegant, much like her hairstyles.
We developed Amelia's identity by pulling together a brand bible including brand guidelines. We crafted an icon for responsive use, and chose a colour palette, including textures & typography that compliment the brand.
Along with creating the brand, we developed a stationery set including business cards, letterheads and compliment slips for Amelia to use. We even created Amelia her very own newspaper encased in a black slide open box.


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Buti Galileo GMT in PVD over 18k with diamond dial on a leather strap with PVD buckle. Auto w/ subseconds, and split seconds chronograph. Limited edition to 50 pcs! In like new condition! Fine Pre-owned Buti Watch.
Certified preowned Buti watch is made out of yellow gold on a Black Leather Strap band with a PVD tang buckle. This Buti watch has a 42 x 42 mm case with a Round caseback and Silver Diamond dial. It is Gray and Sons Certified Authentic and comes backed by our 12-month warranty. Each watch is inspected by our certified in-house Swiss-trained watchmakers before shipment including final servicing, cleaning, and polishing.
If you have inquiries about this Buti watch please call us toll free at 800-705-1112 and be sure to reference W517087.

industry_corpus2: Manufacturing


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The University Eye Center (UEC) is a full-service eye care clinic located within the Michigan College of Optometry (MCO) at Ferris State University. The clinic services University employees, students, the Big Rapids community, and Northern/Western Michigan. In addition to providing comprehensive care, the UEC has specialty clinics in the following areas: Ocular Disease, Pre- and Post-Surgical Care, Specialty Contact Lenses, Pediatrics, and Binocular Vision & Vision Therapy. Each specialty clinic is run by dedicated doctors who are leaders in their areas of expertise, and often receive referrals from practitioners all over the state of Michigan.
Wednesday 8 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Emergency Number (After Hours Only): 1-844-750-6888.

industry_corpus2: Health & Medicine


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A new parody song using Adele’s “Hello” about The Force Awakens movie has been released by the KS1075 Morning Show out of Denver featuring Larry Ulibarri, Kendall B, Kathie J and Producer Wig’nz. My daughters discovered this “Hello” Star Wars parody and couldn’t wait to show me!
This is just the latest in a long list of funny Star Wars parodies using popular songs of the time. Here is a selection of my favorites to help “Awaken the dance in you” and get you ready for The Force Awakens, that opens in theaters December 15.
What is your favorite Star Wars song parody? Was it in this list? If not, share your favorite in the comments section!
Did You Miss The Last Jedi European Premiere Red Carpet LIVE Stream? No Worries – Watch it HERE!


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After a bit, it was time to fire up the barbeque! I bought some Pollo Asado from Costco and threw that on. On the right, is some fresh fish that hubby caught fishing! I marinaded it with the marinade in this recipe. Excellent marinade!
I had one chicken taco and one fish taco. I LOVED the fish tacos. What made it fabulous was the fish taco sauce I made. The sauce came from this recipe and was AMAZING! On the side was a Mexican Bean Salad (very good!) and some Potato Salad.
So GOOD!!!!!!!!!!! It was a big hit!! Everyone did a double take when they looked at it, trying to figure out if it was a sandwich or something else. :) It tasted like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Crazy!!
I was glad to get into bed that night!
Sunday morning, everyone hopped in the car and made our way over to The Broken Yolk for breakfast. My brother in law is a big fan of the show Man vs. Food and this restaurant was on there for their Crazy huge omelet. If one person can finish it in under an hour, you get your name on the wall. We didn't come to meet the challenge but to just order it and split it and have some giggles.
I cannot imagine in my right mind how anyone could eat that by themselves. There were a bunch of names on the wall though!!
We ordered a bunch of pizza and spaghetti...by the time it came, everyone attacked. :) No pictures. I had two slices of cheese pizza, some spaghetti with marinara and 2 buffalo wings. We hit the road and came home and fell into bed. Everyone was exhausted!!!
You never cease to amaze me. With all those people to feed and entertain, I would be in Betty Ford by now! I think I need a Kahlua just reading about it all!
The peanut butter and jelly cake was adorable!!! What a cute cake to bring to a school function!
See you at Bunco...can't wait for our friend to show us how her delicious pizzas are made!
What a bunch of tasty food! The fish tacos are making me drool.

industry_corpus2: Hospitality & Catering


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I have two people living inside me.
They fight for my attention.
Some days one wins; some days the other. But I’m not sure both can ever win at the same time.
I wouldn’t call them Dr. Jekyll and Mrs. Hyde. I wouldn’t call them Two Faced. Though two opposite sides of people are often expressed in movies, TV and literature as only good and bad, I find myself with a good and good. At least that’s what I’d call them.
The first me likes having a home, likes making the home look nice, and really likes acquiring stuff. She doesn’t crave stability by any means, but she likes a framework to move within. She doesn’t want to own a house for that still feels a bit like a cage, but she likes making the home she lives in feel warm and inviting. She likes buying books and movies and decor and electronics and kitchen appliances (though she doesn’t know how to use them very well). She doesn’t enjoy clutter, in fact she periodically purges to avoid extreme excess, but she does have comfy surroundings and a VERY long Amazon Wish List. I wouldn’t say she puts down roots, but she does enjoy watching relationships, places and surroundings grow to be a part of her. She doesn’t resist change by any stretch of the imagination, but maintains a flirtation with it, and welcomes it in from time to time.
And then there is the second me. She regrets the day everything she owned didn’t fit in her car anymore. She likes the idea of a well-decorated home, but isn’t convinced she needs it for herself. She only needs a reliable car to get her to where she wants to go next. She thinks she’s got some gypsy blood in her, but isn’t sure where it came from, because every couple of months she’s ready to move. To see new places. To have new experiences. She wants every day to be different and unknown. She thrives on adventure. She despises acquiring stuff because 1) she really doesn’t need it despite her wants and 2) so many people around the world have so little. So why not send the money and stuff to them instead? She doesn’t resist change; she embraces it with a huge smile as if it’s always overdue.
While reading about the two sides of me, you most likely identified more with one over the other. I think most people do. I’m sure even the more “tame” side of me isn’t near stable enough for some of you. (I know that because I’ve talked to you.) And in fact, the opposing side may even seem ludicrous to you. But, I promise, these two people live within me. Neither is bad.
Different isn’t bad. It’s just different.
But I’ll tell you one thing, it’s really hard for these two to take up occupancy inside me. The first side side has been the side that shows up most often, and sometimes I really am unsure why, while the second side plays the prominent role at only certain times. But usually, the side that isn’t winning is screaming to be in front. I’m sure the means and opportunity are the only thing standing in the second me’s way.
I think we’re often taught by society that my second me is flaky or irresponsible. Sure, it’s romanticized in movies, TV and literature, but when it comes down to it, come on? You can’t really live that way.
But I disagree. Didn’t the apostles live like the second me? I’ve lived like the second me at times and enjoyed the heck out of it. Not everything has to change in a couple thousand years. Don’t the aforementioned romanticized people often inspire you? They do me. And you only need know me to know that no matter which side is dominant, I’m not flaky or irresponsible. I may take risks, but they are calculated and prayerful. I just don’t understand life without risk. What a bore! I certainly don’t want to live that way. Both me’s need a calling, adventure and to be part of something larger. That is a constant no matter which side is taking the lead. That’s what I believe being a disciple of Christ is all about.
Control is out of my hands. Though I’m still in recovery, I tried to let go of my control freak side a long time ago. What a waste of time–trying to control. I was only trying to do a job that I professed was God’s, but in the end, must have secretly thought I’d be better at. I learned submission, and in that, opened new doors to adventure. Liberation. Now I understand truly what freedom is about. Some adventures are more tame, and they are for the first me. They are every day adventures (yes, they exist). And then there are the epic ones for the second me, and they are grand indeed. They leave a longing in me for more…much more. And that is why second me will always be part of my scenario. And honestly, I’m grateful for that.
I guess I’m learning to reconcile that having both sides of me is a good thing, though some days that’s harder to grasp. Sure, they are variations of the oneness of me, not necessarily polar opposites. And certainly not good and bad. They are both a gift, both of value, and both given by God. Which one I’ll wake up as, I never know. But then again, isn’t that part of the adventure?
Categories: Live | Tags: adventure, Christian living, Kristi Porter | Permalink.


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ice machine, ice making machine, ice maker manufacturer / supplier in china, offering 1 ton/day flake ice machine for super market, ce approved 3tons stable ice cube machine (cv3000), 2 tons ice cube machine widely used in hotels, restaurants, bars etc and so on.
flake ice plant, flake ice maker, flake ice making machine manufacturer / supplier in china, offering 3 tons flake ice machine for fishing industry, stainless steel icemaker factory, beautiful small snow industrial ice maker machine and so on.
2.automatic salt water flake ice machine adpots the latest vertical evaporator with inner helix ice cutter. in the process of ice making, the water distribution device in ice maker sprays water even on the internal surface of ice maker to frozen in a short time . after ice formed , the helix ice cutter drops down and cut ice .
2019 2 7 smaller ranges of flake ice units are made suitable for sea water and can be supplied to deep sea trawlers & small units within ranges of 1 to 2 tons/24 hrs.ice flakes are also used in supermarkets. irl offers flake ice units with capacity ranging from 1 ton/24 hours to 100 tons/24 hours.
ice maker, ice machine, ice plant manufacturer / supplier in china, offering snowkey stainless steel flake ice machine for sales in supermarket, ice drink machine 5 tons tube ice machine price, snowkey ice plant compressor efficient and excellent tube ice machine and so on.


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This year Canada is celebrating its 150th and Guelph its 190th anniversary. To celebrate please join me for a Canada 150 community BBQ on June 2nd from 4:30-7:30 at Riverside Park, 709 Woolwich St., Guelph. Please bring your friends and family!
Please register here, registration will be required to attend.
Please register by May 24th.
Refresments and food will be served alongside activities for community members of all ages.


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board also named Barnett as Vice Chairman Emeritus.
1997. Jenkins currently resides in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
information, visit the company’s website, corporate.publix.com.


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How much does a Facilities Manager make in British Columbia?
The average salary for a Facilities Manager is $65,269 per year in British Columbia, which is 10% below the national average. Salary estimates are based on 57 salaries submitted anonymously to Indeed by Facilities Manager employees, users, and collected from past and present job advertisements on Indeed in the past 36 months. The typical tenure for a Facilities Manager is 2-4 years.


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A ballerina and her fans. Or maybe some friends of Nils Holgersson in Romania, instead of Sweden.
Painted apples and pears on a kiosk in Carol Park (Parcul Carol).
Postcards from Carol Park (Parcul Carol) on a gray Sunday afternoon.


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This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 7th, 2018 at 4:49 pm and is filed under Indian Ad, Youtube video.	You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
I’ve been noticing these advertising shorts for some time now. Came across one hilarious one just yesterday about a story telling app called Aai, privacy aani mi.
With this one, I’d no issues with the beauty part of it – if she’s going to be a model, then looks are damned important. My issue with it was more that she needed a man to ‘rescue’ her from – a man.
There is that too. But I am in glass-is-half-full mood – so will focus on the positives, instead.


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Those of you who ever had a go at cracking and all other stuff will have a readymade answer to it.No cracking without a crack at assembly language.
If u are not in the cracking Biz why do you need it?
Assembly language makes you powerful.it is the base on which everything is built.
Without assembly language you will always remain a novice.whatever you build or achieve.
So lets start the learning process.
• Why do you want to save a little space using assembly language when you have so much space?
Believe Me, learning assembly language is easier than most high level languages..
Once you learn assembly language everything else comes naturally..
• Speed. Assembly language programs are generally the fastest programs around.
• Space. Assembly language programs are often the smallest.
• Capability. You can do things in assembly which are difficult or impossible in HLLs (High Level Language).
even when using HLLs (High Level Language).
So how does it work>?
Now we create a segment.
and in the cseg the code.

industry_corpus2: Programming


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Each swapper will send at least one package containing items in your partner's favorite color(s).*Minimum* package value must be at least $15, not including the price of postage.
This swap involves taking a skein of your partners choice of yarn (or as close as is available to you) and wrapping little items inside. These items can be hooks, stitch markers, pens, candy...anything small enough to be rolled and hidden in the ball. Everything must be wrapped inside the ball of yarn.
This is an exchange where getting to know your partner is very important!! The biggest part of having a fun exchange for both people involved is good communication. Email your partner at least once a week. Read their survey and ask questions. This swap is all about taking the time to combine your partner's favorite yarn(s) with small notions and goodies. Making a Magic Ball that will be super fun to unwrap.
1. Please submit a survey (See 2nd post for Survey information) if you want to participate in this swap. Surveys should be emailed to the swap hostess, auntbubbels, at auntbubbels at nyc dot rr dot com. I will send you a confirmation email when I receive your survey, and your name will be added to the list of swappers posted below. Surveys can be submitted until: December 30, 2013 at 5 p.m. (EST).
3. Partner assignments will be e-mailed to you by: January 1, 2014. Packages must be POSTMARKED by: February 8, 2014. Delivery Confirmation is required whenever it is available (all domestic packages), and the delivery confirmation number MUST be emailed to the swap coordinator. Please email the swap hostess, auntbubbels at nyc dot rr dot com, when you receive your exchange partner's information so that I know you received it. All packages must be received by the end of the swap on: February 8, 2014.
5. E-mail the swap hostess, auntbubbels - auntbubbels at nyc dot rr dot com, when you receive your exchange partner's information so that I know you received it, when you receive your partner information at the start of the swap, and when you send and receive your exchange item(s) so that I can record who has sent and received.
7. Make sure your postage and receiver's address are correct before mailing. Mark your package with "Crochetville Magic Ball Swap". Do not forget delivery confirmation is required whenever it is available, and the delivery confirmation must be emailed to the swap coordinator. This is not only proof of mailing, but enables you to trace the package if it is lost in the mail.
9. If your package is not postmarked by the POSTMARK BY date of February 8, 2014, you will be subject to the consequences listed in the 2013 Swap Guidelines. Please contact the swap coordinator BEFORE the mailing deadline passes if there is a problem.
Please email your survey to auntbubbels at nyc dot rr dot com. Please include Magic Ball Swap and your username in the subject. The last day to send the survey is December 30th. Partners will go out on January 1st. Thanks and have FUN!!!
* Do you have cats/dogs, other pets? be specific . . .
* What are your favorite colors? Are there any colors you don't like ?
*What is your favorite type of yarn? (wool, cotton, ww, etc.) Is there any yarn you DO NOT like?
* What are your favorite notions? be specific . . .?
*What are your favorite type of hooks? Any type you would love to try? What size do you need or not need?
*What are your favorite candies?
*Anything you want the swap hostess to know? (This information is removed before survey information is sent to your partner. It's kept private and confidential). E.g., a recent swap partner so you’re not partnered again, if someone is your relative, etc.
This was a really fun swap last year.....I'm in!
I didn't do many swaps last year, but this sounded like it was fun.
Bumping up this post! Come on people....join this swap....it was a ton of fun last year!!!! LOL!
I sent the survey, but my email returned undelivered. What is Auntbubbels email address. I must not have it correct.
I received your survey and sent one back stating that I received your survey - please let me know that you received it.
I really hope more people sign up ! this sounds like such a fun swap!
This sounds like super fun... and I promise that whomever I am paired with .. I will not purchase anything until the plague has been banished from my home... All I wanted for Christmas was peace, and family time.. we all got the flu.
Ladies, check your email - partners have been assigned!!!
Let's have fun . . .
Hi Smokeyp81! Glad to have you as a swap partner. We are having guests tonight and tomorrow. I will try to get an email out to you soon.
Hi AuntBubbels!! Can't wait to get to know you with this swap!! I'll most likely get an email out to you this evening sometime!!
Email sent. I'm really excited to see how this all turns out.
Hi everyone! I have my partner....Hi Bailey4! Just sent you an e-mail. Can't wait to get started!
Hi Kidge! I am super excited.
Ordered the yarn and I have a couple of items. Hope to get out this weekend when the snow stops to finish my shopping so I can make the ball when the yarn arrives.
Hey Smokey81 according to UPS your yarn has made it as far as OH but they've experienced "adverse weather conditions." Thankfully I have plenty of time before the deadline so I'm confident it will be here on time. I am hoping to get out this weekend after my dentist appointment to get the last of the items I want to put in the ball. Then I just need to get rolling.
We had a bit of warmer weather that melted all the snow with the driving rain. Now we just have icy cold temps. Stay warm everyone.
Smokey81 according to UPS your yarn should be here today. So if I get the stuff I need this weekend I might actually get your package out next week!!!!
Auntbubbels, I am having so much fun shopping for you!! When the husband gets paid again next Friday, I'll make sure I'm finished up & will get your box shipped your way the following Monday I'm sure!


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Web Developer by Day, Mad Typist by Night: On Vacation!
Soon enough, the ideas will start flowing again and I'll be itching to write. But for now I'll take my virtual fruity drink, pull up a seat next to my imaginary beach and lounge until the next book wave takes me away.
Girl, you deserve a break. I've seen what happens to your house when you don't take one. Scarrrrrry.
Congrats to Cole Gibsen on her Book Deal!


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Fill out the form for any information about Gnomes.
For any information or request, please fill in the form below. The gnomes will answer you as soon as possible.


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There has been a good deal of discussion recently suggesting that unmanned, autonomous ships represent the future of the maritime industry. The discussion has been primarily driven by EU-funded research that sees autonomous, unmanned ships as a key element for a competitive and sustainable European shipping industry in the future.
The discussion has also been influenced by ambitious press releases from equipment manufacturers and potential service suppliers, who are expanding the concept to include a proposed automated global shipping industry. This would create a new market for vendors, but it is not driven by user demand.
There is little doubt that advances in information and communications technology and robotics will impact the maritime industry and accelerate changes in the way ships are operated. We have already seen the effects of automation in the manufacturing and distribution sectors and the massive changes they have brought.
The concepts underlying autonomous ships are based on the “Industry 4.0” (1) model recently developed in Germany, in which cyber-physical systems would monitor sensors, create a virtual copy of the physical world and permit decentralized decisions. Its goal is managing automated production within a “Smart Factory” and the integration of multiple factories, suppliers, distributors and consumers through the internet of things or services. But it is questionable whether a model developed for a controlled manufacturing environment can be transplanted to the dynamic, global, uncontrolled and open maritime environment.
Given both the unique nature of the maritime industry and the exponential growth in the application of technology, any attempt to predict the extent and consequences of automation is speculative at best. Any change will come in stages, and each stage will require evaluation.
One stage will certainly include remote monitoring of all functions aboard ships with far greater shoreside management of shipboard operations. To some extent, for certain functions, remote monitoring has been around for decades. Cost considerations and bandwidth have been limiting factors, but now that is changing. Efforts at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to develop and implement technology to support e-Navigation – including interoperability and harmonization of information between ship and shore – could potentially be a precursor to remotely controlled ships. That raises, at least as a concept, the possibility of truly autonomous, unmanned ships making their own decisions using artificial intelligence. While this seems like fantasy at the present time, given the increasing capabilities of technology it cannot be completely ruled out as a possibility in the decades ahead.
The pace and extent of how this will all evolve in international shipping will primarily be determined by economics and risk factors. It is anticipated that the cost of building a ship with the required technology and redundancies for remotely controlled operation may be higher than that of a conventional ship, even with the elimination of the crew’s accommodations. The system would also require shoreside infrastructure with a global reach for monitoring and control, as well as expensive shoreside support for maintenance, repairs and functions now carried out on conventional ships by seafarers from relatively low-cost-labor-supply countries.
Can the additional costs of an autonomous system be offset by substantial reductions in crewing costs, or their complete elimination? If not, there is no economic justification for ship owners to shift to autonomous ships.
It is estimated that crewing costs are only about six percent of the overall cost of running a ship. (2) Capital costs are about 42 percent and voyage costs, including bunkers, run about 40 percent. There can be no doubt that shipping is capital intensive rather than labor intensive.
Even if all manning were to be eliminated, it is not at all clear how the relatively minor savings in crewing expenses could compensate for the additional costs of building and operating a remotely controlled autonomous ship system and its supporting shore side infrastructure.
There has been a disturbing degree of enthusiasm in some circles for autonomous ships, which would create massive unemployment of the world’s seafarers and disrupt the economy of the maritime labor supply countries, all to achieve a rather minor reduction in the cost of shipping. But so far there has been a noticeable lack of enthusiasm for autonomous ships among shipowners: perhaps they have a better grasp of the economics than the enthusiastic proponents.
Maersk has indicated that it may be looking at some form of autonomous ships in the 2030-35 timeframe, which would coincide with the end of the useful life of their recent newbuilds. But ship owners will only embrace autonomous shipping if it is commercially viable and they can gain a competitive advantage by eliminating the costs of seafarers. As we see from the statistics, however, the extent of any cost reduction accomplished through cuts in manning would be limited at best.
Advocates of autonomous ships are attempting to justify their position based on a shortage and a fictional lack of competency of seafarers. They propose a “solution” they say would lower costs and increase safety through eliminating seafarers and with them the risk of human error. They fail however to acknowledge the very real risk of introducing new sources of error in technical systems, communication links, cyber security and remote human controllers who are isolated from the reality of the ship and its actual environment: the greater the complexity, interdependencies and links within a system, the greater the opportunity for errors and failures.
We should be skeptical of optimistic projections of the future benefits and efficiencies of autonomous ships that are based on the aspirational views of advocates who have a commercial stake in creating a market for an autonomous ship system. A great deal of investors’ money has been lost in the past through bets on over-hyped expectations regarding new technology. The “Dot-com” bubble of 2000 is a good example.
There is also a misconception that complex, highly automated systems require highly skilled operators. But neither the experience of other industries nor the academic literature support such a view. As the technology assumes increasingly complex functions, there is a down-skilling of operators who become dependent on highly automated, self-regulating systems. The more automated the system, the less is required of the human operator since basic competencies and lower level decision making functions are built into the technology.
The human operator loses the opportunity to develop through experience the deeper skills and talents, such as assessment and judgment. (3) The problem with machines that think is that they give rise to people who don’t need to think. This presents a significant challenge in the dynamic and complex maritime world, where assessment and judgment, based on experience and total situational awareness, are fundamental to making the “right” decisions – often under tight time constraints – that can spell the difference between a safe passage and disaster.
Replacing skills and active participation with the boring task of monitoring displays can lead to a dangerous level of complacency. When things go wrong, the handover problem between the automated system and the complacent, uninvolved human operator—with degraded skills and situational awareness—has proven to be a major problem. The significance of this problem has been demonstrated in the air transport sector and other industries.
There is, in addition, the need to take a much broader view of automation, beyond its impact on the maritime sector. What is required is a realistic view of automation’s social and political consequences in the world at large. The assertion that technology is a purely benevolent force, whose only impact on society is a positive one, is clearly erroneous. There is no economic law that says that everyone, or even most people, will inevitably benefit from technological progress. Technology is neither good nor bad. Unlike humans, it has no moral or ethical values.
Technology is a powerful force that can destabilize institutions and industries, upset the social contract between capital and labor – as well as the traditional employer/employee relationship – with profound consequences. The changes it brings have been compared to a fourth industrial revolution. (4) And there is considerable concern in academic circles regarding technology’s impact on the future of our society, on our economic system and on our political institutions. The issue is not solely of concern to people being replaced by technology; this year at the World Economic Forum at Davos, it was the main topic of discussion among global leaders.
Academics estimate that as much as 50-70 percent of the labor force can ultimately be replaced by technology. The gains that automation produces from increased productivity with lower labor costs primarily benefit the capital investors who own and control the technology. The resulting profit-concentrating effects, coupled with technological unemployment or under-employment, are largely responsible for the increasing inequality of income that is creating social tensions and political turmoil in the United States and elsewhere. Globalization has been the ready scapegoat of politicians, but technological unemployment is responsible for much of the problem.
Technology-generated income inequality is also a threat to our free market economic system because it reduces consumer demand by reducing the number of consumers, principally workers, with the ability to purchase goods. Our free market system is based on consumer demand driving manufacturing and production. In past industrial revolutions (steam, mass production, electricity) an increase in demand created more jobs in production. Those jobs would in turn increase consumer spending and drive up production. In the fourth industrial revolution, with technology replacing workers, this classic economic principle no longer holds true. The cycle between consumer demand, production and jobs has been disrupted. Automation now allows for a scaling-up of production coupled with little if any increase in the number of jobs. This is evident in the economic data: corporate profits and the stock market go up, while worker income and consumer demand are near stagnant.
The factors of primary concern to society are: the consequences of the change in the nature of work (or even its elimination); the distribution between capital and labor of the enormous gains in productivity that derive from technology; the preservation of the traditional employer/employee relationship, which provides stability and social benefits; and the effect on the future of society as a whole of technology and robotics replacing or down-skilling workers.
In a globalized industry, these are not issues that lend themselves to easy solution. They involve economic and political issues – which impact the society as a whole – regarding the distribution of productivity gains derived from technology. In our democratic free market system, individual economic decisions are determined by self-interest. Matters of common interest to the welfare of society at large should be addressed on a political level through good governance. The negative consequences of the disruptive power of technology may not be the fault of technology, but the failure of government policies to address its impact on society.
Where technology ultimately takes us will be decided within political institutions, legislative bodies, regulatory agencies and international organizations such as the United Nations and the IMO. What is needed is a common understanding of the issues and a coordinated effort to protect not only the interests of seafarers and workers but also the future of our society as a whole.
These thoughts have touched primarily on the broader economic and social issues. There is a great deal more to be said on the technical aspects—legal and regulatory, ultimate responsibility and liability for risks, human factors and man/machine interface issues, software quality, cyber security, reliability of the communication/data links, and engineering, sensor and technical systems—that will be left for another discussion.
Capt. George Quick is Vice President of the Pilot Membership Group at the International Organization of Masters, Mates & Pilots (MM&P). He serves on the delegation of the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) to the IMO Maritime Safety Committee, the IMO Legal Committee and the IMO Facilitation Committee.
(1) "Industrie 4.0" originated in a working group organized by the German government to promote the computerization of manufacturing. The final report of Working Group Industry 4.0 was presented in April 2013.
(2) Martin Stopford, “Marine Economics (Third Edition),” page 225. Based on data for a Capesize bulker. At today’s bunker rates, my rough calculations are that manning costs fluctuate between 3% and 5%, depending on the volatility of bunker rates and their impact on voyage costs.
(3) “The Glass Cage, Automation and Us” by Nicholas Carr.
(4) “The Fourth Industrial Revolution” by Klaus Schwab, Executive Chairman, World Economic Forum, Davos.

industry_corpus2: Transportation