Synthetic intelligence (AI) is turning into commonplace, and machine studying fashions are on the coronary heart of this development. Machine studying strategies and applied sciences are revolutionizing varied sectors, from healthcare to finance. Nonetheless, few folks perceive the significance of machine studying and the instruments that make it potential.
The precise set of instruments could make a major distinction within the success of a undertaking. Observe that there’s a couple of kind of machine studying, together with supervised studying and unsupervised studying. Every kind has its functions and is fitted to particular duties. These fashions have turn out to be the spine of varied machine studying strategies. They’re important for constructing AI-powered functions.
This weblog submit will talk about the highest 7 machine studying instruments of 2023. Hopefully, it should enable you to select the best machine studying algorithm and power on your undertaking.
On this part, we’ll introduce the seven hottest machine studying instruments and platforms in 2023. These instruments have been rigorously chosen primarily based on varied elements. As an example, some stand out on account of their ease of use or algorithmic functions. Others have greater GPU coaching pace or extra instruments provided. You’ll discover two sorts of instruments for machine studying on this listing.
Cloud-based platforms play a major function in machine studying. Huge names like Google Cloud AI Platform, Amazon Machine Studying, and Azure Machine Studying cleared the path. The platforms present easy accessibility to highly effective computing assets. Additionally they let you entry collaborative companies.
Open-source frameworks and libraries are additionally a vital a part of the machine studying ecosystem. Python, TensorFlow, and PyTorch are a few of the hottest decisions amongst builders, because of their in depth capabilities and ease of use.
Machine Studying on Microsoft Azure
Our first ML software is Microsoft’s Azure Machine Learning. It’s a strong cloud-based platform for machine studying that gives a big selection of options. Most of it’s carried out via its Azure Machine Studying Studio. This platform supplies a user-friendly, drag-and-drop interface. It’s tremendous straightforward to create Enterprise Intelligence functions, even for these with restricted ML experience. You should use these functions for anomaly detection, fraud detection duties, and extra.
The benefit of use of Azure’s graphical consumer interface is mixed with an in depth vary of machine studying algorithms and predictive fashions. This enables customers to rapidly create and deploy varied machine studying functions. This versatility makes Azure Machine Studying appropriate for a variety of initiatives. It might assist with small-scale experiments and large-scale, mission-critical techniques.
Along with Azure Machine Studying Studio, Microsoft gives different companies that complement its machine studying platform. Microsoft Power BI is a well-liked knowledge reporting and visualization software, nice for enterprise intelligence. However, Azure Data Factory is a cloud-based knowledge integration service. Lastly, Azure Databricks is an Apache Spark-based analytics platform. It may be used for large knowledge processing and machine studying duties.
This integration permits customers to leverage the complete potential of the Microsoft ecosystem. It enhances their machine studying initiatives and ensures easy interoperability between totally different elements. Its help for common open-source frameworks, like TensorFlow and PyTorch, makes it much more versatile.
IBM Watson is a complicated AI platform with a powerful service suite. The preferred is IBM Watson Studio, IBM’s major machine studying platform. With capabilities like NLP and picture recognition, Watson can autonomously execute varied duties. It’s primarily used to ship insights throughout industries.
The well-known supercomputer additional reinforces Watson’s skill to deal with machine studying duties. It does an amazing job of powering deep studying frameworks and recurrent networks. This neural community mannequin permits Watson to excel within the subfield of machine studying. As such, it’s a flexible software for builders and researchers.
Actual-life functions and case research of companies utilizing IBM Watson are a lot. The corporate demonstrated its worth in varied industries, like sign processing and healthcare. You may additionally discover it in finance, advertising and marketing, and customer support. Watson’s superior capabilities have confirmed efficient in fixing complicated issues and driving innovation.
Along with its core machine studying capabilities, Watson additionally gives a set of AI-powered instruments. For instance, there’s Watson Assistant, used for constructing conversational AI functions. These digital assistants are surprisingly human-like and have the potential to revolutionize customer support. Watson Discovery is one other great tool used for unstructured knowledge evaluation. These extras assist companies harness the true energy of AI and machine studying, unlocking new alternatives and efficiencies.
Sadly, working Watson’s in-house operations could be moderately costly for many companies. In response, IBM gives cloud-based choices for smaller firms. Going via the cloud reduces the price for these in search of entry to Watson’s superior studying capabilities with out the necessity for vital infrastructure investments.
Additionally Learn: What Happened to IBM Watson?
Subsequent, now we have a Goliath of ML. Amazon Machine Learning on AWS is a well-liked cloud-based machine studying infrastructure seen as a pioneer within the business. With its cost-effective and scalable options, Amazon ML is a lovely possibility for all sorts of companies. They make it straightforward to implement machine studying of their operations. Integration with the AWS ecosystem, together with Amazon S3 and Amazon RDS, additional enhances its attraction.
Amazon ML helps many machine studying strategies, similar to:
- Supervised studying
- Binary classification
- Multiclass classification
This versatility permits customers to use Amazon ML to make use of instances starting from fraud detection to suggestion techniques. It’s additionally nice for predictive upkeep and demand forecasting. This platform focuses on offering a protected house for companies. Their tight security measures make it a well-liked alternative amongst giant organizations. One notable instance of leveraging Amazon infrastructure is Coursera, a web-based schooling platform.
Amazon ML’s skill to ship actionable insights is a testomony to its worth within the machine studying panorama. Its effectiveness has been confirmed in predictive analytics and buyer segmentation.
To brighten its choices, Amazon ML additionally supplies extra instruments and companies. As an example, Amazon SageMaker simplifies the method of constructing, coaching, and deploying functions at scale. With this complete suite, Amazon ML is well-equipped to help companies of their endeavors.
TensorFlow, an open-source framework developed by the Google Mind crew, is a well-liked alternative for deep studying. As a library for dataflow programming, it tremendously simplifies the creation of machine studying fashions. You’ll discover pre-trained fashions and varied instruments for duties like:
- Picture recognition
- Speech recognition
- Neural networks
- Pure language processing
- Laptop imaginative and prescient
TensorFlow’s in depth ecosystem consists of extra instruments and libraries as effectively. There’s TensorFlow Lite for cellular and embedded units, TensorFlow.js for browser-based machine studying, and TensorFlow Extended (TFX) for end-to-end machine studying pipelines. These instruments make TensorFlow a complete platform for varied machine studying duties.
TensorFlow’s highly effective capabilities make it a best choice for builders in varied industries, from healthcare and finance to retail and manufacturing.
Most individuals within the business have heard of Python. However do you know it’s additionally a well-liked scripting language for ML initiatives? This is because of it boasting a big group and a comparatively easy syntax. With its in depth libraries and packages, Python is a well-liked software for growing machine studying fashions. Some examples of those libraries embody scikit-learn, which gives:
- Dimensionality discount
- Mannequin choice
NumPy is one other one, offering help for linear algebra operations. One other helpful library, pandas, simplifies knowledge manipulation and evaluation, making it simpler for builders to work with structured knowledge. Python’s function in machine studying schooling can also be price noting. Many on-line studying platforms like edX are constructed on it. Additionally they provide programs that train programming abilities, knowledge evaluation, visualization libraries, predictive analytics, and internet software improvement utilizing Python.
As an unbiased programming language, Python gives flexibility and flexibility. This makes it a well-liked alternative for machine studying initiatives. Python’s package deal supervisor caters to a variety of machine studying duties, from knowledge preprocessing and have engineering to mannequin coaching and analysis. The straightforward syntax and readability make it straightforward for rookies to study. However it’s nonetheless strong sufficient for skilled builders to put in writing environment friendly traces of code.
Additionally Learn: How Long Does It Take To Learn Python
One other rising possibility on this planet of ML instruments is PyTorch. This open-source framework is known as after its origins. You guessed it; it combines the Python programming language and the Torch library. Scripted utilizing Lua, PyTorch gives a dynamic computation graph and linear algebra framework. There are over 200 mathematical operations, making it a perfect alternative for deep studying duties and irregular knowledge.
Certainly one of PyTorch’s key strengths is its flexibility. Builders can construct and experiment with complicated fashions extra simply. Its sturdy debugging capabilities and lively group help cement its attraction as a machine studying framework.
PyTorch’s compatibility with varied programming languages and platforms, similar to Python and C++, makes it a flexible software for builders. Actual-life functions of PyTorch embody laptop imaginative and prescient, language fashions, speech recognition, and reinforcement studying.
Additionally Learn: Introduction to PyTorch Loss Functions and Machine Learning
Lastly, now we have Vertex AI, a comparatively younger platform. Vertex AI helps varied machine studying strategies, claiming to supply all the mandatory instruments underneath one unified UI and API. A few of its functions embody object detection, pure language processing, anomaly detection, and sentiment evaluation.
Google Cloud’s Vertex AI is a cloud-based machine studying platform with a user-friendly interface. It lets customers begin coaching fashions rapidly, even with out prior expertise. Vertex AI’s integration with different Google Cloud companies makes it even higher. The API provides you entry to Google Cloud companies, similar to Google Cloud ML Engine and Google Cloud Storage. That makes it a lovely possibility for companies trying to hit the bottom working.
Vertex AI has a scalable structure that permits customers to construct and deploy fashions effectively.
In conclusion, the highest 7 machine studying software program instruments mentioned on this article are main the way in which on this thrilling discipline. These common machine studying platforms and deep studying instruments provide a number of necessary options and capabilities.
When selecting a machine studying software, it’s important to guage the particular wants and targets of your undertaking. You should guarantee to pick essentially the most appropriate machine studying algorithm and platform. When you perceive the superior studying capabilities of every software, you may make an knowledgeable resolution about the perfect match on your undertaking.
We encourage readers to discover and experiment with totally different instruments to search out the one which most closely fits their initiatives and targets. Because the world of synthetic intelligence and machine studying fashions continues to evolve, so will the applied sciences that drive it. Keep up-to-date with the most recent developments in machine studying applied sciences and neural community fashions, and you’ll assist form the longer term!


There have been a lot of changes in managing your HVA’s units in the last few years: from refitting units to ensure that they are the most up-to-date possible, to alteration to coolants and refrigerants that are used in your units. Most homes in the US have some form of heating and cooling unit in their homes, with only 3% without heating at all. The majority use natural gas, with most of the rest using electricity to heat their homes. In order to get the most from an existing Las Vegas NV HVAC Unit , or to look at fitting a new one, you need to understand the demands that are being placed upon these devices in Las Vegas.
Changes to HVAC Ratings Since 2015
One of the biggest issues that users of HVACs in Nevada have is the changes to ratings of these units. This is in response to a 2015 federal regulation which affected the energy rating of air conditioners and heat pumps. Any unit which has been installed since this time must comply with the new SEER standard. This energy rating affects the HVAC particularly because it is likely to be used throughout the year, both for heating and for air-conditioning. Therefore, if you wish to buy a new model, you have to consider how this rating will affect its use and the possibility of getting your home to the temperature you require.
Why Does HVAC Heating Need To Be Regulated?
There are several reasons why the government has decided to adjust its efficiency ratings. Mostly, it is to provide a higher quality for customers, reducing the amount of energy that they use on their units, while still providing the best comfort possible. This energy rating relates to the installation and running costs of the unit. Since 2015, most HVAC units are operating more efficiently, using fewer natural resources and providing lower energy bills for homeowners.
Adding or Replacing Components
If you need to replace particular parts or components of your HVAC, then you will need to make sure that these comply with the new regulations. Components are often made separately from the units, and this can mean that sometimes they are not compliant with the SEER rating, even though they have been designed to work with a unit that is. Non-compliant parts will affect the efficiency of the unit, sometimes causing problems such as condensation, higher energy bills or even failure of the unit. In order to make sure that you get a suitable replacement for parts within the HVAC, you need an HVAC expert who can help you to get the right parts for your machine. A contractor who understands the parts is vital in getting the right unit.
Improving Your HVAC Ratings
If you are thinking about how to improve the efficiency of your HVAC without having to renew or replace all of its components, then you need to make sure that you take control of your heating. You can do this in a number of ways, for example by making sure that you clean and replace filters and radiators, heaters and other parts of the HVAC. You should also ‘bleed’ your radiators regularly, at least twice per cold season, in order to get the best results. You might also consider reducing the amount of time that you use fans, for example extractor fans in the kitchen and bathroom. Turn these off 20 minutes after you finish in order to reduce cool air coming into the home. You can also do other things such as keeping the house warm using drapes and shades at night, leaving them open during the day to allow warm air to circulate.
Choosing the Right Las Vegas NV HVAC Unit
If you want to replace your HVAC machine, then you will need to buy one which is best suited to your home. For example, thanks to the new efficiency ratings, you will not have to buy so big a unit in order to keep your home cool and hot during the different seasons. Even smaller HVAC units can now be as powerful as the older ones, and it is more important to find one which will match the size of the rooms you use rather than simply picking the largest one.
Find What You Need From Our Team
Do you need help with getting a new HVAC unit installed in your home? Do you want to make sure that the component you receive will work with your existing HVAC unit? In order to make sure that you get the best air conditioning services available to you, you need a team like Air Pro Master. Our team is here to help you, so start your HVAC journey by contacting us online, or call us at (702) 935-5622 today.


June 10th, 2013
Food security means access by all people at all times to enough food for an active, healthy life.
“Hunger hits closer to home than many of us think. Based on this data, we all probably know someone who isn’t sure where their next meal is coming from,” said Kristina Scott, executive director of Alabama Possible-Alabama Poverty Project.
Children are more likely to be food insecure than adults, and 26.4 percent of Alabama children lived in food insecure households. Child hunger is linked with poor health and educational outcomes.
Alabama is the nation’s sixth poorest state, and 19 percent of Alabamians and 28 percent of children live in poverty.
According to the Fe
eding America analysis, Macon and Greene Counties were both in the Top 10 majority African American counties within high food
insecure rate counties. Both are 82 percent African American, and 28 percent of Macon County residents are food insecure. In Greene County, 30 percent of residents are food insecure.
Macon County, which has a poverty rate of 31 percent and a median income of $27,591, also is one of the nation’s highest food insecure and highest food cost counties.
“Hunger is a solvable problem. Emergency food assistance is just the start, however. In order to ensure no Alabamian goes hungry, we need to explore local food systems, economic development, community support systems, and civic engagement for sustainable solutions to build a food secure and thriving community,” said Scott.
Charts with complete Alabama 2011 food insecurity and child food insecurity data is available on the Feeding America website.
Alabama Possible-Alabama Poverty Project (APP) is a statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing systemic poverty and its root causes across Alabama. APP educates Alabamians about poverty, motivates colleges and faith-based institutions to engage in poverty-reduction activities, and advocates for fact-based policy decisions. APP was founded in 1993 and is based in Birmingham. For more information visit http://www.alabamapossible.org.
Feeding America is a nationwide network of more than 200 food banks that leads the fight against hunger in the United States. Together, we provide food to more than 37 million people through 61,000 food pantries, soup kitchens, and shelters in communities across America. Feeding America also supports programs that improve food security among the people we serve; educates the public about the problem of hunger; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Visit www.feedingamerica.org


When I conceived my idea for a thin, flexible wallet invention in 2002, I was very excited about the potential of my invention. But, I had no clue what I should do first. So I found a patent attorney and filed for a utility patent on my product.
Ready, fire, aim!
Fortunately it worked out for me and my product has been a big success, but it could very easily have been a complete waste of $5,000.
New Inventor Startup Kit – a Much Better Way
Over the last 15 years of my invention journey I have acquired a lot of ‘wisdom' in the form of countless costly mistakes and missteps.
Now, I know there is a better way to get off to a good, productive start with a new invention idea – a plan to mitigate risk and optimize potential reward. Sound interesting?
Here is the 3-step process:
- Decide what you want to do – what you are willing to do
- Become a fisherman: throw the ‘little ones' back
- Learn what matters most to the buyer – and give it to them
Decide What You Want to Do
This sounds so simple, doesn't it? But it's not and many inventors never do this early and only discover much later they are pursuing a course that doesn't work for them.
You need to decide if you want to build a business around your product or if you want to license it and be paid a small royalty percentage on sales.
Building a business around a product requires a huge commitment of time and capital. You should carefully consider your family circumstances and your career needs carefully before making such a commitment. Inventing is a very risky venture, you must feel comfortable with the commitments and risks you will have to take and that there is no guarantee of success. Sometimes it is just better to keep your day job and a regular paycheck. Really.
Licensing transfers the risk away from you and onto the licensee – the company that would manufacture, package, distribute and market your product. The time commitment is much less and can easily be managed while holding down a full time job. There is no guarantee that you will find someone willing to license your product, but you might come up with another invention. This course is much less taxing on families and bank accounts.
Once you have chosen your path, focus on it – in the words of entrepreneur and podcaster, John Lee Dumas – Follow One Course Until Successful.
Throw the ‘Little Ones' Back
Professional fisherman (and women) who fish for a living follow a simple creed: throw the little ones back. You can't make much of a meal or have much to sell with tiny fish.
Unfortunately, inventors tend to fall in love with every idea they have, often pursuing and spending thousands on little ones – inventions that simply have no chance for success.
Learn to cull your invention ideas. Recognize that a great product must have strong profit margins, sell to a very large segment of the population, and provide clear benefits over competitive products. Carefully assess each product idea you have against these three measures. If it is not great or even questionable – throw it back and go to the next idea.
Learn What Matters to the Buyer – and Give it To Them
Here is a simple fact: what matters most to the inventor is quite different from what matters most to the buyer – whether it is a retail buyer or a potential licensee.
What matters most to the inventor is how unique and beneficial their product will be to the end buyer, the consumer.
Guess what? The buyer assumes your product is unique and beneficial or there would be no conversation.
A retail store buyer cares most about profitability, turns, and shelf space – probably in that order. They expect their wholesale cost to be ‘keystone' – 50% or less of the retail price. If it's $20 retail price, they expect to buy for $10 – or better yet, $9.50. Higher profit margins for them mean lower risk on stocking the product. You must be able to live with your margin and offer them one that is attractive to them.
They also want a product that ‘turns' quickly – doesn't stay on shelves very long. Products sitting in inventory only make the store money when they sell. Slow sellers are quickly returned to the vendor – the inventor in this case.
An ideal product has a small ‘footprint' – it takes up very little shelf space. Retailers' shelf space is a valuable commodity. Products with small footprints are easily displayed, easily bought and restocked. Larger products hog shelf space and often are slow sellers too – a bad combination.
Talk with the retail buyer about profit margins, turns, and shelf space and you will have their undivided attention. Talk to them about how great your product is – and they will be looking at their watches or checking emails!
Licensees care about cost to manufacture (versus retail price), any special tooling required, and how it will complement their existing product line. Their focus is much more on their capital risk (which is guaranteed if they take on the product ) versus the potential reward of lucrative sales – which is an unknown and never guaranteed.
Talk to your buyers about what matters most to them.


What is sexual self-advocacy and why is it important?
Sexual self-advocacy is the ability to communicate and assert your sexual desires and needs in a way that is respectful of yourself and others. Sexual self-advocacy is important for everyone, but it can be especially important for people who are marginalized or discriminated against, such as people with disabilities, LGBTQ+ people, and teens from low-income families.
It includes the right to:
Sexual self-advocacy provides an individual with the freedom of choice to engage in a romantic sexual relationship with another consenting adult. In order to make healthy choices the individual must first be informed. Too often people with disabilities are treated like children who do not have sexual desires and are not seen as sexual beings. They are excluded from age-appropriate health education classes that teach about sexuality. They are not provided with correct information about their bodies and sex. And they may be prevented from having a healthy sexual relationship with another person.
Sexuality education is important for ALL teens, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. It can help teens to make informed decisions about their sexual health and well-being and to build healthy relationships.
There are many reasons why it is important to teach sexuality education to all teenagers. Sexuality education can help teens to:
Sexuality education is not just about sex. It is also about teaching teens about their bodies, their rights, and their responsibilities. It is about helping them to develop the knowledge and skills they need to make healthy choices about their sexual health and well-being.
Here are some specific benefits of sexuality education for teens:
Sex Positive Sexuality Education
Sex-positive sex education is taught in a way that is non-judgmental and inclusive. It challenges traditional gender roles and stereotypes, recognizes that sexuality and sexual development are natural, normal, and healthy parts of our lives, and refrains from using shame and fear to motivate students to be abstinent, and it affirms the right of everyone to express their sexuality in a way that is safe and healthy.
Research has shown that sex-positive sex education is effective in reducing risky sexual behaviors and promoting healthy sexual attitudes and behaviors. It can also help to prevent sexual violence and abuse.
Many parents may find the topic of sexuality uncomfortable to talk about. We may believe that by discussing sex, we are offering permission for our kids to engage in unsafe sexual activity. This could not be further from the truth. When parents increase their own knowledge about sexuality, and we become more comfortable talking to our kids about sex, we are directly supporting our children's sexual self-advocacy to make healthy choices as they explore their normal sexual feelings and desires.
Everyone is entitled to receive correct information about their bodies using medically accurate terms. They should receive appropriate sexuality education that is age-appropriate. They deserve the right to explore their sexuality, their sexual orientation, their gender identity, and enjoy sexual pleasure without judgment or criticism. Sexuality education should be sex-positive and trauma-informed.
Trauma-informed Sexuality Education
Trauma-informed sexuality education is an approach to sex education that takes into account the impact of trauma on people's sexual development and experiences. It is based on the understanding that trauma can have a profound impact on people's physical, emotional, and psychological well-being, including their sexuality.
Trauma-informed sexuality education aims to create a safe and supportive learning environment where people can learn about sex and sexuality in a way that is empowering and respectful. It focuses on teaching people about their bodies, their rights, and their options, and it helps them to develop the skills they need to make healthy choices about their sexuality.
Courses and Workshops
We offer individual and small group courses in Healthy Relationships and Human Sexuality for Teens and Young Adults. We also provide parent workshops and parent training to support parents and caregivers in this difficult topic and to teach strategies to communicate about sexuality with their children.


This article investigates the motivations behind why bosom knead is good for ladies who are on a program of regular bosom development whether they are taking spices, bosom expansion pills, creams or moisturizers. Nearly everybody appreciates having a body back rub to mitigate away strains, a throbbing painfulness. A decent body knead makes a quiet condition of readiness while diminishing mental pressure. It expands the progression of oxygen and blood course in the body.
At the point when there is unsettled strain and stress in our regular routines, it can wind up making consistent solid pressure. Strain makes a development of poisons in the body. Elevated degrees of harmfulness can prompt bosom malignant growth and will keep natural bosom supplements from arriving at the bosom tissue cells. A bosom back rub will likewise assist with adjusting the chemicals in the endocrine framework.
Sound Bosom Back rub – Western Culture
Bosom knead, as a device for prosperity, isn’t as broadly acknowledged in our western culture. We see bosoms as objects of want and we center more around developing greater bosoms instead of better bosoms. Bosom rub then again is an acknowledged piece of medical care in Asia. Without a doubt there are as yet numerous sexual restrictions encompassing the legitimate consideration of bosoms. Numerous ladies might feel awkward to have their bosoms moved by anybody other than their accomplices.
Indeed, even in the back rub treatment callings, numerous male experts face opposition and humiliation with regards to advancing and managing bosom wellbeing. We keep on burning through a lot of cash on recognizing bosom malignant growth. Current measurements show that 1 out of 8 ladies will contract bosom malignant growth in the course of their life. Insufficient is finished to advance protected and straightforward strategies, for example, self-bosom rub.
Nations, for example, Thailand put incredible significance on the restorative worth of a bosom knead and are effectively advancing it as a feature of a health schedule. While tragically the advantages of a bosom rub (whether for growth or for helpful purposes like the counteraction of cancers) has not yet been generally perceived and advanced, ladies can do an incredible arrangement by a few straightforward strategies for self-bosom rub.
A few Basic Procedures for Self-Bosom Back rub
o It is recommended that bosom rub be performed up to three times each week for 2 – 5 minutes to animate chemical discharge from the bosoms and ovaries and to forestall poisonous development in the lymph and bosom tissue.
o Apply rub oil: you can buy these at a wellbeing salon or at your nearby wellbeing food shop. Sweet almond and apricot piece oils are phenomenal. Assuming you are oversensitive to nuts, keep away from the almond oil. Coconut oil is a light, fluid oil which functions admirably. Attempt to keep away from scented or mineral based oils.
o This is likewise a great chance to utilize your bosom broadening creams and serums
o Utilize just a light strain on the bosoms while applying the oil and for rub, as unnecessary tension will cause torment and inconvenience. You just need the lightest development, utilizing the palms or level of the fingertips to flush poisons from the bosom region through the lymphatic framework.
o Cup the bosoms with your hands and utilize a light roundabout movement over the entire of the bosom. You can likewise knead the under of the armpit to advance flow.
o Delicately work the bosoms with your hands utilizing a lifting and squeezing activity
o Try not to wear a bra when you can, for example, at home or when snoozing. Take out the metal wiring in those push-up bras (in the event that you can manage without them), as they can be harming to the fragile tissue of the bosoms and to appropriate dissemination.
Bosom rub subsequently is perceived as a great method for keeping the bosom tissues solid and to advance regular bosom extension. Ordinary self-bosom back rub will assist with keeping the bosoms smooth and firm. In particular, a bosom back rub will assist with adjusting the chemicals in the endocrine framework.


‘Smash and grab’ theft has spiked recently in affluent areas across the country. But you can protect your vehicle and the valuables inside with an aftermarket car alarm.
Car Windows and Stolen Items
It doesn’t take long for someone to become a victim. Thieves quickly spot and snatch bags, electronics and other valuables from vehicles parked on the street, in parking lots and parking garages. These incidents usually involve the perpetrator using a blunt tool to break a car glass allowing them to reach in and remove items.
‘Smash and grab’ incidents happen in just a few seconds and are usually reported in sprees, within the same area and time frame. By smashing a window, the thieves are able to steal valuable possessions left in sight, even if the glass is tinted and the doors are locked.
How to Protect Your Car
To prevent break-in’s police in Alberta advice against leaving anything of value inside the vehicle. Items that are considered easy targets for car theft include:
- Mobile phones
- Laptops and tablets
- GPS navigation devices
Drivers should also park in well-lit areas, close to the nearest building.
Anti-Theft Alarms Systems
Another precaution for smart car owners includes installing an anti-theft alarm system, but buyer beware. Not all systems can effectively prevent this type of car break-in.
A few years back, Tesla owners complained of a security vulnerability. The Model 3 Tesla was the target of an increasing number of ‘smash and grab’ crimes. This was because the alarm system apparently didn’t sound when the glass of the rear quarter window was broken. Thieves were then able to reach in, fold down the rear seats, and steal items from the trunk. Tesla responded by installing enhanced anti-theft systems on the Model S and Model X. The advanced systems now alerts to any motion inside the locked car.
Unfortunately, not all vehicle manufacturers and factory models offer this kind of comprehensive system. But car owners have a wide range of aftermarket alarm options which can help prevent them from becoming a victim of this type of crime.
Factory, optional and aftermarket alarm systems have a computer-controlled unit which triggers the siren when necessary. Systems can use one or multiple types of sensors to understand that someone is trying to break into the vehicle.
Glass Break Sensors
This kind of sensor detects certain acoustic frequencies. The noise of shattering glass is picked up by highly sensitive microphones and activates the alarm system. It’s a popular way of protecting the car cabin which should also detect tampering and blows to the glass which don’t cause breakage.
A shock sensor helps prevent theft by detecting impact on the auto body, including the door panels. If a person hits the car body or delivers a blow to the glass, for example, the system will sense the intensity of the motion. Some models have a warning signal which sounds before the regular alarm is triggered.
A pressure sensor detects changes in the air pressure changes within the vehicle. If a window is broken or the doors are forced open, this type of sensor will trigger an audible signal.
Other alarms can be more effective at preventing theft by detecting movement inside the cabin. Cadillac, for example, provides systems which detect motion using ultrasonic waves. This type of system effectively alerts owners to break-ins and ‘smash and grab’ theft.
Expert Car Glass Repair & Replacement
If you have been the victim of a car break-in or a ‘smash and grab’ incident, we can get you safely back on the road. All Makes Auto Glass has specialized in glass repair and replacement for over 15 years. We are your local windshield and car glass expert, servicing all car makes and models. Call us at 403-539-5411 or take a moment to contact us online.


Furnaces are great systems to heat your home and are sure to keep you toasty warm all winter long — unless the pilot light goes out, that is.
If this happens to you, don’t panic. Relighting your furnace’s pilot light is a lot easier than you think. Just follow this super easy step-by step-guide on how to light a furnace.
How to light the pilot light in your furnace
Here are the easy steps for how to light the pilot light on your furnace.
To do this, you will need a long-necked lighter and a fire extinguisher. You are unlikely to need the fire extinguisher, but you should have one nearby while trying to relight the pilot light.
Now let’s get down to how to light a furnace:
Step #1: Do the initial checks
Sometimes we can get all the signals or symptoms that a pilot light has gone out only to discover that isn’t really the problem. Before attempting to relight your pilot, make sure you do a thorough check of your furnace and thermostat system to ensure that lighting a furnace is the correct course of action.
One thing to do is to make sure that your furnace is connected properly to the electric and gas sources. You should also double-check that the pilot light is indeed unlit. The pilot light may be fine in some cases, and the furnace may be functioning properly, but the thermostat may just need new batteries.
Step #2: Locate your furnace’s instruction label
Every furnace is designed with a visible and clear instruction label on it. The instructions located on this label will give a detailed description of how to light your furnace. Sometimes the instruction label can be small and difficult to read, though. If that’s the case, or you simply can’t find your furnace’s instruction label, we recommend printing out this article and keeping it close to your furnace in case the pilot light goes out again.
Step #3: Locate the pilot light
The pilot light should be located towards the bottom of your furnace. It should be clearly labeled “Pilot” and should also have an “On/Off” switch very close by.
If your pilot light is out, make sure you turn this switch to the “Off” position and wait at least five minutes before proceeding to step three.
This is very important. A pilot light is a small flame that is constantly burning, whether your furnace is generating heat or not. This small flame is sustained by releasing a small amount of fuel in a constant stream. The pilot light is then used to provide the necessary flame for burning the fuel when your furnace is turned on to generate heat. If the pilot light goes out, the small but constant stream of fuel meant to power it will still release gas into the surrounding area until the pilot switch is turned off. Waiting for five minutes after you turn your pilot switch off allows this built-up fuel to disperse and prevents you from causing an explosion or a fire.
In the meantime, you can locate the reset button, which should be found close to the switch you flipped off. Again, this waiting period is the most important step in this guide for how to light a gas furnace.
Step #4: Re-light the pilot
After the five minutes have elapsed and the gas has dispersed, turn the switch back to “On.” Note: your switch may say “Pilot” instead of “On.”
Once you’ve turned the switch to “On,” hold down the “Reset” button while you bring your lit long-necked lighter to the pilot opening. This process should light the pilot in your furnace. As soon as the pilot light has been lit successfully, you can release the pressure on the “Reset” button.
Important considerations and notes
There are a few things to keep in mind when trying to relight your pilot light.
- If your pilot still won’t light after correctly following the above instructions more than two times, this likely indicates that the furnace is malfunctioning. If this is the case, you should stop attempting to light the pilot light and should contact a professional for a consultation and repair.
- You should never attempt to light your furnace’s pilot light without making sure it has been completely switched off for a period of five minutes. Failing to follow this crucial step can result in an incredibly dangerous situation.
- Relighting the pilot light is the only thing you should attempt on your furnace unless you are trained to repair furnaces. For any other problems, you should consult a professional. This is because gas can be very dangerous, and a lot can go wrong very quickly if you don’t have experience repairing furnaces.
- Do not attempt to relight your pilot with a short lighter or match. You should acquire a long-necked lighter or a long match before attempting to light your pilot light to ensure that there is enough distance between you and the flame you are about to ignite in your furnace.
Conclusion and final thoughts
Most furnaces that are functioning properly won’t require you to relight the pilot light more than a few times in their life span. Most furnaces last about 15 years after installation with regular use, and it’s more likely that you’ll need to light the pilot light more frequently at the end of a furnace’s lifespan.
Relighting the pilot light can seem like an intimidating task, but as you learned by following the steps above, it’s actually quite simple. Despite the fact that it’s simple enough to execute, it is still a potentially dangerous operation to attempt if you don’t follow the safety protocol. Therefore, you need to be sure that you carefully follow all of the steps and the safety recommendations listed above.


Celebrating a chassideshe Yom Tov in a most exciting manner was the goal of the PTA, as they held their Annual Hey Teves Book Fair.
In preparation for the book fair, sale pamphlets were sent home so the talmidim can choose which seforim and books they want. There was a special pamphlet prepared for the younger grades as well, so everyone can choose seforim on their level. Funds were raise to be able to offer the talmidim even greater discounts. Rabbi Veli Karp was instrumental in this project.
Unique to this year was a an exhibit, Shaleshles Hakabalah – A chronological overview of Tanach,, which is printed in the back of the siddur. This presentation was prepared by OTEG – A project of the eighth-grade classes, under the direction of Rabbi Yossi Bryski.
Also new to this year was an exhibition of 70 tanyas from around the world, which was done in connection with Shnas HaShivim of the Rebbe’s nesius.
The PTA also sponsored seforim for a nominal fee of One dollar – making it possible for every talmid to come home with a sefer.
Other highlights included, Chinese auction of various sefirim and judaica, an expanded display of antique seforim and a guest mashpia who held farbrengens and dancing with the talmidim. He explained to the students the special simcha and yom tov atmosphere of the day, and the importace of Didan Notzach and what it represents.
The PTA is a most important and energetic group that enhances many aspects of the day to day yeshiva experience. The care and generosity of the PTA infuses the yeshiva programs immensely.
The PTA annual auction, https://www.oholeitorahpta.com/ their main fundraiser enabling them to do so much will be held on Sunday, Januray 19th.


Not all technology is benign. The rapid pace at which technology is evolving brings new opportunities and challenges for businesses and individuals alike, but some innovations can pose serious threats to our digital security, privacy, and safety.
The global cost of a data breach last year was USD $4.45 million—an increase of 15% over the last three years. As we step into 2024, it’s crucial to be aware of emerging technology threats that could potentially disrupt and harm your business. The tech experts at Anderson Technologies have outlined the most prescient emerging technology threats to be aware of in 2024 and beyond.
Threats on the Horizon
Data Poisoning Attacks
Data poisoning involves corrupting datasets used to train AI models. By injecting malicious data, attackers can skew algorithms’ outcomes, leading to incorrect decisions in critical sectors like healthcare or finance. Some actions, like protecting training data integrity and implementing robust validation mechanisms, are vital in countering this insidious threat.
Businesses should use AI-generated data cautiously. It should be heavily augmented by human intelligence and data from other sources.
5G Network Vulnerabilities
The widespread adoption of 5G technology introduces new avenues of cyberattack. With an increased number of connected devices, the attack vector broadens. IoT devices, reliant on 5G networks, might become targets for cyberattacks. Securing these devices and implementing strong network protocols is imperative, especially for preventing large-scale attacks.
Ensure your business has a robust mobile device management strategy. Organizations should properly track and manage how these devices access business data.
Quantum Computing Vulnerabilities
Quantum computing, the herald of unprecedented computational power, also poses a threat. Its immense processing capabilities could crack currently secure encryption methods. Hackers might exploit this power to access sensitive data. This emphasizes the need for quantum-resistant encryption techniques to safeguard digital information.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Manipulation
The transformative nature of AI tools means they can be manipulated more covertly. Cybercriminals might exploit AI algorithms to spread misinformation. They are already creating convincing deepfakes and automating phishing attacks. Vigilance is essential as AI-driven threats become more sophisticated. It demands robust detection mechanisms to discern genuine from malicious AI-generated content.
Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) Exploits
AR and VR technologies offer immersive experiences, but they also present new vulnerabilities. Cybercriminals might exploit these platforms to deceive users, leading to real-world consequences.
Ensuring the security of any AR and VR applications you use is crucial, especially for preventing user manipulation and privacy breaches. This is very true in sectors like gaming, education, and healthcare. Always update devices and programs when prompted to patch new vulnerabilities.
Ransomware attacks have evolved beyond simple data encryption. Threat actors now use double extortion tactics. This consists of stealing sensitive data before encrypting files for a ransom. If victims refuse to pay to decrypt the files, hackers leak or sell the stolen data, causing reputational damage.
Some defenses against this evolved ransomware threat include:
- Robust backup solutions
- Regular cybersecurity training
- Proactive threat monitoring and response
Supply Chain Attacks Persist
Supply chain attacks remain a persistent threat. Cybercriminals infiltrate third-party vendors or software providers to compromise larger targets. Strengthening cybersecurity in the supply chain vector is critical in preventing cascading cyber incidents. Businesses can do this through rigorous vendor assessments, implementing multi-factor authentication, and deploying continuous monitoring.
Biometric Data Vulnerability
Biometric authentication methods, such as fingerprints or facial recognition, are becoming commonplace. The downside is that users can’t change biometric authentication data once compromised, like they can passwords. Protect biometric data through secure encryption. Ensure that service providers follow strict privacy regulations. These are paramount to preventing identity theft and fraud.
Advanced Phishing Attacks
Phishing attacks are one of the oldest and most common forms of cyberattacks. Thanks to AI, these attacks are becoming more sophisticated and targeted than ever before. For example, hackers customize spear phishing attacks to a specific individual or organization based on online personal or professional information. Another example is vishing attacks. These use voice calls or voice assistants to impersonate legitimate entities. They convincingly persuade victims to take certain actions.
Ongoing employee phishing training is vital to preventing these carefully crafted phishing campaigns, as well as automated solutions like email hardening tools to detect and defend against phishing threats.
Tips for Defending Against These Threats
As technology evolves, so do the threats businesses face; it’s more important than ever to be vigilant and proactive in your business’s cybersecurity approach. Here are some tips that can help:
- Educate yourself and your employees about the latest technology threats.
- Use strong passwords and multi-factor authentication for all online accounts.
- Update your software and devices regularly to fix any security vulnerabilities.
- Avoid clicking on suspicious links or attachments in emails or messages.
- Verify the identity and legitimacy of any callers or senders. Do this before providing any information or taking any actions.
- Back up your data regularly to prevent data loss in case of a cyberattack.
- Invest in a reliable cyber insurance policy that covers your specific needs and risks.
- Report any suspicious or malicious activity to the relevant authorities.
Need Help Ensuring Your Cybersecurity is Ready for 2024?
Last year’s solutions might not be enough to protect against this year’s threats. Don’t leave your security open to emerging vulnerabilities. We can help you with a thorough cybersecurity IT assessment, so you know where you stand against a future of new digital risks.
Contact Anderson Technologies today to schedule a chat with one of our experts!
Article used with permission from The Technology Press.


There’s a lot to like about cloud computing. St. Louis businesses can benefit from the cost-savings, security features, and ease of collaboration facilitated by cloud-based solutions. Here’s what you need to know.
Worldwide spending on public cloud computing will increase from $67 billion in 2015 to $162 billion by 2020, according to IDC, a global market intelligence firm. This surge is fueled in part by a growing number of small and medium-sized businesses adapting cloud computing. St. Louis companies are investing more in IT across the board. According to a recent report, technology hiring in the St. Louis area is on the rise for the second half of 2017. More companies are expanding in or relocating to St. Louis, which is part of what’s driving the trend, but in general, St. Louis small businesses are investing more in digital marketing, mobile, and big data. Cloud services can play a crucial role in data security, and they also offer a host of other benefits.
What is Cloud Computing?
In the past, businesses stored all their data and ran their applications on company-owned and managed servers in their offices. Now, they can do these same functions online. When someone says they’re using cloud-based software, that software is delivered via the internet, as opposed to the “old days,” when we used CD-ROMs to physically install programs on our computers. If a business is using the cloud as part of its data storage approach, that means it is storing critical business information somewhere other than a server onsite. The information lives online.
Let’s take a closer look at why small businesses are using cloud-based services.
Cloud computing services allow smaller companies to leverage IT technology that was previously reserved for businesses with big budgets. For example, rather than having to invest in its own network of servers, a small business can pay a monthly fee to leverage cloud computing services. With cloud computing, it is also easy to scale services up or down as your business needs change.
Storing data in the cloud, ideally as part of a hybrid approach in which you back up data locally and online, offers businesses of all sizes important security benefits. For example, if your server crashed or your office was hit by a natural disaster, you’d have peace of mind knowing your data was also stored remotely.
The security benefits of the cloud extend beyond data storage. If you use cloud-based software, or software as a service (SaaS), your software is automatically updated with important security patches. These security updates help protect you from digital fraudsters, who are constantly looking for new ways to infiltrate your system.
The increase in cyber crime also contributes to the growing adoption of cloud services. St. Louis businesses identify cyber security as a key concern, according to the previously cited report. If an employee clicks a link and unwittingly downloads ransomware, the damage could extend beyond that machine. New strains of ransomware can encrypt your entire network, even your local backup servers. If you were backing up data to the cloud, you would be able to work with your IT provider to wipe your system clean and start anew from your last backup.
It is worth noting that not all cloud backup providers are created equal, and they are not immune from hackers. Cyber crime targeting the cloud is on the rise. A dual-destination backup approach is just one part of a comprehensive IT security plan.
Cloud-based services make collaboration easier. A simple case in point is when multiple team members are working on the same file. Rather than sending the document back and forth and tracking changes, a system where edits can be easily lost or mismanaged, businesses can opt to use a cloud-based program, such as Microsoft OneDrive or Dropbox for Business. Then, multiple users can work from the same master document easily.
When your data is in the cloud, you can also access it remotely, whether you are onsite with a client or working remotely.
Those are just a few of the reasons to consider cloud services. St. Louis businesses should work with an IT specialist to determine what is right for them. Anderson Technologies has a team of St. Louis cloud services specialists who can assess your IT needs and determine, execute, and manage the most cost-effective, efficient, and secure plan for you.


Hot on the heels of the highly generous 12-year tax-free status for Lynas Corporation comes another huge ‘GIFT’ – this time for the oil and gas big boys.
While the government seems intent on cutting subsidies on selected essential goods used by ordinary Malaysians, it is dishing out more corporate subsidies, oops, I mean ‘incentives’, to a small band of lucky firms in the lucrative oil and gas sector.
There is a 100 percent 10-year ‘Investment Tax Allowance’ for firms involved in petroleum refining.
The Edge notes that among the US$20bn oil and gas projects in 2012 are the Rapid project in Pengerang, the oil and gas terminals in Johor and Sabah, and the regasification plant in Malacca.
Apart from this, LNG trading companies will enjoy a three-year 100 percent income tax exemption under an appropriately named GIFT (Global Incentive For Trading) programme. What is the justification for this ‘gift’ of a 100 percent income tax exemption? And then we wonder why there is a fiscal deficit!
While the government dishes out generous tax exemptions to the corporate sector, it is now mulling a Goods and Services Tax that will hit many ordinary Malaysians, especially low- and middle-income workers who are currently exempted from income tax. But of course the GST will only come AFTER the general election (if the BN wins, that is). Meanwhile, enjoy the RM500 and RM250 cash handouts (vote buying?) while it lasts.
It is policies such as these that have contributed to the widening gap between the rich and poor.
In fact, corporate subsidies are never referred to as such. Instead many euphemisms are used: soft loans, income tax allowance, pioneer status, tax relief, tax exemption etc – even though these are all obviously subsidies. So whenever there is any discussion about removing subsidies, all these generous subsidies to the corporate sector are never mentioned.


Another school year, your children have learned a lot and it is time for a break. The
summer holidays lie ahead. Some people embrace the change and let term time patterns
and routines have a holiday too. Late breakfasts, less tidying, more being outside. Some
people will continue working and be arranging for other people to look after their children
while some of you will find the thought of the holidays a bit overwhelming. Whatever your
reality, the summer holidays bring a change of rhythm and pace. To fully embrace this and
ease gently into the next few weeks, I’ll often start by asking my clients to take a bit of time
to think and plan for themselves first. Find 10 minutes for yourself in a quiet moment this
week and, thinking about you, answer the following questions:
How do I want to be this summer?
How do I want to feel in the holidays?
What thoughts do I want to have?
How do I want to react in situations of tears, tantrums and tension?
For the next few weeks, what can I let go of?
How do I want to be at the end of the holidays?
By giving yourself the time to answer these questions and others like them this week, you
are making plans and setting the tone that will work for you and your family this summer.
You may have babies and sleepless nights, toddlers with piles of lego and crayons and
puzzles everywhere, you may have slightly older children who are enjoying doing more
things for themselves like being involved in cooking, playing games by themselves and
going for bike rides with their friends. You may have teenagers who could well sleep their
way through the best weather and be mono syllabic a lot of the time walking around with
Whatever stage your children are at being realistic about where you are at as a family is
key to a happy vibe. If you plan a day out to a dinosaur museum your 15 year old may not
enjoy this and your toddler may not be able to last all day. What are the best outings for us
at the moment and how long is a realistic amount of time for us to all stay having fun? If
you are stressed and not having fun and doing things because you think you ought to that
stress will vibrate through your family. So keep it real and ask, What works for us at the
Anna and I were having a great Business coaching session last week and she told me
about her mantra of seeking out the Daily Joy. I thought this was a lovely phrase and it
made me think about the holidays. Your days will have ups and downs, tired children, tired
parents – both can lead to sulks and arguments, See those moments for what they are – a
dip in blood sugar, a lack of sleep, a traffic jam. During those days there will also be
moments of joy – things that make you smile and shared times when you all laugh out loud.
Put your focus on these moments. It can be a fun exercise for you all to play at the end of
the day to recall and share with each other a particular joyful moment or two that was
special for each of you.
Children will learn to tie their shoe laces with summer, others will swim for the first time
without armbands, some will master riding a bike and some may even make their beds!!
Lots of learning and small moments of Daily Joy to be celebrated. They count for a lot.
An important point is to avoid comparison and your planning at thinking about your vibe at
this stage will help you avoid that. As my coach friend Janey says: ‘Comparison is the
thief of Joy’.
You may know people who have what sound like amazing summer plans and you may not
have plans yet or feel that yours don’t measure up. Put away that particular measuring
stick. Your families summer is your families summer and whatever your particular family
make up and circumstances there is fun and joy to be had in whatever you are doing and
this is the very best place to put your focus.
How you react to situations is a choice. If your plane was delayed, if it rain constantly on
your camping holiday, if the house was a constantly covered in toys, cooking with children
makes lots of mess, if you don’t enjoy playing with your children, if you had to work every
week of the holidays and if your plans got unexpectedly changed there will be moments of
joy in all these situations. Seek them out.
Reporting that while the plane was delayed you all sat on the airport floor and played uno
for hours, fish and chips on a rainy Welsh beach actually tastes extra good, the lego
creations have reached a new level of complexity, fairy cake heaven was created in the
kitchen, I actually did allow myself to relax into childsplay, when I phoned the children from
work they sounded like they were having a great time – these and others like them are the
moments I am talking about. It is your choice where you put your focus.
Good luck with some simple planning and I hope you all have great summers filled with
many joyful moments.


What are space features and which of them are secured?
Space features are Confluence features that can only be used in spaces.
The Space Privacy app ensures that users can see only those users who have at least one extranet space in common. This prevents accidental interaction with users that don’t have access to the current extranet space. Regarding space features, even users in administrative roles (Confluence administration, extranet administrators or extranet user administrators) can not interact with users that are not assigned to the current extranet space.
The following space features are secured:
- Mentioning users (@-mention)
- Sharing pages


- The ECB’s corporate bond purchase program will officially kick off this week, but potential impacts have largely been priced in by the market.
- The program has already resulted in reduced yields on corporate bonds, and could keep a lid on U.S. rates if European investors look across the pond for higher yields.
The European Central Bank (ECB) recently announced that its Corporate Sector Purchase Program (CSPP) will begin on June 8. The program was announced on March 10, 2016, as an enhancement to the ECB’s quantitative easing (QE) program, which was also increased to 80 billion euros per month (from a previous 60 billion) during the same announcement. The CSPP allows the ECB, through its member banks, to purchase both primary and secondary issues subject to predefined credit quality ratings and concentration limits. Adding corporate bonds to the mix is intended to further increase the reach of the QE program and continue to lower debt costs broadly.
HOW WILL THE PROGRAM IMPACT MARKETS?
The CSPP had a large impact on the European corporate bond market, pushing non-financial corporate yields significantly lower following its unveiling in March. The ECB announced final details of the plan following the conclusion of last week’s meeting, but the impacts of the program had already been largely priced into the market [Figure 1]. The ECB didn’t announce a specific monthly purchase amount, but consensus forecasts expect a range of 5 to 10 billion euros per month. Investors remain uncertain, however, how quickly the ECB may ramp up the program.
HOW BIG IS THE PROGRAM RELATIVE TO THE MARKET?
In short – it’s big. There is no question that the ECB’s CSPP is aggressive and is worthy of impacting the market. According to ECB data, outstanding non-financial corporate debt stands at approximately 916 billion euros. The size of the eligible universe for the CSPP is smaller though, as restrictions on credit ratings (BBB or better), type of business (i.e., no financial institutions), and position limits (no more than 70% of any individual bond issue) likely reduce the CSPP eligible market to somewhere between 600 and 700 billion euros. This means that based on 5 billion euros per month in purchases, the ECB would be purchasing in the neighborhood of 10% of the eligible market, and 7% of the entire non-financial corporate bond market per year [Figure 2]. If the ECB purchases 10 billion euros per month, then the share of purchases rises to a more significant 20% of the eligible market.
HOW DOES THE PROGRAM AFFECT U.S. INVESTORS?
Over $10 trillion of global sovereign debt is now trading with negative yields, but so far, corporate bonds have been a notable exception to this phenomenon. Moves from both the ECB and Bank of Japan (BOJ) have been primary drivers of pushing rates into negative territory in their respective areas. Corporate bonds offered investors higher yields; but with the addition of the CSPP, one more opportunity for more reasonable yields is put under pressure.
U.S. Treasury yields, while low compared to history, are attractive compared to European alternatives, and the yield advantage of Treasuries to German bunds is near an all-time high[Figure 3]. This fact has helped to keep U.S. yields lower than they may otherwise have been, as foreign purchases help support prices.
A similar story is playing out with corporate investment grade bonds, and the CSPP is likely to continue to put downward pressure on corporate European debt yields, potentially pushing even more money toward the relatively higher yields of U.S. corporate and Treasury markets. Both U.S. and European corporate bond yields have decreased in recent weeks, another sign that the market has already adjusted following the announcement of the CSPP, but U.S. corporate investment-grade yields remain about 2.3% higher than their European counterparts, based on a comparison of the Barclays U.S. Aggregate Credit and Euro Aggregate Credit indexes.
The ECB’s CSPP is an aggressive program designed to broadly lower debt costs for companies in the European Union. By that measure the program has already been successful, with the yield for AA-rated non-financial corporations falling from 1.6% prior to the announcement of the program to less than 1% today. While the recent announcement of additional details brought the program back into the news, further upside for European corporate bonds may be limited. However, by pushing European yields lower, the CSPP would also continue to put downward pressure on U.S. yields, should the program push more foreign money toward the relatively higher yields of U.S. bond markets.
The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. To determine which investment(s) may be appropriate for you, consult your financial advisor prior to investing. All performance reference is historical and is no guarantee of future results. All indexes are unmanaged and cannot be invested into directly.
The economic forecasts set forth in the presentation may not develop as predicted and there can be no guarantee that strategies promoted will be successful.
Bonds are subject to market and interest rate risk if sold prior to maturity. Bond values and yields will decline as interest rates rise, and bonds are subject to availability and change in price.
Government bonds and Treasury bills are guaranteed by the U.S. government as to the timely payment of principal and interest and, if held to maturity, offer a fixed rate of return and fixed principal value. However, the value of fund shares is not guaranteed and will fluctuate.
Corporate bonds are considered higher risk than government bonds but normally offer a higher yield and are subject to market, interest rate, and credit risk as well as additional risks based on the quality of issuer coupon rate, price, yield, maturity, and redemption features.International debt securities involves special additional risks. These risks include, but are not limited to, currency risk, geopolitical and regulatory risk, and risk associated with varying settlement standards. These risks are often heightened for investments in emerging markets.
The credit ratings are published rankings based on detailed financial analyses by a credit bureau specifically as it relates the bond issue's ability to meet debt obligations. The highest rating is AAA, and the lowest is D. Securities with credit ratings of BBB and above are considered investment grade.
The Barclays US Aggregate Credit Index measures the performance of investment-grade, U.S. dollar-denominated, fixed-rate taxable bond market. The index includes U.S. corporate bonds, as well as specified SEC registered foreign debentures and secured notes that meet certain requirements.
The Barclays Euro Aggregate Credit Bond Index is a broad-based benchmark that measures the investment-grade, Euro-denominated, fixed-rate bond market. The index includes corporate, sovereign, and government-related bonds.
The Barclays Euro Corporate ex-Financial Bond Index is a broad-based benchmark that measures the investment grade, euro denominated, fixed-rate corporate bond market excluding securities issued by financial institutions. The Euro Corporate ex-Financial index is a subset of Barclays broader based flagship indexes, such as the Euro Corporate, Euro Aggregate, and the multi-currency Global Aggregate Index


Welcome to Aranya Farm
A sustainable organic farming initiative dedicated to providing high-quality Agri, Dairy, Health & Immunity products that are both nutritious and environmentally friendly. Aranya Farm is committed to using only natural farming methods and avoiding harmful chemicals to ensure that our products are safe and healthy for our customers and the planet. Our products are not only eco-friendly but also more nutritious and flavorful due to being chemical-free.
At Aranya Farm, we specialize in cultivating cordyceps, a rare and highly valued medicinal mushroom known for its potent health benefits. In addition to cordyceps, we grow a variety of exotic vegetables and herbs, and produce organic A2 cow ghee and wild honey. We firmly believe that Aranya Farms can be your go-to source for fresh, wholesome, and sustainably grown agricultural and dairy products.
A 15 acres farm with abundance of resilient crops & vegetables developed via use of biotechnology. The farm also employs advanced agriculture sensors and livestock monitoring techniques to track and produce high-yield crops.
A vast farm measuring 20 acres employs climate prediction tools, laser-based land leveling, and livestock monitoring to achieve better control and higher yields. The farm also adheres to a holistic, sustainable, and eco-friendly approach to ensure the production of high-quality crops.
Located in Panipat, Haryana, a small farm covering 6 acres specializes in the cultivation of mushrooms and other high-quality crops. The farm employs high-tech production processes with zero human touch to guarantee fully hygienic products.
A compact farm spanning 3 acres, equipped with several net houses and a dairy farming operation, concentrates on producing high-quality yields. To optimize crop health, the farm utilizes AI/ML tools for predicting plant diseases, pests, and nutritional needs. Additionally, AI sensors are employed to detect and target weeds, aiding in herbicide selection.


Applications Due March 1, 2021
WASHINGTON, D.C., January 21, 2021—Today, the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) began accepting applications for two summer opportunities: the Appalachian Entrepreneurship Academy (AEA) and the ARC/Oak Ridge Summer STEM Program in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Both programs are free intensive learning experiences specifically for the Region’s high school and/or middle school students.
The Appalachian Entrepreneurship Academy (AEA), developed in partnership with the Institute for Educational Leadership, prepares the next generation of regional entrepreneurial leaders and thinkers. Chosen via a competitive application process, rising high school seniors from across Appalachia are selected to participate in an intensive learning curriculum designed to cultivate creativity, sharpen business acumen, and develop skills essential for entrepreneurial success. As part of matriculation, AEA participants receive tech support, materials, a stipend and other resources to participate in all aspects of the program. At completion, participants will receive a formal Certificate of Completion. AEA will be held in two phases – one virtually from June 14-25, 2021 and the second in person in Pittsburgh, PA from July 12-30, 2021. Changes to this schedule may be made due to COVID restrictions. More information and application materials are available at www.arc.gov/AEA.
The ARC/Oak Ridge Summer STEM Program is a hands-on learning experience for Appalachia’s middle and high school students, as well as high school teachers in STEM-related fields. Hosted by Oak Ridge Associated Universities in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, this program is a gateway to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) in the Appalachian Region. Working with award-winning scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, high school and middle school students conduct guided group science, math, and computer science technology research projects, while high school teachers work with science practitioners to develop STEM-related curriculum. Many students gain their first exposure to applied science and STEM education through this experience. This program will be held virtually from June 19-July 2, 2021 for high school students and teachers and June 26-July 2, 2021 for middle school students. If COVID restrictions allow, the program will be held in person in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. More information and application materials are available at www.arc.gov/summerSTEM.
Applications for both opportunities are due March 1, 2021.
“Today’s students are tomorrow’s leaders, and the Appalachian Entrepreneurship Academy and ARC/Oak Ridge Summer STEM Academy are opportunities for young Appalachians to gain the skills and experience modern leadership requires,” said ARC Federal Co-Chairman Tim Thomas. “I encourage students and educators interested in applying their STEM skills or students who see themselves running a business one day to apply for these programs.”
About the Appalachian Regional Commission
The Appalachian Regional Commission (www.arc.gov) is an economic development agency of the federal government and 13 state governments focusing on 420 counties across the Appalachian Region. ARC’s mission is to innovate, partner, and invest to build community capacity and strengthen economic growth in Appalachia to help the Region achieve socioeconomic parity with the nation.


Mobility is one of the biggest challenges for urban regions today. How can we shorten travel and transport distances? And how will (technological) innovation influence the spatial design of our living environment? Think of the technological innovations that can be used for more sustainable mobility, the ever more radical automation of vehicles, or the rise of bike and car sharing. How can these developments be seized as opportunities for the rethinking of regional transport systems? And how can we come up with better organized and more sustainable mobility in our spatial environment and infrastructure?
With a lecture by Paul Gerretsen (Vereniging Deltametropool) and Angelo Meuleman (expert shared mobility at Taxistop).
Debate with Pascal Smet (Brussels minister Mobility), Jan Vermeulen (chairman Fietsberaad/mayor Deinze) and Sidharta Gautama (UGent). The debate will be moderated by AWB.
THURSDAY FEBRUARY 9
Time: 19.00 - 21.00
Location: Atelier Flemish Government Architect, Ravensteingalerij 54-59, Brussels
Admission: free. Register via this link.
Designing the Future sessions
This debate is part of the debates program Designing the Future and is organized by AWB and IABR, with the Flemish Government Architect, the Flemish Association for Spatial Planning and the Brussels Government Architect.
Various global and local challenges present themselves increasingly as complex spatial issues: energy transition, the socialization of health care, sustainable mobility, and others. This has resulted in a renewed belief in the potential of design based on the assumption that it can help us realize the future that we want. At this point in time, there is a need to merge the knowledge, insights and experiences that have been produced. What are the lessons learned? And more importantly, what are the next steps? How can we translate intentions into practice? How and with whom do we start? The Designing the Future sessions are devoted to the development of a shared agenda for designing a better future.


This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Utah's renters are getting squeezed as monthly rents keep rising and incomes stay flat, new research shows.
Average rental rates in the state have climbed 17 percent in the past 10 years, adjusted for inflation, while median incomes for tenants grew a paltry 3 percent during the same decade, a top Utah economist says.
"We're in a period where we have declining affordability," said James A. Wood, an economic analyst and a senior fellow at the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute at the University of Utah.
The trends are making rents less affordable in Utah and nationwide. New surveys also indicate that as house prices go up, market forces are leading large numbers of young adults to delay homebuying because they can't afford to save for a down payment.
More strikingly, researchers and housing advocates say, widening wage-rent gaps are steadily expanding the ranks of Utahns who are one financial emergency away from homelessness.
"They are living right on the edge," Wood said Friday. "A medical bill, a traffic accident or something else comes along they hadn't planned on and they end up with a serious threat of eviction."
Rising costs for labor, construction and land are key factors pushing up the price tags on apartment construction.
Wood recommends that Utah cities adopt more liberal municipal zoning policies to encourage higher-density multifamily housing construction to address the problem.
He pointed to new initiatives in Salt Lake City and Salt Lake County to encourage affordable housing and create new homeless-shelter space as "welcome, urgent and necessary."
Rental demand is high as the state's job market strengthens and its population swells. So far, though, a historic surge in apartment construction along the Wasatch Front shows little sign of significantly easing that rental crunch. Most multifamily dwellings being built are top end and command high-price rents.
Brigham City resident Chris Barber, 32, commutes two hours a day for his job in Murray because he cannot find an affordable place in the Salt Lake Valley.
"Every few months, I start looking again because I get tired of all that time in the car every day," Barber said. "But anything I look at is three times what I'm paying now."
Effects of the wage-rent pinch have been most pronounced for lower-income residents, according to Wood's research and other dataa.
Wage stagnation and rent hikes have pushed thousands of these residents across Salt Lake County and elsewhere into harsh territory as they spend increasingly burdensome portions of their pay on housing and face other difficult budget choices as a result.
Renters are considered "cost burdened" when they have to spend 30 percent or more of their monthly earnings on housing, utilities and related costs.
Those spending half their pay or more for home costs are defined as "severely cost burdened."
Eleven years ago, said Wood, about half of Salt Lake County's renter households earning between $20,000 and $34,999 a year were cost burdened. In 2014, that number had reached 80 percent, amounting to nearly 20,000 households.
"That is a big number," said Wood, who is the institute's Ivory-Boyer Real Estate Senior Fellow.
Rental markets in Utah County and statewide are on a similar path, he said, and the problem is likely to persist at least for the next few years.
A new poll of the Salt Lake City metro area by ApartmentList.com, aimed at young adults referred to as "millennials," found that nearly 90 percent of them want to buy homes, but 78 percent say they cannot afford them.
By comparison, 27 percent had delayed a home purchase because they were not ready to settle down, while 37 percent said they were waiting to be married.
Nearly 21 percent had delayed homebuying by two to three years as a result, while 58 percent had put the big-ticket purchase off for three years or more.
Based on their current monthly savings rate, the ApartmentList.com survey estimated, the average Salt Lake City millennial would need between 12.8 and 17.6 years to adequately save for a down payment.


این مقاله به فارسی نیز وجود دارد. در اینجا آن را مطالعه نمایید.
Written by Mohammad Reza Kamali-
Edited by Allacin Morimizu-
In 2015 the world was thrilled to learn that a map of Middle-earth with notes by Professor J. R. R. Tolkien for illustrator Pauline Baynes was discovered in a copy of The Lord of the Rings. Tolkien wrote comments using green ink to guide Baynes, who back in 1969 was working on a color map of Middle-earth. Tolkien included information about places that inspired him for Hobbiton, Minas Tirith, and other places. This find was intensely interesting to me since I have spent several years researching real places and lands that inspired the professor to create his beloved world. But nothing unexpected in his comments on the newly found map appear –at first glance– since they confirm previous information we have in one of his own letters:
The action of the story takes place in the North-west of ‘Middle-earth’, equivalent in latitude to the coastlands of Europe and the north shores of the Mediterranean…. If Hobbiton and Rivendell are taken (as intended) to be at about the latitude of Oxford, then Minas Tirith, 600 miles south, is at about the latitude of Florence. The Mouths of Anduin and the ancient city of Pelargir are at about the latitude of ancient Troy (Letters, no. 294 from March 1968).
This is Tolkien’s most famous quote about Middle-earth as it relates to our earth. Happily for me at this point, a friend suggested I take a closer look at Tolkien’s notes. I did and realized this time that Tolkien introduced Ravenna, another Italian city, as Minas Tirith–not Florence. Let’s read what he wrote in the annotated map:
Hobbiton is assumed to be approx at latitude of Oxford. The green vertical line is marked at distances of 100 miles (2cms to map scale). So you can roughly judge the climate and Fauna/Flora etc. Minas Tirith is about a latitude of Ravenna (but is 900 miles east of Hobbiton, more near Belgrade). Bottom of the map (1400 miles) is about a lattitude of Jerusalem. Umbar & City of Corsairs –about that of Cypres. green horizontal is also marked in 100 mile intervals.
Tolkien’s famous quote was from a letter we know was written in March 1968, but the newly found notes were written in 1969. So what happened here? Did Tolkien forget about Florence and write Ravenna instead? Since he was inspired to write of a city as great as Minas Tirith, how is it possible that he writes two different names at different times about his inspiration? It becomes more interesting when he talks about Belgrade. So which one is Minas Tirith: Florence, Ravenna, or Belgrade? Did Professor Tolkien really say anywhere in his letters or comments that Florence was his “inspiration” for Minas Tirith? Let’s go back to the quote.
If Hobbiton and Rivendell are taken (as intended) to be at about the latitude of Oxford, then Minas Tirith, 600 miles south, is at about the latitude of Florence.
Does that mean inspiration to you? The answer was always here:
The action of the story takes place in the North-west of ‘Middle-earth’, equivalent in latitude to the coastlands of Europe and the north shores of the Mediterranean.
I think Professor Tolkien is talking about distances, not inspirations! If you compare the map of northwest Middle-earth with a map of Europe, you will find that they are really equal in latitude, exactly as Tolkien said. He clearly means Minas Tirith is the same distance from Hobbiton as Oxford is from Florence! To test the idea we need to overlay maps of Middle-earth and Europe. We add the situation of Hobbiton and Minas Tirith to a European map considering Oxford as Hobbiton to get a mixed Middle-earth and European map:
Both vertical distances of Florence and Minas Tirith to Oxford are about 600 miles, as Tolkien said and as you can see in the map. So what about Ravenna? Why did he change the target city? Look at the map. Ravenna is about the same vertical distance from Oxford that Florence is, but is a better choice because it is closer to the Minas Tirith location. This clearly shows that when Tolkien wrote down Ravenna instead of Florence, he didn’t forget what he said about Florence one year before. He wanted to correct what he said previously and guide Pauline Baynes to draw her map more accurately. What about Belgrade?
Minas Tirith is about a latitude of Ravenna (but is 900 miles east of Hobbiton, more near Belgrade).
When pointing to Belgrade, Tolkien explains that the horizontal distance between Hobbiton and Minas Tirith is more than horizontal distance between Oxford and Ravenna:
The horizontal distance from Hobbiton to Minas Tirith is about 750 miles according to Tolkien’s map and I drew it with the same distance as shown in the Middle-earth map, but Tolkien says in the comment that it is 900 miles. This helps us realize that maybe the map was not accurate enough, and Tolkien wanted to help Baynes to figure out the real location of Minas Tirith by pointing to Ravenna and Belgrade:
Oxford to Florence is about 500 miles.
Oxford to Ravenna, which is a better choice, is 550 miles.
Both have about the same vertical distance of 600 miles, but are not close to the horizontal distance of 900 miles, so Tolkien points to Belgrade, with a horizontal distance of about 900 miles. You can see in the map below that Minas Tirith, 900 miles distant from Hobbiton, is close to Belgrade. (I show two Minas Tiriths with 750 and 900 miles distant according to map and comment.)
Notice Tolkien actually says, ”More near Belgrade”–not Belgrade itself. That “more near“ explains everything: he meant distances, not inspirations! Professor Tolkien was helping us understand the approximate size of Middle-earth by guiding Pauline Baynes to draw his map more accurately.
And let’s be honest: Florence and Ravenna and Belgrade are amazing places, but they don’t look like the Minas Tirith that we know! The only thing in common between those three beautiful cities in this analysis is that they have almost the same vertical distance to Oxford.
So if Europe itself was not Tolkien’s inspiration for Middle-earth and we read his quotes wrongly, what was? During my research on Middle-earth with the help of maps, I found that maybe there are real lands could have inspired Professor Tolkien, and some of them are not in Europe. The discovery of this annotated map was like a miracle to me because when I myself discovered real maps with unbelievable similarities to Middle-earth and tried to share that information, most of the times I was answered: “Very clever, but that must be an accident, since Tolkien himself wrote that Europe was his inspiration, not the lands that you think.” Now we know otherwise!
It all started almost by accident when I saw this picture:
Around 2012 I was staring at the picture above of some mountains in Google Maps, and kept thinking that it really looks familiar, like a map I’d seen before—this map:
This, of course, is Mordor, the land of Sauron and dark powers of Middle-earth, where Frodo and Sam destroy the One Ring. The first picture is a ring of mountains in the heart of Asia: the Himalayas, Pamirs, and Tian-shan mountains. Notice the similarities.
The Encircled Mountains
At first I thought this was an accident, but then I noticed Professor Tolkien named Mordor’s mountains in the same way the ancient Asians named their mountains. In our world, both the west and south mountains have one name: Himalayas. In Mordor, the west and south mountains have one name: Ephel Duath. Look at Mordor again. We might expect Tolkien to choose one name for the south range and one for the west, but he didn’t. Let’s now look north. In the northwest corner the circle-shaped Pamirs are the same shape and in exactly the same corner as the Udûn of Mordor. Udûn is where Frodo and Sam originally tried getting into Mordor through the Black Gate, so that circle-shaped mountain was useful for making Mordor harder to get into. But why it must be located exactly at northwest corner? Here’s a bigger question: Why did Tolkien give Mordor a U shape? Why not a circle? A circle would be so much safer than a U!
Studying these pictures and thinking about these questions as a civil engineer who always works with maps, I began to realize that my favorite writer may have been inspired by Asia as he fashioned his Middle-earth. Then I started wondering if Middle-earth is rooted in our earth. To help find our answer, let’s look at something as big and as important as Mordor: Anduin, the most famous river of Middle-earth.
The Great River
Anduin, the great river, is the location of some of the saddest and most glorious stories of Middle-earth:
- Isildur jumps into the Anduin, hoping to flee an ambush, but is killed by Orc arrows.
- The One Ring is then lost in its waters and Sméagol later comes to possess it after killing Déagol.
- The Fellowship continues their journey on the Great River after leaving Lothlórien. Boromir is killed in this part of the journey.
- And at last, the Lord Aragorn and his mighty company ride the Black Ships up the Anduin, rescuing besieged Minas Tirith in the Battle of the Pelennor Fields.
Anduin River is much longer than what we see here, for the map above is only the southern part between Gondor and Mordor. Look at the river’s shape: it moves north to south near Mordor but changes its way to southwest before it reaches the sea. Let’s now look at the west side of the Himalayas to see if a river is there:
Notice the green S shape to the west? Well, that’s a river!
The green parts are farms and fertile lands around it. And this is no ordinary river since it is as important and famous as the Anduin: the Indus River, from which the country of India took its name. Indus is one of the world’s longest rivers. Notice its shape apart from its green lands:
Look again at the direction of the Anduin and Indus Rivers. Both are on the same side of the same shape mountains, and move southwest before they reach the sea.
The River Island
What about Cair Andros Island? Never heard of it? It’s not as famous as the Anduin because in the story nothing much happens there. But it’s on Tolkien’s map a few miles above Osgiliath, where the river has a vertical shape:
Is there any island in the same part of the Indus River? Well, this time if you look at Google Maps you can’t find any island there. I mean you can’t see it now because once there was a big island there! And how is it possible for a big island to disappear? It didn’t: the island is part of a huge dam now! See Wikipedia:
Tarbela Dam on the Indus River in Pakistan is the largest earth-filled dam in the world and second largest by structural volume. It is located in Haripur District…. The project is located at a narrow spot in the Indus River valley, at Tarbelain Haripur, shortly located at the point from where the District Swabi then starts. Here the river formerly split around a large island close to the left bank. The main dam wall, built of earth and rock fill, stretches 2,743 meters (8,999 feet) from the island to river right, standing 148 metres (486 feet) high. A pair of concrete auxiliary dams spans the river from the island to river left.
Here’s the location of Tarbela Dam:
We have to zoom in and with our information about the dam, we can distinguish the island. This is our lost island in Google Maps.
Here is another view of the island.
Because of the dam, the shape of the island is now changed. Surely some part of it is under water, and some parts maybe changed because of the construction. Before the dam was built, there was no lake there. The river had the same width as it has in upper places and the island looked bigger; it probably had the same shape that Tolkien drew in his map. Unfortunately, I didn’t find the island’s name, if it had one, or any maps that show it, but I did learn this dam was built during 1968-1976. When Tolkien was writing The Lord of the Rings and drew the maps from 1937-1949, there was still a big island there!
The Intermittent Island
We found one lost island, so let’s see if we can find another one where nothing much happened: Tolfalas Island, located where the Anduin reaches the sea.
Let’s now look at Google Maps.
No island visible from this perspective so we will zoom in to be sure.
We need to know more about this place. This area is Kutch, a district of Gujarat province, India. This area in fact is an island! Wikipedia again informs us:
Kutch is a district of Gujarat state in western India…. Kutch literally means“something which intermittently becomes wet and dry”; a large part of this district is known as Rann of Kutch, which is shallow wetland submerged in water during the rainy season and becomes dry during other seasons…. Kutch district is surrounded by the Gulf of Kutch and the Arabian Sea in the south and west, while the northern and eastern parts are surrounded by the Great and Little Rann (seasonal wetlands) of Kutch.
That means Kutch is actually an island in rainy seasons! Here is another picture from Google Maps during such a time:
One question, however: would Tolkien know about this in the 1940s? He never travelled to India and obviously didn’t have Google Maps. We need to remember that he was British, and in those times the countries we know today as India and Pakistan were known as the British Indian Empire. This is a standard map from 1909 that Professor Tolkien would have had access to:
When we zoom into Kutch on this map, we see it is drawn as an island!
So what do all these geographical facts mean? As I said, this article is part of more extensive research I did about Middle-earth maps. It shows that most of the lands we see in Middle-earth maps actually were taken from our world. Furthermore, I found that this is true not just about mountains, rivers, and islands but also many of the cities, buildings, stories, and even characters of Tolkien’s beloved books. And one other thing, I’m not sure we should call them Tolkien’s inspirations. I think Professor Tolkien preferred to think of them as riddles. That’s why you can’t see them easily because they have been hidden by a clever professor who enjoys riddles!