Connexion

The Produce Marketing Association (PMA) hosted its seventh annual Fresh Connections: Southern Africa Conference and Trade Show on 16 – 17 August 2017 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC). The conference sparked the interest of over 400 decision makers in the international and South African agri-business supply chain.

This event included an expanded trade show focused on insight for business growth, top conference speakers from leading global companies and a range of informative workshops.

Connections

Arquitetura: Fábio Frutuoso /

Fotos: Gabriel Alves e Costa Cabral

Student Mentors in the Freshman Connection program on the campus of Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Illinois on August 16, 2022. (Jay Grabiec)

35Mbps down is normal 3.0Mbps up is normal.

Since December 05 there have been periods where the download is 3.5Mbps. The upload is always the same.

I used the online "modem reset" no improvement but COX mysteriously scheduled service for my outside connections which is now rescheduled to December 30th. I pay $65.99 for 30/3, 1024 GB per month.

Connections 2020 brought together 900+ parents, alumni, faculty, staff, and friends to celebrate Lab's strengths and the power of philanthropy. The event raised over $1.6M for financial aid and professional development.

(Photo by Jean Lachat)

I didn't even know it had this feature until after I got the car home. USB connection in the dashboard cubby. Allows you to browse the audio contents of a USB device from the head unit. I'm using it with my iPod nano, but the manual says it'll work with a standard USB thumb drive too.

Here, I'm listening to the soundtrack for Quentin Tarantino's Death Proof.

Hello twiinz!

Last week, all of you had to do a Winter Couture shot for the TWODELS magazine of this year's winter collection. Me and the twiinz have seen gorgeous, fantastic and . . . interesting shots. But hey! This was your first theme, and the first time your twiinz showed me how they model. Anyhow, even if it's the first theme, we still need some twiinz going back home! BUT we also need the cover of the TWODELS magazine. Let's see . . .

*Don't blame my harsh jugement. I know it sometimes can be a little bit hard to take. But that's the way it is. :)*

NO ORDER FOR THE JUDGING!

Avalon & Alia : I must say, those cat hats are quite cute! It's really different from other winter clothes. That's what I like about this first picture. Plus you're looking very confident and stunning here, just as if you were ready to rock out the TWODELS magazine cover! Though there's one thing I don't like about this photo : the background. I don't think it fits in the 'winter mood'. You could have also changed the lighting, and make it softer. So it'd would have looked more like you were posing for a winter collection.

Note : 8.6/10 Congrats! :)

Iris and Tamara : Wow. Your poses and faces connections are perfect. You look absolutely gorgeous, and the outfits are great. I don't think there's anything bad about this picture. I see two girls that have a lot of potential, and show it! By the way, those blue eyes are breathtaking. You're lucky...

Note : 9/10. Congrats! :)

Rose and Lana : Girls . . . this is . . . a-mah-ziiiiing. You used so much creativity! And I think originality is one of the most important skill for a top model. You did it very, very well. And let's talk about your looks ; wow! You two are real redhead beauties that can definitly wear pretty winter clothes! Good job.

Note : 9.6/10. Congrats! :)

Victoria and Allison : OMG! Allison is totally stealing the show here! You're one of the most gorgeous girl this week, and you've got one of the best outfit! Even though I think Allison looks a lot more like a model than Victoria on this shot, I still think you did a great job. I like the way this picture's having a soft lighting. It's really "winter-ish". Awesome first shot!

Note : 9/10. Congrats! :)

Mary and Ashley : Ok girls, now this is what I was looking for. You blew me away! The snow flakes, the soft ambiance, the outfits...and you, looking so gorgy! It looks like you spent your life posing for magazines. There's nothing bad about this pic. Bravo! I love it.

Note : 9.8/10. Congrats!

Rachel and Bree : Wow, wow, wow! Are you secret top models? This is flawless! Your clothes are to die for. It remembers me a lot of Coco Chanel stuff. I like everything about this picture, as well. You're pretty, girls, and you show it up. You know how to use your beauty. Great job!

Note : 9.3/10. Congrats!

Rylan and Reesey : This is a nice winter shot, but Rylan is looking a bit stiff. On her auditions pic I really liked her and immdediately thought she'd be an awesome poser, but here she disaspointed me. Reesey is looking pretty good, though. She stands out a lot! But only 1 on 2, it's not enough. I want both of you to look as gorgeous as Top Models. Well, girls, I know you can do better than this.

7/10. Congrats! :)

Hope and Esperanza : I like the background and your coats. Othwerwise, I think your makeups kind of ruined the whole thing. I'm not a big fan of those colorful colors. You should have chosed something a little sweeter and softer to represent Winter Couture. Your poses are super great, though. But this is not your best shot.

7/10. Congrats!

Spencer and Riley : Wow! Those outfits are the best out of the bunch! So vintage and edgy at the same time! You wear them really well, and I think your outfits are making the picture. The background is a little bit boring, but you girls are looking so gorgeous that we don't even notice it! Have you ever posed? It looks like you did! Great job.

8.5/10. Congrats! :)

Stacey and Gwen : You look truly pretty here! I like the snow flakes all over your face, it's so 'winter-ish'! Even though there's one thing I dislike : if there wasn't any snow flakes, we couldn't tell it was a Winter Couture shot. The outfits didn't caught my eyes, and I'd have liked to see you from head to toe, which is something important 'cause the challenge of this week was to present a Winter Collection. Overall, it's not a bad picture. But I would have excepected more.

6.9/10. Congrats! :)

Jason and Kayleigh : .. The theme wasn't 'Let's play in the snow!'.Though, this picture looks like it is. You disapointed me. You guys don't look as stunning as you should have. Plus we can barely see your outfits. I repeat ; you had to show me the TWODELS magazine winter collection! It's a funny picture, but not what I wanted.

5/10. Congrats! :)

Sindel and Patricia : Uhm...I have to say ; you look pretty and have great poses. But I don't really like the whole thing. The picture is blurry and the background is boring. Perhaps you could have done better than this? I don't know. Sindel, Patricia. Huge disapointment here. Sorry if I sounded rude.

4/10. Congrats! :)

Jackilyn and Jonah : Even if this is shot is a little blurry, I think you have awesome outfits and that you look great. You improved a lot from your audition picture! It's not WOW, but it's not EW either. You respected the requirements, and I like that.

6.7/10. Congrats! :)

Ok! Judging's over! But who will be on the TWODELS magazine cover? And who will have to leave us?

HERE'S THE PLACES (from best to worst) :

And the girls that are going to be on this week's TWODELS magazine cover are...

1st Place : Mary and Ashley!!! (RainbowDoll489) CONGRATULATIONS. According to me you've done the BEST job this week. And the best always need a prize! Hehe! :D Congrats, you guys are representing this year's TWODELS magazine winter collection !

May 17 National Day Celebrations, Oslo, Norway.

The railway connection between Djibouti port and Addis Ababa was built by the Imperial Railway Company of Ethiopia, founded in 1894, and was opened in 1917. France owned the Djibouti part of the line, but transferred this ownership to the Djiboutian government after independence in 1977. Later, ownership of the entire railway went to the Ethio-Djibouti Railways company. Since the 1970s, the railway's quality has been deteriorating and its importance cut down as more and more of transported goods and passengers took the new improved roads. Djibouti's harbor also had to face the competition of the port of Massawa. With the independence of Eritrea in 1993, Ethiopia became landlocked, and because of deteriorating relations between the two countries, the eritrean port of Massawa was no longer accessible for Ethiopia and the access to Djibouti's one became strategic and vital again for Ethiopia .

In 2003 the European Commission prepared a grant of 40 millions of euros for the rehabilitation of the railway and raised it to 50 millions in 2006. On the 29th of november 2006 an agreement was signed with the Italian consortium Costra, and work began in 2007 on sections of the line that had been deteriorated during the war between Ethiopia and Somalia and also because of floods.

These renovations are expected to increase the capacity of transported goods on the railroad from 240,000 tons to 1,5 million tons a year, and thus relieve the traffic congestion caused by trucks and cars transporting goods on the road connecting Addis Ababa to Djibouti.

The journey from Addis Abeba to Djibouti lasts two days, and a connection is necessary in Dire Dawa, an ethiopian village 472 km far from Addis Abeba. The entire crossing is 780 km long, and the average speed of the train is 30 km/h.

The ethiopian people who work in the stations speak french, and it is a pleasure to talk with them. They just wait, wait , and wait for a rebirth of the legendary train...

© Eric Lafforgue

www.ericlafforgue.com

Delta Connection (Operated by Republic Airways) flight 5606 on final approach into runway 36L at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) from Boston Logan International Airport (BOS). Embraer 175LR.

19/04/11. Heathrow Airport, London. A MAN 14.220 chassis and MCV eVolution body.

Delta Connection (Operated by Republic Airways) flight 5867 on final approach into New York JFK International Airport (JFK) from Reagan National Airport (DCA). Embraer E175LR.

Suzana and her daughter Mei-Iskra on a sunny July day. Mei is just over two months old, but the two have already bonded. All babies love tactile stimulation, and baby Mei is thoroughly enjoying the new sensations.

Martin Taylor @ Shetland night at Celtic Connections, 2008

By Marcus. HMP Standford Hill.

Freshman Connection Mentors complete orientation and training on the campus of Eastern Illinois University on August 16, 2021. (Michael Babcock)

Belize City Civic Center, Belize, December 1, 2018. [Photo: Libna Stevens/IAD]

The "Great Belt Bridge" (Danish: Storebæltsbroen) commonly refers to the suspension bridge, although it may also be used to mean the box-girder bridge or the link in its entirety. The suspension bridge, officially known as the East Bridge, has the world's third longest main span (1.6 km), and the longest outside of Asia. The link connects the Danish islands of Zealand and Funen.

The Journey is the Reward

Delta Connection (Endeavor Air), Bombardier CRJ-900LR, N917PQ, at JFK, New York, USA. July, 2024. Copyright Tom Turner

My photography is all about people, emotions, connections and interactions to the environment. I love shooting topics about humanity.

Please do visit my gallery for all my work: www.derekip.smugmug.com

Mark DiOrio / Colgate University

Colgate students attend SophoMORE Connections around campus, Jan. 19, 2018 in Hamilton, N.Y.

Calrailfans Partial (not Total) Fail Santa Clara Meet 2011/09/10

The Calrailfans September monthly meet was at Santa Clara station on Saturday 10 Sept 2011. It turned out that only Frank and I, of the regular meet attendees, showed up, and it took me a while to get there. I finally made it to Santa Clara around 1240, arriving on Caltrain , and spent a few hours, meeting Frank and talking to some of the other fans who were hanging out at the depot. The old SP station dates from the days when Santa Clara was a sleepy village and is a combination freight and passenger building with far more freight space than passenger. Today, N and HO scale model RR layouts fill the old freight space. The model layouts are beautiful, really well done. New platforms are being installed that will allow ACE and Amtrak Capitol trains to stop at the Santa Clara, as well as providing more operational flexibility for Caltrain. As it is, there are 2 platform tracks next to the station and 3 tracks without platforms farther away for non-stop trains or trains turning onto the Mulford line to Oakland. The Mulford line was built as the narrow gauge South Pacific Coast, and originally crossed the SP San Francisco and San Jose line at Santa Clara before heading up into the mountains to terminate at Santa Cruz. Caltrain and Amtrak provided all the action that we saw. Caltrain had an extra Baby Bullet train for the Giants game that went north around 1500 in a cloud of dust from the construction work. I used Sacramento RT (Power Inn-SP station), Amtrak Capitol train 727 (Sacramento-Richmond), BART (Richmond-MacArthur-Millbrae) and Caltrain (Millbrae-Santa Clara) to get there, and Caltrain (Santa Clara-San Jose), Amtrak Capitol train 742 (San Jose-Sacramento) and RT (SP station-Power Inn) to get back to where I parked in Sacramento, so it was a "steel rails around the Bay" trip for me. On the way home, Amtrak Capitol 742 hit a pink bathtub that someone thought it would be funny to put on the track at Eckley. The lights went out about the same time the brakes dumped, and we stopped for nearly an hour while the crew first got the air fixed, then restored HEP, and then a special agent talked to the crew about the incident. It would be nice if the cops got the brats who did it and throw the book at them. We were about an hour late into Sacramento. A friendly Amtrak cop was on the platform and we chatted about the bathtub incident. He seemed impressed that I'd managed to ride Amtrak and 3 transit systems in one day of railfanning. Mike Roque's article in the current Railfan and Railroad points out there are 3 more rail transit systems in the area that I didn't ride yesterday, ACE from Stockton to San Jose, which only runs on weekdays, San Francisco Muni, and Santa Clara County's VTA light rail system. I tried to ride the latter, taking Caltrain to Mountain View, where the systems connect, but VTA would not have gotten me to San Jose in time to connect to Capitol 742, so I just got on the next Caltrain heading south, and arrived in plenty of time for my connection. I rode light rail back to Power Inn, where I'd parked my car.

Student Mentor in the Freshman Connection program Claire Roberts on the campus of Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Illinois on August 16, 2022. (Jay Grabiec)

Nearly 400 sophomores met with 125 alumni for career conversations during Sophomore Connections, January 15–17, 2015.