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Aug-20-08 COAH Wraps up Successful Series on New Third Round Rules
TRENTON, N.J. – The New Jersey Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) recently completed a widely attended series of regional information sessions and training seminars for municipal officials, attorneys, professional planners and interested members of the public. More than 500 people from across the state attended the combined sessions.
Six regional sessions, which were attended by over 280 individuals in June and July, provided a comprehensive overview of COAH's revised third round rules that went into effect on June 2, 2008, the pending amendments that were proposed on June 16, 2008, and the recent adoption of P.L. 2008, c. 46. Attendees were able to ask questions and interact with COAH staff regarding methods for meeting affordable housing obligations.
COAH also hosted four all-day seminars in July and August to guide professional planners on how to prepare a third round plan based on the new rules. More than 240 professional planners and municipal representatives attended the seminars and had the opportunity to ask questions and learn about the new rules and application format.
Approximately 300 municipalities currently under COAH's jurisdiction must submit revised third round plans to COAH by December 31, 2008 to retain protection from builder's remedy lawsuits. COAH staff remains available to meet with and answer questions for municipal representatives and professional planners to ensure that the plan preparation process goes smoothly and complies with the December submission deadline.
COAH, an affiliate of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, facilitates the production of sound, affordable housing for low and moderate income households by providing the most effective process to municipalities, housing providers, nonprofit and for profit developers to address a constitutional obligation within the framework of sound, comprehensive planning.


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Story highlights
- A recent Reuters poll shows that 40% of white Americans have zero nonwhite friends
- Tanner Colby: I get asked a lot, "So, how many black friends do you have now?"
- He says some people see black friends as things to be acquired to prove one is not racist
- Colby: Social bonds across the color line are critical to a truly integrated society
"So, how many black friends do you have now?"
It's a question I get asked a lot, ever since I set out five years ago to find out why I, your typical middle-class white person, had no black friends at all.
I do have black friends now, actually. Several. But I rarely offer that information when asked, because to ask white people how many black friends they have is to pose the wrong question.
Recently, a Reuters poll came out showing that 40% of white Americans have zero nonwhite friends, and only 20% of white Americans have five or more nonwhite friends. People seemed shocked that the numbers were so bad.
Personally, I was surprised that they were so good. America remains a deeply segregated and divided country. Even accounting for institutional and socioeconomic barriers, in the places we have the opportunity to integrate—the high school cafeteria, for instance—we largely don't.
The Reuters survey itself is misleading, lumping all minorities together under the vague heading of "nonwhite." Depending on what part of the country you live in (e.g, anywhere but Minnesota or Wyoming), it's not uncommon to have Asian or Hispanic friends.
But the social divide between whites and those groups is more a function of the slow-rolling, generational process of immigrant assimilation. That is a wholly different phenomenon from the social divide between whites and blacks, which is the product of 400 years of slavery and segregation. That's the social divide we should worry about, and if the poll had focused on that, the numbers would surely have been much worse.
The reason why "How many black friends do you have?" is such a terrible question is because it shows how we typically talk when we talk about race. Even when we try to talk about race in a constructive way, we usually make black people the object of the sentence, rarely the subject.
Black friends are the things to be acquired to prove one is not racist. The way the question is asked accords black people no agency, nor does it reveal anything about the real character of the white person being queried.
What you really want to know is not "How many black friends do I have?" but rather, "Have I become the type of individual that a black person might choose to be friends with?" That's a real question. Poll a couple thousand white people with that and you might start to get some interesting answers, or at least some confused and befuddled looks.
White people are products of their own whitewashed, sanitized environment. Black people have been systematically excluded from white neighborhoods. Black stories rarely surface in popular culture. The history of race in high school textbooks has been boiled down to a handful of bedtime stories about Jackie Robinson and Rosa Parks. Try to tap into the average white person's feelings on race and you won't necessarily find feelings of hate and antipathy. You just won't find much of anything, no fully formed or well-considered thoughts about race of any kind. There's nothing really there. Even white people who want black friends don't know where to start.
America's lack of integration wouldn't be such a big deal except for the fact that relationships and social networks are vital to economic advancement.
Even when programs like school busing and affirmative action give black people access to white spaces, when those people go to climb the social ladder there's nothing there for them to grab onto, because there's very little reciprocal effort coming from the other direction. It's high effort and low reward.
The result is that black people end up with integration fatigue. Many black writers responded to the Reuters poll with essays on why they didn't want white friends, and didn't need them. White friends weren't worth the bother.
This is their prerogative, but ultimately, it's to society's disadvantage because white people control the access to, well, just about everything. If you don't have white friends, you might have a decent job and a comfortable life, but all the doors of opportunity in this country are not open to you. "I may do well in a desegregated society," the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. said, "but I can never know what my total capacity is until I live in an integrated society."
Interracial friendships, social bonds across the color line, are a key factor in putting the sins of America's past behind us. But it's not something that's accomplished by white people knowing lots of black people. It helps if white people know how to be better white people.
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subset: commoncrawl


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Weather The Storm Hoodie - Black
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text: Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS) An endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) is a test to look at the inside of your gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Common sites the test is used for include the esophagus, stomach, pancreas, liver, and rectum. EUS is commonly used to look for cancers and growths. It can help to stage cancer (see how advanced a cancer is). It can also be used to help diagnose certain diseases. And it can be used to drain cysts or abscesses. What Is EUS? EUS shows both ultrasound images and live video of the GI tract. During the test, a flexible tube called an endoscope (scope) is used. At the end of the scope is a tiny video camera and light. The video camera transmits live images to a monitor. The scope also contains a very small ultrasound device, which uses sound waves to create images and send them to a monitor. Some scopes also have a needle at the end. The needle can be used take a small sample of tissue for testing. This is called a biopsy. Or a needle can be used to take a sample of fluid. This is called fine-needle aspiration (FNA). Risks and Possible Complications of EUS Bleeding Infection A perforation (hole) in the digestive tract Risks of sedation/anesthesia Before the Test Tell your doctor what medication you take. This includes vitamins, herbs, and over-the-counter medication. It also includes any blood thinners, such as Coumadin, Plavix, ibuprofen, or daily aspirin. You may need to stop taking some or all of them before the test. You may be prescribed antibiotics to take before or after the test. This depends on the area being studied and what is done during the test. These medications help prevent infection. Carefully follow the instructions for preparing for the test to ensure accurate results. Instructions may include: If you're having an EUS of the upper GI tract (esophagus, stomach, duodenum, pancreas, liver): Do not eat or drink for 6 hours before the test. If you're having an EUS of the lower GI tract (rectum): Before the test, do bowel prep as instructed to clean your rectum of stool. This may involve using a laxative (liquid or pills) the night before the test. Or it may mean doing one or more enemas the morning of the test. Do not eat or drink for 6 hours before the test. Be sure to arrive on time at the facility. Bring your health insurance card. Leave valuables at home. If you have them, bring x-rays or other test results with you. Let the Doctor Know For your safety, tell the doctor if you: Take insulin. Your dose may need to be changed on the day of your test. Are allergic to latex. Have any other allergies. Are taking blood thinners. During the Test An endoscopic ultrasound usually takes place in a hospital. The procedure itself may take 1-2 hours. You will likely go home soon afterward. During the test: You lie on your left side on an examination table. An IV line may be put into a vein in your arm or hand. This line supplies fluids and medications. To keep you comfortable during the test, you may be given a sedative medication. This medication prevents discomfort and will make you sleepy If you are having an EUS of the upper GI tract, local anesthetic may be sprayed in your throat. This will help you be more comfortable as the doctor inserts the scope. The doctor then gently puts the flexible scope into your mouth or nose and down your throat. If you're having an EUS of the lower GI tract, the doctor gently puts the flexible scope into your anus. During the test, the scope sends live video and ultrasound images from inside your body to nearby monitors. These are used to examine your GI tract. Procedures, such as drainage, are done as needed. When the test is done, the endoscope is removed. The doctor may discuss the results with you soon after the test. Biopsy results take about 7-10 days. In most cases, you can go home within a few hours of the test. When you leave the facility, have an adult family member or friend drive you. After the Test You may feel tired from the sedative. This should wear off by the end of the day. If you had an upper digestive endoscopy, your throat may feel sore for a day or two. Over-the-counter sore throat lozenges and spray should help. You can eat and drink normally as soon as the test is done. When to Call the Doctor Call your doctor if you notice any of the following: Fever of 100.4° F ( 38° C) or higher Shortness of breath Vomiting blood, blood in stool, or black stools Coughing or hoarse voice that won't go away.


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The Moroccan Leather Tile Pouffe in White & Grey, a traditional white leather pouffe design with a contemporary twist. This decorative ottoman is dyed and hand-stitched by artisans in Morocco. A must have home accessory, Moroccan Pouffes are multi-functional around the home; use as a foot-stool or seat around the coffee table, and also a great addition to kids rooms or nurseries. Our Pouffes are available with filling (in the UK only) or unfilled. For a guide on how to stuff your pouffe, read our step by step Stuffing Guide.
Please Note / Leather is a natural material, dyed by hand in a small artisanal workshop; any minor flaws and imperfections are characteristic of the materials and methods and only add to the beauty and character of the product and are not deemed as a fault.
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Structure of the court system
New Zealand's general courts are structured like a pyramid. At the top is the Supreme Court. Below it, in descending order, are the Court of Appeal, the High Court and the District Court. These are 'courts of general jurisdiction'. They are the main courts in our justice system.
The jurisdiction of the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal and the District Court is defined by statute. The High Court has both statutory jurisdiction and inherent common law jurisdiction.
Most court business takes place in the District Court, which forms the base of the pyramid. Most criminal cases are heard in the District Court, as well as a large number of civil cases, but there is a statutory 'ceiling' on the cases that the court can hear. Cases where the amount in issue is more than $350,000, and specified serious criminal cases (such as murder) are heard by the High Court.
The High Court has broad general jurisdiction. In practice, it tends to hear the more serious jury trials, the more complex civil cases, administrative law cases and appeals from the decisions of courts and tribunals below it.
Appeals are to a higher court. A case that is decided in the District Court, for example, can be appealed to the High Court, or directly to the Court of Appeal where the law allows it. The Supreme Court is the final appellate court. Because the Supreme Court hears only a small proportion of cases, the Court of Appeal is in reality the last court for an appeal for most cases in the legal system.
Cases may only go to the Supreme Court if the court grants leave to appeal. The criteria for granting leave to appeal are set out in s 74 Senior Courts Act 2016. In general, the case will need to raise a significant legal point or a matter of general and public importance.
A decision by a higher court is binding on lower courts and decisions of the Supreme Court, as the final court of appeal, are binding on all other courts.
Cases that are legally similar will generally be decided the same way, conforming with the decisions of a higher court. This is called the rule of precedent, and ensures consistency and certainty in how the law is applied.
Outside the pyramid for courts of general jurisdiction are specialist courts and tribunals. These include the Employment Court, the Environment Court, the Māori Land Court, the Waitangi Tribunal, Coroners Courts, the Courts-Martial Appeal Authority, and others. The courts of general jurisdiction may hear appeals from these courts and tribunals. Some tribunal decisions cannot be appealed, some can be appealed to the District Court, and others to the High Court.
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I haven't posted recently because I have chewed on a lot of information, a lot of realizations, and a lot of tough questions I had to ask of myself. I think I have finally found a moment of clarity to discuss them. Transition of any kind, from one job to another, or from one gender to another can be a stressful time in one's life. It can, as it has with me caused me to challenge everything I understood about my life. It's safe to say that I am not the same person I was 3 years ago, though I am still me. The things that make me who I am now were there, but they all made that transformation with me. The transformation from a believer to a skeptic. The transformation from a man, to a woman. The transformation from a conservative to a liberal independent. There is so much more to this transformation than I can do justice in such simple terms, so I'll elaborate. The past three years has been part of a long over due, but perhaps aptly timed transformation set in motion decades prior to them ever occurring. I am writing this mainly as a "stripped down" of cultural dichotomies and conditioning version of my own trans and life story.
My Gender:
This all started long ago, the year was 1983. I am going to be detailed, honest and descriptive about the journey to who I am now. I am almost certain it was spring. I was only just becoming aware of the differences between boys and girls, at least in so far as society constructed them. All in all, things were… Okay… But, something was amiss. Something inside me felt… broken. I felt wrong. Every time I went to the restroom I felt this ominous and vague sensation that my body wasn't right. It was like a thorn in my mind. Every time someone called me by my gender, it just felt… Off. I didn't really have any inkling about what these feelings meant, at the time. I just felt this "pit" in my stomach when it came to some vague feeling I had about my gender. To onlookers there was nothing that would trigger alarm, but I felt something was up. I did feel rather limited by the "boys do that" sort of abuse I received, but that wasn't a terribly big issue for me. I wasn't masculine or feminine inclined, or biased towards either set of gender constructs. This narrative isn't going to fit the standards used to police the genders of trans people, that I can guarantee you.
As I got older, the vague sense became less vague. I began doodling with zeal and joy about the day I'd no longer have a penis. I had identified what felt wrong about my body, and thus I thought and felt that it would be better if I were without it. By the age of 5 I was having dreams about losing it. But at the time I was unaware of any alternative, I just knew that it felt like there was something there that shouldn't be there. That naivety was short-lived. It wasn't long after that I did know that there was another way one could be down there. I knew in the following years that what I now knew felt more like what I should be. I can't say I was terribly dysphoric about my toys, though my forced playmate selections were rather upsetting. I was happy with my toys, happy with my clothing to some degree, and while there were toy options I was denied that I wanted, it wasn't the source of my unrest. My body just felt "wrong", "ajar", "out-of-place". It was around 8 that I started dreaming and daydreaming about being liberated from that state of being. I'd wish, and often with tears in my eyes for many things back in those days. Most of all of those, I wished that angels would make me into a girl.
I knew nothing of "gender dysphoria", or trans* people. I knew that I was "supposed to be a boy", something I told people when asked. Not that I didn't, but I can't recall having said "I'm a boy" in earnest, without some sort of vague misgiving about it. Likewise, I never said "I'm a girl" either, I just knew for certain being a boy was wrong. There was no information for me to conclude more than, "I'm a boy outside, but a girl inside". For years at this point I'd been writing and story telling about a fictitious girl named "Renee". This "other person" was my outlet for the side of me I wasn't permitted to show, the less "boy-like side". The despair of that disjointed feeling I had with my body came and went, all but gone. But the crying and pleading… Well, that was pretty consistent. It at times made me wonder, just wonder what death would be like. Morbid curiosities to say the least, especially for a 9-year-old. It wasn't until puberty hit full swing that I experienced gender dysphoria on the most absurd scale or such potent self-disgust. Being male, and experiencing the side effects of puberty disgusted me. I felt on many levels I didn't "measure up" to the standards of males set forth for me by my father.
So I kind of played along, and tried to work to gain his approval by "being the man" I wasn't. I failed at that a lot. I was always too docile, soft and sensitive for the stereotype conditioned onto males in our culture. Now, I am not saying that these things are inherently female, just inherently me. It's just how I am, not something intrinsic to women, though some believe otherwise. But I liked girls, so the role had some "perks". Also, being assigned male carried its own perks. But I hated it. Sometimes I was livid about it. I hated my penis, and I espoused it enough that my friends remember it after 15 years. Certainly, I complained about male gender construct related constraints, but mostly I complained about my body. Specifically my genitals, body, and hormones. They never felt right. It interfered with romance for me, because I hated how the whole exchange made me feel. I liked girls, but I couldn't get close to them without feeling dysphoric about how my body felt to me. I still felt like I wanted to be a girl, but the "boy out/girl in" mentality was the reality I'd been forced to accept. No way of knowing, and no information indicating that there was another reality out there for me. I didn't know that I was a "girl" per say, just that I was "not like other men" and that I didn't relate to them. "Not like other men" was literal verbatim of my mantra, and inner monologue.
I compensated in everything. I worked constantly to "mind my posture" to not "appear gay". Nothing about "being a man" in the cultural sense came natural to me, and a moment of disregard could at any time cause the behaviors and feelings I shielded to show through. None of these things, on their own, indicates that I wasn't a man, or that I was transgender. Many men fail to keep up the behaviors accepted of men without becoming women. Like I said, the only thing I was sure of was that boy was wrong. Compensated by joining the military, and in my choices I made with in. My only hope was to stifle and conquer the scorn of my father for "not being the man" I wasn't, and perhaps even gain his approval. When I was young and still baby-faced I was cute, soft, petite, and rather "pretty for a boy". This is no doubt. The rewards of heterosexuality, and living cisgender, coupled with the distractions and my androgyny made more alluring by maturation through military training made my image "palatable". For a while.
Few friends saw my façade shutter or fall, because it was almost like habit. But it was clear to most, a "man" in the traditional sense I was not. Generally speaking, I came across to some as "gay" both in my mannerisms and in my presentation, especially during my metrosexual phase. But most people who knew me well knew that it wasn't likely that I was gay, but there weren't many who didn't have some misgivings about what made me different, or some suspicion. That is a cultural axiom it would seem, and the dogmas of gender tend to give people a head tilt when someone seems to "walk besides" and not within them. To my recollection, there is little outside of my direct experience of this "feeling" to describe it. But like all people with testosterone, time passed and I became more masculine looking in body. Weight lifting, and testosterone were doing its work, and I started to hate my body and face. The androgyny I loved was fading.
I had trouble facing myself, and no matter how hard I tried to capture a feeling of wholeness, it was simply not possible. As time, and relationships passed the rewards of living in that form diminished like-wise. I was quite literally losing the fight to keep up that façade. I started questioning my gender, as my health, my libido and my hormones dropped. What was I? What had I been forcing myself to accept myself as all these years. For the first time I challenged the notion that I was what I was told I was supposed to be. But it took a while for that to come to fruition. It wasn't until reality smacked me in the face that I even asked that vital question. Why am I a boy, but I feel like a girl? Why do I feel like I am pretending to be something I am no? Those questions and many more would lead me to where I am today, more full and more happy with myself that at any time in my life earlier. I do still struggle with my gender verses the world I was taught to believe, but I am better for where I am now. I know that my transition is right for me, and I have decided on my path.
I have made mistakes along the way, stumbled, and even doubted myself along the way. I feel everyone does at some point. The path to transition isn't about one being "absent of doubt". There is very little room in thinking about this within our culture, so that is what we fight with. Being demisexual, non-binary, androgynous, and a trans woman were all things I came to learn about myself after refinement. I am sure some of what I have discussed is redundant, but I also mentioned in earlier posts how this would happen as I refined myself. I have ever recently come to refinements in my identity with regards to gender fluidity, which I have experience my whole life, and with identifying as an androgynous woman. The path is never about the end, but about the journey they say.
My beliefs:
I started out young with little to no formal religious education. My first education came in the form of schooling, and a larger volume set of encyclopedias. I read them so extensively that I had a 12th grade reading level in 3rd grade. This is where my love of science, as well as long hours watching Nova and PBS, came from. I guess my plunge into atheism was a scientifically high probability. But because of my strange experiences in life I was highly inclined towards the spiritual. I'd seen ghosts, had unusual dreams of death, and experienced what those in the metaphysical world call, "The Indigo Child". I seemed to have memories of past lives and places I'd never visited, as well as strong emotional connections to them. I even had a period of my life (around 7 – 9) where I experienced morbid and vivid experiences of death. My brain is either very strange, or science is missing a huge chunk of phenomenology about the natural world, the earlier being the most likely. My skepticism has taught me that there is all kinds of "unexplained things" out there, but that jumping to a conclusion that "you know" when you don't is deluded. I don't claim to know the cause behind these unexplained things, but I know that it was enough to make me a spiritual person for a long time.
I began practicing metaphysical beliefs from a very early age, and continued to do so for a long time, thus the indigo child piece of this. There is no proof or evidence that supports the beliefs I held at the time. I did these things as if they were instinct which begs the question about how some of the first religions started. Did some "Indigo Child" come along with this built-in "spirituality" built into them, some kind of "neurological propensity to religiousness"? Did they then inscribe this supposedly "divine knowledge" to be passed on, and become modern-day religions? Who knows. What I do know is that I unquestionably followed these "feelings and beliefs". I couldn't explain them and hadn't thought critically enough about them to discount them. It just seemed to fit. Now, it need be said, that though I am an atheist, and a skeptic now, these beliefs and experiences aren't "gone", just passed through a different filter for me is all. I still accept that I experienced "X", I just don't make evidence free conclusions about their nature. Given the degree of brain trauma I have experienced that factor likely plays some role in all of this. My extremely potent imagination plays another. Either way, I still wonder about the things I did, I just don't accept them as fact while unproven. In a sense, I guess I could be a bit "spiritualistic" for some atheists. But it's okay as long as I check it with critical thinking.
I went through Buddhism, Wicca, Shamanism, and Metaphysics all before I even touched an "intimate and personal" relationship with Christianity. I was just on a search to "understand" and to decrypt my place in this world, something religions are all too willing to offer in their unprovable promises of grandiose things. I wanted to know why I was who and what I was. I had so many questions, as the last section suggested, and few answers. I was drawn to Christianity because of the fact that "on the surface" the Christianity I saw seemed to fit my morality and world view, which was not entirely the case on further evaluation. I can't say that my transition didn't play a role in my religious re-evaluations of Christianity, but it wasn't most of it. Something didn't jive. There were too many contradictions, prohibitions in one chapter, but accepted in another. Logical inconsistency that gnawed on my brain like a tumor. Each question begged for more questions, and the more I questioned the more the bible fell apart in my hands. Couple this with my wish to find a new place for myself within it, and it unraveled even faster. Because the more I tried to find that place the more I read and found these contradictions. So no, my gender isn't why I am an atheist, but it contributed. The "nail in the coffin" if it were. Furthermore, the cruelty of the bible and the intolerance of Christians drove the nail deeper.
I didn't want to let go at first. The idea was too "comfy" for me. The afterlife, and all the other wacky and unchallenged beliefs I held without evidence demonstrating them as I perceived them were a thinning veneer covering my fears, shame and other bewildering feelings. The more I shed the beliefs the more I had to face the realities that were supported by evidence, observation and science. Science gave good, and consistent answers. Answers that were logical and concise. Results that were repeatable. Religions track recorder could not touch this. I valued science to begin with, mostly thanks to Dr. Bill Nye (The Science Guy), and the blinder upon my eyes crumbled and fell away. It revealed a universe so much more magnificent that what my "God Goggles" permitted me to see. I'd rather have mysteries that science is yet to show than the bad, half-assed, concocted, bad shit crazy, explanations to the universe that blind you from the truth. My life as a person, a science enthusiast, and a trans* person greatly improved upon doing so. It also gave a boost to my feminism, and a growth phase. Everything, every change I have undergone over the past few years has been a process of growth.
No one convinced be to be an 'Atheist', I just came to realize that my beliefs, and religion failed to meet the criteria of truth according the methods of science which had demonstrated themselves to be effective, and measurable. I traded the intangible for the tangible. Falsehood for truth. It's often that the religious will claim to have done the same, but that argument falls apart under scrutiny.
My Realizations:
There is a lot of realizations to dole out here, because a lot has changed in the past few years. Certainly my transition, my deconversion, and my growth as a person has drawn me closer to some and more distant from others. It has been both filled with joy, and occasionally has some strife. The biggest realization I have had in this regards lately is in realizing things, both about myself, and about others.
My opinions, and my firmness in them can come across to some as quite negative. Some have even commented about how I come across as in a "matter-of-factly" kind of way. Perhaps some even see it as "abrasive, or insulting". Some of its intentional, and some of it's not intentional. I have heard many theories about why that is, to which I will put the matter to rest once and for all. I am not like this because of my station in life, for being trans, or for being anything in a passive sense. I am like this because I grew up in a household where a part of my abuse came from a father who saw fit to "force me to see" how much he gave for me. I was told how much it cost to "Save me" when I had my head injury, and I was always made to feel guilty when I had something in place of my father getting something rewarding for him. It's why I was so scrawny in High School to some degrees. I had trouble eating as much as my body was demanding me eat, though I could honestly put it away, but I hardly indulged myself out of that guilt that "I didn't have to sacrifice" to put food on the table.
So because of that trauma I can be rather blunt, and even abrasive about how I speak when it comes to things I feel strongly for. I have no sympathy for sexists, misogynists, transphobes, homophobes, and I will not hesitate to tell them how angry it makes me that they say and do the things they do. I am sure there is probably 'other ways' to do business, but on many manners by the time I "blow up" so to speak about a matter, it's because I have been patient earlier, and are no longer able or willing to contain my opinion for the sake of someone's hurt feelings. But this process is a double-edged sword for me, as I have mentioned before because I am both opinionated and very sensitive, especially to how other perceive my words. Obviously on certain matters there is little to no sympathy, but such exchanges deplete me greatly. Even if I go on the offensive, it is still uneasy for me. I will stand up for what my value system represents, but I don't really like confrontation. On issues like gender, religion, feminism, et cetera, I am particularly stern about them, and particularly callous to how what I write on those subjects affects those who feel "contradicted" by it.
Another thing that came to my attention relates to the negative responses about how people respond to me being an atheist, trans, a feminist, and otherwise. And that is that because of the contrasting positions I now take, people whom I was once more aligned with are now misaligned with me. Family, some friends, and others now find themselves on opposites on more positions that our previous involvements with each other have exposed us to. As people, even though these juxtapositions don't directly equate to this, it is possible for us to experience feelings of rejection between these ties. For instance, my need to live as another gender could lead my parents, my father in particular, to feel rejected because of the fact that his pride, hopes and dreams for me are "rejected" by my refusal to play the role associated with said attachment. The same is true for the relationship between atheists and theists. A theists when presenting with God beliefs, or opinions or positions based on dogma, can so whole be devoted to those beliefs that they feel rejected by the non-believer.
People who have been rejected can become very frustrated, even feel anger and resentment towards the person who rejected their beliefs, positions, et cetera, very similar to romantic rejection as illustrated in this video by DarkMatter2525 on YouTube. (Note: Do no watch this video if you get upset easily about discussions of atheism and debunking of religion. This video debunks an aspect of religious belief.) Anyhow, a person who has been rejected suffers an effect to the cortisol and dopamine in their brain, which can actually cause physical pain. Anyone who knows about psychology knows the kind of effect that negative reinforcement can have, now imagine a relationship with negative reinforcement going on with key issues which they are opposed on and the subsequent rejection that follows. Each will feel inclined to feel "rejected" by the other, and may even state it as such, even though they aren't "rejecting" each other, rather they are rejecting their representation of the positions each other holds. Religious beliefs though can be one of the most troubling and complicating factors of a relationships, for sure, next to politics and how the money is spent. These are subjects very close to the individual, and thus the feelings of rejection are very intense. In the changes that have occurred with me, there are people with whom I am 180 degrees reversed in position with now.
In that sense, their feelings of rejection are very real and have very profound effects on how they see me, and how they interact with me. They may even exist in denial of the fact that they resent me for rejecting the roles they desired for me, the loss of the person they saw me as, the rejection of their excuses for "Why Transition is Wrong", my rejection of proposed solutions or arbitration, the contradictions of our belief systems, and my rejection of their theories about "who I am and how I came to be this way". My father thinks some liberal think tank made me trans*. Really? Is that even possible? I highly doubt that. Point is this, that many of the people in my life who can't, won't or don't want to accept what I am now, or find themselves diametrically opposed to me now can and do feel rejected by my positions, and by my very being. This is a tough situation to resolve, because the other person has to realize what emotions they are acting on, and why it's problematic. Moreover, groups in said situations have to come to a place where they understand that ones mere beliefs, positions, or gender don't constitute a rejection of that person, but are merely a different set of beliefs. Then and only then can the resentment and anger that builds because of that dynamic be alleviated. You don't have to agree, but you have to agree that you do not agree, and resolve those emotions so that you can move on from them.
I sincerely hope that I can come to a point with that with my father, I really do. He maybe an asshole, but he is still my father. I am sure some feel I have been much too gracious and forgiving, but this is just my nature. In fact I hope that all relationships that have been affected by my transformations can be mended in a similar way. Certainly this isn't the only phenomenon in play, and there are certainly other things that happened during transition that I hope to one day put to rest. Even I at times have felt "rejected" and experienced the above in response to those with whom I have become contrasted with. But I realized what it was they were rejecting and was able to dissect myself from it. Another issue that can come up with said interactions is a kind of unreasonable need to see a certain action from another person to move past the strong feelings associated with transitions like mine that I have been discussing. There can be a tendency when struggling with feelings of rejection, and the associated side effects to "have an axe to grind" about past offenses, and perhaps even have an internally dictated level of "punishment or reprisal" that the other person must accept to suffice the reciprocation of the perceived "first offense". The things one person finds offensive aren't always the same as another, and a person can change their opinion on the "offensiveness" of something once it's pointed out.
We as people, when our deep, personal emotions and motives are involved can have a tendency to be vindictive when making expectations about what will appease us when people commit transgressions against us, especially when they are coupled with other negative emotions, like rejection. We can often wish for unreasonable, or over inflated recompense from the individual of said offense, so much so that any such reconciliation of the offense is impossible unless there is compromise of said expectation. I certainly know I have been guilty of this. I am only just now starting to decipher this and understand where I have taken the intensity of unreconciled offenses to a level which letting go of said feelings is difficult. In the end, it is those hard feelings that hurt me, not the person from whom the offense arose. Certainly, we should hold people accountable for their actions, and be consistent in expecting them to recognize fault, and correct the behavior. However, we shouldn't be "vindictive" about it, as this serves no one, not even ourselves. This is something that I learned, and I wanted to formulate and share, not only with other trans* people, but with atheists, and anyone who as experienced what I am describing, when a disagreement elevates to uncomfortable personal levels. Hopefully knowing things like this can help people understand, and perhaps defuse a tense relationship matter. If anyone has something to add please feel free. These are just a few ideas I have tried to hash out over the past few months.
Related articles
- Lies about transgender people (and how to spot a rubbish journalist) (blogs.independent.co.uk)
- talking about trans* folks (rainbowgenderpunk.wordpress.com)
- Ontario allows transgenders to change birth certificate without surgery (o.canada.com)
- A trans man on feminism and bodily autonomy (thefword.org.uk)
- Gender Expression: Why does it have to be so complicated (renetaxian.wordpress.com)
- The "New Wave of Atheism" (dead-logic.blogspot.com)
- Atheism Plus What? (freethoughtblogs.com)
- An Irreligious President (theyouthcaucus.wordpress.com)


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Changes related to "Publications:Selecting salient features for classification based on neural network committees"
From ISLAB/CAISR
This is a list of changes made recently to pages linked from a specified page (or to members of a specified category). Pages on your watchlist are bold.
No changes during the given period matching these criteria.


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A bronzing powder that can be worn alone or over foundation to give the face a sun-kissed radiance with a touch of shimmer. Delicately scented with pure organic rose essential oil.
Store below 30 ℃ / 86 ℉ and use within 30 months from opening
Please click here to view our Refund Policy.
PurposeTo add colour.
How to UseDust lightly with a brush.
When to UseOn bare skin or over foundation
certified organic zea mays (corn) starch, mica, certified organic rosa damascena (rose) essential oil, may Contain: +/- iron oxides


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Do you ever feel unhinged? It's an interesting expression isn't it? It's about being unbalanced, especially mentally.
I felt that way recently. I have been on the go—literally seeing the world—and I came back home and slowed down for the first time in over a month. In those moments—I tried to catch my breath. I wondered what was wrong. I have so much to be thankful for and I am living my dream—but I still felt off and I couldn't shake the sense of "unhinged" that permeated my thoughts.
The old me would have frantically found something or someone to hold onto. I would have attached myself to what I believed was solid. I probably would have made some unwise decisions.
The new me did a few things. Read More »


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Free Delivery over €75
60 day free return policy
Free Delivery over €75
60 day free return policy
The barrier between the snow and your body when you take a tumble. This piece of fabric is found at the bottom hem inside the jacket with press buttons to seal it and stop snow getting in.
In order to make an outerwear garment waterproof, you need more than waterproof fabrics - you also need taped seams. A simple seam becomes a taped seam once waterproof taping has been carefully and firmly placed over a stitched seam. Critically taped seams means that only the seams in critical, exposed areas are taped.
Ergonomically curved seams for maximum freedom of movement. The seams are constructed at at a contoured angle to aid freedom of movement.
The hem of the snow pant has been reinforced with an anti abrasive material for increased durability.
The connector lets you connect the pants snow gaiter to the jacket at the front as well as the rear and the sides. Just loop your belt through and away you go.
Adjustable velcro straps on the waistband to adjust the fit and width of the waistband.
Inspired by O'Neill's 60-year history in wetsuit design; our body mapping research has show us parts of the body that require more insulation.
Used for this product in conjunction with insulations from for example 3M™ Thinsulate™ or down; O'Neill Firewall reduces weight, maintains warmth and offers greater comfort on cold days.
Free Delivery over €75
60 day free return policy


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Experience the ultimate LEGO building experience with Emmet, a perfectly average citizen who is mistaken as the key to saving the world. Guide this remarkably ordinary - and hilariously underprepared - chap through an epic quest to stop the brutally evil tyrant Lord Business.
Don't worry, though, over 90 characters from The LEGO Movie are on hand to help out. Take control of heroes such as Batman, the Green Ninja and Gandalf.
See it in action


text: WinMP3Packer Beta released Reply #100 – 2007-10-18 16:42:43 Hi everyone!!!I'm the bloke using a Mac and cdj's! The easiest solution was to find a pc, hook on my drive and process all my vbrs.Thing is: whatever i do, files are always output to 320kbps, whereas they only have a vbr bitrate of eg.182.I want them to be 192, no point having them at 320.can somone help me out.thankyou


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Pretty Peacock Costume Photo 3 of 6
Rate this costume:
5 votes
|add a comment
|Costume type:
|Costumes for Women
This homemade costume for women entered our 2015 Halloween Costume Contest.
A word from Jacquelyn, the 'Pretty Peacock' costume creator:
My name is Jacquelyn, and this year for my costume I choose to be a peacock. I have always been fascinated with the natural colors of a peacock. When designing my costume I took inspiration... Read more »


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I had no idea that opossums tolerated being held let alone strapped to a piece of fiberglass and hurled down a mountain. This sort-of-cute little dude's name is Ratatouillie, and his handler must not have thought that Ratatouillie's internet humiliation was complete without making the rail-riding rodent wear an ugly sweater. But what a big yawn he has! I think he deserves a hot mug of cocoa and the prime spot next to the fire.
[via Buzzfeed]


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Auto Publishers Price Starting at
*Based on model year EPA mileage ratings. Use for comparison purposes only. Your atual mileage will vary, depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle, driving conditions, battery pack age/condition (hybrid only) and other factors.VIEW OUR INVENTORY
Powerful and efficient engine selection; sharp styling inside and out
The Equinox remains mostly unchanged for 2017 though the top of the line LTZ trim has been renamed and is now dubbed the Premier trim. A new Midnight Package comes with black paint, black exterior accents and black wheels along with a black leather interior. A new Sport package on the other hand, includes all of the above minus the black paint, instead replacing it with a bright shade of white.


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Search Technologies
UW Institutions
24 WiSys Technologies in "Clean Technology" or "Agriculture" or "Analytical Instrumentation"
Device to Monitor Airborne Silica for Enhanced Occupational Safety
WiSys is seeking strategic partners for field testing of this novel device, as well as for development for mass manufacturing, followed by marketing, sales, and distribution.
Integrated Microgrid Energy Management System with Proactive and Comprehensive Control
WiSys is currently seeking a strategic partner in the power monitoring and control industry that is interested in further developing this innovative energy grid management system, ultimately providing a route to market for its commercialization.
Industrial Furnace and Oven Design Featuring Flameless Combustion and Impingement Flow to Provide Increased Efficiency, Reduced Emissions and Intensified Heat Transfer
WiSys is currently seeking a strategic partner interested in further developing and scaling this innovative furnace system, ultimately providing a route to market for its commercialization.
Wind Shield to Improve Overwinter Beehive Survival
WiSys is seeking a strategic commercial partner for development of this beehive wind shield for mass manufacturing, as well as partners for marketing, sales, and distribution.
Organic Polymers with Ultra-Small Pores for Carbon Dioxide Separation, Capture, and Conversion
WiSys is seeking a strategic partner that operates in the field of carbon capture who is interested in accessing WiSys' novel organic polymers with ultra-small pores for use in the sequestration and/or utilization of carbon dioxide from gas mixtures. WiSys is also seeking a partner to assist in the continued development of membranes that incorporate the novel organic polymers.
Temperature Gradient Handling System for Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) Measurements
WiSys Technology Foundation is seeking a strategic partner that markets or manufactures SPR instruments and is interested in co-development and/or collaboration.There is also interest in collaborating with a partner with expertise in microfluidics in order to further improve the existing sample handling system.
High Accuracy Angle Measuring Device for Industrial, Medical, Scientific or Recreational Use
WiSys Technology Foundation is seeking a strategic partner to further develop, manufacture, market, and distribute a high accuracy rotary (angle) encoder. This device has the advantages of high single-reading accuracy (±0.1 arc seconds) and high average reading sensitivity (0.001 arc seconds), low production cost, compact design, and low power consumption. Possible applications include but are not limited to astronomical telescope mounts, land surveillance tools, industrial inspection and calibration, machine tools, medical devices, as well as robotics.


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the global
Jewish magazine, uses the speed and ubiquity of the web to
tie together Jews with the most compelling writing
of the day. Covenant's goals are to include Jews in
discussions that are often fragmented; promote honest controversy
and new ideas, responsible in tone and with conviction; and to
bridge the gaps that divide Jews against each other--in religion,
politics, culture and geography....[more]
The Zionism of Orde Wingate: A Complex Origin
Aaron Eitan Meyer
Orde Charles Wingate was a passionate Christian Zionist, whose innovative
military genius would find root in Israeli military doctrine--an effect that
lasts to this day. However, the origins of his Zionism are often simplified, or
overlooked entirely. This article will seek to examine the complex factors that
led this man, whose personal history should have inclined him to be pro-Arab, to
become one of modern Judaism's greatest friends. ..[more]
Jewish Identity in China: A Chinese View
An Tifa, translated by Tiberiu Weisz
This article under its original title "A Group of Jewish Descendents from
Kaifeng Want to Immigrate to Israel, but Their Identity Is in Doubt" was
published in 21st Century World in Chinese and on the internet at:


text: I have been making art since that very early, un-selfconscious age when we all, however briefly, made art. I have never stopped, although I have at times let long periods go by without discipline, which I regret. I am an Image-maker; my mind, my soul resonates and churns with colors and movements, forms and feelings. There's more than I could explore in a lifetime.Visit me at genetalbott.com


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The UEFA European Women's Under-17 Championship consists of three distinct stages: two qualifying rounds and an eight-team final tournament.
Qualifying round
The competition begins with one-venue four-team mini-tournaments, although the nations with the highest UEFA coefficient may be given byes to the second qualifying round. The winners and runners-up of the groups go through along with the required number of third-placed teams with the best record against the first and second-placed teams, to ensure there are 24 sides in the next phase.
Elite round
The 24 teams are drawn into six groups of four teams. The groups are played as one-venue mini-tournaments with the winners and the runners-up with the best record against the teams first and third in their section progressing to the finals to join the hosts.
Final tournament
The eight teams are split into two groups of four. The top two in each group go through to the knockout phase, beginning in the semi-finals.
Further details, including the criteria for separating teams that finish level on points in a group, or after 80 minutes in a match, can be found in the official competition regulations.
Tagged with: betting news • eurpean football • football • footballnews • live sport channels • sport betting • sport odds • teams reviews


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From Fedora Project Wiki
Xen Install
This is a (mostly ordered) list of what's required for doing installations into a Xen guest. Note that this is predicated on the assumption of the fact that you want to do the install from within the guest to avoid oddities with SELinux or other such things.
- Get xenbus changes merged into upstream xen. This will provide /sys/bus/xen/devices/... for probing Done.
- Add BUS_XEN support to kudzu along with relevant probing code Done
- Ensure whole virtual disks work with current xen blkfront. They work now
- Note that lanana has xvdN registered as block 202
- Add support for xvd devices to parted, lvm, grub, others? Doesn't look like this is needed
- Add whole disk support to pygrub Present, needs some testing
- Create images/xen/{vmlinuz,initrd.img} as appropriate with similar to how ppc is done. Done.
- Change initrd.img to contain all kernel modules Done
- Get anaconda installing kernel-xen by default for xen installs Done
- Installclass with support for installing initial dom0. This includes booty changes to set up multiboot with hypervisor. (note that this isn't going to be an installclass now. but the same idea holds)
That's the first stage basics so that things can "work". We should also do the following as a secondary task
- Simple UI to run in dom0 for domU setup.
- Basic VM parameter setup (cpus, memory, #nics)
- Where to point the disk
- VT vs not
- Kick off an install
- Point at a tree given an install type
- Pass necessary params on kernel command line
- Use VNC for the install
- Should be able to run in a command line mode and take a ks.cfg with some new directives. Make anaconda ignore them


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All Flight 370 data to be re-examined
BEIJING – After 53 days of fruitless, government-led efforts on sea and by air, the team searching for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 will identify and deploy more sophisticated underwater equipment from private companies, officials from Australia, Malaysia and China agreed Monday.
Announcing a new phase in the multinational hunt, Australia's Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss said the search of the ocean floor will be intensified and expanded over a much larger area than has been covered to date.
The plane disappeared March 8 with 239 passengers and crew en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. The majority of passengers were Chinese citizens. Using satellite data, investigators concluded the plane ended in the southern Indian Ocean, thousands of miles off route, but no wreckage has been found.
The U.S. Navy's Bluefin-21, an unmanned submarine fitted with sonar, will continue to scan the target area, a thousand miles off Australia's west coast, Truss told a press conference Monday in Canberra. But tenders will soon be put out for specialist vehicles that can dive deeper than Bluefin-21 and recover debris, and also for towed sonar equipment to conduct more detailed underwater mapping of sea floor that "has never been mapped", he said.
More hardware will be "in the water" in the next two months, said Truss, who promised there would be no long interruptions in the search as occurred during the two-year hunt for the black boxes of the 2009 Air France disaster. At a meeting Wednesday in Canberra, experts from the three countries will discuss what other assets are required for the search's new phase, he said.The extreme depths involved mean there are "only a handful of pieces of relevant machinery in the world," and few oceanographic vessels capable of mapping such depths, said Truss, who expects the private sector to provide most of the required equipment. Towed sonar will permit real-time sharing of information and quicker response times, unlike the Bluefin-21 which must be recovered for data download, he said.
That meeting will also perform "something of an audit" of all the information gathered to date, including the satellite data, he said. Despite the failure to locate a single piece of MH370, search coordinator Angus Houston said he still believes searchers are correct to place most weight on the satellite analysis that led them to the current search area. But he welcomed the review of all the information that took them there.
"It's very sensible to go back" to ensure "there are no flaws in that, the assumptions are right, the analysis is right, and the deductions and conclusions are right," Houston said in Canberra Monday.
Compared to other plane crashes, "we've got very little to work on," admitted Malaysia's Acting Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein, who still insisted the searchers "are on the right track."
All nations involved have borne their own costs to date, said Truss. Hussein doubted that private firms would need the lure of a reward to get involved. "The whole tragedy has caught the imagination of so many," he said Monday. "There's no reward big enough," said Hussein, adding that any company that found the plane would immediately become the most famous in the world.
China's Transport Minister Yang Chuantang promised Monday that Beijing will continue uninterrupted and intensified efforts to search for MH370, he said after the trilateral meeting.


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WASHINGTON (AP) — As budget and debt talks founder at the White House, the top Democrat and Republican in the Senate have already turned to Plan B.
It involves an unprecedented plan to give President Barack Obama broad authority over the government's borrowing cap while allowing a bitterly polarized Congress whatever spending cuts it can muster.
GOP leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky got the ball rolling Tuesday when he announced a dramatic plan that would allow Obama to force through an increase in the debt limit without the approval of Congress. McConnell's plan would have to pass both the House and Senate and receive Obama's signature to go into effect.
Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., is supportive of McConnell's idea but hopes for modifications, including adding a consensus package of perhaps $1.7 trillion in spending cuts that have taken shape in negotiations led last month by Vice President Joe Biden and continued over the past week at the White House.
McConnell's plan, while complicated in its execution, would basically give Obama the power to order an increase in the debt limit of up to $2.5 trillion over the coming year unless both House and Senate vote by two-thirds margins to deny him. Obama would also have to offer spending cuts, but they would have to go through the normal legislative process.
Here's how it would work:
—Obama would first order a debt limit increase of $700 billion, along with a proposal to cut spending by a greater amount. Some $100 billion in new debt authorization would take effect immediately to avoid a default on Aug. 2.
—Congress would have 15 days to reject the request. If a resolution of disapproval were passed, Obama would likely veto it, and if his veto were upheld, the debt limit increase would go into effect. It takes two-thirds of both the House and the Senate to override a veto.
—Obama would be permitted to order two additional debt limit increases of $900 billion in the fall of 2011 and in the summer of 2012, along with commensurate spending cut proposals.
McConnell says he's offering the plan because he wants to ensure that the government doesn't default. In a radio interview Wednesday, McConnell said failure to raise the debt limit would probably ensure Obama's re-election in 2012. He predicted that a default would allow Obama to argue that Republicans were making the economy worse.
McConnell's plan also has political advantages for Republicans since it allows them to vote "nay" on politically poisonous debt limit votes while tying the issue firmly to Obama as he seeks re-election.
For his part, House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, seemed increasingly open to McConnell's plan Thursday, despite unrest among GOP conservatives.
"Mitch described his proposal as a last-ditch effort in case we're unable to do anything else," Boehner told reporters Thursday. "What may look like something less than optimal today — if we're unable to reach an agreement, it might look pretty good a couple of weeks from now."
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.


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The ad, in which a man questions a colleague about his newly acquired "feminine" hair, has been viewed 2.1 million times since it hit the web, and has generated 2,500 comments on YouTube.
In first place, Pepsi Max's Jeff Gordon "test drive" viral retains top position for a second week, shared 570,902 times in the last seven days.
Also continuing in the chart for another week, Carlsberg's hidden-camera viral putting friends to the test (shared 160,608 times at number four) and Three's "#danceponydance", which is in seventh place with 36,872 shares.
Miami Heat's answer to the Harlem Shake drops from first place spot weeks ago into tenth position with 18,708 shares - down 1.3 million shares since it first appeared in the chart.
Although its film is devoid of brand ambassador Brad Pitt, Chanel once again enters the chart with a look at the luxury fashion brand's history.
The ad, featuring Karl Largerfeld, the brand's creative director, has been shared 153,975 times to take fifth place.
To view the most-shared viral ads from previous weeks, visit the Brand Republic viral video board on Pinterest.
The chart, produced in conjunction with Unruly, ranks ads according to the number of times they have been shared on Facebook, Twitter and the blogosphere.
Ads launched more than 30-days ago are not included.
1. Pepsi "test drive" by TBWA\Chiat\Day
570,902 shares this week
All time: 2,250,843 shares
2. Samsung "introducing Samsung Galaxy S4" by Cheil
221,221 shares this week
All time: 246,287 shares
3. Dove "Men + care" by Ogilvy & Mather, Brazil
167,218 shares this week
All time: 232,831 shares
4. Carlsberg "Carlsberg puts friends to the test" by Duval Guillaume Modem
160,608 shares this week
All time: 297,047 shares
5. Chanel "the jacket" created in-house
153,975 shares this week
All time: 290,768 shares
6. McDonald's "cuenta conmigo" by TBWA Spain
42,388 shares this week
All time: 46,687 shares
7. Three "#danceponydance" by Wieden & Kennedy
36,872 shares this week
All time: 939,391 shares
8. Le Trèfle "toilet paper" by Leo Burnett France
35,331 shares this week
All time: 103,404 shares
9. Adidas "play the messi way" by Iris Worldwide
22,141 shares this week
All time: 58,316 shares
10. Miami Heat "harlem shake Miami Heat edition" created in-house
18,708 shares this week
All time: 1,536,863 shares


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I have seen people use the comparison of Open_tables and Opened_tables to assess whether the table_cache is too small in MySQL. However, I believe that Opened_tables is cumulative across uptime, so this is not a valid comparison. The only caveat being that perhaps Opened_tables is only bumped on misses - although even then if the tables being opened per second is still small, it's probably not a problem for it to grow gradually.
If comparing Open_tables to Opened_tables is not valid, is there another way to get measured data for this?
This is on MySQL 5.0, but differences between version are welcome too.


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Treasury of the Church-school congregation of Zadar opened
Icons and sacred items of this Treasury show us the way of light, good and cross, which is the perfect expression of love for God and neighbor, Bishop Fotije of Dalmatia pointed out at the opening of the Treasury.
Opening of the Treasury of the Church-school congregation of Zadar is the evidence that mutual work and love for beauty and goodness win in the end. This Treasury existed since 1984 and it was opened until recent tragic war in the 1990s, when due to its protection from war destructions it had to be closed and removed.
Re-consecration and consecration of the Treasury of Zadar was performed by His Grace Bishop Fotije of Dalmatia. Local clergy concelebrated to the Bishop.
Many distinguished guests attended this important act: Mr. Branimir Sipos, deputy Minister of Culture of the Republic of Croatia; Mr. Zvonimir Vrancic, Mayor of the city of Zadar; Mr. Miljenko Domjan, former chief restorer of the Republic of Croatia; Mr. Zoran Vapa, director of the Institute for monument protection of Novi Sad; Mr. Cedo Visnjic, President of Serbian Cultural Society Prosvjeta from Zagreb and Mr. Milorad Pupovac, President of the Serbian National Council (SNV) from Zagreb.
The Treasury at the church of Saint Elijah in Zadar will be opened for all visitors and research workers.
Source: Diocese of Dalmatia


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On an evaluation from a Fully Engaged Customer Service workshop I taught, someone made this comment: "I would like to see some techniques for dealing with unreasonable people that don't require us to sacrifice our self-esteem" I wish I could talk to the person who wrote it. As much as it might feel like it, nobody can "require you to sacrifice your self-esteem."
Self-esteem is not for others to give or take away. It's yours. Don't give them the power. Remember it's not personal even when they resort to name-calling. Try stepping into your customer's shoes for a moment and realize that there is probably something very wrong in their life to make them act that way. When a difficult situation arises, take a deep breath, and tell yourself "I'm good at my job."
At the start of my customer service workshops, almost everyone talks about wanting to know how to change other people. You aren't likely to be able to change them but what you CAN do is change your reaction to them. Since emotions are contagious, if you can stay present and available and not go into defensive mode, there is a good chance they will shift their behavior. If they don't, and they really are just mean people or are having such a bad day that they can't get over themselves, you can still end up telling yourself " I did the best I could in the situation" and then let it go. If you are successful and can be available for the next customer, most likely it will be one of the 90% of your customers that is reasonable and very happy to get help from you. Instead of your self-esteem taking a hit, you will get a boost from handling a difficult situation with grace.


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Control nature
Beat overwhelming odds
Are you ready to save the world in this action-packed brawler? Use Korra's incredible martial arts and mastery of the four elements to create killer combos and beat back a variety of deadly foes.
Korra's polar bear-dog, Naga, is also on-paw to aid her through high speed set pieces. And when you need some downtime, have a little fun in the competitive sport of Pro-Bending, where teams of three use the elements to fight for territory.


text: Although the slave trade to Brazil did not end until 1850, and slavery itself lasted until 1888, the practice of freeing slaves had been common from the time of first colonization by the Portuguese in the 16th century, and the children of freed women were born free. The result was that, by the time of a national census in 1872, there were 4.25 million free blacks and mulattos in the country, accounting for over three quarters of all those of African descent and two fifths of Brazil's total population. To understand the willingness of Brazilian slave owners to free so many one must first consider the general nature of Brazil's social structure and the paradigms that ordered it. For most, society was not thought of as being made up of individuals equally protected in their rights and mobile in relationship to one another, but by castes, ranks, corporations, guilds, and brotherhoods, layered one atop another or arranged side by side. Almost everyone could feel superior to someone else, even if inferior to others. The nuanced distinctions of ranks somewhat restrained the threat to social order that free and freed blacks might otherwise have been thought to pose. "Free-and-equal" was not a phrase heard in Brazil. There is overwhelming evidence that race was an important variable affecting one's position, and discrimination against blacks was widespread and constant. The government reinforced the prejudices of white Brazilians, acquiesced in maintaining a hierarchy based on color, and presented obstacles to the ambitions of free African Brazilians. Civil service positions were usually denied to them, regardless of their qualifications. Recruitment for the army was focused on the poor, that is, on African Brazilians. Yet, it is also true that many individuals found their way around those obstacles and rose to positions of some importance, for skin color was just one of the many characteristics to be considered. There are multiple examples of freeborn mulattos (and some freed and freeborn blacks) who succeeded in 19th-century Brazil. Some became doctors, pharmacists, journalists, and teachers. Others entered politics and rose to positions of real power. A few worked energetically to bring about the end of slavery.


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For those following the trends, this issue is updated through the middle of December. No real noteworthy changes of late other than CPI is now in positive territory, the money aggregates are settling back down, but credit is still definitely under pressure:
Here are a couple of Fed charts I haven't shown before but are very interesting… this first one shows Commercial and Industrial loans coming from large Commercial Banks, and is expressed in billions change from a year ago:
Here's Government Current Receipts expressed in billions change from a year ago. Receipts down massively, spending up massively to compensate, lol, only in Wonderland:
Sunday, December 27, 2009
January Monetary Trends…
Posted byAmy Jamison at2:10 PM


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Jake Rosholt believes officials made the wrong call this past Friday.
The ex-UFC middleweight fought John Ott at Titan Fighting Championships 18 and was disqualified after he threw an illegal knee in the third and final round.
But Rosholt today told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that the knee was unintentional and the fight should have been ruled a technical decision or no-contest rather than a disqualification.
Officials made the ruling after determining Ott was unable to continue the fight, which took place at Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kan., and aired live on HDNet. Rosholt had dominated the fight – and left Ott a badly bloodied mess – before the illegal blow landed.
Rosholt and his management team appealed the ruling and have been told the Kansas Athletic Commission, which oversaw the bout, is reviewing the fight. KAC officials could not be reached for comment.
"When you go back to the video, his knee is down, and he was on his way back up," Rosholt said. "I'm not trying to say it wasn't (illegal). I'm saying it was completely unintentional. I had no idea his other knee was on the ground."
A technical decision can result when a foul brings a halt to a fight, according to the Unified Rules of MMA. If the foul is ruled unintentional, the judges render their decision based on the completed rounds. (The fight is ruled a no-contest if the fight is stopped before the completion of two rounds in a three-round fight.) However, if the fight is ruled intentional, a disqualification results.
Titan CEO Joe Kelly said the Unified Rules were used for this past Friday's bout.
"In situations like that where it's a nationally televised show, decisions have to be made spur of the moment," he said. "Wrong, right or indifferent, that's why they have the appeal process. It is being looked at by the commission as we speak, and a decision should be made pretty expeditiously."
The loss broke a four-fight win streak for Rosholt (11-4), who was released by the UFC in late 2009 after a loss to Kendall Grove at UFC 106. Ott (9-8), meanwhile, got back in the win column after a decision loss to Bobby Lashley at Titan Fighting Championship 17.
As an example of the rule, Rosholt pointed to the first fight between Jamie Varner and Donald Cerrone, which took place at WEC 38 and was ruled a technical decision in favor of Varner when Cerrone threw an unintentional knee that rendered his opponent unable to continue. The bout was contested in California, which also utilizes the Unified Rules.
In that case, Rosholt said, the rulings should be similar.
"I feel like if it's called correctly in how I've seen fights called in the past, that's how it should go," he said. "But if worse came to worse, and it's decided to be a no contest, I'm completely happy with that too.
"I just feel like having to take a loss on my record for something that was unintentional – that just doesn't seem right."