text:
Everyone has a pet theory to explain the rise of modern scourges, things that our forbears rarely had to contend with during their short, brutish lives: obesity, diabetes, celiac disease, autism, asthma, allergies, esophageal cancer, etc. Plastics, pesticides, and genetically modified crops are perennial favorites; wheat seems to be the darling of the moment.
Martin Blaser, the director of the Human Microbiome Program at NYU, thinks that these ills are due to the overuse of antibiotics. He uses his new book, Missing Microbes: How the Overuse of Antibiotics Is Fueling Our Modern Plagues, to argue that the broad spectrum of antibiotics that is relied upon by modern medicine disrupt the microbiome, the diverse bacterial ecosystem that has been residing in human bodies ever since there were human bodies. The timeline corresponds; many of these disorders have exploded in prominence in the past few decades just as antibiotics began being prescribed almost indiscriminately because they always worked and "couldn't hurt."
The idea holds up scientifically too, as Blaser demonstrates. For example, the bacterial species we harbor help train our immune cells to recognize and combat pathogens, so disrupting this balance could account for the inflated rates of immune disorders we are experiencing. Further evidence for the connection is that antibiotic exposure has been positively associated with developing both asthma and celiac disease.
One of the most interesting insights that the book delivers concerns antibiotics' relationship to obesity. Farm animals get constant, subtherapeutic doses of antibiotics. These are not to treat infections, but to fatten them up. This works really well—regardless of which antibiotics they receive, the animals grow faster, larger, and fatter. American children receive, on average, three courses of antibiotics in their first two years of life, and one additional course each year for the next eight years. And American children have undeniably been getting fatter. Cold the antibiotics be doing to our kids what they're doing to our cattle?
Data from mouse studies done in Blaser's lab suggest that short, intensive doses of antibiotics—like the kind children routinely get—can in fact cause weight gain. Let's say you are the kind of highly educated parent who knows that colds are caused by viruses and therefore won't be helped by antibiotics, someone who will refuse the amoxycillin your pediatrician tries to prescribe to make you feel like you are doing something for your kid and to get you out of his office quicker. It's still very difficult to limit your child's exposure to antibiotics because they are still in the meat the kids eat and the milk they drink. Antibiotics are even used on organic apples and pears to combat fire blight, a bacterial disease of fruit trees.
Blaser is also incensed over the rise of Caesarian sections, a medical innovation that—like antibiotics—he thinks is overused because we have completely underestimated its cost. Like antibiotics, they should absolutely be used when medically necessary. But when a baby is removed from the womb through an incision rather than passing through the birth canal, it misses out on getting the bacteria from its mother's vagina all over its skin. This bacteria is essential in properly seeding the baby's own microbiome.
Babies born via C-section instead get seeded with bacteria from the doctors' and nurses' skin, and there are cohort studies indicating that these babies are more likely to be obese as children. His advice? If you need a C-section, do it—but then swab the baby with the mother's bacteria-rich vaginal secretions. But if you're getting one because you just want to control your baby's birthday, or you don't want to have to do so many Kegels later in life, or your doctor wants to take a vacation for three weeks around your due date, maybe think twice.
The hidden cost of our profligate antibiotic overuse is a prominent theme in this book. Blaser started his career as an infectious disease guy and he did his time at the Centers for Disease Control; he knows full well the damage pathogens can wreak, and just how essential antibiotics are to maintaining public health. This is another reason he advocates curbing antibiotic overuse: to reduce antibiotic resistance, so these drugs will still work when we really need them.
By treating every childhood sniffle with broad spectrum antibiotics, we are killing not only dangerous pathogens but also the hundreds of trillions of bacteria that live in our bodies and have been there ever since the dawn of humanity. He thinks that those species are there for a reason, and he warns that their demise is causing big trouble—with more to come.
Ironically, antibiotic exposure has also been shown to increase susceptibility to subsequent infection, possibly because of the effects that perturbing the microbiome has on immunity.
People—especially parents—don't know that antibiotic exposure is associated with any risks. But these risks are especially notable in a child's first three years, when the composition of the microbiome is being established for life. He thinks that broad spectrum antibiotics should come with a warning: "may increase risk of asthma, obesity, diabetes, and infection." If the child needs the antibiotic to save his life or his leg, it is obviously worth the risk. But if he is receiving it so his ear infection will go away a day earlier, it might not be.
Beyond humans, plying farm animals with antibiotics just to make meat cost a few cents less at the cash register doesn't really reduce the price; instead of paying more dollars at the supermarket, we are paying later in terms of our health.
So if Blaser is so down on antibiotics, he must love probiotics right? Not so fast. They are great in theory, but he is an empiricist, and the data to support their utility is just not there yet. Probiotic pills currently on the market are unregulated, so it is impossible to know what they contain or what they will do. Experiments have not yet been done to determine which (if any) probiotics will help which person. And, since each person's microbiome is pretty much established by age three, any bacteria ingested after that may simply be flushed out without changing anything.
Our bodies have ten times more bacterial cells than human cells. There might be trillions of cells of some species—like Bacteroides—but only a few hundred cells of rarer species. As in any ecosystem, biodiversity provides robustness.
Blaser is concerned that broad spectrum antibiotics will wipe out the rare species we harbor, rendering them extinct before we ever learn what their function was supposed to be. And as in any ecosystem, once we figure out the ramifications of species extinction, it is too late to remedy them.
Missing Microbes: How the Overuse of Antibiotics Is Fueling Our Modern Plagues, by Martin Blaser. Henry Holt and Co., 2014.


text:
First Eagle Investment Management is an independent firm that manages approximately $103 billion* in assets for institutional and individual clients. With a heritage that dates to 1864, First Eagle is committed to providing prudent stewardship of our clients' assets and to earning their abiding trust. A focus on absolute returns and a dedication to downside protection remain our primary goals.
*Assets under management as of September 30, 2020.
First Eagle Investment Management is the brand name for First Eagle Investment Management, LLC and its Subsidiary investment advisers.

subset: commoncrawl


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text:
El-Wardany, 25, was among the group of reporters who helped found Ahram Online. An outstanding business and economy reporter, she has been on assignment for Bloomberg in Khartoum for the past year. She was reportedly arrested with blogger Maha El-Senussi known on Twitter as @Mimzicalmimz.
Seraj Omer @Serjyooo tweeted "now the security body is detaining both member of "we are fed up" movement, Maha El-Senosy @MimzicalMim, and the journalist, Salma El-Wardany @S_Elwardany.
El-Wardany's latest tweet was four hours ago. It said: "BREAKING: Khartoum state government dissolved, as anti-austerity unrest enters the fifth day: Governor #Sudanrevolts."
Meanwhile, Ahram Online staff are all cheering for our beloved friend and colleague and praying for her speedy release.
Ahram Online calls on the Sudanese government to immediately release Salma; on the Egyptian government to intervene to secure her release; and on all pro-democracy and media freedom campaginers in the world to join in solidarity.
© 2010 Ahram Online.


text: I'm one of the rare Utah tea drinkers. I've amassed quite a collection of various teas, many which I obtained at the evil Teavana where I used to work. I'm working through them and branching out to other brands. My favorite teas are jasmine, oolong, rooibos and white. I also collect tea cups and pots.


text:
Now that Iowa's largest "you pick" strawberry farm – Hagen's Berry Farm near Palo – is out of commission for the 2009 season, where else can Eastern Iowans go to pick strawberries?
I found a few growers at the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship site: www.agriculture.state.ia.us
But I'm sure there are many not listed.
Here are the hours for some of them. Call ahead, as opening days vary.
Bagge Strawberries near Independence is open 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays beginning around June 14. Prices are $1.95/pound for pre-picked and $1.20/pound for "you pick." Call (319) 334-3983.
Heartland Farms near Waterloo is open 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Sunday, with both "you pick" and pre-picked strawberries. Prices were not set as of last week. Call (319) 232-3779.
Koehn Berries and Produce in West Union is open 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Closed Sundays. Prices are $2.30/pound for pre-picked and $1.15/pound for "you pick." Call (563) 422-3716.
Owner Max Hagen asked me to reiterate that Hagen's Berry Farm near Palo will not have strawberries this year, but expects to return the following season. The fields were flooded last June and although some of the plants survived, Max said the quantity and quality would not be what his customers have come to expect.


text:
I ended up renting a horror movie after watching Indiana Jones flicks over and over and over. It was not for the boys so I had to watch it on my little portable DVD player. It was called Cloverfield. It actually turned out to be pretty good. Kind of like a Godzilla movie but with guerilla style home movie filming. It kind of turned out to be a love story in disguise. It really makes me think about the people you come across in life. About the lengths one would go through for love. Facing your fears. Regrets for things said. And unsaid. And the importance of being with the person you love when you die. Not bad for a B-movie horror flick...
Monday, July 7, 2008
Posted by Ka`iana at 9:30 PM
2 comments:
- Anonymous said...
That is very nice idea.
home equity loan rates
- July 7, 2008 at 9:38 PM
- Anonymous said...
Dude, I saw Cloverfield last week...it was a very effectively filmed show...sort of like "Blair Witch" meets "Godzilla" for sure!
- July 8, 2008 at 6:26 PM
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text:
I did a Mutual Certificate Authentication implementation with OpenSSL and Apache Web Server on CentOS platform. To simple explanation see this diagram:
---------- | Root CA | // Self-Signed Certificate ---------- | ---------- | SiteA CA | // Intermediate Certificate signed by Root CA ---------- | | -------- -------- | Server1 | | Client1 | //Certificates signed by SiteA CA -------- --------
in Apache Configuration I edited next:
make a chain crt:
sudo cat server.crt rootca.crt serverCA.crt > server_chain.crt
edit ssl config :
sudo vi /etc/httpd/conf.d/ssl.conf
edit those four lines :
SSLCertificateFile /etc/pki/tls/server.crt
SSLCertificateKeyFile /etc/pki/tls/server.key
SSLCertificateChainFile /etc/pki/tls/server_chain.crt
SSLCACertificateFile /etc/pki/tls/rootca.crt
and to make it (two-way) Mutual Authentication :
SSLVerifyClient require
SSLVerifyDepth 10
Then : restart apache=httpd service :
sudo service httpd restart
you know that you should give your browser root ca certificate and client certificate and while I was doing a Testing I did next:
I removed
rootca.crt from browser and noticed that Firefox and Chrome ask me for client certificate confirmation before telling me that the server is not a trusted, while Opera browser acts right, first tell me that it's not trusted and then show me Client certificate information.
I was told that in IIS there's an option for telling the web server which one to ask about first, but I couldn't find that option here in Apache.
Can anybody help ?


text:
Score one for the indomitable power of music! Had you done little in 2012 apart from fret over the bells tolling doom for the economy, you might have expected the halls of Winter NAMM 2013 in Anaheim, California, to be strewn with dust and tumbleweeds. But as the Premier Guitar staff 's harried schedule and oft-out-of-breath greetings to company reps proved, the truth—at least in the realm of guitar gear—was something rather different. Winter NAMM was, in fact, teeming with new gear and happy hawkers of guitars, basses, pedals, amplifiers, and accessories. And there were plenty of companies doing anything but playing it safe, too.
Pedal offerings from Z.Vex, Electro-Harmonix, Eventide, and garage-builders like Electro Faustus showcased inventive, bold wares that speak volumes about the musical boundlessness of the guitar. High-gain amps were plentiful, too, suggesting that players are still itching to tear it up loud and proud outside the confines of the bedroom. Old-school looks and sounds were strongly represented, too: One had to look no further than Magnatone's triumphant return, or to guitars like Gibson's gorgeous and numerous Custom Shop offerings, to appreciate the enduring sonic and stylistic power of the classics.
There was a lot to take in at NAMM, so we were pretty gassed by show's end. But each of us came away invigorated by the ample evidence that the creative spirit that drives musicians and instrument builders is very much alive and inexhaustible—and that the goods they'll make available in the year to come will doubtlessly stoke your own creative fires.


text: Date: Saturday January 23, 2010 Come join us for a nice evening of socializing with fellow club members. If you haven't had the opportunity to meet your Chapter Board of Directors, this is the perfect time to meet both the outgoing Board and the newly elected Board Members. Roger Chartier and Tim Parker will be working on obtaining lots of great door prizes from local businesses. Your chapter also supplies some very nice prizes. However, you MUST be a chapter member to be in the door prize pool. The guest speaker for the evening will be Mr. Simon Kirkby from Lime Rock Park. Mr. Kirkby was a long time Formula Ford and Rally driver in England and Europe, a long time Lime Rock driving instructor and is currently the Director of the Lime Rock Club. I'm sure he'll have some great tales to tell and some great insight into driving Lime Rock. Time: Cocktail Hour - 6:00 Dinner & Doorprize drawing - 7:00 Cost: $30.00 per person (check made out to BMWCCA-CVC, mailed to jerri Wiley, P. O. Box 66, Stevenson, CT 06491) Location: Laurel View Country Club, 310 West Shepard Avenue, Hamden,CT, 203-407-1755 The ballot of Officers for 2010 looks like this: President - Willy Wiley (unopposed incumbent) Vice President - your's truely, Lance Johnson (unopposed, allowing Bob Morin to step down from many years of service to the Chapter) Secretary - Janusz "Jim" Hurczyn (unopposed incumbent) Treasurer - Dave Rich (unopposed incumbent) Members at Large - Bob Morin, Sheila Morin, jerri Wiley, John Bisset, Roger Chartier, Tim Parker, Frank Giacalone, Nancie Giacalone and Dave Ortoli. Note that there are (at least) 2 open Member at Large positions with no candidate. So, if you are interested in contributing to the Chapter please let any of the 'Board members know.


text:
Carly Nightstand
* To preserve and enhance the beauty of your wood furniture, remove household dust with a soft, dampened cloth. Dust in the direction of the grain pattern to prevent noticeable scratches from dust particles. For a more thorough cleaning, a solution of mild soap or oil soap for wood is recommended. Spray furniture waxes and polishes are not necessary and can cloud the furniture finish.
*Fine wood furniture should not be exposed to extreme heat or humidity. Try to avoid placing your furniture near vents, radiators, registers, fireplaces, or air conditioning units. Also, to protect your finish aganist fading, try to avoid exposure to direct sunlight.
*Protect surfaces from liquids by using coasters, saucers, or cosmetic trays under beverages or plants. Spilled liquids should be wiped up immediately with a soft, slightly dampened cloth.
*Make sure your furniture is level on the floor, so all of your china, silver and display pieces are safe and secure.


text:
Professional Venue, Event and Catering Management Software
Regions: The Americas | The United Kingdom | Australia
EventPro isn't a venue booking system with a fiddly little catering add-on or an event management system with an afterthought venue booking component. EventPro has been built from the ground up to be a single system where the Venue Booking, Event Management and Catering Management components are all seamlessly integrated so they can easily stand alone or be used all-in-one and anything in between.
With EventPro, you can mix and match options to create a custom management solution, tailored to your unique needs.
Wizards guide you through the steps
of entering a
booking, account, contact & other
key functionality.
The venue booking calendar allows you
to manage all of
your bookable
spaces in a simple
but advanced featured calendar.
Effectively organize and provide catering services, whether
you manage
catering at your venue, other venues, or catering deliveries.
Track audio/visual, chairs, tables, decorations, signs, linens, tableware,
and more
Assign staffing requirements to your bookings, including all important information with built-in notes, comments and requirements
Manage clients with easy access to all details & activities,
to drive marketing campaigns & keep track of all
client & prospect communications.
Provides an effective, time-saving way
to track leads & opportunities and easily convert them into clients with bookings.
Unique & powerful drag-and-drop
event organization
for event locations, functions, resources and attendee assignments.
Track attendee management details, including function attendees, guests, fees, seating, invitations,
& RSVPs.
Manage event travel and accommodation requirements with all of the information connected to the relevant attendees and events.
This fully integrated module tracks revenue and cost items as you work, speeding up data collection and eliminating errors.
EventPro comes complete with a
suite of professional reports for all of
your booking, finance and management reporting needs.
Allows users to
view your Location Booking Calendar online. - allowing multiple definable views for the optimal picture of venue location use.
Users can create
and edit bookings online. New events are easy to book online with the
New Booking
Allows users to add online Enquiries, which are automatically
pulled for easy processing.
Create and email out EventPro invoices with a login link so that the invoice can be paid online.
Attendees can
register to your
events online.
Instantly gather
real-time data in a personalized layout
to quickly review progress of your current projects and make smart on-the-spot decisions.
reporting tools that deliver the real-time data you need for informed decision making.
Designed for and adaptable to any type of venue booking requirements, EventPro allows you to manage the booking process from the first enquiry (even online enquiries) to emailing the final thank you letter, and everything in between. A venue booking calendar, complete booking management including setup resources, catering, beverage, and staffing requirements, budgeting, invoicing, and everything else you need to manage your venue bookings.
From the initial scoping and planning phase through to the post-event analysis, EventPro manages the event timeline and critical path to help ensure that no task is missed. Manage attendees (including online registrations), exhibitors/booths, travel & accommodation, full event and attendee itineraries, budgets, invoicing, and much, much more.
Whether catering is your entire business or one of the many event components you need to manage, EventPro has you covered. Managing catering for events, venue bookings, stand-alone catering requirements or catering deliveries, EventPro's catering-specific features are more in-depth, more powerful and more flexible, so when combined with the comprehensive capabilities of full event management software, EventPro is the system that can grow with your business – as far as you want to take it.
When we set about creating the latest EventPro, one big priority was implementing a frequent request of clients: "Make a cloud app!". But a lot of other clients told us, "Keep your desktop version!" or, "We need to work from a network!". So, what to do? … Offer all 3 options, naturally!
You can deploy EventPro the way you choose: On-Prem (on-premises, installed on your desktop/network) or the Cloud. We want to make everyone happy! All EventPro applications will have the same functionality, so how you access it is up to you.
What would you do if you just had more time?
Don't wait any longer! Carve the time out of your busy schedule now with a streamlined event management system that saves time and boosts productivity: EventPro Software. Work smarter – not harder – with EventPro's comprehensive, user-friendly solution for room scheduling, catering & event management.
we don't deserve your business.
Get started and request
a personalized demonstration
of EventPro Software!
Copyright 2020 Profit Systems Inc.
All rights reserved


text:
Reviews of Canyon Creek Memory Care Community
Many of the seniors living at Canyon Creek came because of the testimony of another friend or family member. When looking for Memory Care, the trust factor is important and we often hear about quality services from friends. Listen to what these family members had to say about our care and services. Reviews are very important to us and are the best way to let others know if our team has provided you with a great experience.


text:
Click Here to Sign Up for CES Action Alert' Email Mailing List
Become a CES Member!
Join Today!
Coalition for
Economic Survival
514 Shatto Place
Suite 270
Los Angeles, California
Phone: (213)252-4411
Fax: (213)252-4422
Like Us on Facebook
Follow CES On Twitter
Founded in 1973, the Coalition for Economic Survival (CES) is a grassroots multi-racial, multi-ethnic non-profit community based organization. CES is dedicated to organizing low and moderate income people to win economic and social justice.


text:
Crescendo Biologics Extends IP Protection for Mouse Knock Out Technology
05 Oct, 2012, 10:48 BST
CAMBRIDGE, England, October 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --
Crescendo Biologics Limited (Crescendo) today announces it has received Notice of Allowance of US 12/476,087 (a continuation of its granted patent US 7,541,513) which covers mice in which the endogenous immunoglobulin lambda light chain locus is functionally deleted.
This further extends coverage of the core Crescendo patent family which includes the European patent EP1399559 (inventors: Brüggemann et al.) which was originally granted on 30th April 2008 to the Babraham Institute and was subsequently assigned to Crescendo. All the key claims of EP1399559 were upheld by the Opposition Division on 4th April 2011.
Crescendo has already made use of its ability to knock out lambda light chain to generate proprietary 'triple knockout' mice that have the immunoglobulin heavy chain, kappa light chain and lambda light chain loci all functionally deleted. This is a significant advance over previous knockout mice which retain intact lambda light chain.
Knockout of lambda light chain expression, in addition to knockout of heavy chain and kappa light chain, is important for the efficient generation of human heavy chain antibodies in a transgenic mouse. Therefore the triple knock out background is core to Crescendo's mouse platform which provides fully-human, in vivo-matured VH fragments, and will be used in the development of differentiated products for the company's in-house pipeline and for partnering.
About Crescendo Biologics Ltd
Crescendo Biologics is building a pipeline of novel medicines based on its highly innovative VH antibody fragment platform through both in-house development and strategic partnerships. Crescendo's proprietary VH technology produces human heavy chain-only antibodies in transgenic mice providing a unique source of fully human VH fragments that have matured in vivo to have high affinity, stability and solubility. VH fragments are the smallest antibody fragments that retain binding affinity and specificity offering the potential to generate novel products with improved drug-like properties and able to address unmet medical needs.
Crescendo's technologies were invented by scientists at the Babraham Institute, Cambridge (UK). The company has raised funding totalling £7.7 million from an investment consortium led by Sofinnova Partners with Avlar BioVentures, Babraham Bioscience Technologies, and the Rainbow Seed Fund.
Mike Romanos/Amanda Bettison
Crescendo Biologics
Tel: +44(0)1223-497140
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Chris Gardner
Citigate Dewe Rogerson
Tel: +44(0)207-638-9571
Email: email@example.com
SOURCE Crescendo Biologics Limited


text:
On October 29, 2012, when Hurricane Sandy made landfall along the northeast coast—a year to the day since the last northeastern superstorm and fourteen months since Hurricane Irene — the wind speeds recorded by the National Weather Service indicated the storm had diminished to "merely" a tropical storm.
While this technical distinction between hurricane and tropical storm made little difference for the people unfortunate enough to be in the path of Sandy's storm surge, it appears to have created significant financial implications for homeowners, businesses, and the property insurers who protect them.
Through executive orders and press releases, governors from several states ordered property insurers to waive the hurricane deductibles in property policies covering the damage associated with Sandy.
For the property owner, the no-hurricane-deductible order lessens some of the financial burden associated with Sandy by shifting a portion of the claim costs back to its insurer. For the insurer, the no-hurricane-deductible order would impose a greater financial loss than contemplated since the coverage offered no longer coincides with the deductible credits charged on the policy.
In this article, we present a series of scenarios and descriptive information on the relationship among the insured value, the covered loss, and deductibles for a property policy. We also offer commentary along with estimates of the impact of removing hurricane deductibles from such property policies.
Being a highly regulated industry, states have the authority to determine whether conditions pertaining to a specific weather event warrant the adherence to or avoidance of hurricane deductibles. These executive decisions regarding Sandy will be a significant issue for insurers and consumers in these states and may come to define the insurance discussion in the coming weeks.
Types of Property Deductibles
There are two common types of deductibles for property policies. In the present discussion, the reference to "property policies" is meant to include homeowners policies and policies for commercial property.
There is an "all perils" deductible, which is typically expressed as a flat dollar amount such as $500 or $1,000, and there is a wind, hurricane, or tropical cyclone deductible, which is typically a fixed dollar deductible or expressed as a percentage of the insured value—commonly up to 5 percent.(In some discussions, a distinction is made between hurricane deductibles, which apply to damage solely from hurricanes, and windstorm or wind/hail deductibles, which apply to any kind of wind damage.)
For these latter policies, there will be an "all other perils" deductible that applies to non-wind, hurricane, tropical cyclone peril losses.
By assuming responsibility for a portion of the loss, policyholders have an incentive to take actions protecting their homes or businesses that will mitigate the total economic loss from an unforeseen event. These mitigating actions might include installing storm-doors or special windows that can withstand high winds, a roof that can withstand high winds, and exterior doors with reinforced jams.
By reducing its financial exposure to a covered loss, the insurer can reduce the rate charged for the insurance coverage, and the amount of the reduction will be directly related to the size of the deductible. It is common for the windstorm underwriting associations to write policies with a fixed-amount or percentage deductible for named storms.
Six Scenarios for Property Deductibles
We developed six scenarios based on two assumed levels of loss, to illustrate the manner in which the presence or absence of hurricane deductibles might affect insured losses.
The table in Figure 1 outlines these scenarios, presenting the amounts paid by the policyholder and by the insurer. Under both assumptions, the insured value is $200,000.(Property policies typically cover the replacement value of the damaged property, which is less than the total value of the insured property. As of Sept. 2012, Zillow, an online real estate database, reported an average of $260,200 for single-family homes in New Jersey. An insured value of $200,000 would be a 75 percent replacement value for the average.)
The first three scenarios assume a 50 percent loss of the insured value; the last three scenarios assume a 100 percent loss of the insured value.
• For Scenario 1, there is a $500 standard all-perils deductible. For a $100,000 windstorm loss (50 percent of the insured value of $200,000), the policyholder would pay $500, the insurer would pay $99,500, and the deductible (the amount paid by the policyholder) would account for 0.5 percent of the amount paid by the insurer.
• For Scenario 2, there is a 5 percent wind deductible and a $500 deductible for all other perils (AOP). For the same $100,000 windstorm loss, the policyholder would pay $10,000, the insurer would pay $90,000 and the deductible would account for 11.1 percent of the amount paid by the insurer.
• Scenario 3 presents the same circumstances as Scenario 2, except the 5 percent wind deductible is disallowed and the $500 AOP deductible would be applied. Disallowing the wind deductible produces the same results as the $500 deductible policy under Scenario 1: the policyholder would pay $500, the insurer would pay $99,500, and the deductible would account for 0.5 percent of the amount paid by the insurer.
Removing the 5 percent wind deductible from the policy shifts $9,500 of the loss from the policyholder to the insurer. This shift increases the amount of losses paid by the insurer by 10.6 percent (from $90,000 to $99,500).
The three scenarios in the bottom half of Figure 1 follow the same line of reasoning but assume there was a 100 percent loss to the $200,000 insured value. Scenarios 4-6 use the same assumptions for the all perils, wind, and AOP deductibles that were used for Scenarios 1-3.
Under Scenario 4, the $500 standard all-perils deductible would account for 0.3 percent of the amount paid by the insurer. Under Scenarios 5 and 6, the removal of the 5 percent wind deductible shifts $9,500 in payments from the policyholder to the insurer. In this case, the shift would cause a 4.7 percent increase in the payment by the insurer; that is, the removal of the 5 percent wind deductible would increase the payments from $190,000 to $199,500, for a 4.7 percent increase in the amount paid by the insurer.
Impact of Removing Wind Deductibles on Insured Losses
In the preceding section, we found that removing the wind deductible could increase the amounts paid by insurers by 4.7 percent and 10.6 percent. These percentages take on increased significance when viewed in the context of total insured losses for Sandy.
Catastrophe modeling firm Eqecat recently predicted that the estimated losses for Sandy will be between $30 billion and $50 billion, with insured losses between $10 billion and $20 billion. While some insurers have been cautious to place an estimate on the insured losses, two weeks after the storm one major insurer (QBE) has predicted that insured losses will be in excess of $20 billion.
Given the uncertainty over the eventual insured losses, in the following analysis we assumed a wide possible range of insured loss amounts—between $10 billion and $30 billion.
The table in Figure 2 incorporates scenario outcomes from the preceding section and the estimated insured losses that have cited by forecasting services and the major insurer. Admittedly, ours were only two possible scenarios. Nevertheless, these estimates provide an indication of the potential impact of removing wind deductibles.
To estimate the aggregate impact of removing the wind deductibles, we expanded the range established in the prior section and assumed insured loss impacts of between 2 percent and 11 percent depending on whether or not the hurricane deductible is used.
Given the uncertainties associated with the total insured losses and the percentage impact of removing wind deductibles, the estimates in Figure 2 cover a wide range. However, based on a $20 billion middle value for the total insured losses and the 5 percent and 11 percent impacts for removing wind deductibles, the impact of removing wind deductibles could increase the total insured losses by $1.0 billion to $2.2 billion.
There are several reasons the actual impact of removing the wind deductibles might be higher or lower than the estimates in Figure 2.
First, the actual impact would depend on the percentage of policies that actually included wind deductibles. For policies without a wind deductible, the typical policy conditions might be better described by Scenarios 1 and 4 in the preceding discussion—where there is only an all-perils deductible.
Second, for policies with wind deductibles, the wind deductible may be as low as 1 percent or as high as 10 percent, and many policies are written with a $1,000 AOP deductible.
Substituting different combinations of the wind deductible percentage, and $500 or $1,000 for the AOP deductible in the scenarios in Figure 1 produces estimated increases that are below 4.7 percent and above 10.6 percent of insured losses.
And third, the percentage of loss to insured value will affect the impact of removing the wind deductibles. In Figure 1, compared to the 100 percent loss to the property (Scenarios 5 and 6 in Figure 1), the impact of removing the wind deductible was larger when the loss was only 50 percent of the insured value.
In reality the smaller the percentage of loss to insured value, the larger the impact of removing the wind deductible. If the actual losses consist of many claims representing small percentages of the insured value, the amounts paid by insurers could be larger.
Several policy and technical issues associated with removing the wind deductibles may need to be considered. Insurers contemplated that the rates and associated premiums would be adequate to cover losses in excess of deductibles.
As shown above, waiving wind deductibles will shift a notable portion of the losses to insurers and impose a cost to the insurance product that had not been factored into the deductible credits and thus, the charged premiums.
It is reasonable to expect that charged premiums would have been higher if insurers had contemplated the possibility that state executives might waive hurricane deductibles. Waiving deductibles for Sandy may well have future pricing implications for carriers writing homeowners coverage.
For both property owners and insurers, the possibility that a government entity might unilaterally change the terms of an insurance policy can also be expected to have marketing implications and thereby introduce marketplace uncertainty.
The most unfortunate outcome would be for property owners to be unable to find an insurer willing to offer coverage with wind deductibles because of the uncertainty that the contemplated wind deductibles could be applied.
For a broad group of stakeholders, including elected officials, regulators, property owners, and insurers, careful attention should be given to the construction of property policies.
As shown in the preceding scenarios, small differences in the wind speed or the timing of a National Weather Service announcement that affects where the storm is a hurricane and where it is a tropical cyclone could have a significant difference in who is responsible for the damages from a devastating windstorm.
In the short term, a considerable amount of effort will go into sorting out whether property owners or insurers will be responsible for the significant losses in the wind deductibles associated with Sandy. In the long run, there is a need for improved clarity through clearer regulations or statutory actions concerning the applicability of wind deductibles.
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text:
Tel-Aviv University
School of Computer Science
Computational Models (or more accurately, Introduction to the Theory of Computation)
Spring Semester 2010
Moed B published
Exam and solutions.
Took Moed B?
Find suggested answers on the exam page.
Didn't take Moed B?
Find how awful and difficult1 was it on the exam page.
Just got here by mistake?
Go to the exam page, everyone is there. No one comes here for the main page anyway.
(10 Aug 2010 12:49)
Grades are available!
Get them from your favorite website (when it updates).
We finished grading the exam. The average was 78 and the median grade 81.
(11 Jul 2010 10:27)
Answers for closed questions published
Answers for closed questions published
Answers for questions published
exam page
(05 Jul 2010 11:12)
Recurring errors in HW #4
Words of wisdom from our grader.
Our grader provided us with a list of some of the common errors in HW #4.
If points were taken off and you don't understand why, try here.
(general) prove why your reduction works (or don't complain that you get no explanation why it's wrong).
(1b) missing explanation of why the model has a finite number of TMs for some specific $\Sigma$ (or that we need to deal with a specific $\Sigma$.
(3c) making a serial rather than parallel computation.
(3d) making a serial rather than parallel computation; using a non-constant number of tapes.
(4a) picking languages not in $\mathcal{RE}\setminus\mathcal{R}$ or not proving they're in $\mathcal{RE}\setminus\mathcal{R}$.
(24 May 2010 21:37)
HW #6 published
HW #6 published
HW #6 published.
And yes, it's the last one.
Word of advice: some of you might be tempted to not submit since you already have 5 exercises.
Nonetheless, this is the main exercise that deals with complexity. Complexity will comprise a major part of the final exam and so it's quite important to know this material, whether you submit or not.
As always, have fun!
(23 May 2010 14:41)
HW #5: a small correction.
Replaced 1-tape TMs by 2-tape TMs in Q6.
To avoid some complication, question 6 in HW #5 was amended and now speaks of two-tape TMs.
(16 May 2010 14:56)
HW #5 extension
Submission deadline is 24/5 1800
Following your requests we have decided to allow submission until Monday, May 24th, 1800 to the TAs post box.
We do not allow any e-mailing of any sort. Anyone who has a problem to reach the university on Monday, will have to submit the HW eariler.
(11 May 2010 21:34)
Midterm grades are published
Midterm grades are published
We hope you enjoy your 6.2 points (on average).
some stats:
Average: 62
Median: 60
stdev: 20
distribution of grades:
0: 2
10: 1
20: 5
40: 21
50: 34
60: 41
70: 44
80: 23
90: 12
100: 8
(27 Apr 2010 11:29)
הגשת שיעורי בית בזוגות
אפשר להגיש שיעורי בית בזוגות
עקב צוק העיתים
וריבוי בסטודנטים
החלטנו בזאת
שיוגשו בזוגות
שיעורי בית ויוקל לבודקים
And it's optional - if you prefer submitting alone that's fine.
(26 Apr 2010 05:24)
Midterm and answers published
Why wait for the university scanner?
Find our midterm quiz, with brief answers, on the Midterm page.
(23 Apr 2010 16:38)
HW #4 published
HW #4 published
HW #4 published
(21 Apr 2010 10:11)
About HW #3 submission date
Postponing just the TM questions.
Several of you asked to submit HW #3 late.
This is not possible since we want to publish the solutions before the midterm quiz (read: at 18:00, just after I collect all submissions from Jonathan's box and mine).
However, we decided to allow you to submit just the TM questions (6,7,8) on Sunday (until 18:00). Obviously, we'll not publish those answers yet.
Also, let me point out that question 1(c) was worded somewhat ambiguously, so you might have gotten the wrong impression, i.e., that $L_3 = \Sigma^* \setminus\{\epsilon\}$. If so, please read the clarification.
(14 Apr 2010 23:08)
HW #3 was revised
Replaced Q3b; added bonus Q3.5.
Hi all,
Q3(b) seems too difficult, so we replaced it by a simpler one.
We also threw in a bonus question (3$\frac12$). You don't have to do it, but you know you want to.…who am I kidding?
Get your fresh copy from the Home Assignments page.
(08 Apr 2010 23:45)
HW 3 published
HW 3 published
HW 3 published
(06 Apr 2010 10:03)
Myhill-Nerode exercise
The exercise not completed in Jonathan's class 14-15 is attached
Hi all,
Since we didn't complete the exercise for Myhill-Nerode I intended to show today, and I would like to continue with some more stuff on context free languages next time (after passover), I wrote it down and attach it here: Myhill-Nerode exercise.
Have a nice vacation.
(18 Mar 2010 16:01)
HW #2 extension and CNF definition
Due to some MOED B exams: extension until 28/3
Hi all,
Due to some MOED B exams of many of you we graciously give you 3 more days for HW #2 (until 0600pm). Notice that this date is already Passover vacation, and so if you wish not to arrive just for sumbission you should hand it by this Wednesday. No scanning/e-mailing of HW will be accepted.
Regarding question 7: the definition of CNF will be given in the lecture this week but for those of you who wish to solve it this weekend you can look at its simple definition in lecture 4, slide 48 (slides). This is all you need to know to solve the question.
(18 Mar 2010 14:34)
HW #2 is published
Due in two weeks. Enjoy.
Hi all,
Please find homework #2 in the Home Assignments page.
Note that the due date, two weeks from today, is the first day of the Passover break.
Unless you absolutely need the entire fortnight, it'd probably be easier to finish everything and submit by Wednesday.
(11 Mar 2010 21:41)
Due date of HW #1 is strict
No 2nd extension, but a creative ad-hoc solution.
Some ~5 students asked us whether it would be possible to submit HW #1 on Tuesday since they're not in TAU on Sundays and Mondays.
I would like to stress that this is not a valid reason for late submission. You can submit earlier or via a friend.
However, as a one-time remedy we will allow these students to submit either typed or scanned solutions via e-mail until Sunday at 18:00 and I will print them out. Send to Rani's email.
Obviously, this offer is intended for those specific few students. I do not expect 100, nor even 10 emails.
(11 Mar 2010 13:36)
Overlap resolved
Recitation group 13 (Wed 14-15) rescheduled just after Computer Structure (Wed 17-18).
We managed to reschedule one of the Wednesday recitations, saving you the need to be in more than one place in the same time.
(Or, as the case seems to be in Thursday recitations, the need of more than one of you to occupy one seat in the same time…)
See the new hours and location in the Course Schedule page.
(09 Mar 2010 12:27)
Location of recitation has changed
Thu 12-13 recitation has moved to Orenstein 103
Thu 14-15 recitation has moved to Dan-David 001
Hi all,
As you know Thu recitations are packed and we are trying to figure out a solution.
As a first step the venue of the recitation has changed:
We will meet on Thursdays between 12-13 in Orenstein 103 and between 14-15 in Dan-David 001. So please spread the rumor among your friends so people don't accidentally go to Shenkar 104.
However, although the classroom will be bigger, we strongly encourage you to try and attend the recitations on Wednesdays. Currently the consequence of this imbalance is that the recitation on Thu is much slower than the one on Wed. However, both groups will have the same exam at the end of the semester. So it is in your best interest to try and even things out.
(07 Mar 2010 15:48)


text:
US industrial heating controls specialist acquires South African distributor
Thermon Group Holdings has acquired Cape Town heating controls supplier Unitemp in a deal advised by BCMS Xigo.
Unitemp is an accredited designer and supplier of heating, sensing, portable instruments, monitoring and control solutions serving the Sub-Saharan Africa market, generating annual revenue of R90m ($8m) in its most recent fiscal year.
Through its global network, Thermon provides highly engineered thermal solutions, known as heat tracing, for process industries, including energy, chemical processing and power generation. Thermon's products provide an external heat source to pipes, vessels and instruments for the purposes of freeze protection, temperature maintenance, environmental monitoring and surface snow and ice melting. Thermon is headquartered in San Marcos, Texas.
The current Unitemp management team will continue to operate the business upon completion.
Thermon Group President and CEO Rodney Bingham said: "The acquisition of Unitemp represents an attractive opportunity for us to extend our global footprint to include the African continent, enhance our ability to serve our global customers and expand our presence in the Sub-Saharan Africa market. The acquisition is consistent with our strategy of pursuing organic and inorganic growth opportunities within our core business. Unitemp has been a valued channel partner of Thermon for many years and we look forward to welcoming the employees of Unitemp into the Thermon family."
Unitemp CEO Hans Hitzeroth added: "Unitemp has successfully and consistently grown over the last 20 years. We have reached a point in our development where an outside partner will be able to help accelerate future growth, particularly as it relates to the range of project opportunities that lie ahead. We are excited to be partnering with Thermon, and we expect to strengthen our product ranges, expand our services and become a stronger partner to our valued customers."


text:
Real estate investments offer numerous, well-documented benefits, such as portfolio diversification and total real return potential from both yield and price appreciation.
But real estate investment returns are sensitive to multiple factors, like interest rate levels and the economic outlook for the different property segments.
The Altegris/AACA Real Estate Long Short Fund (RAAAX) attempts to avoid the problems of a long-only exposure to real estate by using the long-short structure, as well as a highly strategic screening process for its investments.
The fund launched in early 2011; as of June 30, it had some $42 million in net assets.
Its largest long positions have been in companies operating retail stores, preferred stocks and gaming companies; the largest short sectors were interest rate and credit spreads, multifamily and housing stocks.
According to portfolio manager Burl East, CFA, the fund seeks four traits in potential investments.
The first trait is few participants in the sector, ideally a monopoly, duopoly or oligopoly.
For example, he says, there are 10,000 or so owners of suburban office space in the U.S., which leads to constant price competition. But there are only a small number of participants in industries like student housing, data centers, gaming or cellphone towers.
The small number of providers decreases the risk of overbuilding and price competition.
The second desired trait is a barrier to entry. Office buildings are subject to zoning regulations, but otherwise there are no significant barriers to building.
"But, it's very hard to build, for instance, a brand new hospital, [and] it's very hard actually to build medical offices," East says. Plus, it's "very hard to build student housing, as those need to be built on the campus of a large university."
Factor three: barriers to exit that deny choice to tenants. In other words, the tenant can't easily sign a lease with another local landlord, pack up and relocate.
East cites dental practices and specialized medical labs as examples of tenants that hesitate to move.
A dentist might have several million dollars worth of equipment "bolted to the floor," he explains, and moving and reinstalling that equipment makes relocating a practice very difficult.
In contrast, it's much easier for the tenant of a typical office building to move, and hence these businesses have a much greater selection of properties from which they can choose.
Finally, the fund likes to own companies with tenants that have growing businesses and that are coming to their landlords to request more space.
By applying those four screens to the roughly 600 real estate industry stocks the fund tracks, East can eliminate about 90% of the companies from further consideration.
That systematic approach "keeps you from buying mediocre companies that own mediocre real estate in mediocre markets right from the get-go," East explains.
This process also helps identify potential shorts, he adds, by reversing the process and looking for sectors and stocks that fail to satisfy the criteria.
East says the fund has several options for managing the impact of rising interest rates.
The first is that the fund can create a short position in Treasurys or investment-grade debt, for instance, which profits from higher rates. It can also short stocks in the industry sectors with the greatest rate sensitivity, such as those focused on housing and real estate brokers.
Related on ThinkAdvisor:
- Schorsch's RCAP Buys Girard, Nears 10,000 FAs
- A Healthy Stock Market Needs These 3 Sectors
- 4 ETFs for Volatile Times


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'general-purpose notebook'
'My overall conclusion for the HP Pavilion dv7 notebook is really good.'
'great laptop'
'The HP Pavilion dv7-2160ef is fairly noisy.'
'the Pavilion dv4040us is a good selection for those who need storage space and memory'
'Also, this notebook has 128MB of video RAM, which is more favorable than some similarly priced notebooks.'
ReviewGist helps you find the best products to buy by making sense of online reviews.
We are currently aggregating 376,500 reviews
covering over 29,474 products.
© 2020 ReviewGist.com. All Rights Reserved.


text:
It's the only 100% mobile gaming party all week and it's a sell-out. But never fear, we have ten tickets to give away for the party which is on Monday night at 6pm until 9pm just a few minutes walk from La Fira. All you have to do is fill in this form before 18:00 GMT today (Friday) and we'll pick the names out of a hat. Full details about the party are here.
Good luck!


text:
Syria official says forces take rebel area of Homs
A Syrian government official claimed that the army wrested a contested district of a key city from rebels on Monday after ten days of fierce fighting. But two activists based in the city denied the claim, saying rebels were under heavy fire but still holding on.
President Bashar Assad's forces have launched a major offensive to retake the strategic city of Homs, a transport hub that sits between the capital, Damascus, and costal areas overwhelmingly loyal to the regime. Rebels seeking his ouster have held on to parts of the city they took over a year ago, but have been under siege.
The official, from Homs province, said troops took the Khaldiyeh district but were still "cleaning" out rebel-held pockets. He gave no other details and requested anonymity because he wasn't authorized to speak to the media.
A Khaldiyeh-based activist who gave his name as Abu Yasin however said government forces had not advanced beyond a series of buildings they seized earlier in the week. He said forces loyal to Assad were trying to enter the areas of Bab Houd and Khaldiyeh by pummeling buildings with mortar fire to flush out the rebels.
Another Homs-based activist who gave his name only as Nedal said government troops were shelling heavily around a 12-century mosque in Khaldiyeh, indicating they were still battling for control. The Khaled Ibn al-Walid mosque, famed for its nine domes and two minarets is an iconic part of the ancient city's skyline.
"It's quiet in the morning, and then they go crazy," Nedal said via Skype. The sound of explosions could be heard in the background.
Divisions among Syria's opposition have been a chief obstacle for many countries to provide more aid and military supplies to besieged rebels.
Underscoring divisions on Monday, the prime minister of the Syrian Interim Government brushed aside suggestions that he would resign, despite being unable to form a Cabinet for months.
Ghassan Hitto was appointed in March to head an interim government to administer areas seized by the rebels. But he is mistrusted by other Council members who dislike his perceived proximity to Islamists, and his election prompted a walkout of several Syrian National Council members.
Speaking from Istanbul, Hitto said he hoped the newly-elected president of the Western-backed opposition group would help speed up his task. Ahmad al-Jarba, a former political prisoner with close links to Saudi Arabia, was elected Saturday.
Follow Hadid on twitter.com/diaahadid


text:
Actress Named Godmother to Cruise Line's Newest Ship Via New Commercial Aired During Oscars
MIAMI, Feb. 24, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Triple-threat, Emmy and Tony award-winning Kristin Chenoweth, is adding yet another accolade to her impressive resume: godmother to Royal Caribbean International's much anticipated new cruise ship, Quantum of the Seas. The cruise line announced the appointment, which is steeped in maritime tradition, in an unconventional way during a red carpet-inspired commercial that aired during ABC television network's broadcast of the Oscars.
Exemplifying what it means to be a leading lady both onstage and off, Chenoweth was chosen for her effervescent personality and ability to wow audiences. Her versatile range of roles made her a natural fit, given that Quantum of the Seas, set to debut in fall 2014, is poised to introduce unprecedented experiences and amenities only attainable on Royal Caribbean International.
Historically an honor reserved for heads of state, politicians and celebrities, godmothers not only break a bottle to christen a ship, but also serve as guiding spirits to its guests and crew. Royal Caribbean looks to capture the essence of the role by choosing women whose life lessons and achievements illustrate the kind of courage, dedication and determination that are an inspiration to all.
"Kristin's effortless grace and dynamic performances align perfectly with our newest class of ships and we could not be more honored to have her represent Quantum of the Seas," said Richard D. Fain, chairman and CEO, Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd. "Working with such a remarkable and versatile woman for one of maritime's longest standing traditions is an exciting experience."
Known for their world class entertainment, Royal Caribbean was the first cruise line to introduce fully-licensed Broadway productions onboard its ships and currently features Saturday Night Fever, Hairspray and Chicago: The Musical. With Chenoweth's renowned background as an entertainer, the two perfectly complement each other with their commitment to delivering authentic and engaging entertainment.
"I am so excited to be named godmother of Royal Caribbean International's newest ship, Quantum of the Seas. I have been lucky to play many roles and I am looking forward to this one," stated Kristin Chenoweth. "I think the Royal Caribbean brand is the perfect match for me, especially with their history of providing exceptional entertainment experiences to their guests."
The Quantum class of ships, Quantum of the Seas and Anthem of the Seas, will build upon Royal Caribbean's legacy of revolutionary ship design and bold innovation. At 158,000 gross registered tons (GRT) and with a capacity of 4,100 guests based on double occupancy, the ships will debut in fall 2014 and spring 2015, respectively.
"Our ships have always been designed for WOW and with Quantum of Seas, we are excited to introduce Quantum cruising and the 'at sea' firsts that our guests have come to expect from Royal Caribbean," said Adam Goldstein, President and CEO, Royal Caribbean International. "We look forward to working with Kristen and having her officially name our ship when she is delivered in the fall of 2014."
Source: Royal Caribbean International
Re-posted on CruiseCrazies.com - Cruise News, Articles, Forums, Packing List, Ship Tracker, and more


text:
Internet Explorer 8
Windows 7 : 64 bit
If I create a combo box where "allow blank" is false, a blank entry is not available in the drop-down selection (as expected). However, if I type quickly enough, I can blank out text, tab out of cell, and the cell would be blank.
I was expecting that the combo box would revert back to the previous value. Especially since "Force Selection" is also true. Blank is not a selection, so it cannot be a "forced" selection (it isn't any selection).
In provided test code, select a value. Then do a select all of the text and do "delete" and then "tab" as quickly as possible. The combo box will be left w/out a selection.
ComboBoxIssue_AllowBlankFalse.zipCode:comboBox.setAllowBlank(false); comboBox.setSelectOnFocus(true); comboBox.setEditable(true); comboBox.setTypeAhead(true); comboBox.setForceSelection(true); comboBox.setAutoValidate(false); comboBox.setMinChars(1); comboBox.setTypeAheadDelay(0); comboBox.setQueryDelay(0); comboBox.setTriggerAction(TriggerAction.ALL); comboBox.setValidateOnBlur(false);


text:
In a case decided in February, a German judge denied the Erz family permission to homeschool—even though the family was able to demonstrate they were providing a quality education.
Jonathan and Irene Erz began homeschooling their children this past fall and contacted the school to make officials aware that the children would be taught at home via Clonlara, an international distance learning program used by homeschoolers abroad.
Homeschooling is almost universally illegal in Germany, although several hundred families persist in teaching their children at home. Nearly all of these families operate underground or are involved in court battles. The persecution of homeschoolers has escalated over the past decade, as German authorities continually threaten families with stiff fines, imprisonment, or the loss of their children. Many German families have fled their homeland, resulting in the landmark Romeike asylum case in January 2010. The decision by a U.S. judge to grant political asylum to a German homeschool family, currently on appeal, reflects the repressive nature of Germany's educational policies.
The Erz family was notified by the regional government that the international school was "not recognized by the region as a private school," and consequently did not fulfill the compulsory education requirement. The letter reminded the Erz family that the penalty for disregarding the mandatory school attendance law is a fine up to the amount of 50,000 euros (nearly $70,000 in U.S. currency). And, the authorities noted, if the penalty was not paid, German law allows for arrest or the removal of parental custody.
"Such drastic measures," Mr. Erz protests, "are usually not considered in democratic nations until a court decision is reached."
The family has since appeared in court multiple times to defend their right to homeschool. In this particular case, the issue is not homeschooling during the elementary grades, but during high school. The infamous Konrad v. Germany case, decided by the German High Court in 2003 and then reviewed by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in 2006, specifically left open the issue of whether children could be homeschooled in secondary grades. Since the compulsory education laws in the Erz's region do not specify mandatory attendance after elementary school, this provides a potential opening for homeschooling.
At the trial, the local school board strongly encouraged the court to reject the Erz's request to homeschool. School board officials informed the court that to date all similar cases concerning homeschooling have been unequivocally rejected. Although the judge expressed he was 100% sure that the education and upbringing being provided to the Erz's children is of good quality and that the children are integrated in society, the judge ultimately rejected their case. Following the uniform ruling in German courts to date, the judge denied the Erz family permission to homeschool.
Mr. Erz called the decision "political."
"The judges presiding over the case actually scolded the defendant more than once, for example, for questioning the quality of education being provided," explains Mr. Erz. "It appears the judge felt he had no other choice in the end."


text:
Aaron Hernandez -- ARRESTED in Murder Investigation
Aaron Hernandez ARRESTED in Murder Investigation
New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez has been ARRESTED in connection with the murder of a man whose body was discovered close to the NFL star's home.
Hernandez was taken into custody at his home in Massachusetts. He was handcuffed and led into a waiting police cruiser, which left the scene moments later ... presumably headed for a local police station.
The 23-year-old NFL star is reportedly set to be arraigned later today.
There are reports based on law enforcement sources that Hernandez destroyed evidence and could be charged with obstruction of justice. So far, no formal charges have been announced.
The move comes days after cops searched Hernandez's Massachusetts home ... looking for evidence connected to the murder of 27-year-old Odin Lloyd, an ex semi-pro football player.
Lloyd's body was discovered in a park in North Attleborough, Mass last Monday. It appears he was shot through the back of the head.
Lloyd's family says the NFL star does have a connection to Lloyd -- but they wouldn't elaborate. According to reports, Lloyd had been dating the sister of Hernandez's fiancée.
TMZ broke the story ... Hernandez is also facing a lawsuit stemming from a separate incident, in which he allegedly shot a man in the face following a dispute at a Miami strip club back in February.
Hernandez is a rising star with the Patriots and signed a 5-year contract worth $40 MILLION just last summer.
Waiting for your permission to load the comments.


text:
Article content
OTTAWA — Finance Minister Jim Flaherty has been diagnosed with a rare skin disease called bullous pemphigoid.
Flaherty, 63, put an end to months of speculation about his health and appearance this week and went public with his diagnosis in an interview with the Globe and Mail.
"I would like those people who have been concerned about my health to be reassured that it is a skin problem that is getting better and will pass with some more time, and that my ability to do my job is not affected by this condition," Flaherty told the newspaper.
Treatment for the disease involves a powerful steroid, prednisone, the side effects of which include bloating of the face and weight gain. Over the last few months, political observers had noticed those symptoms and many worried about Flaherty's health. He says he told Prime Minister Stephen Harper just before Christmas and reassured him that his condition and treatment would not affect his job performance.
tap here to see other videos from our team.


text:
In the Blog
International Women's Day 2009
International Women's Day is this Saturday, March 7th!
There's a whole heap of events going on all over the world over the next few days, but if you're in Toronto, and you only go to one, it should probably be the International Women's Day rally, march and fair this Saturday:
International Women's Day Rally & March Rally 11am, march 1pm. OISE Auditorium, 252 Bloor Street W. Fair 1:30pm at Ryerson University, 55 Gould Street. www.iwdtoronto.org.
And if you want to spread the word in your school/campus/office/blog, you should check out this awesome IWD promotional poster designed by activist studio The Public (co-founded by Shameless art director Sheila Sampath).
The poster is creative commons, which means you can print as many copies as you want or add text to it. The Public will be tabling at the IWD rally on Saturday, so you can swing by and buy a screenprinted 8x18" version of the poster, or make your own stenciled t-shirt for free (BYO shirt).
Download the poster here.


text:
The way it's looking there'll never be a Halo movie. Ah well! So long as regular humans keep making killer props like this, we're free to imagine our own. Which is always for the best, because then, they never end up sucking.
This helmet was submitted to MAKE magazine by creator Tsabo Tsaboc over the weekend, and it's stunning.
If you don't recognise it, it's Carter's helmet, with Carter being your squad's leader in Halo: Reach. The helmet goes nice with some of his other stuff, including a complete ODST suit of armour and various individual Halo helmets (like Noble Six's), all of which you can see in more detail at the link below.
You can contact Luke Plunkett, the author of this post, at firstname.lastname@example.com. You can also find him on Twitter, Facebook, and lurking around our #tips page.


text:
Dear suppliers,
We will delete the official skype:suppliers2015, and official email:email@example.com from our site, we won't use them any more. and the below skypes and emails will instead of them.
These skypes and emails are in charge of fifa coins. Pls contact us via the above contact methods. Thank you!
We apologize for the inconvenience.
IGXE Supplier Department
Looking for FFXIV Suppliers !
A Brand New GAME ! Best way to earn MONEY!
Join and start right now !
Are you also a fan of FFXIV? Do you want to creat more significative effort while playing? Join IGXE Supplier Department! Sell your items and gil at the best price. The fastest way to exchange your ingame currency into real MONEY ! The most effective way to help other players !
Skype: igxe.supplier1
Email: email@example.com
Whenever you want to start, we are welcome your first contact!
IGXE Supplier Department
Be Careful with Scammers
Dear Suppliers,
We received lots of complaints recently. All complaints are about SCAMMERS.
We really thanks for your suppor for IGXE Supplier Department and also welcome the newcomers.
Please remember to check the contact information on http://supplier.igxe.com/livehelp/contact.cfm . If his account is not on our official contact list, please be alert while trading with them , even though they are offering a nice price.
IGXE Supplier Department
- Skype:fcbbuyer
- Skype:igxe.supplier2
- (7*24hours online)
- Skype:igxe.supplier1
- Skype:igxe.supplier3
- (7*24hours Online)
- (Be careful, some scammers use Skype IDs which are similar with ours for cheating.)
- Trustworthy Partner
- IGXE is one of the largest in-game service providers since 2004.
- Gamers' Choice
- More than 200,000 registered VIP members and growing.
- Massive Games
- We have more than 100 games waiting for your partnership.
Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of the TERMS & CONDITIONS and PRIVACY POLICY.
Copyright© 2002-2020, IGXE Inc. All Rights Reserved.


text:
Thanks, there was a crash when attempting to wield an unkown item. I added a simple check and now this seems to be fixed. The unknown item image does not show in the players hand, however.Iqualfragile wrote:stability report: did not crash so far when used on in any standard situation but i think there might be an crash related to unknown items
but thanks for the mod, it realy adds to the game
please let me know if you find anything else.


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By Abby Schrag
This morning the choir left Berlin and traveled to Leipzig. A stop in Wittenburg was planned to see the church where Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door. However, we unfortunately didn't get to go inside because they are working on renovations. The trip was not in vain, though, because we decided to walk around the town for a bit and several of the choir members got recruited to become a part of a flashmob doing the Cupid Shuffle with a group of students from a college in Michigan!
There wasn't time to do much sightseeing in the afternoon when we got to Leipzig because of our concert in the evening. It was a very special concert because several members of Dr. Eash's family were able to come to hear us sing and wish him a happy birthday! We also celebrated another choir member's birthday today, Taylor Stucky! There must have been some birthday magic in the air, because we rocked that concert tonight! The choir continues to get better and better as the tour goes on, so prepare for an epic home concert when we get back!


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The Hollies have been around for 50 consecutive years, although drummer Bobby Elliott and lead guitarist-harmony vocalist Tony Hicks are the only original members left in the band. The current lineup has been together since 2004, when lead vocalist-guitarist Peter Howarth replaced the late/great Carl Wayne. Wayne had replaced Allan Clarke, a founding member, in 2000. Guitarist-vocalist Steve Lauri also joined around 2004, and while bassist-vocalist Ray Stiles and keyboards player Alan Parker may not be original members, they have been on board for several years. The Hollies still tour constantly in Europe, and all of those performances have made them a tightly knit, entertaining band.
Live Hits!, recorded during last year's UK tour, was mixed and produced with no additional overdubs by Grammy Award winning producer, Paul Hicks, Tony's son. It captures the exuberance of a Hollies concert, especially on songs like "I Can't Let Go," "Just One Look," and "Stay." There are also faithful, highly polished versions of "Bus Stop," "Jennifer Eccles," "He Aint Heavy, He's My Brother," and a guitar-fortified "On A Carousel."
Judging from this 2-CD set, The Hollies have an adventurous set list for their live shows, ranging from early songs like the gospel-influenced "Very Last Day" and Beatlesque "Yes I Will," to the autobiographical title track from their 2010 CD, Then, Now, Always. There's a heartfelt rendition of Bruce Springsteen's "Sandy," which The Hollies first covered on Another Night back in 1975, and the band touches on its most psychedelic era with Graham Nash's ambitious "King Midas In Reverse." A few choices are questionable; "The Day Curly Billy Shot Down Crazy Sam McGee" has always seemed like a poor imitation of "Long Cool Woman In A Black Dress" and any number of tracks would have been better than the silly folk standard "Stewball."
Adding to the variety of material is The Hollies'willingness to reinvent some of their classic hits. Howarth's acoustic rendition of "I Can't Tell The Bottom From The Top" underscores the song's soaring melody, and "Stop Stop Stop" is given a rousing instrumental intro. The original British Invasion gem "Look Through Any Window" gets a slower, harmony-filled arrangement ala Crosby, Stills and Nash, and Howarth engages the audience on a rowdy "Long Cool Woman In A Black Dress."
Live Hits! gives us non-Europeans a good idea of what The Hollies are up to these days, but it's high time some promoter found a way for them to tour in America again.


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Colombia: Report reveals the role of business and State actors in increasing threats to land and environmental rights defenders
October 5, 2017 | Human Rights Defenders
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This week, we note the tragic passing of one of the founders of Diaspora, Logitech says goodbye to Google TV, Steam gets hacked, the Kindle Fire is roasted, the DOJ wants to make lying on your profile a felony, batteries get a technological boost, Community is 'on the bubble', COD:MW3 & Skyrim make huge debuts, Minecraft comes to iOS, and Black Friday is upon us!
Later we discuss the official launches of both Google Music and iTunes Match from beta, and we rant briefly on the future of interaction design (our hands' place in that future).
The Drill Down 210 [ 1:39:02 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (601)


text: ROCHESTER — The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has scheduled another National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day which will take place on Saturday, Sept. 29, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This is a great opportunity for those who missed the previous events, or who have subsequently accumulated unwanted, unused prescription drugs, to safely dispose of those medications. During these hours you can drop unwanted, unused prescription drugs at the Rochester Police Department. 23 Wakefield St.


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From James Miles:
As a relatively new commercial company we have had a lot of success within a number of research projects utilising computational methods in archaeology. We began the year by recoding the Insula Dell'ara Coeli in Rome, a second century building that can be found at the foot of the Capitoline hill. This was followed by a number of imaging related projects such as our Rode Imaging project, our photogrammetry work for the National museum of Estonia, Deerhurst Church and Salisbury Cathedral, included a 3D print of part of the medieval frieze found in the chapter house. Combined with other laser scanning projects such as the work completed at the Lady of Kazan church in Tallinn and the Ice House at Beaulieu, it has been a very busy year for us.
3D print of the Medieval Frieze
As those who specialise in computational methods, the majority of our time is spent in front of a computer, staring blankly at a screen waiting for our software to work and to stop crashing. Today has been no different! Archaeovision is split into three organisations, we have a company in England, a company in Estonia and a non-profit organisation that allows us to apply for research grants. We have therefore been working on a number of different projects within one day. James who is based in the UK has spent the majority of the day working on his PhD trying to process laser scan models for use within structural analysis tests and finalise a few of his thesis chapters. At the same time he been working on the admin side of the business, dealing with emails, invoices and trying to arrange our storage system. He has recently returned from California where he was part of a research led project looking at Chumash archaeology run by the University of Central Lancashire. His involvement was based on the recording of a number of different cave systems and he will spend this evening going through the scan data, tidying the data and creating virtual replicas of the areas required.
Californian landscape
Attached to our UK company are Tom Goskar and Paul Cripps. Both act as consultants for us and both have already posted about their ongoing work. Tom's focused on his medieval and web based work whilst Paul's mentioned his work on his automation project and LiDAR project. Tom and Paul are both experts in their field and it's a privilege to be able to work with them. Part of the emails that James has been dealing with today is through a future calibration project that follows Paul's LiDAR work. We are in the final stages of negotiating terms and hopefully this will be underway shortly. At the same time James and Hembo, who is a partner of the business, have been dealing with a request for a website design, again today was spent trying to finalise the details of the work and understand fully what our client wants. Hembo has an extensive background in web based technology and has spent most of the day working on the website for the 2016's CAA conference that is taking place in Oslo, Norway. Hembo manages this website, along with many others, throughout the year. Today Hembo has been focussing on the Open Conference System for the CAA conference, trying to streamline the submission process for next year's papers. Hembo has also recently returned from Italy through his involvement in the Portus Project and has been working on the archive system used on site.
Connected to out Estonian team, Kaarel has managed to find time away from the computer and has spent the day completing a survey in south west Estonia. Andres has spent the day working on his Haapsalu Episcopal Castle project which captured an incredible 404 scans over a two day period. He has been tidying up the model for use within a Building Information Model and has been establishing if any areas need further recording. His work made the national news this week which has been great for the company. Connected to this, James was also interviewed during the week in regard to the Ein Gedi scrolls because of his experience with Computed Tomography scanning. The article that the interview was used for was published today on the Smithsonian website. Although the majority of the interview was not used, it has been a good day for us in terms of publicity and for the University of Southampton which James is connected to.
Laser scan model of Haapsalu Castle
For most of us our day has been spent inside. On plus side for those of us in the UK, we have avoided the rain and have a fondness for coffee. A perfect combination for the long days' worth of processing data and dealing with admin. Tomorrow involves more of the same but we will get to play about with some photogrammetric modelling that needs to be completed for one of our ongoing projects.


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EWG News and Analysis
The latest from EWG's staff of experts >>
Preschool puberty from cometics, drugs
Today the New York Times reports some disturbing news about certain drugs and cosmetics causing preschoolers to go into puberty. In one case, a girl and her brother--whose father had been using a testosterone skin cream--started growing pubic hair just from skin contact with their father. Her brother also developed some aggressive behavior problems. The article cites some 1998 cases of early breast development in young girls brought on by a shampoo which contained estrogen and placental extract.
What does the FDA have to say about this? The FDA spokesperson told the Times that FDA was "aware of some reports describing premature sexual development" and that "there is no reason for consumers to be concerned." And at this time "placental materials are neither prohibited by cosmetic regulations nor restricted" by the FDA.
Robert Cooper, chief of endocrinology at the reproductive toxicology division of the EPA suggests that conflicts of interest on advisory panels have hampered the development of adequate testing measures for these endocrine disruptors in consumer products:
In 1996, Congress directed the E.P.A. to develop a comprehensive screening program for possible endocrine disruptors within three years. Dr. Cooper says no such program has begun operation, a failure he attributed largely to stonewalling by chemical industry representatives who serve on an advisory committee for the program. Now the proposed rollout is December 2007, but Dr. Cooper said, "They may be dreaming." Critics cite the program's high potential costs and lack of reliable laboratory tests.


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Blog Archive
- ▼ 2018 (17)
- ► 2015 (26)
- ► 2014 (64)
- ► 2013 (124)
- ► 2012 (123)
- ► 2011 (119)
- ► 2010 (95)
- ► 2009 (167)
Informative Blog Posts
Sauce-Sational: An Experiment in Applesacue
- Akane
- Arlet (Swiss Gourmet)
- Baker's Mix - August
- Baker's Mix - October
- Bella
- Bonnie's Best
- Braeburn
- Cameo
- Chenango Strawberry
- Cortland
- Cox Orange Pippin
- Crimson Crisp
- Crimson Gold
- Dandee Red
- Duchess
- Empire
- Fireside
- Frostbite
- Fuji
- Gala
- Ginger Gold
- Golden Delicious
- Golden Supreme
- Granny Smith
- Haralson
- Hazen
- Honey Gold
- Honeycrisp
- Idared
- Jonagold
- Jonamac
- Jonathan
- Jumbo
- Keepsake
- MacIntosh
- Macoun
- Melrose
- Northern Spy
- NW Greening
- Overall Summary
- Paulared
- Red Gravenstein
- Regent
- Sansa
- Scarlet
- Shizuka
- Silken
- Smokehouse
- Smoothee
- Sno (Famuese)
- Snow Sweet
- Spartan
- Sweet 16
- Tolman Sweet
- Valstar
- Wealthy
- William's Pride
- Wolf River
- Zestar!
Popular Posts
The 2018 apple season started out with not the best weather – it rained and rained and rained some more. One afternoon on a whim, my mother...
The Northern Spy is a variety we're just finally starting to get a decent crop off. Northern Spy is an heirloom apple that characteristical...
Since the orchard now has ground cherries, I wanted to share this easy jam recipe. Ground cherries are delicious as a raw fruit, but they ma...
For all current information on Lapacek's Orchard please visit our new website www.LapaceksOrchard.com Thank you all so much!
The Crimson Crisp is another new variety in our shop this year. It seems to me that the majority of the people that sample them end up buyi...
Many people have asked for the story of how our orchard came to be. In the late 60's Frank was in the Navy, and was stationed at the Bremer...
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Last market6 days ago
Hot Chocolate Bombs1 month ago
Lapacek's Orchard In the News!
Our Favorite Websites
Sunday Recipe's
- Amish Apple Grunt
- Apple Butter Madness
- Apple Cheddar Bread
- Apple Chicken Salad/Sandwiches
- Apple Cider Donuts
- Apple Crisp Parfait
- Apple Danish Pastry Bars
- Apple French Toast
- Apple Fritter Rings
- Apple Harvest Blondies
- Apple Nut Bread
- Apple Pecan Quick Bread
- Apple Pie Cake
- Apple Pie in a Jar
- Apple Raisin Loaves
- Apple Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing
- Apple Strudel Puff Pastry
- Apple Toss
- Apple Upside-Down Cake
- Apple-Jalepeno Preserves
- Apple-Pecan Cheesecake
- Baked Oatmeal
- Bavarian Apple Torte
- Blueberry French Toast
- Blueberry-Raspberry Streusel Muffins
- Brandied Apple 'N Cream Cheese Pie
- Caramel Apple Bars
- Coconut Apple Cake
- Cranberry Apple Bread
- Cranberry Apple Salad
- Creamy Apple Squares
- Crispy Festive Apple Salad
- Cucumber Tomatillo Salsa
- Dill Dip
- Dinner in a Pumpkin
- Easy Waffles
- Egg-cellent Apple Salad
- French Apple Pie
- Fresh Apple Salsa
- Great Apple Dessert
- Great Apple Dessert
- Hot Cinnamon Cider
- Hot Pirate Cider
- Kelly's Favorite Apple Pie
- Maple Roasted Acorn Squash
- Marinated Zucchini Salad
- Microwave Apple Muffins
- Pumpkin Cheese Ball
- Pumpkin Gingerbread
- Pumpkin Pie Cake
- Quick Apple Dumplings
- Scalloped Apples
- Sour Cream Apple Coffee Cake
- Spiced Apple Bagel
- Spicy Apple Pancake with Cider Sauce
- Strawberry Chocolate Mint Lemonade Cooler
- Tangy Ham in Cider
- Tomatillo Salsa Verde
- Warm Apple Pudding
- Wilted Swiss Chard with Fresh Basil
- Zucchini Bread
Where Can you Find Us?
(608) 635-4780
A Bushel and a Peck
Are you planning on processing some apples? Perhaps making some applesauce to can or freeze? Prepping pies to last you until next season? Or does your family just eat A LOT of apples? We offer special bushel pricing at Lapacek's Orchard. If you call ahead to order your bushel you can save $3/bushel!
Call ahead to order your bushel and save 608-635-4780
What is a bushel? Well – it's a volume measurement. We fill the bushel box as much as we possibly can without damaging the apples and that's what you get. It ways approximately 40 lbs. One bushel of apples makes approximately 18 quarts of applesauce or 10 quarts of apple butter or 6 cups of dried apples, or 16 apple pies.
We also sell apples by the peck (approximately 10lbs), 1/2 peck (approximately 5lbs) and 1/4 pecks (approximately 2.5lbs).
Always Construction Season
I picked some general spots in locations many of our customers come from. If you're coming from places south, east or west of us there should be no problems with your standard route. Those coming from areas to the north of us may have to take an alternate route.For those coming from Poynette, I just started right at the Poynette Elementary School. This is the route we take when we drive our girls to and from softball, volleyball and cross country right now. I would say this takes about 1 minute longer than it took us on the back roads. I'm not sure why Google Maps won't let you stay on Hwy 60 the whole time but you can. Hwy 22 isn't closed until just north of the Hwy 60/Hwy 22 intersection. I tried to adjust the map with some drawing in paint. It's not perfect but should give you the idea. Just take Hwy 51 South until you can go East on Hwy 60. Then take a left (North) on Kroncke and you'll be at the orchard in no time!
From the Piggly Wiggly in Pardeeville, take Hwy 22 south, then Hwy 16 east, south on Hwy C, a right (west) on Hall road and a left on Kroncke.
From Tamarack Pizza in Portage, take Hwy 51 south, then east on Hwy 16, south on Hwy C, a right (west) on Hall road and a left on Kroncke. I think going south on Hwy 51, east on Hwy 60 and a left (north) on Kroncke Road would also work for those coming from Portage.
I hope these maps help you a bit on figuring out how you'll make it to the orchard this fall. I think for those of us who drive on Hwy 22 often enough know that while the construction is a bit a of pain it's definitely going to be wroth it. It was a road that really needed to be fixed.
Old Building–Follow us On Social Media
Hello everyone! Apple season is in full swing and I want to make sure you don't miss any of the apple varieties or any of the fun things happening!
If you're not already be sure to Like and Follow Lapacek's Orchard on facebook and to follow Lapacek's Orchard on Instagram!


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Any worries I had about this year's FIFA are but a memory. 14 is very good. It feels different, and while it may not necessarily be superior, it easily matches its predecessor's quality.
Unlike FIFA 13, strength takes greater emphasis over speed - this feels like a slower, more considered affair. Players must take their time creating chances: improved heading and crossing bring prominence to the likes of Fellaini and Carroll, and there's more consideration in build-up play, adding greater variety to attacks. This swing has gone a little too far - the vast majority of goals now do come from crosses - but it doesn't create a poor experience. There just has to be a significant change to your approach. Make sure to scout the next Drogba instead of Walcott this time around.
It's not just the core game that's seen improvements either - the overhauled user interface is better than ever. The sleek design makes accessing preferred game modes less time-consuming, with a tiled UI allowing players to scroll through formations, save data and player performance with a flick of the analogue stick.
Back on the pitch the sheer number of inputs to control movement on the ball can be overwhelming, but it's important to FIFA's new playstyle. Five different ways to dictate how your player controls the ball may feel excessive, but it can create vital space in the midfield or give time to find that killer pass.
The most significant change is in Ultimate Team. Gone are the player and team formation cards in place of 'Chemistry Styles'. By applying these, stats are boosted to give your team the edge. The option to change formation on the fly without any hindrance to player chemistry or coherence is a blessing, and freedom to experiment means players now spend more time on the pitch than in the transfer market.
It may be baby steps, but it's a big baby. FIFA 14 has tons of modes you can get lost in, but this would all mean nothing without quality gameplay. Fortunately, EA has delivered an exhilarating game of football.
Version Tested: Xbox 360. Game played for 15 hours


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Tuesday, November 24, 2020
West Bank Palestinians protest in solidarity with Umm al-Hiran
Carla Mari
- January 20, 2017
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Umm il Heiran
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– A group of mostly young protesters gathered in Ramallah's main square on Wednesday evening in solidarity with their Palestinian counterparts on the other side of the Green Line.
During the peaceful protest, attended by around 70 people, Palestinians held banners that read 'history is a cycle and it will repeat itself', and 'a fire is burning underneath the ashes' to show their solidarity with residents of Umm al-Hiran, a Bedouin town in the Naqab (Negev) desert whose residents face displacement to make space for a Jewish town. The protesters then marched through Ramallah's city centre.
The spontaneous demonstration, organised on social media only a few hours before, was triggered by the demolition raid that took place in Attir Umm Al-Hiran earlier that day. On Wednesday morning at around 5am, Israeli forces stormed the village to demolish 12 houses. Tension soon erupted in clashes as activists and residents attempted to defend the village. Several activists were injured alongside Knesset member Ayman Odeh, chairman of the Joint List - a coalition of mainly Arab parties and the third-largest force in the Israeli Knesset.
Tension rose when police shot dead 47-year-old Yacoub Moussa Abu al-Qiyan, a local teacher. While police initially claimed the man had intentionally driven his car into a group of soldiers, activists who were at the scene said he lost control of his vehicle after police opened fire on it. A video later leaked to the media appears to
this version. Policeman Eraz Levi was killed in the incident. Rights group Adalah has demanded a criminal investigation, alleging police violated open-fire regulations.
Umm al-Hiran's residents have been living there since 1956, following their displacement from Khyrbet Zubaleh in the Yattir forest area, where they had been living for centuries. They were repeatedly ordered to move from one place to another, until they settled in Wadi Attir, where they built the village of Attir Umm Al-Hiran.
Israel declared the area as State Land in 1970 and the village has since been classified as 'unrecognised'. According to Adalah, the State issued demolition orders for the entire village in 2003, and later ordered residents to evacuate claiming they were "trespassing on state land".
Respectively in September 2014 and May 2015, the Court rejected the case of the village asking to reconsider the orders and later rejected their motion to have a second hearing. Meanwhile, in 2012 the National Planning Building Council approved the master Plan for the construction of Hiran, a 2,400-unit compound destined to a Jewish community.
The first destruction has taken place in November, as you may know, but the case has been open for more than a decade now," said the Adalah's International Media Coordinator, Mati Milstein. "The area is a big one and the demolition they carried out yesterday, is just a small part of it. Section after section they will destroy all the village, but we cannot know when this will happen," he added.
What Israel does in the Naqab does not differ from what it does in the West Bank," Suheila, one of the young demonstrators in Ramallah who preferred not to use her real name, told the Palestine Monitor. "The targets are always Palestinians. We are targeted on racial basis," she added.
Whether in East Jerusalem or in the Naqab Desert, Israel implements one policy targeting one people: a discriminatory planning system against Palestinians regardless of their location and status to achieve its overarching goal of displacing Palestinians and dispossessing them of their land," the Palestinian NGO al-Haq wrote in a statement about the demolitions.
We are here to show our solidarity with the Palestinians in the 1948 lands because what happens there is the same that happens here. The Zionist State targets Palestinians with the same excuses and legal tricks such as lack of building permit or non-recognition of land ownership. Not only we do face demolitions the same way, we are also slaughtered the same way," Saed, another of the protesters, said. "Just yesterday, a kid was killed in Tulkarem, accused of having a knife," he added.
Numerous human rights organisations
have brought attention to the issue of the displacement of the Bedouin community within Israel. Earlier this year, a lot of attention was brought on the destruction of Al-Arakib. The village, located five miles north of
, has been demolished more than 100 times.
Meanwhile, more demolitions took place last week in Qalansawe, a Palestinian-Arab village in northern Israel. In the West Bank, the first week of 2017 saw three times as many demolitions in Area C (under full Israeli control) as the weekly average for 2016, when
1,593 Palestinians
were displaced, the highest number since OCHA (UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) records began in 2009.
We are one people. I have relatives living in Israel and family living in Gaza," Saed said. "Therefore, it is fundamental to go in the street. We belong to the same people."
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Roche upbeat on Avastin in ovarian cancer
Roche Holding AG, the world's leader in oncology drugs, struck an upbeat tone about approval prospects for its key drug Avastin in ovarian cancer ahead of an important industry meeting next month.
The group's pharma head Pascal Soriot told reporters on Thursday he was confident Avastin will gain European approval and he was also relatively optimistic about winning U.S. backing for the drug.
"In Europe ... we are pretty confident because typically in Europe you can gain approval on the basis of good progression-free survival data," Soriot said.
"In the U.S., we still have to wait until the data are fully mature to see what the overall survival data look like and get a good sense for the FDA's response, but I have to say that what we have seen so far ... is making us relatively optimistic that we have a good chance in the U.S. as well," he said.
Demand for Avastin, used to treat a range of tumors, has fallen over recent quarters after the drug was hit by moves from healthcare authorities on both sides of the Atlantic to curb its use in breast cancer.
Roche is now banking on the use of the multibillion dollar seller to treat ovarian cancer to drive future sales growth and is planning to file for approval in the United States later this year once it has overall survival data. It has already filed for approval in Europe.
"We will demonstrate Avastin has a critical role to play in ovarian cancer," Soriot said ahead of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) conference early next month in Chicago.
"All in all stunning new data showing our pipeline is progressing. Hopefully the turning point in the perception of Avastin," Soriot said, referring also to the data on lung and skin cancer drugs that will be presented at ASCO.
Roche will present mid-stage data on MetMAb in lung cancer and it is aiming to file this treatment for approval in 2014, Soriot said, adding Roche was also looking at developing the drug in other diseases such as breast cancer.
Physicians and investors will also eye studies on vemurafenib, a drug to treat the deadliest form of skin cancer.
Soriot said the commercial opportunity of vemurafenib was limited in metastatic skin cancer due to the smaller number of patients in this setting, but there would be more potential sales if it were to be developed in the adjuvant setting.
The group has yet to decide on the pricing of the treatment and as a result does not yet have a peak sales estimate for it.
Roche's drug, which it is developing with privately held Plexxikon, and ipilimumab, an experimental drug being developed by U.S. group Bristol-Myers Squibb, are giving hope to patients who previously had few treatment options.
Soriot said there was a place for both agents and he expects vemurafenib to establish itself as the first line of treatment in patients that are BRAF positive.
"Ipilimumab is a different agent. It is a compound that relies on the immune system to address the cancer. It is a drug that potentially can be given to all patients, whereas vemurafenib can only be given to those patients who are BRAF positive, which is about 50 percent of melanoma cancer patients," Soriot said.
"It is important to keep in mind that the percentage of patients who really respond well to ipilimumab is relatively limited. Those patients have a strong response, but it is a small percentage, probably 10 percent of patients, who respond," he said.
By Katie Reid