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The St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners this week made an appointment to the county's Transportation Authority Board.
During Tuesday's meeting, Sarah Beckle was added to the CTA panel.
In other action, commissioners agreed to make an exception to the county hiring freeze in anticipation of a retirement within the treasurer's office.
Deputy treasurer Mary Ives is planning to retire at the end of January, leaving vacant a position that treasurer Judie Ratering said is essential to the county. She said most of the duties cannot be assigned to other clerks, and the duty involves managing online banking and verification of transfer of funds on a daily basis.
Commissioners on Tuesday also accepted the Commission On Aging's annual report.
In addition, county administrator Teresa Doehring, a lifelong Mendon resident, acknowledged Mendon High School's varsity volleyball team and the Division 4 state title it won last week.


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Cross DJ Pro Mod APK 3.5.9 Download Latest Version (Patched)
Cross DJ Pro Mod APK in addition to Android users working with useful DJ tools, it's very easy to customize music tracks and enable a variety of creative audio creations. Work freely with its functions and enjoy many professional audio engines that allow you to create your perfect audio mix.
About Cross DJ Pro Mod APK
The convenient features of Cross DJ Pro let you mix and edit your music tracks in perfect sync. Play handy functions to create large edits to your original audio files. Always use the intuitive interface of the application. Gives you easy access to all functions. Needless to say, the hardware allows all Android users to enjoy the DJ's DJ entertainment.
For those of you interested, if you like, you'll love working with the interesting Cross DJ Pro Mod APK on the Google Play Store. However, you have to pay to install and unlock premium apps.
To ensure that you will not have any problems with all the functions of the app, it is also important to give the app all the necessary access rights. At the same time, keep in mind that your Android device needs to be updated to the latest firmware versions, preferably Android 4.4 or higher.
Cross DJ Pro Mod APK Download
|Cross DJ Pro Mod APK
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Here are all the exciting features the app offers:
To Use the Intuitive Interface of the Application
Here at Cross DJ Pro, Android users can work with an intuitive app UI that allows them to freely discover and use the app's available features. Feel free to check out the industrial DJ setup with handy buttons like 2 decks, crossfader, and cue, play, sync, and more. The large cushions and control buttons make sure you don't stand on them. With all this, you can easily run the app and organize your audio mixes.
You can use the individual tab settings in Cross DJ Pro to create two different panels on each side of your device, making it easier for you to work with your music tracks. Or the photography mode with a large player will enable all editing options on the selected tracks. In addition, the large waveform display shows you the entire music track and you act comfortably on the available signals.
Compatible With Many Music Applications
To make the app more interesting, Android users will enjoy working with compatible music apps that enhance their DJ experiences. Encourage yourself to test Ableton Link in any Link-compatible application. Mix sounds and music tracks using the Soundcloud Go + account available to you. The list goes on.
Visible Audio Performance
To ensure you fully enjoy the in-app experiences, Cross DJ Pro gives you a variety of different settings and effects so you can improve your audio performance as much as possible.
The Final Verdict
Prepare your mix to allow realistic drawings that sound similar to real offerings. Enable low - latency music so you can respond to your actions instantly. Good job man.

subset: commoncrawl


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Date: 13th February 2006
Jessica Biel, Christina Ricci and 50 Cent have signed up for a movie about Iraq war veterans.
Home of the Brave also stars Samuel L Jackson and Brian Presley, reports Variety.
The story revolves around three soldiers who struggle to readjust to normal life after returning home from a lengthy tour in Iraq.
Director Irwin Winkler aims to start shooting the £7 million independent film next month in Morocco.
Source: Press Release
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© 1999 - 2022 Cinema.com


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Since 2002 Golfresan have been servicing the Swedish golf market with the Golfresan Magazine, the website www.golfresan.se and Scandinavia's largest amateur tournament 'Golfresan On Tour'.
The Swedish website has become the marketplace for golf travellers who are served with hotels promoting golf packages, regional guides, editorials and Web TV.
Now it is time for the international launch through the international domain name www.travelcaddie.com. The site is being launched with a brand new technical platform and state-of-the-art technical solutions.
Mats Elsnitz, CEO of Golfresan Media, says: "We are very happy to launch our website in multiple languages. This way we can help more of Europe's golf travellers to find their golf packages directly or with a tour operator. Initially we will launch travelcaddie.com in German and English with other languages to follow.
"The Swedish site will keep the name Golfresan.se, however it will take on the new corporate identity. The sites have a large amount of new useful functionality and content, which we hope all golfers in Europe will appreciate."
Mikael Andersson, Editor in Chief at Golfresan Media, says: "www.travelcaddie.com adds a new dimension to golf tourism in Europe. The travel patterns show a steady growth of FIT´s, free independent golf travellers travelling on their own. They want to find a good solution for hotel and golf. Transportation can be a cheap flight, train or by car.
"We want, and will answer the question where to stay and where to play, in an inspirational way, covering both hotels with golf packages and tour operators. This wemwill do in combination with guides, editorials, Web TV – all gathered in one place".
Lee Derrick, Country Sales U.K, says: "It's great to be a part of Travelcaddie.com, as I can see the huge potential for resorts, hotels and golf courses, being able to have a multi-lingual connection with consumers all over Europe."
Facts on Golfresan Media AB and Travelcaddie.com
Golfresan Media AB, is a company that since 2002, runs the site www.golfresan.se and now www.travelcaddie.com. The company also runs the magazine Golfresan and Scandinavia's largest amateur tournament, Golfresan On Tour.
Golfresan Media AB arranges Golfresan On Tour together with 55 golf clubs all over Sweden. During 2009 8.300 participated in these events.
The magazine Golfresan is published in Sweden, and has a circulation of 25.000 copies. The magazine is published 4 times a year and focus on golf travels, food and wine.


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Written by Katy St. Clair
Oakland, CA – Anyone who grew up in the '70s took going to concerts for granted. You could wait in line all night to ensure a great seat instead of taking your chances online. You could buy a ticket and actually have some money left over for gas. And, once you snuck out of your parent's house, you knew it was going to be one of the best nights of your life.
Kids in the Bay Area were especially lucky—they had Oakland's Day on the Green for nearly 20 years. Spanning from 1973 to 1991, these outdoor concerts featured acts as huge and varied as Led Zeppelin, David Bowie, The Clash, The Eagles, and U2. "It was a coming-of-age tradition," says KKIQ's "Hometown Mornings" radio host Wayne Coy, who eagerly awaited the shows every year.
Now Coy wants to bring back that same feeling and experience. His concert promotion company, Got Live Entertainment acquired the Day on the Green trademark and amassed a great group of bands to relive our old memories. "I just feel like there is a certain kind of concert experience that has disappeared since the '70s and '80s," he says. You can say that again. It's not unusual to pay upwards of $700 dollars to see a hot concert these days, especially since the music industry has changed so much and there is less money to be had in album sales.
When Coy decided to resurrect Day on the Green, he knew he wanted it to be outside on grass; he knew he wanted to book the best bands, and he knew he wanted to make it affordable for people.
So, how to recreate the excitement and energy of the original? Easy. Coy has amassed a monster collection of premier professional tribute bands– All the music without the breakups and infighting! Evolution features the music of Journey and has twice been voted the top tribute group in California. The Boys of Summer perform the music of The Eagles; with the sad passing of Glenn Frey this year it will truly be a treat to recreate a live Eagles experience. Mirage is a Fleetwood Mac tribute group that has been praised by none other than the "White Witch" herself, Stevie Nicks. Foreigner Unauthorized sounds just like the name—A Fresno band dedicated to the band fronted by Lou Gramm. Finally, there's Savor, a multi-instrumental nod to Santana.
As well as recreating the sounds, Coy wanted to duplicate the easy outdoor feel that the original concerts had. He even approached the Oakland Coliseum, but things had changed since 1973. The Oakland A's agreed to it only if a surface was put down to cover the playing field's grass. "I wasn't interested in 'Day On The Plastic!" he laughs. Finally he settled on the gorgeous grove of the Pioneer Amphitheatre on the Cal State East Bay campus in Hayward. This location, coupled with the premier tribute groups means you can relive (or enjoy for the first time!) Day on the Green for only $24.99.
"There's nobody better to bring back Day on the Green than Wayne," says former KFRC program director Dave "The Duke" Sholin. "He's someone who's been there, done that and now he gets to do it himself which is really cool." Dave has known Wayne since high school and can remember how involved he was in the music scene. "He's a Bay Area guy, and you gotta have that true local vibe and feel to put it together the right way. It's going to be fantastic."
Long time concert promoter Jim Ocean agrees. "The idea of the 'zombie brand coming back is exciting! Day on the Green was a mini Woodstock, though 3000 miles away." Ocean is enthusiastic about the idea of bringing back the Boomers for more revelry but also introducing the feeling to Millennials. "If Wayne can make this multigenerational that would be so cool."
"Lots of young people love going to outdoor concerts," says former Live-105 Program Director Richard Sands, who sat in the audience himself for many a Day on the Green shows. "I don't think that's changed at all! I salute Wayne for putting this together."
Most importantly, Coy hopes to create the same memories and friendships for other people that he did back in the day. Concerts used to be about community and celebration. "Yes," he says, "We wanted to see Zeppelin or Skynyrd or Frampton or Journey. But we also looked forward to meeting others who went to different schools, lived in different towns and came together for the same reasons we did. The music was the glue and the main attraction but the residuals went so much deeper."
Day on the Green 2016 happens on Saturday, September 10th, and $5 of your ticket price goes to the Sentinels of Freedom Scholarship Fund for wounded post 9-11 vets.
What: Day On The Green (www.dayonthegreen.net)
Who: Evolution (Journey), Boys Of Summer (Eagles), Mirage (Fleetwood Mac), Foreigner Unauthorized, Savor (Santana)
Where: CSUEB Pioneer Amphitheatre – Hayward
When: Saturday 9/10/16 – Gates open at 11am


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door hardware
There are many options for door hardware and furniture. These items can be used as door hardware to improve the appearance and functionality. A knob, a lock, and a handle are some of the most popular door furnishings. Here are some tips on how to choose the right hardware and door furniture. They can improve the look and functionality of your home's doors. There are many options for styles and designs to choose from for your home.
Think about the function of your doors. A standard door functions in three ways. Privacy, passage, and entry. Each of these types should match the door's function. You should choose hinges that are either left or right if you have an interior or exterior door. Some doors use both. Make sure you select the right one for your needs. If you are unsure, consult a professional.
It is as simple as measuring your door to find the right hardware for you. Hardware comes in many styles, each with its benefits. First, determine the type of door you have. Take measurements when shopping online. You should measure accurately and pay attention to the distance between each hole and the center. Consider your budget. There are many options available that are affordable so you don't have to spend a lot for the right door hardware.
Once you have the measurements, you are ready to start searching for the right door hardware. Be sure to provide any information you have on your door, including the thickness, backset, and bore hole size. This information will make the selection process much easier. There are many options for door hardware, so it is easy to find the right one. These are some tips to help you choose the right hardware.
Door hardware is incomplete without the faceplate. The faceplate is a rectangular-shaped piece made of metal that surrounds the door latch. You can choose from many different finishes and have it painted in a different color. Also, consider the size and thickness of your doors. A faceplate that is larger than the door is a better choice. This way, it will not be as noticeable from outside.
Door hardware can be decorative, functional, or both. For example, a non-rising pin is a hinge that cannot be removed. This type of door hardware is used to prevent doors from opening. Some locks are more secure than others because they have additional features. They can also be used to close or open a door. It is a good idea to measure the faceplate before purchasing any new hardware.
It is important to measure your doors before you buy door hardware. This will help you determine the dimensions and space of the door. It is important to consider the thickness of the door. This will help you choose the right hardware for your doors. It's essential to ensure that the door handle is properly fitted for the space. It is also important to measure the backset.
Before you buy door hardware, make sure you know the exact dimensions and design details. You will need to measure the door's backset and the hole's center. Also, measure the thickness at the outermost section of your door. Also, ensure that the hardware matches your existing hardware. This will ensure your new door is reliable and secure. To ensure safety inside your house, you will need to select the right hardware.
There are many options for hardware depending on the type of door. A non-rising pin is the most common type. This is a pin that cannot easily be removed. This type of door hardware is typically used on exterior doors that open outward. These are the most popular types of home-door hardware. It is important to know what you need in order to ensure you get the right product. Next, select the right hardware for your home.
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AustraliaMudgee NSW 5000Australia
04 5557 8869
About Mudgee
Mudgee is a town in the Central West of New South Wales, Australia. It is in the broad fertile Cudgegong River valley 261 km (162 mi) north-west of Sydney and is the largest town in the Mid-Western Regional Council local government area as well as being the council seat. As at June 2018 its population was 12,410. The district lies across the edge of the geological structure known as the Sydney Basin. == History == === Wiradjuri people === The Mudgee and Dabee clans of the Wiradjuri people lived at and around the site of what is now the town of Mudgee on the Cudgegong River.
Things to do in Mudgee, NSW
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Swine flu vaccine gets go-ahead
VACCINE companies will now plough all their resources into making a vaccine against H1N1 swine flu, following a decision by the World Health Organization to declare the virus an official pandemic on 11 June.
The WHO defines a pandemic as a virus that is spreading widely in the community in at least two regions. While community-acquired infections have been reported in Australia and North America for several weeks now, the WHO's official declaration changes which vaccines get made.
It will activate a slew of government pre-orders for pandemic vaccine from Australia, Canada, New Zealand and 12 European countries, including …
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July 27, 2020 ~ 6 Av 5780
Zalman Ace, 87, passed away Monday, July 27, 2020 at Baptist Health Louisville. Born in Belarus (Russia) December 26, 1932, he was the son of the late Solomon and Berta Ace. He attended medical school in Russia, receiving his doctorate degree and becoming a pediatrician. After moving to United States, he was associated with Jewish Hospital – Downtown. He was a member of The Temple.
He is survived by his devoted wife, Mola; his daughter, Margarita Shevchenko and her husband, Yuriy; his son, Edward Ace and his wife, Olga; and three wonderful grandchildren, Marina, Anthony and Arthur.
A private, family gathering will take place Wednesday, July 29th at Herman Meyer & Son, Inc. The family invites friends to a graveside service, 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, July 29th at The Temple Cemetery, 2716 Preston Highway.
You may join us on our FaceBook page at Herman Meyer & Son, Inc. for a "live" service for Zalman, beginning prior to 11:00 a.m. Wednesday.
The Temple Cemetery Section A-7, Lot 148A, Grave 3


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Azerbaijan to transport 5 million tons of Kazakh oil in 2009: advisor to SOCAR president
08 October 2009 [15:37]
According to the forecasts of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR), Azerbaijan will transport about 5 million tons of Kazakh oil in 2009, KazTAG reported quoting Adviser to the President of SOCAR Murad Heydarov as saying on Oct.8.
"In 2008, Azerbaijan has transported about 2.7 million tons of Kazakh crude oil via the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) and over 300,000 tons of this oil was from the Tengiz field," Heydarov said at the 17th Kazakhstan International Oil and Gas Conference.
"We plan to increase this index to 5 million tons of oil in 2010, although the realization of the Trans-Caspian project is only in its initial stage," Heydarov added.
The Trans-Caspian system is expected to be put into operation in 2013 and at the initial stage the oil transportation will be about 23 million tons of oil per year, the adviser said.
Haydarov said the BTC transported about 1.34 million tons of Kazakh oil in January-September and by rail - 2.3 million tons.
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Copyright © Today.Az


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Jerry Don Hibdon, 73, of Amarillo, TX died Friday, February 5, 2021.
A memorial will be held at a later date. Arrangements are by Boxwell Brothers Funeral Directors, 2800 Paramount Blvd.
Jerry was born June 5, 1947, in San Antonio, TX to Oscar Leroy and Joyce Hibdon. He honorably served his country for two years in the US Army during the Vietnam War.
Jerry worked as a master carpenter for much of his career. He spent his final 10 years working for the City of Amarillo as a building inspector, retiring in 2016. Jerry also was a 32nd Degree Mason.
He was preceded in death by a son, Tommy Don Hibdon; his father Oscar Leroy Hibdon; two sisters, Bonnie and Darlene; a brother, Roger Dale Hibdon; and a nephew, Raymond Laney.
Survivors include his wife Heidi Hibdon, of Amarillo, TX; sons, Tracy Hibdon, and Shawn Hibdon, both of Lubbock, TX, George Hibdon and wife Lynsey of Clackamas, OR, and Anthony Hibdon, of Tulia, TX; a daughter, Stephanie Kuepper and husband Michael Fongers, of Grapevine, TX; grandchildren, Kaitlyn, Cooper, Mykayla, Riley, Polly, and expecting Dax Hibdon very soon; his mom, Joyce Tatum Hibdon, of Lubbock, TX; two brothers, David Hibdon and Jurrell Hibdon, both of Lubbock, TX; and two sisters, Beverly Hibdon and Linda Hibdon, both of Lubbock, TX.


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The Chevrolet Volt Narrowly Beats the Nissan Leaf in October Sales
In October 2013, General Motors sold 2,022 copies of the Chevrolet Volt which accounted for a drop of 31.7% compared to the 2,961 sold in the same month last year. Although October saw a big drop compared to the same month in 2012, October was still the 3rd best month of the 2013 year for the Volt and more importantly (for the sake of this article), the Volt sold 20 more units in October 2013 than Nissan sold Leaf EVs.
Sales of the Nissan Leaf were fairly strong in October 2013 with 2,002 units sold making October the 5th best month of the year. In most of the months this year, 2,000 units sold for the Leaf would have allowed the all electric Nissan to claim the monthly sales title and to gain some ground on the Chevy Volt in the run for the annual sales race but with the Volt posting a strong month – the Leaf lost some ground on its top rival.
On the year, General Motors has sold 18,872 copies of the Chevrolet Volt while Nissan has sold "only" 18,078 examples of the Leaf so the Volt holds a lead of almost 800 units as we head into the final two months of the year. This means that the Nissan Leaf will have to beat the Chevy Volt be an average of about 400 units in each of the final two months and based on the sales numbers earlier this year, this is something that the Leaf could do. However, with the Volt having been fairly strong in the final two months of the past two years (excluding a surprisingly weak November 2012), Nissan has a tough road ahead if they want the Leaf to claim its second annual EV sales title and spoil the back-to-back party for GM and its popular Volt.
Now, before any of the Tesla zombies who have consumed too much of Elon Musk's Kool Aid run to the comment section to insist that the Tesla Model S sedan is actually the bestselling EV in America, I will remind everyone that I opt not to include the Model S in my monthly sales review because the company doesn't have the cojones to publish their actual sales numbers. While the company offers up their quarterly production figures, the lack of straightforward sales figures for the Tesla Model S like we get from GM or Nissan causes me to exclude the electric luxury car from my monthly EV sales review. After all, if the Tesla Model S was selling well enough to knock off the Nissan Leaf or the Chevrolet Volt – the company would be happy to publish their numbers.


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Letter: Revisiting dramas isn't coincidental
Clarence Page states in his Perspective column, 'It may be only coincidental, but this is a good time to revisit two racially charged dramas: The O.J. Simpson double-homicide case and the confirmation hearings for now-Justice Clarence Thomas' nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court.'
Page's point seems to be that the so-called race card was played in both, that it is usually played from the bottom of the deck, and 'no race has a monopoly on it.' I would argue the timing of these revisitations in an election year is in no way coincidental. They are used by the Democratic Party in conjunction with their Hollywood friends to help Hillary Clinton win the election. The real purpose of the Simpson case was not to remind people how justice was subverted for Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman, but to reinforce anger with a voting bloc about racism in the police department. The Democratic Party is concerned that with a less-than-stellar economic record, voter turnout will be way below what it was in 2012, let alone 2008.
As far Thomas' confirmation hearing, what a joke. If Anita Hill had spoken out earlier, she might have had a little more credibility. The whole purpose of dredging all that up now becomes obvious in reading the words of Jill Abramson, who wrote in the Guardian: 'D.C. has rarely been a place that respected women's authority. Perhaps this is the year that finally changes.' Why not just put #votehillary at the end?
It's ironic that Clinton's campaign is saying it is finally time we start believing women who make charges of harassment when she was the one involved in destroying women who spoke out against her husband. Voting for someone just because of their sex or race makes little sense to me.
John Woodward, Loudon


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Jennifer Rubin | The Washington Post
PRESIDENT BIDEN HAS BEEN IN OFFICE FOR SIX MONTHS. Despite right-wing media's effort to portray him as a doddering socialist – If he is so feeble, is there really a socialist threat? – his approval ratings remain strong – 58 percent in the most recent CBS/YouGov poll. THERE IS GOOD REASON FOR THE HIGH MARKS.
Biden has exceeded expectations among progressives, more centrist Democrats and many non-MAGA Republicans on several fronts. Despite the emergence of the delta variant, his management of the vaccination program was commendable and arguably the most "whole of government" response to a crisis outside wartime in decades. We are now mostly down to the willfully unvaccinated. That success in turn has allowed the economy to begin roaring back, albeit with a flash of inflation.
His Cabinet is diverse, competent and capable of advancing his robust domestic agenda. His judicial nominees are impressive and also remarkably diverse in gender, race and background.
Meanwhile, Biden excels as the mourner – and comforter-in-chief. The tone of the White House including the briefing room is infinitely improved. No crank coronavirus cures, insults and gaslighting from this crew.
Biden has arguably made more progress by getting both the American Rescue Plan and the $250 billion Innovation and Competition Act than one would have expected with a 50-50 partisan split in the Senate. If he gets through his bipartisan infrastructure bill and reconciliation package — both of which are chock-full of popular measures, including tax increases for the super-rich and an end to corporate tax gamesmanship — he will have accomplished more in his first year in office than any president since perhaps Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
On foreign policy, Biden has succeeded in reaffirming and repairing, especially with regard to the U.S. relationship with the European Union and NATO. He has begun to rebuild the defense of universal human rights, a strong pillar of our national security. He restored America's international stature by rejoining the Paris accord and the World Health Organization. And he sanctioned Russia and called out China for cyberattacks. Critics argue he could have been tougher on both, but the groveling before dictators has ended, thankfully.
THERE ARE ALSO THE THINGS BIDEN DID NOT DO THAT SOME OBSERVERS FEARED. He did not automatically rejoin the Iran nuclear deal. He is not interested in packing the Supreme Court. He has not interfered with the day-to-day decision-making in the Justice Department – more on that later. He has issued a fleet of executive orders but has not usurped Congress by, for example, trying to ban assault weapons or expand background checks absent legislation. Restraint is an underappreciated quality in a president.
Nevertheless, there are worrying developments. Many of these are works-in-progress, but if there is not some course correction, his agenda will suffer.
Most important, his decision to withdraw all troops from Afghanistan – rather than leave a small military force behind – will prove disastrous if terrorists reconstitute themselves, posing a threat to the United States and its allies, and if Afghan women's rights are obliterated. The signs so far are not positive.
His hands-off approach to the Justice Department and selection of Attorney General Merrick Garland has, to the dismay of many Law-and-Order, Never Trumpers and Democrats, resulted in neither prosecutions of the former president and his senior staff nor any comprehensive review of the department's conduct over the past four years. Refusing to hold former government officials accountable is a mistake and an invitation for future abuses. Fortunately, the inspector general is looking into discrete subjects, but this is no substitute for a full review. Garland still has time to consider a range of charges against the former president and his senior advisers if the facts and the law warrant; the question is whether he has the will.
On voting rights, Biden has said the right things. Garland has filed one lawsuit against Georgia and vowed to double the Justice Department's civil rights staff. But there has been no full-throttled attempt to pursue possible charges against those who allowed phony auditors to despoil ballots and voting machines in Arizona. Given that the Supreme Court has largely tied Garland's hands, new legislation is the only real remedy. Still, there is no visible strategy for obtaining voting reforms or to prevent Republican schemes to flip election results. If Biden is slowly cajoling Sen. Joe Manchin III (D-W.Va.) to work around the filibuster, then the president's refusal to publicly address the Senate procedure may be understandable. But if Biden fails to pass voting protections and never makes a pitch for filibuster "reform", the backlash will be fierce and deserved.
RIGHT-WING ATTEMPTS TO BLAME BIDEN FOR THE SURGE IN MIGRANTS IS ABSURD AND COUNTERFACTUAL. Nevertheless, the administration was unprepared for the situation at the border. Having been put back on its heels, it now declines to take credit for what amounts to a humanitarian rescue operation for thousands of children. The bobble over the refugee cap was another miscue.
FINALLY, Biden may have been too nice. In backing off additional funding for the IRS to raise more revenue in the bipartisan infrastructure deal, he has allowed Republicans to not only break their word but defend tax cheating. That is worth a public scolding. Granted, Biden is trying to lower the temperature and return to bipartisan deal-making, but he should not permit Republicans to escape vocal condemnation at critical moments.
ON BALANCE, THE POSITIVE CERTAINLY OUTWEIGHS THE NEGATIVE. And compared with a hypothetical second term for his predecessor, his performance is magnificent. Nevertheless, there is room for improvement — and only so much time before the midterm election cycle.


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Police & Fire: Two shot in Albion drive-by
Trace Christenson
Battle Creek Enquirer
ALBION - Two were wounded Tuesday morning in a drive-by shooting, according to the Albion Department of Public Safety.
The shooting was reported in the 900 block of Boyd Drive. The shooter fled. Both victims were taken to the hospital but their conditions were not known late Tuesday morning.
Anyone with information is asked to call the department at 517-629-7824 or Silent Observer at 517-629-2700.


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Here and Now: Living in the Spirit Henri J.M. Nouwen (Paperback)
Not a faint memory, but happening right here and now, spiritual living takes place in the present; the Spirit meets us in the ordinary. These inspirational reflections by Henri Nouwen succeed in convincing us that God's presence is reliable.
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The Swiss watchmakers of Oris have proven to be some of the best in the business time and time again. Their watches are essentially the Rolls Royces of the watch world. The craftsmanship and luxurious design are unrivaled. With their Big Crown Propilot X Calibre 115 (what a mouth full) they have built upon the design of their previous models to create the best and most luxurious watch out there.
If It Ain't Broke… Make It Better
This watch follows many subtle design cues of the previous Oris Calibre 110. This was already an absolutely incredible timepiece. Nobody would blame them if they were to leave the 110 as it were and just keep pumping them out. But Oris is not about that. They took this fantastic piece and reimagined it to create something better than ever. The Calibre 115 is made of titanium; nearly indestructible. With this strength, they were able to make the case just 44.0 mm thin to keep it from feeling too heavy or bulky. Underneath it is powered by a mainspring coiled up in an oversized barrel. This watch is 'fully skeletonized", as they call it.
This means they have left much of the watch face open to reveal the impressive equipment, which can be seen at 12 o'clock. Not only does this design feature show off all the gears, but it looks great. Another notable feature is it's run time. Upon being fully wound up, this watch can run for 10 days straight. That's 240 hours on a single complete wind.
Maybe to you, a watch is just a way to tell time. And if so, that's totally fine. But if you view a watch as a statement, a tool to say something with, then this is the watch for you. The Oris Big Crown Propilot X Calibre 115 definitely makes the kind of statement you want to give off. Power, success, intelligence… it says it all. Buy Here


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PHOENIX — A woman and her family say she was "brutalized" after a severe dip in her blood sugar caused her to plow through a Phoenix business Monday night.
During the medical event, Nicole Bryden crashed into a florist near 38th Street and Baseline Road. She said the police officers thought she was high on drugs and handcuffed her. Officers told her she hit other cars along the way, she said.
Bryden said she took her kids, 5 and 8 years old, to eat that night but felt strange. She never even made it inside the restaurant.
"I never got out of the car. My kids said I fell asleep for a while," Bryden said.
She said her kids returned to the car, and she started to drive home.
"That's when I blacked out," Bryden said.
Bryden said she woke up to police surrounding her.
"I was handcuffed. They threw me in the back of the cop car," she said. "My daughter told me she kept telling them, 'My mom's diabetic.'"
Bryden said she eventually got the attention of a paramedic, who took her blood sugar level. She said it was 38 mg/dL. According to WebMD, most people without diabetes have blood sugar levels around 70 to 80 mg/dL when levels are at the lowest, before meals.
Police have not filed any charges. The flower shop's insurance is covering damages.
Bryden believed she may have been mistreated by police and set up a GoFundMe for funds to hire a lawyer.


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Master exam – Kåre Andreas Thorsen: Wash away or chase away – the effect of mucus cells and larger salmon lice to control new chalimus infection
Kåre Andreas Thorsen holds 7th of October his final presentation of his master thesis in aquaculture biology.
Supervisor: Karin Pittman.
Internal examiner: Ole Bent Samuelsen.
Sensor: Geir Lasse Taranger, HI
Time and place: Friday 7th of October, 13:15, Seminarrom K1, Biologen.


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Bolton Wanderers: Young midfielder Alex Perry signs first professional contract
Last updated on .From the section Football
Young midfielder Alex Perry has signed a first professional contract with Championship side Bolton Wanderers.
Perry, 19, made his first team debut in the Football League Trophy in August before playing in the 1-0 win over Grimsby in the FA Cup in November.
The Liverpool-born midfielder came through the Wanderers' academy and was a regular in the club's Under-23 side.
However, Bolton, who were promoted from League One last season, have released full-back Callum Spooner.


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AlexNet [2012, paper by Krizhevsky et al.]
Main Ideas
ReLU nonlinearity, training on multiple GPUs, local response normalization, overlapping pooling, data augmentation, dropout
Why it is Important
AlexNet won the ImageNet competition in 2012 by a large margin. It was the biggest network at the time. The network demonstrated the potential of training large neural networks quickly on massive datasets using widely available gaming GPUs; before that neural networks had been trained mainly on CPUs. AlexNet also used novel ReLU activation, data augmentation, dropout and local response normalization. All of these allowed to achieve state-of-the art performance in object recognition in 2012.
Brief Description
ReLU Nonlinearity
ReLU is a so-called non-saturating activation. This means that gradient will never be close to zero for a positive activation and as result, the training will be faster.
By contrast, sigmoid activations are saturating, which makes gradient close to zero for large absolute values of activations. Very small gradient will make the network train slower or even stop, because the step size during gradient descent's weight update will be small or zero (so-called vanishing gradient problem).
By employing ReLU, training speed of the network was six times faster as compared to classical sigmoid activations that had been popular before ReLU. Today, ReLU is the default choice of activation function.
Local Response Normalization
After layers C1 and C2, activities of neurons were normalized according to the formula above. What this did is scaled the activities down by taking into account 5 neuron activities at preceding and following feature channels at the same spatial position.
These activities were squared and used together with parameters $n$, $k$, $\alpha$ and $\beta$ to scale down each neuron's activity. Authors argue that this created "competition for big activities amongst neuron outputs computed using different kernels". This approach reduced top-1 error by 1%. In the table above you can see an example of neuron activations scaled down by using this approach. Also note that the values of $n$, $k$, $\alpha$ and $\beta$ were selected using cross-validation.
Overlapping Pooling
AlexNet used max pooling of size 3 and stride 2. This means that the largest values were pooled from 3x3 regions, centers of these regions being 2 pixels apart from each other vertically and horizontally. Overlapping pooling reduced tendency to overfit and also reduced test error rates by 0.4% and 0.3% (for top-1 and top-5 error correspondingly).
Data Augmentation
Data augmentation is a regularization strategy (a way to prevent overfitting). AlexNet uses two data augmentation approaches.
The first takes random crops of input images, as well as rotations and flips and uses them as inputs to the network during training. This allows to vastly increase the size of the data; the authors mention the increase by the factor of 2048. Another benefit is the fact that augmentation is performed on the fly on CPU while the GPUs train previous batch of data. In other words, this type of augmentation is essentially computationally free, and also does not require to store augmented images on disk.
The second data augmentation strategy is so-called PCA color augmentation. First, PCA on all pixels of ImageNet training data set is performed (a pixel is treated as a 3-dimensional vector for this purpose). As result, we get a 3x3 covariance matrix, as well as 3 eigenvectors and 3 eigenvalues. During training, a random intensity factor based on PCA components is added to each color channel of an image, which is equivalent to changing intensity and color of illumination. This scheme reduces top-1 error rate by over 1% which is a significant reduction.
Test Time Data Augmentation
The authors do not explicitly mention this as contribution of their paper, but they still employed this strategy. During test time, 5 crops of original test image (4 corners and center) are taken as well as their horizontal flips. Then predictions are made on these 10 images. Predictions are averaged to make the final prediction. This approach is called test time augmentation (TTA). Generally, it does not need to be only corners, center and flips, any suitable augmentation will work. This improves testing performance and is a very useful tool for deep learning practitioners.
AlexNet used 0.5 dropout during training. This means that during forward pass, 50% of all activations of the network were set to zero and also did not participate in backpropagation. During testing, all neurons were active and were not dropped. Dropout reduces "complex co-adaptations" of neurons, preventing them to depend heavily on other neurons being present. Dropout is a very efficient regularization technique that makes the network learn more robust internal representations, significantly reducing overfitting.
Architecture itself is relatively simple. There are 8 trainable layers: 5 convolutional and 3 fully connected. ReLU activations are used for all layers, except for the output layer, where softmax activation is used. Local response normalization is used only after layers C1 and C2 (before activation). Overlapping max pooling is used after layers C1, C2 and C5. Dropout was only used after layers F1 and F2.
Due to the fact that the network resided on 2 GPUs, it had to be split in 2 parts that communicated only partially. Note that layers C2, C4 and C5 only received as inputs outputs of preceding layers that resided on the same GPU. Communication between GPUs only happened at layer C3 as well as F1, F2 and the output layer.
The network was trained using stochastic gradient descent with momentum and learning rate decay. In addition, during training, learning rate was decreased manually by the factor of 10 whenever validation error rate stopped improving.
Additional Readings
- Paper: Rectified Linear Units Improve Restricted Boltzmann Machines
- Paper: Dropout: A Simple Way to Prevent Neural Networks from Overfitting
- Quora: Why are GPUs well-suited to deep learning?
- Why are GPUs necessary for training Deep Learning models?
- Data Augmentation: How to use Deep Learning when you have Limited Data.
- Color intensity data augmentation: Fancy PCA (Data Augmentation) with Scikit-Image
- PCA Color Augmentation
- Since PCA in the paper is done on the whole entirety of ImageNet data set (or maybe subsample, but that is not mentioned), the data most probably will not fit in memory. In that case, incremental PCA may be used that performs PCA in batches. This thread is also useful in explaining how to do partial PCA without loading the whole data in memory.
- Test time augmentation
Return to all architectures
Note: this post was originally published on Medium.


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Did you know if you believe it, it can happen? I'm not talking about seeing aliens or the Loch Ness Monster, I'm talking about the attainable goals you're striving for. It's all about the vibe you're sending out into the Universe and the mindset you provide it. They call it "the Success Mindset," because itContinue reading "You Have to Believe"
Tag Archives: positive vibes
Allow Yourself to Feel It
You don't need to like how you feel right now.⠀ It's okay, I promise. Allow this to be a part of your story and allow yourself to feel it. Then, take a deep breath and take a step forward into your next chapter. The most beautiful thing about life is that it's constantly changing andContinue reading "Allow Yourself to Feel It"
What If We Were Nicer To Each Other?
I want you to try something today (or tomorrow depending on when you're reading this.) I want you to pay someone a compliment. Doesn't have to be anything crazy. It can be someone you know or don't know. There really are no big rules to this, just pay someone a compliment. "Hey Karen, that shirtContinue reading "What If We Were Nicer To Each Other?"
Learn To Say, "NO"
Hi, my name is Marissa and I'm a recovering "People Pleaser." I'm someone who would very much bend over backwards for just about anyone. You needed me, you had me. I barely know you? Eh, whatever. I see the good in everyone. There's no way you're gonna take advantage of me…right?…right? Insert eye roll here.Continue reading "Learn To Say, "NO""
Even During The Hard Stuff
SMILE. Have you ever witnessed someone get really frustrated at something and they put on the BIGGEST, fakest smile? They're obviously annoyed, but now they're smiling and they look ridiculous (if it's on a sitcom anyway) but suddenly…they start to feel better. They get through the moment. The classic Dick Van Dyke song from ByeContinue reading "Even During The Hard Stuff"


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The 7 Best free Instagram courses on Udemy (2022) – In this article I am listing the 7 best free Instagram courses on Udemy. The courses are aimed at all levels and you don't need to pay a subscription to avail of them.
If you are interested in improving your Instagram marketing skills, make sure you check my other articles and don't forget to follow Increasily on Instagram:
If you need help with growing your Instagram, feel free to check our Social Media management services.
'Udemy is an online learning and teaching marketplace with over 130000 courses and 35 million students' (source: udemy.com)
In Udemy you can find both free and paid courses. The website udemyfreecourses.org is great at finding at indexing all free courses, including the best free Instagram courses on Udemy.
These are the best free Instagram courses on Udemy in 2022, sorted by popularity.
Author: John Chang, Sarah Davidson
Lectures: 14
Duration: 57 minutes
Reviews: 4.1 average (960 ratings) 23,105 students
Level: Beginner
Author: Adam Reed, Zack Meays
Lectures: 62
Duration: 3h 24 minutes
Reviews: 4.0 average (860 ratings) 21,831 students
Level: Beginner
Author: Three Sixty Academy
Lectures: 9
Duration: 40 minutes
Reviews: 4.1 average (751 ratings) 22,638 students
Level: All Levels
Author: Dave Rotheroe
Lectures: 11
Duration: 50 minutes
Reviews: 4.3 average (737 ratings) 19,601 students
Level: All Levels
Author: Dante Kohrs
Lectures: 33
Duration: 40 minutes
Reviews: 3.7 average (471 ratings) 10,030 students
Level: Beginner
Author: Josh MacDonald
Lectures: 19
Duration: 2h 7 minutes
Reviews: 3.8 average (324 ratings) 14,018 students
Level: Beginner
This is just a short list with the 6 best free Instagram courses on Udemy. There are a lot more free courses that you can check here.
Have you found any course among the best free Instagram courses on Udemy that stands out? Would you recommend any other course? Let me know in the comments!
Author: Erick Scudero, M2up
Language: Portuguese
Lectures: 15
Duration: 1h 16 minutes
Reviews: 4.4 average (911 ratings) 11,242 students
Level: Beginner
Who this course is for:


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French Resistance and Roman Fiction
A World War 2 Trilogy
By FRED NATH (Novelist and Neurosurgeon)
Fred's Blog
|Posted on 15 February, 2012 at 3:37
|comments (196)
This is an information leaflet available to my patients and does not imply that this is appicable to you or your Consultan'ts practice. Not everyone would agree with all the statements made here, so if you have this condition, or think you have, you need to consult your own doctor.
Trigeminal Neuralgia
An Information Leaflet
What is Trigeminal Neuralgia?
This is a condition, which is characterised by very severe facial pain. it is worse than a labour pain - I'm told. The particular features of this condition are that the pain is almost always confined to one side of the face and it occurs out of the blue without any obvious cause and does not go away by itself in thelong term.
Trigeminal Neuralgia is diagnosed mainly from the patient's story. The pain typically occurs on one side of the face and may involve the upper, middle or lower thirds of the face, sometimes two thirds of the face and occasionally the whole of one side.
The character of the pain is that it is a very sharp pain, often described as feeling like ' red hot needles ' and the jabs of pain last for seconds or minutes and are of sudden onset. The pain may occur so suddenly that it can make the patient jump when it occurs.
Another feature of Trigeminal Neuralgia is that there is often a trigger spot on the face or in the mouth which if touched can start the pain off. The pain can also be provoked by touch, cold, washing the face, eating and talking. Unfortunately this can drive patients to despair and some patients loseweight and may even avoid social contact.
You do not need to have all of these features to have Trigeminal Neuralgia but usually most of them are present. Dull pain that spreads across the mid-line of the face and does not have typical provoking features is not Trigeminal neuralgia. If you have doubts about the type of pain that you are suffering, discuss this with your consultant.
We do not know for certain what the underlying cause of this painful condition may be. There are however theories about the cause, which seem to fit the facts and offer a chance of long-term treatment.
The nerve that supplies one half of the face and part of the scalp comes from the lower part of the brain at the back. It is thought that where the nerve enters the brain (the Root Entry Zone) a blood vessel lies incontact with the nerve and this 'vascular compression' causes the pain.
This seems to be correct as the vast majority of patients that we operate upon do have this problem, inthis area. Unfortunately only 90% ofpatients do have a demonstrable vessel causing the pain at operation so we arenot 100% certain that our theory is correct.
There are other causes of Trigeminal Neuralgia such as pressure from tumours or inflammatory conditions of the nervous system but most of these other causes can be excluded by doing abrain scan before planning treatment.
Treatment of TrigeminalNeuralgia is divided up into medical and surgical treatment.
The mainstay of medicaltreatment is to give drugs that are normally used in the treatment ofepilepsy. These particular drugs slowdown nervous tissues ability to transmit the electrical impulses, which allowsnerves to function. The most effectiveof these is Tegretol (carbamazepine) which can be prescribed in doses up to1200 milligrams / day. Other drugs suchas Epanutin (phenytoin) and Epilim (sodium valproate) can also be used. Usually the pain is controlled by a smalldose of Tegretol and other treatment is not needed, as this drug is usuallywell tolerated and safe for long-term use. The other drugs tend to be used if the patient does not tolerate theTegretol for one reason or another. Ifthe drugs don't work there are surgical options that can be considered.
A number of surgicalprocedures are available each with particular advantages anddisadvantages. Your surgeon will be ableto tell you which is the most suitable treatment in your individual case.
There are four basic waysto treat this condition:
1. A needle is placed under local or sometimes a generalanaesthetic into the area where the nerve comes out of from the skull usingx-ray control. A small amount ofglycerin is then injected after which the patient has to keep still with thehead held forward for about 5-6 hours to allow the glycerin to do it's job (notall surgeons feel that keeping the head still in this way is necessary). It works by dehydrating the nerve and causingit mild damage and this reduces its ability to transmit pain. This is a good treatment but the effects lastonly from 6 to 24 months usually.
2. Instead of injecting anything into the nerve an electricalneedle can be inserted into the nerve and used to cauterize the nervepartially. The needle placement is mademore precise by being able to stimulate the nerve to produce a gentle tingleand when this is in the place where the patient has the pain that particularportion of the nerve can be heated up electrically. This is a good treatment but suffers from thedisadvantage that it leads to a degree of permanent numbness of the face andalso a kind of after pain can result (in 5-10%) which can be very difficult totreat. It does however give good longterm relief of pain and only 15-20% of patients get the pain back in the longterm.
3. The nerve can be cut. This is usually done by an open operation and usually results incomplete facial numbness on that side of the face. This is only ever done as a last resort asthe numbness of the eyeball that results can produce serious problems withvision in the long term.
4. The above treatments all work by damaging the nerve and theonly treatment that we have which is non-destructive is an operation called 'micro-vascular decompression'.
Microvascular decompression is a relatively new operation that has been used now for about thirty years. A small opening is made at the back of the skull and the edge of the brain is gently lifted aside. The Trigeminal nerve is identified and usinga microscope is examined for contact with a blood vessel, which is gentlylifted away from the nerve and held away with a special tiny sponge.
This effectively stops the pain in more than 97% of cases and leads to a permanent cure in approximately 90% of patients. Thisoperation has the advantage that it is very effective and does not damage the nerve and return of the pain is rare. Numbness following surgery is usually temporary however 15% of patients get some permanent loss of feeling in the face.
Shortly before admissionto hospital, it is likely that you will be seen in a pre-admission clinic whereyour general fitness for the anaesthetic is assessed. You may need a chest x-ray, ECG (a hearttracing) and some blood tests.
When you are admitted to hospital, surgery is usually carried out the following day. Most patients are given an injection or tablets before surgery to relax them (pre-med). The anaesthetist who puts you to sleep will visit the day before surgeryto decide on this and on your general fitness for the anaesthetic.
On the day of surgery you will be taken to the anaesthetic room in the operating theatre and given an injection to make you sleep during the operation, after which you will awaken on the Neurosurgical Ward.
Microvascular decompression is generally a safe procedure and can be carried out at almost any age. The oldest patient operated on in Middlesbrough with this operation was aged 89 and did extremely well!
You can expect to be in hospital for a minimum of five days, unless some complication arises. One of the risks of this operation is that when manipulating blood vessels in the base of the brain a stroke might occur. We have not had such a case in the last 10 years however.
Occasionally the fluid, which bathes the brain, can leak into the wound and require a further small operationto repair the defect in the brain's coverings. This is an uncommon event but should your wound leak any fluid or othermatter following surgery it is important to inform your doctor.
Because other nerves are close to the Trigeminal nerve they can be affected by the surgery. This is very rare but there have been cases of weakness in the muscles of one side of the face temporarily, temporary double vision, temporary unsteadiness when walking and mild deafness on the side of the operation.
On your return home you are unlikely to feel like doing your own cooking cleaning or shopping for at least a few weeks. It is important thatyou should have a friend or relative staying with you during that time to look after you during your convalescence. If this is impossible, discuss the matter with the ward sister in the pre-assessment clinic or when you are admitted to the ward.
Following the surgery you should not be in any severe pain. If youare, you should consult your GP or telephone the ward.
If the wound becomes red, painful, tender or swollen or discharges any matter it is important you should either telephone your GP or the ward.
The wound will either have staples to close the skin or a dissolvable stitch buried under the skin. Ask the ward staff to advise you about this before you go home, as the staples should be removed between five and sevendays. You should avoid the wound getting wet during the first week after surgery. However, if the wound becomes wet when you wash your hair for example, you are unlikely to come to any harm and it can just be dabbed dry with a clean towel.
Most patients have returned to normal activities such as work and driving between six weeks and three months but this varies according to the patient's age.
A normal sex life can beresumed within two or three weeks.
If the surgery is successful you can say goodbye to the anti-convulsant drugs as soon as youawaken after the operation.
|Posted on 2 February, 2012 at 5:28
|comments (70)
Here's an article 'wot I rote' on Whiplash injury of interest to patients, lawyers etc:
(Excuse the word spacing - cut and paste isn't too good on this website!)
Whiplash Injury
Fred Nath FRCS
The term Whiplash injury is probably one of the most misused terms of all the medical terminology. The layman, some health professionals and the majority of lawyers use it incorrectly. This is because whiplash is a specific term thatrefers to a specific mechanism of injury and has characteristic pathological consequences.
The Mechanism:
To fit the definition, a whiplash injury must be an injury where there is a rear shunt motor vehicle accident, which pushes the recipient forwards. The head lags behind and the neck therefore may sustain an extension injury.The head is then thrown forwards and a flexion injury occurs. As the body falls back there is a further insult to the neck as the head is flung back again. A better term would be acceleration / deceleration injury as it describes what happens better. Most of the subsequent symptoms occur because of injury to the small joints of the spine (1), (9).
This is a different injury from that sustained by the driver of the vehicle behind,who is predominantly thrown forwards and the extension component to the neck (where the head is thrown back) is minimal by comparison. Flexion injuries particularly if combined with a degree of rotation are far more likely to resultin intervertebral disc lesions than a simple whiplash injury. In such injury there is always a degree of twisting strain as the loading on the neck is never perfectly symmetrical in a forwards / backwards direction at the time of impact. There are therefore twisting elements to the injury, which act upon the ligaments in the neck to increase the likelihood of disc prolapse.
The typical clinical picture in whiplash injury is that following the injury there is no obvious immediate pain. In severe cases there may be rapidly developing stiffness of the neck. Initially function is not impaired either. The patient may proceed from the accident to continue with daily activities but begins to notice stiffness in the neck. The following night is often uncomfortable and the majority develop significant pain and stiffness by the subsequent morning.This clinical picture varies considerably from patient to patient according to the severity of the original accident and whether the patient has a vulnerable neck by reason of pre-existing degenerative changes, which may give rise to symptoms after injury.
The severity of the injury is determined by many things (8). The posture at thetime of the accident may be such that there is twisting of the neck if the patient is looking to the side. Whether a seat belt is worn, whether there is a headrest, the springiness of the seat back, the angle of the seat back, theheight of the patient, the force of impact and the muscle tension (13) at the moment of impact may all be implicated in the evolution of the subsequent clinical picture. It follows therefore that the speed of the impact or the damage to the vehicle are not a good guide to the severity of the injury in this type of clinical picture, however, there is research suggesting minimum speeds at which injuries can occur (3). Whiplash injuries therefore are more complex than one might think at first glance, and it is unwise to group all the patients together, hence many of the studies published on whiplash injury vary considerably in their findings in relation to outcome.
Delay Before Symptoms:
Whiplash injury most commonly results in stretching of ligaments ( the sinews which hold the joints together) and muscles. The affected tissues may be torn in a severe injury but most commonly the injury is mild or moderate and serious mechanical damage to the neck is uncommon. This stretching of the tissues leads to bleeding (on a small scale) and an acute soft tissue inflammatory reaction. The inflammatory response takes time to appear as it is akin to the tissues' reaction to infection. When developing an infection (e.g. a common cold) the symptoms tend to evolve rather than happen instantaneously because it takes time for the inflammatory response to occur.
Soft tissue trauma therefore, takes time to produce symptoms. A typical case with a mild to moderate degree of trauma may take up to a few days to appear and to begin with, may be masked by painkilling medication taken to treat other injuries. It is therefore not uncommon for the patient to start to complain of stiffness and discomfort in the neck up to a week later. The delay in the appearance of the symptoms often leads the unwary to suppose that there is no connection between the injury and the development of the symptoms.
A swith any soft tissue injury, there are acute symptoms giving rise to initial acute pain and stiffness in the neck and this phase may last up to a few months following the trauma. There is then a secondary phase when the symptoms are intermittent and mild. The secondary phase may last up to two years, although some studies suggest that improvement in symptoms may continue for longer (7).Exacerbations caused by specific activities, which can last for days at a time,occur commonly. Soft tissue injuries of this type however, are not likely to give rise to symptoms after two years (at the outside) and the vast majority of whiplash injuries do not give symptoms for more than a few weeks.
Although the most common effect of a whiplash injury is to cause injury to the neck, there may be other associated injuries.
Anterior Neck Symptoms:
As thehead is thrown back the muscles at the front of the throat and neck are stretched. It is therefore common for the patient to complain of pain at thefront of the neck. This is particularly likely if at the moment of impact thepatient clenches the jaw. Much of the force of the extension injury will beabsorbed by the muscles at the front leading to tearing of muscle fibres and short-term pain. I personally have never seen a case in which there were severe symptoms at the back of the neck as well as the front, because of the bracing effect of the two opposing muscle groups upon each other.
Significant tearing of muscles at the front of the spine behind the gullet (oesophagus) may also lead to soft tissue swelling and mild difficulty swallowing. This is unusual however, without a fracture or dislocation of the bones in the neck.
Head Injury Symptoms:
In Neurosurgical circles it is well known from experimental pathology studies involving sudden acceleration of the head that severe injury to the brain can occur even without an impact. The rationale behind this is that as the head is thrown forwards, the brain shifts inside the skull, and if this is very sudden, it can result in shearing of long white matter nerve tracts inside the brain. This leads to significant damage in specific areas. The experimental studies required very forceful flexion / rotation acceleration and sudden deceleration of a severity that is not mirrored by the common whiplash injury,however it is well known and described that symptoms akin to post-concussionalsyndrome may occur linked with whiplash injury even when there is no actual impact of the head. This is also supported by the fact that cognitive deficits such as poor memory and concentration are also described in whiplash injury.
Jawpain (temporo-mandibular dysfunction):
As the muscles at the front of the neck contract they can pull on the lower jaw. The joints between the jaw- bone (mandible) and the lower side of he skull can therefore be pulled upon forcibly. This can lead to local pain in the jaw joint, which can lead to uneven movement of the jaw when opening the mouth or chewing. The patient may get into the habit of opening the mouth in an uneven fashion and this leads to a variety of symptoms including pain on eating and clicking of the jaw when opening the mouth.
The suddenness of the impact or the apparent inevitability when seeing the approaching vehicle in therear-view mirror, may lead to significant subsequent fear and anxiety. Such anxiety may be expressed in the form of typical post-traumatic stress symptoms (flash-backs, symptomatic anxiety in motor vehicles, nightmares and panic attacks) or may lead to subsequent depression exacerbated by unemployment and other social ill effects of the sequelae of the injury. Such depression may lead to a lengthening of litigation even in a no-fault compensation system(4). That post-traumatic stress occurs with whiplash injury, is well documented but the severity of this and the length of time for which it occurs is logically most likely to be a reflection of pre-morbid personality and previous history.
The vast majority of patients experience a few weeks of significant discomfort inthe neck which may be accompanied by tingling in the fingers and radiation ofthe pain to the back of the head. There is then a phase when the symptoms become intermittent. If there is background degenerative disease in the neck however, there may be associated symptoms with significant radiation to the upper limb due to nerve root irritation, neurological symptoms in the arms such as numbness and weakness, and significant headache (radiating upwards from theneck to the back of the head and sometimes over the vertex of the head tobehind the eyes). These patients do not do well, and in a small percentage, there may be chronic pain that never settles. The number of patients with symptomatic complaints varies considerably in different studies, ranging from 35% (11) to 70% at 15 years from injury (2) and 58% at 5 years in another study.
Psychological effects of the injury may alter the whole clinical picture. The sudden and unexpected nature of the injury may produce a degree of mental shock or post-traumatic stress and there may be anxiety and depression associated. It has been shown in a research study that certain groups of people have a higher resistance to the psychological effects than others (12). It is of interest that this study showed doctors to be more resistant to long-term symptoms than non-doctors, suggesting that if the subject is not as worried about the ill effects of the symptoms then they have less effect.
There is usually an indication of a psychological effect from the expert's examination however; as such patients often exhibit signs of functional overlay. This may take the form of pain with vertical pressure on the head or non-anatomical patterns of numbness or observing the patient moving the headn ormally in conversation but having very restricted movement on examination.There is no particular reason to expect these signs to indicate purposeful simulation, which in the author's experience is rare.
The vast majority of patients experience a few weeks to months of acute pain thatbecomes intermittent then fades gradually into insignificance unless there are associated features on clinical evaluation to suggest either more severe injuryor degenerative disease symptomatology.
ChronicWhiplash symptoms:
A small proportion of patients continue with significant neck symptoms and whiplash associated disorders on a permanent basis. This has been the subject of much study but the causal evidence is conflicting. On the one hand, there are studies that suggest that psychological factors play a large part in the continuation of symptoms (6). On the other hand, there are studies to suggest that prolongation of the litigation is related to the chronicity of the clinical picture. It is therefore difficult to know how to assess such studies particularly as the definition of the type of injury is variable and the exact mechanism of injury varies somewhat from case to case, It may be better to assess each individual case for additional factors such as the occurrence of degenerative disease which will influence the time scale of symptoms. It seems likely that this is the main separating factor between those who have a short time course and those with permanent symptoms.
Thee arly management may also influence the outcome, as the use of collars to immobilise the neck early on after injury will produce stiffness in the joints and may have a negative effect upon the eventual outcome. Early mobilisation and gentle exercise and massage are probably the best treatments rather than keeping the neck still.
Thereis evidence to suggest that up to 7% of patients suffering whiplash injuries do not return to their previous employment (5), although one must consider that is especially likely in heavy manual workers.
Another factor that may influence the severity of the effects of whiplash injury is the time it takes for the court case to be settled. Those in whom the case is settled quickly have less pain for a shorter duration. This suggests that anxiety or other psychological factors, common in litigation, may have a negative effect upon the severity of the symptoms (4).
The term whiplash injury should be confined to rear shunt injuries. The injury itself commonly has delayed effects and may engender symptoms similar to head injury and psychological consequences as well as symptoms in the front of the neck and jaw. The biomechanics of the injury itself suggest that it is complex and multifactorial and it is suggested that each case should be assessed on it's merits against the background of the previous history of the patient sinceoutcomes vary so much.
(1)BogdukN. Yoganandan N. Biomechanics of the cervical spine Part 3: minor injuries. [see comments.]. [Review]Clinical Biomechanics. 16(4):267-75, 2001May
(2)Borchgrevink GE. Lereim I. Royneland L. Bjorndal A. Haraldseth O. National health insurance consumption and chronic symptoms following mild necksprain injuries in car collisions. Scandinavian Journal of Social Medicine. Vol24(4) (pp 264-271), 1996.
(3)Castro WH. Schilgen M. Meyer S. Weber M. Peuker C. Wortler K. Do"whiplash injuries" occur in low-speed rear impacts?. European SpineJournal. 6(6):366-75, 1997.
(4)Cote P. Hogg-Johnson S. Cassidy JD. Carroll L. Frank JW. The association between neck pain intensity, physical functioning, depressive symptomatology and time-to-claim-closure after whiplash. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology.54(3):275-86, 2001 Mar.
(5)GozzardC. Bannister G. Langkamer G. Khan S. Gargan M. Foy C. Factors affecting employment after whiplash injury. Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery - BritishVolume. 83(4):506-9, 2001 May.
(6)Obelieniene D. Schrader H. Bovim G. Miseviciene I. Sand T. Pain after whiplash: a prospective controlled inception cohort study. Journal ofNeurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry. 66(3):279-83, 1999 Mar.
(7)Olivegren H. Jerkvall N. Hagstrom Y. Carlsson J. The long-term prognosis of whiplash-associated disorders (WAD). European Spine Journal. 8(5):366-70,1999.
(8)Ono K. Kanno M. Influences of the physical parameters on the risk to neck injuries in low impact speed rear-end collisions. Accident Analysis &Prevention. 28(4):493-9, 1996 Jul.
(9)Siegmund GP. Myers BS. Davis MB. Bohnet HF. Winkelstein BA. Mechanical evidence of cervical facet capsule injury during whiplash: a cadaveric study using combined shear, compression, and extension loading. Spine. 26(19):2095-101,2001 Oct 1.
(10)Squires B. Gargan MF. Bannister GC. Soft-tissue injuries of the cervical spine.15-year follow-up. Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery - British Volume. Vol78(6) (pp 955-957), 1996.
(11)Soderlund A. Lindberg P Long-term functional and psychological problems in whiplash associated disorders. International Journal of Rehabilitation Research. Vol 22(2) (pp 77-84), 1999
(1)Virani SN. Ferrari R. Russell AS. Physician resistance to the late whiplash syndrome.Journal of Rheumatology. 28(9):2096-9, 2001 Sep.
(12) Winkelstein BA. Nightingale RW. Richardson WJ. MyersBS. The cervical facet capsule and its role in whiplash injury: a biomechanical investigation. Spine. 25(10):1238-46, 2000 May 15.


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Many celebrities have been referred to as Honey Badger. From sports players and actors to politicians, many have been given or taken the title of this fearless creature. Which truly deserve the title and honor, if any? See their pictures below and you decide.
#4 - Nick Cummins (Rugby Player)
Picture 2 of 5
Born in 1987, Nick Cummins is an Australian rugby player. After a short stint in Japan, he has returned to play for Western Force. Nick is another sports celebrity, who is a self described Honey Badger after he learned that "honey badger killed a male lion in a one-on-one battle."


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Wide Angle Goodness!
So let's talk about the most interesting and hardest lens to master, the ultra wide angle. This is a fantastic lens that lets your share unique perspectives of almost any subject by cramming a whole lot of environment in a singe frame. If you are in the market for one of these follow on as I compare two of the best on the market.
By definition the ultra wide angle lenses are anything shorter that 24mm on a full frame camera and 15mm on an APS-C sized sensor.
This is half right in my opinion. The other half of this is that fisheye needs to be its own class. I consider this anything below 12mm that is where you really start to get horizon warping and that fishbowl warping becomes much more prominent.
So which lens should you get? You have a mirrorless camera and you want to get in on this ultra wide action but what is the best?! Well read on and I will answer that very question. I have narrowed it down to the two best lenses that I think really define this category for mirrorless cameras. The Sigma 14-24mm f2.8 DG DN ART Lens and the Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 Di III RXD.
Let's talk about why these two lenses.
– Both lenses are designed for mirrorless cameras.
– Both lenses are less than $1500 US.
– Both lenses have a constant f/2.8.
– These two lenses represent the two types of folks who are shopping for an ultra wide angle lenses.
– Out of all the lenses I tested in this class these are the only two I would comfortably recommend to someone of any skill level.
Let me address the elephant in the room. Brad why not the Sony 12-24 2.8 GM? To be perfectly honest I don't really like Sony lenses. I have rented several GM and others and they have never wowed me. PLUS that thing is $3,000 US. I bought all 3 of the lenses I currently carry for that same money.
Full Width
For the rest of this comparison I am going to be using only raw un-edited photos from each lens, with some scene comparisons at the end. Each shot was setup on a tripod and the only change was which lens was mounted to the Sony A7Riii.
For the side by side comparison I am using a plain shot of my yard that is has tall strait lines to show warp and complicated details all the way to the edge of the frame. This was shot in overcast skies for even lighting that fades from bright to dark from top to bottom.
Sigma 14-24 – $1399
At full width there is almost not warp in the strait lines of the trees. There is an almost imperceptible stretching of at the very edge of the frame which you will see below. The details deeper in the frame, from the road back, are a little softer then the Tamron and the edge details in the house are not as well defined as the Tamron.
Tamron 17-28 – $899
Fully zoomed out this lens provides great center clarity with the slightest warping in the corners. The deeper details are are much clearer when you pixel peep you can even make out the individual bricks on the base of the house in the back left. However this lens loses sharpness as you start to approach the edges of the frame.
Deep Details
Bottom 1/4 of the photos
Bottom 1/4 sharpness
Edge Sharpness Bottom Left Corner
The Sigma loses some detail of the further back in the image (house) some of this can be recovered in post but it is something to consider. However, edge to edge, corner to corner it can render every pixel all the was the the very edge of the frame in focus.
The Tamron is almost freakishly sharp in the middle of the frame but the focus starts to fall off pretty quickly. Even pretty far into the image (where the concrete round is) you can see the leaves are starting to lose sharpness and when you make it to the corner they are soft enough that they cannot be saved.
Sigma 14-24 2.8 DG DN ART
– Sharp all the way to the edge.
– Fast focus.
– Has a AF/MF switch and and a focus lock button you can program to do other things.
– Almost no distortion.
– $1399 – this is in the prosumer area to be sure but for someone just starting this is a hard pill to swallow for one lens.
– Heavy – at 827 grams you can feel this all metal beast in your bag and in the hand.
– If you want to use filters with this you are going to have to buy a specialty holder that will cost you and additional $200-$600 depending, and it is another large item to carry.
Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 Di III RXD
– $899
– Deadly sharp in the center.
– LIGHT, it only weighs 484 grams. This lens with the 28-75 2.8 from Tamron barely weigh more than the Sigma on it's own.
– Accessory filters are dirt cheap and one filter works for all 3 of the lenses in Tamron's mirrorless line up!
– Loses sharpness pretty quickly toward the edge of the frame.
– It zooms backwards – personal preference but all lenses should turn counter clockwise to zoom.
– No AF/MF switch – I don't want to fumble in menus when I need to quickly adjust the focus manually.
Which one should you buy?
So this is a harder question to answer than I might have thought and I think I am going to have to give two answers. I personally have the Sigma and it is one of the lenses I literally never leave home. It is always in my bag heavy and obnoxious as it is, I freaking love it.
1. Buy the Tamron. Seriously for almost everyone this is going to be the perfect wide angle lens for your kit and I actually recommend all 3 of Tamron's mirrorless lenses including the 28-75 f/2.8 and the 70-180 f/2.8. They are very light weight provide great images and you can use the exact same filters on all 3 of them. Tamron REALLY put their thinking caps on with this line and have delivered a great line up of lenses. This family of lenses is almost a cheat code for anyone just starting out. If your getting a mirrorless body start with the 28-75 f/2.8 and go from their, you will not be disappointed and these will serve you for years.
The sharpness thing is not really an issue when you consider the way almost everyone interacts with photos now, the largest screen they are going to see it on is an iPad. The smaller you make your photo the more crimes you can hide.
2. If you print anything larger than a standard sheet of printer paper, or do editorial work I do not believe the Tamron will hold up. I have 8×12 prints from both lenses and I can start to see the detail fall off at the edges, but I am also looking for it. If you want the cleanest, clearest, crispiest image edge to edge for those large fine are prints, bill boards, posters etc etc. Consider the Sigma. It is heavy which makes it feel super solid when your hand holding shots. Dealing with the bulbous front element will drive you crazy, especially when you slap a $400 filter kit on there to have a polarizer. But the things this lens can do blow me away daily. It will focus literally up to 7 inches away from the front element. You can cram this lens anywhere and get some really unique shots. This lens for me speaks to the pro switching platforms or someone that is a fine art/ large format display photographer.
Which one is right for you comment below.
In the field comparison
Enjoy these additional comparison images from each lens where I go shot for shot with each one at a beautiful waterfall in West Virginia. The Sigma is on the top and the Tamron is on bottom. Both of these were shot at f/16, ISO 100 and a 2 second exposure.


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Welcome, I would like to take this opportunity to thank JJ Massa
for taking time out of her busy schedule to answer some questions
for Coffee Time Romance. Today we are asking Ms. Massa about
Love Like Blood, and learn a little about Ms. Massa as well as some
more of her works. Welcome JJ, Thanks for taking time out of your
busy Schedule to answer some questions for us.
I always have time for you guys. I mean, if nobody read my stuff,
where would I be?
JJ, The book we are talking about today is LOVE LIKE BLOOD. I read the story and it was
wonderful, different from you typical vampire romances.
That's so cool!!! I think you were in a chat where I said that this book is very personal to
me. It means so much to me that you liked it and that you found it different.
Is it true the heroine characteristics are based on yours?
Yes, it is. Juliana is a lot like me, there's no denying that. She writes, she's blind and has
MS as I do. She's pretty strong willed, too. She does the best she knows how to do --
whether it's good enough or not.
What made you think of using yourself, or I should say your characteristics?
I started it one day when I was feeling particularly impatient with the world of science. I
felt bad and there just wasn't anything I could do about it. While there are a lot of good
therapies out there to help people with this disease, there is no cure for Multiple Sclerosis
– except maybe a vampire. And that made me think…
JJ, in your book Juliana has a dog and a great computer program to help her with writing,
do you?
Yes, I use a program called JAWS for Windows. You can find out more about it here . It reads aloud everything that is on the screen. You can make it
read fast or slow and make it repeat back every keystroke you make. If you don't need it,
it WILL drive you nuts. Sometimes I use Microsoft Sam, also known as Narrator, which is
built into every version of Windows after Windows ME. And I have an incredible trainded
guide dog. Never pet one if you see it working. In fact, it's best not to ask if you can pet
it. Often, an owner will offer if the situation is right, but will feel bad when he or she is
forced to say "no". The dog has to stay focused on its person even if it seems to be
resting. If a fire alarm goes off, I count on my dog to be aware of everything that
happens. He's trained to even ignore you when you speak to him while he's in harness.
His job is to help me.
What is your dog's name?
My dog's name is Cosmo. You can see some pictures of him on my website www.jjmassa.
com -- but he'll be featured on my weblog: http://jjmassawriter.blogspot.com/ during the
month of November – his birthday is November 22.
How long have you been writing?
In some form or another I've always written a bit. Sometimes for magazines or local
papers or just teaching. Sometimes, poetry for contests or my own entertainment. I
started writing books a little over a year ago.
JJ, Have you always wanted to write?
Yes, I've always wanted to write but I didn't know how badly until I really got the chance.
Why a vampire for the hero?
There's no cure for MS – except maybe a vampire. And I love the many possibilities
vampires present. There are just so many things they can do and learn over lifetimes. And
the blood that flows – a continuous cycle of life, even if we think of vampires of being
dead. You just can't get much more intimate than drinking someone's blood, can you?
Will we ever see Juliana and Raiden in any future books?
It's possible. Definitely look for Paul… Before Love Like Blood was finished, my friend and
fellow author, Nix Winter read it. She was convinced that Paul should have his own story –
and his own vampire. You'll have to read the All Hallow's Eve story Storm Whispers,
coming out October 5, from Venus Press…
JJ, What part of writing a book is your least favorite (if any)? ie. research ect....
Sometimes I have a hard time ending a story. It's like I don't want to say goodbye. That's
why I love writing series so much. I can still visit everyone as many times as I want to.
What part do you enjoy?
I love getting to know the characters and following them through their adventures – they
so often surprise me and it's fun. I love research – so many things to find out and places
to visit.
I noticed that even though Juliana had these disabilities she is still a very strong and
independent woman, would you say that you are the same?
* laughing behind my hand * Um yes, Wateena… I laugh because it's a source of
frustration for some of my loved ones. I order groceries from Netgrocer, I shop online, I
get on trains and planes – I like doing what I want to do – I am VERY independent. That's
not to say I don't need and want help sometimes. I just like it best if someone asks me if
I need a hand. J
What are you working on now?
Actually, I'm always working on more than one thing at a time. I have several different
books in different genres. I've got another vampire book, Rubies, Sapphires, and Ivory
coming out with Liquid Silver books sometime soon and after that, the sequel to my very
first book, Everyone Has A Weak Spot. It's called Everybody Has A Pet Peeve and tells the
story of Renaud, Lorelei's younger brother. It's a Cajun werewolf book. I also have the
third in my Weather Series that comes out at the end of this year. That book is called
Angel's Forecast, and is a Cajun and paranormal book, the story of Deke Doucette. I'm
also very excited about another project that I contracted last year. I don't want to give
too much away all at once, but I had stalled… with the help of a friend (this is me teasing
and not telling you who) I'm back on track.
JJ are you a big reader, as most writers? and if so what is your favorite genre?
I do love to read, no question. I'm a big fan of paranormal – as evidenced by what I write.
I also like mystery, romantic suspense, m/m, I just love to read.
JJ, I am inspired by you as I am sure others are and will be, what would you say to
someone with a disability(s) who have wanted to write or maybe even be an artist, but
because of their disability have not tried it?
First, I'd say that I never did anything that could be considered art until after I went blind.
If you can think, you have something to offer. It's up to you what you do with your life. I
was thirty-one when I went blind. My life didn't stop, my IQ didn't stop when my eyesight
went away. If you want to do things, the only person who can make it happen is you. You
don't know what you can do if you don't try. Yes, there will be obstacles. You've heard the
old saying "Everything worth having is worth fighting for"? For some of us, it's freedom.
For others, it's recognition. I just want to be accepted for who I am. I work, I love, I play
and I have a lot to offer and a lot to give. Everybody has value.
What is your web site address?
You can find me at www.jjmassa.com
JJ Do you have a favorite hero, out of your books?
My favorite hero is the incredible, complicated man I'm writing about right this minute. He'
s getting all of my attention. I'm thinking about him when my eyes are closed in the car. I'
m imagining him while I fix supper and clean the kitchen. When I go to sleep at night, his
lips caress my ear as he whispers. His arms come around me and he holds me close,
keeping me safe and letting his story soak into my body, my heart and my mind. He has
me completely in his thrall.
Where do you see yourself as far as writing, in say ten years?
In ten years I hope to be doing what I'm doing now – only doing it better. I want to keep
writing and telling my stories and I hope more and more people get to spend time with
me and enjoy the worlds I see behind my eyes.
Thanks so much for your candid response, you have a wonderful outlook on life and I think
that counts for everything.
I sincerely enjoyed it. Thank you, Wateena. I had a good time answering your questions.
Thank you for spending so much time with me.
I want to thank JJ Massa on behalf of Coffee Time Romance for chatting with us today.
Awards | Author Services | Contact Information | New Author Information


text:
Police are looking for 17-year old ISRA DIIRIYE from Somalia who has been reported missing from her place of residence in Limassol since 5 October in the afternoon.
Diiriye is 1.70 metres tall, of average build with brown hair. She was last seen wearing a white-black dress and a headscarf.
Anyone with any information is asked to contact Limassol CID on 25-805057, the closest police station or the citizens' hotline on 1460.


text:
TOKYO -(MarketWatch)- Toyota Motor Corp. (7203.TO) expects delivery of its new Prius Alpha model in Japan to be delayed due to the impact of the March 11 earthquake, the company said in a statement Friday.
The Nikkei quoted a Toyota official as saying that the numer of pre-orders for the hybrid minivan stood at 25,000 units in April. But the company's production is still in the process of recovery and delivery to some customers may be pushed back to April 2012, the Nikkei said.


text:
Cloud explores thinking through photography, using pictures from the curator's own collection as examples. The exhibition encourages adopting a new perspective on areas of photographic practice that may be considered outdated or negligible.
Scrutiny of the habit of thematic pigeonholing is the starting point, as embracing such restrictive categorisations ultimately consigns large swaths of photographic output to obscurity. A binary approach to surveying the medium invariably ends up sealing off entire avenues of meaning (perhaps the most interesting) that remain ripe for reexamination. After all, the essence of any picture resides in that within it which transcends divisions; in mutual relationships and unrecognised affinities; in connections rooted not just in the image, but in art, in craft, in life itself.
To a collector-curator, however, neither subject nor provenance nor timestamp on a print is as important as the potential for contemporary and personal readings. Cloud, therefore, focuses not on classificatory context but on what is immediately visible to the looker, even when what is visible is perhaps contrary to original intent: a traitorous colour that emerged unsolicited, an artificial hue, tones that have shifted with the passage of time, and the ambiguity of an image, its internal ambivalence. Another focus is on subjects that were once of great and general interest, but which have since come to be disregarded as outmoded or exhausted, as in the case of pictures of obsolete machinery or of bodies.
Cloud seeks to corner viewers with images and is an attempt at organising that remarkable, endlessly mutating organism that is the language of photography. It also covers the objectives and responsibilities of the curator or the essayist writing about the dialects of photography, and the preliminary choices both must make.


text:
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text:
Ariana Grande was in tears as she discussed the bombing at her Manchester concert in 2017.
The singer, 25, was promoting her new album, Sweetener, in an interview with Beats 1 Radio on Friday, August 17, when she began to cry.
DJ Ebro Darden played the final track on the album, "Get Well Soon," and admitted that Grande got very emotional as the song played in the studio. As he asked her to discuss the track, the "God Is a Woman" singer struggled to hold it together.
"It's just about being there for each other and helping each other through scary times and anxiety," she said. "You know, there's some dark s–t out there, man. And we just have to be there for each other as much as we can. Because you never f–king know, you know. So I wanted to do something to make people feel good and less alone."
"It's not just about that," Grande continued. "It's also about personal demons and anxiety and more intimate tragedies as well. Mental health is so important. People don't pay enough mind to it because we have things to do. We have schedules, jobs, kids and places to be, pressure to fit in, Instagram Stories — whatever the f–k facade you're trying to put on, trying to keep up. People don't pay attention to what's happening inside."
"I'm so sorry, I'm falling apart," she said, wiping tears from her eyes. "That's why I felt it was important. I just wanted to give people a hug musically. I feel like the lyrics can be kind of corny when I talk about wanting to hug you and stuff, but I really do. … People got to be nicer."
The song features 40 seconds of silence at the end, bringing its running time to 5 minutes and 22 seconds, which fans speculate is in tribute to Grande's fans who were killed or injured when a suicide bomber detonated a device at her concert in Manchester, England, on May 22 last year. The attack killed 22 concertgoers and the BBC reported earlier this year that more than 800 people suffered physical and deep psychological injuries. Almost half of those killed were under the age of 20.
"We see this s–t on the news, it affects you but not the same way. You feel bad, you tweet it, you post a picture, you send your condolences, you say something and then you move on. But Christmas comes and you're thinking about it," Grande said, choking up. "People are permanently affected by this s—t. Perspective, it changes everything. It changes your life quite a bit. You really want to be present, and follow happy impulses, and figure that out later. You want to just stay in the moment. You try not to give in to fear because obviously, that's the whole point of being here. That was the point of finishing my tour, was to set an example for my fans who were fearless enough to show up to the f–king shows. You want to set the same example, you want to keep going. You want to not be afraid because, of course, that's what they want if you give them that, they've won."
For access to all our exclusive celebrity videos and interviews – Subscribe on YouTube!


text:
Testimony of Faith
Christine DudleyP.O. Box 704New York, NY 10039ph: 212 283-5745fax: 212 firstname.lastname@example.com
We would love to hear from you. You can use this form or you can send a message or check or money order for a copy of the book Testimony of Faith to:
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P.O. Box 704
New York, NY 10039
Please contact us via the below form:
Copyright 2011 Outreach Ministry for Persons w Disabilities OMfPD. All rights reserved.
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text: Lacing up doesn't always mean going for a run. In fact, we think an afternoon of fun in these gorgeous heels counts as cardio, given the heartbeats per minute they'll cause. Kick up some dust in a delightful pair of highly requested ModCloth lace up Oxford heels. Sumptuous leather and fabrics add a bit of studious prestige to any outfit. Snug and comfortable, these heels will keep your feet locked in place throughout the day. The iconic design pairs well with modern and vintage inspired pieces. New styles are added daily so grab yours now before they disappear like a long lost love's letters. Does anyone else feel like watching The Notebook now?


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Money Insurance
This insurance can be taken as separate insurance or as additional cover on Property Insurance. Cash also includes bank notes, all kind of currency notes, coins and cheques (other than pre-signed). The policy provides cover for:
- Cash in the register
- Cash in the safe/strong room at the business's premise (key or code should not be on the premises)
- Damage to the safe or strong room caused by theft or attempted theft
- Cash in transit: transported by employees within Lebanon with no interruption between insured's premises/locations, banks and clients
- Cash at the home of the owner and/or employee (possible extension)
- Cash at the bank's safe (possible extension)
- Counterfeit money (possible extension)
The cover is against loss due to any cause (not specifically excluded from policy cover) such as fire, explosion, vehicle impact, aircraft impact, burglary by forcible entry, burglary by hold up, acts of God (earthquake, flood, storm and any similar nature), acts of violence committed on employees in charge of transit as well as loss during transportation due to road accidents and sudden sickness (heart attacks, black outs or unconsciousness).