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— Born in Hong Kong, the 55-year-old Chow, whose real name is Kwok Cheung Chow, has been in trouble with the law since 1978. His grandmother nicknamed him “Shrimp Boy” as a child.
— Chow was previously convicted of racketeering in the mid-1990s and sentenced to 24 years in federal prison, but he cut a deal with prosecutors to cooperate against another Asian organized crime figure, Peter Chong, and was released after serving about three years.
— After his release from prison, Chow spoke to community groups in San Francisco and helped with gang prevention programs, according to his lawyers. He also became head of the Ghee Kung Tong organization in Chinatown, but his legal team insists he steered clear of criminal wrongdoing as the so-called “Dragonhead.”
— The FBI and federal prosecutors allege in court papers that Chow used his role as leader of the Ghee Kung Tong to control a host of criminal activity in San Francisco between 2008 and 2014, ranging from gambling, drug trafficking and gun running to orchestrating two murders.
— If convicted of the racketeering charges, Chow faces a sentence of life in prison. He is being held without bail on the racketeering indictment in the San Francisco jail. | {
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On June 29, the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) issued its report on the 2016 Election Administration and Voting Survey (EAVS). EAVS, mandated by the Help America Vote Act (HAVA), compiles data on federal elections from every state, ranging from registration and turnout to voting equipment and more. There are challenges to this kind of data collection, both in terms of getting responses to every question from every state—in many states, elections are administered at the county or even town-level—and ensuring that each state reports the same data in response to the same question, ensuring an even comparison. Despite these challenges, the EAVS survey remains the only comprehensive accounting of how the states administer a given federal election and tells us a lot about what happened from the administrative side during the general election.
There are thousands of data points to choose from in the 2016 report, but a few really stand out:
States report a total of 214,109,360 total registered voters, a 10.6 percent increase from 2012. 2016 marks the first time the U.S. has reported more than 200,000,000 registered voters.
Of the more than 77 million voter registration transactions (new registrations or updates to an existing registration) between 2014 and 2016, 37.3 percent were new, valid registrations. A plurality of the other transactions (39.7 percent) were in-state updates (changes of address, party, or name). 10.3 percent of the applications received were duplicate registrations or otherwise invalid.
2016 saw a record number of citizens using online voter registration. 17.4 percent, or approximately 13.5 million, of voter registration transactions were online, up from 6.5 percent of voter registration transactions in 2014 and 5.3 percent of transactions in 2012. We saw a slight decrease in voter registration transactions at motor vehicle departments during the same time period, with 32.7 percent of total registration transactions, or approximately 25.3 million voter registration transactions, down from approximately 35 percent in 2012.
41.3 percent of ballots cast in the November 2016 election were cast before Election Day. Of total turnout of more than 140 million, 17.2 percent of ballots were cast at early in-person voting locations and 23.7 percent were cast via absentee by mail. Seven states—Arizona, Florida, Montana, North Carolina, Nevada, Oregon, and Texas—saw more than 60 percent of their total ballots cast before Election Day.
More than 70 percent of the 2,460,421 provisional ballots cast on Election Day were counted, either in full or in part (state law varies about how many races on a provisional ballot are counted based on where the ballot is cast in relation to where the ballot was supposed to be cast).
The EAC provides election administrators and others in the field with valuable information and the 2016 EAVS is certainly no exception. | {
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Chris Hansen traveled to Detroit, Michigan for a Dateline special that aired tonight on the state of what is probably America's most desolate city. And in aerial footage—devastation porn at its best—Detroit's grim plight was revealed.
"Today, from the air, parts of Detroit look like a war zone," Hansen said in a voice over near the beginning of the special, before he listed some of the most shocking facts about the city's current state—the population is less than half of what it was decades ago; there are 400 liquor stores there, but only eight supermarkets—all while panning shots of the consequences of its deterioration flashed on the screen.
Describing Detroit as "a city that is virtually on life support," Hansen then introduced the audience to an ambitious plan by Mayor Dave Bing to bulldoze down more than 10,000 buildings and literally shrink the city's borders in orde | {
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Abyssinian Meeting House
The Issue
Built in 1828 as a house of worship, the Abyssinian Meeting House at 73 Newbury Street is the third oldest standing African American meeting house in the United States, and is of local, state and national historic significance. The Abyssinian became the center of social and political life for Portland’s African American community throughout the 19th century. The building served as a church and a segregated public school, as well as a hall for concerts, dinners and entertainment. Its members and preachers included former enslaved people, leaders of the Underground Railroad movement, and outspoken advocates for the abolition of slavery in the United States. The Meeting House was closed in 1917, converted to tenement apartments in 1924, and finally, abandoned and taken over by the City of Portland for back taxes. In 1998, the Committee to Restore the Abyssinian bought the property and began restoration.
The property is currently undergoing an extensive renovation to preserve the original character and intention of the building for community use. A committed community group has spearheaded the restoration. Although enormous progress has been made including the removal of the remains of the tenement apartments and reconstruction of the façade, progress has been slow because of the significant cost of the restoration work. An estimate of at least $1 million in additional funding is needed to complete the renovation. Without further investment, the project cannot be completed, and the building will only be publicly accessible on a limited basis.
Our Position
The Abyssinian Meeting House is a hidden gem in Portland. It is a designated city landmark and listed in the National Register of Historic Places. It was recognized by the National Park Service’s National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom as the first site listed in Maine. The site could serve as an educational resource to aid in the discovery and celebration of Portland’s and America’s African American history under a plan for future public programming once the restoration is complete.
The Abyssinian Meeting House can benefit from increased awareness to facilitate the fundraising needed to complete the restoration and ultimately provide public access to the building. Nominated by Greater Portland Landmarks, the Abyssinian Meetinghouse was named to National Trust’s Top Endangered List in 2013. The national designation from the National Trust for Historic Preservation boosted the understanding of the significance of the site and the state of its fragility.
Landmarks continues to work with the Committee to Restore the Abyssinian to connect them with national and other potential sources of funding. | {
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Wellness at the Achensee
Relaxation amidst an idyllic nature scenery
After an exciting day on the cross-country ski trail or after an adventurous hiking tour in the fresh mountain air there's nothing better than to relax. Wellness in our hotel at the Achensee stands for having time to unwind, relax and forget the outside world just for a little while.
In our bio sauna, Finnish sauna as well as in the steam bath you can enjoy revitalising sauna visits and diverse sauna infusions. With the patented SANARIUM with SaunaPUR® from Klafs the traditional and classic sauna has been extended with 4 additional ones: warm air bath, tropical bath, aroma bath and soft steam bath.
Discover our special pendulum lounger and enjoy a power nap whereby increasing your concentration as well as your phyiscal and mental performance significantly only after 15 to 30 minutes. The SWAY pendulum lounger from Klafs helps to alleviate stress in the long run.
Lean back and enjoy the natural beauty of the surrounding mountain world on our gorgeous sun terrace or in our panorama relaxation room. | {
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Dijon-Thyme Sauce
Ingredients
1 tbsp
butter
15 mL
2 cups
reduced sodium beef broth
500 mL
1 tbsp
chopped fresh thyme, leaves only
15 mL
2 tbsp
Dijon mustard
30 mL
2 tbsp
35% whipping cream
30 mL
1/2 tsp
pepper
2 mL
Method
Step 1
While beef is resting, pour roast juices into a skillet set over medium-high heat. Add butter and stir until melted. Add broth, thyme and mustard and bring to a boil. Boil, whisking often, until sauce is reduced by half and slightly thickened, about 10 min. Whisk in cream and pepper.
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We have updated our privacy commitment and are now collecting cookies to provide you with ads tailored to your interest across the internet. For more information about cookies and how to disable cookies, visit our privacy commitment.Learn More | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Denver Broncos: Preview & Predictions
Tampa Bay might fancy itself a playoff contender. With the regular season running out and the NFC postseason picture solidifying, a trip to Peyton's Place might be a fair litmus test for the team's chances.
Denver (8-3) has seen its postseason upside soar with Peyton Manning under center. Most NFL fans have re-calibrated their mental image of the four-time NFL MVP to include orange as well as blue now. And Manning has his sights set on another Super Bowl run, and standing in at quarterback for the most balanced team in the AFC is a sure help to that end.
The Buccaneers (6-5) came oh-so-close to knocking off one of the studs in their own conference. Unfortunately, that Week 12 game against Atlanta went to the visiting Falcons. Another opportunity for the Bucs to show their mettle awaits them, but this time, their foe resides in the other conference.
Check out our video preview of Buccaneers at Broncos. Enjoy our takes in the video above and leave your thoughts in the comments below. As always, thanks for watching. | {
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Snow in Williamstown, Massachusetts, and ride to ski at Sunapee, New Hampshire - March 12-13, 2005
These pictures were taken with my Olympus C730 Ultra Zoom digital
camera after a snowstorm in Williamstown then on a day trip to ski at
Mount Sunapee in New Hampshire on March 12 and 13, 2005. Most images
are shown at a resolution of 640x480, but are available in their full
2048x1536 size by clicking on the links after the captions. | {
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As I wrote earlier, some users were seeing yellowish-tinted iPhone 3G screens (above). This included a friend of mine who bought an iPhone 3G (I am, quite sadly, not qualified for an upgrade).
There are two components to this issue, apparently. One is that according to Apple, the yellowish-tinge, likened to being “warmer” (if you check out some light bulb boxes sometimes you’ll see a reference to a “warm glow.”), is by design.
According to a statement made by Apple’s senior director of iPhone product marketing, Bob Borchers:
“We moved the white point in order to make [the display feel] more natural.”
Also according to Borchers, the first-gen iPhone’s white was more of a cool blue (much like, he said, harsh fluorescent lighting), while the 3G’s is warmer and more of a sunny yellow.
At the same time it’s been noted that some of the shipped iPhone 3Gs have an older firmware, 5A345. If you update the firmware to 5A347, it appears that the iPhone 3G will have a much less yellowish cast.
On your iPhone, go to Settings > General > About. If your firmware is 5A345, do a Restore to get 5A347. The full process takes about half an hour.
Interesting, since they said they wanted the color to be warmer. Perhaps it was a little “too warm,” to the point of users being “hot under the collar.” | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
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According to our database, Ginger Tripp PT NPI is 1386847051, taxonomy code is 225100000X and license number is PT19628, license state is located at Florida. Ginger Tripp PT physically located at 4721 E Moody Blvd, Bunnell FL, 32110-7705. NPI Number Ginger Tripp PT has the Individual type.
Sponsored links
1386847051 NPI number is provided on an as is basis without warranty of any kind. 1386847051 is maintained by the National Plan & Provider Enumeration System. The contents of Ginger Tripp PT are for informational purposes only. | {
"pile_set_name": "Pile-CC"
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You Compare Your PM To A Donkey, How Is There No Freedom Of Speech? Venkaiah Naidu Slams Congress
'Dissent is agreeable but not disintegration'
NEW DELHI -- Coming down heavily on the Congress for accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led NDA of suppressing the right to dissent in the nation in regard to the recent violent clashes in Ramjas College, the Centre today asserted that the very party which had imposed Emergency in the nation once, was giving sermons on freedom of expression.
Addressing the media here, Union Information and broadcasting minister M Venkaiah Naidu asserted that there can be no bigger example of freedom in the country than calling your own Prime Minister a 'donkey'.
"You live in a country where you compare your Prime Minister to a donkey. How is there no freedom of expression? Freedom of expression means you also respect others opinions. Congress which has no respect for fundamental rights is now trying to poison minds of people. They are in alliance with extremist forces and leftists and are inciting violence," Naidu said.
Accusing the Congress of giving a political tinge to a situation which was strictly about the internal matters of students, the Union Minister added that members of the grand old party have a history of visiting campuses and inciting violence.
"I'm surprised about the efforts made by Cong and Left to give a different colour to the issues that are happening in few universities saying this is assault on freedom of expression. Certain misguided sections are trying to mislead the young population n create social tensions n hurt sentiments of people of India," he said.
Asserting that there was no question of denying freedom of expression as it's guaranteed by the Constitution, Naidu, however, noted that there are certain restrictions which prevent one from hurting religious sentiment, questioning national integrity and against advocating separatism.
"Dissent and difference of opinion is agreeable but not disintegration. Congress is facing rejection from nation because of its separatist policies and their approach of supporting such forces. There is a systematic effort in place to malign the country because our opponents are unable to digest their defeat in the nation and the surging popularity of our Prime Minister," he said.
Talking about the protest by certain section of students demanding Kashmir's 'azadi' and raising pro-Afzal Guru slogans, the Union Minister asserted that Kashmir was an integral part of India and calling for its 'freedom' simply echoed pro-Pakistan sentiments.
"What is the meaning of azadi of Kashmir? Thousands have laid down their lives for the unity of the nation. Kashmir is an integral part of India, how can someone advocate azadi for Kashmir? How can one demand an anniversary for Afzal Guru who was responsible for attacking the parliament which is the temple of democracy? You cannot advocate separatism," Naidu said.
Emphasising that dissent is agreeable but not disintegration, he stated that the clashes in the universities were an integral matter of the students and not an issue which needed political intervention.
Meanwhile, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi has expressed his complete support towards Lady Shri Ram College student Gurmehar Kaur, who has allegedly received rape threats over her social media campaign in support of students of the Delhi University following unrest in Ramjas College.
"Against the tyranny of fear we stand with our students. For every voice raised in anger, intolerance and ignorance there will be a Gurmehar Kaur," tweeted Gandhi.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Pratap Simha had earlier compared Kaur with fugitive underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, while Union Minister Kiren Rijiju tweeted to suggest that Kaur was being influenced by someone or a group.
A clash had broken out between the All India Students Association (AISA) and Akhil Bharatiya Vidhyarthi Parishad (ABVP) on 21 February after the members of the latter staged a protest outside Ramjas College against an event that had Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student Umar Khalid as a speaker. | {
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Manufacture Royale’s latest is a variation of its Androgyne Origine tourbillon, characterised by a large, peculiar and mechanical-looking case. The Androgyne Royale is equipped with a skeleton movement with the bridges, base plate and tourbillon cage finished with a bright blue or grey coating.
The Androgyne watch case is instantly recognisable, 43mm in diameter with articulated, screwed lugs and very large screws on the bezel for a steampunk-ish look. At 10.2mm high, however, the case is slimmer than expected given the styling. While the case is an acquired taste, the movement is more easily digestible.
The MR06 calibre inside is hand-wound with a flying tourbillon regulator with a silicon escape wheel. The movement has been open-worked in a modern style, forming long, arching bridges. This reveals the linear layout of the movement, one that’s typical of most tourbillons, with the mainspring at 12 o’clock, gear train in the centre, and tourbillon at six.
Manufacture Royale is named after the short-lived watch factory established by Voltaire while he was living in Geneva after being banned from Paris by the French king; perhaps also explaining the origin of the apocryphal quote oft attributed to him: “If you see a Swiss banker jumping out of a window, follow him, there is surely money to be made.”
Though small in scale with only a handful of models in its catalogue, Manufacture Royale enjoys the advantage of having its own movement factory in the form of sister company TEC Ebauches. This has allowed the brand to develop watches with in-house movements that are priced competitively, like the novel 1770 Voltige.
Pricing and availability
In a similar vein, the Androgyne Royale is priced at US$61,600 or SFr56,000, a lot of money but not so much as such watches go. This puts the Androgyne in the same ballpark as similar watches from a similarly equipped and positioned brand, Arnold & Son (and by extension its sister company Angelus). | {
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HOW TO JOIN KUMEKUCHA'S CLUB1999 TODAY
Monday, May 31, 2010
Curtailing Civic Education Benefits NO Campaigners
Nyamu-led Kadhi Court Ruling Boomerang
This past weekend, Infotrack released opinon poll results touching on the referendum and the effects of the Kadhi court ruling on voters. Only a mere two out of ten voters confirmed having been influenced by the ruling.
The Infotrack poll also put the YES-ers at 63% and the NO-ers at 21%. The poll reveals there are significant incidences of katiba ignorance in Rift Valley and Eastern provinces the same areas where the NO-ers get most of their 21% support.
Knowledge is power and it is sad in this day and age, a large portion of these populated provinces have little knowledge on what is on the cards in the katiba. The need to educate these voters is important for it will help them make informed decisions at the time of voting at the referendum. In the short term, it will help them heckle and tell of the likes of ex-President Moi and the Ruto-Mithika axis who have made it a habit of misinforming and distorting the provisions of the draft whenever they address their rent-a-crowd rallies. Moi has suddenly gained notoriety for stoking ethnic passions instead of using his status to educate the RVP peasants on the individual chapters or provisions they purport to be retrogressive. Moi’s opposition to the draft stems from the fact that he wants to keep his huge swathes of idle grabbed land tax free.
It is regrettable that the status quoist are using Uhuru Kenyatta (YES daytime and NO nigh time) to deny these populous areas the right to civic education. For instance, some areas of Eastern and Rift Valley can only be reached by helicopters, which the CoE have to hire daily to traverse the remote areas. The CoE also have to run expensive daily roadshows and media campaigns all over Kenya so as to effectively disseminate their educational messages. But without money, they cannot do it. The same tactics which the colonial government used in the 1950s in resisting the struggle for independence are the same ones Uhuru is now using to deny Kenya the right to information on the new constitution.
Instead it is the office of the Prime Minister which has so far donated Kshs. 90million for the CoE to use in civic education. For a national assignment as important as this, why not the Office of the President, or even why not the Treasury?
Back to the poll and not surprisingly, the two leading YES provinces coincidentally also happen to be the same ones worst affected by deliberate marginalization of the Kenyatta, Moi and Kibaki governments. NEP at is YES at 96% and Nyanza is at 93%. They two are also the most informed about the contents of the draft and the least influenced by the recent bizarre ruling of the constitutional court on Kadhi courts.
Obviously these two regions are attracted to the proposed draft due to prospects of devolved government. After decades of paying tax to national government and watching helplessly as the same government overlooks their interests, there is hope at last in the new draft. Am looking at nearly 15% devolved funds comprising the national allocation to the County governments, powers to borrow and raise revenue, the equalization fund, the CDF and other forms of local resources will be put in the hands of the local people to decide for themselves at the grassroots what is best for themselves in the regions that they live. Too good to be true? What is more, the governor and county committee remains and are directly accountable to the people who elected them to these positions. In this case, there will be no PC or DC or even chief involved. It will be strictly by the people themselves.
What most ethnic kingpins and latter day politicians fear most about the counties is that the governors will overnight be transformed to become the new local political kingpins. The MP or even the power bokers will no longer be the ones calling the shots or hosting delegations. The governors will be. That will be on top of being on the development driving seat. Can you see the end of people like perennial fence-sitter Kalonzo and PEV masterminds Ruto, Uhuru Kenyatta – those who do not have a political constituency beyond their ethnic enclaves?? You bet!! The era of 'our people this our people that' is GONE.
Back to our pet question: Do you approve the proposed new Constitution?
16 comments:
Daily Nation has a story of Raila bragging he has never received a bribe. Why brag if foreign land where interviewers not conversant with Kenya's domestic matters well? Let him tell us how Kisumu Molasses Plant and the land on which it stands - both public property - changed into his hands after selling his NDP to Kanu in 2001?
Your last two posts "Curtailing Civic Education Benefits NO Campaigners" and "Dark faces behind secret NO campaign by YES camp revealed" are the usual top-notch Kumekucha style insightful articles. You are becoming my must-read post - enough analytical material to provide the essential intellectual heft mixed in with a dash of personality profiles and shenagins to keep it interesting - great stuff. Keep up the good work !
NEP at is YES at 96% and Luo-Nyanza is at 93%. They two are also the most informed about the contents of the draft and the least influenced by the recent bizarre ruling of the constitutional court on Kadhi courts. Obviously these two regions are attracted to the proposed draft due to prospects of devolved government. After decades of paying tax to national government and watching helplessly as the same government overlooks their interests, there is hope at last in the new draft...................................
Obviously the Luo-Nyanza are still bound to the Raila spell and it has nothing to do with the Katiba. Phil knows it, Kenyans knows it.NEP is where the highest literacy levels in Kenya are. These fellows follow their elders who are heavily financed and influenced by politicians. Its not suprising.
Why did Phil not report about Nairobi with the highest literacy levels?Well, Nairobi happens to be YES, 40 and NO 48..
To turn to the content of your recent insightful posts - what is fascinating about Kenyan discourse over the new constitution is that it is beginning to dent the "negative tribal/ethnic mindset" that has bedevilled Kenya since it was introduced by colonialists. One is beginning to see the possibility of a cross-ethnic/tribal battle between the landgrabbers (who pay no tax) and the rest of the population.
I understand the Rift Valley opposition to the new Constitution led by odious characters such as Ruto and Moi but why is the Eastern Province opposed to the consitution? Could it be the configuration of the counties? Could it be that Musyoka, perceiving himself as having the inside track to the Presidency, wants to retain the imperial powers of the old constitution?
On the important advantage of devolution, remember that 100Shs in NEP or Nyanza buys a lot more than 100Shs in Nairobi. The 15% allocation (this is the minimum, it could eventually be more) to counties implies a huge transfer of purchasing power to marginalized areas. Better still it has an inherent redistributive effect - the poorer your area is, the greater the purchasing power of devolved funds. It is one of the key reasons I am supporting the YES campaign all the way!
It is good we have Kenyans who appreciate the proposed constitution for what it is, rather than oppose it simply because Raila Odinga is supporting it.
You can even see here we have those who are equating KATIBA IGNORANCE with LITERACY! There are well educated folks who have chosen to be deliberately unfaithful to the provisions of the draft. And here you have people like Cannon Karanja and William Ruto.
I think the chapter on devolution is one of my most favourite, I rank it up there with the chapter on the bill of rights, that I consider very very progressive, better than some bill of rights in the developed world. The transitional clauses were also clever pieces of work by the CoE. You cannot just trust these scoundrels can you?
I am extremely proud to be playing the role of ushering in the new constitution for Kenya's future generations. I am sure they too will be proud of us.
In the meantime, Uhuru Kenyatta is still milking our money without shame, under the pretense of producing the draft constitution at nearly seven times the market cost, without blinking an eyelid (see the wide-eyed Uhuru in the picture on Nation today). It was never Treasury's responsibility to print the draft. So what happens if some more illegal 'national security' insertions are discovered in Uhuru's print-outs?
I'm yet to receive the book or any reply 6 days after sending the mpesa. Please check your email and act accordingly bwana Chris. I know you could posibly be overwhelmed by the orders but it would be great to keep me updated by any means. much thanks.
Good observation, how can the most illiterate NEP be used as the yard stick of measuring Kenyans who read, understood and support the draft constitution unless one is not serious.About Luo Nyanza, thats a herd of sheep and will die following the Odinga family. From Jaramogi to Raila and Fidel is next in line. Their YES is just obedience to their supremo.
Phil should stick to Jukwaa where his ego will be massaged by his fellow raila fanatics.Out here, people are well informed. I wonder why YES has lost ground in Nairobi where most learned people are concentrated. Seems all is not well.
Mine is a big NO without any reasons and its my right to vote anyway I wish and yes,I have read the whole draft so am not mis-informed.Just like the way Luo's accept or refuse anything coz 'Raila amesema'....!!
Uhuru must explain his actions. Civic education is critical if we are to have a sober referendum. Currently he is inviting speculation about his motives. And goven his family history, status quo might appear beneficial to him.
I just wish that those who have been hurt by the current constitution (the poor people especially) do not allow themselves to be misled like dumb sheep (as they usually are). I hope their misfortunes and miseries are not due to stupidity because then there is no hope for them.
YES or NO has no effect to me. With the current system, Money is Law. I can afford to buy my own customized justice. But the poor will be really dumb to vote NO after all the shafting they have received from the current constitution.
The Akamba, Meru, and Embu are mad as hell about the few number of counties they were given. Things are especially hot in Meru where they have only two counties. And the rumour going around the villages is that Raila worked with CoE to deny Eastern Province its share of counties in order to finish Kalonzo!
Chania river adage.central is Yes except kiambu.this is what a heightened security detail for kibaki meant during madaraka cerebration.kibaki showing true colours that he no longer needs the kimbu mafia | {
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Happy Birthday, Momma Pepper!
Momma Pepper celebrated a birthday today! We are so thankful that she’s made it this far. Last month, she underwent a dental and had 5 teeth removed. Earlier in 2014, before she came to our sanctuary, she had 6 teeth removed. Momma’s mouth is pretty empty now, but she’s healthy and happy and enjoying her new canned food! After some time off the meet and greet circuit, she’s back and more than ready and willing to work at getting petted by the most people possible! | {
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Eighth Day Escape
Welcome to the Eighth Day Escape adventure series and contest by Parks Explorer! Throughout this year, Parks Explorer will share trip ideas, staff stories, activity suggestions, and much more from each Alabama State Park. These monthly posts will be personal accounts of traveling Park Naturalist Emily Vanderford, where she details her park adventures and experiences in the unique natural areas across the state. While reading about park adventures is not nearly as meaningful as experiencing them first-hand, Parks Explorer wants you to know just how many opportunities there are for you to enjoy Alabama the beautiful.
Get Rewarded for Visiting an Alabama State Park
The contest portion of the Eighth Day Escapes adventure series will feature monthly giveaways to show appreciation to park customers for their patronage. At the end of the year, there will be a Grand Prize drawing from all contest entries throughout 2016. Entering the contest is as simple as visiting any Alabama State Park and submitting a contest entry form with a photo. Read more below.
How to Enter:
VISIT any Alabama State Park and capture photos as you explore.
SUBMIT a contest entry form with photos and a brief recap of your adventure (details below).
FOLLOW the Parks Explorer column on alapark.com/explorer for announcement of monthly winner.
Contestants must submit a Contest Entry Form and photos to be eligible for monthly prizes and grand prize at the end of the contest. Participants must agree to abide by contest rules. Entry forms and photos may be submitted within 30 days of trip by any of the following means:
Contestants may post their photos to our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ALStateParks/, tweet photos to @ALStateParks, or post to Instagram, tagging @alstateparks. Indicate where the image was taken and use hashtag #EighthDayEscape for all social media entries. Emailed entry form must accompany all social media photos in order for participant to be eligible. | {
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A new aerodynamic front end increases air velocity for faster drying time. Has a heat booster switch which increases air temperature up to 10%. Has heavy duty switches for extended life. The new style cartridge filter system gives added protection from breakage and allows more air intake than other blowers. Has a 12 gauge, 20' cord. Comes complete with filter, 15' hose and end. Approximately 73.87 CFM, 19 amps.
Powerful unit with the choice of using one or both motors for maximum air output. Motors develop over 1 h.p. each. Includes 20 foot cord, filter, 15' hose and blower tip. Produces 125 cfm; 17 amps. Two year warranty (3 months on hose).
The miniature version of the popular Air Express III blower. Equipped with a single high powered, high efficiency motor. The power will surprise you! Only draws 11 amps of electricity. Includes the patented aerodynamic funnel front end cap design for more air velocity, and the unique patented cartridge filter system. Includes supplemental heat booster to increase air temperature for faster drying. Mini Blower comes with a 15' hose.
Circuiteer IV Hot Blower-Dryer has the same Powerful unit as the Circuiteer II but with two electrical outlets. Choice of using one or both motors for maximum air output. Motors develop over 1 hp each. Includes 20 foot cord, filter, 15' hose, and blower tip. Produces 125 cfm; 17 amps. Two-year warranty (3 months on hose).
The new dual blower hose "Y" system will double your blowing power. Has two 2' hoses that hook to your blowers with a "Y" attachment at the other end that is attached to a 15' hose. The end hose is a 2" diameter which reduces the back pressure and increases the air velocity. Cuts drying time in half.
Compact, high velocity forced air dryer features an all steel body on wheels. No heating element so it won't overheat or dehydrate your animal. Designed to “blast” water off animals fast and efficiently. Two-stage 4 h.p. motors, with airflow of 59,000' per minute. Includes a 10’ x 1.5" heavy-duty hose, neoprene blower/nozzle and easy change filter.
Safe.Pharmacy online veterinary pharmacy services
Valley Vet Pharmacy has earned accreditation through the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy® (NABP®).
Valley Vet Pharmacy successfully completed the rigorous accreditation process by demonstrating the professional operations of the pharmacy, including the maintenance of policies and procedures that protect the veterinarian-client-patient relationship, ensure the appropriate handling of prescription medications, provide appropriate medication information, and ensure quality pharmacy practices are continuously offered to our clients. For more information about the .Pharmacy program, please visit the NABP Web site, nabp.pharmacy.
.Pharmacy is a website verification program that identifies online pharmacies and pharmacy-related websites around the globe as safe and legitimate.
Click the logo below to verify the www.valleyvet.com or www.valleyvet.pharmacy site: | {
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Top Ten Tuesday: 10 Books I’ve Read Recently that I Wasn’t Looking For But Glad I Found
I think that you find books at the right times to read them…or you don’t and you miss out on that book. Sometimes the book is the right one for you, and you can read it over and over again without it ever feeling stale. Sometimes you try to read it again, and the magic is gone. The books you find at the right time just by chance stick with you. Did someone in the know recommend it? Did you find it on a bookshelf while looking for something else? Where do you find books that you aren’t looking for?
These are some of my favorite books, even if they aren’t that great, even though they don’t do anything to help my TBR list. Sometimes it’s the right time to find a book that you weren’t looking for.
In addition, this list of books also only includes those that have fewer than 15,000 ratings on Goodreads.
In the “New Books” Section of the Library
Even when I tell myself that there should be a limit to the number of books I should be checking out, I always look over at the “new” section–just to see what’s there.
Alif the Unseen by G. Willow Wilson
About: A sort of Arabian Nights meets the digital world. Alif is the equivalent of a code name, one he uses online where he protects anyone’s presence on the internet from the eyes of the Hand for a price. When weird things start to happen, Alif is shown an entirely new world that he never could have believed to exist, one that is far from virtual.
Verdict: This was a really fun read that I probably never would have come across if I had stuck to my reading schedule. It had really interesting things to say about technology, magic, and censorship–not to mention religion and government.
The Swans of Fifth Avenue by Melanie Benjamin
About: This book is about Truman Capote through the eyes of the society women he captivated and later betrayed. The story is told through the women’s perspective and paints an interesting portrait of both society in question and of the writer.
Verdict: I read this book before In Cold Blood, and it actually gave me the determination I needed to start what I thought would be a pretty daunting venture (it really wasn’t, but I’m glad I was able to get into the book and see that). If you don’t like to read about wealthy women, you probably won’t enjoy this, but the characters, for all their privilege, are extremely vulnerable and interesting.
Be Frank With Me by Julia Claiborne Johnson
About: An eccentric young boy with a reclusive authoress as his mother and a nanny who’s been sent by the publisher to give his mother time to write. The book follows the nanny’s perspective (who in her regular job isn’t a nanny at all), her frustrations and trials as she deals with a child who dresses like he’s 30 years old in the 1930’s, knows everything there is to know about his favorite old movies, and doesn’t like his things being touched.
Verdict: This book is all about personalities, the most captivating one being Frank’s. This woman loves this family that doesn’t really accept her into it, at least not right away. I found this book to be charming. The plot moves slowly, but plot isn’t really the point here.
The Madwoman Upstairs by Catherine Lowell
About: The last living descendant of the Bronte sisters enters a venerable old British institution. She’s told everyone that there’s no mystery fortune that’s been passed down from the Brontes, though the press refuses to believe it. But when she starts to receive copies of the Bronte’s books–books that should have been burnt in her father’s library years ago when it caught fire–she thinks maybe someone is trying to tell her something different.
Verdict: A modern, and only slightly gothic, romance/mystery that fits into the Bronte tradition. For anyone who likes Austen or the Bronte sisters.
A Window Opens by Elisabeth Egan
About: A classic trying-to-have-it-all story about a mother who thinks she can make everything balance until life starts getting crazy.
Verdict: This is a great beach/vacation/cozy time read. It’s not all that serious or difficult, and you could be finished with it in a couple sittings.
Found Wandering the Library
There are times when I’ll just wander through the shelves and see what strikes me. Some of these were found in specific sections (graphic novels are great for browsing, since there’s usually a limited number of them).
The Rocks by Peter Nichols
About: The book moves backward in time and follows the lives of two ex-pat families living in the Mediterranean. It’s sort of a Romeo and Juliet story with an olive grove twist.
Verdict: I’d seen this book many times at one of the bookstores I frequented in college. It always caught my eye, but I never bought it (mainly because I don’t usually buy books randomly). When I saw it on the shelf, I knew it was time. It wasn’t one of my favorites. I liked the time flow and loved the setting, but on the whole I found the characters difficult to either root for or summon much dislike for (with some exceptions). I gave it 4 stars on Goodreads, but it was really a 3.5 I rounded up.
The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage by Sydney Padua
About: The story/alternative history of the first computer.
Verdict: As I’ve mentioned before, this was one of my favorite books of the year, and I only found it by browsing the shelves.
My Life in Middlemarch by Rebecca Mead
About: One woman’s journey with her favorite book throughout her life. It’s part memoir and part literary criticism.
Verdict: Since I read Middlemarch the year before, it was definitely the right time to read this book, which turned out to be interesting and well-written and researched. Reading books like this is a holdover from my college days, and I always enjoy bringing new perspectives to a text.
Staff Picks at the Library
I gave this it’s own section because it’s more like getting a book recommendation rather than just strolling along a shelf.
James Joyce: Portrait of a Dubliner by Alfonso Zapico
About: The life of James Joyce in graphic novel form.
Verdict: A really great biography of a complicated man. Translated from Spanish.
Mom’s Recommendation
There actually would be more books in this section if I had been more dedicated to reading at the end of the year. My mom and I share books back and forth a lot, and she is really good at picking things out for me and vice versa.
Lost in Translation by Nicole Mones
About: An archaeologist hires a translator in China to help him in his quest for dig approval. (There’s no connection to the Bill Murray film just in case you were wondering)
Verdict: This book was so good! If you like archaeology and romance and a little history thrown in I think you should give this book a try. The characters are really interesting and the writing is atmospheric and sensual.
I actually watched it first, mostly just because I really like Rufus Sewell too, and I loved the story and characters so much, I bought the book! Sewell makes such a delightful Ladislaw. Hope your library has it! | {
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French footwear manufacturer Feiyue teams up with world-renowned watchmaker Casio to launch an exclusive collaboration fusing retro design with modern details. The package begins with Feiyue’s iconic A.S. (Association Sportive) model sporting digital watch-inspired details on the heel tab and insole. The asphalt grey chevron A.S. will be complemented by Casio’s original Illuminator watch in a silver finish. Available in early December, this collaborative boxset limited to 200 worldwide and will retail for €99 EUR (approximately $133 USD). | {
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Archive
The Alexa skills catalog is home to more than 10,000 skills thanks to our amazing developer community. As most you know, every Alexa skill submitted to Amazon undergoes a certification process prior to being published in our public catalog.
To help you navigate the certification process, let me share its main purpose and requirements, the top issues we're seeing, and some helpful reference material.
All certified skills meet our requirements for policy, security, functionality, and voice interface and user experience. These certification requirements help us maintain a high quality bar for our catalog. It also ensures that the third-party skills our customers consume on Alexa-enabled devices are safe and work well.
These certification requirements are specified in our technical documentation and certification checklist. We encourage you to save this link and reference it often as you develop your skills and prepare to submit them to Amazon. Doing this should...
Makers Academy is a leading web developer bootcamp based in London, UK. Its highly-selective, full-time program teaches the principles of software craftsmanship. Makers Academy has graduated over 700 students into their dream jobs as junior developers.
We believe natural user interfaces such as those based on speech represent the next major disruption in computing. Now is a great time for developers to take advantage of this new form of interaction and to learn to build voice-first experiences for Alexa, the voice service that powers Amazon Echo. Makers Academy’s mission is to teach students the most used technologies in today's marketplace, and we’re excited to team up to prepare you for the future of voice computing.
Amazon today announced a new program that will make it free for tens of thousands of Alexa developers to build and host most Alexa skills using Amazon Web Services (AWS). Many Alexa skill developers currently take advantage of the AWS Free Tier, which offers one million AWS Lambda requests and up to 750 hours of Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2) compute time per month at no charge. However, if developers exceed the AWS Free Tier limits, they may incur AWS usage charges each month.
Now, developers with a live Alexa skill can apply to receive a $100 AWS promotional credit and can also receive an additional $100 per month in AWS promotional credits if they incur AWS usage charges for their skill – making it free for developers to build and host most Alexa skills. Our goal is to free up developers to create more robust and unique skills that can take advantage of AWS services. We can’t wait to see what you create.
The Ford Motor Company announced a two-phased approach to integrating Amazon Alexa into its 2017 line of vehicles at CES. The first phase makes it easy for electric Ford vehicle owners to connect to their cars from the comfort of their homes through the MyFord Mobile skill, which launched in late January 2017.
Customers with a Ford plug-in vehicle, such as the C-Max Energi, Fusion Energi, or Focus Electric, can enable the MyFord Mobile skill to issue a range of remote commands and obtain vehicle information.
Technology in the car keeps drivers informed and connected. Logitech, a global leader in personal computing and accessories, is using voice control and the Alexa Voice Service (AVS) to help drivers stay focused on the road.
The company built ZeroTouch, a product that enables drivers to use their voice to control mobile-based applications on their Android phones or access cloud-based services via Amazon Alexa.
ZeroTouch is a combination of hardware and software that creates a hands-free voice experience in any car. The magnetic hardware car mount holds a phone in place either on the car dash or an air vent. The ZeroTouch mobile application launches via BluetoothⓇ and its voice control feature is activated with the wave of a hand.
In 2016, tens of thousands of developers visited the Alexa GitHub to learn how to build their own Alexa-enabled prototype with the Alexa Voice Service (AVS) and a Raspberry Pi. The community built some amazing projects, from magic mirrors and voice-enabled coffee machines to talking fish and alarm clocks.
If you’re new to voice user interface (VUI) design or you just want to learn more about AVS, the webinar recording below covers key concepts and examples around hardware selection, AVS development tools for commercial developers, best practices for enabling hands-free voice interaction, and how to build a robust Alexa Voice Service client.
Today we are happy to announce lock control and query, a new feature in the Smart Home Skill API now available in the US, with support for the UK and Germany coming soon. This feature is supported with locks from August, Yale, Kwikset, and Schlage as well as hub support from SmartThings and Wink. Now any developer targeting devices with locking behavior can enable customers to issue a voice command such as, “Alexa, lock the front door.” In addition, developers can build in support for customers asking for the status of a smart locking device with a voice command such as, “Alexa, is the front door locked?”
Much like the recently announced thermostat query feature, the lock query feature simplifies development efforts by enabling specific voice interactive experiences straight from the Smart Home Skill API. This is accomplished under the new Alexa.ConnectedHome.Query namespace.
Developers can report errors using the same namespace. These errors are then used to guide the customer with the proper corrective actions. It’s crucial that developers return meaningful and correct errors so that customers can feel confident about the status of their locks.For example, if the smart locking device is unable to provide a stateful value because a door is open, developers should report this in their directive response as shown below.
In 2012, brothers Maurice and Marcel Eisterhues built a smartphone app for their father. TorAlarm—German for GoalAlert—had a simple purpose: to help dad keep up with the scores for his favorite football teams. (That’s soccer for readers in the USA.)
What started as a fun project turned into a true opportunity for the two German entrepreneurs. TorAlarm’s popularity grew steadily, until in 2014, the brothers and their father founded a company with the same name. Today, TorAlarm is among Germany’s most popular apps for tracking the scores and schedules of football matches across the country,with over a million users in Germany alone.
Maurice and Marcel knew instantly voice would be the next step in TorAlarm’s evolution when they saw the upcoming launch of Amazon Echo in Germany.
“We were both totally amazed when we first saw the Amazon Echo,” says Maurice. “We’re always interested in new technology, so we decided very quickly we wanted to be part of this launch.”
Now that Amazon Echo and Echo Dot devices are available for purchase in Germany, developers can reach even more customers with their Alexa skills.
As a developer, you can teach Alexa new German skills using the Alexa Skills Kit (ASK). ASK is a collection of self-service APIs, tools, documentation and code samples that make it easy to create voice experiences and enable you to get started quickly.
If you would like to create something from scratch, our templates are a great place to start. Or if you already have an English (US) or English (UK) skill, you can add German to it. Check out this post to learn how to create multi-language skills.
Get a free Alexa Developer Hoodie
Developers who publish a German Alexa skill in March can get a free Alexa hoodie. Learn more about how to get your hoodie.
Voice technology carries enormous promise, as many people know from their interactions with Alexa, the voice service that powers devices like Amazon Echo. Our teams here at Amazon are working hard to unlock that potential, but innovation requires a collective effort, from large companies like ours to two-person startups, and from casual hobbyists to major academic institutions.
Today, we’re excited to announce the Alexa Fund Fellowship, a new program to support universities and researchers focused on transformative voice technologies such as text-to-speech (TTS), natural language understanding (NLU), automatic speech recognition (ASR) and conversational artificial intelligence (AI).
Alexa Fund Fellows will receive funding, access to Alexa devices, and mentoring from an Alexa Science team member to develop an undergraduate or graduate curriculum around one or more of these disciplines. The year-long program culminates in a demo day where students can showcase their work for peers, university faculty and members of the Alexa team.
We’re also pleased to announce our first group of university participants: Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), Johns Hopkins University, University of Southern California (USC), and University of Waterloo. Both Carnegie Mellon and Waterloo have already chosen fellows and begun offering classes for engineering students, while courses from Johns Hopkins and USC will begin in fall 2017.
A few months ago we introduced Flask-Ask, a new Python framework for rapid Alexa skill development created by Alexa Champion John Wheeler. Today, due to popular demand, John shares how you can deploy your Alexa skills built with Flask-Ask to AWS Lambda, a service that lets you run code without provisioning or managing servers, which you can use to build serverless applications. Check out John’s technical tutorial below, connect with him on Twitter, and hear more about Flask-Ask in the Alexa Dev Chat podcast episode 10.
In ourfirst post, Flask-Ask and ngrok were used to rapidly create a memory game skill and test it locally. This post shows how to use Flask-Ask with theZappaframework to quickly deploy skills to AWS Lambda. As of this writing, AWS Lambda supports Python 2.7. This tutorial assumes Python 2.7 is installed on your Windows, Mac, or Linux system.
Zappa, a serverless Python framework, uses a combination of AWS components to emulate theWSGI environmenton Lambda that Python web frameworks require. Since Flask-Ask is aFlaskextension and Flask requires a WSGI environment, Zappa is the perfect fit for deploying Flask-Ask skills to AWS Lambda. To demonstrate, we'll create an Alexa skill that uses the GitHub API to return how many stars, watchers, and forks a repository has.
Today we’re happy to share that developers have published over 10,000 skills, making Alexa even better for customers. We’ve been blown away by the innovation and activity in the Alexa developer community. To put it in perspective, we’ve seen a 3x increase in the number of skills available since September 2016 alone. We’ve come a long way in the short time that the Alexa Skills Kit has been available for developers, and we’ve seen a wide range of unique skills that allow customers to do everything from reorder their favorite morning coffee, stay mindful through meditation, control smart home lighting or check their bank account balance.
In November we unveiled a new way for customers to discover Alexa skills and explore the breadth of the Alexa skills catalog. With Alexa skills on Amazon.com, customers can enable skills directly through the website and leave reviews, just like other items on Amazon. Many skills have hundreds of reviews and are rated 4-star or higher by customers. We’ve also added ways for customers to enable and find popular skills, just using their voice.
To celebrate this 10k milestone of skill selection, here are a few Alexa skill highlights:
Beat the Intro has the honor of being the 10,000th skill published. It’s a music game by Musicplode Media that tests your knowledge and love of music.
Andy Huntwork has worked at Amazon for over 10 years, the last three as a principal engineer. He’s developed front-end and backend services for technologies ranging from websites to payment systems and everything in between. But when the Amazon Echo came out in 2015, he saw a new doorway open. Alexa was an exciting way to bring voice-based experiences to the world, and Andy wanted to part of it.
“So I joined the Alexa team,” Andy says, “and immediately started playing around with the Alexa Skills Kit (ASK).” Only a few months after Amazon released ASK, Andy and his wife, Laura, created their first skill. The skill recited public domain works, like Abraham Lincoln’s speeches and The Jungle Book, but the Huntworks wanted to build something more interactive and engaging.
Laura recalls wondering, “What would you ask Alexa to open that’s exciting, even magical? Wouldn’t it be fun to open a magic door?”
From that simple idea grew The Magic Door, an adventure with Alexa guiding you through a growing number of original, interactive stories. Today, The Magic Door skill is a sophisticated adventure framework, hosting 10 adventure storylines, 30,000 spoken words, numerous character voices and hundreds of sounds effects.
Walking through the Magic Door
To enter a faraway land of magical creatures, perplexing riddles and hidden prizes, just say Alexa, open The Magic Door. Suddenly, you’re off on an adventure with Alexa as your personal guide.
Guest post by Tom Hudson; Tech Director @thirteen23. Tom writes about new and emerging platforms and other tech-related stuff.
When I started my job as Technical Director at thirteen23, the owner Doug Cook and I were sitting in a room chatting about projects. At some point during the meeting he said “Alexa, is it still raining outside?” Uh what!? Previous to this I had never seen or heard of an Amazon Echo. Somehow I completely missed it. Needless to say, after the meeting I went back to my computer and immediately bought one. Since then I’ve been hooked on it, writing custom skills and taking advantage of all the integrations. I wrote a 3-part series on my experience building Alexa skills, and thirteen23 has played around with custom integrations such as controls for connected speaker systems.
Today we are happy to announce support for thermostat query, a new feature for Alexa skills developed using the Smart Home Skill API. The feature is now available in the US, with support for the UK and Germany coming soon. With thermostat query, customers can issue a voice command to an Alexa-enabled device, such as the Amazon Echo or Echo Dot, and hear Alexa say the response. For example, a customer with a single thermostat could say, “Alexa, what is the temperature in the house?” and Alexa would respond with the current inside temperature. This complements thermostat commands that already allow customers to set the temperature value.
This new feature simplifies development efforts by enabling specific voice interactive experiences straight from the Smart Home Skill API. In the past, smart home skill developers had to create two skills (one for smart home, the other for custom voice interactions to allow querying data) to provide this overall experience. | {
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Jammin' Rimini Party Hostel
Jammin' Rimini Party Hostel, Viale Derna 22, 47921 Rimini (RN), Phone +39 0541 390800
BY CAR
From A14 Highway, exit at “Rimini Sud” and follow Rimini centre and ''Mare'' (Beach)directions. We are in front of Beach number 34. Download the suggested route map from our website!
Parking: there are several public parkings close to the hostel (Medaglie d'oro, Lungomare, Cinema Settebello).
BY TRAIN
From Rimini Train Station get bus n.11 and get off at stop n.13 (Beware! stops are numbered). Viale Derna is just before the bus stop n.13.
TAXI: From Rimini Train Station is around € 10 during day time.
From Rimini Airoprt is around € 20 during day time.
FROM RIMINI AIRPORT
Get bus n.9 and get off at Rimini Train Station. Change to bus n.11 and get off at stop n.13 (Beware! stops are numbered). Viale Derna is just before the bus stop n.13. | {
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Visual J# (pronounced "jay-sharp") is an implementation of the J# programming language that was a transitional language for programmers of Java and Visual J++ languages, so they could use their existing knowledge and applications on .NET Framework.[1] It was introduced in 2002 and discontinued in 2007, with support for the final release of the product continuing until October, 2017.
Contents
Java and J# use the same general syntax but there are non-Java conventions in J# to support the .NET environment. For example, to use .NET "properties" with a standard JavaBean class, it is necessary to prefix getter and setter methods with the Javadoc-like annotation:
/** @beanproperty */
…and change the corresponding private variable name to be different from the suffix of the getXxx/setXxx names[citation needed].
JavaWorld said: "J#'s interface to the .NET framework is solid, but not as seamless as C#. In particular, J# code cannot define new .NET attributes, events, value types, or delegates. J# can make use of these language constructs if they are defined in an assembly written in another language, but its inability to define new ones limits J#'s reach and interoperability compared to other .NET languages."[4]
That Microsoft would produce an updated version of Visual J# 2.0, including a 64-bitredistributable version, called J# 2.0 Second Edition to meet customer demand for 64-bit runtime support. Microsoft released Visual J# 2.0 Second Edition in May 2007.[9]
Retirement of the J# language and Java Language Conversion Assistant from future versions of Visual Studio. The last version, shipping with Visual Studio 2005, was supported until 2015.
A link to download Visual J# 2005 Express Edition is no longer available from Microsoft's website; however, the link which was previously available was still functional as of 2017.[11]
Visual J# is out of mainstream support but "Visual J# 2.0 Redistributable Second Edition released in 2007, with support continuing through to 2017 (5 years mainstream and 5 years extended support) on EN-US locales."[12] Support for the Visual J# Version 2.0 Redistributable Package Second Edition will be discontinued from October 10, 2017.[13] | {
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London (18 January 2011) – Square Enix Ltd., the publisher of SQUARE ENIX® interactive entertainment products in Europe and other PAL territories, today announces a new release for next winter, FINAL FANTASY® XIII-2 for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft. A sequel to “FINAL FANTASY XIII” originally released in Europe in March 2010 that has since shipped a cumulative total of 6 million units worldwide.
“Xbox isn’t a gaming console. Xbox is a family entertainment center. It’s a place to socialize. It’s a place to watch TV. We have Hulu coming. It’s the only system where you are the controller. Your voice, your gestures, your body. I think about my own family. My wife used to say, ‘No, no, that’s the machine the boys use,’ and now she says, ‘Yeah, I want to go watch movies. Let’s go play the dance game. It opens up accessibility to family entertainment because with the Kinect, you control these systems with your body, with your voice. We’ve opened up the world of content in TV, movies. You just sit there and say ‘Xbox’ or ‘play movie.’ You go to your average 15-year-old boy, and he will say, ‘I’ll take an Xbox.’ I want that average 15-year-old girl as excited about the Kinect, and we haven’t done as good a job drawing in that broader set of demographics.” – Steve Ballmer, Microsoft
Microsoft has always wanted to push the Xbox to be the entertainment feature in the living room, but I really don’t see how Kinect improves what the 360 already does towards that end in any meaningful way. | {
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6 words: Linguistic proficiency
“Well conservant conversant with the English language.”
One NaPoWriMo (National Poetry Writing Month) prompt was to write a poem that contained at least five words in another language. I wrote this one, about linguistic blunders in a cross-cultural world. Been there, done that?
Day 1 in the U.S. of A
How do you take your coffee?
she asked, and I said
In a cup, s’il vous plaît,
a big one,
I’m so jet-legged.
Later we found out
that we both knew Pierre,
and I said Oh mon Dieu
and she said OMG
and Get outta here,
so I left. | {
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"The tradition of Italian cooking is that of the matriarch. This is the cooking of grandma. She didn't waste time thinking too much about the celery. She got the best celery she could and then she dealt with it."--Mario Batali
Peppermint Semifreddo Recipe
Tried it? Rate this Recipe:
This recipe for Peppermint Semifreddo, by Carol Scherner, is from THE BYER FAMILY COOKBOOK ,
one of the cookbooks created at FamilyCookbookProject.com. We help
families or individuals create heirloom cookbook treasures.
Directions:
Directions:
Put the candies in a paper or plastic bay and crush them into little chunks (not dust) with a rolling pen. Set aside.
Whip the cream until soft, floppy peaks form (they should be lazy peaks, not perky). Place the whipped cream in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it.
Prepare an ice bath by filling an extra-large bowl with water and ice cubes. Set aside.
Set a large heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Moving quickly, add egg yolks and 1/4 c. of the sugar, and whisk until the mixture starts to pale, 30 seconds or so. Add the peppermint liquor and whisk like you've never whisked before, until the mixture starts to thicken (30 seconds to 2 minutes depending on the heat). Move the bowl from the stove and set in the ice bath. Whisk again until it is cool to the touch. Keep the pot of water simmering.
Take another heatproof bowl (you can use the one from your electric mixer if you've got one) and set it over the simmering water, whisk the egg whites and the remainingh 1/4 c. sugar. Start whisking, you want the sugar to dissolve and the egg whites to warm up a touch - the heat makes it easier to whip them. After a minute or so remove them from the heat and whisk the whites until they have glossy peaks - four or five minutes. They should be structured and stiff.
Gently fold the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture. Pull the whipped cream from the refrigerator and add half the peppermint candies, folding in with as few strokes as possible. If you stir too much at this point the candies will turn everything pink.
Spoon mixture into serving glasses. Sprinkle with remainingh peppermint candies and place in freezer until semi-firm, an hour or so.
Number Of
Servings:
Number Of
Servings:
12 - 24 depending on size of glasses
Personal
Notes:
Personal
Notes:
This is especially nice around Christmas. It is very rich, so I like to serve it in pretty little shot glasses with whipped cream on top.
*Recipes and photos entered into the Family Cookbook Project are provided by the submitting contributors. All rights are retained by the contributor. Please contact us if you believe copyright violations have occurred. | {
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Thursday, April 14. 2011
The idea behind this skyscraper proposal is to harvest the energy within clouds in regions where more than 200 days per year are cloudy and rainy such as Scotland, North western United States, and South American rain forests.
According to studies, a single lightning produces comparable energy to 100,000 household bulbs for an hour. It is estimated that the world’s population currently needs 14 trillion of kilowatts per year but almost 33% of the electricity is lost during its distribution.
The Cloud and Electricity Generator Skyscraper seeks to tackle these problems by collecting the cloud’s electricity at heights that surpass more than 1 kilometer. The skyscraper is designed with a series of super-tall antennas that collect lightning and stores the energy in a series of battery-like structures distributed along the entire building.
A series of these skyscrapers could provide enough clean energy to a medium-size city. There will be very little energy lost in its distribution as the skyscraper will be located within the cities.
Thursday, March 03. 2011
Finnish design team, ALA Architects has shared with us their latest commission, a mixed use project in Helsinki, Cloud City. Seeking to take advantage of available space within the urban core, this unique project brings density to a underutilized courtyard within a large existing factory block. Additional images, including a full set of detailed floor plans and a description by the architects after the break.
Courtesy ALA Architects
Helsinki is currently developing new sustainable methods for building the city. Primarily these projects aim at increasing density at the expense of urban sprawl. One question is how to make existing built areas denser, another where and how to build high risers. The Cloud City project is one possible answer.
Courtesy ALA Architects
This project aims at increasing diversity in the central design quarters of Punavuori. As its site, it uses the large courtyard of the 1930’s Nokia cable factory block, Merikortteli. It aims at combining a single family house typology with central location and high rise views. This is achieved by using an office tower to elevate the residential building above the surrounding ridge line. The building is literally two different architectures piled on top of each other. These two identities are never present simultaneously so they can be completely optimized for their own use and conditions. Both sections have adopted a type of camouflage relating to their specific situations.
Courtesy ALA Architects
The lower office section has a façade literally reflecting the surrounding brick walls, becoming a distorted reflection of its container. Its form and reflective facade direct additional light into the yard in the winter, while in the summer it provides shade against overheating.
Courtesy ALA Architects
The apartments above are made up of one room sized units, creating a small scale, detached house feel. The private terraces and greenhouses give a sense of having your own garden. Each apartment has magnificent views to the sea and across central Helsinki. On the city scale the pixelated shape, lined by reflective glass railings and conservatories, makes the building blend into the skyline.
Courtesy ALA Architects
The courtyard will be built into a lush green garden, which receives its sunlight evened out by the reflective façade of the new office building. The ground level contains public functions, spilling out through the large arcades.
Above the ridgeline Cloud City has recreated the intimate scale of the old wooden houses which used to inhabit the site, whilst renewing the courtyard below into a surreal playground for the design district.
From a field of 237 entries from 25 countries, London’s Cook Robotham Architecture Bureau will receive the $ 65,000 second prize for a tower that is based upon the growing of algae in layers of droplets.
THE TOWER OF DROPLETS
The entire tower is inspired by the creation of energy. Living energy which must be……… Visible living energy SYMBOLISING THE VISIBLE ENERGY, ENTERPRISE AND INVENTIVE OPTIMISM OF THE TAIWANESE PEOPLE. The droplets are the primary elements of this process. Their activity, presence and form resonate throughout the scheme.
Much of the tower is open to the public to view the processes at close quarters. Even from the lifts, the daily state of vegetable husbandry will be visible. A variety of different arrangements of plantation and localized environment are distributed over its length. The principal purpose of the tower is to CREATE ALGAE.
When watered and filtered the algae create BIOMASS used as food for fish and plants and for making paper and BIOFUEL for powering engines. This process takes CO2 (a known hazard in Taiwan) out of the environment.
In the basic tower we provide 10.888 M2 surface of algae which produces 3,266,400 liters of oil and produces several thousand tons of biomass in a year. The same structure could be further developed – with accumulated Income and more bags to a maximum of double the surface and thus creating 6,532,800 liters of oil.
The structure is a series of steel lattices that wind around the steel elevator cores. The droplets are steel cages with membrane skinning. There are 3 observation levels:
There are 3 office zones, all are used by the City development Authority. THE MUSEUM at the base of the tower contains 5 floors On its top are viewable algae systems. At middle levels are exhibition zones based of techniques developed by the authors at the Kunsthaus Graz (Austria) and the War Museum of the North.
Tuesday, October 19. 2010
Dr. Dickson Despommier, a former professor at Columbia University and champion of vertical farming, has released a new book on The Vertical Farm Project. The book puts forth his argument about the future of urban agriculture through vertical farms.
The video below shows Despommier introducing his ideas about vertical farms as a "closed loop agricultural cycle" that provides safe food and water to growing urban population:
See these stories in the Worldchanging archives for more on the worldchanging potential of vertical farms, an actual small scale application, and some of the criticism the concept must address to really be brought to scale:
Since moving into the Los Angles half-way house two years ago, residents of the Rainbow Apartments have been devising a plan to start their own urban garden. After a few trials and errors, the novice gardeners have now succeeded in creating a 34-foot-long plot bursting with strawberries, tomatoes, basil and other herbs and vegetables, which grow vertically against their cinder block building. ¶ In addition to providing them with fresh, nutritious food, the residents have found that the garden has given them a way to connect with each other and build a supportive community...
Columbia Professor Dickson Despommier has generated a fair amount of attention with his concept for "vertical farms," stacked, self-contained urban biosystems that would -- theoretically -- supply fresh produce for city residents year round. The New York Times showcased outlandish artists' conceptions of what such farms might look like. Colbert did his shtick. Twelve pilot projects are supposedly under consideration, in locations as far-flung as China and Dubai. ¶ The concept has captured the imagination of at least the sliver of the public (including the editors at Worldchanging), who laments the enormous resource demands of our food production system and yearns for something easier on the land, easier on our aquifers, and less demanding of fossil fuels. Vertical farms seem to promise all that. ¶ Promising, of course, is different than delivering. Construction requires a lot of energy. Keeping vegetables warm in winter requires a lot of energy. Recycling water requires a lot of energy. Generating artificial sunlight requires a lot of energy. In other words, the secret ingredient that makes vertical farms work (assuming they work at all) is boatloads of energy. No one seems to have actually done the math on the monetary and environmental costs of such a scheme, but they would no doubt be considerable. ¶ Perhaps those costs pencil out (although they almost certainly do not), but the plausibility of the idea itself is in some ways beside the point. Whatever the merits of vertical farms, the enthusiasm with which this idea has been received suggests that we're becoming mightily reductive in the way that we think about sustainability...
...to focus on just one technology, let's look at the potential impact of vertical farming. ¶ There's a great site introducing the concept called, logically enough, the vertical farm project. This site will give you an extensive introduction to the idea of doing intensive hydroponics agriculture in urban hi-rises, and it includes a lot of architectural plans, systems analyses and hard numbers. Cost is somewhat skirted-around, but doesn't appear to be prohibitive when you factor in the fertilizer, pesticide, transportation and storage costs of our current mode of production. ¶ It seems crazy to talk about farming in a hi-rise; the vision it gives rise to is of a kind of student-residence crammed with pot-smoking hippies who've traded their carpets for wheat. In fact, the approach is pretty hard-nosed and industrial, with very high outputs as its aim. And here's where it gets interesting from the point of view of our ambition to rewild the country: in the study entitled "Feeding 50,000 People, Anisa Buck, Stacy Goldberg and others conclude that a single building covering one city block, and up to 48 stories high depending on the design, can grow enough food to sustain 50,000 people. This calculation doesn't require any magical technology; there's no fairy-dust being evoked here, we could build such a structure now. ¶ So, let's do the math...
It's hard to tire of projects that involve wallpapering, paneling, and roofing urban structures with plant life. Though it's becoming a more common design approach for enhancing air quality, catching runoff, highlighting the "green" aspects of a building, and sometimes even providing food, it always has an unexpected effect, accustomed as we are to surfaces made with impermeable and dull materials...[the concept of vertical farming] had a recent update in New York Magazine.Since we discussed the concept, developed by Dickson Despommier, who teaches environmental science and microbiology at Columbia, a whole lot more people are on board with the climate change issue. So his proposal to put agriculture into skyscrapers and reallocate land to forests in the interested of sequestering carbon and slowing global warming now has the attention of more than just design junkies and eco-imagineers. It's become an attractive possibility to venture capitalists from all over the world. The idea factors in not only the climate aspect, but also impending population explosions, looking at taking food cultivation upwards instead of outwards as it grows to accommodate greater numbers of people .
On an urban planet, closing urban resource and energy loops -- creating zero-waste systems for meeting the needs of people who live in highly dense cities -- floats in front of us, grail-like, as a goal. ¶ No one quite knows how to get it done, yet. But more and more interesting pieces of the puzzle are piling up, like smart places, smart grids and product service systems...Here's another piece of the puzzle -- vertical farming:...it's a provocative idea, and might fit together with some of the innovations discussed above in novel and worldchanging ways.
fabric | rblg
This blog is the survey website of fabric | ch - studio for architecture, interaction and research.
We curate and reblog articles, researches, writings, exhibitions and projects that we notice and find interesting during our everyday practice and readings.
Most articles concern the intertwined fields of architecture, territory, art, interaction design, thinking and science. From time to time, we also publish documentation about our own work and research, immersed among these related resources and inspirations.
This website is used by fabric | ch as archive, references and resources. It is shared with all those interested in the same topics as we are, in the hope that they will also find valuable references and content in it. | {
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NDMC issues circular to schools to ensure safety, keep vigil
New Delhi: Municipal schools in north Delhi have been issued a circular by the area’s civic body, directing them to ensure safety of students and keep a tight watch on visitors, in the wake of the Ryan school incident.
A seven-year-old class 2 student of the private school in Gurgaon, was found with his throat slit in the school washroom last week.
North Delhi Mayor Preety Agarwal said today that the circular has been issued to all NDMC-run education institutions to follow the instructions for safety and security of students keeping in view the recent incident.
“All school principals have been directed to ensure that staff members reach 15 minutes before the scheduled opening time and leave the premises 15 minutes after the students have left. Besides, the principal would be responsible for any movement of teachers out of a school during duty hours,” she said.
In a statement released by the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC), the mayor said students in municipal schools, being up to primary sections, are of tender age and need special attention.
“The principals must ensure that teachers do not use mobile phones in school and keep them switched off. If need arises, they must use phones of school only,” she was quoted as saying in the statement.
Agarwal said the main entry gate of the school should be kept closed after beginning of the school and is to be opened for outsiders, only with the permission of the principal.
Staff members of the schools, such as guards, should not be allowed in the school premises on the day when they don’t have duty, and no room of the school should be used by them for lodging there, she said.
“In addition, no vendors should be permitted to sell any eatable items in the close proximity of the school. First-aid kit must be available in schools and teachers should be well- aware about using it,” she said.
The Mayor said details of a school van and drivers who bring mid-day meal to schools, and staff members and its helpers who serve the meal, should be recorded in a register.
“Relatives of any woman sanitation worker should not be allowed to enter the school premises to help her. Toilets of staff and students should strictly be separated,” she added. | {
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Just for the record, I don't care for the "meet me feature" on this site. That tells me you haven't read my profile. Please send a brief message if you are interested.
Sometimes I struggle with who I am and what I want. Maybe all the "real" people do! We change daily; not out of necessity but because our personalities are complex.
I'm kind of complex but I don't think I'm complicated. I want what I want and if I find it, I'm true to my heart and my beliefs.
Sure, I want the chemistry, romance and spark that we all want. However, sometimes I wonder if that's real of if I should let things build, develop and spark based on stability, responsibily, achievement, etc. because those things are also important to me. Humm, do you understand my struggle? Let me know!
I don't quite know what that it all looks like anymore. I won't close the door on possibilities. Things on here are deceiving. Even phone conversations can be that way. I guess God had it right when He designed chemistry and attraction! It kind of has to happen in person. I'm getting a bit phylosophical, (sp?) but it's true, at least for me.
I love life and am attracted to men who think the same. If you are negative and don't see life as "sunny side-up", I'm not your girl. I'm a positive, caring, reasonably energetic, intelligent woman who is looking for a reasonably intelligent man who can excite me with his wit and humour, his smile and his tenderness for people and life.
I'm a lover all all things shared when in a good relationship and that is what I'm looking for. We could be together cooking, cleaning, looking after the yard or doing something much more romantic but the time together would make "the" memory.
I want a man who is emotionally available and ready to start something fresh because he CAN and really wants to make the rest of this life the most beautiful. Geez, we can still have it all in this time of our lives! Isn't that why they call it "prime"? There must be something special here!
I'm attracted to men who are "present" in the moment, fun loving, kind and can't wait to just get together and see what happens. I like a "boy scout" kind of man who is always prepared and usually not overwhelmed by the un-expected. lol, If you get a knot in your shorts because some poor driver cut you off, well, take a pill and call someone else. Life is full of surprises and I like a man who is good natured, easy going and doesn't sweat the small stuff. BUT, I also like a man who knows how to recognize "giants" and can slay them, when necessary.
I'm definately repelled by people who have an opinion on EVERYTHING and think they are the expert. I like a strong voice but you must know what you are talking about to have one. If you aren't sure, say so. I can be found sharing that "I don't have enough information to make an opinion." Therefore, I don't. That is honesty and I find it appealing.
(This paragraph needs to be updated because life has its moments and things change. I am not at work right now and going through some struggles. If you are scared off by this, sorry about that and please move on. If, on the other hand you look at change as an opportunity that can bring people closer, well, I like you already. I'll leave the rest of the paragraph as it stands with just this update so as to be upfront and honest.) I spend my time surrounded with people and love every minute of my days at work. When I'm at home, (I'm a cancer) I like to be safe, comfortable and relaxed. I'm not a princess but I'm not trailer trash either.
I like to cook for someone, share special moments, and be emotionally and intellectually stimulated. Good conversation about "real" things turns me on. If you think feelings are boring, (mine or yours), we won't fit. I'm a very sensual woman. (That means that things that appeal to the senses appeal to me. Sights, sounds, touches, etc.)
If you are still reading then let's chat. None of us are here because we have "lucked" out in the romance department. We have made our mistakes. I'm hoping that we "collectively" have licked our wounds, learned and moved on. Si?
If I'd added you to my favourites, consider that a wink and I'd like to hear from you. I'm a bit shy at first and like a man who can make the first move. ;)I also ask that you have a picture or two that accurately represents who you are.
One more thing, I would rather a message then a "meet-me" thing. lol
First Date
Maybe a "first" meet in a casual place? What would be fun? Depends on who you are...
Gifts Received
Mail Settings
To send a message to suitelife4me you MUST meet the following criteria:
MaleAge between 49 and 62.Live in CanadaLive within 75 miles. You must have a picture to contact this user. | {
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February 2015
Archbishop Fulton Sheen once wrote: “There are not over a hundred people in the United State who hate the Roman Catholic Church; there are millions, however, who hate what they wrongly believe to be the Catholic Church.”
I was one of those who hated because of what I wrongly believed about the Catholic Church. The reason I had these beliefs was due to being told what to believe about the Catholic Church from those who were told what to believe about the Catholic Church. No one was willing to find out what the bottom line was concerning the Catholic Church. Everything said about the Church was taken as truth while it seemed no one was delving into what the truth really was.
What about these Catholics? They worshipped Mary. They had a religion but not a relationship with Jesus Christ. They said they believed in God but really their belief couldn’t be the same, could it? The Bible says in James 2:19 KJV “Thou believest that there is one God; Thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble”.
So do Catholics have a belief such as the devils? When most Catholics are asked if they have been “born again” or “have accepted Christ as their Savior”, their main response is “I believe in God” or “I am a good person”, or “I’m Catholic”. Also, they have all these rituals, Saints, Statues and what about the Pope is he really standing in for God? Another big item, are they cannibals when they eat the bread and drink the wine during communion? Why do they leave Jesus on the cross, don’t they realize Jesus has risen from the dead?
From my friend David Palm who runs the website www.GeocentrismDebunked.com. It almost seems crazy to post blogs debating whether the sun rotates around the earth, or that the earth is the center of the universe with everything revolving around IT. But there are actually people out there with aluminum foil caps with antennas :-) who still believe this.
******************************************
The last update of Geocentrism Debunked focused on the false scientific claims of the new geocentrists, specifically their extravagant claims about the cosmic microwave background (CMB). This update will focus more on the theology, specifically from a Catholic vantage (but those from a non-Catholic background, please read on to the end.)
A traditional Catholic supporter of the new geocentrists recently insisted in an on-line discussion that the whole matter is a “tempest in a teapot”. To him “[Robert Sungenis] is clearly no threat to the integrity of faith and morals”. He asks, “Is the geocentrist theory a threat to faith and morals? No on all counts” and insists that “At any rate, these people aren’t bothering anybody.”
These claims prompted me to finish an article that I’ve had in the works for a long time. Geocentrism as a scientific view is a massive exercise in special pleading gummed together with conspiracy theories. But taken by itself, it’s not theologically erroneous. The problem is that that geocentrist hold it first and foremost as a matter of faith. And for the Catholic geocentrists, this runs them right onto the rocks of an actual heresy that has been formally defined by the Catholic Church.
Presented in three parts, this piece answers directly the brush-off that the new geocentrism “is clearly no threat to the integrity of faith and morals” and that the new geocentrists, “aren’t bothering anybody”. Ironically, in their zeal to uphold what they think is the “True Faith”, the Catholic geocentrists end up falling into a serious theological error that has been formally condemned by the Catholic Church.
We also have three other articles that support that thesis and highlight the defective scholarship of the new geocentrists:
“Geocentrism and the First Vatican Council”, which highlights still further the serious theological challenges faced by the new geocentrists. It’s not just the 1820-22 decrees that they have to face, declaring that there are “no obstacles” or “any difficulties” for Catholics to hold to non-geocentric views, but many other official acts since then.
If you read my blog regularly you remember that a friend of mine for over 15 years converted to Christianity and the Catholic Church about a month or two ago. He came here to my house and received the Rite of Election. You can read the post here with pictures.
Turkey is 99.9% Muslim so Okan has a great price to pay. Here is an article about his conversion written by Bishop James Conley of Lincoln Nebraska. He was with me in Istanbul with our St. Paul Cruise. Okan asked him to lay hands on him for a blessing and he did. Okan felt heat rush through his whole body.
You can read the article here. The “American friend” referred to in the article is me :-) This picture above is Okan coming out of Mass in Turkey.
Terrorists Murder Young Assyrians Fighting to Defend Christian Villages and Families By John Newton ROME, February 26, 2015 (Zenit.org) – Terrorist group Islamic State (IS) has started killing hostages seized after it took Assyrian Christian villages in Syria’s Hassake governorate – with reports that around 15 are dead. In a message sent to Catholic agencies working […]
Picture of Chinese father handcuffed to his young daughter to keep her from being kidnapped and used for a future bride or worse. What a disaster! Read the article – a ticking time bomb: https://www.lifesitenews.com/opinion/viral-photos-of-little-girl-and-her-dad-capture-why-china-is-a-ticking-time? ??
Picture of Chinese father handcuffed to his young daughter to keep her from being kidnapped and used for a future bride or worse. What a disaster! Read the article – a ticking time bomb: https://www.lifesitenews.com/opinion/viral-photos-of-little-girl-and-her-dad-capture-why-china-is-a-ticking-time? ??
Same-Sex “Marriage” and Children: New Study Points Outs Problems By Father John Flynn, LC ROME, February 22, 2015 (Zenit.org) – At a time when many states in America have legalized same-sex marriage a new study has provided evidence that the best results for children is that if they are raised in a heterosexual marriage. A paper […]
Yup. I knew it was coming. It was a mathematical certainty. Remove the traditional definition of “marriage” and all relationships and arrangements will be considered equal — and legally valid. If marriage is not defined and and protected in a society as a man and a woman in an exclusive and matrimonial relationship with the […]
News Article and Commentary The Muslim radicals of ISIS said they were killing the Egyptians, not because they were Egyptians but because they were CHRISTIANS! – the People of the Cross. These were foreign workers in Libya who came to work so they could send money home to their families (the women crying to the […]
After 8 years, the new DVD in the Footprints of God series is now completed! We are taking pre-orders with a special offer. DVDs will ship at the end of March 2015! ABRAHAM: FATHER OF FAITH & WORKS along with a Comprehensive Study Guide. The story of salvation from Abraham to Augustine he left his […]
These are the questions I answered about Raising Sons on Catholic Answers Live. It was a fun show with great questions. Click here for the LINK to listen on-line. Click here for the PODCAST or other information. *************************************** 1) I have a son who defends the Catholic Church to the death but won’t go to […]
Jimmy is one of my good friends and favorite guys, especially when it comes to biblical, Catholic and apologetical issues — and square dancing :-) I also love the looks of his bushy red beard. You can visit him at http://jimmyakin.com. Now, on to the matter of Lent: 1. What is Lent? According to the Universal Norms […]
Sunday 15th of February 2015 02:42:40 PM (It seems to be true, if any other info, let me know) The victims, dressed in orange jump suits, were beheaded after being forced down on the ground. The video appeared on the Twitter feed of a website that supports Islamic State. Religion of peace reported: “Twenty-one […]
Neither Dignity Nor Justice: Canadas Supreme Court Legalizes Euthanasia By Father John Flynn, LC ROME, February 15, 2015 (Zenit.org) – On February 6 the nine judges of the Canadian Supreme Court legalized euthanasia in a unanimous decision, reversing a previous 1994 ruling. The move continued a tendency towards judicial activism that started with the striking down […]
Today I received an e-mail with this question: The other night, in one of the RCIA session for which I am responsible, we looked at Who Is Jesus? In that video, some thing was said that struck a very wrong cord. It said that “Jesus raised himself from the dead.” I had never heard that […]
Many people think that Muslims are impossible to convert to Catholicism – not so. Daniel Ali proves this incorrect. In fact, there are droves of Muslims converting to Christianity. Not only is this a good conversion story, but it also will help you understand Islam – which is forcing itself on the West whether we […] | {
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A major survey of contemporary Indonesian art is currently being shown at the National Gallery of Australia. The exhibition focuses on works by artists who have practicing since the fall of President Suharto in 1998, an event that marked the end of three decades of the repressive and discriminatory New Order regime.
The impact of democracy is a major concern for many of the artists represented, as is a renewed engagement with international concerns. The work shown explore a diverse range of concepts ranging from sexuality, gender roles and family, to environmental concerns, the art market, new materials and forms, the everyday object and how we might listen to and learn from the sounds of Indonesia.
Zico Albaiquni, For evidently, the fine arts do not thrive in the Indies, 2018 | {
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2011/12/18
a new home
We have moved into a new home. We left the suburbs and arrived at the countryside. Life is much easier here; at least I f e e l that it is, and that's the important thing. Only some steps away the quiet woods. fresh air, dark, silent nights. Nice neighbours, a stack of fire wood beside the front door, a wood stove, candle light. What more shall I wish? | {
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According to prominent historiographers Ghevond and Hovnan Mamikonyan, in 789-790 during the Arab domination of Armenia, Shapuh Amatuni, his son Hamam, and 12,000 of their people moved from the Ayrarat Province to the Southern Coast of the Black Sea, then part of the Byzantine Empire. Hamam Amatuni built a town and named it Hamamashen, which evolved into Hamshen. The Hamshen Armenian princedom was semi-independent during the domination of the Byzantine and Trebizond Empires, Timur Lenk and the Turkmens. But by 1489, the Hamshen Armenian princedom, which had survived for 700 years, had become a part of the Ottoman Empire. In spite of everything, the Hamshen Armenians have maintained their semi-independent position.
- Mr. Vardanyan, it is well known that the Hamshen Armenians were subjected to the wave of Islamization as well. When did this happen and how many Hamshen Armenians adopted Islam?
- The history of the Islamization of the Hamshen Armenians is very poor and few facts have been preserved. The reason is that first, Hamshen was located on the outskirts of Armenia and second, a lot of material was lost or destroyed after 1915. This is true of the history of all of Western Armenia. According to the available information, we can assume that the process of Islamization was rapid in the Hamshen region at the beginning of the 18 th century. Some Armenians forcedly converted to Islam, became Muslim on the surface in the hope that the wave would pass and they would return to Christianity. Some of them did indeed come back. Many people died in the process, some escaped to other provinces. There are no numbers. Turkish documents don't mention how many Muslims living in a given village had been Armenian, Greek or of other nationality before. Interestingly, according to Yeremeyev's book The Origin of the Turks , Turks (including Azerbaijanis) are the only nation that has changed their race. That is, being Mongoloid they transformed into Caucasians by race. This happened owing to the Armenians, Persians, Greeks, Slavs and other nationalities assimilated by the Turks. Some of the assimilated people don't even remember what nationality they belonged to. The newly converted ones, of course, knew all that, but the succeeding generations had lost those memories. Some of the Hamshen Armenians have preserved their language up to now. Those who speak Armenian know that their ancestors were Armenians who adopted Islam. How that happened is another issue. Clearly, Turks would say that they adopted Islam voluntarily but scholars say that the conversion was the result of massacres.
- How many Armenian-speaking Muslim Hamshen Armenians are there?
- There are between 25,000 and 30,000 Armenian-speaking Muslim Hamshen Armenians in the Khopa region of Turkey. But the majority of the Bash Hamshentsis living in Hamshen proper have forgotten about their Armenian origin. Bash Hamshentsis live also in Istanbul, Germany and other countries.
- Living close to the Turkish-Russian border the Hamshen Armenians managed to escape to Russia by sea during the 1894-1923 massacres; moreover, they fought back against the perpetrators.
- Before the 1895 Trabzon massacres the Hamshen Armenians were thinking about escaping from Turkey. During this period they left for the Russian shore - to Abkhazia, Sochi - aboard ships. In 1915 the tide of flight rose. At the same time the resistance, or Fedayee, movement originated. Christian Armenians from the Trabzon Province went to the mountains and created defense units. Some families of Muslim Armenians were massacred too because they spoke Armenian and the Turks considered them unreliable. Armenians fought from 1915 to 1923. The last refugees and fedayees reached the Russian shores in May 1923. This was an unprecedented eight-year struggle. But this struggle hasn't been studied adequately. I have many documents in my personal archive; there are documents in other places too but there are no means to publish them.
- Are there any figures regarding the Hamshen Armenians who fell victim to the massacres?
- It's difficult to cite any numerical data on those massacred. According to an Armenian priest who witnessed the 1895 massacres and who was instructed by Turks to bury the bodies of the victims, he himself didn't know the numbers. This data is perhaps preserved in the Turkish archives.
- What happened to the Hamshen Armenians who had left for Russia?
- Russia received the Christian Hamshen Armenians warmly since it had the problem of populating the Black sea coastal regions. Armenians who were used to marshlands were able to develop the tobacco-growing industry there. There are also Muslim Hamshen-Armenians in Russia and Central Asia who now number some three or four thousand. This is how they got to Central Asia – after the 1921 demarcation of the Russian-Turkish border, several villages populated by Muslim Hamshen-Armenians and people of the Laz nationality found themselves within the boundaries of the Soviet Union (in Ajaria) and in 1944 by Stalin's order, along with Meskheti Turks and other local Muslim, the Hamshen Armenians were deported to Central Asia. In 1984 and in 1987 I traveled to Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan to study the ethnography and history of the Hamshen Armenians. In our conversations the elderly remembered the days of the Genocide.
In the village of Chirkino in the Chikmend Province of Kazakhstan, Iskhak Karaibrahimov (Tchermakyan, born in 1888 in the village of Gonio in Ajaria) told me that he gave refuge to eighteen Armenians who had escaped from Ardvin and other places and later on helped them to go to safer places through the forests.
In Chirkino I also met Khaula Shabanoglu (born in 1898 in the village of Chaushli), who saw the barbarity with which Turks were killing the Ardvin Armenians. According to his story, the Turks gathered the Moslem Hamshen Armenians but later on set them free, apparently, as Muslims.
In Kyzyl-Kiya in Kyrgyzstan Dursun Karabajakoglu (born in 1905 in Gonio, Ajaria) told me that during World War I his family moved to Charchakhana where his uncles lived. In 1915 their relative Osman Musoglu, wishing to stay away from the war, decided to move from Charchakhana to Constantinople, but because he spoke Armenian aboard the ship Turks slaughtered his entire family and threw the bodies into the sea. According to Dursun Karabajakoglu, though he was little at the time, all the children in the village knew that it was dangerous to speak Armenian. The Turks would say that after the Christian Armenians were massacred, the Muslim Armenians' turn would come, because they were Armenian after all.
- Do you keep in touch with Hamshen Armenians in Central Asia and other regions?
- In those days I invited Hamshen Armenians from Central Asia to visit Armenia or I visited them. I wanted to arouse national self-consciousness in them. I wanted to bring some 30 Moslem families from Central Asia and some 100 Christian families from Abkhazia. But the plans were interrupted because of the 1988 earthquake and the Karabakh movement. The Muslim Hamshen Armenians in Central Asia have no relatives here and that is why there are no contacts. And to do research there, resources are needed. But I must say that in 1984 Muslim Hamshen Armenians were moving from the Central Asia to the villages of the Apsheron region of the Krasnodar Province because Central Asia was an alien environment for them. In Krasnodar the Christian and Moslem Hamshen Armenians differ from each other mostly in their religion.
But the Soviet generation of the Muslim Hamshen Armenians have weak religious feelings because they hardly communicated with mosques, mullahs, or the Koran. Today we have close contacts with the Hamshen Armenians of Abkhazia and Krasnodar. The NGO Hamshen sends them most of the copies of the Voice of Hamshen monthly free of charge. Those who live in Armenia visit them and vice versa. I have also contacts with Hamshen Armenian truck drivers who bring goods from Turkey. Sometimes I ask for their help for my research – related to the dialect and to the local folklore.
- So today, the Hamshen Armenians mainly reside in Turkey, the Krasnodar province, Abkhazia, Central Asia and Armenia. Do we know how many Hamshen Armenians there are in our country?
- In the 1980s and 1990s we counted about 10,000 people in Armenia. This number is relative since the notion of Hamshentsi is very broad, like all other similar notions. When we say Hamshentsi we should mean those who left Hamshen proper or are their descendants and speak the Hamshen dialect. But our organization's charter states that it unites the Armenians of Abkhazia, the Krasnodar and the Trabzon provinces and their descendants and also those who want to contribute to the preservation Armenians in these regions. In other words, a Sasuntsi can become a member of the organization. Unfortunately, at present barely a hundred of people attend our conventions. Many people emigrated, but there are still quite a number of Hamshentsis in Armenia. | {
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HTC says it hasn’t given up on mobile yet, plans to release new phones soon
The former ‘King of Android,’ HTC, has been absent from our minds in recent months that have seen flagship smartphones launched by just about every other handset maker. With the exception of the ludicrous blockchain smartphone, Exodus 1, HTC has been quietly existing in the shadows of its competitors, with its most recent offering being the […] | {
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But Target is throwing in a bonus disc called "Building a Dream: Assembling the Avengers." The extra 90-minutes of footage will show how the original Iron Man, Hulk, Iron Man 2, Thor, and Captain America films were developed, forging the array of mighty superheroes to eventually assemble into the Avengers.
Related stories
The bonus disc features interviews and footage of the stars, directors, and other creative talents behind the various films. Different creators of the comic books are also on hand to share their thoughts about the growth of Marvel from comics to movies.
Beyond the bonus disc, the package also includes a Marvel short feature, a gag real, and an interactive second-screen experience, according to Target.
Buyers can preorder the film through Target's Web site. Shipping will cost unless you spend at least $75 on the total order.
About the author
Journalist, software trainer, and Web developer Lance Whitney writes columns and reviews for CNET, Computer Shopper, Microsoft TechNet, and other technology sites. His first book, "Windows 8 Five Minutes at a Time," was published by Wiley & Sons in November 2012.
See full bio | {
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Improvisation’s Successes and Challenges: Company SoGoNo in Williamsburg
Improvisation’s Successes and Challenges: Company SoGoNo in Williamsburg
By Carrie Stern
Improvisation. Most performing artists — actors, dancers, musicians — improvise. After years of being told what to do and how to do it, college is often the first time improvisation is encouraged. For some, improvisation is uncomfortable, a struggle, its lack of specifics terrifying leaving participants floundering, feeling adrift and even angry. For others, improvisation is a revelation, a door that opens onto possibility.
As a tool, improvisation is a way of exploring. Actors use it to find nuances of character or situation. Composers and choreographers commonly ask dancers and musicians to improvise around an idea or a phrase of movement or notes, generating a vocabulary that is culled for composition.
But improvisation is also an art in itself with its own rules and structures. More ephemeral than any other live performance, performed improvisation is truly “art in the moment,” the process of creation made visible. Jazz musicians famously evolve complex music over a template of a few basic lines. Dancers often rely on unrevealed structures, loose descriptions of touch points that provide shape to the overall performance while leaving the movement open to the moment.
But improvisation is messy. Even the best of practitioners, or those with high levels of scaffolding guiding their choices, inevitably encounter moments when energy drops and the movement isn’t finding its way.
Performed improvisation reached its peak as an important part of the conversation in modern dance in the mid-1970s. By the 1980s it had begun to fade as the genre turned to formal choreography and younger choreographers appeared with new priorities. Although recently there has been a renewed interest in improvisation as a creative tool, it is rare to see performers who employ improvisational tactics, and who are deeply versed in its performance.
Brooklyn-based Company SoGoNo are experienced performers with a common language springing from their training in Action Theater, an improvisational physical performance method created by Ruth Zaporah. They have worked together for many years. Familiarity allows SoGoNo to tune in to each other, quickly picking up cues as they change figurative and literal direction. Experience encourages rapid shifts when they find themselves at a dead end.
Artistic Director Tanya Calamoneri, who was injured and unable to perform in the SoGoNo concert I attended at Williamsburg’s Triskelion Arts, told me, “The presence, engagement and alertness of the performer are qualities that I find captivating and easier to enable through improvisation than through pre-set choreography.”
Normally director-less, SoGoNo’s “December’s Second Nature: Surreal Travelogues of the Ordinary” was an experiment in directed improvisation. Calamoneri became an outside eye, suggesting fruitful lines of physical inquiry and giving feedback on verbal narrative structures.
The result was mixed. There were beautiful, suggestive phrases of dancing — quick-changing impulses during which the other dancers never missed a beat were joined by slow, evolving explorations of a single idea. Danny Tunick, the company’s musician-in-residence, was a clear partner, responding and driving the expanding ideas on the stage.
One of the pitfalls of improvisation is that the performer must know when to let go. It’s easy to be engaged in your own path. On stage it’s important not to miss the point at which it is no longer interesting to anyone else. I am content to follow an improviser as they discover a pathway, but too often, particularly towards the end of the performance, discovery went on too long without resolution in either movement or sound.
In this performance, the verbal passages that drove the movement were in part to blame. I am a fan of storytelling with dance, but more than once the stories lost focus as the dancers struggled to figure out where they were going. Special guest Owen Walker, though a fine performer, was only occasionally in tune with company members Cassie Tunick and Heather Harpham.
Despite these objections, it is a rare opportunity to be able to watch seasoned performers as they follow the passageways opened by the movement coursing through their bodies, the meeting of music, words, and other dancers in new, never seen before, or after, creations.
Improvisation also played a role in Jordon Fuchs’ work on the last program of FLICfest. A longtime improviser, Fuchs’ “Strange Planet” attempted a structure that would corral improvisation’s unruly edges while supporting presence and engagement among the performers. Like Calamoneri’s work, it was only partially successful. At times it verged on the overly indulgent, while at others it established startling, intense performances.
Audiences’ impatience with performed experimentation, and performers’ fear of taking a chance, is a loss for dance as a whole. Both as a choreography tool and as a form of performance, improvisation feeds modern dance in important ways. In the pressure cooker of performing open-ended structures, experienced performers often discover and offer up fascinating new dances.
And a note: It’s hard to believe I had never before been to Triskelion Arts, Willamsburg’s longtime center for new dance. Up several broad flights of stairs, a long, crisp hallway sprouts several theater-studios along its sides. All were in use upon my visit. Opened in 2000 and the recipient of six Dance Theater Workshop “Outer Space Grants,” Triskelion is a wonderfully old-fashioned, alternative rehearsal and performance space with a long tradition of hosting rising choreographers. There are too few of these spaces left in New York City, places where young companies can afford to self-produce, where choreographers can take a chance.
For more on Company SoGoNo, visit www.sogono.org. For more information on Triskelion classes and performances, visit triskelionarts.org. | {
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Stop obsessing about generic Advair, says GSK’s Witty
GlaxoSmithKline’s (GSK) outgoing CEO, Sir Andrew Witty, reassured investors about the possible impact of a generic competitor to its blockbuster respiratory drug Advair in the US this year.
In his final quarterly results conference call with journalists as CEO of GSK, Witty said some commentators had become “obsessed” with the impact of generic Advair (fluticasone+salmeterol).
But, he said, in a worst-case scenario, should the FDA actually approve the drug, and if it took a significant bite out of sales, then earnings per share would remain flat or decline slightly.
If the generics don’t arrive, earnings per share should increase 5-7%, explained Witty, who steps down in April when Emma Walmsley takes over.
Witty highlighted the strength of the company’s new drugs in its vaccine business, and growth in its consumer products division, which have helped deliver quarterly sales growth of 21% compared with the same period last year, to £7.59 billion.
The US patent on Advair expired in 2010, but the drug-device combination has proved difficult to copy, extending its market dominance well beyond what is usually expected.
However sales are already declining because of competition from new drugs, with Seretide/Advair sales down 20% to £975 million. In the US, Advair sales were £556 million for the quarter, down 21% on last year’s Q4.
Mylan filed a generic version around a year ago and is still waiting for the FDA to make a decision on whether to approve it.
Witty stated: “We don’t know whether there is going to be a generic.”
A range of newer respiratory drugs, such as Relvar/Breo Ellipta, are helping to offset the decline in Advair sales, although none of them has approached the mega-blockbuster status that the older drug once had.
Witty continued: “We expect to maintain our leadership position in the respiratory market over the next several years.”
He also noted the strong performance from GSK’s HIV joint venture with Shionogi and Pfizer, ViiV. Sales of HIV combination therapy Triumeq increased 56% compared with the last Q4, to $530 million.
Witty said GSK and Shionogi had “doubled down” on their investment in the joint venture, and had removed options that would have allowed them to pull out in the medium term, although GSK has retained an option to pull out in 2030. “We are in it for the long haul together,” he concluded. | {
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nissan leaf
Sue Selle was introducing her science students to ways they might reduce their carbon footprint -- including the many forms of alternative-fuel cars available in today’s market. Then came the question: "Ms. Selle, do you drive one of those cars?" The answer was no. She shared her reasons, but her words felt hollow. "I always try to be a role model to my students, to practice the environmentally-conscious actions that I teach about. I didn't like that I couldn't do that in this case."
When Kelly Schmandt Ferguson took a job in Santa Ynez last year, commuting to work by bus was no longer an option for the Santa Barbara resident. Concerns over increased gas expenses and the environmental impacts of fossil fuel emissions as well as the desire to “support a technology that [she] believed in” led Kelly to research leasing an electric vehicle. | {
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Calendar
This is the official School of HONK calendar of events.
For other events associated with our community (e.g. other local shows or meet-ups our bandmates are participating in, or interested in attending), check out — or post to — the School of HONK Community calendar. Please keep in mind this is not a general use community calendar, but specifically for events you think will be of interest to your bandmates at School of HONK. | {
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Topic Review (Newest First)
08-28-2012 10:18 AM
focusonit
It's fine as long as you don't use it every time you wash your car. I used to do that first and last details of the year. When I do my first and last detail of the season. I mix Purple power 50/50 with water and mist down my entire car soaked keeping it wet with the car hose set to mist. Once I'm done I let it pre soak for about 10 minutes then rinse it well. Then wash my car as usual. Purple Power is awesome cleaner. It's very slick. Just don't let it dry on the paint.
08-03-2012 10:48 AM
lyonsroar
This is my current soap preference...
08-03-2012 10:37 AM
RonMaiden
I'm all about gentle when it comes to my paint and right now I'm using Meguire's Wash and Wax car wash and it's doing it's job splendidly right now.
08-03-2012 10:10 AM
lyonsroar
Quote:
Originally Posted by RonMaiden
Why don't you use car wash to clean your dishes?
This soap is gentle enough to use as hand soap or shampoo.
08-03-2012 09:06 AM
arjay219
Quote:
Originally Posted by RonMaiden
Why don't you use car wash to clean your dishes?
hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm interesting thought lol
08-03-2012 08:58 AM
JDBug182
Quote:
Originally Posted by RonMaiden
Why don't you use car wash to clean your dishes?
lol same reason you dont eat off your car...?
08-02-2012 09:14 PM
Mile30
Quote:
Originally Posted by RonMaiden
Why don't you use car wash to clean your dishes?
x2^^^
Ha!
08-02-2012 07:34 PM
RonMaiden
Why don't you use car wash to clean your dishes?
08-02-2012 04:15 PM
arjay219
Quote:
Originally Posted by cyfocus01
is your exterior oily/greasy? then yes, use it. there are pretty good exterior wash-n-wax blends out there for pretty cheap.
turtle wax and wash
08-02-2012 04:09 PM
cyfocus01
is your exterior oily/greasy? then yes, use it. there are pretty good exterior wash-n-wax blends out there for pretty cheap.
This thread has more than 10 replies.
Click here to review the whole thread. | {
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Publicly challenging or interrupting New Jersey Governor Chris Christie isn't for the faint of heart, as one fact-challenged constituent discovered early in the week, but that didn't stop the 'Occupy' crowd from giving it a shot. Watch as they cut into Christie's remarks at a Romney rally with one of their dopey "mic check" exercises. After goofing on the intruders as the evening's "entertainment," Christie seizes on their frustration and flips it into a scathing attack on President Obama (via Verum Serum):
They represent an anger in our country that Barack Obama has caused…because he is a typical, cynical Chicago ward politician who runs for office and promises everything and then comes to office and disappoints. And so there anger is rooted, not in me or in Mitt Romney. There anger is rooted in the fact that they believed in this hope and change garbage that they were sold three years ago by this President. They believed in the fact that this President was going to be a post-partisan leader. They believed this President when he said he was going to be a transformational figure in our country. And so now they’re angry but they’re not mature enough to know they should be angry with themselves. So they’re going to be angry with me or governor Romney or some of you. What we should be focused on I think as a country is not being angry at them–they’ll work their problems out over time. What we should be angry about is the lack of leadership in this country.
Occupiers would obviously object to Christie's characterization of the roots of their grievances -- varied and incoherent as they may be -- but his handling of the situation plays very well with the Republican audience. With the public markedly souring on the fading movement, Christie's framing would likely satisfy many independent voters, too. The man is a very gifted messenger. Incidentally, a PAC supporting the man he's chosen to endorse has a new ad out today. Unlike his recent spot that takes a thinly-veiled swipe at Newt, this one goes guns blazing on the true political target: President Corleone. | {
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Recommended: Tabloid Wars, a Bravo reality show filmed at the paper that just fired half its staff
One of the best shows Bravo has ever aired, and perhaps one of the lesser-known reality shows Bravo has ever aired, was Tabloid Wars. As it goes behind the scenes at the New York Daily News—the newsroom that was transformed into The Daily Planet for Superman—the show captures a lot of news in the making,
In my favorite hour—episode three—one reporter goes from covering a murder to a Harry Potter release party, while a gossip columnist’s assistant struggles with the pointlessness of attending celebrity events and navigates the world of publicists, including one who’d previously driven her SUV into a crowd of people.
But my favorite scene in that episode involves a reporter, Adam Lisberg, who’s sent on a rather boring task: driving around Long Island, going to locations where a high-ranking Catholic priest may have gone to have an affair with his secretary.
Having found nothing, Lisberg heads to his next location, but as he sees a car pass him, he thinks it might be familiar, one that he saw previously. Talking to the camera, he’s uncertain and constantly second-guessing himself.
Still doubting his own instincts, he makes a U-turn and goes back. Lisberg pulls in to the parking lot of the Surfside Inn, where a beleaguered car service driver approaches him for help, trying to figure out where he is (this is pre-Google Maps).
That’s when the driver says that he been driving “some monsignor” around.
Yes, for some inexplicable reason, the priest is back at the very same location where he’s been accused of having an affair with a married woman—and now, a reporter is there, too. Lisberg grabs his camera, and asks the priest questions as he leaves the Inn.
It’s an extraordinary moment of journalism—but even better television. Seeing the photo Lisberg takes in the paper is far less dramatic than the moment where he asks the Monsignor questions while taking photos.
What’s incredible about that moment, besides the confrontation, is that we see journalism being practiced. The false leads, the legwork that leads nowhere, the questions and curiosity that eventually lead somewhere.
The actual story is far less dramatic than the process of reporting it—or the process of reporting it, edited and condensed into its most dramatic moments for television.
We also see editors who don’t just publish details from a videotape of the priest and his secretary at a hotel, but instead work to verify its contents. They argue over whether or not they have enough for a story.
I highly recommend the show for all these reasons. And I share this now because, last week, half of the journalists who worked at the paper—including some featured in the series—were fired.
‘I traded anonymity for legitimacy’
Kerry Burke, who was one of the show’s central characters, explained why agreed to be featured on the show in a 2006 interview with The Bowdoin Orient. “I traded anonymity for legitimacy. I go to people on the worst day of their lives and say, ‘Tell me everything.’ It would be hypocritical to not do it when people asked me to tell my story,” he said.
Burke was one of the 40 people fired last week.
Last week, Tronc, the corporate monster with the comic name, fired half of its journalists. In a statement, Tronc cited “significant financial challenges” for “reducing today the size of the editorial team by approximately 50 percent and refocusing much of our talent on breaking news.”
But they fired many journalists who broke news, like Burke, who worked for the paper for 16 years.
Oh, and Tronc’s chair, Michael Ferro, resigned this spring and received $15 million, right before two women said he sexually harassed them, which prompted this analysis from Deadspin: “The journalists who lost their livelihoods today in effect had their salaries and benefits re-routed to Michael Ferro’s bank accounts. Against their wills, they were made to pay him for being a fucking pig.”
I wish Bravo would air Tabloid Wars again, perhaps a few marathons, assuming they still have the rights to do so. It illustrated how the “media” is just people doing the best they can. And even better, it was just wildly entertaining reality television.
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behind the scenes of reality TV
On Saturday, 20 members of the Television Critics Association toured the Big Brother house, live studio, and backstage areas. As a member of TCA, I was one of those fortunate people. After we visited the studio and back yard, executive producers Allison Grodner and Rich Meehan each took half the group, and led us through… continue reading
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about Andy Dehnart
Andy Dehnart’s writing and criticism about television, culture, and media has appeared on NPR and in Vulture, Pacific Standard, The Los Angeles Times, and other publications. He has covered reality television for more than 18 years, and created reality blurred in 2000.
A member of the Television Critics Association, Andy, 41, also directs the journalism program at Stetson University in Florida, where he teaches creative nonfiction and journalism. He has an M.F.A. in nonfiction writing and literature from Bennington College. More about reality blurred and Andy.
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reality blurred is your guide to the world of reality TV and unscripted entertainment, with reality show reviews, news, and analysis. It was created in 2000 by Andy Dehnart. He's still writing and publishing it today.
reality blurred is regularly updated with highlights from the world of reality TV: news and analysis; behind-the-scenes reports; interviews with reality TV show cast members and producers; and recaps and reviews of these reality TV shows, including Survivor, Big Brother, The Great British Baking Show, Shark Tank, The Amazing Race, The Bachelor, Project Runway, Dancing with the Stars, Top Chef, and many more. | {
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Description: Three Tomatoes Trattoria opened on November 20th, 1990. Over the years I have traveled extensively throughout Italy in search of new ideas, recipes, and great wines to bring back to Three Tomatoes. The source of inspiration continues to be the simple, fresh, healthy and local foods of Trattoria style cooking. Eating in a Trattoria in Italy is like eating with an Italian family. The mood can be relaxed or boisterous, but always friendly. It is a home away from home and a gathering place for friends. I have tried to capture the warmth of the trattoria kitchen with its open fire, the aroma of simmering sauces, roasted meats, grilled fish and pizza baking in our custom built wood fired oven. Our newly revised wine list has been enhanced by selections of distinction and value inspired by attending Vinitaly, Slow Food's Terra Madre and visiting vineyards throughout Italy, Sicily and Sardinia. Three Tomatoes has captured some of the spirit that makes wine, food, and conviviality such an important part of trattoria life. Salute and buon appetito! Robert
We ate here recently with our friends. We had pizza, which was wonderful, lamb, which was wonderful, salad great and chicken, good. This is where locals eat, and the place was full, which is always a good sign. It almost hit 5 stars, but it wasn’t quite there due to the water left on my pasta, which ruined my chicken dish, which had fettuccine ala Agua. In other words watered down sauce.
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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
Robert M, Owner at Three Tomatoes Trattoria, responded to this reviewResponded 13 November 2017
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Riding back into NH from the New York Finger Lakes on the Harley we stopped at this great Italian restaurant on the green common near Dartmouth Hitchcock College. It was a beautiful day so we opted to eat outside area which has plenty of seating under cover and very casual. The inside of the restaurant is fancy and quite elegant. Absolutely loved my seafood marinara with so many mussels, shrimp, scallops and calamari served over linguine for lunch. My husband had his favorite chicken parmigiana. - $58. Includes tip. Our friends loved their pizza.
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Robert M, Owner at Three Tomatoes Trattoria, responded to this reviewResponded 13 November 2017
Thank you so much for your review and the 5 star rating. We appreciate it.
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And have the eggplant parmigiana sandwich, which comes with a good sized bowl of great marinara sauce to dip it into. The bread it is served on is perfect, crisp on the outside and a soft cushion for the delicious eggplant on the inside. Paired it with a half a chicken.... A painted ceramic chicken with just short of four glasses of wine inside. A perfect lunch!
Value
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Robert M, Owner at Three Tomatoes Trattoria, responded to this reviewResponded 13 November 2017
Dale. Thank you so much for your comments and the 5 star rating. We appreciate it.
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Great place to go any evening for a simple, but delicious meal. Perfect for dinner before any performance and the LOH half a block away. Lunches also delicious, eating outside available during mild weather. A good selection of soups and salads, as well as pizza and pasta.
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Robert M, Owner at Three Tomatoes Trattoria, responded to this reviewResponded 26 October 2017
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It was a bit confusing on arrival as the design encouraged entry to the outdoor patio from the sidewalk yet I sat for quite awhile b4 someone came out and indicated that I needed to go inside first to get a menu. Once accomplished, I made my selection, special Harvest Salad of the day... with apricots and almonds... and it was quite good.
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Bastille Review - English Rock Ignites Boston's 104.1 Mix Lounge
Bastile rocked the Royale Boston on January 20th, 2014. The following day they jammed at Boston’s 104.1 Mix Lounge. I had the opportunity to attend the 104.1 Mix Lounge and was blown away by Bastille's performance. This English rock band played one of my most memorable and favorite acoustic rock performances.
Bastille formed in London in 2010. Members Daniel Smith (lead vocals, keyboards, percussion, producer), Chris Wood (drums, backing vocals), William Farquarson (bass, keyboards, acoustic guitar, backing vocals), and Kyle Simmons (keyboards, percussion, bass, backing vocals) have been making extraordinary music ever since. The name of the band derives from Bastille Day, an event celebrated on Daniel Smith's birthday, 14th of July. Bastille released a 7”/45 rpm single in 2010 featuring two tracks “Flaws” and “Icarus”. In 2011, they released their EP Laura Palmer. Their first single “Overjoyed” was released in 2012 off their first studio album, Bad Blood. Singles “Bad Blood” and “Flaws” followed and Bastille began climbing the charts. In February 2013, they released their forth single off Bad Blood, “Pompeii”. “Pompeii” reached number two in the United Kingdom and Bad Blood soared to number one in the UK Album Chart a week later. Since then they've released their fifth single “Laura Palmer” in 2013, toured with Muse, released a collection album All This Bad Blood, and began their own worldwide tour.
I was blown away by Bastille’s Mix Lounge performance. Their style, sound, vocals, and charisma are unrivaled. Smith’s voice is captivating and compelling. When accompanied by band members Wood, Farguarson, and Simmons they command the room. Their music's unique and electrifying. They played their two hit singles, “Pompeii” and “Bad Blood". Bastille's incredible vocals, hair-raising lyrics, and striking stage presence made this performance acoustic rock perfection. Not only is this band exceptionally talented, but they're true English gentleman; polite, charming, musically gifted, and charismatic. Bastille is a must see and their album All This Bad Blood is a must have. | {
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Category Archive: Metastatic Breast Cancer
T for this week’s round-up of the best of the blog posts which I’ve read over the past week. These are the posts that have moved me, taught me something, inspired me, and which I’ve wanted to share with you. Don’t forget if you have written a post which you would like readers to see, just […]
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During the time I spent thinking about that previous post, Brian Koziol and Mike Harrington were discussing the Big East’s hope for a 14th team. Their conversation evolved into a discussion over UB’s stadium and the shortcomings the building has.
Upgrade me, please.
UB Stadium is just about 20 years old and has a much younger, albeit unimpressive, addition on the north and south ends. It its current state – replete with Jacksonville-style trap advertisements on the north end – the stadium holds just over 29,000 people. That is an average number for a stadium that houses a team whose fan base is quite small. Filling it, however is a completely different problem. As detailed in that previous post, in-roads need to be made to establish the legitimacy of the Bulls in the Buffalo sports market. Truthfully, this team should be no lower than third in priority behind the Bills and Sabres. This is a DI football team that seems to get equivalent treatment to a double-A baseball by many.
Improving non-conference competition and providing your head coach the appropriate amount of time to build the program are vital parts of taking UB to the next level But if the digs aren’t up to snuff, big conferences and fans that is on the fence may not be lured towards the Bulls.
UB’s current set up is by no means old. But it is severely below the standard for most DI programs. An ideal situation would bring about a new facility to house the football, track and soccer teams, but finding that kind of funding is going to be next to impossible. As of now, the only changes due to the stadium under UB2020 is the removal of the – now tarped – north bleachers. That will make room for an indoor facility which is a wonderful recruiting tool, but it doesn’t do much for the glorified DIII stadium that stands at UB North today.
The current state of “The Bull Pen” doesn’t have much room for new additions or even much flexibility in the renovation department. Based on that, the only true solution to improve UB’s digs would be a new stadium. No matter how unrealistic the option.
Figure that a new stadium for UB would probably end up falling in the 30,000 capacity neighborhood but under a far more permanent construction than the pair of concrete stands with the newer bleachers making up the horseshoe.
I would love to see UB end up in a full horseshoe-style stadium that would remain open-air while using design standards that would create a true main concourse, something that is lacking at The Bull Pen.
Slightly expanding the amount of luxury suites wouldn’t be a bad idea, nor would providing brand new office space for the football program. The offices could accompany a new locker and training facility for the team to utilize.
Wrapping most of the lower levels in glass would give a contemporary feel to this project while also adding some serious curb appeal for those approaching. Ultimately, the goal would be to provide a class-a facility for the football and soccer teams that is more than capable of hosting concerts in the summer. This could even serve as a fine venue for Buffalo’s pro soccer franchise(s) should they choose to utilize it.
Now, as a well documented waterfront nut, I think putting UB’s home games down near the water and downtown in a multi-use facility is a phenomenal use of space. One issue would be ensuring that the venue would get the proper attendance to justify the location. There is one radical way to ensure the return on investment for such a property was guaranteed.
Put the Bills in it.
65,000 seats, waterfront, shared by an NFL and NCAA DI team.
I’m sure the conversation has taken place many times, but why wouldn’t a joint facility for the Bills and Bulls not be considered? Just like in Pittsburgh with the Steelers and Panthers, the Bills could get a new stadium and share the space with UB. A waterfront football stadium that would house the Bills and Bulls? Sounds like a win-win to me. Obviously the size would need to increase exponentially, but this seems like it could be a somewhat viable option. If nothing else it is a damn fun pipe dream to have.
Considering the astronomical cost to build any sort of sports venue in today’s economy, the potential for a new Bills stadium is a long shot. However, teaming up with the Bulls is likely the best option for the Bills. In addition, UB would greatly benefit from occupying such a stadium in the eyes of recruits and even potential conferences.
For the time being, UB would struggle to fill even half of the stadium. But if there was continued growth, due in part to the new digs, they could certainly produce a solid turnout on a regular basis.
Considering the massive amount of public assistance that is now requisite for building football stadiums, I assume that a combined effort from the Bills and Bulls could slightly defray the impact of the overall cost. In the end, not only would this provide a brand-new facility for each team, it could provide the necessary leverage to get the project off the ground.
Heinz Field would have cost just south of $400 million if it was built today. Well, that is the price adjusted for inflation. That is a 65,000 seat stadium, built in the heart of downtown Pittsburgh that houses the Steelers and Panthers. Why not erect a 65,000 seat stadium right near Buffalo’s waterfront (outer harbor) that would house the Bills and Bulls?
Keeping the capacity at 65,000 would ensure that scope of the project would be significantly lower than a ridiculous 80,000 seat dome built for Super Bowls. The most significant part of any plan would be to find a way to avoid seat licenses. Not only am I not an expert on such a topic, this is not the post to detail that portion. Just know that any new stadium would need to avoid the need for PSLs. If including UB aids in that, even better.
I’m working under the assumption that the bottom-dollar price for any stadium of this magnitude would fall in the neighborhood of $500 million, perhaps more. But it would be providing a home for not only the Bills, but the UB football program as well.
Perhaps the thought of digging up funding for a brand new NFL-caliber stadium is wildly unrealistic. In part, it is. However, the logic is actually quite sound. Putting two teams in the stadium provides two revenue streams to draw from in terms of funding. Perhaps any sort of contribution that would be made by, or on behalf of, UB would cover the PSL issue. That is, if that is even possible.
The Bills will need a new stadium one day and that day is fast approaching. UB, while in lesser need of a replacement might benefit more from a stadium on par with the rest of their DI peers. Whether or not the pair would need to get together to build such a venue is worth exploring.
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Two in the Box by Chris Ostrander is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.
If you are the owner of an image or link that appears on this site and you wish for it to be removed, feel free to email me at [email protected]. I will be sure to remove the work as soon as possible. | {
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Phelps And Lochte: Rivalry Renewed
Ryan Lochte (first place) and Michael Phelps (second place) pose together after finishing the Men's 100m Butterfly final during day one of the Arena Grand Prix at the Skyline Aquatic Center on April 24, 2014 in Mesa, Arizona.
ATHENS, Ga. – Even on a night his stroke “felt kind of bad,” Michael Phelps was good enough to nearly pull out a win.
Phelps was edged by French Olympian Yannick Agnel, his North Baltimore Aquatic Club teammate, in the 100-meter freestyle Sunday night at the Bulldog Grand Slam. Agnel, the gold medalist in the 200 free at the London 2012 Olympic Games, clocked in at 49.37 seconds to Phelps’ 49.42.
Phelps, swimming in his fourth meet after taking nearly a two-year retirement from competitive swimming, won the 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke on the first two nights of the meet. He said he felt relaxed and controlled in the morning preliminaries of the 100 free, but couldn’t carry that sensation into the evening race.
“Just as soon as I took my first stroke, it kind of felt blah,” said the 18-time Olympic gold medalist. “It’s all right. It happens from time to time. I know what to do to fix that.”
“Just keep swimming,” said his coach, Bob Bowman.
Phelps added, “Over time it’ll just get better.”
Time is also what Ryan Lochte needs as he continues to recover from a left knee injury. Lochte, a five-time Olympic gold medalist, swam five events in the meet, which was put together to give elite East Coast clubs some competition leading into the 2014 Phillips 66 National Championships in Irvine, California, Aug. 6-10.
On Sunday, Lochte won the 200 individual medley with a time of 1 minute, 58.65 seconds, the 10th fastest time in the world this year. It was his first win in an “A” final since reinjuring his knee in April at the Mesa Grand Prix. He was also fourth in the 100 freestyle in 49.64 seconds.
Lochte, who competes for SwimMAC in Charlotte, North Carolina, said other swimmers had cautioned him after the morning session.
“I guess they saw me kind of limping around,” he said. “A bunch of the swimmers from every club team, they were like, ‘You need to just take it easy tonight. Be safe.’ I’m like, ‘I don’t know the meaning of that.’
“It feels good to just race, do the IM and still have no pain, so I’m looking forward to this summer.”
At nationals, swimmers will qualify for the Pan Pacific Championships in Australia later this year as well as the 2015 FINA World Championships in Russia. It is the beginning of a push toward the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympic Games.
Phelps qualified for his fifth event, the 100 backstroke, although he has not yet divulged which events he will swim at nationals.
He said the tune-up meet on the University of Georgia campus was a way to “get as many races under my belt as I can before nationals.”
“I think as a whole it was fine,” he said. “We’d rather be better than fine.”
Phelps and Bowman both acknowledged that he has a long way to go before he’ll be as sharp as he was before he retired in the wake of the 2012 Games.
“I know if I were to be on the world championship team next year,” Phelps said, “that this would not be the kind of shape that I would expect to be in to be able to perform how I would like to perform. I know that there’s going to have to be a lot of improvements to swim the times that I want to swim at that level.”
Bowman said Phelps is swimming at 25 percent of the amount of training he was doing when he was at his peak.
“So these (races) were really pretty good,” Bowman said. “If he gets that up to 50 percent, it’ll be better. If he gets it up to 75 … how far do we want to go? How far do we need to go?”
Or, as Phelps added, “How fast do I really want to swim?”
He’ll have to swim fast to continue beating Lochte, whom he defeated in all three races they swam head-to-head.
On Friday, Phelps broke the 52-second barrier, clocking in at 51.67 seconds in the 100 butterfly, the third-fastest time in the world this year, with Lochte touching the wall at 53.08. However, Lochte wasn’t as fresh since he had also swum the 200 freestyle earlier that night. Phelps has won the gold medal in the 100 fly in the last three Olympic Games.
Phelps came back Saturday to win the 100 backstroke with a time of 53.88 seconds. Lochte was second in 54.40.
“It never gets old,” Lochte said of swimming against his rival. “I love it. He’s the toughest racer I’ve ever had to go up against. No matter what stroke, what event, he’ll race you to the end. It’s a challenge to race against him and I’m always up for a challenge.
“Win or lose, no matter what, at the end of the race, we’re still going to be friends. We’re not going to hold a grudge, so, I love it.”
Phelps said their rivalry is “sort of being back to where we were before I made my first retirement. We love getting in the water and racing each other. We hate to lose to one another. And we’re going to leave every ounce in the pool. That’s how it’s always been throughout our whole careers and that’s how it’s probably going to continue to be.”
Lochte was hurt late last year when a fan accidentally knocked him down while trying to embrace him. He had surgery and returned to competition before aggravating the injury three months ago.
“It feels amazing to get on those blocks and start racing again,” Lochte said. “I think that’s one of those things that I’ve missed the most this year, just getting on those blocks and feeling that excitement of just racing the people next to you. So I had a blast this weekend.”
Lochte’s coach, David Marsh, said he wishes they had five weeks instead of three to prepare for nationals.
“He needed this desperately to do some racing,” Marsh said. “We’ll do some things the next 10 days to try to solidify racing, get on the Pan Pacs (team), hopefully, and then make some improvements during the Pan Pac camp.
“He still has a hunger to swim lots of events.”
Lochte said he has not been in contact with the fan whose exuberance put him out of commission.
“I have no idea who it is,” he said. “I was hoping she would say, ‘Oh, I’m sorry,’ like on Twitter or something, but that girl is nowhere to be found. I have a feeling she won’t say anything.”
What would he say to her if their paths crossed again?
Said Lochte: “I would say, ‘Next time, don’t run at me. Just ask me nicely. I won’t say no.’”
Karen Rosen is an Atlanta-based sportswriter who has covered 14 Olympic Games. She has contributed to TeamUSA.org since 2009. | {
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Carolas Weg Vom Kampf gegen den Brustkrebs Carola Zimmermann
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My Laguna Fusion TS should be arriving tomorrow. I have been trying to determine what the best way to go for a router table extension. I know cast iron would be best as far as reducing vibration etc but not sure if that is really the best way to go. I currently have a Ridgid router and really don’t want to buy another router. It seems like my options are to:
19 replies so far
Anyone who tells you that you need a cast iron router table top is full of it.
You need a sturdy plate than you can either purchase or make yourself. Aluminum is great for that.
The top can be melamine-coated particle board, plywood, plywood topped with laminate, reinforced MDF, or some kind of solid surface material (people use corian sink cutouts sometimes). As long as it’s stiff and pieces slide across it, it’s fine.
You definitely don’t need cast iron.My router table is a sheet of 3/4” plywood with countertop laminate on top and oak braces underneath to keep it flat. No plate for me; it’s a luxury IMHO. That said, is I were to use a plate, I would get one of incra’s aluminum plates. They have the best insert system available.
Save your $$ and make your own. NiteWalker’s method is the way to go inexpensively. I made an extension table in similar fashion as Nitewalkers but not for a router as I have a dedicated router table. Here’s a project link for some ideas, but for you imagine adding a router
Something to keep in mind about the MLCS is it’s not a standard plate size so will not work with most lifts and plates. I didn’t realize it when I bought it and now I can only find one lift for it from them. I believe the bench dog one is however. I am at the point of trying to decide do I sell the cast iron top and get something standard or spend the money on another non-standard item in the lift and hope it all works out. I’m leaning towards selling the thing at this point and cutting my loses to be honest.
Overall I think the cast iron top is a ok item but as others have said it’s not required. I would take a high quality laminate table from Jess’em over my MLCS cast iron table in a heartbeat after using both for sometime. Also building one is a good option as well.
Thanks for the feedback! It looks like it would probably be best to build my own. =) So the next question would be, should I go with a standard Incra plate or get the lift? I am looking mostly at getting something that will serve me well for a long time and then how much it costs (to a degree). For example, am I going to be happy with a plate or would it be better to invest in a lift? All I have used in the past is the built router extension on my TS that I just sold, so my experience is very limited. I finally have a bit of money to invest in upgrading my shop but don’t want to just blow it all because I have it.
kdc68: That is a nice set up! I will have to keep that in mind. I have not made an extension before, so it will be a learning experience. The Ryobi BT3100 that I just sold, had the ‘extension’ built in.
Richard: That is good to know. One of the main reasons I wanted to ask the question is because I don’t want to end up regretting getting the wrong thing and wanting to sell it either because I don’t like it or feel like I need to upgrade.
You don’t need a lift and you can do just fine without one for a very long time. However once you start to use a lift you will enjoy the connivence of having it. I lived without a lift for years but after using a Jess’em table for a time really don’t want to go back which is why I’m faced with selling my MLCS table or buying their lift. The Jess’em table had a electronic height adjustment that was dead on accurate after you zeroed it. Setting up to cut a 1/4” groove is very easy and accurate. Really more accurate than a router table needs to be honestly.
From what I have read after reading the above comments, the JessEm and Incra lifts are one and the same. It seems like it might be a good idea to go with one of those lifts and make my own table and fence. The BT3100 didn’t have a lift and it was a real pain to change bits and adjust depth settings. I can get the Incra for 20% off at Rockler.
I haven’t used the JessEm or the Incra, and I bet I’d love either of them if I did but $$$ vs. use I couldn’t swallow the price tag For $100 I installed the Router Raizer into my 3hp plunge PC and I have been very happy with the way it works. I built my wing and use the Rousseau plates so I can switch between multiple routers. With the Raizer I can crank the motor down very easily and change bits under the table.
-- I've decided 1 mistake is really 2 opportunities to learn.. learn how to fix it... and learn how to not repeat it
I am loving the big Triton. The Kreg insert plate has a hole redrilled for the height adjustment crank to fit through. Crank the router up, it locks the spindle automatically. Change bits or collets/bits. Crank it back down and your are ready to go to work. You do have to reach under the table to lock the spindle before routing.
I bought a pair of paddle switches from Rockler to operate the routers. So far, everything is working great.
Dummy plates cover the holes when I pull the routers and use the table as a workstation/outfeed table/clamping station, etc.
Depending on the router, I don’t see that you would need a lift. Simply reach under the extension wing and unlock(?) your router and lift/raise by hand.Save your money on a lift and buy the “blue cup”. Here is the build I did for my Triton beast:
I’m very happy with the setup. Will probably modify the fence later to add in a t-track so I can use hold-downs such as the Jessem types. | {
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Sharing is possible and can help reduce the cost , contact us for details.
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Intel wants ExaFLOPs performance by 2020
Aharon Etengoff, 20th June 2011
Intel VP Kirk Skaugen has outlined Santa Clara's vision of achieving ExaFLOP/s performance - a quintillion computer operations per second - by the end of this decade.
According to Skaugen, reaching exascale levels of performance will not only require the combined efforts of industry and governments, but also approaches being pioneered by Intel, such as Many Integrated Core (MIC) architecture.
"While Xeon processors are the clear architecture of choice for the current TOP500 list of supercomputers, Intel is further expanding its focus on high-performance computing by enabling the industry for the next frontier with our Many Integrated Core architecture for petascale and future exascale workloads," he explained.
"[We are] uniquely equipped with unparalleled manufacturing technologies, new architecture innovations and a familiar software programming environment that will bring us closer to this exciting exascale goal."
"Like the latter technology, Intel believes it can parlay the its manycore design into future exascale systems. Recycling the design from the aborted Larrabee graphics processor effort, MIC was recast as an high performance coprocessor for HPC," Feldman explained.
"This product redirection was unveiled in May 2010 during last year's ISC event. Since then Intel has been passing out MIC software development platforms (SDPs) to selected users in the HPC community, [which are] basically Knights Ferry coprocessor cards - the MIC prototype - with up to two GB of GDDR5 memory. The cards are [then] hooked up, via PCIe, to host systems with one or more Xeon CPUs."
With the tri-gate 22nm Knights Corner due to arrive in 2012, Feldman pointed out that performance-wise, MIC would have to be capable of hitting a rather "fast-moving target," as both Nvidia and AMD have significantly upped the FLOPS count for GPUs over the last few years.
"2012 will see the introduction of Nvidia's 'Kepler' GPU, an architecture that aims to triple the performance of the current generation Fermi parts," he said.
"Also, since Intel has not released any performance numbers for double precision floating point code, it remains to be seen how MIC will perform in this important realm." | {
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procedure
Slice shallots lengthwise into 1/4 inch slices. Put shallots, green beans and garlic in a large bowl, toss with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss again. Transfer to a large pyrex dish and roast until vegetables are tender and very lightly browned, stirring once, about 18-20 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine hazelnuts, parsley and lemon zest in a small bowl. Sprinkle mixture over roasted vegetables and toss to coat. Serve immediately. | {
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Tuesday
Sep.
10, 2013
Thunderstorm in Dorset, Vermont
It needs green hills to host a thunderstorm;
this grumbling giant needs a place to hide
and break his kindling into splinters,
one stick at a time, and then in bundles,
compacted threats that issue forth from where
an oily darkness reigns beyond the ridge.
The sizzle in our brains is overruled
by such triumphant voltage overload.
We witness vast concussions; something falls
down sets of stairs the bottom step of which
cracks open wide enough to show a strip,
a vein of naked light. All goes soft—
the rain unfurls in supple gusts, the leaves
flash pale, then limply steep themselves in green.
On this date in 2008, at 10 o'clock a.m. local time, engineers flipped the switch to turn on the Large Hadron Collider for the very first time. It's the centerpiece of the European Organization for Nuclear Research — better known to us as CERN — and its mission is to study "particles," the fundamental building blocks of matter. Contrary to doomsday scenarios predicted by a number of different groups, firing up the LHC didn't cause Earth didn't implode or get sucked into a black hole. In fact, the first test proved rather anticlimactic: it just resulted in two little white blips on a computer screen, which confirmed that the protons had reached their target. Unfortunately, an electrical fault led to the explosion of one of the collider's helium tanks nine days later. The LHC was shut down for 14 months while repairs were made, and went live again in November 2009.
The Large Hadron Collider is the world's largest machine: it's a ring, 27 kilometers [about 17 miles] around, that's buried deep below the Swiss and French Alps. It houses a series of superconducting magnets in a variety of sizes. The magnets focus and direct beams of particles around the ring, and these magnets are so powerful, they must be kept chilled to a temperature of -271 degrees Celsius — even colder than outer space — making the LHC the world's largest fridge as well. Two particle beams no thicker than a human hair make their way around the collider in opposite directions. The magnetic fields coax the beams to go faster and faster, until they approach the speed of light. And then the two beams smash into each other in front of a particle detector. It's like shooting two needles at each other from a distance of 10 kilometers [six miles] and trying to get them to meet each other exactly in the middle. The particles then break into subparticles, which exist for just a fraction of a second before they stick together or disappear completely. By studying the way the subparticles behave in that split second, particle physicists hope that they can get a glimpse of what happened during the Big Bang. When it's running at peak speed, the LHC can produce as many as 550 million collisions per second.
The Large Hadron Collider was shut down again this past February so it could undergo an upgrade, including installation of an even more powerful magnet. When the LHC reopens in 2015, scientists will use it to study things like dark matter, dark energy, and supersymmetry — theories that were once viewed as little more than science fiction. And scientists are also hoping to develop new forms of radiation therapy to treat cancer more effectively.
It's the birthday of one of the best-selling poets in America, Mary Oliver (books by this author), born in Maple Heights, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland (1935). When she was a teenager, she dropped out of college and made a pilgrimage to Edna St. Vincent Millay's estate in upstate New York, and although Millay had been dead for some time, her sister Norma still lived there. The two women hit it off, and Oliver ended up living on the estate for several years. It's there that she met Molly Malone Cook, who had come to pay a visit to Millay. Oliver and Cook fell in love and moved to Provincetown, Massachusetts, together. Cook became Oliver's literary agent, and also sometimes impersonated Oliver for phone interviews because she hated talking to the press. They were together for more than 40 years, and after Cook died in 2005, Oliver published Thirst (2006), a collection of poems about her grief.
She won the Pulitzer Prize in 1984, for her collection American Primitive (1983), and she's one of the best-selling American poets, but she's a very private person who rarely gives interviews. Oliver's most recent book is A Thousand Mornings (2013), and her upcoming book Dog Songs (2013) will be released this October.
Mary Oliver wrote: "Every day I walk out into the world / to be dazzled, then to be reflective."
It's the birthday of evolutionary biologist and science historian Stephen Jay Gould (books by this author), born in Queens, New York, on this day in 1941, the son of an artist and a court reporter. He's known for his essays on natural history and for explaining really complicated scientific theories in a way that most people can understand them. He's the author of about a dozen volumes of essays subtitled "Reflections in Natural History," including The Panda's Thumb (1980), Hen's Teeth and Horse's Toes (1983), The Flamingo's Smile (1985), Bully for Brontosaurus (1991), and Dinosaur in a Haystack (1995). He campaigned against the teaching of creationism, but wasn't anti-religious. Gould once said, "If there is any consistent enemy of science, it is not religion, but irrationalism."
He argued that science and religion shouldn't be viewed as opposed to each other, but simply distinct from each other: non-overlapping disciplines that shouldn't be used to try to explain aspects of the other. The National Academy of Sciences adopted his stance, saying officially a decade ago: "Demanding that they [religion and science] be combined detracts from the glory of each."
Among his best-known works are the treatises The Mismeasure of Man (1981), Full House (1996), and Leonardo's Mountain of Clams and the Diet of Worms (1998). He taught at Harvard for most of his life, and later at NYU.
He said, "Science is not a heartless pursuit of objective information; it is a creative human activity."
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Although he has edited several anthologies of his favorite poems, O, What a Luxury: Verses Lyrical, Vulgar, Pathetic & Profound forges a new path for Garrison Keillor, as a poet of light verse.
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Watch Local & National Video Via Roku
New PBS and PBS Kids channels on Roku offer hundreds of videos on-demand, including NOVA, Masterpiece, FRONTLINE, Super Why!, Curious George and local favorites such as First, Flicks & Quick Pics, Friday Arts, On Canvas, and On Stage at Curtis.
WHYY announced today that videos from favorite PBS and PBS KIDS programs such as American Experience, Antiques Roadshow, FRONTLINE, Masterpiece, Nature, NOVA, Super Why!, Curious George and Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, as well as local favorites such as First, Flicks & Quick Pics, Friday Arts, On Canvas, and On Stage at Curtis are now available to consumers via the Roku® streaming platform.
Roku users will access and personalize their PBS experiences by choosing their favorite local station and sharing their email address. This will provide viewers with content from their local PBS station, anytime they want, while also giving their favorite PBS station a way to connect with them.
In addition to national and local PBS programming, viewers can access video from PBS Digital Studios, a network of short web-original videos from PBS.
"Our relationship with Roku is an important next step in our strategy to make PBS content available through a variety of platforms, while maintaining the connection between the viewer and their local station. We are happy that this partnership with Roku will deliver consumers both national PBS and PBS KIDS programs, as well as favorite video from their local PBS station, all on demand."
Jason Seiken, PBS SVP and GM, Digital
About WHYY
WHYY is Greater Philadelphia's leading public media provider, serving southeastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey and all of Delaware for more than 50 years. WHYY takes pride in bringing its audience news when it needs it, entertainment when it wants it and education when it counts — on television, radio and the web and in the community.
About PBS
PBS, with its over 350 member stations, offers all Americans the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and online content. Each month, PBS reaches nearly 120 million people through television and nearly 28 million people online, inviting them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature and public affairs; to hear diverse viewpoints; and to take front row seats to world-class drama and performances. PBS' broad array of programs has been consistently honored by the industry's most coveted award competitions. Teachers of children from pre-K through 12th grade turn to PBS for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life.PBS' premier children's TV programming and its website, pbskids.org, are parents' and teachers' most trusted partners in inspiring and nurturing curiosity and love of learning in children. More information about PBS is available at www.pbs.org, one of the leading dot-org websites on the Internet, or by following PBS on Twitter, Facebook or through our apps for mobile devices. Specific program information and updates for press are available at pbs.org/pressroom or by following PBS Pressroom on Twitter.
About Roku, Inc.
Roku is a leading streaming platform for delivering video, music and casual games to the TV. Roku launched the first player to stream Netflix to the TV in 2008, and today streams more than 750 entertainment channels to millions of devices. Roku streaming players and the Roku Streaming Stick can be purchased from Roku and major retailers in the U.S. Roku players are also available in Canada, the U.K. and Republic of Ireland. Roku was founded by Anthony Wood, inventor of the DVR. The company is headquartered in Saratoga, Calif. For more information, visit www.roku.com.
Roku and Roku Ready are registered trademarks and the Roku StreamingStick is a trademark of Roku, Inc. in the U.S. and in other countries.
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Get Local > News & Information > PBS-WHYY | {
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Bishop Bransfield, Regional Catholic Community Celebrate the Life of Father Leo Lydon
By Connect Clarksburg Staff | June 02, 2018
Reverend Leo Bernard Lydon, 95, of Bridgeport, WV died on Sunday, May 27, 2018. He actively and faithing served the Catholic Church for more than seven decades.
Father Lydon was born in Buck Run of Fink, WV, on April 30, 1923. He was the fifth child of James Patrick Lydon, Sr. and Ellen Bridget Maybury. He received his elementary education in the public schools of Fink and Buck Run. He went to St. Patrick’s High School in Weston, WV, for his higher education. After he graduated from high school in 1942, he attended St. Charles College in Catonsville, MD, to begin his studies for the priesthood. Upon graduation he attended St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore, MD, for his philosophical and theological studies. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and a Bachelor degree in Sacred Theology.
He was ordained to the Catholic priesthood by Archbishop John Joseph Swint in St. Joseph’s Cathedral, Wheeling, WV, on June 3, 1950. He was appointed to the following parishes as an associate priest: St. Joseph’s Cathedral Parish, Wheeling WV (1950-1952); St. John the Baptist Parish, Clarksburg, WV (1952-1955); and St. Francis DeSales Parish, Beckley, WV (1955-1957). He served in the following parishes as a pastor: St. Catherine’s Parish, Ronceverte, WV (1957-1960); Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Logan, WV (1960-1965); St. Agnes Parish, Charleston, WV (1965-1969); St. Francis Xavier Parish, Parkersburg, WV (1969-1976); St. Joseph’s Parish, Martinsburg, WV (1976-1982); St. John’s Parish, Wellsburg, WV (1982-1986); St. Vincent DePaul Parish, New Martinsville, WV (1986-1993). During his priesthood he served on the following diocesan committees: Senate of Priests, the Liturgical and Architectural committee, the Presbyterate council, the Priests Health and Retirement committee and the Vocations committee. He also served as Dean of the Parkersburg and Martinsburg deaneries. He was past president and past chaplain of the Serra Club of Clarksburg, WV.
On June 22, 1993, he retired as pastor and moved to Clarksburg, WV. For fifteen years he supplied week-end services in various parishes in WV.
He is the last surviving member of his immediate family. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brothers, John Francis Lydon and James Patrick Lydon, Jr., his sisters, Gertrude Lydon Pugh, Eleanor Lydon Stark, Marie Lydon Murray, and Agnes Lydon Aman, two nieces Alice Murray and Patty Russell. He is survived by many nieces and nephews.
The family thanks Dr. James Malone, Dr. Michael Angotti, Dr. John McKnight and the staff at Meadowview Manor for their care and compassion. Also, special thanks to all his fellow bridge players for hours of enjoyment and a love for the game.
In lieu of flowers, please donate to a charity of your choice or to the Priests Health and Retirement Association, P.O. Box 230, Wheeling, WV 26003.
Father Lydon was taken to Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church, 8092 3rd Street, Stonewood, WV, on Wednesday, May 30th where a visitation will was held. A Vigil Service was held at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday to conclude the visitation.
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church, on Thursday, May 31, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. with the Most Reverend Bishop Michael J. Bransfield as Celebrant, and priest of the diocese as Concelebrants, with Father William B. Anderson as homilist.
Interment followed in the Machpelah Cemetery in Weston, WV.
Arrangements are under the solemn honor and care of the Amos Carvelli Funeral Home. | {
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I Can't Take My Eyes Off You - Melanie Doane (Buffy the Vampire Slayer Soundtrack)
All Tracks - Melanie Doane
Lyrics
Good gifts of loveGood gifts you hand me downFrom your first touchto my wedding gownDo you even knowwhat you've given meDo you even seethat you are wisdomYou are wisdom to meMy song, my soulYou gave so easilyI'll not forgetthese gifts to meWe say goodbyebut we are not aloneHere with me stillmy heart, my homeDo you even knowwhat you've given meDo you even seethat you are wisdomYou are wisdom to meMy song, my soulYou gave so easilyI'll not forgetthese gifts to meI'll not forgetthese gifts to meWords And Music By Melanie Doane(P) 1998 Sony Music Entertainment (Canada) Inc. | {
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Top Cat Pet Doors has been operating in Perth since 1994 and is owned and operated by a qualified Glazier. We specialise in the supply and installation of dog and cat doors and cater to all sizes and breeds from small cats to large 100kg dogs. Top Cat Pet Doors can install doors in a variety of situations such as:
We take pride in our work. If it can be done, Top Cat Pet Doors can do it, at an affordable price with prompt, reliable and friendly service. As well as standard installations, see below for examples of some of just a few of our more unusual installations: | {
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If a wine geek had carte blanche to create the restaurant of his dreams, he’d save himself a lot of time by simply replicating Pearl & Ash in New York City. It’s been nearly a week since I dined there, and thinking back to that evening still makes me giddy.
Last Thursday, I headed up to New York City to join fellow Terroirist Rebecca Canan and the graduating wine team at Columbia Business School to dine with Jean-Louis Carbonnier of Chateau Palmer at Le Périgord. Once that dinner was on the books, I decided to extend my trip so I could check out Pearl & Ash on Friday evening.
The reason? Well, consider the opening paragraph of Pete Wells’ restaurant review in the New York Times:
“Going to Pearl & Ash without opening a bottle or two is like buying a chocolate bar and not unwrapping it. Since it opened in February, the restaurant has become the city’s most exciting place to drink wine. Some nights the dining room is so packed with grape chasers, it’s as if a Bat Signal in the shape of a corkscrew were shining over the Bowery.”
Our group of four started with the 2010 Jérôme Prévost La Closerie “Les Beguines.”
Although Prévost has a cult following among Champagne obsessives, I’d never tasted his wines before. Prévost owns five acres of Pinot Meunier in the village of Gueux, which lies on the edge of the Mountain de Reims. From this tiny parcel, he produces one wine each year — and disgorges the wine 18 months after bottling and finishes it without any dosage.
Prévost’s current release is from 2010, and if you can find it, his wine will easily set you back $110. At Pearl & Ash, it’s on the list for an eminently reasonable $145. In a word, it was delicious.
After the Champagne, we moved onto Hervé Souhaut’s 2011 “La Souteronne.”
Whereas Jérôme Prévost is the darling of Champagne geeks everywhere, those who obsess about natural wine are in love with Hervé Souhaut. He eschews any intervention aside from a small amount of sulfur and works with 12 acres of vines — all between 50 and 100 years old — on the right bank of the Rhône Valley, just outside Hermitage.
The most exciting wine he produces is “La Souteronne,” which is 100% Gamay. The nose is absolutely intoxicating, full of ripe, buoyant Gamay fruit backed by savory minerality.
This wine, too, is virtually impossible to find. And if you can find it, it’ll set you back $30. At Pearl & Ash, it was just $45. In two words, the Sauhaut was “so hot.”
After the Gamay, we decided to splurge and order Jean Grivot’s 1996 Échezeaux.
This wine needs no introduction. Échezeaux, of course, is both a Burgundy AOC and a Grand Cru vineyard. And Domaine Jean Grivot is widely regarded as one of the top producers in Burgundy.
Patrick assured us that the wine was open for business, and it delivered. It was an extraordinary experience. So much depth, so much elegance, silky, and just plain yummy.
The price? $300. This wine literally can’t be found at a single U.S. retailer. If you visit Hong Kong, though, you can find it for $334.
At this point, the meal was over, so we headed to the bar for one more bottle.
We were itching for some Bordeaux so asked Patrick for advice. He suggested the 1990 Château Clerc Milon, on the list for $180. A 23-year-old, perfectly cellared Bordeaux for less than $200 seemed like quite a deal, so we went for it. Especially because Patrick assured us that the wine was singing.
It, too, delivered. While the nose was initially obscured by brettanomyces (manifesting as dirty socks), it quickly opened up and offered all the delicious, sultry notes that can only be found in aged Bordeaux.
As we prepared to leave, Patrick came to the bar with a parting gift — a glass of 1976 Château Coutet (Barsac). Just like the rest of the evening, the wine was amazing. | {
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Society News
An alleged sex tape of Filipino Senator Leila de Lima will not be presented to the House of Representatives as it resumes the probe into the illegal drug trade inside New Bilibid Prison. Risa Hontiveros, an ally of de Lima, united with other female senators from different political parties to file a resolution denouncing the House of Representatives’ plan to publicly show the alleged sex tape, Rappler reported.Oct 4, 2016
An alleged sex tape of Filipino Senator Leila de Lima will not be presented to the House of Representatives as it resumes the probe into the illegal drug trade inside New Bilibid Prison. Risa Hontiveros, an ally of de Lima, united with other female senators from different political parties to file a resolution denouncing the House of Representatives’ plan to publicly show the alleged sex tape, Rappler reported.Oct 4, 2016
An alleged sex tape of Filipino Senator Leila de Lima will not be presented to the House of Representatives as it resumes the probe into the illegal drug trade inside New Bilibid Prison. Risa Hontiveros, an ally of de Lima, united with other female senators from different political parties to file a resolution denouncing the House of Representatives’ plan to publicly show the alleged sex tape, Rappler reported.Oct 4, 2016
An alleged sex tape of Filipino Senator Leila de Lima will not be presented to the House of Representatives as it resumes the probe into the illegal drug trade inside New Bilibid Prison. Risa Hontiveros, an ally of de Lima, united with other female senators from different political parties to file a resolution denouncing the House of Representatives’ plan to publicly show the alleged sex tape, Rappler reported.Oct 4, 2016
An alleged sex tape of Filipino Senator Leila de Lima will not be presented to the House of Representatives as it resumes the probe into the illegal drug trade inside New Bilibid Prison. Risa Hontiveros, an ally of de Lima, united with other female senators from different political parties to file a resolution denouncing the House of Representatives’ plan to publicly show the alleged sex tape, Rappler reported.Oct 4, 2016
An alleged sex tape of Filipino Senator Leila de Lima will not be presented to the House of Representatives as it resumes the probe into the illegal drug trade inside New Bilibid Prison. Risa Hontiveros, an ally of de Lima, united with other female senators from different political parties to file a resolution denouncing the House of Representatives’ plan to publicly show the alleged sex tape, Rappler reported.Oct 4, 2016
An alleged sex tape of Filipino Senator Leila de Lima will not be presented to the House of Representatives as it resumes the probe into the illegal drug trade inside New Bilibid Prison. Risa Hontiveros, an ally of de Lima, united with other female senators from different political parties to file a resolution denouncing the House of Representatives’ plan to publicly show the alleged sex tape, Rappler reported.Oct 4, 2016
An alleged sex tape of Filipino Senator Leila de Lima will not be presented to the House of Representatives as it resumes the probe into the illegal drug trade inside New Bilibid Prison. Risa Hontiveros, an ally of de Lima, united with other female senators from different political parties to file a resolution denouncing the House of Representatives’ plan to publicly show the alleged sex tape, Rappler reported.Oct 4, 2016
An alleged sex tape of Filipino Senator Leila de Lima will not be presented to the House of Representatives as it resumes the probe into the illegal drug trade inside New Bilibid Prison. Risa Hontiveros, an ally of de Lima, united with other female senators from different political parties to file a resolution denouncing the House of Representatives’ plan to publicly show the alleged sex tape, Rappler reported.Oct 4, 2016
An alleged sex tape of Filipino Senator Leila de Lima will not be presented to the House of Representatives as it resumes the probe into the illegal drug trade inside New Bilibid Prison. Risa Hontiveros, an ally of de Lima, united with other female senators from different political parties to file a resolution denouncing the House of Representatives’ plan to publicly show the alleged sex tape, Rappler reported.Oct 4, 2016
An alleged sex tape of Filipino Senator Leila de Lima will not be presented to the House of Representatives as it resumes the probe into the illegal drug trade inside New Bilibid Prison. Risa Hontiveros, an ally of de Lima, united with other female senators from different political parties to file a resolution denouncing the House of Representatives’ plan to publicly show the alleged sex tape, Rappler reported.Oct 4, 2016
An alleged sex tape of Filipino Senator Leila de Lima will not be presented to the House of Representatives as it resumes the probe into the illegal drug trade inside New Bilibid Prison. Risa Hontiveros, an ally of de Lima, united with other female senators from different political parties to file a resolution denouncing the House of Representatives’ plan to publicly show the alleged sex tape, Rappler reported.Oct 4, 2016
Hundreds of activists from the Women Against State Pension inequality group protested outside the Conservative Party conference being held in Birmingham. IBTimes UK filmed the protest as woman dressed in the purple, white and green of the suffragette movement were trying to urge Theresa May to make major retirement fund reforms. Chanting slogans, the activists claim the equalling of the state pension age between men and women in 1995 means women in their 50s could now be up to £40,000 worse off.Oct 4, 2016
Hundreds of activists from the Women Against State Pension inequality group protested outside the Conservative Party conference being held in Birmingham. IBTimes UK filmed the protest as woman dressed in the purple, white and green of the suffragette movement were trying to urge Theresa May to make major retirement fund reforms. Chanting slogans, the activists claim the equalling of the state pension age between men and women in 1995 means women in their 50s could now be up to £40,000 worse off.Oct 4, 2016
Hundreds of activists from the Women Against State Pension inequality group protested outside the Conservative Party conference being held in Birmingham. IBTimes UK filmed the protest as woman dressed in the purple, white and green of the suffragette movement were trying to urge Theresa May to make major retirement fund reforms. Chanting slogans, the activists claim the equalling of the state pension age between men and women in 1995 means women in their 50s could now be up to £40,000 worse off.Oct 4, 2016 | {
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After the Duel
What a lot of people don’t know is what happened to Burr after the infamous duel that took the life of Alexander Hamilton. In short, Burr’s political career was ruined. As Hamilton’s life end, Burr’s also ended in a way. He would never be able to return to his normal life. Burr was charged with murder in the state of New York and New Jersey along with multiple other crimes, but he was never brought to trial. There was that complicated scenario where Hamilton was shot in Jersey but he died in New York, which made the charges and trial a bit complicated.
Burr ended up fleeing to South Carolina to be with his daughter and her family. He would end up going to Washington, DC and Philadelphia to serve his term as vice-president under President Thomas Jefferson. Burr obviously avoided returning to New York and New Jersey. The charges against him were eventually dropped.
Theodosia Burr Alston
After he left his term as vice president in 1805, he headed west to claim land for himself and secede from the United States. Basically, his plan was to liberate Texas and Mexico from Spain and then keep the land for himself separate from the United States. Through a variety of loopholes and conspiracies, Burr found himself being charged with treason. The charges ended up being unfounded. He ended up fleeing to Europe to avoid his creditors. He eventually returned to New York. His daughter, Theodosia, boarded a ship in South Carolina so she could head up north to be with her father. Her ship ended up being lost at sea. Burr died at the age of 80 in Staten Island, New York.
This is very much an abridged version of his biography. If anything that was mentioned piques your interest, definitely explore more! Burr clearly lived a long life, and one could say there were a few regrets. Is it possible that the ghost of Aaron Burr still roams our world?
Haunting #1: The Aaron Burr House
Going back to his duel with Hamilton, Burr ended up fleeing to New Hope, Pennsylvania and stayed in a house for a week. Why this house? Burr had friends from the Revolutionary War who lived in this house and they gave him lodging for the week. Today, it’s known as the Painted Lady. The house still stands today as a bed and breakfast as the Aaron Burr House. The house also features a small collection of dueling pistols from Burr’s era. There are reports that his ghost has been seen peering around the corners and roaming the house. His ghost has even been seeing around the town, anxiously watching his back as if he is being followed. If he likes the guests that are staying at the bed and breakfast, he will tug on their clothes to prevent them from leaving. He has also been seen going up and down the staircase and roaming about the second floor.
If these sightings are true, I do have a theory about why Burr’s presence is seen. I wouldn’t go as far to say that this is his ghost. But more likely, this is an imprint of him. You could say this is a residual haunting, or even a thoughtform. Given that Burr was likely in a high state of stress after the duel, he was likely on edge the entire time he was in New Hope. He would have been watching his back and unable to relax. Would it be possible that his energy was so high that it survived after he departed? What if the surrounding area absorbed his energy and it replays like a broken record?
Also, of all places that Burr lived, why did he choose this house? Well, this house was owned by some of his dear friends, and he likely felt some sort of safety and security behind its walls. It’s not uncommon for ghosts to return to a place where they felt safe. Not to mention, the house ended up being named after him, and I’m sure “Hamilton” brought about a new generation of people interested in his story.
Haunting #2-4: New York City
The New Hope house isn’t the only place where Burr’s ghost has been spotted. His ghost seems to make its rounds around New York City. When Burr was 77 years old, he married Eliza Jumel, one of the wealthiest widows in America. But the marriage wasn’t going to last even a year. Eliza may have married Burr for recognition. However, it was clear that Burr was in it for the money. He was quickly draining her assets and the money was disappearing. Eliza and Burr lived in the house that she and her first husband, Stephen Jumel, purchased in 1810. Today, it is known as the Morris-Jumel House, and it is now considered to be one of the oldest houses in Manhattan. The divorce ended up being finalized on the day of Aaron Burr’s death in 1836. Burr has reportedly been seen at the mansion, along with Eliza, who lived in the house until 1865 when she passed away at 90 years old. Apparently, a big desk that once belonged to Burr is still in the mansion. Again, it could be some sort of energy from the desk and not Burr himself.
Burr’s ghost has also been spotted in the West Village restaurant, One If By Land, Two If By Sea. It’s rumored that the restaurant is home to his old carriage house, but that has since been debunked since the structure was built after he passed. Perhaps just the mere mentioning of his name will get Burr to appear? Supposedly, not only has Burr been spotted at the restaurant, but also a woman who strongly resembles his daughter, Theodosia. Maybe the father-daughter duo just want to enjoy a meal? It is reported that Burr’s ghost is mainly seen in the basement of the restaurant and will trip employees as they go down the stairs. Was Burr that mischievous and petty? Who knows. I’m not an expert on the rules of the afterlife, but I’m not convinced that a ghost is required to have a personal connection with a location while they were alive in order to haunt it. Burr has also been seen roaming around the West Village in general.
One of the sadder ghost sightings of Burr include him in Battery Park by the water, specifically at the American Merchant Marine Memorial. It is speculated that this spectre is still waiting for Theodosia to arrive from South Carolina, the same trip she didn’t survive. If there is any weight to these reports, then Burr either had some powerful psychic energy that thrives to this day, or he is having a rather turbulent afterlife.
In closing, the world is wide enough for Burr to haunt as many places as he wants.
What do you think? Do you think Aaron Burr is still in unrest in the afterlife? Tell us what you think in the comments! If you enjoyed this blog, please share it with your friends and subscribe to our website! | {
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Dinning Set Table Home Furniture Ideas Pub Dining Table
If you want to own as yours, please click the download view full size below so you can choose the size of Dinning Set Table Home Furniture Ideas Pub Dining Table in any format size.
We have awesome gallery of the latest Pub Tables to add to your desktop, computer, tablet or smartphones. | {
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If your oven is working overtime, now may be an ideal time to consider an upgrade. New technologies offer options for everyone -- and every budget.
Helpful Elements
•Convection cooking: This method uses a fan or multiple fans that circulate hot air throughout the oven, reducing cooking time and hot spots. There are two types: those with heating elements on top and bottom, and those with a concealed rear heating element.
Quick tip: The hot circulated air in a convection oven cooks foods faster than conventional radiant heat. Check foods 10 to 15 minutes sooner than you would in a regular oven. Most higher-end convection ovens have preprogrammed options to make the necessary time and temperature calculations for you. | {
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VIRGINIA THIS MORNING: Estate Planning
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RICHMOND, Va (WTVR) - Estate Planning isn’t just for the rich and famous. It’s important to understand the impact of what you leave behind can have on those you’re leaving it to. Local Executive Vice President and CPA Ryan Losi from PIASCIk shares details on how you can start the process. | {
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Woodville, Texas
Upcoming Events in Woodville Texas
Attractions and Upcoming Events
Home of Alabama and Coushatta Indians, part of Southern forest tribes, in dense, wooded area known as the Big Thicket. Sam Houston, a staunch friend of Indians, was influential in having reservation created in 1850 | {
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Talk about video games, movies, music, news, and technology without wading through a thousand dumb kids and dozen exclamation points after each sentence. Try it out for a few days and remember what it's like to breathe Internet air without getting two lungs full of stupid.
TNL's Top Ten Games of the Last Generation
As some of you may know, I try to make my milestone threads memorable ones. Since this is only the fourth 20,000th post in TNL history, I thought it deserves something extra special. A couple months back, I asked TNL to vote for the best games of the last generation. Despite some healthy debate about what PC games were truly a part of the DC, PS2, GC, and Xbox era, the voter turn-out was great. I would argue that it was much more successful than most TNL Top Ten threads. As a reminder to how the voting worked, a #1 vote was worth 10 points, a #2 was worth 9 points, etc. People who did not rank were given 5.5 points for each of their ten choices.
Let me start out with some interesting Summary Data:
53 TNLers voted for a total of 158 games.
89 games of Japanese origin received 319 votes for 1,715 points.
69 games of Western origin received 208 votes for 1,183.5 points
Game Platform was rather predictable in my opinion:
64 multiplatform games received 215 votes for 1,215.5 points.
37 PlayStation 2 exclusives received 132 votes for 679 points.
17 PC exclusives received 35 votes for 225 points.
15 Dreamcast exclusives received 45 votes for 221.5 points.
14 GameCube exclusives received 49 votes for 268.5 points.
10 Xbox exclusives received 50 votes for 283.5 points.
Publisher was a pretty tight race:
21 Sega games received 68 votes for 354 points.
14 Capcom games received 71 votes for 437 points.
12 Nintendo games received 49 votes for 269.5 points.
11 Konami games received 44 votes for 229 points.
9 EA games received 16 votes from fucking sell-outs for 91 points.
8 Sony games received 39 votes for 193 points.
7 Microsoft games received 28 votes for 152 points.
7 Namco games received 19 votes for 87.5 points.
6 SNK games received 9 votes for 47.5 points.
5 UbiSoft games received 14 votes for 72.5 points.
All of that is interesting, but what I am sure everyone is more interested in is how the individual game voting turned out.
Here are Games #25-11, based on points (Votes-Points):
Super Smash Bros. Melee, Nintendo, GC (6-34)
Gradius V, Konami, PS2 (8-34)
Dragon Quest VIII, Square-Enix, PS2 (5-35)
Marvel vs Capcom 2, Capcom, Multi (7, 35.5)
Rez, Sega, Multi (7, 36.5)
Shenmue II, Sega, Multi (6-39)
Ico, Sony, PS2 (6-39.5)
WarCraft III, Blizzard, PC (6-41)
Silent Hill 2 (Includes Restless Dreams), Konami, Multi (7-42.5)
Deus Ex, Eidos, Multi (5-43)
Virtua Fighter 4 (Includes Evolution), Sega, PS2 (6-43)
Final Fantasy XII, Square-Enix, PS2 (7-43.5)
Halo 2, Microsoft, Xbox (8-49)
God of War, Sony, PS2 (9-49)
Guitar Hero, RedOctane, PS2 (9-53)
There are some big name games and classic series in that list, but none were popular enough to break TNL's Top Ten. That honor begins here.
Number 10, receiving 11 votes for 55.5 points is...
Release: October 30, 2000; Developer: Smilebit; Publisher: Sega
GameRankings.com Average: 91.5%; IGN: 9.6; GameSpot: 9.0; Edge: 8
Yoshi's Take: For a long time after I had gotten rid of everything else, Jet Grind Radio was my last Dreamcast game. I remember vividly when it was in development thinking that I could never like a game that glamorized thuggery (remember, this was pre-GTA3 too). It took about five minutes of playing it to bury those thoughts so deeply that I hadn't considered them until now. This is arguably the last great new idea Sega had. I hope somewhere down the line a sequel that is closer to the original than Future sees the light of day.
Yoshi's Take: Whenever the age-old discussion about the best fighting game ever programmed pops up, this game is always mentioned. 3rd Strike is to Capcom what Mark of the Wolves is to SNK. It is the pinnacle of their animation and, more arguably, their gameplay. I prefer Street Fighter II's cast, but it is impossible to argue with the fluidity of Street Fighter III. Much like Jet Grind Radio, it has been too long without a fresh stab at a real Street Fighter game.
Number 8, receiving 12 votes for 74 points is...
Release: November 14, 2001; Developer: Bungie; Publisher: Microsoft
GameRankings.com Average: 95.6%; IGN: 9.7; GameSpot: 9.7; Edge: 10
Yoshi's Take: Halo is an interesting beast. At its release, it was, without question, the best example of a First Person Shooter you could play on a console. However, it may not have made many waves at all on the PC. That makes its place in history hard to measure. On its own merits, Halo was a fun trip through a science fiction theme with tighter controls than had been seen with a pad up to that point. It also may have single-handedly made Microsoft's foray into the console wars viable, for better or worse.
Yoshi's Take: Metal Gear Solid 3 is the first game on this list that I just couldn't get into. I played both of its predecessors (though not both versions of each) to completion, but I couldn't bring myself to do the same here. It's quite possible that it had more to do with whatever else was going on at the time than the game itself. The Subsistence re-release was worthy for its inclusion of the NES and MSX games alone, no matter anyone's opinion of the game itself.
Yoshi's Take: Shadow of the Colussus is the only game in the Top Ten that I have never owned. I played the demo and was not terribly impressed. I was also wary, because I did own Ico and thought it was mediocre at best. On the positive side, Colussus, to my knowledge, did not have a worthless female tag-a-long, which is always a positive. I am also a fan of large bosses, which is certainly the calling card of this one. Perhaps this lofty ranking will motivate me to give the entire game a shot.
Yoshi's Take: Ninja Gaiden and its update, Ninja Gaiden Black, might be the best examples of the pure action genre we have in 3D. Devil May Cry 3 would get some support, some people who forgot their medication might mention Shinobi, and God of War certainly is a fierce competitor, but I believe this is the pinnacle. Hell, all else being equal, ninjas beat anything Greek, except Nick, any day of the week. In fact, this game is so good that I will buy it for the third time later this month.
Yoshi's Take: It's confession time for me once again. I had never played, or given a damn, about a BioWare game until Knights of the Old Republic was released. Sometimes licensed games can be successful, fantastic, and serve a greater purpose. It seems as though every choice made with regard to this game was the right one. Using the setting of the Old Republic allowed for a much greater number of Jedi to appear, which made the game more interesting without breaking Star Wars canon. My only regret with regard to this one is that the sequel was done by a different developer. May the Force be with the rumors of a new BioWare Star Wars game.
Yoshi's Take: While Halo was the best of its genre on a certain platform, and Ninja Gaiden was the best of its genre in a certain number of dimensions, Half-Life 2 is the best of both its genre and its platform in their entirety. Stated another way, there is not a First Person Shooter, or a PC game, that exists that is better than Half-Life 2. In fact, the closest competitor in both races might be its predecessor. That's how good Valve's amazingly popular series is. If you haven't played it, you absolutely cannot miss Orange Box.
Yoshi's Take: If you've been paying attention to the points each of the games has received up to this point, you'll see that the Top Two really ran away with the votes. To me, Metroid Prime is the most surprising success story. The chances of taking two decade-old series as beloved as Metroid, turning it 3D, handing it off to a relatively unknown development house in Texas, and having a smashing success makes Hillary Clinton's likelihood of election look strong. However, that's exactly what happened. Prime is Nintendo's best game since Mario 64, and Samus' Ice Beam is as cold as the previously mentioned candidate's bosom.
And, by a landslide, the best game of the last generation, according to TNL, receiving 31 votes for 216 points is...
Yoshi's Take: I was being a bit kind to Metroid Prime when I used the phrase "Top Two" above. In reality, this vote left us with a juggernaut and 157 others. The gap between Resident Evil 4 and its nearest challenger was greater than the total points accumulated by the #17 and #18 games on the list combined. Resident Evil 4 closed nearly every criticism that had existed with the prior games in the series, making it the best game in the best series of this millennium. Capcom didn't invent the fighting game with Street Fighter, and they didn't invent the survival horror game with Resident Evil, but their logo is now the first thing that comes to mind when either genre is mentioned. Ironically enough, the definitive version of the last generation's best game might be on this generation's hardware, as Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition will combine the visuals of the GameCube release with the extras of the PlayStation 2 follow-up.
Some final thoughts...
Resident Evil 4 held off three western-developed games to preserve Japan's best-of-the-best dominance for perhaps the last generation.
Every game in the Top Nine was re-released as either as a Greatest Hit/Platinum Hit/Player's Choice, with new content, or on a different platform. Jet Grind Radio only should have been.
In the Top Ten, we had games representing three series that started in the 1990s, three series that started in the 1980s, and a movie saga that started in the 1970s.
Sequels to six of the Top Ten are confirmed or already released. Three more are rumored. Where for art thou, Street Fighter IV?
We should all be proud that World of Warcraft received only three votes; We should all be ashamed that Mercenaries only received 4.
Special thanks go to Konami for ensuring that Castlevania could not be the best of the generation for the third straight time for me by pissing on Dracula's grave with portability and 3D.
Without Excel, this would have been a complete pain in the ass and might have led to the deforestation of a small African country.
The most fun I had during the whole last generation was tracking player Jedi from planet to planet with probe and seeker droids as a Bounty Hunter in Star Wars Galaxies. Rest in peace.
I'm actually kind of stunned at the turnout. Don't know why, but I wouldn't have guessed RE4 would be in the top 5, and I didn't think people loved MGS3 or KotOR so much. Even Metroid Prime surprised me.
KotOR's rating and writeup makes me want to play the game. I've never played a Bioware RPG, and I always figured I'd start with Baldur's Gate, but Knights seems way more approachable and I'd probably dig the setting a little bit more. Metroid Prime was completely lost on me the last time I tried to get into it, but maybe some day.
My only regret with regard to this one is that the sequel was done by a different developer. May the Force be with the rumors of a new BioWare Star Wars game.
Ah, but from what I can tell, Obsidian (developers of the sequel,) is essentially Black Isle v2. Black Isle was responsible for Torment + Fallout, so I'd say the ridiculously short development cycle killed KOTOR2, not the dev team.
Not my personal list, but I don't have a problem with any of it - except Morrowind should be there in place of Knights of the Old Republic.
RE4 is totally deserving. That game was so revolutionary, still looks incredible, and had a staggering amount of content - come on, how many of you thought you were almost done once you reached the castle? Or even the end of the castle? | {
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Friends of Dollis
All our parents and carers are members of Friends of Dollis and they meet regularly to discuss important issues that affect our children. Friends of Dollis work closely with the School to identify ways to enhance the children's learning and to help the school to raise money. If you think you can help, please contact the School Office. | {
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Art show, benefit to battle Saratoga heroin crisis
Benefit to focus on addiction aid educational program.
Story By: Wendy Liberatore
Seen in: The Times Union
Link to full article: http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Art-show-benefit-to-battle-Saratoga-heroin-crisis-9465159.php
Attorney Andrew DeLuca says many of his clients are compelled into a cycle of crime, not because they want to be, but because of an addiction. And few addictions are more insidious than that of heroin.
To call attention to their plight, he’s hosting an art show Friday, with proceeds benefiting the city’s Prevention Council.
“The crimes they commit are linked to their addiction,” said the Saratoga Springs defense lawyer. “They will do anything to get it. Most are intelligent individuals who feel terrible about what they did. They just can’t help themselves.”
Over the years, DeLuca has seen an increase in the number of clients who are hooked on heroin. He calls it an epidemic, and Saratoga Springs police agree. In the Spa City, the police say they “routinely arrest people in possession of heroin and needles.” They also respond to 25 to 30 opioid overdoses a year and see between four and six people die in the city annually from opioid use.
More Information
Slaying the Dragon
When: 6 to 8 p.m. Friday
Where: Law Office of Andrew DeLuca, 9 Maple Ave., Saratoga Springs
The county numbers are higher. Saratoga County emergency medical services receives 30 opioid overdose calls a week, according to the Prevention Council. In 2015, it was 14 calls. In 2013, it was five. Nationally, the Center for Disease Control estimates 78 people a day die from opioid overdose.
The growing numbers prompted DeLuca to team with the Prevention Council in what both hope will raise awareness and funding to reduce opioid addiction. They are hosting Slay the Dragon, an art show and benefit for the council from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday in DeLuca’s office, 9 Maple Ave. Funds for art sold will go toward the council’s efforts to educate youth and parents as well as training to use Narcan, the drug that reverses an opioid overdose. Last year, the Prevention Council trained and handed out Narcan kits to 75 people throughout the county.
“Family members with an addict living with them really need Narcan,” said Janine Stuchin, the executive director of the Prevention Council. “It saves lives.”
Friday’s event, organized by art promoter Gabriela Delattibodier Wright, features work by many of the area’s best known artists. Among them are sculptors John Van Alstine and Noah Savett as well as painters Tom Myott and Zack Lobdell. DeLuca is also showing two works from his personal collection — both depict arrest mug shots — one of Dennis Hopper and one of Robert Downey, Jr. He feels they are appropriate as both overcame addiction and rose to the top of their profession. He also points to a charcoal drawing of Kurt Cobain, who battled addiction and then sadly took his own life.
“They all struggled with addiction, but Kurt Cobain did not get the help he needed,” said DeLuca.
Of course, the Prevention Council hopes that its educational programs will prevent anyone from sinking into the horrors of addiction. The council is known for its work with youth, counseling and leading substance abuse awareness classes in every school in the county. The nonprofit also trains bartenders and servers on responsible drinking, attends court-mandated victim impact panels, reaches out to problem gamblers, hosts drug take-back programs and educates children on handling bullies and staying safe on the internet. As its name implies, the main mission is prevention.
“People think there is a stereotype for an addict,” said Stuchin. “There isn’t. Addiction is an equal opportunity disease.”
SARATOGA SPRINGS: In celebration of recovery from addiction and other mental health issues, members of Recovery Advocacy in Saratoga and The Prevention Council of Saratoga Springs will be holding a half-mile walk from The Spirit of Life fountain in Congress Park across Broadway to the new Tree of Hope at High Rock Park.
The free event begins at 4 p.m. Sunday.
Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner and other local community leaders will provide welcoming remarks. Following the walk, there will be a brief ceremony to commemorate the Tree of Hope.
Janine Stuchin, executive director of the Prevention Council, said, “Historically the High Rock area and its springs have been a place to gather and promote healing; we are honored to continue in that tradition.”
“Creating a recovery-friendly environment in the community encourages those who are struggling, and those affected, to seek help,” said RAIS President Brian Farr.
More than 1,000 events are planned across the country to celebrate recovery.
Recovery Advocacy in Saratoga is local, volunteer-based movement for recovery that tries to reduce the stigma of addiction and promotes wellness in long-term recovery by changing public perception of the disease and those affected by it.
Helping heroin addicts stay safe and get help is personal for Project Safe Point’s Alfonso Ferrara.
When he was born, he was born in detox.
“I come from a family of addicts. My mother got clean as soon as I was born so I grew up in the recovery phase,” said Ferrara. “I’ve seen what addiction does. I’m not there telling them ‘no.’ I’m there to make them safe.”
He led a heroin and opioid overdose prevention demonstration at the Clifton Park – Halfmoon Library on Moe Road Monday evening, September 12.
Ferrara studied psychology at SUNY Albany and has been working on education initiatives with Project Safe Point for about four months.
About two dozen community members, including concerned family members and retired nurses, gathered in a small conference room to learn how to properly administer NARCAN to help save someone who has overdosed. Some of those in the room worked with addicts professionally, witnessed overdoses or have a loved one who is addicted to heroin. Everyone who attended the event was given a NARCAN kit to take home.
A retired nurse from Schenectady, who wished to remain anonymous, described stopping at the scene of an overdose on Balltown Road in Niskayuna on August 12. “I was on my way to the bank and saw the police pulled over. I told them I’m a nurse and asked if I could help. They pulled the man from his car. He was grey and blue. We gave him CPR for 17 minutes but he was too far gone. He was 49 years old. The police were all out of NARCAN,” she said.
Another woman expressed worry and concern for her stepson, who is an addict.
Project Safe Point, which falls under Catholic Charities, embraces the notion of harm reduction. According to their website, practical harm reduction incorporates “a spectrum of strategies: from safer use, to managed use to abstinence to meet drug users ‘where they’re at,’ addressing conditions of use along with the use itself.”
Project Safe Point facilitates a needle exchange program so drug users have the option to use sterile needles rather than reusing their old ones. “If 10 syringes cost 10 dollars at CVS, they’re going to reuse their old syringes. When people are really addicted, they keep using so they don’t feel sick all the time. Withdrawal won’t kill you, but it can feel like it’s killing you,” Ferrara added.
During his demonstration on how to administer NARCAN, Ferrara discussed the difference between a “heavy nod” and an overdose. If a drug user is in a heavy nod, simply enjoying their high and ignoring the outside world rather than having overdosed, Ferraro said announcing you are about to administer NARCAN may help snap them out of it. NARCAN effectively throws the drug user into withdrawal, according to Ferrara.
If you find an individual who might have overdosed, you should check their responsiveness. A firm sternum rub should wake anyone who is simply in a heavy nod. If the individual is unresponsive even after a sternum rub, Ferraro said the next step is calling 911. If you need to leave the room in order to call 911, place the individual in a safety position on their side before leaving the room. After calling 911, begin administering NARCAN. Inject the drug into a large muscle like the upper arm, thigh or butt. It should take about two to three minutes to kick in, so you will need to do CPR while you wait to see if it took effect. If the individual is still unresponsive after the first three minutes, try administering another dose of NARCAN. “It can’t hurt you,” said Ferrara.
The NARCAN kit comes with two vials of NARCAN and two big-tipped syringes. The syringes feature big tips so they can pierce through clothing if necessary. Ferrara advised those who would be administering NARCAN to avoid getting air in the syringe. Since NARCAN is injected into large muscles rather than veins and time is of the essence in overdose scenarios, Ferraro said not to worry too much about minor air bubbles.
Once the NARCAN begins working, the individual will likely take a big gasp of air and begin experiencing withdrawal symptoms — it’s likely they will want more opiates. Ferraro said remaining calm and using simple, straight-forward messages is key.
Ferraro noted the NARCAN kits shouldn’t be exposed to extreme temperatures, so storing the kit in a car wouldn’t be ideal. He suggested tucking the small blue kit in a backpack or a purse.
Another method of responding to an overdose involves a nasal spray, but Ferrara said a shortage has prevented Project Safe Point from being able to distribute them to the public. For those who might have access to the nasal spray, Ferrara said it’s important to only spray half of the dose in each nostril so it can be properly absorbed.
Heroin addiction has been a growing problem in upstate New York. The number of people upstate seeking treatment for heroin addiction increased by 222 percent from 2004 to 2013 — that’s 86 percent higher than the spike in heroin-related treatments statewide in that same time frame, according to James Norton of the Southern Saratoga County Alcohol and Substance Abuse Prevention Council
The number of heroin-related fatalities in the United States has nearly tripled since 2010, according to the Center for Disease Control. The demographic most at risk for heroin addiction are people ages 18 to 25, said Norton. Heroin use “more than doubled” among that demographic in the last 10 years, according to the CDC.
The Saratoga County Victim Impact Panel (VIP) is a volunteer group of speakers who participate in presentations about the life altering consequences of alcohol and/or drug impaired driving. Local courts order DWI offenders to attend these presentations to better their understanding of such consequences and promote better decision-making in the future. These programs are held on a monthly basis, either in Clifton Park or Ballston Spa.
The Prevention Council is looking for speakers who are willing to share their stories of how impaired driving affected them or their loved ones, especially from these perspectives:
· DWI Survivors tell of the grief and painful changes they endure as the result of losing a family member or friend in a DWI crash.
· DWI Victims describe the injuries they suffered, and continue to endure, from a DWI crash.
These panels give victims a healing opportunity to share their stories in a meaningful way. At a VIP, victims and survivors of substance impaired driving crashes (or others impacted by the crime, such as law enforcement and first responders) speak briefly about the crash in which they were injured and/or in which a loved one was killed or injured, and how it impacts their lives. They do not blame or judge, they simply tell their stories, describing how their lives and the lives of their families and friends were affected by the crash.
VIP programs help DWI offenders realize the lasting and long-term effect of their crime by giving a name and a face to the pain caused by impaired driving. Participants regularly comment on how they have come to understand the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs by listening to speakers’ stories. The overall goal is to make our community roads safer for everyone.
If you have an interest in sharing your story, The Prevention Council would like to hear from you. All prospective speakers spend some time with VIP program coordinators to review their message and determine its appropriateness for the audience. Once this process is complete speakers can choose when they would like to speak.
To learn more please contact Jennifer Wood at the Prevention Council at 581-1230 ext. 3610
(Alexandria, VA) – Two significant studies released this weekend showed continuing problems of legalized marijuana in Colorado and Washington State. The first study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that marijuana poisoning cases among children in Colorado has been rising an average of 34 percent per year — almost double the average 19 percent annual increase in the rest of the United States. The second study, conducted by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, found a statistically significant increase in daytime stoned driving in Washington State since its implementation of legal retail marijuana sales in 2014.
With respect to the Colorado study, about half of the cases of child marijuana poisoning involved edible pot products. The average stay at the hospital was 11 hours. Moreover, the researchers concluded that, “Almost half of the patients seen in the children’s hospital in the 2 years after legalization had exposures from recreational marijuana, suggesting that legalization did affect the incidence of exposures.”
In Washington State, researchers conducted voluntary, anonymous drug tests of drivers via oral and blood tests, and found that more drivers tested THC-positive one year after implementation of the retail sales law than immediately before. Statistically significant increases were observed among daytime drivers, where that rate more than doubled from before implementation of legalization laws (7.8%) to one year after retail legalization was implemented (18.9%). Stoned driving at night also increased in the same time period (17.5% to 22.2%), although this difference was not statistically significant. Overall, more than one in five drivers tested positive for marijuana one year after implementation.
“A powerful marijuana industry lobby has emerged in Colorado and Washington — stopping at nothing to block restrictions on advertising and promoting marijuana candies — and now we are paying the price,” said Kevin Sabet, president of Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM). “Other states should look at the example Colorado and Washington offer when considering whether or not to legalize and commercialize marijuana. The best intentions do not matter — once legalized, the industry takes over and writes the rules.”
Jo McGuire, co-chair of SAM’s Colorado affiliate and president & CEO of 5 Minutes of Courage, a Colorado advocacy group for drug-free communities, workplaces, and youth, also commented, “It’s not surprising that we’re experiencing these problems. We have made pot use more socially acceptable for everyone. Other states shouldn’t follow our example.”
About SAM
Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) is a nonpartisan, non-profit alliance of physicians, policy makers, prevention workers, treatment and recovery professionals, scientists, and other concerned citizens who oppose marijuana legalization and want health and scientific evidence to guide marijuana policies. Learn more at www.learnaboutsam.org.
The Prevention Council of Saratoga County will be setting up a network of Recovery Community and Outreach Centers to serve the Southern Adirondack/Capital region in New York State.
It is one of six agencies announced today by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, with $10.5 million in funding over five years to support communities across New York. The new centers, funded by the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services, will provide health, wellness and other critical support for individuals and families who are recovering from a substance use disorder or are seeking recovery services.
As described by OASAS, The Recovery Community and Outreach Centers will provide a community-based, non-clinical setting that is safe, welcoming and alcohol/drug-free for any member of the community. Each recovery center will respond to the local area’s specific needs related to obtaining substance abuse treatment services and addiction recovery supports. The centers will promote long-term recovery through skill building, recreation, wellness education, employment readiness, civic restoration opportunities, and other social activities. Services will be accessible not only during the daytime hours, but also during evening and weekends, to meet the needs of individuals and families who may be in need of assistance at varying hours.
The Prevention Council collaborated with the HFM Prevention Council, public health services across several counties, county mental health services, RAIS (Recovery Advocacy in Saratoga), Friends of Recovery – Warren, Washington, Young People in Recovery and many other community health agencies. Prevention Council’s Executive Director Janine Stuchin explains, “We have extensive support and enthusiasm across our communities to create a unique and comprehensive recovery support service. Our existing recovery community is engaged and ready to contribute as well.”
Ms. Stuchin makes the analogy, “This network of recovery community centers will assist families and individuals living with the chronic illness of addiction in much the way the American Lung Association, American Diabetes Association assists those living with diabetes and lung disease or cancer. These are all chronic conditions that require changes for individuals and families. The support, resources and services provided by these associations increases the chance for success and a healthy life. We plan to do the same for those living with the disease of addiction. It is a treatable condition, there are many people living in our communities in long term recovery. Our anticipated services will increase the number of those doing so and improve the quality of life for individuals, families and our communities.”
The Recovery Community and Outreach Centers project will be funded for 5 years for a total of $1.75 million and will serve 6 counties: Fulton, Hamilton, Montgomery, Saratoga, Warren, and Washington. It is anticipated that the region will have on-site services located at 3 locations across the area; with services to be operating within 6 months of contracts signed.
Expands Supports for New Yorkers in Recovery, Increases Treatment Beds by 270 and Expands Program Slots for Substance Use Disorder by 2,335 in New York
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and Senate Independent Democratic Conference Leader Jeffrey Klein today announced a final agreement on new legislation to combat heroin and prescription opioid abuse in New York State. The agreement comes on the heels of the recent release of the Governor’s Heroin and Opioid Task Force’s final report and recommendations. The legislation builds on the state’s aggressive efforts to better monitor prescription drugs, increase access to treatment, and break the cycle of heroin and opioid addiction in New York.
“New York and the nation as a whole is grappling with how to combat heroin and opioid addiction and, with this comprehensive plan, we are continuing to take decisive action to end this epidemic and protect our families and communities,”Governor Cuomo said. “This multi-faceted legislative package will increase access to treatment, expand prevention strategies, and save lives by helping ensure New Yorkers struggling with addiction have access to the services and resources they need to get well. I commend Majority Leader Flanagan, Speaker Heastie and Senator Klein for their deep dedication to addressing this issue, and I look forward to our continued work to protect the health and safety of all New Yorkers.”
Senate Majority Leader John J. Flanagan said, “Everyday lives are being lost and families destroyed by the scourge of heroin and opioid abuse. The Senate formed the Joint Task Force on Heroin and Opioid Addiction more than two years ago to fight this epidemic, and our good work has resulted in numerous laws being passed, $189 million allocated in the 2016-17 budget, and several of the recommendations recently issued by Co-Chairs Senators Terrence Murphy, Robert Ortt, and George Amedore being incorporated into this three-way agreement. I thank the Governor, Assembly Speaker Heastie, and especially the parents and families who have been personally touched by tragedy for working with us to prevent addiction, ensure treatment for those who need it, support people in their recovery, and bring hope to communities battling opioid abuse throughout New York.”
Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said, “The Assembly Majority believes that supporting New Yorkers struggling with substance use is critically important. In some cases, families have fought for years to free their loved ones from the grips of addiction. The recent rise in opioid-related deaths has raised the alarm that no home or community is immune to tragedy. If we don’t act now, more families will have to carry the devastating burden of losing a loved one to drug addiction. For the sake of our children and families, it is imperative that we strengthen access to support and treatment services in every community and target resources to combat this epidemic in all its forms.”
Senate Independent Democratic Conference Leader Jeffrey Klein said, “Heroin and opioid addictions have ruined so many lives in every corner of this state. We all have come together to combat the scourge of heroin and opioids and to get those addicted the help they need. I especially want to thank Senator Carlucci for his leadership on promoting wraparound services to ensure that needs of those in recovery are meet to prevent relapses.”
The package of three bills includes wide-ranging initiatives to address the state’s current heroin and opioid crisis, including provisions to limit the over-prescription of opioids and remove barriers to access for inpatient treatment and medication. The legislation aims to address issues and concerns raised by individuals in recovery, families, and treatment providers across the state.
Ends Prior Insurance Authorization to Allow for Immediate Access to Inpatient Treatment as Long as Such Treatment is Needed: People suffering from addiction who seek treatment need immediate access to services, but prior authorization requirements by insurance companies are often a roadblock to admission to inpatient programs. This legislation requires insurers to cover necessary inpatient services for the treatment of substance use disorders for as long as an individual needs them. In addition, the legislation establishes that utilization review by insurers can begin only after the first 14 days of treatment, ensuring that every patient receives at least two weeks of uninterrupted, covered care before the insurance company becomes involved.
Ends Prior Insurance Authorization to Allow for Greater Access to Drug Treatment Medications:People seeking medication to manage withdrawal symptoms or maintain recovery must often request prior approval from their insurance company, which slows or stops the individual from getting needed medication. This legislation prohibits insurers from requiring prior approval for emergency supplies of these medications. Similar provisions will also apply to managed care providers treating individuals on Medicaid who seek access to buprenorphine and injectable naltrexone.
Requires All Insurance Companies Use Objective State-Approved Criteria to Determine the Level of Care for Individuals Suffering from Substance Abuse: Insurance companies often use inconsistent criteria to determine the covered level of care for persons suffering from substance use disorder, which often creates barriers preventing these individuals from receiving care. This legislation will require all insurers operating in New York State to use objective, state-approved criteria when making coverage determinations for all substance use disorder treatment in order to make sure individuals get the treatment they need.
Mandate Insurance Coverage for Opioid Overdose-Reversal Medication: Naloxone is a medication that revives an individual from a heroin or opioid overdose and has saved thousands of New Yorkers’ lives. To expand access to this life-saving medication, the new legislation requires insurance companies to cover the costs of naloxone when prescribed to a person who is addicted to opioids and to his/her family member/s on the same insurance plan.
TREATMENT ENHANCEMENTS
Increase Evaluation for Individuals Incapacitated by Drugs from 48 to 72-Hours: Sometimes, individuals suffering from addiction are at risk for overdose and thus pose a threat to themselves. The legislation allows families to seek 72-hours of emergency treatment, an increase from the current 48-hours, for their loved one to stabilize and connect them to longer-term treatment options while also balancing individual rights of the incapacitated individuals.
Require Hospitals to Provide Follow-Up Treatment Service Options to Individuals Upon Hospital Discharge: Hospitals play an important role in caring for individuals suffering from addiction who are often admitted to hospital emergency rooms after an overdose. This legislation requires hospital medical staff to provide discharge-planning services to connect patients who have or are at-risk for substance use disorder with nearby treatment options to provide continuous medical care.
Overdose-reversal medication such as naloxone saves lives. However, the law does not currently allow certain licensed professionals to administer this medication to individuals overdosing from heroin and opioids. To ensure that more people are able to help reverse overdoses, the new legislation authorizes trained professionals to administer naloxone in emergency situations without risk to their professional license.
Expand Wraparound Services to Support Long-Term Recovery: Individuals leaving treatment are at great risk for relapse. To provide services during this critical period, the legislation extends the wraparound program launched in 2014 to provide services to individuals completing treatment including education and employment resources; legal services; social services; transportation assistance, childcare services; and peer support groups.
PREVENTION
Reduce Prescription Limits for Opioids from 30-days to Seven Days: There is a well-established link between the rise in opioid prescriptions and the current heroin crisis. To reduce unnecessary access to opioids, the legislation lowers the limit for opioid prescriptions for acute pain from 30-days to no more than a 7-day supply, with exceptions for chronic pain and other conditions.
Require Ongoing Education on Addiction & Pain Management for All Physicians and Prescribers:Physicians and other opioid prescribers are important partners in preventing addiction linked to abuse of prescription opioids. To ensure that prescribers understand the risks presented by prescription opioids, the legislation mandates that these health care professionals complete three hours of education every three years on addiction, pain management, and palliative care.
Mandate Pharmacists Provide Easy to Understand Information on Risks Associated with Drug Addiction and Abuse: Consumers may not understand the addiction and abuse risks posed by prescription opioids. To improve consumer awareness about these risks the legislation requires pharmacists to provide educational materials to consumers about the risk of addiction, including information about local treatment services.
Require Data Collection on Overdoses and Prescriptions to Assist the State in Providing Additional Protections to Combat this Epidemic:Current and accurate data is critical to combat the heroin and opioid crisis yet gaps currently exist in statewide data on overdoses and usage of opioid reversal medication. To fill that gap the legislation requires the State Commissioner of Health to report county-level data on opioid overdoses and usage of overdose-reversal medication on a quarterly basis.
Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochulsaid, “As co-chair of the Governor’s Task Force, I have heard from parents, doctors and recovery experts who all spoke of the devastation and heartbreak this crisis has caused countless families and communities across our state. We have responded to the cries for help with bold action. This agreement acknowledges that the only way to save lives and stop this epidemic is with a comprehensive approach that includes limiting prescriptions at their source, removing barriers to treatment and expanding recovery options. I commend the Governor, Legislature and Task Force for taking this issue head on and making New York the national leader in solving this problem, which has plagued all of us for too long.”
NYS Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services Commissioner Arlene González-Sánchez said, “We traveled the state and heard from New Yorkers about what they need to battle opioids and addiction. I am pleased and proud to say that this comprehensive package of legislation addresses the needs of New Yorkers battling addiction and positions New York’s substance use disorder care system as one of the strongest in the nation. I thank Governor Cuomo, Lieutenant Governor Hochul, Task Force members, the Senate and Assembly, and my dedicated team at OASAS, for their commitment to strengthening our addiction system of care and their hard work to enact a package of bills that will help New Yorkers overcome addiction now and into the future.”
ADDITIONAL INITIATIVES TO COMBAT ADDICTION
The 2016-2017 budget invests nearly $200 million through the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services to combat the heroin and opioid epidemic — an 82 percent increase in state spending since 2011. This investment includes $66 million for residential treatment beds, including counseling and support services for roughly 8,000 individuals; $38 million to fund medication-assisted treatment programs that serve approximately 12,000 clients in residential or outpatient settings; $25 million in funding for state-operated Addiction Treatment Centers; $24 million for outpatient services that provide group and individual counseling; and $8 million for crisis/detox programs to manage and treat withdrawal from heroin and opioids.
Today’s agreement also allocates funding to add 270 treatment beds and 2,335 opioid treatment program slots across the state to help New Yorkers suffering from substance use disorder and to expand vital treatment and recovery resources.
The agreement funds additional family support navigators across New York to assist substance users and their families locate and access treatment options and cope with addiction. The agreement will also expand the on-call peer program which partners individuals in recovery with people in hospitals suffering from substance use disorder to help connect these individuals to treatment and other resources upon discharge. The state is also increasing the number of Recovery Community and Outreach Centers and Adolescent Club Houses statewide to provide safe spaces for teens in recovery that deliver health and wellness services for teens and young adults.
The Governor’s Heroin and Opioid Task Force – comprised of a diverse coalition of experts in healthcare, drug policy, advocacy, education, and parents and New Yorkers in recovery – held executive meetings and eight listening sessions across the state – hearing directly from health care providers, family support groups, educators, law enforcement officials, and community members and gathering input that has influenced the initiatives announced today. The task force is co-chaired by Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul and New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services Commissioner Arlene González-Sánchez. The final report and recommendations can be found here. For more information, please visit: combatheroin.ny.gov.
Since 2014, Governor Cuomo has implemented a series of aggressive reforms to combat heroin and opioid addiction, including signing historic Combat Heroin Legislation that year; expanding insurance coverage for substance use disorder treatment; increasing access and enhancing treatment capacity across the state, including a major expansion of opioid treatment and recovery services; implementing the comprehensive I-STOP law to curb prescription drug abuse; and launching a public awareness and prevention campaign to inform New Yorkers about the dangers of heroin use and opioid misuse.
State Senator Terrence Murphy said, “Across New York and the nation, far too many lives are being lost due to heroin and opioid addiction. Combating this epidemic has been and remains a top priority of mine and this legislative package will help us save the lives of vulnerable New Yorkers by expanding access to treatment, removing insurance barriers and enhancing community prevention statewide. I was proud to be a member of the Governor’s Heroin Task Force, as well co-chairman of the Senate’s task force, both of which played a roles in seeing these reforms enacted. I commend Governor Cuomo, Lt. Governor Hochul, Commissioner González-Sánchez and everyone involved for putting the people of our state ahead of partisan politics.”
NYS Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker said, “This agreement between Governor Cuomo and the State Legislature will help us battle the growing opioid and heroin epidemic and save countless lives. These measures will increase access to treatment for people trying to recover from addiction, and require physicians and patients alike to fully understand the potential dangers of opioid abuse.”
Maria T. Vullo, Acting Superintendent of Financial Services said, “The nationwide opioid epidemic requires bold and innovative action and this Administration is leading the way. The elimination of insurer prior approval for inpatient care and essential medications, along with the adoption of objective, state approved criteria to determine insurance coverage for necessary inpatient treatment will ensure that New Yorkers suffering from addiction, and their loved ones, will receive the assistance they desperately need. I am honored to have been part of the Opioid and Heroin Task Force and to contribute to the creation of this groundbreaking legislation.”
Susan Salomone, a Task Force member and Executive Director of Drug Crisis in our Backyard, said, “I thank Governor Cuomo and the State Legislature for agreeing to this important package of legislation. These groundbreaking initiatives will save lives and make recovery a possibility for many more families in New York.”
Anne Constantino, a Task Force member and CEO of Horizon Health Services, said, “I thank the governor for his leadership in prioritizing this important public health crisis. The changes represented in this package will go a long way in helping us to prevent serious addiction and to provide timely access to treatment and recovery support. These solutions are workable and will make an immediate impact. I am grateful for the courage of those who shared their personal stories, and for the commitment and compassion shown by all those that have advocated for lives to be saved.”
John Coppola, Executive Director of the NY Association of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Providers, said,“Governor Cuomo and the Senate and Assembly are acutely aware that the epidemic of overdose and addiction related to prescription opioids and heroin is a public health emergency. Their agreement on a legislative package to address this crisis provides impacted families and communities with hope.”
Patrice Wallace-Moore, CEO of Arms Acres, said, “As a person who works on the front lines of addiction treatment, I cannot thank Governor Cuomo and the Legislature enough for their actions. This package will have a significant and positive impact for those struggling with addiction and their families.”
New Yorkers struggling with an addiction, or whose loved ones are struggling, can find help and hope by calling the state’s HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY (1-877-846-7369) or by texting HOPENY (Short Code 467369). New Yorkers can find an OASAS-certified substance use disorder treatment provider by using the OASAS Treatment Availability Dashboard. For help with accessing care and insurance coverage, visit the Access Treatment page on the OASAS website. To find a naloxone overdose reversal medication training near you, visit the OASAS opioid overdose prevention trainings page. Visit www.combatheroin.ny.gov for more information on addressing heroin and prescription opioid abuse, including a Kitchen Table Tool Kit to help start the conversation about the warning signs of addiction and where to get help. For additional tools to use in talking to a young person about preventing underage drinking or drug use, visit the State’s Talk2Prevent website.
I would like to thank Mr. Lehman for writing the article “Medication collection box installed at Glens Falls Police station.” Our coalition would like to point out the primary reason these boxes are so important. Drug abuse often begins when kids have easy access to medications, which is another reason why medications should be locked up or disposed of immediately.
The Community Coalition for Family Wellness in South Glens Falls was formed in 2010 in response to concerns about teen deaths in the South Glens Falls community. Our coalition has secured grant funding to reduce substance use in the community. Most recently, we won a grant to combat the heroin epidemic.
One of the initiatives our coalition will be starting includes the distribution of free Deterra in South Glens Falls. Deterra is a safe, at-home drug destruction kit. Additionally, we are partnering with Project Safe Point to provide Narcan trainings in the community which can save lives by reversing an opioid overdose. We are offering these trainings every two weeks and in three months, more than 70 people were trained to recognize the symptoms of a heroin/opiate overdose and safely use Narcan to save a life. We will be providing education and information to the community about the dangers of improper opioid use and how it can lead to heroin use. Our grant will also provide funding for increased training for local law enforcement on recognizing drugged driving.
We appreciate your help in educating the community about these important issues. Community members who want to be involved in the Community Coalition for Family Wellness, can contact us by calling 581-1230 ext. 3615.
Jennifer Oliver-Goodwin, Community Coalition for Family Wellness, South Glens Falls
Racers navigate a steep dirt hill, one of many obstacles in the 5K Tuff eNuff Challenge for teens and adults in Saratoga Springs on Saturday. More than 500 people took part in the event, a fundraiser for the Prevention Council. Racers navigate a steep dirt hill, one of many obstacles in the 5K Tuff eNuff Challenge for teens and adults in Saratoga Springs on Saturday.
More than 500 people took part in the event, a fundraiser for the Prevention Council. Neil Cary had a life-changing experience a few years ago. His grandmother took one look at his soft, out-of-shape 270-pound frame and called him “Fluffy.”Now he’s a lean, hard 205 pounds and on Saturday the 30-year-old Schaghticoke resident was the first adult to cross the finish line in the Tuff eNuff 5K Obstacle Course Challenge hosted by the Prevention Council. “The hardest part was sinking in the mud,” Cary said smiling. “I tried to lift my leg and it wouldn’t come out.”
More than 500 kids, teens and adults crawled, climbed and splashed their way through the course, adjacent to the Saratoga Springs BOCES Center on Henning Road. The course was prepared by BOCES heavy equipment operator students. Participants had to scramble up tall mounds of dirt, wriggle their way through ropes, run through tires and navigate water-filled ditches.
Clayton Orzel, a 15-year-old Waldorf School of Saratoga student, had a simple explanation for joining the fun. “I just wanted to do something to push me above my limits,” he said. The same was true for everyone involved. The Prevention Council’s motto is: “Helping youth navigate life’s challenges.” So the race, now in its fifth year, is the perfect test for kids, which they can do with family and friends.
The event is also a fundraiser for the Prevention Council, which conducts school programs throughout Saratoga County to help young people make smart, healthy choices by avoiding alcohol and drugs. Justine Henderson celebrated her 9th birthday by inviting third-grade classmates to join her in the one-mile kids run. The 5K course was for teens and adults. “I liked jumping in the mud puddles,” Henderson said with a laugh. “I just like to get dirty.” Her mother, Wendy Henderson, was proud of her daughter’s accomplishment. “It’s a great day with her friends,” she said. “They all stuck together and helped each other over the obstacles.” However, there’s one wish Justine Henderson didn’t get for her birthday. It didn’t rain, which would have made it even muddier.
Mitchell and Nannette Barker of Moreau turned out with their two children – Pierce, 7, and Eve, 4. What did Pierce like best? “Crossing the finish line,” he said matter-of-factly. Pierce’s mom did the adult course while his father watched little Eve and kept clean clothes ready for his wife to change into. “I’m the official holder,” Mitchell Barker joked.
The event wouldn’t be possible without the assistance of numerous volunteers such as Linda “Cupcakes” Bellick, who wore a colorful party costume complete with a pink and purple wig. The first 200 young children to complete the one-mile kids run received a one-day pass to Great Escape. Awards were also given to the muddiest male and female teen/adult competitors. Sisters-in-law Louise and Joann Giovannone of Burnt Hills and Schuylerville, respectively, ran the race in tribute to Joann’s late son, Nick, a Schuylerville High School student who took part in the first Tuff eNuff Challenge in 2012. He passed away two months later, at 16, from type 1 diabetes. Both women wore Hawaiian-style leis and bright-colored T-shirts decorated with butterflies, and Louise Giovannone even donned a long grass skirt. Prevention Council Executive Director Janine Stuchin said the Tuff eNuff Challenge is the only annual event of its kind in the local area.
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(Alexandria, VA) – Two significant studies released this weekend showed continuing problems of legalized marijuana in Colorado and Washington State. The first study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that marijuana poisoning cases among children in Colorado has been rising an average of 34 percent per year — almost double the average 19 percent annualRead More
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today launched “Combat Heroin,” a campaign designed to inform and educate New Yorkers about the risks of heroin and prescription opioid use, the signs of addiction, and the resources available to help. “Heroin and opioid addiction has impacted families in every corner of our state and stolen the lives of tooRead More
By Lauren Mineau for The Saratogian>> July 15 is a special day for Ballston Spa resident Sean Kelleher. He’ll be three years sober and attending a film screening at Bow Tie Cinemas that he brought to life. “The Anonymous People,” a film on the reality of addiction is being brought to the Spa City atRead More
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CLIFTON PARK – A report accusing a student of injecting another with heroin at the region’s largest suburban school district set off bouts of hand-wringing Friday over the pervasiveness of the highly addictive drug. A Shenendehowa student, identified byState Police as Daniel Lewis, 17, allegedly shot up a 15-year-old classmate with a liquid form of heroinRead More | {
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If you feel unwell at altitude it is altitude illness until proven otherwise.
GOLDEN RULE II:
Never ascend with symptoms of AMS.
GOLDEN RULE III:
If you are getting worse (or have HACE or HAPE), go down at once.
Questioning Your Porters About AMS Symptoms
If you hire your own porters, please be aware that they are just as susceptible as you to the ravages of AMS. Porters may even be at increased risk of severe forms of altitude illness as they are unlikely to know anything about AMS, are more likely to
have a communication barrier to telling you how they feel, and may actively hide their symptoms as they fear losing their job due to illness.
For those of you who will be trekking in Nepal, please look at the AMS questionnaire with phonetic Nepali translations (based on the Lake Louise AMS scoring criteria). For more information, also look at the
International Porter
Protection Group's web site. | {
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KSUBI LAUNCHES COLORED DENIM WITH MOVIE
by Carolin Severin — May 11, 2011
After some pretty difficult months that saw Australian label Ksubi enter the insolvency procedure of voluntary administration in January of 2010, the company has now been restructured and things are looking quite bright again: "In reaction to a rather dull denim palette of late, Ksubi has chosen to bring back its colored denim that we were renowned for back in 2004," says Paul Wilson, Global Brand Director and co-founder of the brand.
True to Ksubi’s artistic background, a short film directed by Australian director Daniel Askill was produced for the launch of the kolors range, which includes styles in white, blue, orange, green, black, purple, red, plum, aged blue, aged green, aged yellow, aged black and aged pink. Shot next to Sydney’s Kingsford Smith International, kolors is a fume-fuelled, slow-motion battle between three color-clad models and a trio of ‘80s muscle cars.
Although renowned for its innovation and trend creation in denim, Ksubi nowadays also designs contemporary fashion, sunglasses, optical eyewear and footwear. The brand has three stores in Sydney and is sold at around 150 doors in Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Canada, Japan, Hong Kong, China, Indonesia, Korea, the UK, Italy, Denmark, Lebanon and Israel. | {
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Moni Basu in Atlanta Journal-Constitution
WAR ON TERRORISM: IRAN: Internal splits thwart U.S. thaw
By Moni Basu
An exchange between the United States and Iran over Iran’s role in Afghanistan has revived a bitter war of words that was put on hold after the Sept. 11 attacks. It has also exposed a clash of opinions within the two countries on how to deal with each other.
On Thursday, the Bush administration accused Iran of harboring members of the al-Qaida terrorist network and attempting to undermine the pro-Western interim government in Afghanistan. “Iran must be a contributor in the war against terror. Our nation . . . will uphold the doctrine of either you’re with us or against us,” President Bush warned. He spoke following reports of al-Qaida terrorists crossing into Iran and U.S. intelligence concerns that Iran might be shipping arms to its allies among Afghan factions.
On Friday, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, Iran’s powerful former president and long-standing U.S. critic, retaliated by calling Bush “rude and impudent.” “How does [Bush] dare speak to our nation in such a manner?” he said, objecting to the United States laying demands on Iran. Other Iranian government officials said that “there is no ground for al-Qaida fighters and their supporters to seek shelter in Iran.”
On the surface, Iran’s past relationship with neighboring Afghanistan makes the U.S. charges seem implausible, though they may be true, said experts on the region. A Shiite Muslim nation, Iran has long opposed the hard-line Sunni Islam promoted by the Taliban and Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaida network. In 1998, Iranian troops massed on the Afghan border after the Taliban killed eight Iranian diplomats in Mazar-e-Sharif. “I find it extraordinary that the Iranian clergy would have any links at all to al-Qaida,” said Jamal Hasan, a free-lance writer in Washington who has observed Iran for many years. He said the U.S. accusations could be a way to further isolate Iran as a terrorist state. The Bush government recently blamed Tehran’s Islamic regime and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah for having a hand in shipment of arms apparently headed to Palestinian extremists but seized by Israel. “Whatever Iran did in the Palestinian territories is despicable,” Hasan said, “so perhaps Bush is making trouble for the Iranians on the Afghan front.” The United States severed diplomatic ties with Iran after the U.S. Embassy in Tehran was seized during Iran’s 1979 revolution. But in recent months, analysts viewed several incidents as potential steps to warming relations. Reformist President Mohammed Khatami condemned the Sept. 11 attacks, and Iran quietly supported the U.S.-led effort to topple the Taliban. “It was a dramatic departure for Iran to support the Afghan campaign,” Hasan said.
In November, Secretary of State Colin Powell stated publicly that Washington wanted to “explore opportunities” with Tehran. The remarks came even though Iran remains on the State Department’s list of terrorist countries and despite the fact that more conservative members of the Bush administration want America’s relationship with Iran to remain in a deep freeze. Divisive opinions on U.S.-Iran relations are more apparent in Tehran, where the reformist movement, led by Khatami, has been trying for years to open up Iranian society and has placed itself at odds with the conservative clergy.
By all accounts, the Iranians seem satisfied that Afghanistan’s Shiite minority has been granted fair representation in Kabul’s new government. Iranian aid and promises of reconstruction have poured across the 600-mile border. Peace and stability in Afghanistan pave the way for a number of projects the Iranians have been promoting for years, including a gas pipeline to India, Hasan said. Iran would also like to see the return of 1.5 million Afghan refugees to their homeland. In that sense, a quieter Afghanistan serves Iran’s best interests. But, for the first time, the Islamic regime in Tehran — which came to power in 1979, the same year Soviets marched into Afghanistan — will have to deal with the discomfort of having a pro-American government next door.
“In his heart of hearts, I am sure Khatami is cheering that, although he would never admit it,” said Thomas E. Gouttierre, director of the Center for Afghanistan Studies at the University of Nebraska in Omaha. “But [Ayatollah Ali] Khamenei doesn’t feel positively about it. That’s the dichotomy of Iran. We have to deal with a split country here.” And ultimately, it is Khamenei, the country’s religious leader, and his religious hard-liners who still wield ultimate power. They probably find it more palatable to embrace America’s worst enemy than to hold hands with America, Gouttierre said. The clerics see the choice as one of befriending Islamists (Sunni or Shiite) or the enemy of those Islamists. “The clerics realize that their own future is predicated on keeping alive the external specter of the United States,” Gouttierre said. “That’s the only thing they really have to justify their presence anymore. . . . They are capable of doing extreme things, and even though al-Qaida would not be pro-Shiite, they might at least share a common enemy”.
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December 14, 2015
December 18, 2015, 3:00pm
Weekly Market Commentary
December 14, 2015
The Markets
It’s not like it’s a surprise!
Last week, investors didn’t appear to be thrilled with the possibility the Federal Reserve might raise rates this week. They also weren’t too impressed by another drop in oil prices. There was red ink everywhere as markets from Australia to Hong Kong, across the Eurozone, and throughout the Americas moved lower last week.
Bloomberg reported there was a 74 percent probability of a Fed rate hike at the December Federal Open Market Committee meeting. The Wall Street Journal’s survey of business and academic economists put the chance at 97 percent. More than 80 percent of those surveyed said the Fed would lose credibility if it doesn’t act in December.
It’s important to remember the Fed doesn’t actually set interest rates. It takes actions designed to influence financial behaviors. Even if the Fed does push to increase interest rates, it remains to be seen whether its efforts will bear fruit. The Financial Times wrote:
“…As “lift-off” has drawn closer some analysts have begun to highlight just how experimental this interest rate rise will be. The Fed’s bloated balance sheet – swelled by its quantitative easing program – prevents it from using its traditional interest rate tools, so it has unveiled and has been testing new ones. The main new levers are known as the “interest on overnight reserves” and the “overnight reverse repo program,” and central bank officials are confident that they will be able to lift the Fed funds rate, which is the main target. But some analysts caution that it could be a choppy take-off.”
If the Fed acts and interest rates don’t respond, there may be further volatility. The Financial Times reported markets almost certainly have priced in a rate hike at this point. We’ll find out next week.
NEXT YEAR, CHINA'S RENMINBI (A.K.A YUAN) WILL JOIN THE U.S. DOLLAR, euro, yen, and pound, when it is added to the International Monetary Fund (IMF)’s Special Drawing Rights (SDR) basket – a supplementary foreign exchange reserve asset that is defined and maintained by the IMF. It will become the third weightiest currency in the basket. After the renminbi is added, the U.S. dollar will comprise 42 percent of the basket (unchanged from 2010). The euro will be 31 percent (down from 37 percent in 2010). The renminbi will be 11 percent. The Japanese yen will be 8 percent (down from 9 percent in 2010). The British pound will be 8 percent (down from 11 percent).
Managing Director of the IMF Christine Lagarde said:
“The Executive Board's decision to include the RMB in the SDR basket is an important milestone in the integration of the Chinese economy into the global financial system. It is also a recognition of the progress that the Chinese authorities have made in the past years in reforming China’s monetary and financial systems. The continuation and deepening of these efforts will bring about a more robust international monetary and financial system, which in turn will support the growth and stability of China and the global economy.”
So, is the renminbi likely to give the U.S. dollar a run for its money? Not any time soon, according to economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal. Over the next 50 years, they gave China about a 34 percent chance of challenging the dollar. One said, “To match the dollar’s appeal, China will need markets as deep as those in the U.S. and to produce economic indicators that are trustworthy.”
Weekly Focus – Think About It
“Power is of two kinds. One is obtained by the fear of punishment and the other by acts of love. Power based on love is a thousand times more effective and permanent then the one derived from fear of punishment.”
--Mahatma Gandhi, Former leader of the Indian independence movement
Best regards,
Suzanne H. Christian, CFP®
P.S. Please feel free to forward this commentary to family, friends, or colleagues. If you would like us to add them to the list, please reply to this e-mail with their e-mail address and we will ask for their permission to be added.
Suzanne Christian is a Registered Representative with and securities offered through LPL Financial member FINRA/SIPC.
* These views are those of Peak Advisor Alliance, and not the presenting Representative or the Representative’s Broker/Dealer, and should not be construed as investment advice.
* This newsletter was prepared by Peak Advisor Alliance. Peak Advisor Alliance is not affiliated with the named broker/dealer.
* Government bonds and Treasury Bills are guaranteed by the U.S. government as to the timely payment of principal and interest and, if held to maturity, offer a fixed rate of return and fixed principal value. However, the value of fund shares is not guaranteed and will fluctuate.
*Corporate bonds are considered higher risk than government bonds but normally offer a higher yield and are subject to market, interest rate and credit risk as well as additional risks based on the quality of issuer coupon rate, price, yield, maturity, and redemption features.
* The Standard & Poor's 500 (S&P 500) is an unmanaged group of securities considered to be representative of the stock market in general. You cannot invest directly in this index.
* The Standard & Poor’s 500 (S&P 500) is an unmanaged index. Unmanaged index returns do not reflect fees, expenses, or sales charges. Index performance is not indicative of the performance of any investment.
* The Dow Jones Global ex-U.S. Index covers approximately 95% of the market capitalization of the 45 developed and emerging countries included in the Index.
* The 10-year Treasury Note represents debt owed by the United States Treasury to the public. Since the U.S. Government is seen as a risk-free borrower, investors use the 10-year Treasury Note as a benchmark for the long-term bond market.
* Gold represents the afternoon gold price as reported by the London Bullion Market Association. The gold price is set twice daily by the London Gold Fixing Company at 10:30 and 15:00 and is expressed in U.S. dollars per fine troy ounce.
* The Bloomberg Commodity Index is designed to be a highly liquid and diversified benchmark for the commodity futures market. The Index is composed of futures contracts on 19 physical commodities and was launched on July 14, 1998.
* The DJ Equity All REIT Total Return Index measures the total return performance of the equity subcategory of the Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) industry as calculated by Dow Jones.
* Yahoo! Finance is the source for any reference to the performance of an index between two specific periods.
* Opinions expressed are subject to change without notice and are not intended as investment advice or to predict future performance.
* Economic forecasts set forth may not develop as predicted and there can be no guarantee that strategies promoted will be successful. | {
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Trace Software International announces the signing of a definitive agreement for the sale of elecworks, the software for the design of electrical and automation projects, toDassault Systèmes Solidworks.
Since 1987, Trace Software International has been developing advanced engineering software solutions addressed to three key markets: electrical design, electrical calculation, and photovoltaics. The experience acquired during more than 30 years has positioned them as the global expert in engineering.
However, the company has decided to sell the elecworks electrical and automation design software product line to Dassault Systèmes Solidworks. By leaving the world of electrical design behind, TSI aims to focus its core expertise in the development of software solution for the electrical calculation and photovoltaic industries.
ELECWORKS: THE ELECTRICAL CAD FOR THE WORLD
elecworks, translated into 14 languages, was introduced into the market for electrical schematics design and automation projects in 2009 at the SOLIDWORKS World in Orlando. In 2012, Dassault Systèmes Solidworks, the world leader in 3D solutions, signed an agreement with Trace Software International to complete its schematic design offer. elecworks, developed by Trace Software and Certified SolidWorks Gold Product, had been then marketed as SolidWorks Electrical. Seven years later, Dassault Systèmes Solidworks acquires the software.
“The investments necessary to continue to improve the solution and meet all the needs of an electric CAD solution had become too important for our SMEs: we have logically agreed to sell this unit of the business to Dassault Systèmes,” said Etienne Mullie, R&D Manager and President of Trace Software International.
In addition, Dassault Systèmes acquires the intellectual property of software and its development team. elecworks and SOLIDWORKS electrical are exactly the same product and have followed the same pace of development and updating. For elecworks users, there will be no change in the work habits and customers will benefit from the expertise of the vast network of SOLIDWORKS distributors in the world.
Now marketed as SOLIDWORKS Electrical, the software will benefit from the worldwide leadership of Dassault Systèmes Solidworks. In addition to 3D design, this acquisition allows Dassault Systemes Solidworks to meet all the needs of the mechatronic design chain: electricity and automation, mechanics and applied electronics.
After more than 30 years of experience, Trace Software International leaves the electrical design industry world. The company will intensify the investments in the construction industry, where the disruptive force of BIM is unlocking business opportunities, in the photovoltaic and energy markets.
By choosing to focus its research and development efforts on the latest advances in the construction and energy markets, Trace Software once again confirms that innovation is firmly rooted in its DNA.
elec calc 2019: enhanced operational efficiency
Trace Software International, the leading engineering company with unique expertise in the electrical industry, announces the launch of the latest version of elec calc.
elec calc is the software solution dedicated to the sizing of electrical installations, the only one in the world that allows integrating the management of high and low voltage in the same project and in compliance with international standards. elec calc 2019 promises an enhanced performance for any kind of electrical projects – from the simplest to the most complex.
More than 30 years of experience and the ability to effectively forecast the changes in the market of the electrical engineering business have allowed crafting a software solution provided with the most advanced features for those professionals who like achieving the greatest results.
More powerful calculation, improved productivity, a higher level of detail:
• Automatic backup setting. It is possible to program an automatic backup of the project. The user can adjust the backup interval in the options – parameters menu.
• The German language is now available for interface and deliverables.
• Continuity between distributors. It is possible to ensure continuity between several elements of a distributor. The continuity of the distributor is managed in the order of the pages. It automatically follows all the movements of the pages relative to each other.
• AWG cable management. It is now possible to use the AWG classification for the cable section. This feature allows the user to choose, for each cable, to use the mm2 or AWG sections using the drop-down list in the quick entry area.
• Multiple receivers. it is possible to define a charge composed of several receivers of the same kind distributed on a terminal circuit. This feature is available for power outlets, lighting and resistive loads. An automatic construction function generates the terminal circuit. The individual data of each component of the circuit can then be modified by the user.
• Decorative objects. It is possible to add decorative objects to the single-line diagram to complete the graphical representation of the project in order to obtain a more detailed installation rendering that is more readable and more pleasant to use.
• Management and customization of the drawing background. elec calc allows you to position backgrounds on the single line diagram. The different fields of the cartridge are filled and updated automatically from the information contained in the “Project Management”. The user can create, customize and manage the background.
• The version of the library standards drawings. From a standard drawing of the library, it is possible to generate different versions of this drawing.
Request a free trial
Customers with a subscription will receive a notification of the availability of this new version. Purchase options include flexible subscription terms to fit a wide range of needs and personalized customer support.
The Implementation of BIM in Spain
BIM IN THE SPANISH AEC INDUSTRY: The present
A new chapter for the implementation of BIM in the AEC industry in Spain has just begun. No longer an uncertain perspective for the future, Building Information Modeling has finally become a reality.
Last year Spain has witnessed a paradigm shift in the building industry. From the 17th of December 2018, BIM is finally mandatory for all the public construction tenders. With regards to the public infrastructure tenders, the date is set to be the 26th July 2019. The decision was taken by the Ministry of Development of Spain in order to drive the modernization of the building industry, accelerate the implementation of BIM, and foster the use of its standards and its methodology.
And from the 31st of December, the so-called BIM mandate will automatically make BIM mandatory for those building projects of the Ministry and its associated companies such as Renfe (Public railway company) or Aena (Public Airline company).
BIM IN SPAIN: The Past
Building Smart is the International organization willing to drive the transformation of the build asset economy through the creation and adoption of open, international standards. Building Smart Spain was formally constituted in November 2014 and, within the country, it served as a point of reference. In fact, in such a changing scenario, its main tasks had been to create a common framework, to provide the specifications & documentation, to accelerate interoperability across the sector and to extend the use of BIM disruptive approach. This is how the “Spanish chapter” started, a new era for all the actors across the building industry keen on modernizing their methodology and work processes through the implementation of BIM.
Spain has also been subject to EU Directive 2014/24/UE. According to this directive, the member states were invited to encourage the use of Building Information Modeling (BIM) in construction projects financed by EU public funds as of 2016.
In 2015 the Ministerio de Fomento (Ministry of Development) created the “BIM Commission” with the main mission to establish a roadmap for the BIM methodology implementation in Spain. The BIM Committee had been made up of five different tasks groups that focus on distinct themes: strategy, people, processes, technology, and International Liaison.
Finally, in 2018 the BIM implementation strategy has been approved and there is finally no turning back for modernization of the building industry.
BIM: What It Is And Its Associated Benefits
BIM (Building Information Modeling) is the most popular trend topic within the building industry. For many reasons why.
Building Information Modeling (BIM) is the digital management of the information processes for the design, construction, and management of building projects. The use of the intelligent 3D digital model – the representation of the physical and functional characteristics of a structure – promotes interoperability and the result is a highly interactive environment capable of adapting to changes. In fact, BIM establishes a collaborative work environment able to improve the performance of each phase of the project, as everybody is thinking beyond their context. Design, construction, operation, demolition, and even waste management, BIM creates a framework for the whole building lifecycle.
The real-time 3-D visualization allows better management of the conflict by using the BIM Model. This immediately translates into fewer risks, interferences, costs and time. Also, the documentation produced by each stakeholder derives from a single digital model, guaranteeing uniformity and consistency. Last but not least, BIM allows building smart and sustainable projects, energy efficient, integrated with their surrounding environment.
elec calc BIM
elec calc BIM stands out as the unique electrical design software solution responding to the BIM challenges. This is the world’s first calculating software that seamlessly integrates elec calc- the electrical equipment used in sizing projects – with different design platforms and architectural 3D models, thanks to its unique IFC standard use approach.
BIM simulates the construction project in a virtual environment. Just as elec calcBIM solution allows you to create a one-line diagram of electrical installation from the BIM model and defining the cable routing (calculating lengths, adding cables as objects).
The key benefit of BIM is its accurate geometrical representation of the parts of a building, in an integrated data environment. Some great features of elec calc BIM include IFC Explorer, your electrical objects are recognized from IFC data and interactions between Explorer, 3D Viewer, and elec calcone-line diagram, identifying components in real time between your 3D Viewer and the one-line diagram.
Solar Pv Self-Consumtion Systems
What is solar self-consumption?
A solar self- consumption installation uses the PV electricity generated on-site to meet the energy needs of the consumer while minimizing or excluding the use of electricity from the utility grid. As the energy is generated on site, transmission losses are kept at a minimum. It is an optimal choice for home energy efficiency as it allows relevant savings. The consumption will depend on several factors such as the number of electrical appliances used, weather conditions, the power of photovoltaic devices and on the number of households.
The scenario
People drive cars, cook meals, use transportation to travel, switch on the light at night, they buy clothes which have been produced in a factory. All these processes consume energy. Traditionally, energy models have been dominated by fossil fuels such as coal, oil, gas and nuclear energy. Unfortunately, these non- renewable sources of energy are not safe and sustainable choices. In fact, apart from being finite on the earth, are also a serious threat to both humans’ health and planet survival.
Non- renewable sources of energy harm the environment for the way they are extracted, processed, used and disposed of. The biggest impact on the planet is the emission of greenhouse gases, in particular, CO2, which is contributing to climate change with its correspondent effects on biodiversity and the ecosystem.
Air pollution is another critical factor. According to this study, it turns that pollution kills 9 Million people every year and Asia and Africa is where the majority of these deaths occur. Apart from these, there are other toxic consequences such as land waste, water pollutions, acid rains, technology fails and waste disposal.
Access to energy is at the heart of the economic development of any country. However, the need to switch to low carbon and renewable source of energy is nowadays not only a conscious choice but the only logical choice for the future.
Rooftop PV for self-consumption of electricity
Solar photovoltaic technologies are an efficient solution for reaching the goal to decarbonize the power sector. In fact, fostered by the emerging of clean energy production and consumption paradigms, solar photovoltaic energy deployment has been evolving. To cope with the challenge of climate change, the self-consumption of PV electricity plays an important role as it can help in the transition to a decarbonized energy system.
Rooftop PV deployment has faced several challenges. They can be considered a disruptive technology as can be distributed at many points in the electrical grid rather than concentrated to a few large plants, can be located at the user side of the electricity meter, and produce electricity intermittently only when the sun shines.
Historically, high costs of PV-generated electricity have been a barrier to its development. But nowadays things are changing. Many consumers have, in fact, started to invest in the solar PV self-consumption systems. The main driver is economical. The prices of PV and battery energy storage system are, in fact, more competitive than the past. EU governments are also working in creating a clear regulatory framework for household self- consumption. Recently, EU member states have reached a consensus regarding the prohibition of discriminatory taxes for self-produced energy for those systems of up to 30 kW capacity.
Last but not least, the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (2018/844/EC) and the increasing requirements for net-zero energy buildings is another driver. According to the Energy Innovation Europe, it is estimated that approximately 1.5 million new residential buildings are constructed per year, and 2.5 million undergo substantial renovation. The study believes that adding only 10m2 PV to each project would potentially add 5.7GW per year. With commercial buildings even more dynamic and the addition of retrofitting existing buildings the potential for PV to contribute significantly to the Paris Goals and the local economies are clearly viable.
Trace Software International is attending the SEPEM Industries event in Douai
Trace Software International is pleased to announce its participation in the upcoming SEPEM Industries Nord, an event held at the Douai Exhibition Center from 29 to 31 January 2019.
The SEPEM Industries, service, equipment, process and maintenance trade fairs are organized into 7 biennial exhibitions in France. There will be showcased all the solution offerings in manufacturing. Productivity, environment, safety, maintenance, subcontracting, engineering: every SEPEM fair highlights a specific perspective of the market to give insider access to knowledge and effective solutions.
With 719 exhibitors announced on this seventh edition, the SEPEM Douai is a unique business opportunity for the professionals in the North of France.
Trace Software International
Trace Software International, a major player in the electrical computing software market, confirms its participation in this key event. The company will present elec calc and elec calc BIM, software solutions dedicated to the calculation and to the sizing of high and low voltage electrical installations. These tools enable engineering professionals to implement a new technological approach within their organizations that can deliver concrete competitive advantages in terms of time, quality and performance.
The software solutions for the electrical engineering industry
elec calc is a CAE solution dedicated to the sizing and the calculation of electrical installations in real time. It is the only software in the world that integrates high and low voltage management in a single project, according to international standards, from pre-study to operation.
elec calc BIM is the first software that seamlessly integrates elec calc, used for sizing and calculating electrical installations, into an Open BIM process. With elec calc BIM, the user can design installation by supporting his calculations on a digital model in IFC 4 format, generated by the various 3D architecture software (Revit, ArchiCAD, SketchUp …).
The photovoltaic solar sector: exchange of Franco-Mexican experiences
Trace Software International has already landed in Mexico to attend a seminar on the solar photovoltaic sector on Wednesday 23rd January 2019, at the French Embassy of the Ciudad de México. The event is a relevant occasion to promote the exchange of Franco-Mexican experiences with regards to the photovoltaic solar market.
With high levels of solar radiation (about 5.3-kilowatt hours per square meter) and a series of changes in the political management of the renewable energy mix of the country, Mexico is expected to establish itself as the largest solar photovoltaic market in Latin America.
Change of attitude
Recently, the energy reform and related laws such as the Ley de Transition Energetica (LTE- Energy Transition Law) have significantly changed the direction of Mexican policies on the development of renewable energy. One of the pillars of the new legislative framework is the modernization of the photovoltaic market thanks to the private investments, which now finally allows companies to participate in an in a grid long dominated by a single state utility. As part of the reform, Mexico has also held three annual solar auctions and the last one recorded the world’s cheapest solar big solar bid.
Trace Software International Role
Jaime Bastidas, Business Development Manager of TSI’s solar division – Cythelia Energy– will attend the seminar and talk about thearchelios suite software solution. He will showcase the company expertise by explaining how the tool can provide the solar professionals with undeniable benefits such as performance and ROI improvements, highest levels of accuracy and efficient time management. In fact, the archelios suite includes integrated tools for each phase of the photovoltaic project: feasibility study, 3D simulation, electrical sizing, and PV Monitoring.
The future of solar energy looks bright in Mexico and the event is the ideal setting to create synergies and unlock business opportunities. Other major speakers will take part in the seminar. Mr. Sergio ARNAUD, President of the National Association of Solar Energy (ANES), for example, will highlight the challenges of the Mexican solar market and Mrs. Marie Pausader, the Counselor of Sustainable Development at the Embassy of France in Mexico, will introduce relevant fact regarding the solar energy panorama of France.
The Spanish energy transition
The energy transition establishes sustainable and long-term structural changes in a country’s energy system to reduce CO2 emissions and limit the effects of climate change. The term refers to the transition from energy production and consumption models based on non-renewable sources such as natural gas, oil, and coal to a system based on renewable energy.
The energy transition in Spain has experienced a downfall in recent years. The abolition of incentives for the installation of new electricity generation plants in 2013 to support the tariff deficit (built up by years of regulation which kept prices below costs), the lack of a reliable strategy of the sector, the increase in energy prices and the imposition of an absurd sun tax have compromised the position of Spain in the renewable energy market.
These are the main reasons why the photovoltaic market in the Mediterranean peninsula, with its long coasts and a favorable climate during most of the year, experienced a great paralysis in 2010. Spain, once renowned as a world leader in the production of solar energy, today it is only the fifth European market with its 5 GW, far behind Germany (42.4 GW), Italy (19.6 GW), United Kingdom (12.8 GW) and France (8 GW) according to the International Energy Agency.
The actual situation is the result of the political maneuvers of the previous government. The owners of a photovoltaic self-consumption network were forced to pay a fee for both the power contracted with their electricity company and for the electricity generated for their consumption, in the case of installations above 10 kW. Moreover, the same decree imposed the prohibition to sell the self -produced electricity and the obligation to donate any excess amount to the public grid.
This is the controversy “sun tax” imposed by the government of one of the sunniest countries in Europe, which is paradoxically addressed to hinder self-consumption in favor of a centralized and uncompetitive energy model.
Fortunately, Spain has decided to change the rules of the game. Pedro Sanchez, the new president of the Government, together with the Minister of the Environment, Isabel García Tejerina, are willing to make big changes in the Spanish energy scenario.
Spain decides to scraps “sun tax” to support self-consumption throughout the country, a practice that according to a study by GreenPeace could save the Spaniards 1,770 million euros. Finally, the barriers that have hindered the growth of the photovoltaic sector in the country are breaking down.
Further measures
In addition to the abolition of the solar tax, other measures have been promoted to ensure access to more sustainable and environmentally friendly self-consumption alternatives. The new rules for self-consumption in Spain also include simpler bureaucratic procedures, the cancellation of mandatory registration for installations not exceeding 100 kW, the recognition of the right to the shared self-consumption practice which will allow 66.5% of Spaniards living in buildings to benefit from economies of scale.
Spain has also planned the reduction of electricity prices, the temporary suspension of the 7% tax on the electricity production, the exemption from the special hydrocarbon tax, and a social bonus addressed to those groups vulnerable of energy exclusion.
With great natural resources, the country is back on track to restore its leadership position in the renewable energy market and willing to accelerate the energy transition. A draft law on climate change and energy transition is, in fact, ready and awaits its acceptance by the Parliament. (Ley de Cambio Climático y Transición Energética). The government will base its legislative proposals on the following pillars: decarbonization, efficiency and energy saving, security, internal energy market, innovation, research, and competitiveness.
Ambitious goals
According to the government’s proposal, the country plans to increase renewable energy by 35% and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 20% by 2020. By 2050 Spain has set the ambitious goal to switch to 100% renewable electricity. Furthermore, new licenses for the exploration of oil and gas in the waters of Spain will not be issued and the country will completely stop drilling by 2040.
Cars powered by petrol or diesel will be phased out and after 2040 only electric and other “zero emission” vehicles will be sold in Spain. It will be also essential to develop more energy storage. The use of water basins and hydroelectric plants to store energy, for example by pumping uphill water on a sunny day where solar energy is abundant, is an area of greatest potential.
In order to make the country’s energy transition possible 100,000 million euros will be allocated to renewable energy, self-consumption, sustainable mobility, and energy efficiency.
The photovoltaic software solution
With the shift to sustainable energy and consumption model, photovoltaic technology plays a key role for clean and affordable electricity production. The archelios suite provides solar professionals with a unique tool for the management of the entire photovoltaic project ( feasibility study, 3D simulation, electrical sizing, PV Monitoring).
archelios O&M
archelios O&M is the monitoring software for PV installations. It belongs to the archelios suite, the innovative software portfolio to manage the entirety of a PV project.
When the PV Plant has been constructed and connected to the grid to sell Electricity, the PV Plant operator is in charge of guaranteeing its efficient production, at the minimum in line with the project plan and even possibly above it. On that purpose, a real-time performance monitoring system is required.
And decide for the correcting actions to restore the expected production
A good monitoring system will provide information on the production, alarms and analytical data, in a timely, efficient and precise manner to detect any anomaly of the PV Plant.
archelios O&M has been designed to face the challenges of today’s solar industry by combining modeling technology and PV expertise. Thanks to easy PV BIM (PV Building Information Modeling), archelios O&M contains a fully functional and 3D description of the PV installation. Based on real-time irradiance and temperature, it also computes expected production from each piece of equipment, any incident or loss is valued in %, MWh and financial data, it is directly attached to the equipment, visualized in a plant 2D/3D map and consolidated to the plant.
The features:
The archelios O&M PVBIM technology possesses unique and superior features when compared which the conventional monitoring systems. Please learn below about some of them:
Calculation of the reference production “plan” taking into account 3D and functional modeling and standard aging with the historical climate of the PV plant site. Thanks to 3D modeling, it integrates all near and far shading effects as well as trackers if applied.
The effective plant production can easily be compared, over a period of time, to the reference production plan to access how it is in line with global expectation.
Calculation of the archelios production reference. Real-time irradiance and temperature data are injected into the PV plant digital model that precisely determines the expected production of each component from the delivery point meter, down to Inverters, Junction boxes, and even individual strings.
Any measured production at any equipment level can be compared to the archelios production reference, either visually or automatically. Specific under production alarms can be generated, any loss can be valued in energy and/or financial loss.
PV plant 3D modeling serves even beyond computation. A powerful 3D viewer is always available in the 2 screens application user interface. Any selected information (curve, value, alarm …) is localized with its related piece of equipment. A colored 2D/3D view of the plant can highlight the weakest and strongest elements, at the inverter level, junction box or string. Service personnel will directly go on site to the right intervention spot.
PVBIM being the backbone of the monitoring system, the PV plant structure is always there, and any data can be attached to its corresponding device, like reference specification, simulation modeling, and even user and maintenance manual. This is like having your “as built” file under a click of your mouse. Either at the office or on-site with wireless connection, supervisors and maintenance technician have access to all needed information.
User interface providing different view modes serving the different level of details expected for different users or defect analysis steps.
A real-time Dashboard is available allowing a top-down analysis approach from portfolio overview to understand individual defects.
A PV plant can be highly vulnerable. archelios O&M provides the solar professional with an ultra-precise energy management tool to collect and analyze data. It plays a crucial role in the photovoltaic industry as it makes possible to detect any PV plant anomaly and to undertake the most appropriate repairs, with ROI concern in mind, to restore best asset production and profitability.
archelios Calc 2019 for the solar PV self-consumption market
Trace Software International, a global reference in the electrical and photovoltaic engineering industry, announces that the latest version of archelios Calc is available on the market.
archelios Calc is a complete software solution for the calculation, sizing, and control of photovoltaic installations connected to the public grid. The latest version of the software comes with the newest features for the solar PV self-consumption market.
Fostered by the emerging of clean energy production and consumption paradigms, solar photovoltaic energy deployment has been evolving. The increase in retail electricity prices and the decline in solar PV has brought many consumers to invest in the solar PV self-consumption systems. The economic benefit is a big driver, but in a scenario where climate change is a pressuring topic, sustainable choices are no longer an option. The self-consumption of PV electricity can help in accelerating the transition to a decarbonized energy system.
The solar self- consumption installation
A solar self- consumption installation uses the PV electricity generated on-site to meet the energy needs while minimizing or excluding the use of electricity from the utility grid. As the energy is generated on site, transmission losses are kept at a minimum. It is an optimal choice for home energy efficiency as it allows relevant savings. The consumption will depend on several factors such as the number of electrical appliances used, weather conditions, the power of photovoltaic devices and on the number of households.
archelios Calc now comes with a new “self-consumption distribution board” view in the connection and location type menu. The user will be able to select the self-consumption option in the interface and to manage the electrical parameters of the switchboard on which the installation is connected. The detailed diagram of the self-consumption installation will be provided, excluding the energy meters.
The newest version of the solar calculation software also presents a new interface design. The environment graphical representation has been updated with new colors and more modern icon design to improve interactivity. Furthermore, archelios Calc 2019 allows the real-time visualization of the electrical network of the installation.
Do you want to know more?
]]>https://www.trace-software.com/blog/archelios-calc-2019-self-consumption-market/feed/0How to show data location in a cabinet drawing?https://www.trace-software.com/blog/how-to-show-data-location-in-a-cabinet-drawing/
https://www.trace-software.com/blog/how-to-show-data-location-in-a-cabinet-drawing/#respondThu, 06 Dec 2018 14:48:03 +0000https://www.trace-software.com/?p=19052During the electrical cabinet manufacturing, the panelist is required to possess some technical data of the cabinet in different drawings. For this purpose, elecworks™ – the electrical CAD software- disposes of connection labels symbols. Those will show the information of the component or of the associated part and also all the data related […]
]]>During the electrical cabinet manufacturing, the panelist is required to possess some technical data of the cabinet in different drawings.
For this purpose, elecworks – the electrical CAD software- disposes of connection labels symbols. Those will show the information of the component or of the associated part and also all the data related to the item, such as location, technical data, descriptions, connections, etc.
As shown in the image, not only the values of the user data are shown in the symbol. Also, if a ‘#’ is added to the definition of the attribute, the description of the project will be shown in the drawing.
Connections labels are the perfect solution to show information about any component at any place in the electrical project. In addition, these symbols can be inserted so many times as needed saving up times and gaining in efficiency. | {
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[CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE] Major League Soccer has rescheduled two regular-season games involving the LA Galaxy and Seattle Sounders to give the two remaining
MLS representatives in the Concacaf Champions League a break between the two legs of their semifinal series. The league schedule released in January had created a similar break for the three MLS
quarterfinalists between the two legs of the last round.
The Galaxy is scheduled to play Mexican club Monterrey at the Home Depot Center on April 3 and at Estadio Tecnologico on
April 10. The Sounders face Mexico's Santos Laguna at CenturyLink Field on April 2 and at the Estadio Corona in Torreon on April 9.
For the Sounders, the change of their match
against Chivas USA to Sept. 4 is particularly critical because it was originally scheduled to be played April 7, just two days before the second Santos game in Torreon.
The Galaxy's home
game against the Montreal Impact, originally scheduled for April 6, has been moved to Oct. 16. | {
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Jodie’s Guide To Dating: Why not to date Mr “Real Man” aka The Geezer
Ok, you’ll meet this one and you’ll think you’ve landed on your feet. He’ll know how to put up shelves, he’ll think nothing of getting rid of spiders for you and he’ll be strong and powerful and sexy. You’ll love the fact that he comes home from work covered in dirt… but only for the first two weeks. You’ll soon realise that the classic “man covered in oil with his top off” is a myth and there’s nothing sexy about a man with dirty fingernails and who stinks. He’ll live in
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To view the rest of this content, please login or sign up for a subscription! | {
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Fulbright Information Sessions
Most recent articles
I am humbled and grateful that I have so many healthcare options, which are not available to most women in Lusaka, Zambia. Childbirth never seemed dangerous or scary to me. But, how would I know? I have never been pregnant. These are reflections after my time as a Fulbright Student Scholar in Lusaka, Zambia. I completed a documentary short as the research element of my appointment.
I was embedded on the labor ward at the University Teaching Hospital. The hospital’s visuals are very different from my hospital experiences in US. But, the human connection between doctors and patients is hauntingly similar. Those narratives resonated with me.
The final film, WARD B12, offers a hyper-realistic behind-the-scenes view of the low cost labor ward, B12, at the University Teaching Hospital. Follow patients, doctors, caregivers, and midwives as their days intersect and unfold into a powerful narrative about determination, strength, life, and loss. The film highlights the need for improvements in women’s healthcare and the powerful personal narratives that beat all odds.
The film tackles globally significant, easily relatable, issues that bridge borders and have the potential to deliver a new, significant point of view to an international audience.
While in Zambia, I made connections that I will continue to grow. And I hope that my documentation will add to a public discourse on the subject of women’s health and specifically encourage institutions and individuals to give available resources.
Every adventure supplies new inspiration for artistic expression, content and process. I believe in the immortality of art & collaboration. With so many stories to tell, there’s no reason to stay in one place.
BIO: Becky Beamer is a freelance documentarian who is currently searching for screening and speaking opportunities related to this project, WARD B12. For Becky Beamer’s contact information and other projects visit her website.
Lusaka, Zambia – One needs to get creative at the Birdsnest Backpackers when you are not just staying for a few days, but months. The bunkbed is covered with a very necessary mosquito netting but the cement ceiling made it hard to hang from the top.
Congratulations to all Fulbright recipients for 2017-18 school year. I fully understand the intensity of the application process and then the excitement of receiving the appointment. You will surely have an unforgettable adventure. I am taking a moment to reminisce about my time last year preparing to depart to Lusaka, Zambia. I wish I had a list of recommended items to throw in my suitcase. And then I really wished I had that same list even more once I arrived and spent a lot of money on some items that are much cheaper in the USA. So, without further adieu – I give you my list of Top 8 Items to Pack for your Fulbright Adventure!
Top 8 Items to Pack for your Fulbright Adventure:
This is an inside look at Becky Beamer’s Fulbright adventure packing must-haves and maybes. Only about half of these made the suitcase.
Headlamp : Ugh, I always pack my headlamp. I take it to the beach. I take it to youth hostels and I take it camping. I can’t remember a documentary shoot in 10 years when I didn’t have my headlamp. But, I forgot to take my headlamp to Zambia. Zambia suffers from regular load shedding (or planned power outages) across the city. I broke down and had to buy one since I had no light in the neighborhood.
Crystal Light Single Serving Packets : Nothing gets older to drink than bottled water for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. Well, it was water or drink super sugary soft drinks and juices. I’ll be feeling the effects of this bad choice as I try to lose the 10 pounds I packed on from poor eating habits. Everything here is full fat and full sugar. It’s something to think about before you put on a couple extra pounds like I did. Now, I truly appreciate the options for healthy and safe eating that we have in the USA
Fast Drying Camping Towel : Like many budget travelers, I found myself bunking in at a backpackers when I first arrived. I was so thankful that I could wake up to a towel the first day I arrived. It also packed easily into a backpack when I went on small journeys or sat by a pool.
Carabiner : I attach things to things to things. I packed pretty light and so, I couldn’t afford to misplace anything. So, I attached my shoes, umbrella, and bag of food to my backpack. Also, in a pinch, I found that it could be used as a trade. Carabiners are impossible to find in Lusaka so it’s a hot commodity on the crafts market.
Extra Battery Pack for Phone – Solar If Possible : I mentioned before that Lusaka regularly has power restrictions. As a technologically based project and person who likes my computer, a lack of power slowed me down. I regularly sat in the dark doing literally nothing but, being mosquito food. I wish I had brought a power block. If power is questionable in your Fulbright location, splurge for power now. Also, I did have the forethought to bring rechargeable AA and AAA batteries. That has saved me a lot of money.
Cloth Folding shower caddy / Flip Flops: This item is probably not at the top of your list of things to buy before you leave. But, if you are sharing a bathroom at any point in adventure pick one up at Target. You can grab one during the “back to school” sales for about 15.00 USD. And then wander over to Walmart and grab the 2.00 cheap-o flip flops. I used them at the backpackers, around the pool, in my house, and when visiting friends.
Ziplock Baggies: Nobody does ziplock like Ziplock. I cherish the large baggies with a slide zipper closure. Those are unheard of in Lusaka. I brought 10 and I’ve reused each one about 30 times. I keep bread, cheese, veggies, meat, chips, cereal and more in my baggies. I wash them and reuse them another time. I bet you don’t do that in the states.
Journal: Books and paper are expensive. In Zambia, it’s very difficult to find nice writing paper or a blank journal. Throw one into your bag. You will love the way your moleskine journal feels in your hands compared to what you can find in some cities.
Atlanta, Georgia – This sunrise was only made possible thanks to a delayed flight. The 39 hour long flight to Lusaka, Zambia just got 24 hours longer.
Yes, every country appointment is different but, these items should be a consideration for all. Please consult your specific country’s representative to see if they agree with this list. And put them on the spot with a couple questions like “What do you and your colleagues purchase when you come back to the USA? What everyday items are super expensive there that I might want to bring with me?”.
Happy travels to all,
Becky
www.beckybeamer.com
Some of my first impressions of Zambia. The vibrant color is obvious. I wish I could send the feeling of growing in the heat of September.
Some of my first impressions of Zambia. The vibrant color is obvious. I wish I could send the feeling of growing in the heat of September.
Hey all. My name is Pandora White and I am a 4th year chemistry doctoral candidate at the University of Alabama. I have been awarded a Fulbright U.S. Student Research Grant to Poland for the 2016- 2017 cycle. Currently, I am less than 30 days away from my scheduled departure. I am currently engaged in packing and preparing for departure. So, I will tell you my thoughts about this process.
First of all, let me inform you of some of my traits that heavily influence my packing process. I am an African American with natural hair, plus size, and a solo traveler. In America, this may not seem like a big deal. However, when it comes to other countries this seems to be an incredible mixture of traits. I have travelled abroad to 7 countries and have spent months in a few of them. So while preparing to depart, I always ask myself these questions:
Will my race/nationality cause a problem? In countries like Jamaica or Ghana where the majority of the population are members of the African diaspora, I did not have any problems with race. However, in some of the other countries I’ve visited, I felt my blackness. People stare at me, take photos of me, or ask me tons of questions. So in general the normal responses I get when people see me are:
In some countries I have travelled to, some people have not seen African Americans and they want to document it in some way. Some people ask to take my photo and sometimes they just do it without permission. It makes me feel like I have my own paparazzi. I have started taking photos with the people who ask to take my photo to document it. I generally respond kindly to these requests, and the people leave me alone. Here are a few photos of this:
Shirahama Beach in Shirahama, Japan
Kochi, Kerala, India
Confused/ Misinformed/Ignorant. These people are generally not a problem. They just do not know of my culture, history and how to approach me. I consider those as teaching moments, but sometimes they anger me. Recently, I was in the Philippines and a guy from Amsterdam asked me “Why are Negroes in America so violent?” This was during the time when BLM protests were happening all around America. Instead of responding angrily, I explained to him the events that led to the protests and hopefully that influenced him not to think that African Americans are violent.
Anger/racism. Although, I have never had anyone openly attack me. I have had a couple of altercations. I am always concerned about racists.
What to do about my hair& skin?A lot of study abroad programs tell you that you can just pick up shampoo anywhere so you do not need to pack it. However, in my case I cannot do that. My hair is all natural. A lot of the things I use are not available in certain countries like Taiwan. In those instances, I make my hair care and skin products from raw ingredients. So I have been compiling recipes and gathering some of the ingredients that may not be readily available such as Shea butter.
Will they have clothes my size? Being both plus size and tall in America, there are specialty stores and tons of options which makes it easy for me to find clothes. However, in some countries like India and Japan, they don’t sell clothes in my size. I had to rely on what I brought with me and in some cases hire a tailor/ seamstress to make my clothes. So right now, I’m thinking about what is the most durable and versatile clothes I can pack.
Is it safe and are there rules for women that I should know? Knowing the appropriate dress code for women can help a lot in some places. I do not want to receive unwanted attention because my shorts are too short. So I pay attention to that. In some places, it is uncommon for single women to rent apartments which makes it difficult to find apartments. In general, I just rely on instincts but I also research the country.
I have tons of anxieties about going to Poland, but I am also looking forward to all the new adventures that may befall me. I will post my detailed packing list closer to my departure date. If you have any questions or comments, please post a comment.
I am now almost halfway through my time in Brazil as a Fulbright grantee, and I have had a great experience so far! A lot has happened since my last blog post, but I’ll try to fill you in.
In the end, I ended up being assigned to the city of Belo Horizonte in the middle/southeast of Brazil, which was one of the two cities I requested as preferences. So that worked out perfectly! Belo Horizonte may not be as famous as Rio or Sao Paulo outside of Brazil, but with about 2.5 million people it is the 6th largest city in Brazil and the capital of Minas Gerais, one of the largest and richest states in Brazil in terms of history and culture. I am finding that Belo Horizonte has everything you expect from a huge city in terms of things to do, while also maintaining the smaller feel and particular culture of the state of Minas Gerais, which is known for its warm and receptive people, comfort food, and colonial history. I really could not have been happier with my city placement, given the wide variety of options in a country as large as Brazil.
Of course, there is so much more to this year as a Fulbrighter than how much I enjoy the city I was placed. As an ETA (English Teaching Assistant), the vast majority of my time during the week revolves around attending and preparing classes in the Ingles sem Fronteiras (English without Borders) program here at the Federal University of Minas Gerais – UFMG. My role in the classroom varies depending on the class. All of the English classes here have a professor who is responsible for organizing and teaching the class, so it is up to them how to use me as a teaching assistant in the classroom. Sometimes I attend classes just to help lead activities and participate in whatever the students are learning that day, and other times I am asked to prepare a specific presentation or “workshop” to lead myself. I work with 4 professors, each of which has 3 classes, and so I only go to certain classes each week because otherwise it would be impossible for me to attend every class. So actually my schedule changes from week to week, based on which classes my professors ask me to attend or when I have a language or cultural workshop scheduled in advance.
In Brasilia, the capital of Brazil.
One very positive experience I have enjoyed so far has been my development of a “pronunciation workshop” that I have created for the English classes here at UFMG. It is basically a 2-hour interactive presentation about English phonetics and pronunciation, mixed in with lots of participation from the students, explaining and practicing tons of sounds and words that can be difficult for Brazilians speaking English. I have done this 2-hour workshop about 15 times this semester in many different English classes, constantly modifying it as I think of better materials or examples, so this has been a major project for me and I have gotten great feedback from both students and professors. As a result, I have also started weekly informal meetings for students to show up and practice their conversation and pronunciation with me, and yesterday I had a workshop proposal approved to share my pronunciation materials with all the other American Fulbrighters here in Brazil when we get together in Sao Paulo for our mid-year conference/seminar in July. Out of more than 70 ETAs in Brazil, only 12 workshop proposals were approved for our midyear conference, so this was a huge feeling of accomplishment after all the work I have done this semester on teaching pronunciation! Obviously pronunciation is not the only thing I work with here — I and the other two ETAs in Belo Horizonte have also done presentations and activities about American sports, American music, American food, university life in the U.S., competitive debating, among other cool topics.
At this point there is less than a month left before the first semester ends and we head to Sao Paulo for the mid-year conference in July. Afterward I will have 2 weeks of vacation to see some new parts of Brazil, and then I get back to Belo Horizonte for my final 3.5 months at the start of August! I will keep you updated on the next chapter of my time here!
Fulbright for me was something that all happened rather quickly. In the summer before my senior year, I returned from 5 months studying abroad in Florianópolis, Brazil, without a clear idea of what I wanted to do a year later after graduating. I was an international studies major, I knew I had at least a vague interest in working abroad, but I also had ideas of going to graduate school. It was actually in the first couple weeks of classes last fall, when I overheard one of my friends talking about his plans to apply for a Fulbright grant to teach English, that I started thinking about Fulbright seriously for the first time. Once I did more research and discovered that the application deadline was just a couple weeks away, I quickly got in touch with the wonderful Dr. Beverly Hawk, attended one of her useful information sessions in BB Comer, met with her 1-on-1 in her office, and quickly got working on the application.
Teaching English in some fashion had always been a dream of mine, so I knew I wanted to apply for an English Teaching Assistant (ETA) grant instead of a study or research grant. So for me, deciding the country was really the main choice to be made. I loved my semester in Brazil, I had even done a little bit of volunteer English teaching in Brazil before coming back home, and I had devoted significant time and effort to learn Portuguese. So did I want to continue following my interest in Brazil by teaching English there through Fulbright, or did I want to see another part of the world and go to a different country for a different experience? In the end I decided to apply for Brazil, knowing that my background would make me far more competitive for a grant there than anywhere else, and feeling confident that I already loved the country and its culture.
Dr. Hawk guided me excellently through my application process, and then the final piece was the interview here on campus, in order to be recommended by UA to the national committee. Although I was nervous going in, it turned out to be quite enjoyable – the UA interview committee just wanted to get a better feel for me as a person and as an applicant, so that they could help me show myself as best as possible. I was also able to ask my own questions to get a better picture of how Fulbright works and what its mission is all about. It wasn’t long before I knew that Fulbright was far and away my main dream for post-graduation, so during the next several months, I just waited anxiously and excitedly to find out the result. In January I found out I had made the final cut, and in March I found out I was offered a grant. The feeling of relief, triumph, and anxious excitement was incredible.
Having graduated in May, I am now working at UA in both the Education Abroad office and as a Portuguese language trainer in the Critical Languages Center, through the end of the fall semester. I leave for Brazil with Fulbright in mid-February, where I will remain through the middle or end of November (a 9-month grant). Now the next major piece of news will be my specific placement and location! While the variation between possible destinations is almost endless, considering that Brazil is the 6th largest country in the world, I really cannot wait to get started wherever I end up!
Choosing to apply for a Fulbright grant was the easiest part of the application. The steps that come after that initial choice certainly lend themselves to considerably more effort and significant reward.
I decided that I wanted to apply for a Fulbright grant in my sophomore year of college. I set the application as one of my goals (I still managed to procrastinate on starting it) and kept the Fulbright in mind throughout my college experience. I chose to apply for the English Teaching Assistantship in Spain and I made this choice early on. I am fluent in Spanish and had studied abroad in Spain and visited once before. If you have been to Spain, you can probably understand how it was an easy choice. It’s hard not to fall in love with the culture, the art, and the people. However, my love for all of those things is only superseded by my love for Spanish language. The opportunity to live in a place that is the origin of the language that I love was irresistible.
The only other passion that I have that parallels my love for the Spanish language is my passion for teaching and helping others. The ETA Fulbright position offered me the opportunity to incorporate all of the things I truly care about, and the decision to apply for this type of grant was hardly even a choice. The application process comes a lot more easily if you choose what you love.
I began my application about a month before it was due, which I would not recommend. There is no such thing as having too much time to work on something. Although I regret waiting to start the application, I’m a notorious procrastinator and there is a 100% chance that I would do it the same all over again. With the help of Dr. Beverly Hawk, I completed my two essays, my application, and secured my three recommenders within the month of application period that I had allowed myself.
After months of waiting to hear back about my Fulbright grantee status, while I was in California over spring break, I decided to check my email. I normally have a policy that while I’m on vacation, I don’t check email, but I had a feeling, and following that feeling led to my discovery that I had received a Fulbright grant to be an English Teaching Assistant in Spain. My last semester of my undergraduate career flew by from that moment, with me completely euphoric (aside from the visa process, which you will definitely hear about later on).
I cannot wait to be living my dream of teaching and living in Madrid, Spain and that journey starts in 8 days. An anomaly for me, I am packed and ready to go. I am still in utter disbelief that I will be living this experience in a little over a week, but thankful for the opportunity and those who encouraged and supported me on the way. I’m looking forward to updating in my next blog post, straight out of Madrid. ¡Hasta luego!
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What are current Fulbrighters saying?
" Through everyday interactions Fulbright is building genuine relationships that break down negative American and international stereotypes alike, while opening new pathways to our countries' shared international future."
-Cori F., Malaysia
"This year has shown me so many things about myself and has increased my ability to respond to stressful situations, cross cultural boundaries and to answer challenging questions about race, privilege and educational opportunity."
-Jilisa M., Indonesia | {
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If you have purchased any awesome Dinosaur Comics shirts - perhaps... THIS VERY ONE?? - then you should take a sweet picture of yourself in it and send it in to TopatoCo! They'll share it with the internet AND MORE IMPORTANTLY also give you $10 off your next order! THAT'S LIKE A FREE HALF A SHIRT! :0! | {
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Dark Night of the Soul serves as a difficult but masterpiece example of refined Christian Mysticism. The good passages are many. For this entry, I will use one in particular to discuss contemplative transformation.
In Book II, chapter 6 of Dark Night of the Soul, St. John of the Cross lends the following advice for the pain that can arise in "the substance of the soul both in sense and in spirit" The images is dark, perhaps even horrifying to some. It is taken from Ezekiel:
'Set it[the soul] also empty upon the coals, that its metal may become hot and molten, and its uncleanness may be destroyed within it, and its rust may be consumed.' -Ezekiel 24:11
It is this section of the saint's expositions that scholar and translator E Allison Peers regards as part of the mystical heights of the saint's own personal experience. No doubt, purification is often painful. While the Holy Spirit may be the loving fire that purges us, the pain of the release can hurt tremendously. Is it a good hurt? Well, it can be. Or, it can be a horrifying one. In my experience, embracing suffering allows room for it, thereby easing the cleaning out past trauma and egoistic adaptations. Embracing the fire, with a resolve of metal serves as the surest way through this darkness and creates space for the darkness to flow freely. Darkness, here, of course can represent the many internal dynamics and sensations that we once thought were bad, and the shadows of unknowing can transmute into the Divine Darkness of Pseudo-Dionysus. After all, St. John of The Cross does exclaim: Oh dark night! Sweeter than the dawn! This darkness is something he loves: it is of God.
Faith, in times of personal transformation can help motivate us to make our suffering sacred and holy. And while some may not like the concept of extolling suffering, remember: we are not creating it. Suffering, it appears, is the natural process of what happens to love in the world; after all, God's Eternal love was nailed to a cross. That's not to say that love has to hurt or that this contemplative path of love is more painful than it is blissful. In my experience, the reward and gratitude for a life fully lived far outweighs the suffering that is necessary. Before we can fully open us up to the mystery and miracle that is each new day and each passing moment, we must pay our dues in blood. Or, as the character of C.S. Lewis says in the movie Shadowlands, "the pain now is part of the happiness then." Of course, ultimately, pain is part and parcel of all true Joy: past, present and future : in the beginning, and in the end.
Yet this particular Dark Night of many dark nights, is principally a section about inner process and the mystic theology of ascent to divine union. A certain analogy could be made between the process of internal transformation and living through a difficult ordeal in the external world and finding peace on the other side. Yet, it is not exactly that. Or, put another way: St. John of The Cross speaks from the contemplative trials within, and he does so in a way that can metaphorically apply to all of Christian living, even trials that are more social and external in nature.
The work of St. John of The Cross is vast in scope and profundity. And then...the pervading image...the soul in the fire....
I talk about the lessons from St. John of The Cross more in the video below.
Breaking down the saint's mystical genius into the lowest common denominator. Some helpful life-lessons gleamed from his difficult lifetime trial of darkness and pain and arid bliss. | {
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ZeroFriends, the people behind the stunning Alex Pardee giclees, just released this new art print by Greg ‘Craola’ Simkins, Finders Keepers. It’s a 16″ x 20″ giclee, has an edition of 50, and is $125. Visit ZeroFriends.com. | {
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Active Weather Week Ahead – MONDAY Video
Good Morning! We have a very active weather week ahead with two systems on the menu. The first front moves through the state early tomorrow with a line of showers and storms. Will the storm be severe? I have an update from the Storm Prediction Center. And, another frontal system will affect us before this week is over. Will that storm system bring a round of strong storms to the state? Maybe… We’ll look ahead to the next weekend, and we’re always looking ahead to see if there’s any arctic air on the distant horizon. I’ll run it all down in a couple of minutes on your Monday morning weather briefing.
Frontal system in Oklahoma will become a big player by tomorrow morning. Today, a disturbance running well ahead of the front will bring s chance of showers by this afternoon. Breezy by tonight.
For now, the Storm Prediction Center has backed off on the Severe Weather Threat for Tuesday. Still though, there will be a tiny window for a “non-zero” severe threat by mid-day.
Band of rain reaches central Alabama during morning rush hour tomorrow. By mid-day some stronger storms need to be monitored from central through south Alabama on Tuesday.
Rain and thunderstorms tomorrow. Then, a nice, but cooler day Wednesday. Rain chances increase again by Thursday night into Friday. There could be some thunderstorms, too. Saturday looks nice, but cool..
Another storm system (frontal system) affects the area by Friday. Could some of the storms be strong or severe? Too early to say, right now. There will be some marginal instability. | {
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Bardic performances enhance your character’s powers, but keeping track of what song does what can be a pain...
Now, with Player’s Aid V: Bard Cards, you can easily keep track of all your bardic performances and abilities without having to keep multiple books open in front of you.
Player’s Aid V: Bard Cards includes all the core bard powers from the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Core Rulebook, as well as all alternate bard powers from Strategists & Tacticians and the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: Advanced Player's Guide.
Just print out the sheets, cut the cards apart, and you’re good to go, enhancing your party of adventurers quickly and easily with these handy Bard Cards! | {
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Description
http://www.ozee.com/shows/home-minister-swapna-gruh-lakshmiche - Click here to watch this full episode of Home Minister.Enjoy the world of entertainment with your favourite TV Shows, Movies, Music and more at www.OZEE.com or download the OZEE app now.
Useful Links:Connect with OZEE:* Visit us at - http://www.ozee.com* Like us on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/OzeeApp* Follow us on Twitter - https://twitter.com/OzeeAppTo download the OZEE App on your Android/iOS mobile:* Google Play – https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.graymatrix.did&hl=en* iTunes – https://itunes.apple.com/in/app/ozee-entertainment-now.-free/id743691886
Home Minister Swapna Gruhalakshminacha in its new avtaar gives our viewers, reasons to be happy, victories to cheer, moments to celebrate togetherness and cherish the concept of family with no bitterness.. Just love!!. Home Minister Swapna Gruhalakshmincha brings back its most popular anchor Aadesh Bandekar. He is back with a refreshing format & look, new games and challenges." | {
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THE MODERN EXPRESS HAS BEEN RIGHTED. LE MODERN EXPRESS A ÉTÉ REDRÉSSÉ
The work to straighten the 'Modern Express' concluded around noon today; with what, the ship has regained its equilibrium position. The ship, which spent one week without crew adrift in the Gulf of Biscay after suffering a shift of its load, but eventually was rescued and taken to the port of Bilbao on February 3, has since been in the hands of the Dutch company SMIT Salvage, which has conducted the work to right the ship.
Upon completion of the tasks of righting the ship, the Dutch company should deliver the ship to the owner who hired them to save it. Now that this has been accomplished, the owner of the ship must decide whether to download the content in Bilbao or continue the journey and download at the port of destination in France, at Le Havre. Work will be necessary to check how much the machines have suffered during the time the 'Modern Express' drifted or while it was being towed with a pronounced tilt. In case there is any damage, the owner may choose to repair the engines in Spain before setting sail again with the load.
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MangaBB for Android devices
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– Amartya Sen on the quality of life in India and China. Interesting reference about Bangladesh too. Definitely worthy of further writing. Also, mental note — how does lifetime utility of the representative Indian and Chinese compare under a standard neoclassical utility function? | {
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Sierra is the first of the Souter 7 from Utah: seven siblings who will all be running the course from Denver (well six of them will be this year, the youngest is not old enough to compete yet).
You’d think just one time the show would put a great run to lead off the show so we wouldn’t know what to expect.
Instead, we get the usual opening run fall as Sierra falls at the Ring Swing.
Robbie Doman, 33 year old Home Depot Manager
Robbie is a veteran who spent years rehabbing a combat injury before moving towards ninja training.
And Robbie was the first on the night to get through the Bouncing Spider.
A really impressive showing by Robbie as he made it all the way to stage four before falling at the Paddle Boards.
After the break, Will Washington lost out on the first obstacle, Natasha Pfeiffer fell at Ring Swing while blowing a kiss to her son, and Luke Halterman just missed on the bouncing spider.
Nate DeHaan, 30 year old Bush Pilot
All the way from Alaska, Nate trained with Nick Hanson, “the Eskimo Ninja.”
And according to Akbar, he is the first dog musher to compete on American Ninja Warrior (did that come from Elias Sports Bureau, Akbar?)
Nate got stuck out on the pipes of Bouncing Spider, losing his hat in the water. But DeHaan held on, spending a lot of energy before moving on to the second half of the course.
And Nate recovered, becoming the first competitor to complete the paddle boards.
By the time he got to Rail Runner, the Bush Pilot was out of energy. He fought valiantly before falling at obstacle 5.
Jon Stewart, 55 year old Construction Manager
The oldest man to ever make it up the Warped Wall was in the middle of taking a year off to travel the world with his wife when he got the urge to come back and compete.
His wife and daughter were on the phone from France watching as “The Rock Man” fell at Bouncing Spider.
After the break, the remaining Souters took their shot at the course. Amy and Tessa both fell at the Ring Swing. Shandi fell at the first stage. Josh made the third obstacle. As for the last Souter to compete…
Ryan Souter, 32 year old Software Consultant
…he made it just barely past the Ring Swing. Then, he went farther than any Souter before running past the Paddle Boards.
He did fall on Rail Runner, but may have a shot at qualifying for City Finals.
Tammy McClure, 33 year old Winery Owner
According to Matt, a winery is a really good place to train for American Ninja Warrior. And the montage shows why: because wine barrels are great for practicing obstacles.
“The Wine Warrior” landed completely past the padding on Ring Swing. The awkward landing seemed to produce momentum for her, as Tammy made it all the way to Rail Runner (an obstacle no one has made it past yet) before falling.
My guess is her run will be enough to qualify for city finals.
Before the break, Todd Allen, Kevin Sullivan, and Leland Fertachia all fell at the Bouncing Spider.
Andrew Duncan, 23 year old Electrical Engineer
Andrew is a super fan with a really embarrassing mom.
Well, at least Andrew seems to be cool with her as she is. Duncan’s mom screamed with every completed obstacle as Andrew made it all the way through Rail Runner (the first to do it tonight) and up the Warped Wall to hit the button.
Andrew Duncan, Course Completed, 3:36.25
After the break, Megan May fell at Ring Swing, Ben Antoine fell at Rail Runner, and Cannon Meyer fell at Bouncing Spider.
Brian Arnold, 39 year old Ninja Trainer
Brian proposed to his girlfriend with a hunting session going on all around them. Nice work, Brian.
But Brian has qualified for Vegas every time he’s competed. Unfortunately for him, Arnold hit his nose on the Rail Runner, causing him to fall.
We’ll have to see if Brian’s time was good enough to get him to city finals.
Ryan married the first ever bachelorette, Trista before millions of people on television, and they are still together today.
As for Ryan’s run on American Ninja Warrior, he fell at Bouncing Spider.
After the break, Dan Holguin fell on the first obstacle, Noah Hoffman fell on Bouncing Spider, and Matt Wilder fell on Paddle Boards.
Dan Yager, 34 year old Salon Owner
American Ninja Warrior helped Dan find his biological dad. He’s watching from Korea on a cellphone.
And “Moves Like Yager” made an impressive showing for him hitting the buzzer for the third straight season. Yager was also the fastest time on the night so far.
Dan Yager, Course Completed, 1:59.65
Sam Sann, 50 year old Gym Owner
The Ninja legend is coming off back surgery.
The back was not enough to keep Sahn from making his way through four obstacles and into the City Finals before falling just at the end of Rail Runner.
Venn Johns, 42 year old Bullrider
The “Bullriding Ninja” was a former gymnast who’s making his first run at the course.
Johns looked great until he missed the pipes on Bouncing Spider.
After the break, David Peterson fell at Battle Boards, Nick Kostreski became the third finisher of the night, and Jeri D’Aurelio fell at the Rail Runner but qualified for City Finals.
Michael Stanger, 33 year old Ninja Gym Owner
Michael’s wife has been in a wheelchair at every previous appearance he’s made on American Ninja Warrior. But a miraculous healing involving natural foods and rehab has allowed Michael’s wife, Enedina, to watch him while she stands and jumps this year (A really great story!!!)
Unfortunately, Michael fell at Rail Runner. But his time might be good enough to move onto City Finals anyway.
After the break, Matt Dolce and Brandon Tobacheenie fell at Rail Runner (both look good to advance, however). Drew Knapp became the 4th man to finish the course.
Lorin Ball, 30 year old Gym Owner
The ninja veteran doesn’t just want to complete the course. He wants the night’s fastest time.
And in a race to the buzzer, Ball does it, claiming the night’s top qualifying spot.
Lorin Ball, Course Completed, 1:42.89
Jake Murray, 30 year old Ninja Trainer
One of the great characters of the competition, Murray comes out riding a Segway. I would love to see him try the run on that thing.
Last year, Jake pulled a corn dog out of his fanny pack in the middle of his run.
This year, it’s just a bunch of speed at the start, completing the first two obstacles in less than 20 seconds.
However, in one of the night’s most shocking results, Murray went too fast and fell at the Bouncing Spider. Jake’s competition is done.
After the break, Rachel Rodriguez fell on the first stage, but she did say yes when her partner proposed to her. Ian Dory followed that up by becoming the 6th man to complete the course on the night. Bart Copeland also finished. And at 38 years old, he’s the night’s oldest finisher.
Megan Martin, 27 year old Professional Rock Climber and Sports Model
The night’s final runner has hit the buzzer four times previously.
She wouldn’t hit the buzzer this time, but she does qualify for the City Finals after falling on Rail Runner.
And Your Top 30 From Denver….
Lorin Ball
Dan Yager
Ian Dory
Drew Knapp
Craig Richard
Bart Copeland
Andrew Duncan
Nick Kostreski
Failed on Rail Runner
Brian Arnold
Karson Voiles
Ben Antoine
Devin Stratton
Michael Silenzi
Matt Dolce
Yancey Quezada
Michael Stanger
Ben Burkhalter
Kyle Wilson
Jesse Lucero
Brandon Todacheenie
Ryan Souter
Ian Weber
Megan Martin
Jeri D’Aurelio
Matt Reeves
Sam Sann
Luke Chambers
Tammy McClure
Dalton Knapp
Nate DeHaan
And the Women’s Top 5…
Megan Martin
Jeri D’Aurelio
Tammy McClure
Failed On Paddle Boards
Larrissa Cottle
Failed on Ring Swing
Tanya O’Donohoe
The eight competitors completing the course is the lowest total ever for a qualifying round. Also, three women made top 30 in Denver.
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Ninja Guide is The Ultimate Ninja Warrior Guide to American Ninja Warrior gyms near me, competitions, courses & more. From reviews of the latest TV shows like American Ninja Warrior Season 11 and Ninja Vs Ninja Season 1, to results, rankings and more of ninja leagues like National Ninja League (NNL), UNAA, Rec Ninja League and more.
Disclaimer: All attempts are made for the information on this site to be accurate, but no guarantee is made. Organizers can change the event date, add or remove waves, or make any other change without providing notice to us, which might result in our information being out of date. You should always refer to the event organizer's website for the most up to date information. If there is any difference in information between Ninja Guide and an organizer's website, assume the information on the event organizer's website is correct. We hold no responsibility or liability if any information on this site is incorrect. Ninja competions & ninja gyms can be a dangerous sport - you assume all liability and responsibility for the training & events you choose to partake in. Ninja Guide is not operated by any of the events listed on this website. Some events, products, and links on this website are affiliate partners and Ninja Guide may receive a commission for you clicking on the links or registering for events. For full details see our FTC Policy | {
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Rainy holiday on way for Pensacola area
12:37 PM,
Sep. 2, 2013
Dave Cathey, of Dallas, Texas, rides out a lightning storm along the Wayside Park shoreline Monday after he and his friend Michael Claeson were caught up in the thunderstorm while fishing in Pensacola Bay. Cathey said they saw a small water spout forming over the bay when they decided to get to land.
Written by
From staff reports
In addition to coolers, beach chairs and sunglasses, consider carrying an umbrella this Labor Day.
The National Weather Service is forecasting a 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms today, most likely in the afternoon. The holiday should be mostly sunny with a high in the upper 80s, and a low in the mid-70s.
AccuWeather predicts an even stronger chance for rain at 55 percent. ... | {
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Keys for Me (1-year student license)
$10.00
Grade: K
Code: KEYK
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Keys for Me is the kindergarten student program in Keyboarding Without Tears. Get children ready for keyboarding with activities that develop fine motor skills, introduce keyboard and mouse functions, and reinforce handwriting skills with typing games. | {
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... and THIS thread came to a screeching halt. OP, good question. I've been searching CB for about 20 minutes now trying to find an answer to this, and NO ONE has asked about this but you. My hope is that my reply here might let someone see this post and reply.
I just hope someone has an answer for this. It is the only thing keeping me from using my BB10 Z30 or Z10 as my daily phone. I can send clickable links with Android apps installed from Amazon APP Store with my BB10 devices. Yet links sent from the hub via the share function aren't clickable. | {
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My question is, what makes an effective DOS attack? What do malicious hackers send out to consume so much bandwidth and resources that it keeps a successful denial of service? Also, I hear most of the time a good DOS is done with a spoofed IP in the header. Could someone explain this as well? I know I won't be doing much of this kind of attack while pentesting, just thought it might be good to know.
An effective dos attack is one that can be sustained over a long period of time. As for what is sent out the answer is simply anything to consume bandwidth. For instance i could make a program that continually refreshes a webpage and if i got it on enough computers it would more than likely bring down a website (this would be a shoddy way of doing it mind) also the ping command when crafted properly can consume a considerable amount of bandwidth (especially with the -t switch). however normally your victims bandwidth will be greater than yours (because its normally a server) so to bring it down you need multiple computers and its only down as long as the attack is sustained. As for a spoofed ip header thats just changing the ip at the top of a packet to make it look like it came from somewhere it didn't (helps stop things coming back to you). ip spoofing is also used if a computer only allows requests from certain computers (so that you can impersonate said computer).
An effective Denial of Service attack does exactly as it sounds, denies service. You do have to take in count the time of effectiveness and the effect of a DoS attack.
Imagine the Following, Blizzard is about to release Diablo III but it is only available online from blizzard.com. To bribe customers, for the first 12 hours the game will come with a few special items which will only be available through this time. If you are a malicious person, you could attempt to initiate a DoS attack against Blizzard so you would be the only one with these special items.
Since the time period is 12 hours, an effective DoS attack must last over 12 hours for your plan to work.
Its been a while since i looked into these, but this is my understanding.
There are a few ways that DoS attacks work. Firstly, make the victim spend all its time sending information to a client who does not exist. This is done by packet modification or something similar. For example, we have a network with A and B. A sends information to B : A->BBut what if B pretends to be C? There is no computer C on the network, but if A thinks that there is, then it will be wasting time sending data to the non-existant C. This relates the spoofed Ip in the header you were mentioning. Basically, a network packet consists of a few bits of informaiton, something like this:DestinationIP : Origin : Data. The orgin and other information is containted in the "header" of a packet. To spoof the header means to change it to what you want, not what it actually should be. This kind of attacks were the original DoS attacks, I think. However, they arnt so common now, because nobody cares if they are sending a few bytes every few seconds to somewhere that doesnt exist. The amount of bandwidth that is used today makes these attacks almost useless.
So, widespread bandwidth attacking DDoS (Distrubited Denial of Service) attacks are the rage now. These basically involve as many people as possible trying to connect to a server. The server cant cope with this many requests, and all its bandwidth is used up. This effectivly takes the server down, because it cant do anything - it has no network. How do you orginize these kind of attacks, i hear you ask? Obviously if you got all your home computers and logged into, say, yahoo, Yahoo wont crash. You need alot of computers.
So, BotNets are used. This works as follows : many people are infected with a virus. That virus (in this case a trojan), sits on their computer. The trojans all login to IRC and wait for instructions. (Keeping in mind we could be talking about upwards of 10-20 million computers, here, if the virus is widespread, and probalby more).
When a victim is decided, the controlling person logs into IRC, and tells the bots the IP of the victim. The bots then all try to connect to the victim, crushing it with their bandwidth usage.
Some good reasons : Blackmail. First and formost. If I can tell a bank, or company, that its servers will be down for a few days and they'll be loosing money unless they pay me ... By controlling a DDoS BotNet, I have that power. Revenge - if i dont like somebody and I have power to do this, then i could. Buisness advantages - if Google goes down, then other search engines would profit, wouldnt they?"cool factor" - I get to boast about the power I have.
thanks. What types of protection exactly? Does it log IP addresses and doesn't accept packets from IP's sending heavy traffic its way, or does it have a method of detecting patterns (i.e. nonsensical data, without meaningful headers)
ArgentPyro wrote:thanks. What types of protection exactly? Does it log IP addresses and doesn't accept packets from IP's sending heavy traffic its way, or does it have a method of detecting patterns (i.e. nonsensical data, without meaningful headers)
I'm also curious about this 0_0~ If I remember right my friend told me the server gets irritated & stops listening to you (because, really who does that many pages requests per second 0_0) which is why you need all the comps my explanation sounds simple but I know nothing about IP (in its advanced stages) been lookin for a good book a while now (any suggestions...?).
Ok so, someone said you could change the top of the packet to include the reply address sothe server won't send packets back to you, how about it you made it so that reply address was..THEIR SERVER'S IP, so the packets would hit them twice (and twice as hard), and also keepingyou anonomous!!!! | {
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Artist:
Scott McCaughey
Scott McCaughey (pronounced like "McCoy") is a Seattle singer and songwriter best known for founding the long-lived band The Young Fresh Fellows. He has also recorded solo albums and as The Minus 5 and is a long-term auxilliary member (on added guitars and keyboards) of REM. His songwriting has been prolific, and he is noted for his wry humor and clever hooks, rooted in 60s garage and psychedelic rock. | {
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Charlotte Rampling and Michael Caine’s unreconstructed ideas about the Oscars diversity row have lost them fans. But don’t let the ignorant comments of elderly Brits distract you from the real battle: prejudice embedded deep in Hollywood | {
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Info: connection problems appear on android devices prior to version 5.0 (check before the purchase the correct functioning of the test version)
This application is ideal for teachers of EPS who wish to manage all students of their AS (sports association).
Connected app: Each teacher can modify the general list from their own device (phone / tablet), all other teachers on the team can access the updated information (ideal for registration, parental permissions, t shirt sizes ...) . INDISPENSABLE internet connection.
Simplified management: A student registers with several AS, who keeps the registration paper ?, who collects the data? Call AS collects and transfers all data, and makes it available to the entire EPS team.
Inform parents: not always easy to inform parents, find the phone number on the registration papers, prevent the absence of a student ... | {
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Akademy 2013 in Bilbao finished its first day in grand style with a party and great music. Day Two had another impressive line-up of talks. Day Two official business wrapped up with sponsor presentations and the Akademy awards.
Saturday after Akademy, people partied at Kafe Antzokia, some stayed until the sun came out. Las Dos D opened with traditional Cuban music, followed by Adarrots, a well-known Basque folk group playing Basque Celtic Fusion. We enjoyed the Basque folksongs; Basques in the audience sang along. The music and free&easy atmosphere got people up and moving. The musicians told stories through their music and their motions. At the end of their performance, the crowd wouldn't let them go. Dancing went on and on.
Adarrots (click for larger) by Jonathan Riddell
The Akademy atmosphere is inspiring. It is taking place in an exotic location with a profound energy and excitement. The Guggenheim Museum can be seen from the open terrace of the Akademy venue. Bilbao is a fusion of beautiful green hills, modern structures and venerable Spanish buildings. In a way, it resembles the KDE Community, an amalgamation of people from all over the world, people from different facets of life, different cultures. A beautiful city and a beautiful community.
The presentations - Day Two
Samikshan Bairagya's talk, "How I used QML to make KStars more interesting" had appeal even to the non-coder. To Samxam "interesting" means "interesting for the Kstars user" referring to what the viewer wants to see in the sky. In his GSoC project, he provided a way to choose what to see in the sky map: stars, planets, nebulae, etc. He used QML to create this easy-to-use interface.
Oihane Kamara's talk covered the use of Marble in scientific projects. The presentation included multiple illustrations, including the final program prototype with real data. The discussion after the talk dealt mostly with Python bindings in Marble.
Timothée Giet gave a great demonstration about the power of Krita. He started drawing the KDE mascot, using many Krita capabilities, rotating the drawing space, using various brushes and colors to make a beautiful version of Konqui. Krita is an amazing application.
Jos van den Oever and Friedrich W. H. Kossebau shared "Slices of Calligra". They talked about problems with documents stored and edited in the Cloud, and proposed some solutions. They also explained WebODF, a JavaScript library to add Open Document Format (ODF) support to websites and mobile or desktop applications. WebODF is easy to implement and works with Calligra Words. We had the opportunity to test collaborative editing in OpenODF during the talk. Finally there's an online collaborative text editor similar to Etherpad but better in many ways.
Typical of Akademy, throughout the presentations, David Faure and Vishesh Handa sit and hack together. Conflicts between the KMail GUI and Nepomuk are being sorted out. It is an interesting pair - Vishesh, jumpy and talkative, David, quiet and laid-back.
After the coffee break, it was time for the Student Programs presentations (Google Summer of Code, Season of KDE, Google Code-In and Outreach Program for Women) moderated by Lydia Pintscher. The presentations covered Tomahawk, KDE-Telepathy, Keyboard, Marble, collaborative text editing, connecting your phone to your KDE and a local adjustment tool for digiKam. It was amazing to see how exuberant students have made interesting and useful contributions to KDE through the various mentoring programs.
Illya (in the Chrome shirt) with mentors (click for larger) by Oksana
Illya Kovalevskyy was one of two KDE grand prize winners for Google Code-in 2012. He made a short presentation on his GCI experience. Illya said, "Before I started GCI, I thought I knew Qt, now I realize that I did not. During GCI, my Qt skill jumped by 300%. Before GCI, I contacted my geeky friends if I had problems when programming, now I can solve things myself by just reading appropriate documentation." Illya ended with "The KDE Community was extremely, extremely, extremely, I don't even know how to express it" to sudden applause. It was amazing to see this young guy standing there and confidently expressing himself and sharing his experiences. He clearly demonstrated his enthusiasm, his development skills and progress, and also his pride in being welcomed into the KDE community. It was inspiring to listen to him. If you have not participated as a mentor or admin, jump in! The students are wonderful.
The other KDE grand prize winner, Mohammed Nafees, did not make a presentation, but he provided some background information about his experience with KDE and Google Code-in. Here's Mohammed's story:
I was introduced to the KDE community in 2011 doing a couple of tasks for Marble during Google Code-in. After GCI '11, I polished my programming skills and continued working on Marble. In Google Code-in 2012, I worked with KDE (of course) throughout the contest, and completed 71 tasks. This included tasks for Marble, Pairs, code checker issues and much more.
Mohammed Nafees - Google GCI grand prize winner from KDE
For Marble, I implemented the new Web popup that replaced the previously used TinyWebBrowser. I also implemented the new look and functionality of the Navigation plugin. I implemented the GetHotNewStuff feature in Pairs. The whole GCI program timeline was awesomely exhilarating. I enjoyed doing every task and interacting with my super cool mentors. The whole experience was something that I'll cherish throughout my life.
Last January, I got my KDE developer account; the beginning of the KDE era of my life. KDE is much more than just a free software organization. It is FAMILY. The people here are so friendly and helpful. I feel extremely privileged to be a part of this community. I was fortunate to be selected as a grand prize winner of Google Code-in 2012 for KDE. I owe this achievement to the constant support of my KDE mentors. Thanks also to my family who were like my backbone, supporting me throughout the contest.
Currently I am working on Marble, building the best user experience of Marble on OS X. I am working on a Chrome native client port of Marble so that Chromebook users can also use and enjoy Marble.
Being able to attend Akademy 2013 is another dream come true. It is highly enjoyable to interact with my fellow community members. I met all my mentors in person and I feel so lucky to be here. It's a pleasure meeting everyone, and I'm looking forward to the upcoming events of Akademy.
Lydia remained on stage and started her talk "Negotiation Theory for Geeks" or How to Get What You Want with a Minimum of Misery. She talked about the relation between developers and the art of negotation. Key take-aways were that you should always focus on interests not on positions. Talk to each other and actively listen to what the other has to say. Proper communication and understanding the other person's ideas patiently while keeping an open mind is important. Consider ahead of time a fallback position if the negotiation fails—a BATNA (Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement); it doesn't make sense to settle for less than your BATNA. When there is trouble, TALK to the person, CARE about the other person, and look for common ground.
Akademy 2013 attendees (click for larger) by Knut Yrvin
Before lunch, everybody gathered right outside the Akademy venue. A photograph of the entire group was captured against the beautiful backdrop of Bilbao including the Guggenheim. Along with the usual nerdherding, Knut Yrvin showed his award-winning breakdancing skills to entertain us (blaming his age for refusing to dance on his head).
Kevin Ottens on KDE Democracy - Community Keynote
In the beginning, the Kool Desktop Environment was about software, not community. Then, software modules were created and teams formed around them. At an earlier KDE gathering, Matthias Welwarsky said, "KDE is not a project, it is an ongoing process". The KDE rebranding a few years ago came from acknowledging that KDE is the community, not the software. So we moved from working ON the Kool DE to working FROM KDE. Now that we have the environment, are we done?
Democracy? It is a journey, not a destination. Democracy needs citizens. Who are the KDE citizens? All of us from users who are actively engaged to all developers.
What is a KDE project? A definition was needed, internally and for projects that are considering joining KDE. Our common root is VALUES: open governance, free software, inclusivity, innovation, common ownership and end user focus. Many projects make one community. We're fortunate to have both cohesion and diversity.
So, we wrote a Manifesto together. What are the effects of the Manifesto? Is it the end of the process? No, new projects are joining.
What's next? This was a stepping stone; we must complete the work on democracy. Our culture needs governance documentation; for both Community and Project. Now, we rely on auto-organization, which is good, but we must not allow it to devolve into chaos. It's important to Respect the Elders (based not on age, but experience). Some turnover is good, but we retain wisdom. We need Alliance Management, such as we have with Qt. Perhaps we need a "Foreign Office" to handle these alliances. In Q&A, there was a discussion about elders. What makes someone an elder? Is KDE a meritocracy?
There are ongoing conversations about how the Community can make further progress.
In their talk People in KDE: metacontacts for all KDE apps, Martin Klapetek and Vishesh Handa (The Excited One) spoke about the value of multiple contact sources, not just KDE stuff. With Nepomuk, data already on the system can be reused. KPeople is a library that wraps around Nepomuk data. It is flexible, specific, provides ready-to-use information and invokable actions (such as a phone call from a widget). It can include live information, such as when people are online. Kpeople includes:
PersonsModel, the main model, which fetches only what is needed; extensible with plugins for external data
PersonData fetches all information on a single contact; loaded by id or URI
simple API
The current state is a stable API, usable from QML. KPeople will be released with next KDE Telepathy in September. A new address book integrated with KDE-PIM integration is planned. It is open to be extensible by design.
ThreadWeaver is a programming library developed for KDE by Mirko Böhm. It provides an easy way for developers to take advantage of multi-core processors. In ThreadWeaver, the workload is divided into individual jobs, and the relationship between jobs is defined (completion order and priority). From that information, ThreadWeaver works out the most efficient way to execute jobs. Krita has implemented visual filter previews using ThreadWeaver to prevent GUI lockups. Mirko used several examples to illustrate the basic usage patterns: single jobs and sequences. He also did a survey on the features people want to have added.
"Speech recognition" alone is not an application, according to Peter Grasch. There is considerable differences between specific use cases. Yet there must be a goal to focus on or the scope of this project is too wide. The first focus of the project was on dictation (writing texts). Peter gave a brief introduction about application internals. The demo used the Acoustic model from Voxforge (voxforge.org) and language models from a variety of sources. Speech recognition generally is not sufficiently robust. There are a lot of easy opportunities available. Beyond those, there is a lot of hard work to do. The technology is interesting and rewarding, the project could use more people who are up to the challenge.
Milian Wolff spoke about making applications run faster. The motivation: Faster seems better; it should run everywhere (not just on desktops), and do more. Prepare for Apps on Speed: always enable optimization and debug symbols. testing, testing, testing-make benchmarks to test against. Prevent regressions, keep functionality-don't over-optimize or micro-optimize (almost all of your work should be in what makes a real difference, not in making tiny improvements). Knowledge is king; the better you know your code, the better you can optimize. Get advice from the old-timers. A better algorithm often yields more performance than optimizing a bad alternative. Be aware that faster code might be slower for smaller datasets. Tooling: use the right tool for the job. Some examples: Linux Perf (huge potential, needs UI, preferrably KDE); Intel VTune Amplifier (not Free, free for non-commercial use, good UI); Valgrind: Callgrind and Massif
The technical talk Qt Quick Tooling by Kai Koehne presented the various tools available to KDE developers. Kai would like to see KDE developers embrace and extend the tooling infrastructure. There are tools for coding, debugging, profiling, and deploying.
Akademy Awards
At the end of the day, it was time for our traditional Akademy closing ceremony.
Sponsors
First, the sponsors came on stage, one by one, to tell us about themselves. Digia engineer Kai Koehne, representing our Platinum sponsor, explained that Digia has great expectations for the future of Qt, and that KDE plays a major role in the Qt ecosystem.
Team Lead Sebastian Kügler asked the whole Blue Systems (Gold sponsor) team to stand up so we could see what an awesome team they have working all over the KDE code base. He drew a lot of applause; when he remarked that we'd clap at anything, he got even more applause.
Vladimir Minenko from Blackberry (the other Gold sponsor) went over Blackberry 10's architecture and remarked that Blackberry is very happy to support KDE, and said that they are on the look-out for new employees.
Silver sponsor Google had no representative at the closing session. The KDE Community recognizes the exceptional support that Google provides to KDE with Google Summer of Code, Google Code-in, Akademy sponsorship and other smaller sponsorships.
Bronze sponsor Froglogic GmbH is a long time KDE supporter, delivering GUI testing solutions around Qt, as well as Java, Android, Mac and HTML to customers around the world.
ICS is a North American service provider around Qt technologies. They stressed that they are fans of KDE and even more of Qt.
Cornelius Schumacher, KDE e.V. Board President, thanked the Council of Bilbao and the Biscay Provincial Council for their practical and financial support.
Open Invention Network, a patent licensing pool for free and open friendly enterprises and Akademy Supporter, had Linux Defender Armijn Hemel on stage to give a quick and dirty overview of how to protect ourselves against malicious use of trademarks and patents.
Red Hat (another Akademy Supporter) didn't really need to introduce themselves, but they did point out that Red Hat is always looking for qualified engineers.
There was an acknowledgement of the support from the University of the Basque Country and the Faculty of Engineering. Many thanks for providing a wonderful venue and for your hospitality. Akademy attendees are grateful for the Metro tickets provided to every person by Metro Bilbao. Metro Bilbao also showed an Akademy Welcome banner on 230 screens in 40 Metro stations.
Bilbao welcomes Akademy (click for larger)
Akademy Awards
After the sponsors, the Akademy Awards committee took the stage. Last year's winners Lydia Pintscher, Kévin Ottens and Nicolás Alvarez (Camilla Boeman couldn't make it to Akademy 2013) presented the following awards:
Best Application: Eike Hein for his work on Konversation
Best Non-Application: Vishesh Handa (a very enthusiastic person; you all know who he is) for taking over the Nepomuk maintainer hat and rocking at stabilizing the beast
Jury's Award: Timothée Giet for shaping the future and community of Krita. Krita.org interview; also on Planet KDE
Jury's Award: Kenny Duffus for being the memory and soul of Akademy
Timothée, Kenny, Eike fill-in, Vishesh by Knut Yrvin
The Organization Award
The Organization Award went to Dani Gutiérrez and the whole Akademy team for organizing a wonderful Akademy. As a final surprise, Dani asked key people at Akademy onto the stage. From our youngest participants to accomplished contributors, he assembled a wide variety of KDE folk. Suddenly, music came from the side of the stage and a person appeared playing flute and drums, followed by a Basque dancer in traditional dress who demonstrated a few local dances. Dani explained that this ritual was to honor guests in the Basque Country. It has been presented for centuries to kings, queens and other luminaries! After the dance, the dancer greeted everyone on stage and left to huge applause followed by rhythmic clapping to the music that continued to play.
Special thanks
About Akademy 2013 Bilbao, the Basque Country, Spain
For most of the year, KDE—one of the largest free and open software communities in the world—works online by email, IRC, forums and mailing lists. Akademy provides all KDE contributors the opportunity to meet in person to foster social bonds, work on concrete technology issues, consider new ideas, and reinforce the innovative, dynamic culture of KDE. Akademy brings together artists, designers, developers, translators, users, writers, sponsors and many other types of KDE contributors to celebrate the achievements of the past year and help determine the direction for the next year. Hands-on sessions offer the opportunity for intense work bringing those plans to reality. The KDE Community welcomes companies building on KDE technology, and those who are looking for opportunities. | {
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Hello,-- I installed OnlyOffice Document Server v3 and put the editor in my own web application using the API. Everything seems to be working so far.-- But now I want to save the modified word document to my own application server from the editor.-- To achieve this, first I tried setting the "callbackUrl" parameter pointing a dummy url of my application server. I was hoping an http request would be triggered when I use the "Save" menu item in the editor. But nothing happened.-- I thought it could be because of some cross-domain limitations, so i set the "callbackUrl" to a dummy address with the onlyoffice document server address. Still nothing happens.
1 - When does "callbackUrl" get triggered? Or is there anything else that i should do to make it work? 2 - What does "Save" menu item do? It seems it has no function at this point..3 - Or what is the correct approach to be able to access the modified document from my own application.
Thank you.
EDİT:With making some more tests, I've noticed that callbackUrl is triggered by the document server itself, not by the editor in the browser. And it's only triggered only after user closes the editor. And the "Save" menu item sends a saving request via a WebSocket message to the document server. But, my requirement is still a callback option with a custom button which i will add in my application, not only when the editor is closed. I will put my own "Save" button in my application, and I want to be able to fetch the modified document at that moment when users clicks that custom button. Any help??
1) The link as it is shown here should be pointed for collbackUrl parameter.For example http://api.onlyoffice.com/editors/basic2) There is no any cross-domain limitations.3) Please specify the language of Example you've downloaded and send us the changed fragment of the code.
AnaMih wrote:1) 1) The link as it is shown here should be pointed for collbackUrl parameter.For example http://api.onlyoffice.com/editors/basic2) There is no any cross-domain limitations.3) Please specify the language of Example you've downloaded and send us the changed fragment of the code.
Thank you for the reply.But as i mentioned in the last edited section on my post, what I actually need is to trigger callback process manually. It seems right now; if the websocket connection between the document server and the editor is gone, document server automatically triggers the callback. I need this process to be made manually by myself after user clicks a save button of my own. The only solution i can imagine at the moment is that i will disturb the connection by injecting some extra javascript code inside the editor myself. But if there is already an implementation i could do via API or webserver cofig, that would be more inconvenient.
3 - Or what is the correct approach to be able to access the modified document from my own application.
Unfortunatly, there is no such opportunity.
...my requirement is still a callback option with a custom button which i will add in my application, not only when the editor is closed. I will put my own "Save" button in my application, and I want to be able to fetch the modified document at that moment when users clicks that custom button...
The request is sent from document service to CallBackurl in ten seconds after closing the changed document.It is impossible to get the changed document in real time (without closing it).
We can assure you that we read all requests and do our best to answer the questions or request any additional information (if necessary).
What if user wants to cancel the document after he types something in it.
Scenario;-User opens the document(Onlyoffice verifies the call back url with storage server).-User typing something on it.-After some two lines of typing, user wants to close the document without saving it(User do not want that document to be created for now).-As per the OnlyOffice doc., storage server will get a request from OnlyOffice server after 10 secs.-Storage server also stores the file and it will show to the user . | {
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Group Message Box
Thank all of you that have joined this group it means alot to see so many different people envolved with Sailor Moon and to see all the different Sailor Scouts that were inspired be the original art thank you and lets keep the Sailor Moon fan art alive keep creating keep them wanting more never give up on your dreams and if you have an idea dont be afraid to put it on paper you never know what you can do if you never try
Crystal Tokyo is Fan based sailormoon site dedicated to the love of Sailor Moon!. Where fans new and old can meetup with each other from around the world and find everything a fan could ever need wether it be information, media or graphics and many other activities.
The site idea started in 1998 with a long site tree which included everything that had ever been on a sailormoon website since its debut in japan in 92. Thanks to the help of my many sm friends online and artists, my dream of being the owner to a huge sailormoon site has slowy shown actual visual progress.
This site has sections for information,graphics, media, fandom, interactive activities, connection section, miscellaneous, Links and Site section.
Our Sections are slowly but steadily growing. The Infromation section will be filling up with information regarding the Manga, Anime, Live Action, Musicals, the creator, and many other Topics regarding those. The Graphics section will be filling up with image galleries of screenshots, anime/manga/live action/sera myu pictures, book covers, colloring book pages, doujinshi, cosplay, merchandise and collectables. The Media Section will be filling up with torrents to the Manga, Music and Episodes. It will also include Video Clips, and Sound Clips from the anime, live action and sera myu’s. The Fandom Section includes the forum, blogs like tumblr, a guestbook and chatroom. The Miscellaneous section will fill up with things like Crafts, , Webgraphics, Sprites, and many other Goodies and turturials. The Links Section will fill up with comprehensive or focused Sites based on the Anime/Manga, Live Action, and the Musicals. The Site Section is where you can find information regarding the webmistress and staff, the policies and rules, credits , rewards won, history of the site and a contact page. | {
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Today’s Tarot Card!
Tied directly to the zodiac sign Gemini, the Lovers card is often about a big decision at hand. When The Lovers appear in a reading about either work or love, the message is, follow your heart, your instinct is not fooling you at this time. This card says, it is safe to proceed with the decision that is pulling at your heartstrings the most. It’s important to take all parties into account when you meet The Lovers, as feeding your own Ego will backfire. But, when you do, know that peace and harmony will prevail in your very own Garden of Eden.
Symbolism:
Decisions are always paramount when you see The Lovers appear, as this card is directly connected to the zodiac sign Gemini, and the constant decisions they face. This is a beautiful card that represents the harmony and peace found in the Garden of Eden. But we see not one but two lovers in this card, suggesting there is a choice in play that could change your life. Most of the time this card appears in relationship spreads, thus signifying decisions in love are the theme of your reading. Sometimes it could be a major work decision too. You may be asked to relocate from an area that you love deeply, or that brings you peace. Or you may be forced to choose between work and love, or forced to choose two jobs, one that will bring in money, and one that brings in joy and happiness. What you choose, depends on you. This card is usually a sign that it’s safe to follow your heart here. | {
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The points of the user determines the rank. The higher the points, the higher the rank.
The bar represents the rank and points of the user. The longer the bar, the higher the rank and points.
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SINGAPORE - New laws will be tabled in Parliament some time this year to ban the sale of media streaming boxes with "add-on" services that help consumers access pirated content.
This clarity comes on the heels of a three-year review by the Ministry of Law (MinLaw) and the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (Ipos) of copyright laws here.
The legality of media streaming boxes has been a grey and contentious area as copyright holders have found it difficult to apply many of the usual legal avenues created in the DVD era against set-top box retailers that benefit from the sale of "add-on" services.
"We are of the view that legislative amendments are needed to both clarify our policy position and the actions that can be taken against retailers of such set-top boxes," said MinLaw in its Copyright Review Report issued on Thursday (Jan 17).
"The measures, which are absent today, will make clear that acts such as the import and sale of such devices are prohibited," said the ministry in a separate statement.
The review involves two public consultations, three town hall meetings and 10 engagement sessions conducted since August 2016.
Feedback from various stakeholders - including consumers, industry and trade associations, businesses, intellectual property law practitioners and academics - were sought.
Close to 100 formal submissions and more than 280 online feedback forms were received by MinLaw and Ipos.
The new laws will impose civil and criminal liability on people who wilfully distribute or sell a product that can be used to access pirated content if the product is designed for such access or advertised as such.
It will also be illegal to sell a generic device with "add-on" services - such as supplying website links or subscription services to pirated content.
The Copyright Act was enacted in 1987, with major revisions last made in 2014 to allow content owners seek a High Court order to get Internet service providers (ISPs) to block piracy websites. Before the revised law, they could not compel ISPs to block pirated content.
Last November, the High Court ordered eight new piracy websites and any others related to them to be blocked, bringing the total number of such websites blocked to just over 60.
However, there was no move to ban the applications in media streaming boxes, also known as Android boxes, and the boxes themselves.
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Is it going to be effective? Ban ban ban. In ppl's mind they think the govt is trying to stop them from watching what they want. Banning is just so authoritarian and controlling that ppl will keep on trying to overcome such challenges. Piracy content started out from downloading music files to now media streaming. It has come a long way. Can anything stop it so far? Nope.
The cat and mouse game is never ending. One of the issue is with our stinktel. Charging premiums to vendors to use their servers and facilities making cable/internet tv packages extremely expensive. Whoever is in charge of local media isn't thinking forward into the future. Their mindset of controlling and banning is still at Jurassic park.
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If the powers that be are going to take 3 years again to review the next 'threat', then I am rather confident that they will always be behind the game.
It seems that the call to productivity applies to everyone but the public sector. This took 3 years (I can see the spin about how they have to be 'careful', 'calibrated', etc. Call it what you want, not fooling me), took forever to study the matter of shared bikes until the private sector overtook them practically overnight (and still got it into one mess with the number of users who were left in the lurch after certain head honchos packed up and left, again practically overnight).
Or am I mistaken and this is actually the public sector being more productive already.
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Even my mum’s house also using android box now... thou she not watching other channel other than the same chn8. Old gens will still support because they don’t know what is YouTube blahblahbah.. recent gahman keep implementing or suggesting stupid laws. Buay sian ar
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Even my mum’s house also using android box now... thou she not watching other channel other than the same chn8. Old gens will still support because they don’t know what is YouTube blahblahbah.. recent gahman keep implementing or suggesting stupid laws. Buay sian ar | {
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I've not done one of these before, so should be interesting. I got that I need a helmet, and that it needs to be Snell 2000 or later, but is there anything I ought to look for or avoid in helmets? I may pop up a thread if necessary.
Bahn - I'm guessing this is the big thing in NH first week of OCT; there's nothing else showing on the CCA calendar.
I've not done one of these before, so should be interesting. I got that I need a helmet, and that it needs to be Snell 2000 or later, but is there anything I ought to look for or avoid in helmets? I may pop up a thread if necessary.
They are great fun, and very addictive. Helmet is the only requirement. I think you also need to attend the car control skill event prior to showing up for the track.
lucid - Ja, it looks like I may be stuck for this year, because I won't be able to make the required Advanced Driving Skill School ahead of time. I've written to the Event Coordinator, though, so maybe I'll come up lucky. If not, I'd still be up for a get together following or later in OCT, if anyone else is.
Being overseas, I won't be able to try any helmets on; is it reasonable to buy sight unseen? What am I looking for or avoiding, beyond Snell 2000 or later certification?
Also, I lived in Monterey for two years a while back, and enjoyed the hell out of the PCH (1991 Jetta). It's beautiful out there, in a way I don't think people can understand, although Maine's got it beat for overall experience IMO.
lucid - Ja, it looks like I may be stuck for this year, because I won't be able to make the required Advanced Driving Skill School ahead of time. I've written to the Event Coordinator, though, so maybe I'll come up lucky.
I suspect they'll let you in regardless. Right move to contact the coordinator directly.
Quote:
Originally Posted by elcarajo
Being overseas, I won't be able to try any helmets on; is it reasonable to buy sight unseen? What am I looking for or avoiding, beyond Snell 2000 or later certification?
You should be looking for a good fit. I wouldn't order a helmet without trying it. If it doesn't fit you properly, it won't protect you well; your head will move around in the helmet in case of impact. Different models offer different fits, and obviosly the shape of your head matters, too. May be you can buy one locally where you are. It wouldn't have the SNELL sticker though. You can ask the coordinator about that, too. HJC makes some good entry level helmets.
I'd be up for a meet but can't make the Oct 4th event (need to be in town by the late afternoon). Other than Lucid's car, I haven't seen another one yet.
Hey WCH. How's it going? I had to redo the V2 wiring by the way because I apparently did not force the wire into the connector hard enough and it came lose. No problems apart from that. How's yours working out? I hope they didn't screw up your transmission during service?
It will take you a couple of hours to get everything together and complete the procedure if you haven't done it before. The second time I did, I was able to pull stuff out and put them back in 15 minutes. You end up with bruised knuckles though. Maybe it's just because I have skinny long fingers. I can help you with this when we get together, but at the expense of your knuckles!
Predictable bad news for me - I probably won't be back in time for the 04OCT track day at NHMS. I'll likely miss October entirely. How late in the season do things tend to run? I'd be willing to venture as far afield as the corrupt wilderness of Massachusetts if I have to...
Predictable bad news for me - I probably won't be back in time for the 04OCT track day at NHMS. I'll likely miss October entirely. How late in the season do things tend to run? I'd be willing to venture as far afield as the corrupt wilderness of Massachusetts if I have to...
You guys should take a nice drive down to Flanders, NJ and go to BMFEAST 2008 on Saturday, October 4, 2008.
There's already 200+ Bimmers signed up already.
The drive will be worth it.
Hope to see you guys there!
Scott
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The Humanities department offers a diverse curriculum of courses investigating the arts, thought and culture, and the relationship of the humanities with other disciplines.
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Students working toward their transfer degree typically take a variety of courses designed to fulfill the general requirements of most four-year colleges and universities. Students intending to transfer to a four-year college for further training in the humanities field are encouraged to work closely with their advisor to ensure they meet the requirements of the college they wish to attend after Pierce. | {
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En route to Seattle now, so we can talk about this later if need be.
The Online Publishers Association is opposed to 4c. Some of our members may decide to honor the DNT signal regardless of whether the UA is deemed compliant. If publishers want to go above and beyond the call of duty, then they should be able to do that. Also, in general, we have all already agreed that first parties are largely exempt from the restrictions. This would constitute a new burden for publishers to differentiate between compliant and non-compliant browsers.
On Jun 20, 2012, at 11:07 AM, "Peter Cranstone" <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote:
I'd be interested in hearing your comments on the suggested changes to the following.
Part III Explicit and Separate User Choice
<Normative>
1. A User Agent must obtain explicit, informed consent to turn on the DNT header*
2. The User Agent must also make available via a link in explanatory text where DNT is enabled to provide more detailed information about DNT functionality
3. Any User Agent claiming compliance must have a functional implementation of the browser exceptions in this specification
4. Servers MAY MUST respond to users that their UA is “non-compliant†| {
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Often hair becomes brittle and prone to breakage with frequent heat styling; this deep conditioning cream works to provide a concentrated dose of hydration whilst combating the damaging effects of straighteners, curling irons and hairdryers.
Expertly formulated with Glycerol, it seals in moisture and repairs weak fibres whilst Coconut Oil replenishes essential fatty acids without weighing hair down. Free from silicone, you can expect touchably soft locks that are more resistant to heat with a healthy-looking shine from root-to-tip.
Direction of use:
Apply to wet or towel-dried hair. Do not rinse. Blow-dry or straighten. In case of contact with eyes, rinse them immediately. | {
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Failure to launch
Assistance needed: Student Jeremy Cruz explains the importance of the SPARC program. Northeast High School’s class of 1977 started a “Save SPARC” page on Facebook, which has raised $9,669 from 83 donors as of Tuesday afternoon. MARIA POUCHNIKOVA / TIMES PHOTO
Some astronauts from Northeast High are stuck up in space and waiting to come home.
There was a catastrophe in December. Three of the astronauts who took a deadly virus to the International Space Station were killed when it got loose. The few survivors of that flight were told they’d have to wait until spring to come back down to Earth.
Those astronauts will have to keep waiting. The rescue mission has been scrubbed.
There really are no Northeast kids awaiting certain doom in the coldness of space because Space Research Center, or SPARC, missions all are virtual flights aimed at honing their science skills. However, there is nothing make-believe about the money problems.
There isn’t enough cash to keep SPARC flying. Mission Control and the Space Shuttle mockup that sit in the aerospace magnet school at Northeast along with a real Apollo space capsule will be dark this year.
SPARC, the only such program in the nation, isn’t the only after-school program that is shutting down. There isn’t enough money for any nonsports extracurricular activities at Northeast High. Sports, said principal Linda Carroll, are paid for directly by the school district.
That direct funding is what some of the SPARC students are hoping to get.
Students Jessica Hattina, Jeremy Cruz and Shareef Alwarasneh are asking for contributions from any alums, in fact, any residents who want to keep SPARC, a program that dates to the 1960s, flying — and improving.
SPARC is a community asset, said Cruz, who has written several of the scripts for the program’s fall and spring flights.
“This is a program where students are given the opportunity to work in large, organized groups and learn the value of teamwork,” Cruz said.
“It gives them the opportunity to learn of their primary interest that they may come to succeed later on in their careers. Whether their interests are with medical, engineering, computer science or aerospace divisions, Project SPARC offers the chance of first-hand learning experience before these students even enter college,” said Hattina, who has served as a student director and as flight spokeswoman.
SPARC should be familiar to Northeast Times readers because the newspaper routinely covers the program’s fall flight and spring overnight mission.
But SPARC is more than that.
SPARC has six subdivisions in which students can specialize: Flight, Medical, Computers, Administration, Engineering and Robotics.
Each of the subdivisions has responsibilities and activities outside of the flight. For example, the medical team will all become certified in CPR. The robotics team has multiple competitions in which to participate. Engineering has some in-house and some outer competitions in which to participate.
“Everyone cares and supports each other to the point where it is no longer an after-school club, but really a second family,” Cruz said.
Those bonds were apparent when it was announced SPARC would not operate this year, he said.
“There was such a burst of support when we found out SPARC was closing,” he said.
That backing came not just from current students, he said, but from alums, too. “They remember what great times SPARC gave them and how much work they put together as a connected group,” Cruz said.
The class of 1977 started a “Save SPARC” page on Facebook to raise money, Cruz said.
Carroll said those who want to contribute to keeping SPARC running should contact the NEHS alumni association, so they can direct where their money goes.
Carroll said SPARC, which involves more than 100 students, probably needs $30,000 to $40,000 to operate per year. That would pay for the two teachers and nurse who are part of the program and help upgrade the equipment, some of which Cruz said is really aging.
It’s a shame extracurricular activities were cut, Carroll said, because they really are part of the high school experience.
For the kids, “This is where they want their future to be,” she said.
The Facebook page started by former SPARC astronaut Burt Dicht pulled in thousands of dollars over a week broken up by the New Year’s holiday. The page went up Dec. 30.
On Tuesday, Dicht said the page raised $9,669 from 83 donors.
The 1977 grad had been enrolled in the aerospace magnet school since 10th grade. SPARC was a great experience, he said.
Dicht, who went on to a career as an engineer, said he and his classmates were thunderstruck by the announcement SPARC was shutting down.
“Collectively, we were saddened and shocked that such an important program was being canceled,” he stated in an email to the Northeast Times. “This reaction was coming from NEHS alumni who were not even part of SPARC. But they recognized that SPARC was an after-school program that was really special. So we were moved to action. We wanted to do something for the current and future students and we discussed a fundraising campaign.”
Dicht had seen SPARC’s virtual space flights stop before. When he was a senior, he was asked to be one of the astronauts for the 27th mission. At that time, he said, there had been no SPARC flights for more than seven years.
“The students did the work, everything from developing the flight plan, assembling the supplies needed for the flight, monitoring the flight systems and our astronaut vital signs. We had complete trust as we all learned to work as a team,” he said. “Flight 27 took place on 27–28 April, 1977 and the flight lasted 24½ hours and we completed 17 orbits.”
The rescue mission that had been planned for this April would have been SPARC’s 49th.
Current and former students are hoping that will be possible.
Dicht said the response to the Facebook page request for dollars to support SPARC was phenomenal.
“We started hearing from NEHS alumni as far back as Class of 61,” he said. “Former SPARC members started sharing their stories and offering testimonials on the Facebook page. … All of the donors are committed to saving a program whose impact extends well into a student’s life and career.”
Anyone interested in joining the real rescue mission — the one to save SPARC — can contact the Northeast High alumni association and visit www.facebook.com/saveSPARC.
Carroll said the alumni association’s Joan Scheidecker could be contacted by email at [email protected]••
We have a problem: Student Jessica Hattina asks for contributions from any Northeast High School alumni who want to keep SPARC, an after school aerospace program that dates to the 1960s. MARIA POUCHNIKOVA / TIMES PHOTO
We have a problem: Students are asking for contributions from any Northeast High School alumni who want to keep SPARC, an after school aerospace program that dates to the 1960s. Currently, there isn’t enough money for any nonsports extracurricular activities at Northeast High. MARIA POUCHNIKOVA / TIMES PHOTO | {
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